closet dronkers

Sofia's chequered past means that more than a few of its best features have been driven underground. Catherine Quinn tracks down the best and the most clandestine venues. Photography by Valentin Evtimov

O THROUGH AN UNMARKED door, up an unlit stairwell, and you'll find it: one of Sofia's best bars. Not taxing your navigation skills enough? Then how about a club entered via a disused shed? Or a drinking den accessed by a hole in the pavement?

On the surface Sofia might seem like a Soviet-style city with a few ordinary bars and restaurants. In fact, most of the city's best venues require more than a little dedication to root out. These places don't want to be found by the average passer-by, and take drastic measures to hide themselves away. Which is why, to track down the most interesting places, you need not only addresses, but preferably a photograph of the entrance and a lot of tenacity besides. We at Wizzit have provided you with a shortcut.

APARTMENT

68 Neofit Rilski Str, +359 (0)2 986 3270, www.apartmental.org Surely one of the most sophisticated hidden offerings in the entire city, Apartment is very deliberately in the style of a real (albeit beautifully adorned) domestic space. With the lack of a proper bar, and comprising a medley of interconnected rooms with soft furnishings and low lighting, you'd be forgiven for imagining yourself the guest of a Bulgarian interior designer. Which is not too far from the truth, as the owner is a bohemian sort aiming to create a soothing space for "guests" rather than customers.

Part of the ambiance is determined by the decidedly low-key bar staff, who man the kitchen - itself rather hidden away - for those who'd like to help themselves to a beer or a tea in exchange for a few Lev. Those carrying iPods can also hook them up to the sound system and enjoy their own tunes over a cup of chai.

How to find it: Strict attention to street name and number is the best way. Although Apartment is unnumbered, the buildings on either side are, so simply match up the neighbouring even numbers (66 and 70). Step up to the door and you should see a tiny metal plaque bearing the words "A. part. mental Chocolatier". Push the buzzer. Gain entry. Ascend the stairs.

KHAMBARA

ul. 6 Sevtemvri 22

Otherwise know as Hambara, The Grange, Candlebar, or "the barn" in translation, Khambara must have one of the most confusing entrances of any drinking venue on the planet. Hidden behind a ramshackle shed, there is simply no way you would approach this bar without insider information. Having run the gauntlet to get in, however, visitors are amply rewarded.

The cavernous interior is entirely lit by tiny candles, which line the bar, tables and staircase. And set against this flickering illumination, the interior amply recalls its time as a hidden printing press during World War II. Sat at one of the long wooden benches with a whiskey or two, guests could easily imagine themselves part of some bizarre 1920s speakeasy, in which drinkers converse in hushed tones in an ambiance of clandestine glamour. Just make sure you don't get the toilets confused in the dark.

How to find it: This is tricky, as neither the bar nor the nearby buildings are numbered. Ideally you need a picture of the entrance. But essentially the door to the bar is an abandoned-looking shed tacked to the side of a restaurant. It's on the west side of the street, and is opposite Mellon Bulgaria Shop.

ART

ul. Angel Kanchev 21a, +359 (0)2 987 0545, www.art-hostel.com

If you're a guest at Art Hostel, you could easily stay for weeks without knowing this bar was churning away beneath you, entertaining a mix of arty locals and backpacker types. Hidden down an unmarked grey stairwell, the bar suddenly breaks into a riot of colourful rooms, each with their own eclectic arty styling (hence the name), alongside a bar serving some of the cheapest beer and spirits in the city. The main draw for visitors is the crowd, who are an easygoing, friendly sort from all over the world. But the various themes of the rooms also make socialising that bit easier. With one room dedicated to music, complete with instruments slung about the place, another for games, and an area just for lounging, it's easy to hop through the differing rooms all night. Which is lucky, because unlike many bars in Sofia, Art Bar is often open all night, depending on the whims of the staff and the drinking capacity of the guests.

How to find it: If you're staying in a hostel in Sofia you may well hear about Art Bar by word of mouth, in which case simply follow the person who told you about it. Otherwise, head to Art Hostel on Angel Kanchev, which is reasonably easy to find. Go in the entrance and either have a member of staff guide you to the stairwell, or follow the sounds of guitar strumming.

BEYOND THE ALLEY, BEHIND THE CUPBOARD

It may be hidden, but this restaurant is certainly no longer a secret to Sofia's local diners. Located, as the name might suggest, beyond a very dingy alley in a tangle of backstreets, this Bulgarian gem has been serving up haute cuisine since the 1990s and has almost a cult following.

Situated in a beautiful old Art Nouveau house, the restaurant is easily mistaken for a residence by hundreds who walk by the unassuming entrance on a daily basis. However, for those who push open the green metal gate and go through the garden into the house beyond, a very special dining experience awaits. With dishes a mixture of Italian and local fare at prices that are high for Sofia, but excellent value for the quality of food on offer, it's a fine dining experience where the waiters wear jeans and informality is the order of the day.

How to find it: The popularity of the restaurant means it now has a comprehensive website with a map for directions and photographs of the entrance. The latter will probably be most helpful for non-Bulgarian speaking guests, who can wander the back streets armed with the image of the restaurant (which is, incidentally, an antique wardrobe) to wave at bemused locals.

SQUAT SHOPS

These little shops are scattered all over the city, and tend to bemuse guests new to Sofia. The bite-sized convenience stores are a legacy of the city's chequered past, where the fall of communism prompted a slew of lightening-speed new retail outlets. These new openings simply made the best and cheapest use of the space available, leading to some creative uses of existing architecture. In the case of squat shops it was much cheaper to simply expand a basement window of one of the city's many large-cellared buildings, than to develop a traditional shop-front at street level.

Consequently Sofia's streets are peppered with mysterious-looking transactions taking place between locals hunched over entrances set into the pavement. The shops sell coffee, beer, cigarettes - more or less anything you can sell to someone who doesn't mind bending over double to pay for it.

Where to find them: Squat shops are all over central Sofia - just look for the open windows set at pavement level. Vasil Levski Blvd has a particularly large number.

Na pierwszy rzut oka Sofia może sprawiać wrażenie posowieckiego miasta z kilkoma zwykłymi barami i restauracjami. Jednak do większości najlepszych lokali w mieście trudno jest dotrzeć, a wejścia do nich są sprytnie zakamuflowane. Te miejsca nie chcą być dostępne dla zwykłego przechodnia. Żeby je odnaleźć, potrzebujesz nie tylko adresu, ale - najlepiej - także zdjęcia. Apartament, 68 Neofit Rilski, +359 2 986 32 70, www.apartmental.org. To jeden z najciekawszych lokali w mieście. Właściciel, człowiek o artystycznym zacięciu, urządził go tak, że czujesz się tu jak w domu - jesteś bardziej gościem niż klientem.

Jak go znaleźć: Apartament nie jest numerowany, musisz więc wpasować się między numery sąsiednich budynków. Na drzwiach zobaczysz małą tabliczkę "A.part.mental Chocolatier". Khambara, ul. 6 Sevtemvri 22. Przepastne wnętrze oświetlone jedynie światłem świec. Funkcjonuje też pod nazwą Hambara, Folwark, Bar ze Świecami albo Stodoła.

Jak go znaleźć: Jedno z najbardziej mylących wejść na świecie - drzwiami do baru jest tak naprawdę rozwalająca się szopa. Nigdzie nie ma żadnych numerów - bez dodatkowych wskazówek w żaden sposób nie mógłbyś się tu dostać; najlepiej mieć ze sobą zdjęcie wejścia. Art Bar, ul. Angel Kanchev 21a, +359 2 987 05 45, www.art-hostel.com. Nawet gdybyś był gościem Art Hostel, mógłbyś tu mieszkać całymi tygodniami i nie wiedziałbyś, że pod tobą znajduje się bar, ukryty pod nieoznakowaną szarą klatką schodową. Serwuje się tu najtańsze chyba w mieście piwo i mocny alkohol.

Jak go znaleźć: Szukaj Art Hostel na ul. Angel Kanchev. Poproś kogoś z obsługi hotelu, żeby cię tam zaprowadził albo kieruj się tam, gdzie słychać dźwięk gitary.

Beyond the Alley, Behind the Cupboard, 31 Budapest Str, +359 2 980 90 67, www.beyond-the-alley.com. Przy bocznej, obskurnej uliczce. Często bierze się ją za rezydencję (mieści się w pięknym domu art nouveau z ogrodem) i po prostu mija. Serwuje sie tu doskonałą haute cuisine.

Jak ją znaleźć: Restauracja ma swoją stronę internetową z mapką i zdjęciami wejścia (które - swoją drogą - jest starą szafą).