Ordering fish dishes in the restaurants of Bulgaria - how to understand Bulgarian fish and seafood names?

How do you know what kind of fish you have on your plate? Does such a thing exist in the Black Sea or it was brought from other European countries? We have prepared a small tourist cheat sheet, with which you can safely order fish and seafood from Bulgarian menu.

Walking along the seafront of the Bulgarian sea resorts and port cities it is difficult to pass by the numerous restaurants, where fresh fish and seafood are served. Tempting aromas of fried fish, the smell of spices, coming from plates with mussels, attract you to a cozy table with a great sea view. And where else can you try fish delicacies, if not on the seashore? Usually in such places the fish menu is very fresh, diverse and inexpensive. And it is not surprising, because its basis is the daily catch of local fishermen.

How can you find your favorite fish in the menu if it is not translated into your language? The Bulgarian names are very picturesque and specific, but do not coincide with those that you see in the menu at your home.

We present you a table with the translation of the names of the most popular fish and seafood, which are served in restaurants and sold in shops in Bulgaria.

Bulgarian	English trasliteration	Latin	English	Inhabits in the Black Sea or in freshwater in Bulgaria
Акула	akula	Squalus acanthias	Spiny Dogfish, Cape Shark	yes
Барбуня	barbunya	Mullus barbatus	Red Mullet	yes
Галия	galiya	Gaidropsarus mediterraneus	Shore Rockling, Mediterranean Rockling	yes
Зарган	zargan	Belone belone	Garfish, Needlefish	yes
Калкан	kalkan	Scophthalmus maeoticus	Black Sea Brill	yes
Карагьоз	karagyoz	Alosa immaculata	Black Sea Shad	yes
Кефал	kefal	Mugil cephalus	Black Mullet, Flathead Greymullet	yes
Лаврак	lavrak	Dicentrarchus labrax	European Seabass	yes
Меджид	mejizh	Merlangius merlangus	European Whiting	yes
Паламуд	palamud	Sarda sarda	Atlantic Bonito	yes
Попчета	popcheta	Gobiidae	Gobies	yes
Пъстърва	pastarva	Salmo trutta	Вrown Trout (freshwater)	yes
Сафрид	safrid	Trachurus	Atlantic Horse Mackerel	yes
Скумрия	skumriya	Scomber scombrus	Atlantic Mackerel	yes
Сьомга	syomga	Salmo salar	Atlantic Salmon	no
Хамсия	hamsiya	Engraulis encrasicolus	Black Sea Anchovy	yes
Херинга	heringa	Clupea harengus	Atlantic Herring	no
Цаца	tsatsa	Sprattus sprattus	European Spratt	yes
Ципура	tsipura	Sparus aurata	Gilt-head Seabream, Dorade	no
Чернокоп	chernokop	Pomatomus saltatrix	Bluefish	yes
Шаран	sharan	Cyprinus carpio	Wild Common Carp (freshwater)	yes
Миди	midi	Mytilus galloprovincialis	Blue Mussel	yes
Октопод	oktopod	Octopoda	Octopus	no
Калмари	kalmari	Teuthida	Squid	no
Скариди	skaridi	Caridea	Shrimp	yes
Рапани	rapani	Rapana venosa	Veined Rapa Whelk	yes

So, we found out what the name of the Black Sea fish is in Bulgarian. And learned that not all the fish and sea food that are on the menu are found in the Black Sea. Now we cam imagine that we will be served in the restaurant, and we approach the fish showcases in Bulgarian supermarkets with confidence.

For your convenience, we present a list of places located directly on the beaches of Bulgaria. There you will certainly try fresh fish and other delicacies of the Black Sea.

Bon Appetit!