Cook and Eat with a Local in Sofia: Bulgarian Home Kitchen Class

Share stories and sips with Sofia locals while a curious cat joins your feast

Cook and Eat with a Local is a four-hour cooking class in a Sofia home where you shop, cook and taste traditional Bulgarian dishes with a local guide. You'll prepare shopska salad, banitsa pastry, and yogurt with honey and walnuts, then sit down to eat together. No cooking experience is needed. The class welcomes beginners and includes travel tips about Bulgaria.

The experience

The class starts at a local home within walking distance of Sofia's city center. You'll shop for ingredients at a nearby market, then return to the kitchen to cook together. Your host teaches you the small secrets that make Bulgarian food taste the way it does: simple techniques that transform basic ingredients. The standard menu includes shopska salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, white cheese and parsley; banitsa pastry with eggs, cheese and yogurt; and yogurt with honey and walnuts. You also taste traditional Bulgarian drinks as part of the experience.

The four hours move between shopping, hands-on cooking and sitting down to eat what you've made. You learn how to prepare each dish and pick up tips about Bulgarian culture along the way. If the standard menu doesn't suit you, alternative options like meatballs or moussaka are available on request (these incur an additional charge). The class is built around learning by doing, not watching a demonstration. You're in the kitchen the whole time.

Your host speaks English or German. The home also has a cat named Coco and a budgie called Izida, who tend to entertain visitors (let your host know if you have allergies). Public transportation options are available nearby if you need them to reach the location.

What’s included

• Cooking, shopping and tasting of local food and alcohol drinks.
• visit to a local home.
• travel information about Bulgaria.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 to 90 years) · Youth (6 to 17 years) · Child (2 to 5 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Public transport nearby

Operated by Nvision travel

Is this one for you?Book this class if you want to learn by doing rather than watching. You spend the full four hours in the kitchen shopping and cooking together, then eating the dishes you've made, not tasting samples prepared in advance.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and German.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (6 to 17 years); Child (2 to 5 years).

What do I actually cook and eat during the class?

The standard menu includes shopska salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, white cheese and parsley; banitsa pastry filled with eggs, white cheese and yogurt; and yogurt topped with honey and walnuts. You also taste traditional Bulgarian drinks. Alternative dishes like meatballs or moussaka can be arranged for an extra charge.

Do I need cooking experience to join this class?

No cooking skills are required. Beginners are welcome, and your host provides experience and tips throughout the four hours. All you need is interest in Bulgarian food and the time to spend in the kitchen.

Where is the class held and how do I get there?

The class takes place in a local home within walking distance from Sofia's city center. Public transportation options are available nearby if you need them.