Brunch in Sofia for foodies

8 minutes read

— In this article we will speak about one of the hottest foodie trends in the past years – brunch! Particularly brunch in Sofia, Bulgaria, for for gourmands in the weekend.

Gourmand is from French: gourmand (from gourmet, “gastronome”). Definition: 1. Connoisseur of fine food and drink. 2. A person who enjoys delicious food and is demanding about its quality and preparation; 3. A glutton, a gluttonous person;

You know we have two kids, for a long time I didn’t understand the brunch idea because at 12pm I usually have lunch after having breakfast at 7 am or even 5 am sometimes. – And so I lived in a denial about this trend in the city life. Now I often have to be in a big city, without the kids, traveling for work on Friday and waiting to return on Saturday, and I realize how much I have underestimated the brunch. And that Saturday I just wanted to sleep late and when I get up, to dedicate a lot of time meeting friends, drinking coffee and eating something very delicious. This is how my exploration of the Sofia brunch places started.

If you are interested, you can also read the article: Brunch in Varna and good coffee

VINO & TAPAS (WINE AND TAPAS)

Brunch at Wine and Tapas is one of our favorites, but it’s not a permanent event, make sure it’s on if you decide to go . Chef Ventsi Iliev is truly uniquely good at the brunch menu!

Weekend brunch, its hours are from 10:00 to 16:00 Saturday and Sunday (check if it is open the day you want to visit)

Sofia, 38 Dondukov Blvd.

Prices are average for Sofia

When we talk about Wine and Tapas, we discuss honest and good products and food, the people behind them, and their perfect taste. Eva Marinova, who is the restaurant’s sommelier, and chef Ventsi Iliev pleasantly surprise us with something new and interesting. The products they use often come from small Bulgarian farms, which contributes to the uniqueness and authenticity of each dish. There is always some kind of joke in the dish that provokes us to join in a conversation with them. The last time we were at brunch, Ventsi served homemade rose jam, which they make, and we were extremely happy.

But back to the topic, they recently introduced a brunch menu, which is served every Saturday and Sunday on the second (new) floor of Wine and Tapas, where their charming garden is also located. The brunch is simply delightful and we are happy to declare Wine and Tapas as our family’s favorite brunch spot .

Vino & Tapas in our restaurant reviews catalog “Good Taste Guide”: Vino & Tapas (Wine and Tapas), Sofia

Restaurant “Cosmos”

Sofia, ul. Lavele 19

Its weekend brunch hours are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays;

Prices are above average;

This Saturday there were a lot of kids at the tables, I liked that the mood was family-friendly The place is cosmically good and not just because they became the restaurant of the year for 2023; of Bacchus magazine, an award would not be important if it were not filled with content, and “Cosmos” definitely deserves it; Super polite and adequate service in the beginning, with a friendly mood, which finally went more into the necessary professional distancing, so that they could serve everyone when the restaurant after 12 pm filled up; Although you can order from the main menu, the weekend brunch menu is very nice with attention to the products, preparation technique and we really did not get boring food; Although the sandwiches and eggs Benedict were classic in their appearance, everything was very tasty and interesting and you could clearly taste the products; Check out their menu on their website to have an idea, and be sure to reserve a table;

Space ciabatta sandwich:
 homemade ciabatta, pork and beef minced meat, ajvar, pickled onion, compressed cucumber
Space ciabatta sandwich: homemade ciabatta, pork and beef minced meat, ajvar, pickled onion, compressed cucumber

I would like to mention Cosmos restaurant and JRE – Jeunes Restaurateurs – a global organization of young restaurateurs between 24 and 42 years old, of which chef Vladislav Penov is a member since January 2023, since Bulgaria is part of JRE. I have had the pleasure to visit restaurants of JRE chefs in Italy and not only and the experience was exceptional, so I am glad that now in Bulgaria there are young chefs deserving to be part of JRE. And will write more about them soon.

I will make one more reference while you are “in” the Cosmos restaurant; I know chef Anton Vasev for some time but he makes me very happy with his project SO ferments, which is focused on ferments, moulds and this kind of things. I have been to wonderful dinners with such products and inside the Cosmos restaurant, to the left, you will see a stand with their products which you can buy for home. For example, you can get lentil sauce, which is like soy sauce, but the soy is replaced with Bulgarian lentil beans;

And here the wine list is extremely nice, the coffee is Dabov and is very good, so it’s hard to choose where to start;

“CAFE1920” on Lion’s Bridge

Sofia center, 60 Maria Luiza Blvd., 1202 Sofia

It is located in the building of the Lion Hotel .

Brunch is all day and every day between 8:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Prices are average for brunch in Sofia

Cafe1920 is not a new brunch spot, but we visited it for the first time recently. Their concept is great – they offer brunch all week long. So, no matter when you decide to enjoy a nice and hearty brunch, CAFE1920 is the perfect choice. Here you will find some classics, such as strandjanki (toasts with with minced meat and yellow cheese), which are a real hit. The coffee and cappuccino are also excellent, the staff is friendly and helpful, and during the warmer months the terrace offers plenty of seating. This is important, as the establishment does not take reservations.

"CAFE1920" on Lion's Bridge
Strandzhanki at Cafe 1920

CAFE1920 is located in a building from 1920, with a nice interior that is cozy and comfortable. Spread over two floors, the cafe offers a wonderful view of the lions on the Lion’s Bridge and the trams passing by. It is definitely a great place to visit!

Restaurant “Komat”

Sofia, ul. Bratya Miladinovi 46

Brunch between 11:00am and 4:00pm; Sunday, Saturday I’m not sure – check their website.

Prices are above average;

“Komat is one of the new food places in Sofia in 2023; It won the “Debut” award by Bacchus magazine; But this is a tough prize, it is won only once and raises the demands on the young place; Restorant “Komat” is located in aparthotel DOT, near the Women Market in Sofia. It’s a tiny place and you must book your seats; Komat means “a loaf of bread” in Bulgarian dialect. The concept of the place is to serve Bulgarian dishes with a European and not only European touch; And in the brunch menu you’ll find treasures like katma, kosunak popar, fritters… the sandwiches are on a loaf of bread and extremely tasty; The service is pleasant, fast and the place really suggests a good start;

Sabale

Sofia, 11 Georgi Benkovski Street

For breakfast from 8-11am (weekdays) and 9-11:30am (weekends), the restaurant then continues with lunch from 12pm to 4pm (5pm weekends, with the kitchen closing half an hour before). Closed Monday and Tuesday.

Prices are average and above average (I’m not sure what average is anymore :) )

Anna entered to reserve a table for us at Sabale. The place is very trendy, no reservations and always full, but we have to admit that there is a reason. By the time we joined Ani, she had managed to wait for a table for us and sit down. And I had to figure out the concept of ordering. Well, it’s not complicated – you read the menu on the wall, you say, pay and sit down to wait.

Sabale offers a cozy yet modern brunch experience.

The atmosphere is unpretentious but extremely cozy, combining a minimalist style with a clean, functional interior. It’s a little noisy, but you can see how they make your omelette and that’s part of the emotion.

The brunch menu at Sabale impresses with its simplicity and authenticity – from scrambled eggs and a full breakfast with rye bread, sweet and freshly whipped butter, to specialties like oatmeal with plum jam. The interesting thing here is that the service is self-service, water is free and you take as much as you want, and the ready-made dishes are called out by name.

You sit comfortably at the table, drink your nice coffee, and they will call you by name when your food is ready. This happens for the entire order at the same time.

“Sabale” is a place that attracts attention with carefully selected products and unique flavor combinations. The prices at Sabale are in the higher range, which is justified by the quality of the products and the attention to every detail. And don’t forget, the place is super popular and there is a wait for a table, there are no reservations.

Restaurant “Ahora”

The restaurant “Ahora” closed on December 1, 2024 and moved to a new location with a new name and concept. At the time of writing, it is not open at its new location and we do not know if it will have brunch again, if it will be good, and other details. As fans of the cuisine of Chef Sevda Dimitrova, we will say that it is moving to “The Gallery Fine Dining Restaurant”. Look for it on the Internet.

Sofia, Lozenets, Blvd. “Nikola Vaptsarov”, 25A

Its brunch time is from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Prices are above average;

“Feel the Spring Eggs Benedict” … that’s what I’m reading on the menu today, Saturday and onwards the names are strange and beautiful. Every weekend is different, but you read the menu and it’s nice, varied, not boring. In the individual dishes the ingredients are varied, fennel, mint flowers, ham cooked on the premises. Chef Sevda Dimitrova is simply an example of Sofia’s signature cuisine for me, and every time she manages to delight our taste buds, which have become extremely demanding. Ahora Restaurant is our undisputed favorite for delicious food, and brunch is not far behind. We are amazed every time we see chef Sevda Dimitrova at the “breakfast” in the restaurant and wonder how she does not get tired of keeping the kitchen under control.

Ahora has won for two years in a row (2022 and 2023.) the prize in category “Wine and Beverages” in Restaurant of the Year Bacchus, Acqua Panna & S. Pellegrino, where in 2023 we had the pleasure with Mimi to be part of the jury. And for that reason I always wonder whther to start the day with coffee or cremant from Alsace.

It is important to make a reservation in advance;

In conclusion;

This little guide to gourmet cuisine may still be short. We’ve only put brunch places in Sofia that we’ve been to and will update it when we visit new ones that deserve sharing. So whenever you wonder where is the most interesting brunch in Sofia, take a look at this article, it is for you. And for us also, because sometimes I forget where it was the most delicious;

And please be indulgent, for us food is pleasure and we intend to keep it that way, and if these places have evoked good emotions in us, then they have a place to be shared here; We will talk about dinner in Sofia in another article soon;

Follow us: Instagram and Facebook


Subscribe to our English newsletter

* indicates required

You may also like

Copyrighted Image