Location: Smolyan
Top Restaurants in Smolyan
Countries
Smolyan Food Guide: 10 Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in Smolyan
Smolyan (Bulgarian: Смолян) is a town and ski resort in the far south of Bulgaria near the border with Greece. It is the administrative and industrial centre of the homonymous Smolyan Province. The town is situated in the valley of the Cherna ("Black") and the Byala ("White") Rivers in the central Rhodopes at the foot of the mountains' highest part south of the popular ski resorts Pamporovo and Chepelare. As of February 2011, it has a population of 30,283 inhabitants.
Things to do in Smolyan
1. Rodopski Kat
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 7 reviews
Reviewed By Jon75 - Guildford, Surrey
This Restaurant is absolutely fantastic, I have stayed five nights in Smolyan and absolutely loved Rodopski Kat. The Restaurant is located across the Smolyan Theater and The Borough Council of Smolyan – 3 Boulevard Bulgaria.
This place is an old traditional Bulgarian restaurant that has many traditional dishes which me and my wife loved eating. It is delities. We were invited on a cocktail party and end up having dinner every night there ever since. The staff is lovely, food is always good and the barbeque is fantastic. The garden has beautiful view over the Mountains. I would highly recommend Restaurant Rodopski Kat to anyone that travels near Smolyan or Pamporovo. It is worth it.
2. Gloria Mar Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 202 reviews
Reviewed By bkitching2013 - Leicester, United Kingdom
We visited here for a holiday meal as it looked upmarket, we were soon to learn that was a thin facade.
The service is stiff and formal.. The waiters are also pushy, my friend wanted steak and the waiter told us they were for two people as they were huge, hence the reason they were twice the price of everything else on the menu. The menu had other things I would rather order but I changed so my friend could get a steak when it turned up they weren’t for sharing it just turned out the waiter had blagged us into ordering two of the most overpriced things on the menu.
The steaks weren’t even very good, tasteless and fatty, certainly not worth their inflated price.
Our other friend had sushi which he said was lacklustre.
The waiter even tried to keep our change despite knowing we wouldn’t have wanted to tip him.
Avoid this place
3. The White Dog
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 36 reviews
Restaurant and bar at the foot of the ski slopes offering lunch and evening meals. A mix of Bulgaria BBQ and also english fare.
Reviewed By Millasan - Varna Province, Bulgaria
Very nice and professional staff, warm and cozy atmosphere, perfect food. The ski instructors are just great - dealing with kids very well; the equipment and person in charge who help with it is just great. Peter is the best instructor ever and my kid simply loves him!
4. Alex's Pub 1
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 146 reviews
Reviewed By MJZAJ - Weybridge, United Kingdom
The servings are huge and the food is good and served pretty quickly although we opted for slightly earlier lunches to avoid the masses. The 10% discount card you might get from your travel company does work here although they don't like applying it. Tell them at the time of asking for the bill and be adamant as we ate here 3 times and had different experiences but each time they accepted it. Average cost per sitting for 3 kids and 2 adults was 80 LEV
5. Rodopchanka
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 65 reviews
Steakhouse, BBQ Joint, Winery
Reviewed By Bambi12345
Great restaurant with a varied menu. The meals don't only look good, but also very tasty. While you eat, you hear live music. A player plays the organ and sings. It's an amazing experience. Highly recommended!
6. Starata Kushta
Overall Ratings
5 based on 3 reviews
Reviewed By Lily A - Matlock, United Kingdom
We visit Smolyan a lot so have been to many of the restaurants and my family all agrees that this is the best! There's always a lovely warm welcome and fabulous food. The restaurant is an old house (starata kushta) built in the Bulgarian revival style, with lots of lovely original artefacts and photos around the place. The original rooms are all still there so the chances are you'll be dining in a private room, laid out like a dining room in a Bulgarian home.
We've never had a poor meal there and have particularly liked the lamb cheverme, all of the 'sach' ('sizzler') dishes and the trout but any choice would be a good one! We've often been given a significant discount off the (already extremely reasonable) bill for our attempts to read and speak Bulgarian and have several times been squeezed in somewhere when the restaurant has been full so we always feel amazingly welcome - as we always do across the region.
When I think of the Starata Kushta I think of feeling full, warm and happy - so you can't say fairer than that!
7. Bohemi
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 31 reviews
Reviewed By almond6 - Melbourne
This restaurant is very nice after skiing. With an open fire and a drinks list to warm you up, but it doesn’t stop there. The pizzas are amazing, probably the best we’ve had in a very long time and the chicken curry was the perfect blend of sweet and savoury and not too heavy. The burgers are plentiful and fresh also. Cannot fault this place.
8. Venus
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6 reviews
Reviewed By HalDavies - Ramsgate, United Kingdom
Friends took us to Venus this time.
The waiter was charming and friendly as ever.
We noted the sausages hanging in the wine cellar, they are made from meat/animals reared on the owner's land.
Starters were Calamari, lots of it, crispy batter and cooked perfectly. Oven baked Brie on apple, lovely, and Bruschetta with proscuitto, again, lovely.
Mains were two pizzas, enormous, tasty and cheap. Two others had the lamb cutlets. Heaps of them with roasted veg and a lovely gravy.
Two puddings, the largest Tiramisu ever, enough for two, so good, and a Creme Brulee, bruleed at the table. Perfect.
We will not hesitate to return
9. Black Horse
Overall Ratings
4 based on 23 reviews
10. PamPi Apres ski bar
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 5 reviews
Reviewed By Deborah M - Chester-le-street durham
best night for music and entertainment, thanks to all the staff at the bar and also the staff from ski centre 2 especially marie, koce and anie. we will be back next year see you then debbie peter ritchie and jess
