Best of Bulgarian Food – A Taste of Bulgaria Guide

I’ve written a lot about places to visit in Bulgaria, but so far, I haven’t addressed one of my favorite topics: food. Bulgarian food is a mix of Greek, Turkish, and Serbian influences, and it varies slightly in different regions.

Bulgarian Breakfast

People in Bulgaria love pastry and fried dough in the mornings. One of the most popular Bulgarian pastries is the banitsa. Traditional banitsa is a round pie, filled with a mix of cheese, yogurt, and eggs. It’s perfect for a delicious savory breakfast and a glass of ayran complements it very well.

Mekitsa is another popular choice for breakfast in Bulgaria. They are deep-fried simple donuts and you can combine them with anything you want, either sweet or savory. The best way to savor a mekitsa is to slice it open and fill it like a taco with your favorite topping(s).

Bulgarian fried toasts are similar to French toast, but as opposed to those, usually come with a slice of cheese in Bulgaria. It’s a hearty breakfast that will keep you satisfied for many hours.

Lyutenitsa is a very popular Bulgarian delicacy. It’s a red-colored relish, made from peppers and tomatoes. It can also have eggplants, garlic, and spices. It’s delicious on a slice of bread for breakfast, but it also became a popular garnish for meat dishes. If you see it in the menu, don’t shy away from it. And if you’re staying in a self-catering apartment, a jar of lyutenitsa is a delicious budget breakfast option.

I have to mention one more breakfast dish Bulgarians eat at home, popara. It’s a type of porridge, made with hot milk, chopped bread, butter, and cheese. It doesn’t sound or look appealing, but it isn’t bad at all and kids love it.

Typical Bulgarian Food

A Bulgarian restaurant meal usually starts with a shot and a salad. By a shot, I mean fruit rakia, a pretty strong and flavorful drink. Salads come in all shapes and sizes, but from my observations, Bulgarian prefer simple vegetable salads with their drink.

Salads and Spreads

The most popular Bulgarian salad is a simple Shopska. To make shopska salad, you need cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and grated cheese. You can find slight variations of the Shopska: peeled tomatoes, roasted peppers, no onions, etc. Either way, you can hardly find a place where they don’t serve a Shopska in Bulgaria.

Remaining in the salads or appetizers department, traditional Bulgarian restaurants usually have a selection…