Brilliant Bansko Buffets: 6 places to try this winter season
by Shuli
A big part of socializing within the Coworking Bansko community is centered around food. Eating is something we all need to do, and what better way to take a break from work (or skiing), than to take a little walk to a nearby restaurant and catch up with the people around us. I arrived in the shoulder season and, as the weather got progressively colder, went from having crisp shopska salads and potluck BBQs to craving hearty, warm bread bowls, Kapama and other Bulgarian stews — almost as if I was gearing up for winter hibernation like one of the bears in the Beliza Dancing Bears nature reserve.
Hence, my first thought when I heard about “buffet night” was that it was very fitting prepare-for-winter activity. Grab a bunch of hungry coworkers, fill up with an all-you-can-eat buffet at dinner time while taking little breaks for stamina, and then settle down in the cosy basement to watch a movie after. Perhaps not always the best for my diet, but always filled with warm, inviting, communal cheer.
And where did we go? The regulars have the Grand Hotel as their top pick.
The Grand Hotel: International Dinner Buffet — best value for money
The Grand Hotel is the crowd favorite with the Coworking Bansko crew because it’s very accessible (just about a quick 5 minute walk next to the bus station), is open all year round, and has a spread that is fantastic for the price you pay.
When I visited, there was international cuisine featured across three main sections: hot food dishes like pasta, bulgarian sausages, fried fish, pork chops and lamb, a large table lined with freshly prepared salads and cold cuts, and a range of interesting desserts ranging from biscuits and fruit with dipping chocolate, honey dripping directly from the comb, and mixed assortment of cakes and puddings.
I particularly liked the slow cooked lamb, aubergine paste and the zucchini soup, but felt that most of the desserts were a little too sweet for me. A few of our members go there pretty regularly, maybe every 2 weeks or so, so if you join us, you’ll have ample opportunity to check it out with the group.
Price: 25 lev per person. Drinks not included. Opens for dinner at 19:00. Telephone: Pay at the reception and show your receipt at the restaurant entrance.
Branching out to other buffet venues
We began to think about where else we could go beyond the Grand Hotel. Given the sheer amount of hotels and guesthouses in Bansko, I was sure there had to be other places to discover.
However, to my surprise, I soon realized that many places were currently under renovation or only operating with the a-la-carte menu in November and early December. Apparently this period is the slow season where everyone is making their preparation for the winter ski season rush. So, as I couldn’t try out all the other places immediately, what I’ve decided to do is to join in the preparation-mode by laying the groundwork for a big buffet frenzy once the season begins.
To do so, I asked around to figure out the most interesting buffets to try out in Bansko. Armed with this research, I’ve compiled a list so that everyone can hit them up when they open. Most of these buffet venues, unless otherwise indicated, begin service around the 15th of December, and are open to the general public (non-hotel guests).
1. Regnum Apart Hotel and Spa: Traditional Bulgarian
If you are on the opposite side of the river and are in the mood for some hearty and comforting Bulgarian food, you should head over to the main restaurant at the Regnum Apart Hotel and Spa. They mainly offer a large spread of traditional Bulgarian cuisine from salads to mains like stews and grilled meats and authentic desserts, along with a few other Turkish (coming soon!) and international dishes.
Price: 37.16 lev (18 Euro) per person. Opening hours: 18:30–21:30, buffet most weekends, and also on other weekday nights when they have sufficient guests. Please call them at +359 749 84 000 to check if they are open and ask what they are serving that night before you arrive,
2. Hotel Avalon: Indian Curry Night
If you’re tired of typical Bulgarian and European cuisine and would like something spicy to warm up the snowy winter nights, you can check out the Indian Curry nights on Thursdays and Fridays at the Hotel Avalon. Complete with a Tandoor oven and spices imported from the UK, they offer a fresh homemade spread of 4 different types of starters, 8 types of curry (some vegan), rice and naan. Some of their most popular items include Korma chicken, Kashmiri pork, chicken Tikka, and Tandoor chicken, as well as Raita and mango chutney.
Price: 35 lev per person. Make a booking by emailing James at hotelavalonbansko@googlemail.com (advance reservations preferred, there may not be enough space for walk-ins).
3. Dionyssos Restaurant at Premier Luxury Mountain Resort: Theme Nights
The Dionyssos Restaurant is perfect for travelers who would like to go on a different culinary journey each day. With an impressive array of themed buffets from all around the world, you will never get bored as you sample dishes inspired by European, Italian, Bulgarian and Greek cuisine. The restaurant opens for buffets on most weekends from early December and the thematic nights rotate daily once the ski season begins.
Price: 37.16 lev (18 Euro) per person. Opening hours: 19:00 to 21:00 daily. Telephone: +359 749 50500
4. The Gallery at Kempinski Hotel: Bountiful Breakfast
What better way to start the morning than to enjoy a full breakfast spread with over 100 different items at the The Gallery at Kempinski hotel? According to the hotel staff, their breakfast is “for sure the most lavish not only in the resort but in Bulgaria as well,” offering a wide range of pastries from freshly baked French croissants to Bulgarian banitsa. They also serve piping hot pancakes and have a live cooking omelette station. This luxury buffet breakfast is open daily throughout the year.
Price for breakfast: 40 lev per person. Opening hours: 7:00 to 10:30 daily.
The Kempinski also offers buffets theme nights for the winter season beginning mid December, featuring a revolving menu of International, Italian, French, Spanish, Grill, Mediterranean and Bulgarian cuisine every evening. Call them to find out what’s offered on the night you’d like to go.
Price for dinner: 59 lev per person. Opening hours: 19:00 to 22:30. Telephone: +359 749 88888.
5. Katarino Spa Hotel: Soak before Dinner
If you’d like a short escape to slightly quieter environment, you can surround yourself by nature at the Katarino Spa Hotel. The hotel is about 8 km away from Bansko and has a thermal spa area with the mineral waters from the Spring “Rajdavets”, perfect for soaking and working up an appetite before your buffet dinner. Their main restaurant offers specialties from European and Mediterranean cuisine as well as Bulgarian national cuisine, and includes show cooking in the open buffet. The buffet will open with the ski season, once they have sufficient hotel guests.
Price: Around 35 lev per person. Opens from 19:00. Please call them in advance at +359 893 088980 to checking pricing and confirm that the buffet is open.
FYI, the full list of restaurants I’ve considered
If you want a full list of places to try (beyond what I wrote in the article), here’s a summary of what I’ve found so far:
Hotels with buffets:
- Pirin River — 21 EUR. International and also local cuisine. Some evenings are thematic: Italian, Mexican, Mediterranean… Open to non-guests when it’s not crowded. After 6th of January would be easier for us Or before December 26th. It is a bit crazy in the meantime :-) Contact Katarina katarina@golevandgolev.com
No buffets
- Lucky — 2 ala-carte restaurants, no buffets
- Vihren Palace — closed, opens 01.12.2018 and have breakfast + dinner buffets but only for hotel guests
Other possibilities (But I can’t seem to get through to the right person via phone or email. If they picked up, they couldn’t confirm basic details like price/dates of opening and no one got back to me. Gave up after 2–3 attempts):
If you have any other recommendations for buffet restaurants in Bansko, please comment below.
About the Author:
Shuli is a “just-starting-out” nomad who lives out of a 20 liter day pack. She is constantly surprised and inspired by the stories of other travellers, and is now discovering the joys of combining work, research and new ways of living while on the road.
