Bulgaria
No lavender fields here, but beyond the mustard-coloured walls lies a peaceful courtyard where geraniums bloom from pots, lulled by a soothing pop…
Must-see restaurants in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
This local takeaway institution, off a side entrance on the square, offers delicious palachinki (pancakes) that you can grab and go, or gobble on a couple…
Varna
The Architect’s House is a fine old wooden National Revival–style building with a leafy courtyard that makes for a good-value lunch spot. Grills, steaks…
Plovdiv & Southern Mountains
Not quite a 'Viennese salon', as the name suggests, but this unfussy spot serves everything from breakfast banitsa (cheese pastry) to Rodopi specialities…
Black Sea Coast
The Old Boat is one of the very first seafront restaurants as you walk westward along the promenade. With an attractive waterfront setting overlooking the…
Bulgaria
This relaxing restaurant has a wooded setting between cliffs and next to the rushing river, about 300m before the Bacho Kiro Cave entrance. It serves…
Plovdiv
In a shady location at the northern end of Bunardzhika Park, this popular garden restaurant serves quality Bulgarian cuisine, from enormous smoky shish…
Sofia
This informal vegetarian restaurant is up some grubby stairs, in an arcade just off the street. Options include stir-fries, curries, pancakes and homemade…
Plovdiv
Within the walls of an early 19th-century Dervish monastery, Puldin immediately impresses with its huge courtyard fresco of a wedding. Befitting the…
Black Sea Coast
On the beachfront opposite the Glarus Hotel, this is one of the better options in a sea of mediocrity. There's a wide-ranging menu of pizzas, steaks,…
Ruse
In the courtyard of the City Art Hotel, Bamboo offers the usual choice of Chinese rice and noodle dishes, which all come in big portions. The chicken with…
Bulgaria
Traditional fare is served at this atmospheric 1852 mansion with tables set in a warren of halls, graced with ornate painted walls and worn wood floors…
Sofia
With its stylish art nouveau interior, this is an agreeable spot for light meals and drinks. Pasta, risotto, fish and steaks feature on the menu. It's…
Sozopol
The split-level terraces of this traditional fish restaurant afford a bird’s-eye view of Sveti Ivan Island from the courtyard balcony. The restaurant can…
Bulgaria
This lively mehana outside the Hotel Toma has a typically large menu of traditional Bulgarian specialities. The live Bulgarian music performed nightly…
Bulgaria
Pull up a wooden bench or stool in the stone-walled courtyard, and dine on stuffed pork and tripe soup, at this amiable out-of-town mehana. Find it on the…
Plovdiv & Southern Mountains
Part of Spa Hotel Devin, this place does reasonably priced meat dishes and more expensive regional specialities. The folk decor is enhanced by an open…
Varna
The ‘Seahorse’ is a cheap and cheerful pizza place with a big menu featuring all the standard varieties, as well as some inventive creations of its own:…
Bulgaria
This reliable mehana is separated from the main square hubbub by a trickling stream and tiny wooden bridge. It serves Bulgarian grilled meats, generous…
Plovdiv & Southern Mountains
The attractive National Revival–style house has a few rough-hewn outdoor tables and benches, and a menu of Bulgarian classics such as grills and cheese…
Black Sea Coast
This small, traditional tavern in the southeastern part of town, not far from the top of South Beach, serves up the usual range of Bulgarian specialities…
Black Sea Coast
Popular ‘Wild West Barbecue’ joint serving up lots of steaks, sausages and grills in a mocked-up ranch-style setting. It's in the pedestrian thoroughfare…
Sozopol
This simple harbour-side restaurant is good value, specialising in a variety of fresh fish dishes. Bulgarian staples such as kebabcheta (spicy grilled…
Pirin Mountains
This swish Italian joint has a people-watching location by the main square. Its pizzas are the best choice on the menu, but Napoli also serves a range of…
Bulgaria
This hearty, home-style mehana with adjoining bathhouses, serving Bulgarian dishes such as milk salad (yoghurt and cucumber) and juicy barbecued meats, is…
Burgas
Standing on the seafront overlooking the beach, this traditional wood-cabin affair is consistently packed out with locals. Good value specialities include…
Black Sea Coast
Set in a traditional, tavern-style courtyard around a twisted, 300-year-old fig tree, this is a welcoming place with great food, including freshly caught…
Plovdiv
Service can be gruff at this old-town Bulgarian restaurant, but the peaceful terrace behind Boris Palace allows diners to sigh over sunsets. Indoor tables…
Black Sea Coast
Just north of the bus stop (look for the 'supermarket' sign), this folksy restaurant features traditional Bulgarian and German fare, so there are lots of…
Bulgaria
On Vratsa's main pedestrian street, this is a pleasant place for a coffee or a variety of light meals. Salads, risottos, fish and pasta dishes are served…
Bulgaria
Above-average grills, steaks, sausages, soups and salads feature on the glossy menu at this city-centre restaurant, which has plenty of outdoor seating…
Bulgaria
There's no risk of imagining you're in the Big Apple, but this enormously popular spot is beloved for its wide menu of pizzas and grills, and everything…
Burgas
Cheap, self-service, cafeteria-style chain offering simple but filling fare such as sausages, salads and stews. There are some outdoor tables and it also…
Bulgaria
This atmospheric restaurant in an imposing National Revival–style house has worn wooden floors and carved ceilings, and a good range of homemade Bulgarian…
Bulgaria
Part of the Hotel Stranopriemnitsa, this hunting-lodge-style mehana has better decor than food, but its outdoor tables overlook a grassy, tree-lined spot.
Plovdiv & Southern Mountains
Part of the Tsarev Vrah hotel, Rila Restaurant specialises in Bulgarian grills and local fish and is set in a traditionally decorated 19th-century…
Bulgaria
Over near pl Sveti Nikolai, Restaurant Dionisi does hearty, home-cooked fare, including a range of meat and veg soups.
Bansko
A small and friendly bar and grill, the Tumbeva Kâshta rests in a secluded garden between the two central squares.
Black Sea Coast
Just off the beach, next to the Admiral Hotel. Come here for chicken korma and lamb vindaloo.
Plovdiv
Food and service don't live up to the rustic promise of this restaurant, which has a barn interior, farming implements and a watermill churning away…
