The story
Despite a folksy name honouring the Shopi people of the Shopluk region around Sofia, shopska salad is a modern creation. In the 1950s the state tourism agency Balkantourist wanted signature Bulgarian dishes for foreign visitors. According to tourism veteran Petar Doychev, chefs at the Chernomorets restaurant in the Black Sea resort then called Druzhba, now Sts. Constantine and Helena near Varna, first served it around 1954 to 1956. Other accounts credit Balkantourist chefs in general, some dating it to the 1960s. Its white, green and red happen to echo the Bulgarian flag, and it soon spread across the Balkans and beyond.
Rival claims
Named after the Shopluk region around Sofia, but invented by Balkantourist chefs. Wikipedia (citing tourism veteran Petar Doychev) places the first one at the Chernomorets restaurant in this Black Sea resort, about 10 km north of Varna, in 1954-56; other accounts say only that Balkantourist created it, some say in the 1960s.
Also known as шопска салата, shopska salata, šopska salata, Bulgarian salad, salată bulgărească.
On the Meridish menu
Shopska salad was the starter course on menu No. 28 on October 28, 2026. Its clue in the game, which hints at the place without naming it:
Tomato, cucumber, peppers and onion under a snowfall of grated white cheese. The state tourist agency dreamed it up in the 1950s at a seaside resort here.
In Meridish, every dish is pinned to the town or city most widely credited with creating it. A guess within 25 km scores all 100 points. How scoring works.
Sources
Food history is often disputed. Think we've pinned it in the wrong place? Tell us at hello@meridish.com, ideally with a source.
