The cultures, ethnicities and religions in Plovdiv have lived so long together that there’s hardly anyone who can even imagine what it was like in the city under the hills before creating this colorful palette of people. This inevitably influences mentality, overall culture and perception, traditions and even the cuisine. People here are more tolerant, welcoming everyone with open arms and ready to listen to you and accept you for who you are.
After all of the above, the gastronomistsin us are celebrating because the cuisine in Plovdiv is so mixed that you will rarely encounter a restaurant or a dining venue that offers only food of one nationality. Typically, most restaurants offer culinary delights from different parts of Europe and Asia, and you can come across the typical Bulgarian cuisine, followed by Mediterranean cuisine, and to end up withbe offered delights from beautiful Italy. But without talking more about the variety of culinary delights you can try in Plovdiv, we head up directly to Oriental cuisine.
The team of Plovdiv's best guide, lostinplovdiv.com, personally visited one of the best restaurants specializing in offering Oriental cuisine in the city under the hills. We’ll start with one of the oldest restaurants devoted entirely to this concept, Antik. The restaurant is located just a few minutes' walk from the city center, on 216 6th September Boulevard. The place offers traditional recipes, but the icing on the cake in Antik is the bread that is prepared on site directly in front of the customers. As soon as you enter the restaurant, you will see the large furnace, which has a fragrant aroma of homemade, handmade bread. The master bakers will not only welcome you with a smile, but if you want, you can talk to them and they will tell you more about one of the oldest crafts.
We should mention another cult place - restaurant "Brazil". While having the exotic name, which at first impression you would associate with a very different type of cuisine, in "Brazil" you can enjoy appetizing suggestions belonging to the Bulgarian and Turkish national cuisines. The restaurant, located in the Karshiyaka district on 1 Filipovo Street, has a modern design, extremely cozy and pleasant, and their appetizing suggestions are delicious dishes, you will want to eat more than once. Important note: If you don’t feel like going there, the venue offers home delivery.
After the two establishments, which have become cult places for Plovdiv, we move directly to the central city part, namely in the artistic district of Kapana, where you can find almost everything. We can say without any hesitation, that the three-story restaurant Pasha offers not only some of the best Oriental recipes prepared with fresh meat and vegetables but also a very tasty lunch menu. Located on 10 Zlatarska Street, it offers an informal atmosphere, courteous service and one of the most delicious adana kebab. Veal korma is also one of the appetizing dishes you must try. And, yes, don’t forget to order an airan - it is prepared on the spot and is a great addition to any dish that will be served to you.
Just two blocks away from Pasha is the next emblematic restaurant, offering Turkish cuisine - Sofra. The restaurant is small, typical of oriental style and is located on 13 Zhelzarska Street. Food is super delicious and fresh, their beefsteaks are hard to find competition, and Beyti Kebab is an absolute must-have if you are a fan of exotic flavors. In addition to tasty suggestions, just like in Pasha there is an appetizing lunch menu in Sofra, too. Their desserts are also well done and if you like to eat sweet things - do it boldly and at least for a minute forget about the diet you keep.
These are the places where the digital guide of Plovdiv recommends visiting if you are fan of the exotic tastes that Oriental cuisine recommends. Indulge in the aromas that come from the kitchens of these restaurants and please your stomach.