The Yummiest Places for Brunch in Sofia, Bulgaria • TWF

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As an American girl living in Bulgaria, there is one thing you can count on me to find… Brunch. 😉

I’ve spent several months in Sofia, Bulgaria over the last year (I live here part-time now), and one of the highlights of our weekends with friends includes diving into delicious foods at all of the top places for brunch in Sofia. I’m a sweet AND savory person when it comes to my brunch palette so not only have I found some of the best waffles, I’ve also found incredible eggs benedict and colorful salads.

I’ve, personally, been to all of the restaurants on this list, but I added “bonuses” at the bottom. Those include other highly recommended restaurants by some locals, but I haven’t been just yet. However, I have to admit, when I think about brunch in Sofia, I can’t wait to get back to number 5 on this list as soon as possible!

1. BOHO

My very first brunch in Sofia was at Boho, and it’s still one of my favorites! My experience here was exceptional. Located on a cute street, they have indoor and outdoor dining. Instead of waiting an hour for an indoor table on a gloomy Sunday, we opted for outdoors in their courtyard.

We devoured our brunch that morning. From delicious eggs benedict to the most incredible chocolate waffles, we were in brunch heaven. We sipped on cappuccinos and mimosas and when it started to drizzle rain, they had large umbrellas to keep us dry. Overall, Boho is still my top favorite place for brunch in Sofia!

2. WONDERLAND DESSERTS & COCKTAILS

Wonderland’s name alone made it a dreamy brunch restaurant in Sofia for me! I had high expectations for a place that genuinely made me wonder just how amazing their food would be. We made reservations for 11:00am on a Sunday with four of our friends, and we were delightfully surprised with the goodness that awaited us.

Known mostly for sweets and desserts, they had scrumptious brunch items on the menu, too. If you’re looking for a big variety on the menu, this might not be for you. However, I can assure you that everything we tried, right down to the cakes, were divine.

3. OZONE SKY BAR

We headed to the top of the Grand Hotel for brunch on a warm summer weekend with our friends. Again, we made reservations in advance, but this might not be necessary. While the atmosphere was initially a little quiet at Ozone Sky Bar, the food and views made up for it. Add in a bottle of champagne with a side of orange juice and this is the place to be for brunch in Sofia!

That’s right, if you’re American like me and you expect a proper mimosa (90% bubbly with a few drips of OJ), you’ll be better off ordering the full bottle of champagne with a side of OJ and making your own. I felt like a little brunch alcoholic when I kept asking our server for more champagne and she’d barely fill it up halfway. So, a full bottle was the way to go!

Being on the 29th floor of the hotel makes this brunch unique with its sky-high views of the city. This was the first place I got to try traditional Bulgarian breakfast foods like banitsa and mekitsa. It’s dangerously good. Meaning, sugar high for the rest of your brunching day!

From avocado toast and quiche to french toast and fluffy waffles, there’s something for everyone at Ozone Sky Bar.

4. CAFE 1920

Cafe 1920, a trendy brunch spot in Sofia, is conveniently located in the City Center and features stylish decor, complete with checkered flooring, brick walls, and colorful seating. It’s a popular weekend restaurant with locals, so you might want to make a reservation. However, it is one of the bigger places with seating both downstairs and upstairs.

The avocado toast here is wonderful and don’t forget to get the table an order of mekitsa with dipping options! My boyfriend got the burger, and it was great, but I think the American Pancakes stole the show at our table.

5. RESTAURANT TALENTS (SUNDAYS)

This cool little spot in town is for the Saturday night party crew that doesn’t wake up til nearly noon the next day. Restaurant Talents only has brunch on Sundays starting at 11:00am, but it is absolutely amazing! The kitchen is filled with young international student chefs with Chef Instructors watching over from the Chef Academy. I think this makes the food that much better because they’re all enthusiastic about their “work”. The kitchen is open to the tables so you’ll be drooling over their finishing touches to the dishes before they’re delivered to your table.

Restaurant Talents interior for brunch in Sofia — Photo Credit: Restaurant Talents

Our favorites included pancakes, crunchy Korean fried chicken, and pumpkin salad. *Chef’s kiss*

6. THE OLD LADY

The Old Lady has an amazing menu for coffee, brunch, and lunch. The biggest drawback at this restaurant for brunch in Sofia is the limited number of tables. Try to make a reservation or go on a day other than the weekend if you want to snag one of the few tables indoors.

I had the mish-mash at the Old Lady and devoured it! However, my boyfriend warns you to steer clear of any dish with the truffle on it. He described it as a “fake” truffle taste that was very overpowering. I say, no problem. I’ll be digging into the french toast next time we go, anyway!

7. MEKITSA & COFFEE

Mekitsa & Coffee came highly recommended for a quick coffee and sugary brunch in Sofia. Also located in the City Center, it’s in a great spot to just pop in and grab something to-go.

I had the nutella and banana mekitsa while Nick chose the mekitsa with fig jam. Both were heavenly. We also love any spot that has great Americanos or cappuccinos so this little place made the list for top places in Sofia for brunch!

BONUS BRUNCH OPTIONS:

That’s a wrap on my favorite brunches in Sofia for now, but there are so many great places that I’m still discovering. The following restaurants have been recommended by some other locals. I’ll be visiting them soon!

Brick Cafe – Looks like a cute place, but note that it’s closed on Sundays.
Coffee Bar – This looks like a cozy place for some great coffee. They also have smoothies and cocktails that look refreshing!
Rainbow Factory– With traditional Bulgarian dishes, soups, salads, and more, this has been high on several other brunch lists that I’ve seen. Worth a try!