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Darkness has rooted in Gaba bar, for a long, long time, turning into a permanent characteristic feature. Right from the very entrance, faces become blurred and I concentrate on finding my friends. The place looks bigger than it actually is but this is because of the shadows and shades. I hear voices, see murky silhouettes and finally here they are – my friends. They discuss keenly the political situation, so I take the advantage and observe the place. Darkness now combines with smoke – it seems that everyone present is holding a reeking cigarette. I disapprove and ask the boy next to me whether he would smoke until the rest of his life. He doesn’t really know but admits his addiction. Anyways, we say “nazdrave” (cheers) and change the topic.

I come to think that Gaba Bar has an audience of its own. Such a place would not have survived otherwise through the years and that should be my main point. It fosters people with alternative music tastes and more importantly, it offers conceptual music, the one that is out of the mainstream. Thus, the whole night turns out to be conceptual, not always though. For example, we listened to Beirut which glued us to our seats in expectation for the next songs. Yes, it was nice and it was getting late but the forthcoming tracks were important. Still, we would listen and talk, talk, talk… and occasionally hum with the songs.

Gaba Bar is on 44 “6-ti Septemvri” street, just after Downtown Hotel if you are coming from Vasil Levski blvd. It is a big metal door that would lead you in downstairs.

Pitie means a drink and this is the main reason why people usually gather there. They chat as well, actually it becomes a busy atmosphere when lots of people gather and you hear nothing but homogenious humming coming from all corners of the garden which means that people find pleasure in talking.

A friend of mine once told me that Pitie is always visited by one and the same people but I tend to disagree. I would say that it is favoured by people who belong to one and the same subculture – skaters, rollerbladers, people who listen to rap, drum and bass and/or ska or people who dress that way – the skater hats, the baggy trousers, the DC t-shirts, etc. There are some exceptions of course, like that colleague of my father who I spotted last time. Or me and my friends – we meet there quite irregularly. Ok, three times so far. But the place owns a garden, the music is acceptable and the people are friendly. What else do we need?

In the winter, there is an inside part which is really small and you have to be lucky to find a place.

Pitie Bar is close to Eagle’s Bridge. You head to Sofia University, pass by the confectionery and just after it you will find the right place.

I don’t know what is the exact definition for this place. Everybody refers to it as Lodkite (the Boats) but in fact it doesn’t have anything that resembles vehicles of such kind. I have heard stories that in the past, a water channel existed and people could sail with tiny boats around.
Now, you actually sit in the dry channel or what it is left from it.

Lodkite is a bar, so to say, that offers the drinks in plastic glasses and the walls of the toilet are all in graffiti.

I always have sensed something hippyish in the air.
The bar attracts lots of people and I believe one of the reasons is that you don’t have a roof over your head, also it is in the Borisovata gradina (Boris’ garden) which makes it a quiet and isolated place during the days and not so quiet during the nights. Another reason – people like the fact that it is not flashy and pretentious.
The music is usually reggae, dub or drum&bass.

The season for Lodkite has come – it is open only in the summer and there is no day off.

Drinks for two would be about 10 Leva (5 Euro).

Lodkite bar is situated in the Borisovata gradina (Boris’ garden) close to Bulgarian Army Stadium or you can reach them from Dragan Tsankov boulevard, where the Biological Faculty of Sofia University is.

The name of the bar itself is quite suggestive – inside is the kingdom of fruits and fruit cocktails of any kind.

Obviously, the people who founded it are great believers in the healthy way of living and we find the idea exciting. It doesn’t matter which cocktail you will choose, each one of them a vitamin battery.

Cocktails per two would be around 8 Leva (4 Euro).
The fruit bar is on Angel Kanchev street, very close to the Moroccan restaurant Annette.

A coffee between the shopping or a cocktail before a night walk, this is where you should go.

Soho cafe is not big but the range of coffee and chocolate drinks is more than we expect.

When the weather allows it, there are few tables in front of it so it is nice to watch those who pass by.

Coffees for two would be around 5 Leva (2,5 Euro).
Parking during the day might be a problem.
The address is 30 Khan Krum str., near the monument of Patriarch Evtimii.

Brasserie is a sleek, medium-sized, yet boutique bar/diner close to Slaveykov square.

It is a good place for coffee in the late morning (excellent coffee machine), business meeting at any time or a drink in the evening. You can be sure that there will be free tables. There’s also a nice little garden, pictured below.

Music is general house, trying hard not to get noticed that it’s a bit old.

Food starts to be served at noon. All dishes are somewhat pretentious, yet tasty. Not the place to go if you’re very hungry, ’cause the meals are small – about 200 grams. There’s additional Sushi menu every Sunday evening. The soup-of-the-day or meal-of-the-day practice is good, so if you like the place, there’s something to surprise you every time. A light lunch with wine or a drink will cost about 20 leva per person.

Warning: Impossible to park there. Reservation is not required.

Address: 3 Rayko Daskalov str., right behind Slaveykov square / open book market. Phone: +359 2 980 0398, +359 89 844 9055.