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Grilled kebapche, Balkan minced-meat sausages

38 of the best · Sofia, Bulgaria

27 of the Best Restaurants in Sofia

From creative tasting menus to taverns with folk music, a monastery kitchen and a bar devoted to rakia, these are the tables worth booking in Sofia.

Our 38 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated October 2026

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Insiders' picks

Three of our favourites from this list, vetted by people who know and love Sofia.

  1. Bulgaria on a new plate

    Cosmos

    City Centre·Creative Bulgarian tasting menus·€€€€

    Chef Vladislav Penov’s creative restaurant on Lavele Street, where Bulgarian ingredients and memories become imaginative tasting menus.

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  2. Bulgarian classics, done well

    Moma Bulgarian Food & Wine

    City Centre·Modern Bulgarian·€€

    A stylish restaurant for modern Bulgarian cooking and Bulgarian wines, a short walk from Vitosha Boulevard.

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  3. Folk music and wood carving

    Hadjidraganov’s Houses

    Oborishte·Traditional Bulgarian·€€

    Traditional Bulgarian food in a set of restored old houses with carved wooden interiors, often with live folk music.

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The full list: Restaurants, A–Z

Show 29 of 32 places on a map
Neighbourhood

The back story 3

Bulgarian food.

  1. The back story

    Bulgarian yoghurt: the microbe named after a country

    City Centre·In depth: food

    Why Bulgarian yoghurt is famous, the scientist who found its secret, and the dishes it goes into.

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  2. The back story

    Shopska, banitsa and yogurt: Sofia on a plate

    Sofia·In depth: food

    Shopska salad, banitsa, tarator, kebapche and the yogurt that made Bulgaria famous.

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  3. The back story

    The mehana and the grill: an evening of Bulgarian food

    City Centre·In depth: food

    Kebapche, kyufte, shopska salad and a glass of rakia: how a Bulgarian dinner unfolds.

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Creative dining 3

Sofia’s most ambitious kitchen.

  1. Bulgaria on a new plate

    Cosmos

    City Centre·Creative Bulgarian tasting menus·€€€€

    Chef Vladislav Penov’s creative restaurant on Lavele Street, where Bulgarian ingredients and memories become imaginative tasting menus.

    Explore View on map

  2. Creative tasting menus

    Niko’las

    City Centre·Fine dining·€€€€

    A fine-dining restaurant with creative tasting menus built on Bulgarian produce.

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  3. Refined European

    Unica

    City Centre·Fine dining·€€€

    A refined restaurant with European cooking and an excellent wine list.

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Bulgarian classics 12

Banitsa, kavarma and shopska salad: Bulgarian cooking at its best.

  1. Balkan grill

    Arcadia Balkan Grill

    Lozenets·Balkan grill·€€

    A Balkan grill restaurant in Lozenets.

    Крум Попов 64Explore View on map

  2. Grills at good prices

    Divaka

    City Centre·Bulgarian grill·€

    A busy local chain of grill restaurants with big portions.

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  3. A vaulted cellar

    Hadjidraganov’s Cellars

    City Centre·Traditional Bulgarian·€€

    A traditional tavern in vaulted cellars in the centre, with hearty Bulgarian food, local wine and folk music.

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  4. Folk music and wood carving

    Hadjidraganov’s Houses

    Oborishte·Traditional Bulgarian·€€

    Traditional Bulgarian food in a set of restored old houses with carved wooden interiors, often with live folk music.

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  5. A traditional tavern

    Izbata 2

    City Centre·Mehana·€€

    A traditional Bulgarian tavern in the centre, sister of Izbata.

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  6. Simple and authentic

    Izbata Tavern

    City Centre·Traditional tavern·€

    A traditional tavern in a brick cellar, serving Bulgarian dishes such as banitsa, sirene cheese and stews at fair prices.

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  7. Bulgarian home cooking

    Mamin Kolyo

    Sofia·Bulgarian·€€

    A Bulgarian restaurant with traditional dishes in a rustic setting.

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  8. Monastery recipes

    Manastirska Magernitsa

    City Centre·Traditional Bulgarian·€€

    “The Monastery Kitchen”: Bulgarian dishes inspired by the recipes of the country’s monasteries, in a 19th-century house with a garden.

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  9. Bulgarian classics, done well

    Moma Bulgarian Food & Wine

    City Centre·Modern Bulgarian·€€

    A stylish restaurant for modern Bulgarian cooking and Bulgarian wines, a short walk from Vitosha Boulevard.

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  10. “Under the lime trees”

    Pod Lipite

    Lozenets·Traditional Bulgarian·€€

    A long-established restaurant of Bulgarian cooking in an old house with a garden under the lime trees.

    Елин Пелин 1Explore View on map

  11. A classic mehana

    Pri Orlite

    Sofia·Bulgarian·€€

    A traditional Bulgarian restaurant near Eagles’ Bridge.

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  12. A beer hall

    Stambolov Beer Hall

    City Centre·Beer hall·€€

    A beer hall and restaurant on Sveti Naum Boulevard.

    бул. Свети Наум 1Explore View on map

Bistros & rakia 8

Relaxed bistros, a hidden garden and a bar devoted to rakia.

  1. Steaks and modern dishes

    Cactus

    City Centre·Contemporary·€€€

    A smart contemporary restaurant in the centre with steaks, international dishes and Bulgarian wines.

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  2. Wine and jazz

    Checkpoint Charly

    City Centre·Bistro & wine·€€

    A characterful bistro with Bulgarian wines and live jazz on some evenings.

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  3. A chef’s bistro

    Chef’s

    Lozenets·Bistro·€€€

    A modern bistro in Lozenets with seasonal dishes.

    Любата 13Explore View on map

  4. A hidden garden

    Club of the Architect

    City Centre·Restaurant & garden·€€€

    A restaurant in the courtyard garden of the Union of Architects’ house, a quiet hideaway in the centre.

    Кракра 11Explore View on map

  5. Chef Petar Yankov

    Petru’s

    Lozenets·Restaurant·€€

    Chef Petar Yankov’s restaurant, with classic dishes cooked in new ways.

    бул. Свети Наум 48Explore View on map

  6. Rakia, the Bulgarian way

    Raketa Rakia Bar

    Oborishte·Rakia bar & Bulgarian food·€€

    A retro-styled bar and restaurant devoted to rakia, Bulgaria’s fruit brandy, with Bulgarian salads and dishes to go with it.

    бул. Янко Сакъзов 17Explore View on map

  7. “The lucky one”

    Shtastliveca

    City Centre·Modern Bulgarian·€€

    A popular restaurant with a quirky, vintage-style interior and a long menu of Bulgarian and European dishes.

    Сан Стефано 22Explore View on map

  8. A cosy favourite

    The Little Things

    City Centre·Bistro·€€

    A cosy, characterful restaurant near Shishman Street, full of little decorative touches, with Mediterranean and home-style cooking.

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Casual & quick 6

Soups, bistro plates and craft beer.

  1. Food and craft beer

    Aubergine

    Lozenets·Bistro·€€

    A relaxed bistro with creative dishes, craft beer and wine, south of the centre.

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  2. Pizza and pasta

    Burrata

    Lozenets·Italian·€€

    Pizza, homemade pasta and Asian-inspired dishes, in Sofia and Varna.

    бул. Джеймс Баучер 100Explore View on map

  3. Lebanese

    Ili Beirut

    City Centre·Lebanese·€€

    A Lebanese restaurant with mezze and grills.

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  4. Homemade pasta

    Pastorant

    City Centre·Italian·€€

    An Italian restaurant known for homemade pasta.

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  5. Soup of the day

    Supa Star

    City Centre·Soup bar·€

    A small, cheerful soup bar with daily-changing homemade soups, perfect for a quick, warming lunch.

    бул. Княз Александър Дондуков 17Explore View on map

  6. Pizza and pasta

    Ugo

    Sofia·Italian·€€

    A popular Sofia chain of Italian restaurants.

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Price guide per person: € under about €20, €€ €20–40, €€€ €40–80, €€€€ over €80. Book ahead for tasting menus.

Explore more of Sofia

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