Black Sea fish
Look for tsatsa (small fried sprat), safrid (horse mackerel), mussels and, in season, turbot. Simple grilled fish with lemon is the local default, usually served with a shot of rakia.
At the table
Food and drink in Burgas
Coastal Bulgarian cooking is generous and unfussy: grilled fish, vegetables, white brine cheese and a lot of fresh bread, usually shared across the whole table.
Shopska salad
Tomato, cucumber, pepper and onion under a heap of grated sirene cheese. Order it first and share it — it arrives before everything else.
Tarator
Chilled cucumber and yoghurt soup with dill, garlic and walnuts, the standard antidote to an August afternoon.
Banitsa and boza
Flaky cheese pastry with a sweet fermented drink, sold in bakeries all over the centre. The classic Bulgarian breakfast, and cheap.
Grilled meats
Kebapche and kyufte from the grill, plus kavarma stews served in clay pots. Most menus list them under skara (grill).
Local wine and rakia
The Black Sea region is Bulgaria's white wine country. Ask for a local Dimyat, Traminer or Chardonnay; rakia is the fruit brandy that starts most long meals.
Where to look
- Side streets north of Bogoridi Street for small restaurants and wine bars
- The port area and Magazia 1 for seafood with a harbour view
- The covered market (Halite) and the central market for produce and cheese
- Bakeries anywhere in the centre for banitsa in the morning
Ordering habits
- Salads and cold starters come first, grill and fish after
- Rakia is drunk with salad, wine or beer with the main course
- Bread is ordered separately and usually charged per portion
- Meals are slow — ask for the bill when you want it
A few words help at the table — see useful Bulgarian phrases.