The Best Cafés in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

Stratilat is one of the best places to pause and take a break from exploring Veliko Tarnovo while still admiring its beauty. Choose a table on the balcony, but not before you take a look at the cakes in the window and choose what you’ll have with your coffee (chocolate lovers will love the Stratilat cake made all from chocolate, inside and out). The venue is located on the old trade street of Veliko Tarnovo, in the historical heart of the city.

This dollhouse-styled café is located amid lush greenery in Marno Pole Park in Veliko Tarnovo. The sitting area outside opens to the park, while the interior is full of light and a feeling of spaciousness due to the light colors of the furniture and the large mirrors. Pull up a chair, order your favorite hot or iced drink, and enjoy life like Bulgarians do.

Geronimo is a quirky little place created with enthusiasm and a taste for the exotic. The most significant feature of this café is its décor consisting mostly of wood-carved totem-like figures and engravings, both on the outside and the inside of the building, as well as classic wooden cupboards and mosaic ornamentation. In summer, there are stools and high tables outside to make the most of the warm summer nights.

If you want your coffee accompanied by a mouthwatering sweet or savory pastry, head to Amaretto (Сладкопекарна Amaretto). This bakery is the perfect place to start the day regardless of whether you are on a healthy diet and need a smoothie or a freshly squeezed juice, or you have paused your healthy regime and crave a piece of cake or a baked Bulgarian pastry. The interior is stylish, and the service is friendly.

Coffee and sweets very often go hand in hand for Bulgarians, so why don’t you follow their lead and learn why there are so many pastry shops everywhere. You can opt for a freshly baked croissant and a cup of coffee at Asenevci, or you can go straight for the cakes, the thing they are best at here. There’s a special corner for children’s parties, and you can also order a boutique cake for your special occasion.

Veliko Tarnovo is set among greenery, and it is really relaxing and rejuvenating to spend a little time closer to nature. Park Cafe CoffeeIN is one such place – unpretentious, laid-back, with a small outdoor seating area situated in Druzhba Park. The coffee is rich, the beer can come with a bowl of chips and dips, and the summer is the season of ice cream, fruit sorbets, and iced cocktails.

The café at the Elena Hotel is a great place to stop by even if you don’t stay at the hotel. The coffee is strong, and all the pastries and cakes are cooked on the spot. If you need something more filling at some point, there is also a pizzeria, part of the hotel complex as well.