ExploFood · Europe
What to eat in Bulgaria
Five dishes to try in Bulgaria, the most typical first. Four are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Bulgaria
Shopska salad Шопска салата
Chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers under grated white cheese.
How to have it: The standard start to a meal, ordered with a small glass of rakia.
Banitsa Баница
Filo pastry layered with eggs and white brine cheese.
How to have it: Breakfast from a street bakery, washed down with ayran or boza.
Kebapche Кебапче
Grilled, cumin-spiced minced meat sausage without a casing.
How to have it: Order a few with fries and shopska salad in a mehana (tavern).
Bob chorba Боб чорба
Bean soup with dried mint, paprika and peppers.
How to have it: The monastery version is meatless; eaten with fresh bread and pickled peppers.
Lyutenitsa Лютеница
Relish of roasted red peppers, tomatoes and aubergine.
How to have it: Spread on bread with white cheese; jars from markets make good souvenirs.
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Questions
What food is Bulgaria famous for?
Shopska salad (chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers under grated white cheese) comes first on our list, followed by Banitsa, Kebapche, Bob chorba and Lyutenitsa.
What is the national dish of Bulgaria?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Bulgaria is Shopska salad: chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers under grated white cheese. The standard start to a meal, ordered with a small glass of rakia.
Which dishes in Bulgaria are vegetarian?
Four of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Shopska salad, Banitsa, Bob chorba and Lyutenitsa. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Bulgaria?
Kebapche (grilled, cumin-spiced minced meat sausage without a casing).
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.