Roots
Bulgarian Mountain Dining
Roots
Borovets, Municipality Samokov
Veselin Kalev
Veselin KalevChef Veselin Kalev leads ROOTS with a clear focus on seasonality, local sourcing and Bulgarian culinary tradition.
Bulgarian heritage cuisine
Year-round mountain garden
Local producer focus
Tradition Reworked
The kitchen at ROOTS follows the seasons and the region. Menus change throughout the year, shaped by what local farmers, artisans and producers can offer at their best. Bulgarian flavours are treated with respect, then reworked through contemporary technique and refined plating. Veselin Kalev’s style is creative, sometimes unconventional, but the product stays visible. This is a kitchen built around terroir, sustainability and craft, with traditional references turned into elegant dishes that still feel connected to the ingredients, mountains and culinary memory behind them.
Tasting Dinners and Pairings
ROOTS offers culinary experiences throughout the year, giving guests different ways to explore Bulgarian gastronomy. Seasonal menus highlight local ingredients at their peak, while exclusive tasting dinners show more of Veselin Kalev’s creative range. The restaurant also organises wine-pairing events, special gastronomic evenings and curated experiences around regional products and traditions. These events suit guests who want more than a standard dinner, with the kitchen using each occasion to connect Bulgarian heritage, contemporary technique and the rhythm of the mountains in a more focused format.
Borovets, Rila Mountains
ROOTS is located in Borovets, Bulgaria’s oldest mountain resort, on the northern slopes of the Rila Mountains. The setting gives guests direct access to forests, ski slopes, hiking routes and some of the country’s strongest alpine scenery. In winter, Borovets is known for skiing, snowboarding, night skiing and snowmobile safaris. In warmer months, it shifts towards hiking, mountain biking, horse riding and routes towards Mount Musala, the highest peak in the Balkans. Sofia is just over an hour away, making the restaurant easy to reach.
Garden Through the Seasons
The year-round garden is one of ROOTS’ strongest features. With 55 seats, it extends the restaurant into the mountain air and changes with the season around it. Summer brings pine freshness, greenery and open-air dining, while winter adds snow, soft light and a quieter mountain atmosphere. It gives the restaurant a second rhythm alongside the indoor dining room, making it suitable for long lunches, evening meals and special occasions. The garden keeps the experience close to the landscape that inspires the kitchen.
Wine and Mountain Warmth
ROOTS pairs its fine dining menu with a wine selection that includes labels from Bulgaria and beyond. The aim is to support the food without making the experience feel formal or distant. The atmosphere is described as authentic and warm, with care in the details and service that fits the mountain setting. For diners, that balance matters: the cooking is polished, but the room keeps a sense of welcome. It is fine dining with Bulgarian character, not a copy of somewhere else.
A Resort With History
Borovets began in the late nineteenth century as a royal hunting ground and has grown into one of Bulgaria’s best-known mountain resorts. That history still sits close to the restaurant, with Tsarska Bistritsa, the former royal palace, nearby. Guests can also visit Rila Monastery, a UNESCO-listed landmark, or the mineral springs of Sapareva Banya on a day trip. This gives ROOTS a wider appeal: it can be part of a ski holiday, a summer mountain stay or a cultural trip through the region.
Flora Boutique Hotel
Flora Boutique Hotel is a refined mountain hotel in the heart of Borovets, close to the Yastrebets gondola lift and the ski slopes. It combines contemporary comfort, elegant design and personal hospitality, making it a practical base for both winter sports and summer mountain travel. ROOTS adds a serious culinary reason to stay, especially for guests who want dinner to be part of the destination itself. Surrounded by the Rila Mountains, the hotel works year-round as a place for skiing, hiking, nature and rest.
“At ROOTS, Bulgarian culinary heritage is shaped through contemporary creativity and craftsmanship.”
Contact
HERE YOU FIND US
HERE YOU REACH US
Opening times
| DAY | LUNCH | DINNER |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 12:00 - 17:00 | 17:00 - 23:00 |
| Tuesday | 12:00 - 17:00 | 17:00 - 23:00 |
| Wednesday | 12:00 - 17:00 | 17:00 - 23:00 |
| Thursday | 12:00 - 17:00 | 17:00 - 23:00 |
| Friday | 12:00 - 17:00 | 17:00 - 23:00 |
| Saturday | 12:00 - 17:00 | 17:00 - 23:00 |
| Sunday | 12:00 - 17:00 | 17:00 - 23:00 |
Book a table @ Roots
Make your dinner reservations through our website for a high-quality gastronomic experience – it’s quick and easy. Book your table here and get ready for an unforgettable culinary event.
