Stariyat Plovdiv ★ 4.3
Stariyat Plovdiv runs the charcoal grill until midnight. Kebapche, kyufte, shopska on the rooftop or in the courtyard; late-table Bulgarian classics.
Try: Charcoal kebapche and Bulgarian salads
History
Rakia distillation reached Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. Bulgarian villages still distil home rakia each autumn from grape and plum harvests. The Plovdiv plain's grape harvest feeds both the wine and rakia industries; the strongest grozdova reaches 55 percent ABV, and shots are poured before nearly every meal in the city.
Where to eat rakia
Rakia in Plovdiv
Restaurant Alafrangite ★ 4.3
Restaurant Alafrangite occupies an 18th-century Revival house with a courtyard garden in Old Plovdiv. Bulgarian salads and meat dishes anchor the long menu.
Signature: Sarmi, Bulgarian salads
Pavaj ★ 4.6
Pavaj opens at noon as Kapana's late-brunch stop. Farm-driven Bulgarian small plates with house bread; weekend afternoons settle into long tables and Mavrud.
Order: Farm vegetable plate with Mavrud glass
Boris Palace ★ 4.3
Boris Palace, a Saborna Street Revival mansion turned boutique hotel, serves Bulgarian and European with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
Signature: Bulgarian mezze plate, Slow-roasted lamb
More cities are in research. Want rakia covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.