27 Best Bansko Restaurants & Cafes We Can't Get Enough Of (2024)

Looking for the best Bansko restaurants for your trip to Bulgaria? Well, good news! We’ve spent multiple months in this popular mountain town and tasted some of the most delicious food. Whether you’re visiting in the summer or winter time to ski, know that there are plenty of incredible meals and drinks to be enjoyed. Here are our favorite bars, cafes, and restaurants in Bansko we tried and loved!

About the Restaurants in Bansko Bulgaria

The first thing to know about the Bansko restaurant scene is that there is a wide range of food options. While there is plenty of great traditional Bulgarian food, know that you’ll find a good mix of European and international dishes as well.

There’s everything from pizza to tacos and even Asian food in Bansko! This list is made up of places we tried over two months in Bansko during the summer and winter.

Honestly, there are so many amazing Bansko restaurants that we didn’t get a chance to try them all. If there’s one we missed out on be sure to let us know in the comments at the bottom of this post.

Where Are the Best Bansko Restaurants?

Before we can dive into all the great food in Bansko, you should know the town is quite large. The first section to understand is at the top of Bansko by the gondola.

This area is most frequented during the winter time with its close proximity to the ski slopes. There is a long street which runs across and past the gondola area. Here you’ll find some great traditional restaurants, lively bars, and shops to rent equipment from.

The main road of Bansko is Pirin Street which takes you down the hill from the gondola. This is where many of the best bars, cafes, and restaurants in Bansko are located.

The 20 minute walk will take you down to another popular area of town and a large square where festivals are held. This is also where the weekly Sunday market is. We loved ending our weekend here to buy fresh vegetables, fruits, and even a local sausage with peppers off the grill.

This part of town at the bottom of Bansko is busier during the summer months when there’s no winter sports and less mountain activity. More travelers visit here in the winter, but summer is also a great time to go to Bansko for hiking and outdoor adventures.

Just know that a good amount Bansko restaurants don’t open until December so you’ll have less food options during this period. If you’re heading up the mountain there are a few restaurants and bars to enjoy at the top of the gondola as well!

27 Best Bansko Restaurants

Bansko is full of great Bulgarian food that every traveler should try. Before our first trip here we actually had no idea what Bulgarian cuisine was!

However, we would quickly find out that it’s an amazing mix of Balkan food. We’d traveled through this region of Europe before and tasted food in countries like Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Greece. We found some similarities, but Bulgaria has its very own specialties and unique twists.

The meat dishes are especially hearty and perfect for the cold winter season. A few of our favorite Bulgarian dishes are pork shank, flat sausage, moussaka, lentil soup, and shopska salad.

One of the best parts about eating in Bansko is it’s inexpensive compared to many other places in Europe. At local restaurants you will only pay 3 to 5 Euros for a meal! While at the Bansko bars, a pint shouldn’t cost you more than 3 Euros with wine being even cheaper.

Traditional cuisine in Bulgaria is often cooked over a large fireplace in the middle of the restaurant. They use fresh ingredients and sometimes even have a beautiful garden setting with outdoor seating. The decor, vibes, and live cooking give the Bansko restaurants an authentic feel like you’re going back to simpler times.

Traditional Restaurants in Bansko

1.Chalet Yanitza: Our favorite Bansko restaurant where we would eat lunch 2 to 3 times a week. The owner takes pride in his cooking and meals come at very affordable prices. We loved how he posts his daily menu online that’s always changing. This should be your first stop when you get to town.

2. Mehana Chevermeto:The most popular traditional restaurant in town. In the summer you’ll see them roasting a whole pig every night on a spit outside, while in the winter they switch to lamb using the same technique. We ate here on Christmas Eve and got lamb as our main course!

3.The House:Great place to eat close to the Bansko Gondola. Try the pork knuckle, fresh salads, and more from their extensive menu.

4.Mehana Dedo Yonkata: One of the best local Bansko restaurants. We specifically loved the gilled meats. It’s a fun traditional atmosphere and centrally located on Pirin Street.

5. Bar and Diner “Damyanitza“:Small restaurant tucked back in old town with cheap prices and a great daily menu. Also, can be a nice spot for a coffee or pre-dinner drinks.

6. Alpina Fish Restaurant: You’ll have to take a little hike to get to this Bansko restaurant, but it’s worth it for the amazing experience! Busy on weekends with local families and one of the best places around to try seafood.

Bansko Restaurants For International Food

In addition to Bulgarian local cuisine, Bansko plays host to plenty of great food from around the world. This is something we really enjoyed about this town!

Since we spent multiple months working remotely here, it was so nice to have options for both local food and international dishes.

Many of the best restaurants offer quick and easy meals or sandwiches on freshly baked bread. If you couldn’t tell already, we really didn’t have any bad meals in Bansko!

7. Casa di Papi: Our favorite pizza spot in Bansko. Conveniently located near the Gondola with a great menu of Italian cuisine. Be sure to stop in for their lunch specials during the week. Also, don’t miss trying the burrata and jamón pizza which we ordered more times than we can count.

8. Le Petit Nicolas:The best gourmet sandwiches in Bansko. This spot doubles as a delicious bakery, and the chef has a creative and unique menu.

9. Tasty 75:Nice place for a burger or quick bite near the top of Pirin St. This is an open kitchen with a few tables in the side room. We would grab a veggie chili or chicken wrap often here for lunch and take it to go with us to our co-working space.

10. The Station: In the mood for some Greek food? You will find many similarities between Bulgarian cuisine and that of its European neighbor. This popular Bansko restaurant was our go-to spot for a gyro sandwich, gyro plate, and Greek salad.

11. Avalon: Good option to stay for digital nomads in Bansko. While it’s not a restaurant, they host a weekly curry night that draws in travelers from all over. You can find out more information on their facebook page.

12. El Tacos:Yes, Bansko even has Mexican food! This eatery is popular with the digital nomad crowd in the summer time, offering cheap prices for tacos and burritos.

13. Ivan’s Food House: There are many great doner stands in Bansko that pop up around the wintertime. We would stop in to Ivan’s to end our night or for takeaway lunch. Also, check out Street food 33 Bansko which is just a few minutes around the corner if you’re craving a kebab.

14. Foodbox Bansko: This is a great place to get a quick meal to go that’s inexpensive with big portions. The menu changes daily and you can check it around noon on their instagram page.

Local Bakeries & Bansko Cafes

While there are many Bansko restaurants one of the best ways to start your morning in town is with a trip to a local bakery. In typical Balkan fashion, there seems to be a great bakery on every corner!

It was seriously tough to pass these places on our walks to Altspace Coworking without stopping in to grab a treat. The bakeries have a mix of cheesy baked goods, traditional sweets, and much more.

There are also some awesome cafes that are perfect for an espresso or cappuccino. You’ll see immediately after arriving that cafe culture is alive and well in Bansko!

15. Vintage Coffee Shop:Our favorite coffee shop in Bansko. We stopped here often for a quick coffee after lunch and it has a great location. The owner makes a really good gluewine, too.

16. The French Guy Café Bakery:This is hands down the best bread in Bansko. Once we discovered the French guy, we started buying a morning loaf to take home with us almost every day. We even pre-ordered it for the holidays when we knew they would be busy.

If you have a sweet tooth don’t miss the chocolate bread! You can also grab a coffee here and don’t miss out on picking up a tub of the hummus that they sell. The fresh sourdough and hummus was such a fun and easy morning meal.

17. Corner Bakery: Local place called Пекарна Корнер which literally translates to “Corner Bakery.” We loved stopping in to grab a quick pastry or savory breakfast treat in the early hours.

18.Bakery:Online this only comes up as “Bakery,” but it is a small window that serves up inexpensive fresh goods. It’s close to the weekend market so you can stop in whenever you are near.

19. Black Honey Specialty Coffee Shop: This cool cafe opened a week before we were leaving town! Everyone at co-working raved about how good it was so we knew we needed to try for ourselves. If you’re a true coffee lover this is the perfect place to go to.

20. The Snug Bansko: We visited this cute cafe in the summer when we were staying nearby. It’s a favorite of many for its cozy decor, yummy baked goods, and of course the coffee. We also recommended trying to hot chocolate here.

Nightlife in Bansko Bulgaria

After you’ve gotten your fill of all the tasty Bansko restaurants, know there are plenty of fun bars around town. Whether you just spent all week crushing work or hitting the slopes, these were our favorite places to hang out and grab a drink.

In the winter season Bansko turns into party central! Travelers come for a ski holiday from all around Europe and like to let loose after doing some skiing or snowboarding.

There is some great local red wine to try as well as other specialties like rakia liquor and gluewine. Typically, we would enjoy the cheap house wine with our dinners, but there is something for everyone.

Fun Bansko Bars

21. Piran 75: One of the best places to enjoy nightlife in Bansko. Located near the top of Pirin St across from Tasty 75 restaurant. Great spot with outdoor seating available. You can even get your food at Tasty 75 and take it across the street to eat it here with your drink.

22. Ginger: Popular restaurant which gets busy during the wintertime near the gondola. They also serve good food here, but we usually just went for drinks on the top outside balcony with a view.

23. Veselo Selo Bansko: Just across the street from Ginger. We loved hanging in the backyard area with space heaters during the winter months.

24. FiveM:This was our absolute favorite spot for a glass of wine or beer after a long day of work. Relaxing atmosphere inside where you can also grab a coffee. It’s also not uncommon to see remote workers with their laptops out. We especially enjoyed sitting in front of the wood fire place.

25. Pivoteka Craft Beer Mountain Base: Did you know they have craft beer in Bulgaria? That’s right! This small bar has both local and international craft beers to try. Some come straight off the tap, while others you can buy and take with you back home.

26. Happy End: If you’ve already been to the top of the Bansko gondola you may have seen Happy End’s multi-colored Hummer truck rolling around. Well, it must be a great advertisement because this bar gets absolutely packed on winter nights! It’s feels like the party is always going here and the music never stops.

27. Top of the Gondola Bars: While there isn’t one specific spot we recommend, it’s just generally a fun area to be. After some skiing you can head to the second floor of one of these Bansko bars and drink an ice cold beer overlooking the mountains.

Have any questions about Bulgarian cuisine or want to share more of the best Bansko restaurants? Leave us a comment below!

Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake

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Bulgaria Travel Tips

Flights:We always find our cheap flight deals usingSkyscanner.That’s how we flew from Alicante to Sofia for under $50 USD, and Vienna to Sofia for less than $80!

Rental Car: We useDiscover Cars to explore when traveling. A quick travel tip is to ask for a weekly rate than just booking 2-3 days. If you plan to do a private transfer from Sofia to Bansko it may be cheaper just to rent a car for the duration of your stay.

Tours:Check outGet Your Guide to find thousands of activities around the world. In Bansko you can go horseback riding, take an ATV adventure, or even a day trip to the thermal pools!

E-Sim:We useAiralo for an e-sim while abroad to get connected as soon as our flight lands. You can find all the different plans and prices for Bulgaria here.

Travel Insurance:Never travel abroad without protection. We’ve been usingSafetyWingfor the last few years on the road and they are there when we need them.

Packing Lists:Find all the inspiration you need with ourAmazon packing lists.Including ourelectronics and camera gear, must-havemedical items, andlong flight essentials.

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