The traditional Bulgarian banitsa has ranked third in the Best Cheese Dishes list by Taste Atlas.

The Bulgarian Banitsa with Cheese earned 4.5 out of 5 possible points. Dishes from Serbia and Georgia rank 1^st and 2nd, respectively. Famous recipes with culinary history from France, Italy, and other countries rank behind the Bulgarian banitsa.

''The Bulgarian pie banitsa made with cheese is the main version of this traditional pie. It's made by layering sheets of buttered phyllo pastry with a combination of eggs, yogurt, and cheese such as sirene and feta. There's an optional ingredient in the preparation of banitsa and it's baking soda, which makes the yogurt rise and makes the pie fluffier and richer in flavor. Traditionally, banitsa with cheese was prepared and served on Christmas and New Year's Eve, but nowadays it can also be bought throughout the year at grocery stores, street vendors, kiosks, and pretty much everywhere. Apart from this basic variety, there are also other types of savory or sweet banitsa pies filled with various vegetables and fruits'', wrote Taste Atlas

Interestingly, the top spot is held by the dish Belmuž, which according to Taste Atlas originates from Eastern Serbia and contains cheese, flour and a bit of salt. However, Belmuž is also incredibly popular in Bulgaria and other Balkan countries.

Georgia ranks second with the dish Кhachapuri, a type of bread topped with melted cheese, eggs and butter. The Greek saganaki is fourth in the Taste Atlas ranking. The Serbian Burek (Burek Sa Sirom), a phyllo pastry filled with a mixture of cheese and eggs, ranks 17th. Sirnica, a savory Bosnian pie consisting of phyllo dough filled with a combination of fresh cow cheese, sour cream and eggs, ranks 19^th.