Food, drink, party. Where to go in Bansko

New Boulevard Bar, Grill and Beer. "Live Beer" -- Fifth Ocean

Bansko restaurants bars, and clubs change every year in Bansko. The name may be the same but is the food, drink and party atmosphere the same?

New owners, chefs, and premises dominate the Bansko scene.

It has never been better for going out. Read on to find out what’s happening in Bansko this season. Download the Bansko App for location, tel number, email and reservation.

NEW: 180 Degrees bar & restaurant. Piste side just up from Shiligarnika.

At a glance guide to Bansko food and drink   (* family friendly)

Euphoria Bar & Grill: Home to the Q cam

Mind The Step @ The Dream Hotel

Penguins (the old Friendly Pub) Open for breakfast at 08:00 and live music makes this a family favourite.

Boulevard Bar, Grill and Beer

New place just by the main gondola traffic lights. Pour yourself beer from a tap at your table. Draft Fifth Ocean micro brewery beer. Reliable food and live music most nights.

Family friendly and set to be a popular apres ski place.

Amvrosia restaurant at the Premier Luxury Mountain Resort

Amvrosia is the gastronomic beacon in Bansko. Click here for my full Amvrosia restaurant review.

If you’ve got a special occasion to celebrate, then Amvrosia would make an excellent choice. For my full review click here.

Chepishev

A fine dining room with log fire combines with the pleasingly contemporary  interior design. It was a favourite for mine last season.

New management and new very international menu looks very promising. One to try.

Queen’s Pub

Queen's Pub. From restaurant to live band and DJ.

A huge sign adorns the entrance, and located just a few metres from the main traffic lights on Pirin street.

New chef this winter. Amazing ribs, great salads and the stuffed pork (stuffed with vegetables) is superb.

Because of this high standard, I am delighted that they have agreed to offer a 50 lv voucher to be used at the restaurant for a meal for two. To win just submit your “My Stats” data by sharing on the Bansko app via Facebook. Attach a selfie so we know its real.

The #Bansko tag will identify your post. We pick a random winner every three days. We do not pick top speed or furthest distance.

The live band for this season is one of the best in town this season. However it’s best eating before 21:30 if you want a quiet conversation

Recommended for families and hungry skier. And those who do not want to sacrifice quality food when in Bansko.

Recommended for this season.

Riverside restaurant + The Terrace (Mall Bansko)

Amazing views from Riverview restaurant, at the Mall, Bansko

My visit on their first day on their Terrace bar impressed me so much that I think Riverside could be the place to celebrate New Year.

Euphoria Bar and Grill

WiFi: euphoria p/w 123456. Home of the live Q cam and this year it’s also home for DJ Shark. Also new here is a takeaway service. There are some times when it’s nice to stay in after a hard day on the slopes, or after a hard day’s partying!

The solution is here with free delivery of the whole menu including the exceptionally popular pizzas.

Tel:  +359 879 126 55 for delivery (it’s free).

Euphoria Bar & Grill, December 2013

A long menu, with pictures. Music can be loud here. On the plus side, the DJ is excellent this year. The sound system is rather good too.

What’s Up live band are excellent. Service from both the bar staff and the waiting staff has been friendly and attentive on my regular visits here.

Like Penguins, and Lions Pub, the owner of all these three places has kept Euphoria a “Free House” and therefore these bar can serve beer from breweries other than the big multinationals (e.g. Carlsberg etc) that dominate the Bulgarian beer scene.

The upper terrace is the après ski sun deck in Bansko town. Watch people on the live cam or better still on the terraces. Euphoria is open in winter ski season only.

Football and Sky sporting action on big screens plus winter ski and boarding videos.

Penguins Bar & Diner

Penguins is located 100 metres across the lights. Regulars will see it is the old Friendly pub, but for last season it was completely extended and renovated. Toni is the manageress this season.

Pleasingly different inside. A good selection of beers including English beer.

Great vegetarian sache. (A Sache is delivered on a hot grill pan). Meat option too. Good breakfasts.

The Lions Pub

For many regular Bansko visitors the Lions Pub is the original. Located on the corner of Glazne street and Pirin Street, opposite Pirin 75 it is very easy to find. Sky TV open at 08:00. Good full English breakfast and stays open till the early hours. A DJ will often build up a good party atmosphere.

Food is consistently reliable

Chateau Antique

Chateau Antique dining room

For my full review from last year, click here. Tested in December 2013 and the standard is every bit as good as last year. New Year’s Eve menu looks extremely appetising. See their facebook page for more.

Don’t be fooled by the ground floor, which may look empty. There is a wonderful second floor dining room.

The VIP dining room is private, has its own toilet and seats six persons.

Tested in December 2013 and the standard is every bit as good as last year. New Year’s Eve menu looks extremely appetising. See facebook page for more.

1 Angel Kanchev Street.

Tel: +359(0)895 515  9999  |   chateauantique@gmail.com   |     https://www.facebook.com/chateau.antique.b

The Irish Harp

The Irish Harp, Bansko. Biggest whiskey range in Bansko.

Brian and the crew at the Irish Harp offer pleasingly short menu. Featuring steaks and stews prepared using real Irish beef. Puddings look tempting too. A range of superb genuine branded whiskies completes a picture of quality. Now that is good.

Salt & Pepper

New mehana where the Chinese restaurant used to be by Pirin 75. Mixed reports so far. My salad was good, but a little pricey.

Ti Amo (opposite Penguins)

The restaurant with live music is new for this season. Nice interior.

Chateau Antique

Last year a firm favourite — full review, click here. One of the best places to start up in Bansko for some time.

But this year Evgeny the executive chef will not be returning — so Chateau Antique is not the same as last year. Has not opened yet, so interested in hearing reports when it does.

Victoria restaurant

Victoria is located on Pirin Street opposite the Kempinski Grand Arena. I reviewed this small Sofia chain a while back (click here). At the time it was in my top 12 Bansko places. No longer does it always live up to the promise. Dishes are sometimes arriving rather quickly. The fine dining room is still as good as ever. But, be warned, sitting on a tables by the windows in the conservatory annex will make you cold.

Swiss mountain chalet feel – plenty of wood and stone and a deer antler’s “chandelier”. A warming corner fireplace.

Vegetarians options included stuffed peppers. These were part of the special pre Christmas Advent menu (Part of the “fasting” Christian Orthodox no meat tradition).

A long menu. Choose carefully.

Pirin 75 

Yanis, the Greek owner has taken care of the small details that make for a really pleasant bar.

Pirin 75 still has great coffee. After dinner drinking and meeting spot.

For a late night in a convenient location, Pirin 75 comes recommended for it’s lively vibe. Be warned, it gets loud there later on with DJ music.

Sushi and Teppanyaki Bar & Grill, Kempinski

Teppanyaki is a superb show and one a child will love too. Prepare to be amazed at some of the cooking tricks with knives flashing before your eyes.

Grilled fish, shellfish, meats, rice and noodle dishes. My review of sushi and teppanyaki places in Bansko, click here.

The Sing Sing piano bar next door is one of my favourite nightclubs in Bansko. Prices reflect the upscale setting.

Kempinski Lobby bar

This lobby bar has to be mentioned. I never recommend places I do not enjoy – but please bear in mind some of the places discussed sponsor Bansko Blog. It’s here in the Lobby bar I can relax, the music is unobtrusive and the range of real teas here are wonderful.

On my last visit, the Darjeeling tea came in a pot kept warm with the flame of a candle.

Kempinski Come Prima

One of the best steaks I have had in Bansko. Pasta is served al dente – the way it should be. I had the best white truffle I had ever tasted here.

Bring the plastic or a good amount of leva if you like wine — and if you like wine and steak you will need around 110 lv per head.

Dragons Den Celtic Tavern, at Valentina Heights Hotel

Cristian and Adam run Valentina Heights hotel.

A warm and comforting pub atmosphere, and value for money prices, makes The Dragon’s Den Celtic Tavern a regular place to go when super hungry. Breakfasts come recommended as so their  meal specials (from last season, so prices may have changed):

1. Tuesday:  JACUZZI & POOL PARTY with DINNER , 29 lv. Choice of Chicken in mushroom sauce or Pork in pepper sauce served with french fries; Salad Shopska, Ice-cream sundae; 3 drinks Champagne cocktails or your selected drink choice ; Pool and jacuzzi party before or after dinner,  from 7 pm to 12 midnight

2. Wednesday: BARBARIAN NIGHT, Eat as much as you like, 7-9 pm; Bulgarian traditional food with “Sudjuk “ sausages, “Chiufte” meatballs, “Sach” a mixed meats and vegetables on a hot plate and “Ciomlek” a traditional stew with meat , potatoes, tomato sauce and mountain spices all with  “Parlinka”  bread, salad, fries and a shot of Rakya; 19.50 lv

3. Thursday; “DRAGON’S FIRE CHICKEN” Spicy evening; Half chicken oven roast with salad, fries and glass red wine at 15 lv; Add Spicy Mexican wings in “El Taco” sauce or Dragon pizza with bacon & chicken meat, all for 19.50 lv. Hot sauces competition at 9 pm,  “Baby”  “Mama” and “The Daddy Dragon”, win an Organic British Ale or Cider of your choice.

4. Sunday BRUNCH
Full English Breakfast 400 g; Served with tea or coffee; 12 lv;

PLUS Sunday golden chicken roast, 300 g at 9.50 lv Or Golden chicken roast, 400 g with two chicken slices, boiled potatoes, carrots, broccoli or other green vegetable, home made gravy; Served with two home made Yorkshire pudding; Plate of Bread and butter pudding desert or Ice-cream sundae; Served with choice of glass of wine or beer; 17 lv;

Book your table in advance at +359 (0) 896 818 559, or by mail: office@valentinaheights.com. Located two streets down the hill from Guinness Hotel or just above Mountain Paradise 1 and 2.

How to find the bars and restaurants of Bansko

Most of the above restaurant and bars may be found in the Bansko app. Free to download for Apple iOS and Android mobile devices. Be sure to update to latest version.

By clicking on the places/bars and restaurants button you will see both an interactive map and listing. Clicking on a pin on the map will give you more detail including booking. In resort the pin marks your exact location… see below.

WiFi

Free WiFi is available in all the restaurants and bars here. WiFi is good and better than many other places. Bulgaria is the third best country in Europe for internet availability. So bring your WiFi enabled gadgets.

Us the Bansko app to navigate around the town and find your friends. Key places such as the gondola lift, mountain restaurants, pharmacies and ATM’s are also marked.

Once in Bansko resort, or even from your transfer driver if you book via Bansko Blog, you will receive a free town and piste map. Drawn by hand. Or you download, and print, your own free copy.

Our ski hire and lesson partners, skimania's new large, modern shop.

Tips of the day

• Discounted ski packages avoid first day and arrival hassle.
• update your Bansko app for the best Bansko experience to find, and book, the places.

• NEW!! iOS (Apple) version now has “My Stats” (top speed and distance), and “Friends” (friend finder),
• Carrefour opens in Bansko Mall. New shops, new management. Stefanel, Pepina & Baldina shoes, kids club, gaming zone