The enduring popularity of Starbucks is perhaps puzzling, particularly considering the prices in what is, after all, a self-service cafe. And then there's the concerted campaign by those who consider it elitist and are forever foaming about how a concoction of similar ingredients should be a quarter of the price.  

Drinks are expensive, of course. Let's look at the so-called tall version of certain cold drinks, since it's summer. The "tall" drink is actually a middle-sized dose between "short" and "grande". Iced signature chocolate is 4.50 leva, iced shaken coffee is three leva, iced cafe latte is 3.50 leva, chocolate cream is 4.90 leva, lemon green tea is 4.80 leva and caramel frapuccino, (particularly refreshing on a hot day) is 5.40 leva.

Starbucks seems to be a venue for expats and well-heeled Bulgarians. So customers try to make their purchases last, extending conversation long beyond the final sip. If alone, people tend to gaze into their laptops for inordinately long periods.

A point in Starbucks' favour is that you are not pressurised to leave – either directly or in subtle ways – once you have drained your mug. Other plus points are the smoking ban – although you can smoke outside and on the forecourt of one of the new Starbucks outlets in The Arena Mall – the loyalty card entitling you to a free drink after your fifth, and the freebies they sometimes offer to lure you back.

Personally, I've never had a sandwich at Starbucks but, for the record, here are some of the offers. Ham and cheese (3.50 leva for 190g), low fat turkey fillet (3.90 leva for 185g) and caesar chicken bacon and emmental cheese ciabatta (4.90 leva for 210g). You can certainly get similar types of sandwiches elsewhere at much cheaper prices.

Desserts at Starbucks are of better value than the drinks. The marble chocolate cheesecake (5.90 leva for 172g), carrot cake with cheese cream (5.90 leva for 210g) and raspberry white cheesecake (5.90 leva for 176g) are all good. The best, however, is the apple caramel cheesecake, (5.90 leva for 140g), definitely up to the standard of home-made.

Bulgaria's first Starbucks opened in 2008 on the corner of Vasil Levski Blvd and Gurko Blvd and has a small outdoor seating area. This remains the most spacious outlet with plenty of comfortable sofas. Others are on the corner of Vassil Levski Blvd and Frityof Nansen (pictured), which now has a large outside area, and the recently inaugurated Arena Mall in Tsarigradsko Blvd, actually on two separate floors.

All Starbucks outlets are definitely a notch above their rivals, but it's probably best to avoid a full "meal" here as that does get expensive.