Shtastlivetsa Restaurant - Vitoshka

“Shtastlivetsa Restaurant is a true gem on Vitoshka Boulevard. It serves the most delicious Bulgarian food in a very fancy-looking setting. The servers are very friendly and helpful to your needs, especially for us tourists. We had great wine and (Bulgarian) beer along with our main dishes of stuffed peppers (with bechamel) and grilled sujuk with fries and mustard. The peppers were very flavorful. The sujuk (unknown to me) is as such a little dry, but with the mustard it is great! We had a great time at Shtastlivetsa and highly recommend a visit. Take note of the exact location (And check the pictures) because it can be a little hard to find (unless you can read Bulgarian).”

“Walked in spontaneously and directly got a table for 2. It was pretty crowded so I assume in bigger groups you would need a reservation. Ordered 2 main meals, 2 drinks, 2 desserts and paid less than 50 euro. Absolutely great food and delicious desserts. Ambient is nice and chill but it was pretty loud in the middle of the room where our table was. Still available to talk normally and to understand each other but louder than usually. Menu is available in Bulgarian and English. Greet them in friendly English and they will hand you the menu in English asap. Waiters are also fine and understandable in English so they are open for recommendations and questions you have. All in all a good experience and we visited them a second time in the same week. Paid a bit less around 35 euro as we haven’t had desserts this time.”

“The meal began on a slightly disappointing note with the Shopska salad. The balance felt off, with the cheese overwhelming the vegetables rather than complementing them. As a result, the freshness that makes this classic dish so enjoyable was largely lost, and the vegetables themselves seemed to fade into the background. Fortunately, everything changed with the truffle and porcini mushroom pasta. Quite honestly, it was a revelation. In a traditional Bulgarian restaurant, I was expecting strong local cuisine, but not necessarily a pasta dish of this caliber. Yet this was one of the most impressive versions I have had anywhere. The flavors were rich and beautifully balanced, with the earthiness of the mushrooms and the aroma of truffle coming together effortlessly. I would go as far as to say it surpassed some of the pasta dishes I have enjoyed in Italy. The portion initially appeared more elegant than substantial, but it proved surprisingly satisfying and left me perfectly full. The raspberry lemonade was another highlight - bright, juicy, and packed with real fruit flavor rather than excessive sweetness. Refreshing and full of character. Combined with the restaurant’s beautiful interior, which creates a memorable setting from the moment you walk in, this was an experience I would gladly repeat. The Shopska salad may not have won me over, but the pasta alone is more than enough reason to return.”

“The food was delicious and the interior was very pleasant. Unfortunately, once the staff heard we weren't having dessert, they became quite distant. We had to wait over fifteen minutes for the bill, and we even had to ask for it three times before finally getting it.”