I heard of the Black Dog for the first time from a friend of mine, Bob Dowell, whose judgment is more than trustworthy.

His comprehensive assessment on the matter basically amounted to "Nick, there’s a new pub in town". Indeed it is, the establishment is brand new, it has been operating for five odd weeks, and it comes as a pleasant surprise that it has managed to accumulate this amount of steam and loyal regular customers in such a short time. The Black Dog is essentially a cosy sports pub with a touch of casual to it, while on top of it is Papa Johnny’s restaurant, and both establishments go hand-in-hand.

Finding the pub can be a bit of an adventure but the effort is well worth it. The easiest way to reach it is to head up Cherni Vruh Boulevard from the National Palace of Culture (NDK) and turn right at the market and look for Golo Burdo.

Once you negotiate the maze of small streets, the establishment is just a stone’s throw from the Kempinski Hotel, and walking distance from the open market. This is a quiet and secluded part of Lozenets, a tranquil street, but then again, most parking places are occupied by local residents, so making the rounds around the block is all but inevitable as finding a spot will be a hassle.

Alternatively, ditch the car somewhere else and opt for a short walk – or even better – don’t take the car at all. Keep on the look-out for a barely visible Black Dog sign perched under a balcony. There is no sign on the street; the pub itself is almost underground, and virtually invisible from the street – missing it altogether has happened.

The proprietors would try to persuade you that the Black Dog is a sports pub, but in reality it is a bit more than that. Granted, with plasma screens strategically positioned all over the perimeter so that one could watch the football from just about every imaginable contorting position, the place definitely earns its marks as a sports bar but is also cosy, pleasant, and well decorated (although finishing touches are ongoing and the air conditioning system is pending installation).

There is an additional dimension to this pub – a quality home kitchen. Georgi Stefanov, one of the three partners running the joint, said that that one aim was to put the pub on the Sofia map with its superior food quality.

Although I did not sample the kitchen, I was told that the staff went to great lengths to ensure that there are no prefabricated, frozen animal cartilage that passes for sausages or pork as is usually the case in so many other of the city’s food outlets. Reportedly everything is home made, while the bacon, sausages, meat and other key ingredients offering an expat a touch of home away from home are imported from as far afield as England and New Zealand. John Adam, in charge of the kitchen, said that "we cook here with a feeling.
For us this is personal".

Live music on Wednesdays and Karaoke on Fridays are part of the schedule, unless there is Champions League football in which case the live music is shifted forward to Thursday. The pub’s policy is to attract people from all walks of life and all nationalities. "We do not want to associate or identify ourselves strictly as an expat pub; we want the full mix of people," Adam said. Well, the customers are predominantly expats, but come Friday and Saturday night, we were told that there was a significant influx of young Bulgarians as well.

The Black Dog offers the full package for every sports fan (even American football), and considering the establishment’s location in one of Sofia’s smartest boroughs, the price range was surprisingly low – 2.5 leva for a pint of draught, 5.50 for a pint of Guinness, while spirits range from four to 5.50 leva. There is internet access for those who wish to relax with a beer and surf on the net or relax on the sofa and get some work done, and there is no entry fee for live or karaoke nights. There’s also a private courtyard in front of the pub which offers a parking space for your mountain bike, in case you are concerned about having it stolen  while downing a pint.

Info
Address: 8 Golo Burdo Str, Lozenets Sofia
Tel: 02/ 480 88 48