There’s a cottage industry in Sofia, Bulgaria of restaurants located in older houses that have been refurbished.  They serve eclectic food and provide a homemade style in everything from the decorations to the food presentation.

Made in Blue, located in a 3-story home painted blue, is the oldest house on the block.  It’s set off from the street with a wide front yard filled with tables, chairs, benches, and a couple of overhangs in case it rains.  The charming Victorian house’s interior design is, what the owner refers to as, a ‘Fusion Style’.  It looks like a country home filled with cute but outdated and mismatched furniture, funky lighting and rugs, and alternating sized tables and chairs (a few looking like they may have come from an elementary school closing sale).  Nothing quite matches, not even the wall colors, but it all seems to work.

How is the food, you might ask?  Excellent.  It’s all presented as if it were homemade.  Heaps of hummus served in mason jars,  entrées served on mismatched plates, Middle Eastern salads and pizzas (Lachmedjun) with roast beef, tomato, avocado and ricotta cream; other dishes are served with beef jerky; a chicken liver pate is made with brandy and sage.  But my favorite items are the salads, with fresh crunchy vegetables, crisp lettuce, and tomatoes that taste as though they were just harvested from the garden out back.  They change their 2-page food menu every day, depending on what’s in season locally and what’s in stock.

Here are some photos of this adorable spot and their menu.  They also own Made In Home, same style, similar food.

*Rating 4 out of 5 stars due to slow, distracted service.

Other “homestyle” restaurants I came to enjoy during my stay have photos below.  One thing they all had in common: there were rarely signs outside advertising their location.  You had to search for these gems.  Lavanda, The Little Things, and Pastorant: