DOT Sofia
The idea for DOT Sofia was born from the desire to share our passions for architecture, art, and great food. Having experienced the beauty of authentic hospitality ourselves while traveling the world, we decided to create our own place: a connecting dot of everything we like. With DOT Sofia we realize our fantasy of a great urban experience - here in Sofia.
We are a small team, united by a passion for creating and sharing a great urban experience. DOT Sofia connects our love for hospitality, art, and food in a stunning architectural spot. Lydia Buranova is in charge of DOT Sofia Residence (accommodation and venue hire), Stanislav Radulov and Nikola Chetmenski manage KOMAT Restaurant, Vesselina Sarieva is DOT Sofia's art director and curates its art collection, and Bojidar Ivanov is our property manager.
DOT Sofia is located in the heart of old Sofia, just a few steps away from the Church 'Sveta Nedelya', the 'Banya Bashi' Mosque, the Sofia Synagogue, the Central Market Hall, and of course - the 'Women's Market' itself. This historic part of Sofia has been home to trade and markets for centuries. Neglected for the past decades, it is now evolving into a multi-cultural melting pot. Along with many others, DOT Sofia is trying to develop and rediscover for the world this still hidden jewel of today's Sofia.
When we met Georgi and Viara from I/O architects, we knew it had to be them. There was an instant mutual understanding and vision for the project. And we love what we see now: DOT Sofia's iconic architecture is contextualized to the history of the neighbourhood. The facade of rusted sheet metal documents the gradually disappearing historic materiality of the neighborhood, and the system of opening shutters interprets the life of the pavilions and stands at the 'Women's Market'. The generous spaces inside are simple, minimalistic, furnished with locally designed and crafted interiors and select European design classics.
After the huge success of our summer Culinary pop-up and a short break, KOMAT Restaurant is back with another culinary challenge - the autumn edition of our pop-up collaborations. We'll be open for lunch and dinner on Thursday, 5 September. It's the time of the best harvest, and the season brings with it a feeling of endless abundance. The transition from summer to autumn gives us a chance to grab the best, because - isn't that right? - Every end is actually a new beginning... A rich palette of vegetables and local produce awaits us, and the smell of smoky peppers is already in the air :) Autumn culinary pop-up begins with chef Nikola Krumov.
DOT Sofia is pleased to present an exhibition related to the exploration and documentation of the area where it is located - namely Old Sofia, Vuzrazhdane district and in particular the Women's Market. The exhibition includes archival photographs from the last century of the Women's Market - the oldest market in the capital, photographed by Panayot Barnev and provided by the Bulgarian Visual Archive. The selection, curated by Tihomir Stoyanov and co-curated by Veselina Sarieva, offers a unique insight into the architectural, social and psychological aspects of life in this area in the 1970s.
We meet Diana Onishchenko, a waiter at the KOMAT restaurant, talking about the freedom to be yourself when you're in the right place. We take a look at summer cocktails, accompanied by good recommendations.
1100 chairs later, KOMAT is taking a well-deserved break. After a strong finish to the Culinary Pop-Up, we will be taking a short holiday from 13 August to the beginning of September.