Berlin’s most famous street is called “Unter den Linden” (Under the lime trees). Since 1959, Sarajevo has had its own place “Under the lime tree“. First it was a tavern, and later a restaurant, which is one of the most famous and recognized places in Baščaršija, a famous place in Sarajevo’s catering offer. It is in Prote Bakovića Street, across the remains of Firuzbey’s hammam, whose restoration should finally begin soon.
Many celebrities visited this place – American President Bill Clinton twice, Croatian President Stipe Mesić, one of the greatest conductors of today, maestro Zubin Mehta, entertainers like Tereza Kesovija…
A gift to Clinton
Clinton was accompanied by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and a group of US senators during the second visit. The owner of the restaurant Edib Ajanović Etko presented the American dear guest with an artistic painting of Ismet Ajanović’s painting, and Clinton later sent him a photo showing that painting hung in his house.
Restaurant “Pod lipom” offers originality and authenticity of traditional Bosnian cuisine. The restaurant offers various specialties of traditional and international dishes, grilled dishes, appetizers, salads, pies, desserts…
The restaurant was renovated in 2004 and turned into a large facility with about a hundred seats in the closed part and about 60 in the beautiful garden in front. The atmosphere of intimacy and festive mood is supported by music in the background which allows you to talk, even very quietly, and the person you went out with understands you perfectly.
The restaurant has a highly developed interior and exterior style that is at the service of the guests’ pleasant stay. Inside the restaurant there is a fountain that provides the guests with an extra relaxing atmosphere. Following tradition, the interior of the Restaurant is decorated in a traditional Bosnian manner.
A secret is hidden on the upper floor of the Restaurant. It is a collection of paintings of Naïve art, by Ismet Ajanović. The painter, whose name is also in the world encyclopedia of Naïve art, died in 2014, and his paintings “starred” in Ivica Matić’s famous film “A Woman with Landscape”.
Bakery craft
His works can be found on New Year’s cards and calendars. Several of his works were favorably evaluated and accepted at the UNICEF contest, so that he “made it” to their greeting cards, which we all used to send for the New Year.
Ajanović first learned the bakery craft from his father and did that until, due to his health, he replaced it with that of a tavern, which he worked for 13 years. He retired as a tavern owner in the “Bosna” tavern, while his brother was “in charge” of “Pod lipom”, and Etko took over from him.
Some of the paintings are exhibited in the lower part of the restaurant, especially in what represents a kind of winter garden. The restaurant “Pod lipom” also offers top catering services – that’s how I personally met them for the first time, when they catered the lunch after I got my master’s thesis ten years ago. A satisfied guest always comes back!
Author: Tarik Dreca
