What to Eat in Bulgaria: Typical Bulgarian Food and Specialties | Page 3 of 3
Varna Fish Market: Turbot, Bonito and Greek Horse Mackerel Under One Roof
The Varna Fish Market is the city's only fish market, tucked away at the edge of the central farmers' markets. Black Sea bonito and turbot lie on the ice next to horse mackerel imported from Greece and freshwater fish from inland. If you know when the bonito is running and when the turbot ban is on, the labels will tell you what's fresh - and why seaside Bulgaria eats so little fish.
Tarator: The Bulgarian Cold Soup of Sour Milk and Cucumber
Tarator is a Bulgarian cold soup of sour milk, cucumber, garlic and dill that Bulgarians eat in summer instead of a starter. Its present-day form is surprisingly young; Bulgarians share the dish with their neighbors, and they are the only ones who thin it with water until it turns into soup. In Plovdiv I tried the pink version with beetroot.
Pavaj Restaurant: Modern Bulgarian Cooking in Plovdiv's Kapana
Pavaj Restaurant serves modern Bulgarian cooking in Plovdiv's Kapana quarter and was one of the very first places to kick off the transformation of the neighborhood back in 2015. It is named after the paving it stands on. The short menu is built around rewritten classics - a house-made sausage, a take on Shopska salad or a pink beet tarator.