Supper
Supper is served at one long table, from a menu agreed with the kitchen in advance. The host seats you and makes the introductions.
- Guests
- Up to 12 guests
- Length
- About three hours
A long table for twelve, somewhere in Sofia.
Lado House hosts small suppers, slow mornings and creative sessions at hand-picked venues across the city. A host meets you at the door and introduces you to the other guests.
By invitation. We read every request ourselves.
We only ask for a first name and an email. It takes about two minutes.
A house without walls
Lado House has no building of its own. We gather in partner venues across Sofia: a restaurant’s back room, a gallery after hours, a studio full of morning light.
The room changes from one gathering to the next. The host at the door, the introductions and the clear end time stay the same.
What we host
Morning
A teacher named in your invitation leads gentle yoga, Pilates or a walk, and breakfast follows at a laid table.
- Guests
- Up to 20 guests
- Length
- About two hours
Studio
A Sofia creator teaches one practical skill, such as taking beautiful photos on your phone. Everyone makes something of their own, then stays on to talk.
- Guests
- Up to 16 guests
- Length
- About two and a half hours
Each format is designed for these numbers. Every invitation gives the date, venue, host, language and any price.
Coming on your own? You won’t be the only one.
Most guests come on their own, so every gathering opens with introductions.
- A host meets you at the door and introduces you.
- First names are enough.
- Every gathering is at a venue named in your invitation, never in a private home.
- Every gathering has a clear end time, and you can leave whenever you like.
- Your invitation says which language the gathering is in.
How invitations work
Request an invitation
It takes about two minutes.
We read every request
You get a personal reply within seven days.
You receive an invitation
When a gathering suits you, we send an invitation with the date, venue, host, language and any price.
You confirm
Reply to save your place. If a gathering is full, you stay on the list for the next one.
House code
The code applies at every gathering, to guests and hosts alike.
- Every guest is introduced by name, and nobody is left on their own.
- What’s said at the table stays at the table.
- Nobody photographs other guests without their consent. If a gathering is photographed, the invitation says so, and everyone decides for themselves whether to be in the frame.
- Any photo of you that we publish comes down within 48 hours of your request.
- Venue staff deserve the same respect as our hosts.
- Nobody promotes or sells anything to guests at our gatherings.
- Zero tolerance for harassment. Anyone who makes a guest feel unsafe is asked to leave and is not invited again.
- Every gathering has a named contact you can turn to on the day.
About the name
Lado comes from laduvane, an old Bulgarian custom. Young women gathered, filled a pot with water carried in silence, dropped their rings in and left it overnight under a rose bush. The next day they drew the rings out one by one and sang short songs with the refrain “Lado”, each one foretelling a future.
We kept the gathering, and the name. The old Slavic word ‘lad’ means harmony.
For venues, brands and creators
We bring a small group of guests to venues that care about hospitality. If you run a venue or a brand, or you’d like to teach a Studio session, write to us.
- Groups of up to 20 guests, on quieter evenings or mornings.
- Guests pay the venue directly for food and drink.
- Photos only with consent, under our house code.
- A named contact, a phone number and a written plan.
Lado House was founded by Brian Li, a photographer who lives in Sofia. Every gathering also has its own host, named in the invitation.
Questions
Does it cost anything?
Requesting an invitation is free. Some gatherings are free and others have a price, which is always in the invitation before you confirm.
Will I know anyone?
Probably not, and that’s fine. Most guests come on their own, and the host makes the introductions.
Which language?
Bulgarian or English. Each invitation says which, and some gatherings are in both.
What should I wear?
Whatever you’d wear to a good restaurant. If a gathering has a dress code, the invitation says so.
Will I be photographed?
Only if you agree. If a gathering is photographed, the invitation says so in advance.
Who is it for?
People who live in Sofia and want good company. It’s designed with people in their twenties and thirties in mind, with no upper age limit. You need to be 18 or over.
Is it a dating event?
No. Guests come for the table and the conversation, and the house code applies to everyone.
What happens to my details?
We use them only to reply to you and send invitations, and we delete them when you ask.
