Thanks to Bulgaria's long history and the continuous influx of tribes who made Bulgaria their home over 1300 years ago, the country has a rich and varied cuisine. In addition, Bulgaria's proximity to Turkey and Greece has led to an exotic fusion of cuisines and thrown up some dishes that are typical of this country and can't be found anywhere else.

Get adventurous with your taste buds and try some of the dishes like sarmi, shopska salata, kebabacheta, banitza and bozha. You will not be able to find them outside Bulgaria.

Fine food is just one of the things that will make a lasting impression on you. Bulgaria is famous for its ancient folk customs and these traditions are still upheld. So when you go out for dinner in a folk tavern, you will be entertained with performances of dance and music. Bulgaria is also known for its ballet and opera. Besides, you can also taste the renowned Bulgarian wine.

Our Regional Bulgarian Restaurant Guide below will provide you with information about where to eat out in Burgas, Plovdiv, Varna, and Veliko Tarnovo; plus the cuisine of the region. For information about things to see and do, take a look at our Regional Bulgaria Destination Guide. For more general country travel information visit our Bulgaria Country Guide, Bulgaria Destination Guide and Bulgaria Restaurants pages. With a relaxed and easy going atmosphere, one of our Bulgarian restaurants is an ideal place to unwind after an enjoyable day of shopping in Burgas, Plovdiv, Varna, or Veliko Tarnovo.

Regional Bulgaria Food & Cuisine

Burgas | Plovdiv | Varna | Veliko Tarnovo

Food & Cuisine in Burgas

In Burgas you'll find a wide variety of restaurants which offer different cuisines and various price categories, so it is easy to find something that suits your budget. For instance, in a mid-ranking restaurant, you can get lunch for 10-12 levs. However, drinks cost more in the restaurants than in the shops. In summer, the prices shoot up even further.

The red and white wines offered in restaurants are of international quality. A 700 ml bottle will cost you anything between 3 to 8 levs. It's a question of which brand you choose. You can find different varieties of beer in Bulgaria, whereas in Bourgas, you can find Burgas beer, Kamensita and Zagorka. In a restaurant a beer might cost you 1 or 2 levs, while a coffee (mainly espresso) costs anything between 30 to 60 stotinki. A hamburger or a pizza will cost you anything between 1 and 3 levs. McDonlads, OMV and KFC have opened shop here, but the typical Bulgarian finds them too expensive.

Tourists will never be at a loss about what to eat and drink in Burgas since there are so many different types of restaurants offering a variety of cuisines. Be it Chinese or Italian, seafood delicacies or local dishes, you can find them all here. You can also find cafes and fast food places everywhere. Most of them open at 11 a.m and close only at midnight.

Food & Cuisine in Plovdiv

If you feel like a quick bite while exploring Plovdiv, stop by the kiosks and street vendors who sell snacks. Most of the restaurants popular with tourists are in the Old Town. They offer native as well as international cuisine. Down town, there are many bars and cafes where you can grab a snack and a drink.

Most of the old restaurants in Plovdiv serve alfresco dinners in a wonderful ambience, with their beautiful gardens and indigenous décor. Menus always feature local dishes like spicy stews and grilled meat. And if you're a vegetarian, do not worry. Bulgarians are big salad eaters. Most restaurants offer salata shopska, a delicious combination of cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers and onions topped with grated goat cheese.

The grapes grown in the region around Plovdiv are responsible for some of Bulgaria's finest wines. The most commonly found wine is the red wine which goes beautifully with peppery meat dishes. Unique to Plovdiv is a grape variety called Mavrud which the Thracians brought with them. The red wine made from these grapes is so thick, it looks like syrup.

However, Mavrud when mixed with Cabernet Sauvignon makes a wonderful table wine known as Pulden, a name that harks back to its Thracian origin. Treat yourself to good food and wine in Plovdiv without burning a hole in your pocket. You'll pay just about $25 for a full course meal accompanied by wine, in a decent restaurant.

Food & Cuisine in Varna

As a tourist place Varna has a great choice of restaurants, cafes, pubs, clubs and other places for food and drink. All food and drink is very reasonably prices and generally to a very good standard. A three-course meal for two without drinks is very cheap. If you need to quench your thirst you might be pleasantly surprised by the price of drinks in Bulgaria. In the nearby resorts, add 50-100% to the above suggested retail prices. Tips are about 5% of the bill. There are no restrictions for admission of children to drinking and eating establishments.

Food & Cuisine in Veliko Tarnovo

In Tarnovo you'll find lots of food and drink choices. A special place for typical Bulgarian food is Vinarnata in the Old Town on Stefan Stambolov Street, the heart of this area. Here, you pay just about 10 lev for a tasty meal of rice and lamb. Sit outside or in the dining room and watch the river flow by as you eat.

In the nights, head for Tequila, a bar on Stefan Stambolov Street with its young dance loving crowd and electronic music. There may not be many people, but you can always find some friendly folks to chat with. If you walk westwards, down Stefan Stambolov Street, you will come to Nezavisimost where the road forks into Vasil Levski Boulevard and Hristo Botev Street. This is the place for offbeat cafes and restaurants.

In Tarnovo you'll find lots of food and drink choices. A special place for typical Bulgarian food is Vinarnata in the Old Town on Stefan Stambolov Street, the heart of this area. Here, you pay just about 10 lev for a tasty meal of rice and lamb. Sit outside or in the dining room and watch the river flow by as you eat.

In the nights, head for Tequila, a bar on Stefan Stambolov Street with its young dance loving crowd and electronic music. There may not be many people, but you can always find some friendly folks to chat with. If you walk westwards, down Stefan Stambolov Street, you will come to Nezavisimost where the road forks into Vasil Levski Boulevard and Hristo Botev Street. This is the place for offbeat cafes and restaurants.