Why go
We roast coffee, not eggs is the line Samurai Specialty Coffee Shop leads with, and it settles the question of what this Veliko Tarnovo room is for. Beans, brewing and a small café experience sit at the front, with a roastery identity behind them. The setting is the old town, in the historic centre's coffee-and-sweets quarter, and the room is bright and easy for visitors, with bags of coffee doing most of the decorating.
Roasted twice a week in the city
Roasting is the clearest identity marker. Seasonal selections are roasted fresh twice weekly at the Veliko Tarnovo facility, with Ethiopia among the named origins. The roastery works to precision, air roasting and clean flavour profiles, which matches the coffee-first message at the counter.
The drink range is broad without losing focus. Espresso, cappuccino, flat white and Fredo cappuccino cover the espresso side, while espresso tonic, V60 pour-over and cold brew show what the self-roasted beans do outside milk. Espresso tonic draws the most praise, and moving from a V60 to a cold brew is a natural way to spend an afternoon here. Matcha lattes and rich hot chocolate give the list reach beyond coffee.
Croissants, cake and a terrace
The food picture is narrower but useful. A sweet and savoury breakfast selection sits alongside the coffee, with croissants the item guests single out. Homemade desserts are paired with the house coffee, cake is a steady presence, and bowls served in takeaway cups extend the breakfast side past pastry. Expect croissants, cake and homemade sweets rather than a full restaurant menu.
The space is part of the draw. Natural light fills the room, the arranged coffee bags carry the visual identity, and there are terraces for warmer days. Service runs warm and professional, which is a large part of why the café keeps its regulars.
Order the espresso tonic, then a filter
Start with the espresso tonic, the drink most closely attached to Samurai and the one that shows the roast at its brightest. From there a V60 pour-over is the slower route and a cold brew the chilled one, both built on beans roasted within days rather than months.
If milk is the preference, the flat white is the sharpest of the espresso drinks and the Fredo cappuccino the local twist. Matcha latte and hot chocolate cover anyone off coffee entirely. Add a croissant or a slice of cake and the visit becomes what the room is built for: roasted-in-house coffee, careful brewing and an old-town pause. Samurai was included in the 2025 European Coffee Trip Awards.
Frequently asked questions
What should I order at Samurai Specialty Coffee Shop?
The espresso tonic is the drink most closely attached to the café and the one that shows the roast at its brightest. After that, a V60 pour-over is the slower route and cold brew the chilled one. For milk drinks, the flat white is the sharpest and the Fredo cappuccino the local twist.
Does Samurai roast its own coffee?
Yes. Seasonal selections are roasted fresh twice a week at the Veliko Tarnovo facility, with Ethiopia among the named origins. The roastery works to precision, air roasting and clean flavour profiles, and the café's own line, we roast coffee not eggs, is a fair summary of where the attention goes.
Is there food at Samurai?
A sweet and savoury breakfast selection sits alongside the coffee, with croissants the item guests name most often. Homemade desserts and cake are steady presences, and bowls served in takeaway cups extend the breakfast side past pastry. It is a pastry and breakfast counter rather than a full restaurant menu.
Compare nearby places
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