Five Sofia restaurants for a taste of the sea
Good seafood, well beyond the shore
Who says you have to be by the sea to eat well from it?
Summer makes us crave cool air, cold drinks and seafood. It may not be everyone’s first choice, but king prawns, fragrant fish or a classic fish and chips can be hard to resist. Sofia has plenty of places that bring the shore to you and save a few hours’ driving. These five favourites put quality and the whole meal first.
Balkan Falsch reworks familiar flavours, showing how much room Balkan cooking has for invention. Its summer menu centres on fresh produce from organic farms, the day’s catch and a varied seafood selection.
The dishes combine heart, a bold Balkan character and a contemporary touch.
One highlight is king prawns with a rich bisque sauce, lemon and butter from Rozino organic farm, served with iceberg salad. Light but full of flavour, it’s a good choice for a table in the garden.
82 Bulgaria Boulevard
+359 876 383 030
www.balkanfalsch.com
Decorative details, a lively room and very good food make Kuzina one of our ports of call for original takes on Mediterranean classics. Our July visit focused on
fresh fish and the kitchen’s distinctive approach.
Start with the seafood Caesar à la Grecque: crisp baby prawns and squid, tarama dressing and pickled cucumbers for freshness and balance. Then add wine and turn to bluefin tuna souvlaki, served over aubergine purée with a salsa of grapes, lemon and capers. It’s a layered, contemporary Mediterranean reading of familiar flavours.
36 Han Asparuh Street
+359 879 055 999
www.kuzina.bg
Fish and beer make a fine pairing, especially when both have been chosen with care. At STOCHNA Kitchen Brewery, beers are matched to the food, and
the seafood can put you in a coastal frame of mind in a busy part of the capital.
The Fisherman’s Platter is a good starting point: crisp squid, fried horse mackerel, battered fish, crunchy courgettes and tzatziki. Or choose the dependable classic, fish and chips. Beer belongs alongside either.
7 Industrialna Street
+359 885 505 573
www.stochna.com
Staria Chinar is a familiar name for good food and a handsome setting that suits different occasions. Details matter here. If the sea isn’t nearby, the kitchen can bring it to the plate. Try Black Sea mussels with tomato sauce and game sausage,
an unexpected meeting of land and sea,
or wild squid cooked over charcoal, treated simply with a light smoky note. Care for the food sits alongside the restaurant’s emphasis on warmth and hospitality.
15 Shipchenski Prohod Boulevard; 71 Dondukov Boulevard
+359 879 202 222
www.stariachinar.com
Our July seafood route also took in Niagara, a recognisable name in Sofia dining for more than 30 years. Its three locations combine elegant interiors, a welcoming atmosphere and green gardens that offer a little distance from the day’s rush. Alongside its familiar cooking, Niagara is a place to seek out fresh, carefully prepared seafood.
Selected fresh ingredients, meat, fish and seasonal vegetables
put flavour at the centre. Summer highlights include fried turbot with potato salad and tempura prawns with chilli mayonnaise. Grilled octopus with rocket and mixed cherry tomatoes is for days when your mind is on the beach but the rest of you still has work to finish in town.
140 Tsar Simeon Street; 2 Doyran Street; 4 Obikolna Street
www.niagarabg.com
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