Expatriates Forums in Bulgaria

FOOD & DINING IN BULGARIA

GENERAL

The main meal is eaten in the middle of the day. Dinner is a social occasion, with dancing in many restaurants. Food is spicy, hearty and good. A lot of meals include meat, potatoes and cheese. Fruit is particularly good and cheap throughout the year. There is a wide variety of national dishes, as well as Western European standard dishes, which can be chosen on the spot at any restaurant. All good hotels have restaurants and there are many attractive folk-style restaurants and cafes throughout the country.

New restaurants are opening all the time in Sofia, but there aren’t enough good chefs to go round and standards tend to yo-yo as a result. Service is traditionally on the slow side, but things are picking up in this department.

National specialties

• Tarator (cold soup made from cucumber, walnuts and yogurt.).

• Kavarma (individual casseroles of pork or veal, onions and mushrooms).

• Shishkebab (stuffed vine or cabbage leaves and moussaka).

• Kebapcheta (small, strongly spiced, minced meat rolls).

• Banitsa (pastry stuffed with fruit or cheese).

National drinks

• Coffee, heavily sweetened, is particularly popular.

• Drinks made from infusions of mountain herbs and dried leaves, particularly lime.

• White wines include Evksinograde, Karlouski Misket and Tamianka.

• Heavy red wines include Mavroud and Trakia.

• Liquors include mastika and rakia.

Tipping: Until recently not applicable but some restaurants now include a 10-12 per cent service charge.

PLACES TO DINE IN SOFIA

Before & After
ul. Hristo Belchev 12,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 981-6088
Website: www.ba.club-cabaret.net

Cactus
ul. Hristo Belchev 20,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 986-7431
Website: www.restaurant-cactus.com

Checkpoint Charly
ul. Ivan Vazov 12,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 988-0370

Da Vidi
ul. Han Asparuh 36,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 980-6746

Hadzhidraganovite kushti
ul. Kozlodui 75,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 931-3148
Email: info@kashtite.com
Website: www.kashtite.com

L’Etranger
ul. Tsar Simeon 78,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 983-1417/ 88 752-3376
Email: bistrot_letranger@hotmail.com

Moderato
ul. Atanas Dalchev 6,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 970-0111

Otvud aleyata zad shkafa
ul. Budapeshta 31,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 983-5545

Trikrakoto pile
ul. Denkoglu 3,
Sofia
Tel: 359 2 986-2653
Email: trikrakotopile@abv.bg

Uno Enoteca
bul. Vasil Levski 45,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 981-4372
Email: enoteca@uno-sofia.com
Website: www.uno-sofia.com

For the lovers of exotic cuisine in Sofia, I would also recommend:

Indian restaurant Kohinoor
3 Han Asparouh str.
Sofia
Tel: +359-88-82532541
Website: kohinoor.bg