The 10 Best Restaurants in Sofia, Bulgaria

Shtastliveca means “the Lucky Man,” and it was one of the pseudonyms used by the famous Bulgarian writer Aleko Konstantinov. The restaurant known as Shtastliveca was so successful in Veliko Tarnovo that they opened a branch in the center of Sofia. Try the traditional Bulgarian cuisine or the local version of international dishes. They have a lunch menu, but you may need a reservation as it’s always busy.

Most pizzerias in Bulgaria are famous for being low- to medium-cost food venues serving Mediterranean together with Bulgarian traditional dishes. Mr. Pizza is among the chain pizzerias loved for their simple atmosphere and reasonable prices. One of their restaurants is located just a street away from the National Palace of Culture, a subway station, and the main walking Vitosha Boulevard.

It’s impossible not to love this restaurant when you take your seat and are immediately served a complimentary glass of sangria. They focus on Mediterranean cuisine and have an American burger menu, but there is also a special section with healthy and special dietary food. It’s a bit far from the city center, but you can take the subway and take off at Joliot-Curie Station. Brick Cafe Bar & Dinner is just across the street when you exit the station.

Before & After is a popular lunch choice for those working in the center of Sofia, but it is also the perfect place for a quiet dinner. The prices are more than reasonable for this part of the capital, and you are just a street away from the main pedestrian thoroughfare, Vitosha Boulevard. The restaurant is set in an old house, which makes the atmosphere special.

Here you’ll find a mixture of Bulgarian and European cuisine with a decent choice of pizzas and good wine. Don’t miss the desserts, because even if they are classics they are all delicious. The Oborishte 35 restaurant is quite spacious with a lovely cool garden in the summertime.

This is probably the best place to try traditional Bulgarian cuisine in Sofia. Some of the products for the dishes are produced by the restaurant itself (some of the traditional meat delicacies, for example). Even Bulgarians come here to rediscover the forgotten dishes from the time of their grannies. Hadjidraganovite Izbi (or Hadjidraganov’s Cellars) restaurant is decorated in a folkloric style with original ornaments and folk items.

Ale House is the only place in Sofia where there is a draught beer tap for every table in the restaurant. The tap has a counter where you can keep an eye on how much beer you’ve consumed. You can choose among appetizers, salads, grilled meats, and many other dishes to accompany all that beer.

This well-situated restaurant is a good choice for a special dinner, or simply when you are looking for good food with a good view. A huge plus of Corso Restaurant is its location across the beautiful Russian Church in Sofia. They serve mainly European cuisine bolstered by a good wine selection.

At The Little Things, you will see that every detail has been precisely chosen. The venue is situated in a small house with a warm and homey atmosphere. They serve tasty and healthy food with seasonal products inspired by traditional Bulgarian and international cuisine.

Sample the cuisine of Bulgaria’s neighbor, Serbia, at Bankovich Restaurant. Bulgarians are crazy about Serbian grilled meat, and this is a place where you can decide yourself if it deserves its fame. The restaurant has three branches in Sofia and offers a different lunch menu every day.