The 10 Best Food Tastings in Bulgaria

1.Sofia Afternoon Walking Tour with Wine and Food Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 43 reviews · 3 hours · from $82Our pick

Spend about three hours walking central Sofia with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide, visiting the National Theater, Serdika, mosque, churches, and city landmarks. Finish with Bulgarian wine and local bites such as lukanka, katak, kopoolu, and fillet Elena. Vegetarian and vegan options can be requested.

“Great tour by Dani! Funny and informative guide, very entertaining for 4 hours and showed us all the important historical locations and explained their background in depth and covered the whole city. Really got a great insight into Sofia and highly recommended”

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2.Food Walk: Bulgarian Food and Culture Tour in Plovdiv

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 35 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $59Top rated

Start near the Monument of the Unification at 10 a.m. and spend about three hours tasting Bulgarian treats at markets, bakeries, tea shops, and other local stops. Guides Iliya and Daniel add stories about Plovdiv’s culture and past, with the walk ending near the Mosque and Roman Stadium.

“Our tour guide Ilya was very knowledgeable about the local area and gave us excellent insights on Plovdiv. The food along all of the stops was fantastic. Would highly recommend this to anyone visiting Plovdiv!”

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3.Rakia Museum Entrance Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 27 reviews · 3 months · from $24Best value

You’ll taste three premium aged rakias and brandies with Bulgarian appetizers, guided in English by a host or greeter. A short museum walk adds context through an impressive bottle collection and the story of how rakia developed.

“To know about the history and evolution of the rakia. The bottle collection was impressive”

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4.Market Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 21 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $55

Walk from Crystal Garden through Sofia’s flea market, Central Market Hall, Zhenski Pazar, and Lions’ Bridge. Your English-speaking guide leads tastings of Bulgarian favorites, ending with lunch at Hadjidraganov’s Houses. Guides have included Minna, Danny, Christina, Yoan, Dara, and Daniella.

“Messi was a great your guide! Food was good and insights very much appreciated! Clear recommendation”

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5.Food Walk Plovdiv: Bulgarian Food and Culture Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · 3 hours · from $58

Meet your English-speaking guide Daniel or another local guide at Unification Square for a three-hour walk through Plovdiv’s markets and eateries. Sample banitsa, mekitsa, airyan, sausages, spreads, honey, fruit, and more, with a group capped at 10 people.

“Food tour był świetnym doświadczeniem! Nasz przewodnik (o ile dobrze pamiętam, Liam) przygotował bardzo ciekawy sposób przekazania wiedzy. Nie zabrakło wizyty na lokalnym targu z zapewnionym budżetem i zabawną próbą dogadania się po bułgarsku, co pozwoliło lepiej poczuć codzienność mieszkańców. Do tego quiz o produktach i ich ciekawostkach sprawił, że wszystko było angażujące i pełne niespodzianek. Spacer po tradycyjnych miejscach Płowdiwu z charakterystycznymi przekąskami i daniami był przepyszny i inspirujący. Jesteśmy naprawdę bardzo zadowoleni i polecamy tę wycieczkę z całego serca! ☺️”

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6.Bulgarian Food tasting, cullinary-historical tour, Cooking class

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 15 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $138

Spend about six hours with Mariela cooking three Bulgarian dishes tailored to your tastes and skill level. Shop at Sofia’s Women’s Market when conditions allow, learn Balkan food traditions, then sit down to a generous lunch or dinner in a private kitchen.

“Mariela was so generous with her time, experiences, history of Sofia and friendship. Of course the cooking was superb, delicious and left us wanting more.”

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7.3-Hour Private Bulgarian Food Tasting Tour of Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $104

Spend three hours tasting Bulgarian soups, bread, sarma, banitsa, lyutenitsa, drinks, and other local dishes while walking through central Sofia. Your private English-speaking guide may include hotel pickup, and guides such as Rali, Ivo, Nesi, Ivaylo, and Daniella have led this food-and-history route.

“Great food - quite substantial too. Great company for a pleasant evening - we were with Ivaylo, good intro on food, food selection, and drink including wine. Very much recommended.”

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8.Bulgarian Premium Aged Rakia, Cold Cuts and Pickles Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 1 hour · from $55

Meet near Serdika metro for five small glasses of aged rakia, paired with Bulgarian cold cuts, cheeses, cucumbers, chilies, and pickles. Your English-speaking host, Radoslav, adds stories about distilling, aging, and local food customs in a stylish, vintage room.

“Our tour turned out to be amazing—far beyond our expectations. We initially thought it would be just a simple food and wine tasting, but it ended up being surprisingly incredible. Radoslav is an exceptional host and storyteller who generously shares his deep knowledge, from the history and aging of Rakia to the premium cold cuts and cheeses he serves. He also gives thoughtful recommendations on places to visit, including the best times and seasons to go. Throughout the experience, it felt less like a tour and more like being welcomed by a longtime friend into his country, sharing stories and travel life along the way. I highly recommend this tour,…”

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9.Gorno Draglishte: Local Folklore Experience w/ Food Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 3 reviews · 3 hours · from $104

Meet local grandmothers in Gorno Draglishte for a private three-hour Bulgarian folklore visit. You can join horo dances, wear a folk costume, make a small souvenir, and eat banitsa, local meat, homemade dessert, and rakia. Choose hotel pickup from Bansko or meet the hosts there.

“Amazing local activity! Very happy with the total experience, the hosts, the local food and drinks. One of the best things to do while in Bansko or the area. Total worth!”

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10.Banitsa Pastry Class with a Local with Bulgarian Wine

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 1h 30m · from $58

Meet your English-speaking host at James Bourchier Metro Station, then walk to a top-floor Sofia home with Mount Vitosha views. Learn to make banitsa with filo, eggs, cheese, and yogurt, sample Bulgarian wine and lukanka, and eat your pastry warm or take it home.

“Very nice and kind people, highly recommend the workshop! One great experience that everyone should go through and feel :)”

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