Bulgarian food does not particularly differ from the traditional European cuisine.

The basic food products of the traditional Bulgarian cuisine are beans, sour and fresh milk, cheese, tomatoes, paprika, potatoes, onions, apples, water-melons, and grapes. Food products can be purchased in all food stores and supermarkets, as well as on the direct producer-consumer market.

Cooked food is served in catering establishments, pizza stands and restaurants, the prices depending on the category of the catering establishment.

The most frequent meat specialities are kebapcheta (minced-meat rolls) and kyufteta (meatballs), shish kebab (grilled meat) on skewers, steaks, and loukanka (salami). Some other favourite dishes are tarator (cold summer soup made of youghurt, water and cucumber), cheese a la Shopski, breaded yellow cheese, beans soup cooked in a monastery manner, banitsa (sheeted pastry with cheese), paprika stuffed with eggs and cheese, Russian salad, aubergine puree, Shopska salad and caramel custard.

Traditional for all the Bulgarian foods is the usage of many and various spices.

Bulgarian sour milk is worldwide famous – cow’s milk, sheep’s milk and buffalo-cow’s milk – all of various taste and cream content.

A breakfast in an ordinary restaurant costs about 3 Leva, a dinner - 8 Leva, and supper - around 10 Leva.

Alcoholic drinks are on sale in most food shops, and in numerous specialised pubs. Bulgarian wines are famed for their exceptional quality; indeed, Bulgaria is one of the world’s major wine exporters. The price of one bottle of 0.75 litres of good dry wine varies between 3 and 5 Leva.

Alcoholic concentrate traditional for Bulgaria is called rakiya. The price of a 0.5-litre bottle varies between 3 Leva and 15 Leva, depending on the quality of the product, the manufacturing technology and the region of origin.