Bulgaria · FOOD & DRINK

The 15 Best Food & Drink Experiences in Bulgaria

45 tours  ·  from $17

Bulgarian food is cheap, heavy and better than its reputation. The 15 below cover the market walks, the cellar evenings and the long mehana dinners, each priced and honest about the portions.

Sofia: Wine & Cheese Tasting Experience - Arriving at Tempus Vini on Knyaz Boris I Street
Cheese, Food & Drink, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Wine Tours

Sofia: Wine & Cheese Tasting Experience

1.Wine & Cheese Tasting Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 674 reviews · 1 hour · from $21Our pick

Meet at Tempus Vini, a small wine shop on Knyaz Boris I Street in central Sofia. Hosts such as Kalin guide you through five Bulgarian wines, local cheeses, and the country’s 5,000-year winemaking story. Expect an intimate tasting, with occasional sessions lasting closer to two hours.

“It was wonderful!There were 10 participants mostly in groups of 2-3 people so it was a very personal but social activity. Kalin hosted a very lovely curated wine tasting, including some general knowledge of Bulgarian wine making throughout the centuries as well as detailed backstories of the wines we tasted. The cheese complimented the wine well and its beautiful to see how much dedication and passion is in this experience and I thank Kalin for sharing it with us. The set-up allowed for comfort and the room to discuss the wines with the other participants, and everyone found something they liked especially. There can be found something for every taste.”

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Wine Tasting in Heart of Sofia - The five native grapes on the tasting table
Bulgarian Wine Tastings, Bulgarian Wine Tastings in Sofia, Food & Drink, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Wine Tours

Wine Tasting in Heart of Sofia

2.Wine Tasting in Heart of Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 545 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $36Top rated

Meet Kalin at Tempus Vini in Sofia’s Old City Center for a one-hour tasting of five Bulgarian grapes: Miskets, Melnik, Mavrud, Gumza, and Rubin. Taste local cheese and bread, hear how Bulgarian wine has changed, and get practical advice on bottles worth taking home.

“Very well run event, great host, knowledgeable of all wines, and the 5 wines from Bulgaria we tried were all excellent ( we bought 3 of them!) Cheese and snacks a plenty, of great quality, and would really recommend you do this High class”

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Sofia: Guided Tasting of Local Wines and Cheeses - Meeting Alex at Coupage Cheese & Wine Shop
Food & Drink, Guided, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Wine Tours

Sofia: Guided Tasting of Local Wines and Cheeses

3.Guided Tasting of Local Wines and Cheeses

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 181 reviews · 1 hour · from $21

Meet Alex at Coupage Cheese & Wine Shop for five Bulgarian wines made from local grape varieties, two cheeses, and a one-hour guide to the country’s wine regions. You’ll study a chalk map, hear stories about wine and the communist period, and get practical winery and farm tips.

“Alex was very knowledgeable about wine in general, not only Bulgarian. it was a great interesting evening.”

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Sofia: Flea and Food Markets Tour - Starting at Crystal Park and the Stefan Stambolov Monument
Food, Food & Drink, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Sofia: Flea and Food Markets Tour

4.Flea and Food Markets Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 63 reviews · 1 day · from $50

Spend a day with an English-speaking guide such as Theodora, Nesi, Ivo, or Daniella, visiting Sofia’s Flea, Central Market Hall, Hali, and Women’s markets. You’ll sample local food at four stops while connecting Ottoman, Kingdom, Communist, and postcommunist Sofia.

“A very leisurely tour including food stops we would not have gone to ourselves. Ivo was a great guide who spent a lot of time and effort to ensure we had a good time. We particularly appreciated him running it just for the two of us. Thank you!”

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Special History And Wine Tour including Wine Tasting - Six Bulgarian wines at the tasting table
Bulgarian Wine Tastings, Food & Drink, Historical Tours, Nessebar Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Wine Tours

Special History And Wine Tour including Wine Tasting

5.Special History And Wine Tour including Wine Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 63 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $24

Visit DiVes Estate Winery on historic Simeon’s Mound near Nessebar and Aheloy. A guide explains the 917 battle, wine production, and the estate before you taste six Bulgarian wines with five small bites. Dimitar and Vasi have both led tours, and the shop sells bottles to take home.

“A tour of the wine production and a story about the history of the area! It all took about 2.5 hours. It was the owner of the vineyard himself, who made the tour, and there was only me and my partner (only 2pcs) on it, who made it itim. We got after the tour of the place, try a total of 6 different wines to different finger food. All the wines were very good, and it is understandable why they have won awards! After this, you can buy wine at your own point of sale. All in all a pleasant tour in nice surroundings, which is definitely worth the price!…”

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Sofia Afternoon Walking Tour with Wine and Food Tasting - Starting beside the Ivan Vazov National Theatre
Bulgarian Food Tastings, Bulgarian Food Tastings in Sofia, Food, Food & Drink, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours, Wine Tours

Sofia Afternoon Walking Tour with Wine and Food Tasting

6.Sofia Afternoon Walking Tour with Wine and Food Tasting

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

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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Food Walk: Bulgarian Food and Culture Tour in Plovdiv - Plovdiv’s Revival Old Town in 15 minutes
Bulgarian Food Tastings, Food, Food & Drink, Plovdiv Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours

Food Walk: Bulgarian Food and Culture Tour in Plovdiv

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

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

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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Sofia Food & Tasting Tour with Communist-Era Tram Ride - National Library, Sofia University, and the city’s intellectual heart
Food, Food & Drink, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Sofia Food & Tasting Tour with Communist-Era Tram Ride

8.Sofia Food & Tasting Tour with Communist-Era Tram Ride

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 35 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $91

Join Peter for a three-hour small-group tour through central Sofia, pairing five Bulgarian food stops with cathedral, Roman, Ottoman, and communist-era sights. Expect local sausages, cheese, salad, dessert, beer, wine, and plenty of city history, with a tram ride used when it suits the route or weather.

“Peter was fantastic. Immensely professional, warm, and so generous with his knowledge and the effort he puts into this tour. You can tell how detail-oriented he is in how he crafted the tour route, and when the bites and drinks were offered. It was the perfect walking tour - a perfect mix of sights, history, culture, and glimpses into local life. I can't recommend this tour enough.”

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Private Wine Tasting in the UNESCO town of Nessebar - What happens when you arrive at Staria Grad
Bulgarian Wine Tastings, Food & Drink, Nessebar Tours, Private, Tour Reviews, Wine Tours

Private Wine Tasting in the UNESCO town of Nessebar

9.Private Wine Tasting in the UNESCO town of Nessebar

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 25 reviews · 1 to 2 hours (approx.) · from $53

Meet in Old Nessebar for a relaxed wine tasting at Minkov Brothers Winery. An oenologist presents four or five Bulgarian wines with a tasting board, while the friendly hosts explain each region. Add a multi-course lunch or dinner if you want to turn a short stop into a full meal.

“Me and some friends did the 4 wine tasting, the host was so kind and informative regards the wine and allowed us to really customise the experience to our tastes. Great atmosphere and we ended up ordering a bottle and whiling the hours away. Could not recommend more.”

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Wine and Tapas Boutique Bulgarian Wine Tasting - What happens during the tasting
Bulgarian Wine Tastings, Bulgarian Wine Tastings in Sofia, Food & Drink, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Wine Tours

Wine and Tapas Boutique Bulgarian Wine Tasting

10.Wine and Tapas Boutique Bulgarian Wine Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 25 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $33

Meet Lubomir and Maria at Vineria Wine Bar & Shop on Tsar Asen Street for a guided tasting of boutique Bulgarian wines, usually five or six pours, paired with local meat, cheese, bread, olive oil, and water. You will hear how politics and regional grapes shaped Bulgaria’s wine industry.

“Lots of great information about both Bulgarian wines and wine industry! Great meat, cheese and bread as well as wine!”

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Superb Black Sea Yacht Picnic with Food & Drinks - Kavarna and the open coastal view
Cruises & Boat Tours, Food, Food & Drink, Sailing, Tour Reviews, Varna Tours

Superb Black Sea Yacht Picnic with Food & Drinks

11.Superb Black Sea Yacht Picnic with Food & Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 25 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $119

Set out from Balchik at 10:00 a.m. aboard the Samba or Dionis for a four-hour cruise toward Kavarna. Expect sea views of Balchik, the Palace and Botanical Gardens, lunch, alcoholic and soft drinks, and a brief swim stop. Hosts including Hristo, Captain Nikolai, and Sinni may be part of the crew.

“They tried too scam us. The children was under 18 and they was trying too make us Pay for two of them as they where over 18.”

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Nessebar: Guided Walking Tour of Nessebar Old & Wine tasting - Fifteen stops through the old town
Bulgarian Wine Tastings, Food & Drink, Guided, Nessebar Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours, Wine Tours

Nessebar: Guided Walking Tour of Nessebar Old & Wine tasting

12.Guided Walking Tour of Nessebar Old & Wine tasting

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 21 reviews · 2 hours · from $17Best value

Meet near Nessebar’s Windmill for a two-hour walk through 15 landmarks. Your guide, including Alexandra on some departures, gives you numbered audio stops in English, German, Polish, Russian, or Bulgarian. The tour ends at a winery with tastings, though check any wine purchase before leaving.

“Attention: this is a purely audio-guided tour. The information in the audio guide itself was a bit superficial. The human guide was mainly there for taking pictures and telling us which number to press on the audio guide. She was nice and helpful but we sometimes felt a bit rushed with listening to the audio guide (German language takes longer apparently). The wine tasting was nice. All in all we liked it but the tour could have been a bit more personal.”

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Market Food Tour - Central Market Hall, a covered stop with several flavors
Bulgarian Food Tastings, Bulgarian Food Tastings in Sofia, Food, Food & Drink, Markets, Shopping Tours, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Market Food Tour

13.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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Sofia: 5-Stop Food & Culture Tour by Communist-Era Tram - Your first plates: mekitsi, banitsa, and lyutenitsa
Food, Food & Drink, Sofia Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Sofia: 5-Stop Food & Culture Tour by Communist-Era Tram

14.5-Stop Food & Culture Tour by Communist-Era Tram

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · 3 hours · from $116

Spend three hours eating your way through Sofia with local guide Peter, or another English-speaking guide, in a small group. Try mekitsi, banitsa, lyutenitsa, grilled meats, shopska salad, meze, beer, wine, rakija, and dessert while seeing landmarks and riding a communist-era tram.

“We had fun, we ate a lot, the guide was pleasant, clear and tried to adjust the pace and the food.”

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Food Walk Plovdiv: Bulgarian Food and Culture Tour - The market is the heart of the walk
Bulgarian Food Tastings, Food, Food & Drink, Plovdiv Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours

Food Walk Plovdiv: Bulgarian Food and Culture Tour

15.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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