What and where to eat in Burgas
Bulgarian dishes, fresh fish and mussels from the Black Sea, mehanas, cafés and delivery. A short guide to what to order and how not to get lost in the menu.
- 6sections: from cuisine to delivery
- 8dishes worth trying
- 1927the year the oldest restaurant in Burgas was founded
Addresses, opening hours and prices change. Restaurant names are taken from open guidebooks and are not a recommendation, so read fresh reviews. Where sources had no data, we say so.
The basis of the cuisine is vegetables, cheese, yoghurt, grilled meat and clay-pot dishes. Order several dishes for the table at once, as is the custom in a traditional tavern, the mehana.
Shopska salad
Tomatoes, cucumbers, onion and pepper topped with grated white cheese (sirene). It is considered a national dish, although according to guidebooks it was invented in the 1960s as part of tourism promotion.
Tarator
A cold soup of fresh cucumbers, yoghurt, walnuts, garlic and dill. Served as a first course, especially popular in summer.
Banitsa
A layered pie with white cheese, spinach, pumpkin, leeks or custard. Eaten at any time of day, often for breakfast.
Kebapche and mixed grill
Kebapche is a minced-meat grill with cumin and black pepper. Meshana skara is a “mixed grill”: kebapche, kyufte, pork steaks and skewers.
Kavarma
Meat (pork or chicken) stewed in a clay pot with onion, peppers, tomatoes and paprika. Other clay-pot dishes are chomlek and kapama.
Shkembe chorba
Tripe soup. Guidebooks call it an acquired taste.
Sarmi
Cabbage or vine leaves with rice, minced meat and dill. A classic of the Christmas table and of winter mehanas.
What to drink
With dishes you are usually offered rakia (fruit brandy) and yoghurt drinks such as ayran.
Fish and seafood
On the coast it is worth trying fish and mussels. The best fishy spots are Sozopol's fishing harbour, Old Nessebar and Burgas port.
Mussels
Sozopol mussels are especially famous: they are gathered from rocks or mussel farms and served boiled in the shell, breaded or with rice.
Fish soup
A Sozopol classic: Black Sea fish in an onion broth, finished with a yoghurt-and-egg dressing and lemon.
Marinated fish and chiroz
Marinated fish from Sozopol: vinegar, spices and oil, served cold on buttered toast. Chiroz is a traditional smoked fish snack.
“Zlatna Kotva” (Burgas)
The oldest restaurant in Burgas, open since 1927, at the top of Bogoridi Street by the Sea Garden entrance.
Neptune (Burgas)
In the Old Town by the sea: fish and seafood made to traditional Bulgarian and international recipes.
Bistro Oreha (Burgas)
The main draw is mussels with herbs and a mildly spicy sauce.
Zoy (Sozopol)
Above the fishing harbour, recommended for fresh fish.
Nessebar
Look for mussels in the Old Town; Neptun on the “sunny hill” is known for grilled fish. Many places cater to the passing tourist flow, so choose carefully.
Restaurants and mehanas
From simple taverns to restaurants with a sea view. The list of venues in the sources is limited, so below is how to choose and how to behave at the table.
Mehana
A traditional tavern: it is convenient to order several dishes for the group and try a little of each.
Seaside restaurants
Best looked for along the Sea Garden, by the port and in the Old Towns of Sozopol and Nessebar. Nessebar has many tourist-oriented venues: check reviews.
Tipping
People usually leave about 10% for good service and up to 15% for excellent service. Sometimes the bill is rounded up.
Service charge
Some bills already include a 12–15% charge. Check the receipt so you do not pay twice.
Cards and cash
In tourist areas cards are accepted almost everywhere. Cash is handy for tips, markets and street vendors, and in villages it may be cash only.
Prices in euros
Since 1 January 2026 Bulgaria has switched to the euro: menu prices are given in euros.
Cafés, breakfasts and sweets
For a light breakfast or dessert, try cafés in the Sea Garden and on the waterfront, and look for banitsa and local sweets on bakery menus.
Cafés in the Sea Garden and by the Bridge
By the Bridge there is a café with a sea view. The Sea Garden has several pleasant places for a snack.
Banitsa for breakfast
A layered pie with cheese, spinach or pumpkin is the country's most popular snack, eaten all day long. Served with a yoghurt drink such as ayran.
Sweets
Guidebooks mention banitsa with custard. We will add other desserts and cafés after checking.
Shops and markets
Groceries are easiest to buy at supermarket chains, while people go to markets for fruit and vegetables, where cash is more often the only option.
Supermarket chains
Kaufland, Lidl, Billa and Fantastico operate across Bulgaria. Burgas has Lidl, including in the Galleria Burgas mall (next to the Cinema City cinema).
Markets
Traditional markets and street vendors more often accept cash. Bring small notes.
Seasonal produce
Persimmons and pomegranates are grown in large quantities around Ahtopol.
Opening hours
We found no data on opening hours or market addresses in the sources. Check on the map near your accommodation.
Food delivery
Delivery apps work in major cities, including Burgas. Each service has its own list of restaurants and delivery zones.
Wolt
Works in Burgas: the catalogue includes, for example, McDonald's, Egg Point and Dodo Pizza.
Glovo
According to the business press, the delivery leader in Bulgaria. Check coverage in Burgas in the app.
Bolt Food
Entered Bulgaria in 2025. Check whether it works in Burgas in the app.
Takeaway
According to a Capital.bg report of 12 August 2026, Takeaway is leaving Bulgaria.
Sources
- Bulgarian cuisine — Wikipedia ↗
- Bulgarian Cuisine: Must-Try Dishes — In Your Pocket ↗
- Bulgaria food and drink guide — Jet2 ↗
- Seafood feasts from the Black Sea — Barceló ↗
- Zoy (Sozopol) — In Your Pocket ↗
- Tipping in Bulgaria — Chasing the Donkey ↗
- Wolt Burgas ↗
- Takeaway.com is leaving Bulgaria — Capital.bg ↗
- Lidl opens in Burgas Galleria — SeeNews ↗
Some data in the sources dates from 2021–2026 and may have changed. Check opening hours, prices and contacts before visiting.
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