Plovdiv Province: Top 5 Food & Drink – A Local’s Guide

Plovdiv Province, with its sprawling vineyards, fertile plains, and centuries of history, just seems to offer a whole host of food and drink experiences that you really should explore. As a local, I’ve just kind of spent a considerable amount of time eating and drinking my way through the region, very much discovering all kinds of culinary gems, and so, now I want to share my absolute top picks with you, the people who are reading this. So, are you prepared to find the flavor in Plovdiv? Read on, maybe.

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1. The Legendary Shopska Salad

Ok, so first, we have Shopska Salad, this simple, brightly colored salad may look, in a way, almost ordinary, but, actually, it happens to be one of Bulgaria’s national dishes. Made using diced tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, and, on top of that, generous heaps of grated Bulgarian feta cheese, this is more or less the perfect summertime meal or even side. The ingredients, arranged just like that, are supposed to represent the colors of the Bulgarian flag, which is just awesome.

And, what you ought to do, is sample Shopska Salad pretty much everywhere you go, because just every restaurant will have its own spin on it, in that case. Some use roasted peppers for, almost, a smoky hint, while others are, very much, extremely generous with the cheese. I’m actually recommending, “Raia” restaurant in Plovdiv’s Kapana district. They, in a way, just have the fresh produce straight from local farms, making the Shopska salad extremely, quite possibly, something to savor.

Basically, you might want to grab a bite or two. I have. And I found the food was amazing.

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2. Wine Tasting in the Thracian Valley

Plovdiv Province lies inside the Thracian Valley, which is one of Bulgaria’s top wine regions. With a heritage reaching back to, really, ancient Thracians, this region basically offers great conditions for growing a wide variety of grapes. In other words, taking part in a wine tasting just feels compulsory around here, in effect.

What I did, pretty much, just included exploring several wineries scattered throughout the valley, you know, and sample both regional and international varieties. “Villa Yambol” just had awesome vineyards and a good story to tell. And the wines were fantastic. I particularly enjoyed their Mavrud, a Bulgarian grape variety producing rich, dark wines that exhibit blackberry and spice flavors. In effect, touring places just gave us a little peak on how things function and how they develop all those perfect wines, in this case.

Don’t be scared. Check things out. And, who knows. It can be fun!

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3. A Taste of Traditional Bulgarian Banitsa

Oh yes. Banitsa, a beloved Bulgarian pastry, definitely makes, in some respects, a brilliant snack or, even so, a light meal. Created out of flaky filo pastry and a filling of eggs, cheese, and yogurt, it is almost often baked till its, almost, wonderfully golden. Basically, that warm, savory pastry can, kind of, quite easily just be purchased from bakeries all through Plovdiv.

And, really, what makes banitsa interesting can be the fact that that there are various fillings to try. While the traditional cheese banitsa is, seemingly, generally the most common, a number of bakeries actually give banitsa that’s pretty much infused with spinach, pumpkin, and even sweet milk custard. Basically, while in Plovdiv, visit “HleBar” bakery, which just displays their own perfect, freshly baked banitsa using unique fillings on a regular basis. I tried their spinach and cheese version, which has a satisfying savory snack. Pretty darn good. It was very nearly sensational, honestly.

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4. Exploring the Kapana District’s Craft Beer Scene

Kapana District, better known, in that case, for being the creative hub of Plovdiv, also seems to provide, really, an expanding craft beer scene. Dotted using tiny breweries and bars, this area definitely provides you with a relaxed spot just for checking out locally brewed beers. I would tell you this if I did not like Kapana district of Plovdiv that much. Basically, some places also offer foods which can really combine and/or compliment some very awesome alcoholic beverages in some way, and/or form.

Basically, I frequented “Cat and Mouse” bar, which in a way offers an expansive selection of Bulgarian craft beers, basically exhibiting both regional breweries together with guest brews off their company. Try one thing to see and be adventurous with beers of varying tastes, levels, qualities and brewing. And, even in the event that beer is simply not for you, this area boasts several bars and cafes wherein you might just, rather, test some conventional Bulgarian spirits and local wine.

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5. Experiencing the Magic of Airyan (Ayran)

Oh, okay, what? Actually, no way. Airyan (Ayran) will just always surprise people but I hope people understand and also take note of this awesome refreshment that might potentially quench one’s thirst for any adventure to be started here on Plovdiv province, too. Ayran is almost generally served in nearly every and/or all supermarkets around Plovdiv and basically Ayran is created simply using yogurt, water, including of course some salt.

As a matter of fact, most restaurants in Plovdiv, which may not be all, potentially cater using, rather, a more sweeter variety but they are both basically Ayran drinks at the end of the day. So if you tend to experience that then feel free to go right ahead if you feel thirsty. Even I could go for one if this gets any thirstier in here. Well there you go! If, as a matter of fact, people wanna experience how it actually feels like consuming that certain local food then give it a try!

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