Latest reviews from Sofia
| 72 /100 Beer Store (Магазин за бира / Magazin za Bira) (Beer Store) KRAKRA ST 4 “Decent shop overall though not in the top tier of Sofia beer stores. Has some classic beers from the likes of Belgium, Germany, Czech and UK. Moderate range of Bulgarian beers but not as many as places like Nosferatu or 100 Beers. Prices are average. Woman working was helpful, friendly. Not a destination on its own but a good option if you’re in the area.“ |
| 74 /100 Crafter Bar (Bar) 6, UL. HRISTO BELCHEV “Your honorary Bulgarian checking in again from a new hot joint. Nice little hole in the wall. Good people. Flights of 150mls if you're a ticker, WHICH I AM!!! Chill vibe. Interesting beers.“ |
| 100 /100 Pivoteka Craft Beer Shop (Beer Store) UK. LYUBEN KARAVELOV 53 “I recently had the pleasure of visiting Pivoteka, a craft beer shop that has undoubtedly earned its reputation as a haven for beer enthusiasts. As a regular contributor to RateBeer.com, I feel compelled to share my exceptional experience at this establishment.
First and foremost, the selection of craft beers at Pivoteka is simply outstanding. Whether you're a fan of local brews or yearn to explore the best creations from breweries around the world, this place has you covered. From hop-forward IPAs to rich stouts and everything in between, Pivoteka craft beer shop boasts a fantastic variety of craft beers that caters to every palate and preference.
Upon entering the craft beer shop, I immediately noticed the cozy atmosphere that lends itself to an enjoyable browsing and shopping experience. The warm lighting and comfy seatings create a welcoming ambiance that invites you to immerse yourself in the world of craft beer.
What truly sets Pivoteka apart, however, is its exceptional service and highly knowledgeable staff. The team at Pivoteka is not only passionate about craft beer, but they are also well-educated and eager to share their expertise. I was impressed by their ability to guide me through the extensive selection, offering valuable recommendations and insights into different beer styles and flavor profiles.
Moreover, the staff's expertise extends beyond mere recommendations. They are more than happy to engage in discussions about the brewing process, provide information about specific breweries, or share anecdotes about the craft beer industry.
Pivoteka craft beer shop stands out as an exceptional craft beer shop. With its vast assortment of beers from both local and international breweries, inviting atmosphere, outstanding service, and a team of knowledgeable staff, it's a place where you can indulge your passion for craft beer and discover new favorites. I wholeheartedly recommend Pivoteka to anyone seeking a memorable craft beer shopping experience.“ |
| 80 /100 Nosferatu Craft Beer Shop (Beer Store) BLVD. PATRIARH EVTIMIY 28 “2020 : Popular & smallish. Walls lined with beers, table in the middle of the room to sit, reasonable amount of people inside. Five beers on tap, Bulgarian micro new to me and beers from Scandinavia, Eastern Europe etc. Fair prices, music is all classical metal upon my visit. Cool Nosferatu logo fittingly on the store. Nice selection of Bulgarian, Scandinavian, Romanian beers. Friendly service maybe tad small, struggled to find a comfy place but not much of an issue. Good place.“ |
| 86 /100 100 Beers (100 Бири) (Beer Store) YURI VENELIN 1 “2020 : Nice glass outside, wooden shelves as well as fridges with chilled beer. Spacious with lovely selection of Belgian, Denmark, Scandinavian, Romanian, Estonian, Bulgarian etc. beers. Decent prices. You can beers from the fridge and drink there, they struggled a bit with proper glassware. Okay service. Best bottle shop selection I saw in Sofia, very good stuff. Definitely worth a visit probably essential even if in Sofia.“ |
| 82 /100 Kanaal (Bar) BULEVARD MADRID 2 “2020 : Long deep bar with reasonable amount of seating area. They plan to expand the place into an adjoining day / breakfast place. Touch dark but nice overall, modern looking. Visited twice, they had an Omnipollo tap takeover on one day. Draft selection is more focused on hype breweries like Evil Twin, Fuerst Wiacek and things like De Molen plus some DE classics. Bit too modern hype focused, less Bulgarian beers but overall nice just not fully up my alley. Nice service. Sometimes there is a DJ, slightly higher prices but also slightly pricier selection.“ |
| 84 /100 Vitamin B (Bar) VRABCHA 24 “It took me way too long to get the joke behind the name. Modern and slick place, good service. Little Bulgarian craft, focus is more on breweries like To Øl, Põhjala, Brewski, Mikkeller, Dunham,… I suppose Bulgarian craft beer scene is small & not on that level in general. Somewhat pricy but impressive draft selection for sure. Maybe not what you look for as a tourist but quite an impressive selection beers for sure. Had some fries which were nice.“ |
| 74 /100 Dissident Beer Shop (Beer Store) 6-TI SEPTEMVRI 36 “Small but nicely decorated place with lots of shelves and decorated. Fair prices and good selection focusing mainly on foreign beers which is understandable for sure. Cozy and friendly. Less of a sit & drink feel to it than with Nosferatu or 100 beers.“ |
| 76 /100 BiraBar (Bar) PARIS 8 “2020 Visit. Somewhat medium sized veering to smaller. No tourists. Weirdly yellow walls, some of the seating was a bit awkward. Indeed 3 beers on cask but common Fuller’s offerings and the likes. Limited selection of popular rock songs repeating on the playlist. Few of the taps were bit less interesting bigger brands, few were interesting. His selection didn’t overlap with other places. Bottle selection also didn’t and was quite solid with Tempest, Elav, Crew Republic etc. A few Bulgarian craft beer which were pretty interesting and both bottles I got were weirdly contract brewed in the Netherlands but seems to be more of a Bulgarian craft beer scene thing than anything else. Not the best in Sofia but quite solid with some interesting things to be found, slightly awkward but pleasant enough and okay prices.“ |
| 80 /100 Pivoteka Craft Beer Shop (Beer Store) UK. LYUBEN KARAVELOV 53 “Nice place, fairly central. Good selection across about 5 keg lines and 100 bottles/cans (or so), I found a few things I had not seen elsewhere in Sofia - a Bulgarian brewery, an Argentinian brewery. Friendly service, pretty average prices. Nice ambiance and setup - it has tables and chairs to accommodate on-site drinking. Definitely worth a visit.“ |
| 80 /100 Dissident Beer Shop (Beer Store) 6-TI SEPTEMVRI 36 “Good spot, fairly central. Small range on keg, around five beers I think it was. Mixed range in cans and bottles, some Bulgarian, Polish, other European, some classics from Belgium and Germany. Decent prices. Friendly service. Low-key, unpretentious vibe. Would happily visit again.“ |
| 50 /100 Cohones Bar (Bar) UL. "HAN KRUM" 30 “A rather disappointing and a bit overpriced new bar in Sofia. Doubt I'll pop for another visit.“ |
| 80 /100 1001 Biri - 1001 Beers (Beer Store) UL. PROFESSOR FRIDTJOF NANSEN 25-B “Nice old-school beer shop. Big range of beers, lots of European stuff (German, Czech, UK, Belgian). Nice range of Bulgarian beers, not as much of the top-end craft breweries like you’d find in other shops around town, but they do have some breweries I didn’t see elsewhere. Prices are more than fair. Service was friendly enough. Plenty of brewery gear, glassware, beer accessories. Spirits and foodstuffs also on offer. Pretty convenient location. Certainly worth checking out.“ |
| 72 /100 Aubergine (Restaurant) 11 CARNEGIE STREET “Good venue. The beer selection is mainly in can and bottle, with an emphasis on white Stork. Two beers on tap during our visit, both Glarus. Overall, the beers are fairly expensive, relative to other places in town. Tasty food, quite rich. Of note, the meaty entrees come with almost enough meat for two people (which does help to justify the rather high prices). Friendly service. Pleasant ambiance. Worth a visit for a meal with beer.“ |
| 74 /100 Trick Taproom (Bar) UL. 6-TI SEPTEMVRI 8 “Wild spot. Really has the feel of a night club but they have a bar with 20 taps of craft beer. Like, I’d be shocked if the clientele comes here for the beer (based on what I saw around 10pm on a Friday night). It’s just not a craft beer crowd. But the place was busy so who the hell knows, maybe they’re converting loads of people to drinking craft beer. Prices seemed average. Certainly worth a visit if you’re doing the evening Sofia beer scene.“ |
| 82 /100 HIGH FIVE taproom (Bar) UL. "HRISTO BELCHEV" 29B “Small but mighty beer spot smack in the middle of Sofia. They’ve got 12 beers on tap and around half were Bulgarian breweries on my visit. Good service. Average prices. Big selection in the fridges as well. Absolutely worth a visit if you’re checking out the Sofia evening beer scene.“ |
| 68 /100 Cohones Bar (Bar) UL. "HAN KRUM" 30 “Decent bar, certainly worth a stop if you’re taking in the beery Sofia night life. Ties to the Cohones brewery, so the selection is geared that way. All the taps are Cohones, as are some of the bottles, but there are some other Bulgarian craft breweries on offer. Prices seemed somewhat toppy. Service was friendly enough. The place itself is nice and conveniently located. Was really quiet at 10pm on a Friday so not sure what the future holds here.“ |
| 84 /100 Crafter Shop (Beer Store) KNYAZ BORIS I 65 “Great venue. Somewhere around 50-100 beers in bottle and can. Selection spans Bulgaria, UK, Latvia, Canada, Norway. A few beers on tap. Decent prices. Friendly and attentive staff. Lovely ambiance. I’d say it’s a must-visit if you’re doing the beer circuit in Sofia.“ |
| 74 /100 Crafter Bar (Bar) 6, UL. HRISTO BELCHEV “Nice bar, around a dozen keg lines, a further 15+ offerings in the fridge. Range includes some local breweries plus stuff from the UK, France, US. Friendly service, English spoken. A touch pricey perhaps. Pleasant ambiance. Convenient central location.“ |
| 34 /100 Pivoteka (Internet-based) - “A brand new shop with 6 taps. I was highly disappointed from the place as the selection wasn't anything special and the prices didn't make much sense. Can't see myself ever visiting again.“ |
| 60 /100 Cosmic Craft Beer (Beer Store) STR.GRAF IGNATIEV 34 “Good selection, but sadly they have a tendency to overprice their stock, I guess because of their centre location. Still, there's much better bottle shops around Sofia.“ |
| 48 /100 Die Alte Lampe (Restaurant) UL. KOTEL 2B, LOZENETS “4 Germans on the tap that I'm not sure you can find on the tap anywhere else in Sofia. Cute little place, but sadly the service was slow and prices were high.“ |
| 66 /100 Halbite - Tri Ushi (Bar) UL. TRI USHI 13 “Just a fun place with a good tap selection (including their own brewed ale), good service and very fair prices.“ |
| 56 /100 Trick Taproom (Bar) UL. 6-TI SEPTEMVRI 8 “Good selection, ok service and rather overpriced.“ |
| 40 /100 Tap Local (Bar) GEORGI BENKOVSKI 6 “The most overpriced pub I've ever been to in Sofia, prices are absolutely ridiculous for Bulgarian standards. Also, the service was rather slow. No thank you.“ |
| 50 /100 Five Corners (Bar) BUL. SKOBELEV 25 “10 mainstream taps and quite a lot of Belgian and Czech bottles. Tried their chicken soup which was rather tasteless. Nothing special.“ |
| 66 /100 Tap Local (Bar) GEORGI BENKOVSKI 6 “Visited 20/8/2022. Last stop on a very successful tour of the Sofia beer scene. Small tap for Kazan Artizan. We shared a flight of the 5 beers they had on offer. Surprisingly the Tomato & Oregano was the most enjoyable. Worth a visit if passing close by, as we were, especially if you're wanting to avoid torrential rain!“ |
| 82 /100 Pivoteka Craft Beer Shop (Beer Store) UK. LYUBEN KARAVELOV 53 “Visited 20/8/2022. People at The Egg Bar recommended a visit to this newly opened place, opened they said by their supplier. Glad they did as it was a very good visit. As it'd only just opened the place is a little spartan, but they have big plans to build it up a lot more. Very helpful service, friendly atmosphere, and already a good beer selection. Would love to revisit and see how it looked in a years time.“ |
| 80 /100 UL. HRISTO BELCHEV 29 “Visited 20/8/2022. Resurrected from what had been BEERA, this small bar packed in a lot into its compact space. Lots of fridges with lots of beers, including hidden shelves hiding many surprises! Good service, very friendly locals. Seating inside and out. Definitely one to look for when in Sofia.“ |
| 84 /100 Crafter Shop (Beer Store) KNYAZ BORIS I 65 “Visited 20/8/2022. Very comfortable place with probably the classiest and highest quality international beer selection that we saw in Sofia, complementing a decent number of local beers. Good service. Really enjoyed our time here.“ |
| 76 /100 The Egg Bar (Bar) UL. LOMSKA 1 “Visited 20/8/2022. Slightly off the beaten track, down a road where there didn't appear to be anyone likely to pass by and pop in by chance, but really pleased I'd looked this one up in advance and had it as a place to visit. Super friendly service, lovely, relaxed vibe. Beer range was a little limited compared to some other places but was about right for the size of the place. Only place we saw a Bulgarian cider on tap. Enjoyable visit.“ |
| 78 /100 100 Beers (100 Бири) (Beer Store) YURI VENELIN 1 “Visited 19/8/2022. Final stop on a great day touring some of the best places in Sofia. Got a fair number of take-outs but would have been nice to be able to have spent a bit longer here and drink some in. It's a good place, but preferred a couple of the others we visited today.“ |
| 72 /100 Cosmic - Craft Beer Shop (Beer Store) UL GRAF IGANTIEV 34 “Visited 19/8/2022. Nice little drink in beer shop / bar in a central position well worth stopping off at. Friendly service, small tap selection, and a few fridges. Easy going atmosphere.“ |
| 52 /100 Halbite - Malkite Pet (Bar) 72 NEOFIT RILSKI STR “Visited 19/8/2022. Disappointing visit. The food order we waited ages for just didn't arrive and eventually when we asked where it was, it turned out the order had been "lost". The beer range was a little narrow but we managed to find some of interest whilst we waited for the food and when we eventually found out the food wasn't coming we left, hungry and underwhelmed.“ |
| 86 /100 Nosferatu Craft Beer Shop (Beer Store) BLVD. PATRIARH EVTIMIY 28 “Visited 19/8/2022. Very good bar / beer store with a heavy metal theme. Good range of beers, very helpful and hospitable host. Enjoyed our visit here very much.“ |
| 88 /100 Dissident Beer Shop (Beer Store) 6-TI SEPTEMVRI 36 “Visited 19/8/2022. This turned out to be my favourite of all the places we visited in Sofia. Super drink in or take out specialist beer store with a very helpful and friendly owner and a great range of Bulgarian and also Serbian beers amongst a wide selection of international beers. Had a very relaxed couple of hours here sharing beers.“ |
| 74 /100 1001 Biri - 1001 Beers (Beer Store) UL. PROFESSOR FRIDTJOF NANSEN 25-B “Visited 19/8/2022. Not quite 1001 beers but a big selection nevertheless. It's a grocery store as well as a beer store. A few beers are available on tap. We chose 20+ bottled/canned beers and had a classy outside / on street tasting perched against the narrow shelf in front of the shop window. Nicely located close to the National Palace of Culture which formed the backdrop to a number of Untappd check-ins, along with the street graffiti. Had some good interaction with some locals. Service was helpful. Very much worth a visit for some bulking up at reasonable prices.“ |
| 68 /100 BiraBar (Bar) PARIS 8 “Visited 18/8/2022. Back street, slightly grungy British themed pub where an unexpected Dorset rating accompanied a selection of Bulgarian tap and cask beers, plus a small number of bottles and cans. Good visit.“ |
| 64 /100 Vancaro (Beer Store) 31 BOULEVARD KNYAZ ALEKSANDER DONDUKOV “Visited 18/8/2022. Compact grocery/beer shop that's worth checking out if heading to this part of the city. Big beer selection, less focused on Bulgarian than we'd maybe hoped bit still came away with a dozen or so beers.“ |
| 70 /100 Abordage (Bar) 22 VESLETS STREET “Visited 18/8/2022. Home of Meadly Bulgarian meads. Something of a gamers paradise. Nice vibe. Good service. Selection of 20+ beers available in addition to the few house meads. Some seating downstairs with more upstairs. Well worth looking out.“ |
| 72 /100 HIGH FIVE taproom (Bar) UL. "HRISTO BELCHEV" 29B “A brand new craft bar in the centre of the city, worth a visit if you happen to be around. Kinda pricey in my opinion.“ |
| 62 /100 Cosmic - Craft Beer Shop (Beer Store) UL GRAF IGANTIEV 34 “Small little place on a busy commercial street offering a few dozen bottles for drinking on site. Plenty of Bulgarian selection, prices not bad, service okay. Not a bad stop and pivoteka is nearby for a local craft beer crawl.
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| 64 /100 1001 Biri - 1001 Beers (Beer Store) UL. PROFESSOR FRIDTJOF NANSEN 25-B “Basically a corner shop with an extensive selection of beers, craft and non. No seating inside, no glassware, they'll simply pop the bottle cap if you buy something. Selection is very good however, plenty of Bulgarian craft beers available as well as other stuff from around the globe. Not my first pick for a beer destination in Sofia but it ended up useful, with several Bulgaria craft breweries in stock here that hadn't popped up elsewhere.“ |
| 70 /100 Kanaal (Bar) BULEVARD MADRID 2 “Has a café feel rather than a bar or brewery vibe, rather small interior and relaxing music. Yet lo, there are 27 beers on tap and even more in a fridge! Glasses are .25l or 0.4l with a great variety, yet surprisingly few actual Bulgarian beers. They seemed to be heavy on the Swedish side of things, and while Swedish beers are great they're not what I'm looking for as a beer tourist in Bulgaria. Food options were limited to pastries, nuts, and bags of crisps. Still, quality was high and temperatures were right which makes this more or less a mandatory stop if in the area.“ |
| 78 /100 Pivoteka (Internet-based) - “Cool small shop with a nice variety of local and non local beers, nice alt rock tunes on the speaker. 6 on tap, most not from Bulgaria and a well stocked fridge. Seating outside too for the smokers, good value, what else can I say, make a stop if in the area.“ |
| 66 /100 Tap Local (Bar) GEORGI BENKOVSKI 6 “Very small bar with six taps from Kazan Artizan on. They also had a tiny fridge with around 10 beers. Easily the smallest fridge I have seen in a bar, but then again there is’t much space. There is a little extra seating upstairs, but mind your head if you go here. Not a must visit, but we only saw one beer from Kazan Artizan in all the other bars and stores we visited, so you are practically guarateed new ticks here.“ |
| 80 /100 Pivoteka Craft Beer Shop (Beer Store) UK. LYUBEN KARAVELOV 53 “This place opened less than a week ago, so it was in some ways still a work in progress. They have six taps and 129 bottles according to their latest count. Plans were to get to around 300 bottles. They had some local stuff we had not seen elsewhere in Sofia even though we had had just under 100 Bulgarian beers already on this trip, so worth a visit. They have their own beer as well. Friendly service and good athmosphere.“ |
| 76 /100 UL. HRISTO BELCHEV 29 “Very small bar with 12 taps and around 150 bottles. Lots of local craft and even a few Serbians as well. Friendly service.“ |
| 78 /100 Crafter Shop (Beer Store) KNYAZ BORIS I 65 “Craft beer store with a drink in option. We arrived just as they opened so we got the lounge chairs towards the back of the room. They had only one tap on at out visit - a Lervig. The bottle and can selction had around 40 locals and lots of Baltics plus some other stuff including a nice Eisbock from Bevog. Good service.“ |
