I’ve collaborated with a few of my local Bulgarian blogging pals to offer you this list of must-try Sofia eateries! I requested list submissions from locals and people who have lived in Bulgaria for an extended period of time, so you can be certain that these are the greatest restaurants in Sofia! This list includes something for everyone, from the tastiest burgers in town to vegan and vegetarian alternatives (and even horse meatballs).
When in Sofia, don’t miss out on the following activities that will let you immerse yourself in the city (get them while they’re hot!):
- From Sofia: Rila Monastery & Boyana Church Small Group Tour
- Sofia’s Hidden Bars: 4-Hour Pub Crawl
- The Seven Rila Lakes: Full-Day Tour from Sofia
- Day Tour from Sofia to Skopje, North Macedonia
Contents
- 1 25 Sofia Restaurants You Must Visit
- 1.1 Cosmos
- 1.2 The Rainbow Factory
- 1.3 Chef Petrov’s Secret
- 1.4 ANDR
- 1.5 Made in the color blue
- 1.6 Farmers
- 1.7 Karmare
- 1.8 MOTTO
- 1.9 Pesto Bistro
- 1.10 Ahora
- 1.11 MEAT
- 1.12 Manufactured in the USA
- 1.13 Japanese Restaurant Miyabi
- 1.14 Cinecitta
- 1.15 The Sun and the Moon
- 1.16 The Ribs Brothers
- 1.17 Viktor Angelov’s Chefs
- 1.18 Agarta
- 1.19 Old is new again.
- 1.20 Moments Restaurant
- 1.21 Chefs on the Street
- 1.22 Veda Residence
- 2 Brunch Locations in Sofia
- 3 Sofia’s Best Bars
- 4 Which of these Sofia eateries do you wish to try the most? Please share your thoughts in the comments box below!
25 Sofia Restaurants You Must Visit
Cosmos
+359 88 820 0700 19 Lavele St
Cosmos piqued my interest since the meal was characterized as upmarket but authentic Bulgarian cuisine. When I arrived, I discovered that this description was extremely true.
The menu is plenty of selections including the classic shopska salad, Balkan fish,
venison,
and even meatballs prepared with horse flesh!
The service was flawless. My server knew the wine list like the back of his hand, and he suggested some delectable combinations.
Try the fiery beef tongue with foie gras mousse and the Bulgarian rose dessert, which includes strawberry and rose sorbet and pink pepper.
Cosmos also provides a tasting menu with wine pairings if you wish to try more of the cuisine.
The Rainbow Factory
+359 2 444 0556. 10
Dario of Beyond Sofia recommended it.
Sofia is a city with a distinct cultural background, which contributes to a diverse range of cuisines. Yet, like most people here, I have a favorite restaurant.
It’s difficult to choose just one favorite location in Sofia, but if, like me, you like a pleasant environment, a positive attitude, and (most importantly) great cuisine, Rainbow Factory is the place to be!
Rainbow Factory is more than simply a place to fulfill your stomach; it is also a place to make you happy! How? The restaurant’s personnel is always courteous and cheery, and they are obsessed with making culinary wonders as you sit in a very lovely and inviting ambience and listen to calming music.
Nothing beats their always-fresh sandwiches, and I usually conclude with a slice of mascarpone and chocolate cake and a cappuccino. This is genuine joy!
Rainbow Factory is one of those locations that moves you away from your current location. It’s a place for relaxing chats, exchanging emotions, and pleasing taste sensations. Here is the place to go if you want a Western European mentality with a distinct local flavor.
The Rainbow Factory has two sites, both in the heart of the city.
Chef Petrov’s Secret
878 444 47412 King Liberator Blvd.
Chef Petrov’s Secret takes you on a gastronomic trip through Bulgaria’s past, introducing delicacies and cooking methods that have long been forgotten. Savor dishes dating back to the ancient Thracians and continuing to the modern day.
If you want to have a really authentic Bulgarian dining experience, this is the place to go in Sofia. Secrets offers a 23-course tasting menu, the majority of which is made in front of you as Chef Petrov discusses anecdotes from his time spent traveling and working across the globe, presenting you and anybody with you with an amazing evening.
Join Chef Petrovs Secret for a one-of-a-kind dinner show coupled with great food, creating an ambiance unlike any other.
Reservations are recommended since space is limited. I would plan ahead of time. Bookings may be made by visiting the website by clicking here.
ANDR
+359 888 931 151 No. 31 Khan Krum str.
ANDR, the restaurant of MasterChef Andr Tokev, the founder and head of the Bulgarian Chef Association, first opened its doors in 2015. His primary interest is cooking, and he enjoys preparing each meal for his visitors.
ANDR has swiftly become one of Sofia’s best restaurants, combining a unique combination of flavors and sensations from other nations and cultures he has visited.
You may select anything from the seasonal menu or the lunch menu for a one-of-a-kind two or three-course meal that you won’t find anywhere else.
Made in the color blue
+359 89 857 99996 Yuri Venelin Blvd.
Maria of Traveling Buzz recommends
Made in Blue is a quiet, elegant restaurant in the heart of Sofia, situated inside a classic apartment complex. As you step in, you’ll feel as if you’ve entered a friend’s home rather than a public restaurant.
Yet the cuisine makes this pleasant ambiance even better: a fresh and high-quality contemporary but cheap menu.
Steamed mussels in a spicy sauce, peach chicken in white wine, and other popular meals
Skewers of chicken marsala,
as well as the grilled fish with lentils.
Good tip: reserve a table ahead of time and request a spot on the mystical third level.
Farmers
Tsar Ivan Shishman 24 +359 88 805 2299ul.Tsar Ivan Shishman 24
Lindsay of The Neverending Wanderlust recommends
Farmers is one of my favorite locations to get a fast, nutritious bite in Sofia. Farmers provides daily fresh soups, salads, and sandwiches. Their tomato basil soup, potato cream soup, and roasted veggie sandwich are my particular faves.
All soups are served with fresh-made croutons, while sandwiches and salads are cooked to order. Farmers’ warm environment and attention to detail are especially appreciated when I’m in desperate need of some nice comfort meal.
The salads and sandwiches on sale do not vary, however there are seasonal soups available. Fresh juice, a range of sweets (including cookies and candies), and bread are also available. Menus are offered in English as well as Bulgarian. While a dinner is not inexpensive, I have found that it is well worth the money.
When I’m looking for a fresh, nutritious, and substantial lunch, Farmers is usually at the top of my list!
Karmare
+359 899 000 681 No. 105 Knyaz Boris I str.
A fine dining Bulgarian restaurant in Sofia that serves classic meals in unusual ways. They have created numerous dinners based on Bulgarian icons such as flowers, wheat, and the dulo, with each item on the menu representing a bit of Bulgarian tradition and history.
Savor traditional shopska salad, lamb tongue, duck hearts, and other Bulgarian specialities with a contemporary taste and design twist.
MOTTO
Aksakov 18 +359 2 987 2723ul.
Joanna of Healthy Inspiration recommends
MOTTO is an institution with a brunch tradition. Their professionally prepared brunch buffet provides something for everyone. Although their brunch service is a little out of the ordinary, it is also more customized.
Together with their standard omelets, pastries, burgers, pancakes, and desserts, new menu items appear on a regular basis.
My personal faves are the omelet with spinach, the poached eggs, and their excellent summery lemonades. Lemonades may often surprise you with unexpected taste combinations.
The summer garden is a metropolitan sanctuary where you may soak up the sun on a wonderful day or hide from the scorching heat. The garden’s exquisite glass area has excellent comfy couches ideal for extended breakfasts and tte—ttes.
Pesto Bistro
Str. Angel Kanchev 18 a +359 87 717 4845
Dimitar of Trip Chef Book recommends
We’ve gone to Pesto many times since it opened in 2014, and the restaurant deserves to be completely booked all the time. Pesto, being a true Italian, intimate, genuine, and family-run cafe, might easily fit in on an Italian street.
We began with salads, as is customary in Bulgaria. The menu has a few options, but they all employ fresh ingredients, like Italian food should. Our favorite dish was their classic salad.
There are two entire pages of paninis on the menu. We discovered the Barbarossa (the owner’s family name) and Lombarda on our first visit, and these two have been our favorites ever since. The paninis are available in two sizes. If you’re going to get pasta, I suggest splitting a big one.
Pesto pasta comes in a variety of flavors. Inform the waiter of your choices and request a suggestion. Whichever pasta you want, it will be fresh, cooked right in front of you, and served from a hot pan at your table. We had some of the greatest spaghetti in Sofia by just asking for beef and red sauce. This was a bolognese-inspired dish with peppers added. Very, extremely good.
Although Pestos does not have a wine list, their wine selection is posted on a wall near to the tables. The majority are from Sardigna.
The restaurant is fairly small and just offers high chairs. Still, we were a group of six on one of our trips, and the waiter went out of her way to make us feel welcome. She even brought a piece of paper and colored pencils for the youngsters. We keep coming back because of the little things.
Pesto offers some outside dining throughout the summer. We highly advise you to make reservations for an evening meal due to the bistros popularity and capacity.
Ahora
+359 2 468 057025A Nikola Vaptsarov Str.
Called using the Spanish term for now, Ahora was intended to give a connecting experience between the chef and the visitor. Chef Sevda Dimitrova, the season two champion of Master Chef, invented it.
Her goal in founding this restaurant was to offer a space where people could express not just their own creativity and love of food, but also the creativity and love of food of everyone who passes through the doors and orders a dish. At this welcoming restaurant, the notion of us and how everyone grows and evolves is predominant.
That also implies that the menu will vary often. Even if you order the same meal every time, you’ll taste something new.
Catering, gatherings, and celebrations are also available at Ahora Restaurant. Just call or contact them at ahorabg@gmail.com.
MEAT
Angel Kanchev 1 (tel. +359 88 707 8455)
Stanislava recommends this product.
MEAT is the spot to go in Sofia if you want a gourmet sandwich and burger. Tables are available on the first, second, and third levels, and the décor is bright and beautiful.
As you wait for your burger, sip a draft of Glarus (one of Bulgaria’s greatest craft beers). They also sell bottled beers and other cold and warm beverages.
The menu changes daily and includes soups, salads, and desserts, but the restaurant is well renowned for its burgers and sandwiches cooked with the highest quality Bulgarian beef and handcrafted freshly baked bread.
For vegans, there is also a meatless sandwich and a meatless halloumi sandwich. My recommendation is to try the cheeseburger, which is constructed from 100% ground juicy beef. The handcrafted and absolutely excellent French fries will pleasantly surprise you. Last but not least, the service is pleasant, and you will not have to wait long for your order to be provided.
Manufactured in the USA
Angel Kanchev Str. +359 87 688 401430A Angel Kanchev Str.
This tiny family-run restaurant serves delicious prepared food from Bulgarian, Middle Eastern, European, and Mediterranean cuisines.
For meat lovers or vegetarians, enjoy breakfast, lunch, or supper classics. This quaint small Bulgarian restaurant has something for everyone, and no one will be dissatisfied.
Any of their salads (I adore Bulgarian cheese! ), roasted prawns, or meatballs are among my favorite foods.
Japanese Restaurant Miyabi
+359 887 275 064 5 Stara Planina Ul.
If you find yourself yearning traditional Japanese cuisine while in Bulgaria, Miyabi has you covered.
Sushi, sashimi, futomaki, nigiri, and vegetarian alternatives are also available. You may also have excellent green tea cake or handmade ice cream prepared with green tea, black tahini, and red beans for dessert.
Cinecitta
G Kumata Str. +359 0885 76016075 G Kumata Str.
You should surely try one of Sofia Bulgaria’s greatest gourmet fine dining Italian restaurants. They exclusively utilize fresh ingredients from local farms, and all of their flour, oils, cheeses, and other long-lasting components are 100% Italian.
Experience innovative takes on Italian classics prepared by their chef, Alex Dimitrov. They also offer the greatest selection of Italian wines in Bulgaria.
Everything on their menu is both tasty and visually appealing. This is an experience you will never forget.
The Sun and the Moon
+359 898 550 380 22 Alabin
This little vegetarian restaurant and bakery is one of the greatest places to dine in Sofia, particularly if you’re on a strict diet. Its food is influenced by Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and South American cuisines, and it is ideal for the die-hard vegetarian or vegan.
Every day, they make fifteen different varieties of bread, all with natural ingredients and freshly produced with no artificial additions.
Come for the bread or stay for a fantastic supper you won’t forget. The proprietors also own a small store called Inke Tinke, where they offer a range of organic items, including the flour they prepare and use in their bread.
The Ribs Brothers
13 Uzundzhovska Str. +359 89 912 5975
It’s OK if traditional Bulgarian cuisine isn’t your thing. If you’re searching for a place to dine in Sofia that serves meat without using animals you’ve never eaten before, Ribs Brothers is the place to go.
Ribs Brothers serves American and European cuisines with the greatest barbecue in Bulgaria.
Viktor Angelov’s Chefs
Several Places
At Chefs, you can experience classic Bulgarian delicacies like shopska salad and tripe soup like never before. Viktor Angelov contributes his own distinct touch to the food, fusing foreign cuisines with Bulgarian fare.
Chefs is easily one of the top Sofia restaurants, with two locations to select from. The first is a stand-alone restaurant in the Lozenets neighborhood, while the second is on the ground level of the Sense Hotel.
Agarta
+359 87 962 9419 Han Asparuh is 36 years old.
Agarta is a beautiful small restaurant with a menu that includes vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free choices. If you have lunch at Agarta, you will be in for a treat with its unique combination of Italian, European, and Mediterranean cuisines. Their rapid and pleasant service is much better than their cuisine.
There are no finer Sofia restaurants for art lovers, since the walls are decorated with works by local artists. The restaurant also offers a really comfortable ambiance, which makes you feel like a well-known visitor coming over for supper.
Old is new again.
+359 88 830 9933 18 Angel Kanchev
Take MasterChef Andre Tokev’s knowledge and expertise and mix it with his daughter Elisa Tokeva’s freshness and new ideas, and you get Old is New.
It mixes traditional food with outstanding cocktails, music, and a hypnotic ambience. When within the walls of Old is New restaurant, lose all sense of time and forget about the troubles of the outside world.
Moments Restaurant
Uzundzhovska Str. +359 88 333 63137-9 Uzundzhovska Str.
If you just cant get enough of the meals produced by MasterChef Andre Tokev, then wont be disappointed when you come to Moments Restaurant.
Andre obviously creates the greatest restaurants in Sofia, and Moments is no exception. This is his newest restaurant, and it has a more intimate ambience than the others. Enjoy fantastic music, wine, and traditional Bulgarian food. You will not be sorry.
Chefs on the Street
Several Places
You’ll be able to visit one of two Street Chefs sites no matter which side of Sofia you’re on. This restaurant serves you the greatest burgers, steaks, and French fries in Sofia.
Burgers and steaks are created using fresh Bulgarian meat that has been raised locally and is supplied fresh and ground by hand. Their vegetables are handmade and homegrown, and they serve fresh brioche buns twice a day.
Most Sofia residents would agree that this is, without a doubt, the greatest burger in town!
Veda Residence
+359 88 210 81082 William Gladston Street
Veda House is one of the few restaurants in Sofia that offers such a diverse selection of teas. They have two distinct menus: one for tea and one for meals since they provide so many different types of tea (at least 10 or more).
The meal served is entirely vegetarian. They work hard to make all of their ingredients and dishes clean and sanitary, so you won’t find anything cooked with eggs, onions, garlic, or mushrooms.
This restaurant adheres to Ayurvedic teachings, an ancient Indian tradition that promotes holistic living. They believe that by serving a clean food to their customers, everyone will leave pleased and healthy.
Brunch Locations in Sofia
While brunch is not as popular in Bulgaria as it is in other countries, several restaurants in the region have started to add brunch items to their menus in order to suit their clients. If brunch is your thing, swing by one of these three spots for a meal or two.
The Elder Lady
Oborishte Str. +359 87 757 410418 Oborishte Str.
This lovely caf in the centre of Sofia serves some of the greatest breakfasts around, but you can also remain for supper or coffee if you like.
Enjoy pleasant service and great dishes, including some that are healthier. The Old Lady has a lovely ambiance that makes you feel like you’re eating breakfast with your closest friends (because you are!).
BOHO
+359 89 645 1458 29B Hristo Belchev
BOHO restaurant serves typical Bulgarian brunch favorites as well as comfort cuisine such as pancakes and waffles. I liked their take on Eggs Benedict.
You’ll keep going back for more, along with some of the greatest coffee in Sofia.
Sofia’s Best Bars
Sometimes all you want is a drink and some time with your friends. You may do that at one of these pubs below while drinking some of the greatest booze that Bulgaria has to offer.
Rakia Bar Raketa
Yanko Sakazov 17
Although this is a bar, you may come here for lunch, dinner, or even breakfast, and then return at night for more cocktails.
Taste the tastiest and most fruity rakia you’ve ever tasted, or try something new. Their cuisine selection also offers alternatives for vegetarians, vegans, and those who need to eat gluten-free.
Sputnik
Yanko Sakazov +359 884 982 098bul.
With some of the greatest drinks in town, Sputnik bar will provide you with an unexpected nightlife experience. Sputnik’s atmosphere will transport you to another universe and make you feel like a genuine astronaut on the earth.
Great music and cuisine complement their fantastic drinks. Sputnik has something for everyone, no matter what their tastes are.
Speakeasy Bar 5L
020515 Tsar Shishman Str. +359 88 401
Discover a contemporary speakeasy unlike any other! You won’t want to miss enjoying cocktails at 5L Speakeasy Bar if you want to properly experience Sofia Bulgaria’s nightlife. They even have a difficult-to-find hidden entrance, just like a true speakeasy. Yet, if found, the atmosphere will take you to another universe. There will be great beverages, fantastic food, and a lot of fun.