Bulgarian cuisine offers hearty and unique dishes with generous portions and a variety of flavors, making it perfect for a gastronomic tour.
One of the most famous and indispensable summer dishes is Tarator, a cold soup made with cucumbers, dill, yogurt, and optionally, oil, garlic, and walnuts.
Another popular dish is "pileska supa," which is a chicken soup with vermicelli. There is also "bob chorba," a thick and flavorful tomato soup with beans.
The portions of appetizers are unusually large, so it's best to be prepared and order for two. The most popular Bulgarian salad is "Shopska salad," which is similar to Greek salad: tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, olives, and sirene (Bulgarian feta cheese).
Among hot appetizers, popular choices include breaded kashkaval (a traditional rennet cheese) and sirene (Bulgarian white cheese, similar to feta). Be sure to try Sirene po-Shopsky, stewed in a small pot with vegetables (zelenchutsi) and an egg. There’s also Sirene po-Trakiyski — the same dish with added smoked sausages.
Bulgarian cuisine, like any Slavic cuisine, would not be complete without potatoes prepared in various ways. For example, potatoes fried in a spiced breadcrumb coating are especially interesting. One of the most popular dishes is moussaka — a potato casserole with minced meat.
Grilled vegetables, meat, and fish are also widespread in Bulgaria, and they are prepared to perfection. A favorite local spice is chubritsa (thyme). Bulgarian cuisine is not very spicy.
The traditional dish banitsa — a unique pastry filled with cheese or sirene — is typically served for breakfast. Traditional pastries and cakes are also incredibly delicious. For example, palachinki — thin pancakes with various fillings.
And one cannot ignore the Eastern souvenir sweet — rahat-lukum (Turkish delight). It is cheapest in supermarkets, though the Turkish version of this dessert is generally considered far tastier.
