If you visit Bulgaria, trying the local food should be part of the trip. Traditional Bulgarian dishes are built around simple ingredients that have been part of everyday cooking for generations: tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, beans, fresh herbs, yogurt, white brined cheese, and grilled or slow-cooked meats.
Some Bulgarian foods will look familiar if you have traveled elsewhere in the Balkans, but Bulgaria has developed its own versions, combinations, and traditions. A Shopska salad covered with grated sirene, a warm piece of banitsa for breakfast, or a bowl of cold tarator on a hot summer afternoon are as much a part of experiencing the country as visiting its monasteries, mountains, and historic towns.
Bulgarian food also changes with the seasons. Summer tables are filled with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, salads, and cold soups, while colder months bring more baked dishes, stews, beans, pickled vegetables, and pastries.
If you’re wondering what to eat in Bulgaria, these 10 traditional dishes are a great place to start. Some can be found in almost every Bulgarian restaurant, while others are closely connected with home cooking, holidays, and family traditions.
What Is Traditional Bulgarian Cuisine?
Bulgarian cuisine belongs to the wider culinary traditions of the Balkans and Southeastern Europe. Centuries of cultural exchange have left their mark, including influences shared with Greek, Turkish, Serbian, and other neighboring cuisines.
Centuries of Ottoman rule also influenced Bulgarian cooking, contributing to a culinary tradition that includes dishes and techniques shared across the former Ottoman lands, from moussaka and baklava to slow-cooked stews and stuffed vegetables.
At the same time, several ingredients give Bulgarian food a character of its own.
One of the most important is sirene, Bulgaria’s white brined cheese. It appears everywhere from Shopska salad and banitsa to grilled peppers, baked dishes, and even french fries. Bulgarian yogurt, known as kiselo mlyako, is another staple and forms the base of tarator as well as many sauces and traditional dishes.
Fresh vegetables are especially important during summer. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, eggplants, and herbs such as parsley and savory appear frequently on the Bulgarian table.
Grilling is also a big part of the country’s food culture. Kebapche, kyufte, sausages, pork steaks, and skewers are common at traditional restaurants and outdoor gatherings.
Then there are the dishes that take a little more time: slow-cooked beans, stews, stuffed vegetables, casseroles baked in clay pots, and pastries made with thin sheets of dough.
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There isn’t one single style of Bulgarian cooking. Food varies considerably between regions, and many dishes have dozens of family versions. That is part of what makes exploring Bulgarian cuisine so interesting.
Also Read: 10 Food You Must Try in Bulgaria
10 Traditional Bulgarian Dishes You Have to Try
You could easily make a much longer list of Bulgarian foods worth trying. These ten, however, offer a good introduction to the country’s cuisine, from fresh summer dishes and grilled meats to pastries and hearty comfort food.
1. Banitsa – Bulgaria’s Famous Cheese Pastry
Banitsa is one of the first traditional Bulgarian foods you should try, especially if you’re looking for a typical Bulgarian breakfast. The pastry is made by layering or rolling thin sheets of filo dough with a filling of eggs, sirene (Bulgarian white brined cheese), and yogurt before baking it until golden.
Fresh from the oven, banitsa has crisp, flaky layers on the outside and a soft, savory filling inside. You’ll find it in bakeries throughout Bulgaria, where it is commonly sold by the slice and eaten for breakfast or as a quick snack.
There are many regional and family variations. Some versions are arranged in a spiral, while others are layered in a baking pan. Fillings can also change, with spinach, leeks, pumpkin, or other ingredients added depending on the recipe and season. Banitsa is also closely tied to Bulgarian cuisine and traditions, particularly around holidays and family celebrations.
Banitsa also has a special place in Bulgarian holiday traditions. On New Year’s Eve, families traditionally prepare a banitsa with small fortunes, or kasmeti, tucked inside. Each person receives a piece and discovers a wish or prediction for the year ahead.
If you want to make it at home, try our Banitsa (Bulgarian Feta Pie) recipe for a traditional version of this Bulgarian favorite.
2. Kebapche – Bulgarian Grilled Minced Meat
Kebapche is a classic Bulgarian grilled dish made from seasoned minced meat shaped into a long, narrow cylinder and cooked over a grill. Traditional recipes commonly use pork or a mixture of pork and beef, with cumin, black pepper, and salt providing the characteristic flavor.
The outside develops a browned, slightly smoky crust over the grill while the meat remains juicy inside. Unlike some similar Balkan grilled meats, Bulgarian kebapche is especially recognizable for its elongated shape and prominent cumin seasoning.
A typical restaurant portion usually includes several kebapcheta accompanied by french fries, Shopska salad, lyutenitsa, or grated sirene. You’ll see them on menus at traditional Bulgarian restaurants, roadside eateries, grills, and casual neighborhood restaurants across the country.
Kebapche is closely related to kyufte, another Bulgarian grilled favorite. The main visual difference is easy to spot: kebapche is long and cylindrical, while kyufte is shaped into a round, flattened patty. Kyufte recipes may also include additional seasonings or finely chopped onion.
3. Mekitsi – Bulgarian Fried Dough
Mekitsi are soft pieces of fried dough traditionally eaten for breakfast in Bulgaria. Crispy and golden around the edges but light and chewy inside, they are one of those simple Bulgarian foods that can be served either sweet or savory.
The dough is commonly prepared with flour and yogurt or milk, along with a leavening agent, then divided into pieces, stretched by hand, and fried until puffed and golden. Unlike doughnuts, mekitsi usually aren’t perfectly round—the irregular shape is part of their homemade character.
How you eat them is largely up to you. Powdered sugar, honey, and homemade jam are popular sweet toppings, while sirene (Bulgarian white brined cheese) makes a classic savory combination. They are especially good while still warm from the pan.
Mekitsi are particularly associated with home cooking, although you’ll also find them at bakeries, breakfast shops, guesthouses, and traditional restaurants.
Want to try making them yourself? Follow our Mekitsi (Bulgarian Fried Dough) recipe for the full ingredients and preparation.
4. Shopska Salad – Bulgaria’s Most Famous Salad
Few dishes are more closely associated with Bulgaria than Shopska salad, or Shopska salata. It is a simple combination of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and onions topped generously with grated sirene (Bulgarian white brined cheese).
The vegetables make the salad fresh and crisp, while the salty sirene gives it much of its distinctive flavor. A simple dressing of sunflower oil or another neutral oil is common, sometimes with a splash of vinegar. Parsley may be scattered over the top as well.
Shopska salad is particularly good during the Bulgarian summer, when locally grown tomatoes and cucumbers are at their best. You’ll see it on menus almost everywhere, from small neighborhood restaurants to traditional mehanas and restaurants along the Black Sea coast.
Despite its traditional image, Shopska salad is relatively modern. It became widely promoted during Bulgaria’s development as a tourist destination in the mid-20th century and eventually became one of the country’s best-known foods.
Shopska salad is usually ordered for the table and eaten alongside the rest of the meal rather than treated simply as a side dish.
You can easily make it at home with our traditional Shopska Salad recipe.
5. Meshana Skara – Bulgarian Mixed Grill
If you want to sample several Bulgarian grilled meats in one meal, order a meshana skara, which literally means mixed grill. Rather than one specific recipe, it is a platter combining several meats prepared on the grill.
The exact selection varies from restaurant to restaurant, but a typical meshana skara may include kebapche, kyufte, pork steak, sausage, or a grilled meat skewer. Portions tend to be generous, making this one of the heartier traditional Bulgarian dishes on the list.
The meat is usually served with straightforward sides such as french fries, grilled or fresh vegetables, bean salad, and lyutenitsa, Bulgaria’s popular roasted pepper and tomato spread. Grated sirene is sometimes added over the fries.
Meshana skara is especially common in a traditional Bulgarian mehana, a tavern-style restaurant where grilled meats feature prominently on the menu. In warmer weather, the smell of meat cooking over a charcoal grill is also a familiar sight at outdoor restaurants and gatherings.
There isn’t a single “correct” combination for a mixed grill, so don’t be surprised if two restaurants serve completely different platters under the same name. That’s part of the appeal—you get to try several staples of Bulgarian grilling without having to choose just one.
For a closer look at the different meats and sides that can go on the platter, see our Bulgarian Meshana Skara recipe and guide.
6. Gyuvech – Bulgarian Clay-Pot Stew
Gyuvech, also spelled gyuveche or guvech, refers to a family of slow-cooked dishes traditionally prepared in an earthenware pot. The name is connected to the clay cooking vessel itself, and you’ll find variations of the dish throughout Bulgaria and other parts of the Balkans.
There isn’t one fixed Bulgarian gyuvech recipe. Larger versions can combine meat, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and other seasonal vegetables, all slowly baked together so the ingredients soften and their flavors mingle.
You’ll also come across gyuveche, a smaller individual portion prepared in a little clay pot. These personal-sized dishes can contain sirene, tomatoes, peppers, sausage or other meat, and an egg cracked over the top toward the end of cooking.
That flexibility is part of the tradition. Gyuvech has long been a practical way to turn whatever vegetables, meat, and other ingredients were available into a substantial oven-cooked meal.
If you order one at a traditional Bulgarian restaurant, don’t expect every version to look the same. The ingredients may change considerably, but the clay pot and slow-baked character of the dish are what tie the different versions together.
If you order gyuvech in Bulgaria, don’t expect every version to look the same. The ingredients change with the recipe and region, but slow cooking and the traditional earthenware vessel are at the heart of the dish.
7. Tarator – Bulgarian Cold Cucumber Soup
On a hot Bulgarian summer day, few dishes are as refreshing as tarator. This traditional cold soup is made with Bulgarian yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill, water, and a little oil, creating a light, tangy dish that requires no cooking.
Walnuts are also commonly added, either mixed into the soup or sprinkled over the top, giving the otherwise light soup a little extra texture.
The consistency varies from household to household. Some people prefer tarator relatively thick and creamy, while others add more water for a lighter soup. It is usually served well chilled and is especially popular during the hottest months of the year.
Tarator can be served as a starter or alongside the rest of a meal, and you’ll find it at traditional restaurants throughout Bulgaria during summer. It is also one of the easiest Bulgarian side dishes to recreate at home because there is no stove or oven involved.
For the best flavor, use a thick, slightly tangy plain yogurt and fresh dill rather than dried. Bulgarian yogurt is ideal when you can find it, but a good-quality unsweetened yogurt also works.
Want to make it yourself? Our authentic Bulgarian Tarator recipe takes only a few basic ingredients and can be ready in about 15 minutes.
8. Shkembe Chorba – Bulgarian Tripe Soup
Shkembe chorba is one of Bulgaria’s most distinctive traditional soups. Made with tripe, usually beef tripe, that is simmered until tender, the soup has a rich, savory flavor and is usually finished with milk and paprika.
The condiments are just as important as the soup itself. Shkembe chorba is traditionally served with crushed garlic mixed with vinegar and hot red pepper, so you can adjust the garlic, acidity, and heat at the table.
It’s a dish that tends to divide first-time visitors. Tripe isn’t for everyone, but those who enjoy it will find shkembe chorba in traditional restaurants and specialized soup shops throughout Bulgaria.
The soup also has a long-standing reputation in Bulgaria as a hangover food, although you certainly don’t need a hangover to eat it. For many people, a steaming bowl with plenty of garlic, vinegar, and hot pepper is simply comfort food.
Variations of tripe soup can be found throughout the Balkans and neighboring regions, but the Bulgarian combination of paprika and the sharp garlic-vinegar condiment gives shkembe chorba its familiar local character.
Curious enough to try it? See our traditional Shkembe Chorba (Bulgarian Tripe Soup) recipe for the ingredients and preparation.
9. Bulgarian Moussaka – Potato and Ground Meat Casserole
If you’ve eaten Greek moussaka, the Bulgarian version may surprise you. Instead of layers of eggplant, traditional Bulgarian moussaka is usually built around potatoes and ground meat, making it a distinctly different dish despite sharing the same name.
The potatoes are cut into small cubes and baked with ground meat, onion, and seasonings until tender. Near the end of cooking, the casserole is covered with a light topping typically made with yogurt and eggs, then returned to the oven until the top is set and lightly browned.
The result is hearty without being particularly complicated: tender potatoes, savory meat, and a slightly tangy baked topping. Depending on the household, seasonings and additional ingredients can vary, so there is no shortage of family versions.
Moussaka is especially associated with Bulgarian home cooking. It’s the kind of substantial dish that can feed an entire family from one baking pan, but you’ll also find it at traditional restaurants and casual places serving cooked meals.
When ordering moussaka in Bulgaria, don’t expect the eggplant-heavy version commonly associated with Greece.
You can make it at home with our Traditional Bulgarian Moussaka recipe.
10. Tikvenik – Bulgarian Pumpkin Pastry
To finish the list with something sweet, try tikvenik, a traditional Bulgarian pastry filled with pumpkin, walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon. It is made with thin sheets of filo dough and is particularly popular during autumn and winter.
The filling combines grated pumpkin with warm cinnamon and crunchy walnuts, giving tikvenik a lightly spiced flavor without turning it into an overly heavy dessert. The filled pastry sheets can be rolled individually and arranged in a baking pan or formed into a spiral before being baked until crisp and golden.
Tikvenik is closely related to the wider family of Bulgarian banitsa-style pastries, but its sweet pumpkin filling gives it a completely different character from the familiar savory cheese banitsa.
It also has a place on the Bulgarian Christmas Eve table, when the traditional meal is prepared without meat. Families have their own ways of making tikvenik, with differences in the amount of pumpkin, walnuts, sugar, and spices used.
Tikvenik is particularly associated with home baking, although you’ll also see it in bakeries. If you’re traveling through Bulgaria in the colder months and spot a freshly baked one, try it while it’s still warm.
You can also make it yourself with our Tikvenik (Bulgarian Sweet Pumpkin Pie) recipe.
What Makes Bulgarian Food Different?
Bulgarian food shares plenty of ingredients and dishes with neighboring Balkan cuisines, but several staples appear so often that you’ll quickly begin to recognize them while traveling around the country.
Sirene is perhaps the most obvious. This salty white brined cheese is grated over Shopska salad, tucked inside banitsa, baked in clay pots, served alongside breakfast foods, and even sprinkled over french fries.
Then there is kiselo mlyako, or Bulgarian yogurt. Its pleasantly tangy flavor works in both cold and cooked dishes, but tarator is probably the best introduction for a visitor. Yogurt is also eaten on its own and used in sauces, pastries, and toppings.
Fresh vegetables play an equally important role, particularly from late spring through early autumn. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, eggplants, and herbs appear in salads and cooked dishes across the country. During winter, pickled and preserved vegetables become much more prominent.
Bulgarian cooking also makes good use of chubritsa, or summer savory, a herb you’ll encounter in bean dishes, meat recipes, and seasoning mixtures. Paprika, parsley, dill, and garlic are other familiar flavors.
Once you’ve eaten in Bulgaria for a few days, these ingredients become familiar quickly. Sirene turns up on salads and pastries, yogurt becomes soup or breakfast, cumin flavors grilled meat, and fresh vegetables dominate summer menus.
What to Order at a Traditional Bulgarian Restaurant
Walking into a traditional Bulgarian restaurant, especially a mehana, can be a little overwhelming if you’re unfamiliar with the menu. Portions can be generous, and there may be dozens of salads, grilled meats, clay-pot dishes, soups, and appetizers to choose from.
You don’t need to order one dish per person right away. A good way to experience traditional Bulgarian food is to choose several things for the table and share them.
Start with a Shopska salad or another seasonal salad. In Bulgaria, salads are often eaten slowly at the beginning of the meal rather than simply appearing beside the main course.
During summer, tarator makes a refreshing starter; when the weather turns colder, look for one of Bulgaria’s hot soups instead. If you’re adventurous and enjoy tripe, shkembe chorba is one of the most characteristically Bulgarian choices.
For the main course, grilled food is an easy introduction. Order kebapche or kyufte, or choose a meshana skara if you want to sample several grilled meats. A clay-pot dish such as gyuvech is another good option, particularly when you want something more substantial.
And don’t overlook the bread. Bulgarian restaurants often serve freshly baked flatbreads or small loaves that are ideal for sharing alongside salads, cheese, dips, and cooked dishes.
Look for a Mehana
If you specifically want traditional food while traveling in Bulgaria, look for a restaurant described as a mehana (механа). These Bulgarian tavern-style restaurants typically specialize in local dishes, grilled meats, salads, clay-pot meals, and other traditional recipes.
Some are heavily geared toward tourists, particularly in major resort areas, while others are simple neighborhood restaurants. Don’t assume the most elaborate “traditional” interior automatically means the best food.
Menus also vary by region. Traveling beyond Sofia and the major resorts gives you a chance to encounter local dishes that may not appear on every standard Bulgarian menu. If something is described as a house specialty or regional dish, it can be worth ordering even if you’ve never heard of it.
Best Bulgarian Dishes for Vegetarians
You don’t have to eat meat to enjoy traditional Bulgarian cuisine. Many familiar Bulgarian foods are based on vegetables, beans, cheese, yogurt, and pastry, and vegetarian dishes are common on restaurant menus.
Shopska salad is an obvious place to start, with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, and plenty of grated sirene. Tarator is another excellent choice, particularly in summer, while banitsa with sirene makes an easy breakfast or snack.
Look beyond the dishes in our top 10 as well. Bob chorba, a traditional bean soup, is one Bulgarian classic worth seeking out, although it’s always smart to ask whether a particular restaurant prepares it with meat. Stuffed peppers can also be made with rice and vegetables rather than minced meat.
You’ll encounter plenty of other options depending on the season, including roasted peppers, bean salads, grilled vegetables, potatoes, vegetable stews, and dishes featuring sirene.
During periods of Orthodox fasting, you may also notice dishes described as postni (постни). These are prepared without meat and can open up even more choices, although ingredients vary and travelers following a strict vegan diet should still confirm exactly what is included.
Vegetarians should generally have little trouble finding something to eat in Bulgaria. Vegans need to pay closer attention because sirene, yogurt, eggs, and butter appear frequently even in dishes that contain no meat.
Bulgarian Breakfast Foods to Try
Breakfast in Bulgaria can be surprisingly simple. Rather than a large sit-down meal, many people pick up something warm from a neighborhood bakery on the way to work or school.
Banitsa is the classic choice. A warm slice filled with eggs and sirene is commonly paired with ayran, a cold yogurt-based drink, or boza, a thick fermented grain drink with a sweet, slightly tangy flavor that can be an acquired taste for first-time visitors.
Mekitsi are another traditional breakfast worth trying, particularly when served fresh and hot. They can be topped with powdered sugar, honey, or jam, or eaten with sirene for a savory version.
Bulgarian bakeries also sell a wide variety of other pastries. You may come across kifla, a soft crescent-shaped roll that can have sweet or savory fillings, and different versions of cheese-filled or spinach-filled pastries.
If you’re staying at a family-run guesthouse, breakfast may look different again. Yogurt, sirene, bread, homemade preserves, honey, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, and seasonal fruit can all appear on the table.
For travelers, the easiest introduction is simply to find a busy local bakery in the morning. Order whatever has just come out of the oven, add an ayran if you want the full Bulgarian bakery experience, and you’ve got one of the simplest—and often cheapest—traditional breakfasts in the country.
Bulgarian Desserts and Pastries Worth Trying
Bulgarian cuisine may be better known for its savory dishes, but it also has plenty of traditional sweets and pastries worth trying. Some are distinctly Bulgarian traditions, while others belong to the wider Balkan and Ottoman culinary heritage.
Tikvenik is one of the most recognizable Bulgarian pastries, especially in autumn and around Christmas. Its combination of pumpkin, walnuts, cinnamon, and crisp filo makes it considerably lighter than many cream-based desserts.
Another traditional favorite is garash cake, a rich chocolate and walnut cake created in Bulgaria in the late 19th century. It is dense, intensely chocolatey, and quite different from the everyday pastries you’ll see in neighborhood bakeries.
Baklava is also widely eaten in Bulgaria, particularly around holidays. Bulgaria shares this syrup-soaked filo pastry with many countries that were once part of or influenced by the Ottoman Empire, so it shouldn’t be presented as uniquely Bulgarian.
You may also encounter tolumbichki, small pieces of fried dough soaked in syrup, as well as different cakes, biscuits, sweet rolls, and filo pastries. Homemade desserts often make use of walnuts, honey, fruit preserves, pumpkin, or whatever fruit happens to be in season.
For something much simpler, try kiselo mlyako with honey and walnuts. Bulgarian yogurt’s natural tang works particularly well with the sweetness of honey, and you’ll sometimes see the combination offered as a straightforward dessert in traditional restaurants.
If you’re exploring bakeries, don’t worry too much about finding a specific famous dessert. See what’s fresh that day. Bulgaria’s smaller neighborhood bakeries and pastry shops are often more interesting when you choose something from the counter rather than arrive looking for one particular item.
Where to Try Traditional Bulgarian Food in Bulgaria
You can find traditional Bulgarian dishes almost anywhere in the country, but the experience changes considerably depending on where you travel. Sofia has the widest selection of restaurants, while smaller towns and mountain regions can be better places to discover regional cooking and family-run mehanas.
Sofia
As Bulgaria’s capital and largest city, Sofia is the easiest place to sample foods from different parts of the country in one trip. Traditional restaurants range from simple neighborhood establishments to more polished interpretations of Bulgarian cuisine.
The central tourist areas have plenty of options, but don’t limit yourself to restaurants immediately surrounding the major attractions. Neighborhood restaurants filled with local diners can be just as rewarding.
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is a particularly good place to mix sightseeing with food. Around the Old Town and Kapana, traditional taverns sit alongside newer restaurants serving modern takes on Bulgarian ingredients.
After walking through the Old Town and Kapana district, you’ll find everything from traditional taverns to modern restaurants working with Bulgarian ingredients. Plovdiv is also a useful base for exploring the food and wine traditions of the Thracian region.
Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanasi
The old capital of Veliko Tarnovo is another good destination for traditional Bulgarian food. Restaurants overlooking the hills and Yantra River make the setting particularly memorable, while the surrounding region has strong culinary traditions of its own.
Nearby Arbanasi is known for its historic houses and traditional atmosphere, and it can easily be combined with Veliko Tarnovo for a day of sightseeing and Bulgarian food.
Bansko and the Rhodope Mountains
Mountain regions are where Bulgarian cuisine becomes noticeably heartier.
Bansko has its own strong culinary identity, with substantial meat dishes, sausages, stews, and recipes associated with the Pirin region.
Travel farther into the Rhodope Mountains and you’ll encounter regional specialties such as patatnik, made primarily from grated potatoes, and klin, a traditional Rhodope pastry with rice and other fillings.
These dishes are a good reminder that Bulgarian cuisine extends far beyond the handful of foods found on restaurant menus across the entire country.
The Black Sea Coast
Along Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, traditional Bulgarian dishes appear alongside seafood and regional coastal specialties. Towns such as Nessebar, Sozopol, Balchik, and Varna are good places to combine familiar Bulgarian dishes with fish and other seafood.
In the busiest resorts, restaurants can be heavily geared toward visitors. Exploring the historic towns or eating a little farther from the main tourist strips can give you a broader picture of Bulgarian food.
Wherever you travel, pay attention to regional specialties and seasonal dishes. Shopska salad, banitsa, kebapche, and moussaka are easy to find across Bulgaria, but some of the most memorable meals can be dishes you didn’t know to look for before arriving.
Traditional Bulgarian Food FAQ
What Is the Most Famous Bulgarian Dish?
Shopska salad and banitsa are two of the most recognizable Bulgarian dishes. Shopska salad is found on restaurant menus throughout the country, while banitsa is closely associated with Bulgarian breakfasts, bakeries, family cooking, and holiday traditions.
What Is Bulgaria’s National Dish?
Bulgaria does not have one universally defined official national dish. Shopska salad is frequently described as a national culinary symbol, while banitsa, kebapche, tarator, and Bulgarian moussaka are also strongly associated with the country’s cuisine.
What Food Should I Try First in Bulgaria?
For a first introduction to traditional Bulgarian food, try Shopska salad, banitsa, tarator, kebapche, and Bulgarian moussaka. For a first introduction to traditional Bulgarian food, try Shopska salad, banitsa, tarator, kebapche, and Bulgarian moussaka.
Is Bulgarian Food Similar to Greek Food?
Bulgarian and Greek cuisines share ingredients and dishes because of their geography and centuries of cultural exchange, but they aren’t the same. One obvious example is moussaka: the Bulgarian version is generally based on potatoes and ground meat, while the internationally familiar Greek version commonly features eggplant.
Is Bulgarian Food Spicy?
Most traditional Bulgarian dishes are flavorful rather than very hot. Garlic, paprika, cumin, dill, parsley, and chubritsa are widely used, but intense chili heat isn’t a defining characteristic of the cuisine. Hot peppers and chili flakes are often available for people who want extra heat.
Is Bulgarian Food Good for Vegetarians?
Yes. Vegetarians can choose from salads, pastries, yogurt and cheese dishes, beans, soups, grilled vegetables, stuffed peppers, and other meat-free foods. Shopska salad, tarator, and cheese banitsa are three easy traditional choices.
What Is Bulgarian White Cheese?
The white cheese you’ll see throughout Bulgaria is called sirene. It is a salty, tangy brined cheese traditionally made from sheep’s, cow’s, goat’s, or mixed milk. Bulgarians use it in Shopska salad, banitsa, baked dishes, breakfast foods, and many other recipes.
What Is a Traditional Bulgarian Restaurant Called?
A traditional Bulgarian tavern-style restaurant is commonly called a mehana (механа). Mehanas typically serve Bulgarian salads, grilled meats, soups, clay-pot dishes, and other traditional foods, although the menu and atmosphere vary considerably from one restaurant to another.
Which Traditional Bulgarian Dishes Will You Try?
Some of the best food experiences in Bulgaria are also the simplest: warm banitsa from a neighborhood bakery, Shopska salad made with ripe summer tomatoes, or cold tarator on a hot afternoon.
These 10 traditional Bulgarian dishes are only a starting point. Travel around the country and you’ll quickly find regional specialties that rarely make the standard lists of famous Bulgarian food.
If you’ve visited Bulgaria, which Bulgarian dish was your favorite? And if you’re planning your first trip, which one would you try first?
Share your experience with us on Instagram at @stunningbulgaria and tag your Bulgaria photos with #stunningbulgaria.
Continue Exploring Bulgaria
Planning a trip? These guides can help you discover more of the country:
