RESTAURANTS & BARS IN BOROVETS

Borovets offers a wide range of bar and restaurants. You will find a mixture of Bulgarian and international cuisine. We recommend you avoid the Borovets bars and restaurants in the large hotels as they tend to offer poor quality and are over priced. Some of the Borovets restaurants are leased and change hands every year. For this reason it pays to know where you should go. To help with this we have listed below some bars and restaurants in Borovets which we feel offer a consistent and good standard.

If you have time one evening it is also worth visiting one of the restaurants in Samokov. In general you will find the quality and price is far superior in Samokov. We have also listed some of our favourite Samokov restaurants below. If you ask at the reception they will be happy to arrange a taxi to Samokov for you. You will find that the cost savings on your meal will easily cover the taxi fare.

Borovets Restaurants

Zelen Kral (Green King)

The Green King is situated opposite the gondola in Borovets. This restaurant is open all year round and sees its fair share of diners during the summer months where you can eat outside in the glorious sunshine. There is a lovely log fire inside during the winter months. The food is really good quality and at reasonable prices. I would highly recommend the spinach, egg & cheese dish, if you are a fan of spinach of course. They serve a lovely 'Sache for Two' which is 3 types of barbecued meats (pork, chicken, and beef) served on a sizzling clay pot with caramelized onions, mushrooms and tomatoes. Make sure you are hungry! Definitely worth a visit during your stay in Borovets.

Katie’s Steak House

Katie's Steak House is famous for serving the best steaks in Borovets. Portions are quite large and it is reasonably priced. They have a good range of wines which you choose from their wine rack. The restaurant is in a cute wooden chalet with cosy surroundings. It is situated on the main road up towards the Rila Hotel, opposite the Samokov Hotel and the Royal Plaza. It is only open during the ski season but some nights you might have to wait a little while for a table as it is very popular. It is worth the wait.

Hunters

"Hunters" is the first (and currently the only!) completely no-smoking bar & restaurant in Borovets. It has proved to be popular with international tourists for that reason. It is also popular for their reasonable prices, good service, tasty traditional food, and very friendly staff. It is run by a Bulgarian family who live there all year round and love to chat to their customers.

It has a cosy wooden interior with a log fire in the centre of the room. Some of their meat dishes are barbequed in front of you on the log fire.

Venice (also called La Bomba!)

Venice restaurant, situated at the bottom of the Rila slopes in front of the Rila Hotel, serves good quality traditional Bulgarian and international cuisine. It is open all year round and always has a regular flow of customers. One of their most famous and popular dishes is pork cheverme with garlic potatoes, which is succulent pork that has been slowly roasted on a spit. It's very tasty and you certainly won't be hungry for a long time after it.

The Blue

Shades of blue and purple cover the exterior of this restaurant & bar which makes it stand out from others, in a good way. There is a wide choice of meals, light bites & snacks. The food served here is average but there is a good atmosphere and has a nice fire in the winter. This is also a good place if you are just having drinks. It is situated on the road between the Flora complex & the Rila Hotel.

Salamander

Good traditional Bulgarian food at a reasonable price. It is situated on the road between the Flora & the Rila Hotel. It is a cosy atmosphere with lanterns on the window sills. It is probably more suited to couples or small groups.

The Lodge

Really nice European food in a modern setting. This is a little pricier than what you’ll pay elsewhere but if you’re willing to treat yourself you won’t be disappointed. There’s also a lovely lobby bar with a fire if you just want a relaxing drink. It can be a little quiet as it is tucked away slightly off the beaten track.

Mamacitas

A cheap & cheerful place with a focus on Mexican food. It is also good for just drinks and they sometimes have bands playing there. This is on the main street in the resort going from the gondola, past the Samakov Hotel, heading up towards the Rila Hotel.

Ice Angels Hotel

This is an ideal place for lunch if you are around the Rila nursery slopes. It has plenty of outdoor seating and gets the midday & afternoon sun. It’s also lovely to have a coffee or chilled beer here after a long days skiing. They serve great pizzas!

Alpin

Alpin restaurant is situated across from the Rila Hotel. It has a pleasant garden area for dining during the warmer months. The interior is based on a traditional British bar/restaurant if want a break from the more traditional Bulgarian interiors. It has a welcoming atmosphere, is very clean and the waiters are friendly, although it is a little pricey for what you get.

Borovets Bars

Nearly all of the restaurants in Borovets double up as bars which is why there is not an extensive Iist here. They welcome customers just for drinks also and generally become livelier later in the evening when people have finished eating. There is a lively apres ski scene in Borovets. Many of the Borovets bars & restaurants are located right on the slopes so the Borovets apres ski kicks off as soon as the ski lifts close.

Alpina

The Alpina bar is located opposite the Flora complex, not too far from the gondola. It is run by a very friendly British couple and has a fun atmosphere. They have been running this bar for many years and are well known for selling the cheapest alcohol in Borovets! It’s a great spot for Après Ski or late night parties.

Titanic

It can be a little difficult to find this place as it is tucked away by the Alpin Hotel, beyond the Rila Hotel. It is a small bar in one of the wooden huts. There is usually a good fun atmosphere here and the bar staff are very friendly.

The Harp Bar

It is newly renovated and has an inviting interior with a good fire in the middle of the room. Staff are friendly and it is nice for a relaxing drink. This is supposedly an Irish bar, but there is no real resemblance of that inside! It is located on the main road into Borovets, just a little below the gondola.

Black Tiger

Like most places in Borovets, the Black Cat is both a restaurant and a bar. However it is probably better known for it’s music and partying once the tables are cleared away, rather than as a restaurant. It’s good for Après Ski as it is situated at the end of the Rila nursery slopes.

Happy Duck

This is a good party bar and is known for people dancing on the tables into the early hours of the night. It serves food also but we recommend just going there for the drinks and the party atmosphere.

Frankos

This is lively spot at the bottom of the Rila pistes. It is on the road between the Rila hotel and the Flora hotel, just before Blue Bar. It is a combination of bar and nightclub and usually rocks until the early hours. Also a good spot of watching matches as they have big screens and are one of the few bards that show the six-nations rugby games.

The Blue

See note above in the “Borovets Restaurants” section.

Mamacitas

See note above in the “Borovets Restaurants” section.

Hunters

See note above in the “Borovets Restaurants” section.

Restaurants & Cafes on the Slopes

Yastrebets Hotel – it is about 3km out of town and a bit more pricey. It has a more formal setting inside but also a relaxing terrace area which serves food and drinks. You will need a car to get here, unless of course you are skiing! It is located right at the bottom of the Yastrebets 3 ski run. It is really nice to stop here for lunch or a coffee when you are skiing as they have a large outdoor terrace which gets great sunshine.

The Finishing Line – this café come bistro is located on the right side at the bottom of the Yastrebets 2 ski piste. It offers a mainly Bulgarian menu. The prices are lower and quality much better than the restaurant at the top of the gondola. Well worth a stop for lunch or coffee. They have seats inside and outside and usually a warm fire to heat you up.

Markujik-1 Café – we’re not sure if this café has a name but it is one of the best places to some for a quick coffee or beer while skiing in the Markujik area. It is located on the left just at the bottom of the Markujik 1 run before you turn right towards the ski lift. They have seats outside which are excellent on sunny days. It is also a good meeting place when skiing the Markujik pistes as skiers of all levels can get there.

Musala Hut – this is a climbers hut located beside the Musala lake. It is set in the bowl below the Musala peak. The conditions are basic and probably you will just get drinks or basic food. But in winter this is an amazing place which looks like it is lost in a sea of white mountains.

There are two ways for skiers to reach the hut in winter. One is to cross the area known as the “avalanche bowl” and ski down to the hut. The “avalanche bowl” is an off piste area which as its name suggests is prone to avalanches. We strongly suggest that anyone considering this route goes only with a guide or someone who is very familiar with the area and trained in mountain rescue. For a safer route you can ski to the bottom of the Markujik 3 run and then walk to the hut. It is about 30 minutes walk in the snow from the Markujik 3 piste but is worth it to experience the sheer beauty and isolation of the place.

Non skiers often walk from the top of the Yastrebets gondola to the Musala hut. They do this even in winter and it is a beautiful walk especially on a sunny day. It is about a 4 hour return trip in the winter but you can of course stop at the hut for lunch or refreshments.

Nightclubs

A lot of the bars in Borovets stay open for as long as the crowds stay. Closing hours seem to be quite flexible so the party atmosphere continues into the early hours of the night. If however you want to go to a nightclub there are a handful of them in the resort.

  • Buzz Bar
  • Samokov Hotel
  • Rila Hotel

Bars and Restaurants in Samokov

If you would like to mingle with the locals and enjoy a more authentic Bulgarian dining experience then we can recommend some restaurants and bars for you in the nearby town of Samokov.

Starata Kushta (The Old House)

This is a genuine traditional Bulgarian restaurant which is mainly frequented by locals. The food here is delicious and the surroundings are lovely. Both the inside and outdoor dining areas have been tastefully restored, displaying many traditional curios. You get great quality food for reasonable prices. It is very popular so we recommend booking a table in advance.

Kokoshkovata Kushta (Hen House)

Set in a magnificent building, which was erected in 1898, this restaurant is tastefully decorated with a luxurious and inviting atmosphere. During the winter months you can dine in the spacious dining room which has an open fireplace, and during the summer months you can enjoy lunch in the garden. The food here is very tasty, well presented, and is similar to European menus. It is one of the finest restaurants in Samokov and so is in the upper price range for Bulgaria. However it is still cheap in comparison to western European prices. We highly recommend treating yourself to a meal here as you won’t be disappointed.

Bonita

This is an Italian restaurant which services very reasonable pasta & pizzas. There are also local salads on the dishes. It can get smoky inside but in the summer months you can eat outside.

K-Bar

This bar is run by an English couple and is open all year round. There is a good atmosphere in there and really comfy sofas. Good service & reasonable prices.