#to_하빛 here's some recommendations with pictures taken from pinterest/google 1. banitsa / баница you can eat banitsa for breakfast, lunch and dinner. some people like sprinking fine sugar on it to make it sweeter. it goes well with ayran or boza (i prefer it with boza); 2. bulgarian moussaka / мусака this is one of the most famous meals here. some people put bulgarian yogurt on top of it; 3. sarmi (cabbage rolls) / сарми sarmi are a traditional bulgarian dish consisting of (usually cabbage) leaves stuffed with a savory filling, typically a mixture of rice, minced meat, herbs, and spices. we mostly eat them during the winter, especially around christmas and new year; 4. kebab / кебапче grilled meat dish, kinda looks like a sausage. 99% of the time you can find kebabs in the barbecues during family gatherings, summer cookouts, etc; 5. mekitsa / мекица the mekitsa is a beloved breakfast that can be served both as sweet (with honey, jam or fine sugar on top of it) or savory (with sirene, which is like feta cheese); 6. zayo bayo (with onion) / зайо байо (с лук) this is one of the top snacks here. when i was a kid, there were so many other kids who hated onions but loved zayo bayo with onion (including me. i still don't like onion but i like zayo bayo with onion). there's other flavours like dill & cream, paprika, pizza and more; 7. temenuzhki / теменужки temenuzhka in bulgarian means viola (the flower). these candies taste amd smell like the viola flower; 8. medenka / меденка the name "medenka" comes from the word "med" which means "honey" in bulgarian. the medenka is a soft chocolate-coated honey cookie. as kids the medenka to us was probably what the oreo cookies were to other kids; 9. boza / боза this beverage has a specific consistency and taste, which is why half of the people love it and the other half hate it (i love it). it's slightly fermented (totally safe though, kids drink it all the time), thick and creamy, and it's on the sweeter side; 10. ayran / айрян this is a cold refreshing beverage made by mixing yogurt and water. some people like adding salt to it, others prefer it without any salt. we often drink it during the summer to keep ourselves hydrated (or if we have a hangover, because it has lots of electrolytes). bonus!! sharena sol (colorful salt) / шарена сол sharena sol a commonly used dry spice blend made primarily of salt, some dried herbs, and ground spices. it varies slightly by region or household, but most of the time it's made up with salt, summer savory, paprika, funugreek and other herbs. i personally like to add oregano and basil, others like adding thyme too. 3 years ago, the sharena sol won first place in a ranking of spice mixes from around the world, made by tasteatlas. you can use sharena sol on many meals, i use it on almost anything. !! always make sure to check the ingredients of the dishes/snacks to avoid anything you're allergic to, some ingredients vary depending on the restaurant/brand. have fun trying bulgarian dishes and snacks on your next trip to bulgaria <3