We continue our series with some more interesting facts about the history of the restaurants under the hills

 

In their book The Forgotten City, the authors Vladimir Balchev and Petko Petkov wrote that legends about beer appetizers were told in Plovdiv. The chefs came up with wonderful recipes that no one could resist and there seemed to be no one to overshadow their fame.

In 1913, however, the First Shumen Beerhouse appeared and immediately surpassed the competition. It offered an excellent grill, they drove fresh beer all the way from Shumen every week, and the service was like in a Parisian restaurant.

The Plovdiv intelligentsia was the first to appreciate the merits of the new restaurant and turned it into its club from the very beginning. They often gathered there after premieres, concerts, opening exhibitions or gatherings on cultural issues. The owner was Kosta Stoychev, and the building was designed by the architect Kamen Petkov, a prominent representative of the Plovdiv secession. It was located at the intersection of Otets Paisii and General Gurko streets.

Shumentsi quickly became a hit in the city and surpassed even the relatively nearby brewery Kamenitza. The First Shumen Beerhouse even entered the maps of Plovdiv and became a landmark for the whole neighborhood.

Unfortunately, its success lasted only a few years, as the mobilization began and most of the men went to the front. On this occasion, the owner was forced to close the restaurant. In 1936, the beerhouse started operating again under the name Proshekovo beer.

The Vegetarian Restaurant was located there during the socialist period. The place was legendary for the people of Plovdiv and a favorite stop of the artist Zlatyu Boyadzhiev.

Today it is reserved for one of the older restaurants under the hills, offering Italian cuisine. The interior is realized in Venetian style, but the menu also includes offers from the Bulgarian traditional cuisine. The restaurant offers indoor and outdoor areas, and during the summer months in the garden about 50 people can have lunch and dinner.