Gimme a Banitsa

Bulgarian Food Tour

Bulgarian food can best be described as rustic. It’s definitely Balkan (grilled meat, lots of organs & sausage, sides of bread and potatoes), with heavy influence from its Turkish and Greek neighbors.

In Bulgarian small towns, like where I’m currently staying in Bansko, many of the restaurants are traditional taverns called mehanas. These are cozy spaces, often featuring stone walls, wooden beams, woven textiles, and folk music. The decor usually favors red, green, and white – the colors in the Bulgarian flag.

Getting Fresh

For a vegetarian like me, eating out can be a challenge. So I’m super happy that Bulgaria is also a rich agricultural state. The summer produce here is organic and flavorful, with a bounty of berries, stone fruits, squash, lettuces, and herbs. Tomatoes, in particular, are specimens to behold. And I can’t get enough dill.

Every Sunday, Bansko holds a Farmer’s Market that is a weekly highlight. In addition to fresh produce, I stock up on fresh cheeses and homemade honey & jams. My newfound favorite is forest strawberry jam that is de-lic-ious.

A photo of forest strawberries. Credit: Wild Your Garden

Lots of Libation

As one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world, Bulgarian wines, especially reds, are highly underrated.

Credit: Foreigner.BG,

Rakia, a distilled spirit made from wine, which originates in Bulgaria, is a brandy made from distilled fruits, often grapes and/or plums, and is at least 40+ proof.

Beer is also plentiful throughout the country, along with Ayran, a salty yogurt drink. A local favorite, ayran is supposed to be excellent for recovery and hydration.

“Cheers” in Bulgarian is Наздраве (pronounced nahz-DRAH-veh), meaning “to your health.”

7 Local Dishes to Try

Here’s a quick list of local favorites:

• Shopska Salad: tomato, cucumber, pepper, onion, topped with shredded white cheese.

  

  Shopska salad and a glass of wine. Pretty much my standard meal eating out.

• Tarator: Cold cucumber-yogurt soup with plenty of garlic and dill.

• Banitsa: Flaky pastry filled with sirene, a white brine cheese that is similar to feta. My favorite was a leek and cheese version for mymorning snack.

• Börek or Burek: Also a flaky pastry but is typically baked in a spiral and is denser, filled with meat or potatoes.

A truffle burek, which was yummy, but oh so heavy. This serving was a meal for two.

• Kapama: Slow-cooked meat and sauerkraut stew. Cooked for 4-5 hours, it is especially popular in the winter and made with rabbit or veal and root vegetables.

• Banski Starets: Dry-cured sausage seasoned with cumin and black pepper. It’s a Bansko specialty (the name means “old man from Bansko”).

Bulgaria’s signature dish is Shkembe Chorba, tripe soup made from boiling cow or pork stomach in milk with a paprika-infused roux. It is especially favored as a hangover remedy.

Perfection in a Bottle

I would describe Bulgaria’s food scene as honest, wholesome, hearty fare shared with your friends and family. Dinners here in rural Bulgaria are long affairs, where groups gather at a neighborhood mehana, laughing, eating, and toasting raika late into the night.

So, basically, the perfect meal.

A tiny bottle of Rakia, which at 40+ proof, is probably just the right size for me.

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Christened “Wander Woman” by National Geographic, Erin Michelson has traveled to 140 countries & all 7 continents. She is a professional speaker and author of the Nomad Life™ series of curated trips and travel guides, including the #1-ranked Explore the World with Nomads.

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