Nightlife emerging from a deep-freeze, pub culture is almost non-existent out in the provinces, the nearest thing being the Meyhane, traditional folk restaurants, occasionally serving a social scene similar to Croatia's caffe bars without the bland uniformity.
In Sofia however, a young population and Western influences are forcing movements onto the scene. There are last-gen brewpubs, new wave craft bars, and a few alternative venues in and around the city. For a city of its size it is still perhaps understocked in comparison to the West, but a traveller will have no trouble finding a venue.
You'll find yourself doing a hop-skip-and-jump between venues and styles to keep a crawl going.
The same applies for Plovdiv where a thriving arts scene has endowed the city with an array of live music and performance venues worth visiting, and a craft beer scene that stands out too.
Value varies significantly, from city centre Sofia's near Western prices for good product to backstreet Samokov where a bottle of local bad lager can be obtained for well under a Euro. Aside of beer drinking, Rakia remains a big part of local culture, with wine in the South East having a distinctive regional influence.
Ratings Key:
A: Choice and/or quality of drinks
B: Style and décor
C: Atmosphere and feel
D: Amenities, Events & Community
E: Value for money
F: The Pub Going Factor
Name | Location | A | B | C | D | E | F |
Papa Beer | Burgas | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7.5 |
Nylon | Plovdiv | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8.1 |
Kontrabas | Plovdiv | 6 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 7.8 |
Jazz Insights | Plovdiv | 6 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7.7 |
Klub Maria Louisa | Plovdiv | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7.7 |
Baba Yaga | Plovdiv | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7.7 |
Cat and Mouse | Plovdiv | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7.6 |
Three Plus Three | Samokov | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 7.5 |
The Hat's Club | Sofia | 7 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 9.1 |
K.E.B.A | Sofia | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 7.9 |
Halbite | Sofia | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7.7 |
High Five | Sofia | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 7.5 |
Eddie Sicoy | Sofia | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7.5 |
Beer Kolobars | Stara Zagora | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8.6 |
Guide to Bulgarian cities goes here.