Veliko Turnovo has a good concentration of restaurants for a city its size, many of them occupying old Revival-period buildings with terraces overlooking the river gorge. The view from a table above the Yantra at dusk is one of the better meals you can have in Bulgaria regardless of what is on the plate.
Bulgrian food is the thing to eat here: grilled meats (kebapcheta, kavarma), salads (shopska salata is the standard starter, a simple combination of tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, and white cheese), and dishes based on the local sirene (white brine cheese). Prices are low by Western European standards. The student population keeps the café culture lively year-round.