I’ve lived in Bucharest for the past almost 30 years, and as a local and travel blogger, I know food is an important part of any escape. Bucharest food is diverse, and you’ll find anything from traditional dishes, to some tasty Italian food, Greek, Turkish, and anything in between.
Don’t worry if you don’t know where to start from, I’ll take you through it all. From some traditional dishes you shouldn’t miss to all the places I go to and specific food I eat in each.
Brace yourself because it will be a very comprehensive list. I want this to be a Bucharest food guide that will help you navigate the city, one dish at a time, and enjoy it as much as I do.
From where to have breakfast in Bucharest to the best brunch in Bucharest, insane pizza, and mouth-watering pasta or desserts. You’ll have it all.
Wandering if Romania is safe to visit? See my answer here!
Bucharest food – an introduction to local cuisine
I often get asked what’s some traditional Romanian food, and I struggle with that. Mainly because plenty of these dishes you’ll find in some form or another elsewhere in the Balkans.
However, it is true that each country has its own interpretation, and what we call local in Romania might be slightly different from what you’ll find in Serbia for example.
When I look at the traditional dishes we eat for the holidays I can say we are a country that loves its meat. It is pretty hard, if not impossible, to find vegan or vegetarian traditional dishes. However, there are plenty of modern restaurants in Bucharest that offer vegan food, thus don’t panic.
Another thing to have in mind is that we don’t eat traditional food on a daily basis. Mainly because it is heavy and it has a lot of fat, but also because we live in a multicultural world, where globalization played a huge role in everyday life.
One other thing worth knowing is that you will likely find more restaurants serving traditional food in other parts of the country such as Brasov or the mountains towns, but there are a few also in Bucharest.
When you feel overwhelmed and don’t know what to try first, consider going on a Bucharest food tour with a local.
So, what are some traditional dishes to try in Bucharest and where to go to eat them?
Sarmale with polenta
Maybe the most traditional food you can get in Romania. As I’ve said, we rarely eat sarmale throughout the year, even though they are delicious.
This basically minced pork meat in cabbage leaves, and it is something we have for Christmas, Easter, and weddings or baptisms. They come served with polenta and sour cream.
View this post on InstagramBrasov was a treat, and for more than just the #sarmale. Took a lovely walking tour from the sweetest Romanian woman, hiked up to the #Brasov sign atop Tampa Mountain – earning myself two raw desserts along with this dinner, weaved and bobbed in and out of the streets that were once contained by a protective wall, and saw two cats. ‘Twas a good day indeed. More photos from Brasov on my #România story. #transylvania
Where to try them in Bucharest: Caru cu Bere, La Mama, City Grill, Vatra, Lacrimis si Sfinti
Mititei
Literally translated as “little ones”, these are Romanian’s favorite barbeque dish and you’ll see people eating them especially during summer.
A mix of minced meat with certain spices, they come served with bread, mustard, and go very well with beer.
View this post on InstagramMicii sunt gata, iar berea este rece așa cum trebuie! Vă așteptăm!
Where to eat them in Bucharest: Zexe Zahana, Caru cu Bere, La Mama, City Grill, Vatra
Soups
Romanians think that you must eat at least a soup every day in order for your stomach to work properly. Consequently, there are plenty of soups and broth options that are really delicious.
Wandering where to stay in Bucharest? Read my tips!
Some are sour, some aren’t, and some are the perfect hangover remedy.
You must try: ciorba de fasole cu afumatura (beans broth with smoked meat), ciorba de burta (broth with tripe), ciorba de vacuta (vegetable broth with veal meat), supa crema de ciuperci (mushroom cream soup), supa de pui cu taitei de casa (chicken soup with homemade noodles).
View this post on InstagramCiorbă faină, de fasole bogată şi afumătură savuroasă! #ciorba #slowcook #handmadeinromania #ciorbarie #ciorbariedorobanti #ciorbarieeminescu #ciorbarieacademiei #ciorbarietitulescu #ciorbariepipera #ciobariepalas #ciorbariedrumultaberelor #ciorbadefasole #afumatura
Where to eat them in Bucharest: pretty much everywhere, but especially the traditional places is where you will find some of these, Ciorbarie, Zexe Zahana, Caru cu Bere, La Mama, City Grill, Vatra
Ciolan cu fasole (pork knuckle with beans)
Simply delicious! This is something you don’t find everywhere, but you should try if you do.
View this post on Instagram#ciolancufasole #goodfood
Where to eat it in Bucharest: Caru cu Bere, Vatra
Romanian starters
Some of my favorite Romanian food, starters will make happy also the vegetarians visiting Bucharest. Most are spreads that we eat with bread, and some are normally done during fall for winter.
Zacusca – various vegetables (peppers, eggplants, onions) baked and cooked in a delicious spread. This is my all-time fall favorite, and the one my mother does is, of course, the best, haha. However, not everyone would have access to that one, but you will find it in most places with traditional food.
Tarama salad – that’s something I found only in Greece outside of Romania. It is a fish originated spread and everyone must try it at least once. I love it and have found some Greek versions in Hong Kong, but I still dream about the Romanian version.
Check out the most Instagrammable places in Bucharest
White bean spread – for the bean lovers out there, you shouldn’t miss out on this delicious spread. It is similar to hummus but made from beans, not chickpeas, and comes served with some baked onions.
Eggplant salad – this might look funny, but I guarantee is one of the best things you’ll ever try. There are certain variations to it in the Lebanese, Greek, or Turkish cuisines, and I honestly think that’s where we got it from as well. However, this is my favorite summer salad and I could have that with fresh tomatoes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Various Romanian cheese and sausage/salami – I’m a huge cheese lover and I think I’ve tried almost everything out there. However, the cheese we have in Romania is special and has a different texture than most cheeses out there. It is close to feta cheese but yet different. Also, try meat appetizers such as traditional bacon, liver paste, all kinds of sausage, “drob” (a cold meat pie), or toba (a mix of different parts of the pork).
View this post on InstagramDaca tot e weekend…sarbatorim cu gustari ca la mama acasa! . . . #Gustari #LaMama #Foodies #Bucharest #platouri #GoodFood #StaiAcasa #Livram #Bucuresti
Gulas
Ok, this is not a Romanian dish, but it has been adopted and you can find it in many places in Transylvania (a local dish because of the region’s history, but we’ll not get into that).
It is a veel broth with plenty of hearty vegetables, paprika, and much more. I love it and the one my husband does in the garden (he is half Hungarian) is the best one. It is true it might be difficult to obtain that wood fire taste and for the best version, you need to slow cook it for many hours.
The easiest way is just to go out and eat some even though the best ones are in Oradea, Brasov, Sibiu and other parts of Transylvania.
Where to eat it in Bucharest: Ciorbarie, Lente Arcului, Livada
View this post on InstagramKotlíkový guláš… #kotlikovygulas #gulas #polievka #goulash #soup #foodporn #foodbloger #foodpics #food #dobruchut #svarechou #beef
