Food, food, glorious food!
Written Minka Paraskevova, edited by Lindsay Martin, photos by Ekaterina Totina.
Any great city centers around its people and its food. Sofia turns out to be one of the best places for gastronomic experiences with its abundance of cooking styles, international cuisine, gourmet dishes, and a wide variety. Sofia's food scene ranges from healthy to fast food to buffet to formal. It seems to expand by the minute.
My sole goal here is not to present every option in each category, but to compile a brief list of fine and affordable cuisine according to individual tastes and preferences.
Single food restaurants
If you are a specialty soup fan like me, you will appreciate these two charming places. Soups are great because they can serve as a starter, as the main dish, or as a dessert (yes, dessert!). A popular traditional Bulgarian cold soup is called tarator (yogurt, cucumbers, crushed garlic, ground walnuts, and dill) and is often prepared as a starter.
SupaStar is an excellent soup house with lots of soups, salads, and sandwiches on the menu. It is a precious little place for a quick and light lunch. They are open Monday to Friday from 11:00-17:00. At the moment they only offer takeaway and home delivery.
Supa Bar was the first soup restaurant in Sofia and has grown into a chain of shops in Sofia and Plovdiv. Supa Bar will welcome you with its friendly staff and fresh soups to challenge your taste buds. It is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 19:00 and currently offers free home delivery.
Further suggestions for soup restaurants can be found in this online guide.
Our next stop on this local gastronomic journey is to Niko' las for a unique veal, beef, or fish dish. They offer a fusion of Balkan tastes and Asian flavors. Do not despair if you are a vegetarian. There are Balkan dishes such as katuk, kyopulu and patatnik which shouldn't be missed! It is open Monday to Saturday from 18:00-23:00. At the moment they only offer home deliveries.
Traditional Bulgarian Restaurants
Being a true local, I rarely, if ever, go to this type of restaurant. However, they are a great source of history, art, culture, and gastronomy. I have picked two of the most popular among visitors.
Manastirska Magernitsa is an authentic traditional restaurant in a two-story house with a summer and winter garden. It is centrally located and has a number of traditional, mainly meat, dishes. Although, there are a few good options for vegetarians too. Manastirska Magemitsa leaves you with feelings of homeliness, warmth, and homemade tastes. This restaurant is open every day from 11:00-22:00. At the moment, you can place orders for home delivery via phone or at takeaway.com.
Hadzhidraganovite Kashti restaurant consists of four restored traditional Bulgarian houses. The menu is mainly for carnivores with dishes prepared over the fire, on a hot plate, or in the oven. In addition to the authentic food and architecture, they also offer live folk music in the evenings. This restaurant is open everyday from11:00-22:00 for delivery to home or office.
A few quirky places
These restaurants might be the highlight of the day. Don't their names bring comfort and sweetness?
Little Things has a homely atmosphere, tasty food, and an exciting interior. It is located inside an old house near Sveti Sedmochislenitsi Church just off Graf Ignatiev street. Little Things is open every weekday from 12:00-21:00 for home delivery and take away.
Soul kitchen began as a project from a group of friends and culinary enthusiasts. They follow their own religion of fresh, healthy eating and offer it to their customers. The menu contains a lot of raw food options and no meat. You can order home delivery by phone from 12:00-20:00 every day.
These restaurants might be the highlight of the day. Don't their names bring comfort and sweetness?
Top chef restaurants
The Secret Chef Table is a restaurant where all your senses are nourished. Chef Boris Petrov offers a 23-course tasting menu that leads you through centuries of forgotten Bulgarian cooking traditions. And the journey does not end with the food. You are offered a selection of fine wines to complement the meal. Orders are accepted from 11:00-19:00 for take-away.
Cactus is the second restaurant founded by Chef Ivan Manchev. In contrast to the first location, this one firmly believes that delicious food and a cozy atmosphere are all that is needed to create pleasant memories and happy customers. Open for free home delivery and take away orders.
Looking for more options? Here's our selection of restaurants for meat lovers and vegetarians and vegans.
Cover photo: Teleshki kufteta (Beef meatballs) sliced Bulgarian fries with bean salad; photo in text: Zeleva salata (Cabbage salad)
