Balkan Grill in Salzburg | © zweibaum.at

Balkan Grill Salzburg – home of the original Salzburger Bosna

The Bosna is a culinary cultural treasure – well known far beyond historic downtown Salzburg. But that is where it originated: at the Balkan Grill, where, on less than four square meters, the delectable Salzburg variation on a hotdog is rustled up day in and day out.

Culinary delight in one of the Salzburg through-houses

You will find it in countless travel guides about Salzburg. It enjoys a cult status – as much with locals as with visitors to the city. Driving its appeal: the fact that it’s a legend you get to eat! What we are talking about is the Balkan Grill and the Original Salzburger Bosna which you can pick up there. The whole experience takes on a mystical quality from the moment you approach the location of the Balkan Grill in Salzburg. It is hidden away in the so-called “Stockhamer Durchhaus” – a narrow thoroughfare between the bustling Getreidegasse and Universitätsplatz. Through-houses such as this are true architectural pearls, intriguing nooks you can saunter through and, in the case of the Balkan Grill, where you can also pause for a tasty bite to eat.

So, bearing in mind where it stands, you have two options for reaching the Balkan Grill: coming from Getreidegasse, you can enter the Stockhamer Durchhaus at No. 33 Getreidegasse – from the other side, duck into the entrance at No.2 Universitätsplatz. Regardless of the side you choose, there’s one thing you can probably count on: The oftentimes long line of people waiting patiently outside is simply part of the whole “Balkan Grill experience” – from long-established Salzburgers to Salzburg holidaymakers – all with an irresistible appetite for a cultural treasure from Salzburg: the Original Salzburger Bosna.

The Bosna – a Salzburg original

Two long, thin pork bratwursts in an elongated bun of white bread, slightly toasted, served half wrapped in white paper, with final finishing touches including parsley, onions and a secret blend of spices – this is the basis of the legendary Bosna. Which is precisely how it was created by the founder of the Balkan Grill, Zanko Todoroff, back in 1949. A native of Bulgaria, he actually invented the secret recipe for his bratwurst at the Müllner Bräustübl, first christening it the “Nadanizer”. Because of its extraordinary taste, it didn’t take long for it to become a culinary celebrity far beyond the Salzburg city limits.

Soon, he was able to afford his own food stall: the Balkan Grill in the Stockhamer Durchhaus. Befitting the new location and because the name “Nadaziner” was simply too hard to remember, he also needed to find a new title for his Salzburg-style hotdog. Fate would have it that a Salzburg signwriter, who was helping spruce up the Balkan Grill at that time, would come up with the name “Bosna”: a blend of the Bulgarian word “bosa”, essentially meaning “snack”, and “Bosnia”. The name was accepted – and the Bosna was born.

Now as then, pure enjoyment

Since the 1980s, the Balkan Grill has been run by Salzburg-based butcher “Walter”, while those iconic bratwursts still continue to be manufactured true to the original 1950 recipe. At the Walter butcher’s shop in the “Sam” section of Salzburg, nowadays you can even purchase all the Bosna ingredients separately, then go ahead and assemble your very own Bosna in the comfortable confines of your home kitchen. But let there be no doubt: The Original Salzburger Bosna fresh from the Balkan Grill tastes best of all! After all, buying from the source is a true act of culinary fait.

Things to watch out for when ordering a Bosna

Actually, when you order a Bosna at the Balkan Grill, there is only one thing you really need to know: the number that matches the Bosna of your dreams. What do we mean? The basis is always the same, two long bratwursts in a toasted white-bread bun. But when it comes to the rest, that’s when things get interesting!

Here is a brief overview of your options:

No. 1: The Original – with onions, fresh parsley and the secret Bosna spice blend
No. 2: with onions, parsley, Bosna spices and mustard
No. 3: with mustard and Bosna spices
No. 4: with onions, ketchup and Bosna spices
No. 5: with ketchup and Bosna spices

Of course, at this point your die-hard Bosna fan might well claim: The Original simply has to come in white Bosna paper. Many a Salzburger couldn’t possibly imagine a Bosna without mustard – meanwhile, many afficionados would never, ever permit ketchup on their delectable Bosna snack. But the simple maxim at the Balkan Grill always applies: Everything’s possible, nothing’s a must! And because of that, maybe you should already begin considering whether your taste buds are in the mood for an “Einspänner” with only one rather than two bratwursts – or, if there is any doubt at all, two entire Bosnas, whenever your hunger is totally out of control. But one thing is absolutely for certain: Biting into an Original Salzburger Bosna is an unforgettable flavor experience – each and every time you pay the Balkan Grill a visit.