Restaurants & Nightlife

When you come to Bulgaria, what sort of food can you expect to get served in restaurants and how is the quality? We sample the delights of Bulgarian cuisine and nightlife.....

By Louise R. Candy

EATING OUT

The Bulgarians love to go out to eat, drink and socialise, so you will find plenty of restaurants and cafés lining the streets of Bulgarian towns and cities. The country is perhaps not famous for great restaurants, but it is all very cheap - a meal for four will cost you just under 30 leva (£12) in rural areas, and a bit more in tourist areas! Most of the food served is very traditional, but the bigger restaurants will also offer pizza and pasta. But if you decide to go Italian, don't expect the norm. Bulgarians have their own way of making pizza - it's cooked in a clay oven and then they like to eat it all smothered in ketchup and mayonnaise!

If you tire of Bulgarian food and yearn for something else, then head to the big tourist areas by the coast and in the capital Sofia. There you will find a small selection of restaurants serving international cuisine, anything from Chinese to French and Moroccan. If you are lucky, you may even find an Indian restaurant.

FAST-FOOD

Fast-food places like McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut can be found on the coast and in Sofia, but they haven't spread everywhere else yet. And that is probably something to be thankful for, although you might find yourself longing for something else after a while. The Bulgarians have their own fast-food places that serve slices of pizza and banitsa (pastry filled with a feta like cheese).

CAFÉS & BARS

You will find cafés everywhere. The Bulgarians love to drink coffee (served like espresso), chat and watch the world go by. Cakes are also very popular and you can try many tasty and unusual choices, like chocolate mousse cake with raisins and walnuts. There are also plenty of bars and pubs where you can have a drink and while away the hours until the break of dawn.

CLUBBING

Clubbing in Bulgaria started for real in the late 1990s. For year-round clubbing, your best bet is to hang out in Sofia but, in the summer months, the night life moves to the Black Sea Coast - most notably in the areas of Nessebar, Sunny Beach and Golden Sands. Bulgaria offers a wide range of clubs, from up-market spots with a slightly noir reputation to smaller, cozier places. The real underground locations are unmarked on the city map, but often boast the best music.