BULGARIA Cuisine

Bulgarian cuisine tends to be oriented toward meat and potatoes, but vegetarians needn’t worry as several of the more popular dishes are cheese-based. Troughout Bulgaria you will find catering establishments of different categories serving different foods:renowned luxury restaurants, taverns which serve national cuisine, restaurants serving foreign cuisine, fast food outlets, pizzerias, numerous cafйs and pastry shops, entertainment spots, etc. Bulgarian wines are internationally renowned and one of the country’s prime exports. Among the whites, Chardonnay and the fruity Traminer are distinctive; particularly Khan Krum or Targoviste labels. In addition to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, Bulgaria boasts two extremely fine grape strains of their own, Melnik and Mavrud, a dark wine cultivated by the ancient Thracians. Bulgarian beer is also noteworthy, with several regional brands. The national spirit, rakia, is a fiery brandy ritually consumed with a variety of appetizers (meze). Experiment with different brands, several of which produce “otlezhala”, a matured rakia.