"The sea writes the menu. Every morning from scratch."
It all started with a simple thought on the seaside promenade: the sea is right here, a step away from the sand. Why look at it from a distance when we can have dinner on it?
So, instead of another hall with tables, the idea of a ship was born. A real galleon, anchored on the shore, with a deck under your feet and the horizon in front of your eyes.
Behind it stand people who grew up around the Varna harbor, between the fishing boats at dawn and the kitchens of the city. Two things brought them together: respect for fresh fish and one simple truth.
"Hospitality is felt, not told."
Why a ship and not a restaurant?
Because a ship has a direction, a crew and a rhythm.
Why Varna?
Because here the Black Sea gives turbot, bonito and horse mackerel, and the city knows how to sit down to a long dinner under an open sky.
The breeze, the wine and the sound of the waves at the base of the hull cannot be painted on the walls. They are lived only on the deck.
Today Mr. Baba is a place where strangers become regulars, and families have been coming for years. For us it is not a building. It is a galleon that sets sail every evening for a full house.
The hull is made of wood, ropes and brass, built to look as if it has just docked. Three levels climb from the main deck up to the bridge, and between them spread five halls, each with its own character: indoor and lively below, open and salty higher up, quiet and panoramic at the top.
That is how a ship works: one body, many decks. Whether you have come for a noisy family dinner or two seats under the stars, the ship has a spot for you. You only change the level; the sea stays the same.
Use the arrows for each hall
The heart of the ship, the largest indoor space, where plates clink, children laugh and the wine never runs out. Warm and lively in every season, with a family corner where even the youngest have their place.
The open side of the ship, facing straight toward the water. Here the breeze sits down at the table with you. Candles, the sound of the waves and fish that smells of the morning catch; ideal for a long summer dinner as the sun goes down into the sea.
The captain's cabin: closed, quiet, just for you and your people. Its own service, its own pace and its own atmosphere, tailored for a birthday, a business dinner or a celebration that wants a little privacy.
The main open-air deck and the backbone of summer: wide, spacious, with sky instead of a ceiling. This is where the big groups gather, where a glass is raised to the sunset and the evening flows slowly, as it should by the sea.
The highest point of the galleon: a small, romantic deck hanging between the sea and the sky. A view from horizon to horizon, two seats, a candle and the waves below; kept for the evenings you want to remember.
A ship is only as strong as its crew. Ours cooks, pours and welcomes with the same belief: a guest on the deck is a guest at home.
46 years old
Has been at Mr. Baba from the very beginning — even before the ship was built. He brings 32 years of experience as a chef, and before that worked in hotels and large restaurant chains along the Black Sea coast.
He started cooking at the age of 15 — in the same field, but in other roles. He completed his training in Varna. A second-generation chef.
46 years old
The kitchen's right hand, the one who takes the heat on the busiest night and keeps every plate up to standard.
Has been at Mr. Baba for two years, with 26 years of experience as a chef in total. Before that, he cooked for 12 years on ocean-going ships and in various restaurants along the Black Sea coast, ran his own restaurant for four years, and was a cook during his military service. He completed his training in Varna.
31 years old
Finds the wine that sits just right across from the fresh fish, and explains the choice so well that you want a second glass.
Has been a sommelier at Mr. Baba since 2016. He studied journalism in England and has completed four wine courses in Bulgaria (levels 1–3). Before that, he worked at hotels in Sunny Day and at two family restaurants.
41 years old
The captain of the shift, who keeps the whole ship running smoothly, so that you feel only the calm, not the work behind it.
Has been with the company since he was young — almost 22 years now — and has held management roles since the age of 17. Before Mr. Baba he worked at Golden Sands and Riviera, starting at age 14. He completed his education in Veliko Tarnovo. He holds courses and certificates as a bartender, waiter and front-office manager.
Whatever the sea gives in the morning reaches the table in the evening. We buy fresh, cook simply and let the fish speak instead of us.
A family with children, two people by candlelight or a noisy group: the ship has a deck for each. A kids' corner, free parking and a place you keep coming back to.
We don't promise, we welcome. The crew remembers names and favorite spots, because a good dinner starts long before the first plate.