La Pastaria Sofia

“Managed to score a table without reservation on a Saturday night. The host warned us we had only an hour, but the service was fast enough that 1 hour was more than enough for us. Food was very delicious, something traditional for the brand "La Pastaria". The only thing as a negative was the non-working half of the men"s WC. It caused something unusual - a queue.”

“I'm not quite sure how to describe this place. It used to be one of the most well-known Italian restaurants in the area, but today the food is nothing special. In fact, some takeaway pizza places make better pizza. I tried the "Novità" pizza, which according to the menu had won an award at a national pizza competition. Unfortunately, it was one of the worst pizzas I've ever had. The slices were deliberately separated by several centimeters on the plate, apparently to create a special presentation, but it felt unnecessary. The yellow tomato sauce was barely noticeable, and the pizza was topped with sprouts that seemed fermented and had an unpleasant smell. My simple test for any pizzeria is to order a Pepperoni pizza. Sadly, this one was dry, bland, and topped with salami that was almost burnt. I also looked at what was being served at other tables. Many pizzas appeared to consist of a baked crust with raw mortadella and arugula placed on top afterward. While this may be a style some people enjoy, the overall impression was that the food lacked flavor and character. It's a shame because the food is the restaurant's weakest point. On the positive side, the staff were polite, the service was good, and the venue itself is pleasant and well-maintained. One thing that stood out to me was that on a Friday evening the restaurant appeared to be less than 30% full, which is quite unusual for a place with such a reputation. If the owners want to remain competitive and attract customers back, they may need to seriously reconsider the quality and execution of the food.”

“A really cozy restaurant with great service, complimentary bread with olive spread and a digestive at the end of the meal. Food comes quick and it’s always delicious. We also tried the homemade tiramisu which I highly recommend!”

“Amazing food. Good service. Pasta prices are from 19.9lev to 29.90lev. Could not recommend their Tagliolini with actual real Bulgarian truffle and the tiramisu. This has been nothing short of a gastronomical meal. Calamari is alright just - a bit too seasoned and not the best one out there. But please do try their pasta dishes!!! 🤩”