Review for Dieci Boutique Restaurant

Dieci is definitely a restaurant which is revolutionizing the Bulgarian culinary stage! It is one of a kind, a true gem which Chef Chiarini and his wife Anna have built. In order to honor the name, which means “ten”, I would like to share 10 reasons (there are many more) why we definitely recommend this place and will continue coming back.

1. The location – The restaurant is hidden away “in the middle of nowhere” in a small village which is quite an unexpected place for such a high-end restaurant. However, once you get there you see the beauty of the landscape. This is a place where time doesn’t matter – we could enjoy the quietness and feel close to nature.
2. The building – Anna and Chef Chiarini have put so much effort and transformed the old school of Devino into a special place where we were happy to spend our evening. The atmosphere of the restaurant is not only elegant, supported by the light hand-picked music on the background, and well-decorated with recipe books and photos of inspiring chefs but also provides you with the feeling of comfort and cosiness where you can enjoy your time with loved ones.
3. The sustainability – This for the Chiarini family is not only a passion, a calling but a true way of life. The ingenuity that goes into the full restaurant’s operation is eye-opening – from using solar and soon wind energy to not be reliant on the power grid
through collecting the used wine corks for plant potting to creating bricks for building a recycling centre from leftover plastic – every part of the business is designed to be with 0 waste. In addition, the restaurant brings life back to the local community by providing a reason for growth of local business and true pride to be in the proximity of Dieci.
4. The service – the dinner that we experienced is possibly what kings and queens must have felt like when being served on their royal dinners. The attention to every detail and professionalism was truly extraordinary. Anna provided us with vast information about the recipes, the food preparation and sourcing of products and we felt that we had a truly catered experience through her thoughtful questions like “Is the wine temperature to your liking?”.
5. The food – I cannot talk about a restaurant without talking about the food. Words like delicious, flavour-rich, exquisite will not cut it. Each of the 10 dishes (and the amuse-bouche) were Gianfranco’s masterpieces – bites of heaven. The combination of flavours that play on your palette brought everyone in the restaurant to be quiet and just truly experience every little bit of each dish. I will not attempt to describe it, you just need to try it!
6. The wine – of course a fantastic meal goes hand in hand with well-chosen wine. The selection on the wine list would satisfy even the pickiest lovers of deep reds as well as the most knowledgeable ones preferring a lighter white. Anna provided us with the best suggestions when it comes to pairing the dishes.
7. The authenticity – The concept of the restaurant is truly unique. It combines in itself Gianfranco’s extensive culinary knowledge and experience with the love for local culture. Every part of the dishes was locally sourced and was presented as a real bow to the (hidden) beauty of Bulgarian products and nature. We are astonished by the new ways to give an exciting spin to traditional dishes, such as our favourite Shopska salad.
8. The people – Gianfranco and Anna welcome each of us into their home. These two unique individuals coming with all their intelligence and professionalism were so open, honest and down to earth. Chef Chiarini not only showcased his true mastery in the kitchen but also his engineering skills when it comes to building a small ecosystem in a restaurant. In addition to serving us with amazing dishes, he gave us so much “food for taught” during our interesting conversations between the dishes. Miss Anna was so gentle and attentive. Her positive presence and witty comments made our dinner even more enjoyable.
9. The opportunity – The experience that we had in Dieci is definitely a star-worthy. This restaurant will open a new world for the Bulgarian culinary stage by providing us with a look of what a true high-class restaurant should be. In my opinion, even if Bulgaria is not yet in the Michelin guide, the stars are already among us in the face of Gianfranco, Anna and Dieci.
10. The passion – Dear Gianfranco and Anna, we are truly in awe of your dedication to keep building and improving Dieci! Your true motivation to drive change in your business, your community but also in Bulgaria is inspiring! We are grateful that there are people like you who show us the way of building something with so much love!

We are truly honoured to have had the opportunity to be your guests and have a touch with the wonderful world that you have created! It was truly unforgettable but just to be sure, we will keep on coming back !