This restaurant has an extensive menu and wine list and a collection of over 300 Bulgarian wines. Impressive choice of salads, appetizers, fish dishes, gourmet chicken, veal and barbecued meat specialities.

Address: 123 Rakovska St. Tel: 980 6260

Beyond the Alley Behind the Cupboard

This restaurant is housed in a renovated turn of the century house with a large garden at the front. The garden is elegant and stylish with wide linen canopies and fig trees. Imaginative international cuisine and laid back service.

Address: 31 Budapest St. Tel: 983 55 81

Tambuktu

(Fish restaurant with dead fish at the door and live fish swimming around in tanks watching you eat their buddies.) A fish restaurant with neo-African decor, efficient service and - predictably, given that Sofia is 400km from the sea - high prices by Bulgarian standards.

Address: 10 Aksakov St. Tel: 988 1234

The restaurants in Pamporovo are more basic, but still very nice and still good value.

Chanove

A good selection of pizzas and main courses. Very reasonably priced food and good quality. We recently (June 2007) paid another visit to this restaurant, althought the food was OK, we would recommend avoiding the steak dishes.

Tel: +359 3021 82 12

Our first visit to St.Vlas on the Black sea coast in June 2007 allowed us to sample some of the the cuisine in this locality. The following are some recommendations..

Balkan Restaurant

This is located in the main street of St.Vlas. We ate here twice as we were so impressed by our first meal there. Try the chicken dishes served on a hot iron platter. Absolutely delicious. Watch out for the giant chillies though!

Tel: 0894 256 510

Bam-Bou

This is located at the new Dinevi Marina. The food was good at this fish restaurant, however be prepared to wait if any 'important local people' are dining. Fantastic views over the marina.

Tel: 0887 28 50 18

Kotva Bistro

This a new restaurant located just off the main street in St.Vlas. We think this still has quite along way to go. Although the food was OK, it was lukewarm. It does have potential though.