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Deciding what and where to eat in Bucharest is an essential part of planning your trip. The food in Bucharest, Romania features savory traditional meats and international fare. Using tips from locals, our fun days of sightseeing were capped by dining at the best restaurants in Bucharest.
To help fellow travelers, we used our personal dining experiences to create a list of must-eat Bucharest restaurants. In addition to naming the establishment, we also offer a suggested dish to order.
On a mission to find the best places to eat in Bucharest, we feasted at some of the city’s most renowned restaurants. However, we were not only searching for the best Romanian food in Bucharest, but we also wanted to try great international cuisine – like burgers, pizza and desserts. Additionally, as we are always on the hunt for delicious craft beer and local wines, our list includes the best taprooms and Bucharest wine bars, too!
10 Best Restaurants in Bucharest, Romania
Indulging in the local fare is one of the Top Things To Do in Bucharest! This list features our favorite Bucharest eateries. To make it easy for you to find the establishments, we include a Bucharest Restaurant Map later in the article.
Pin, Save or Bookmark our Bucharest Restaurant Guide for your trip to Romania!
#1 Caru cu Bere
Often hailed as one of the best restaurants in Bucharest Old Town, Caru cu Bere is loved by locals and tourists alike. Established in 1879 and known for their home brewed beer, the restaurant has the atmosphere of a sophisticated beer hall.
To enhance the ambiance, they play traditional music and Romanian dancers entertain patrons in the evening. At Caru cu Bere, not only do they provide a warm and inviting space, but they excel at creating traditional Romanian meals.
What To Eat at Caru cu Bere
As one of the best Romanian restaurants in Bucharest, it’s easy to find something delicious on the menu at Caru cu Bere. We recommend starting with a Romanian appetizer, Zacusca (a roasted eggplant and red pepper dip) with fresh bread.
For a main, the signature dish is the Slow Cooked Pork Knuckle and it’s fall-off-the-bone delicious. The humungous portion feeds at least two hungry people, in fact, we ended up with enough leftovers for a second complete meal!
#2 Hanu Berarilor Casa Oprea Soare
For a classy dining experience, we think Hanu Berarilor ranks as the Best Romanian Restaurant Bucharest. The elegant space is situated in an historic manor house and each room features unique décor.
What To Eat at Hanu Berarilor
The menu, like the restaurant itself, is upscale Romanian. We recommend ordering the house specialty, Oven Browned Duck Legs, which is cooked to perfection and served with sauteed cabbage. That said, be sure to save room for the traditional Romanian dessert, Papanasi – as it is absolutely delectable at Hanu Berarilor!
#3 Restaurant Hanu’ lui Manuc
Built as an inn in the early 1800s, Hanu lui Manuc survives today as one of the best restaurants in Old Town Bucharest. The menu features the same types of Romanian dishes that were served when it opened more than 200 years ago.
What To Eat at Hanu lui Manuc
At a restaurant that is as steeped in history as Hanu lui Manuc is, we suggest ordering two of the most traditional Romanian meals: Sarmale and Bulz.
Sarmale, the National Dish of Romania, is a meal of cabbage rolls stuffed with minced meat – and the ones we ate at Hanu lui Manuc were the best we had anywhere in the country!
Bulz is another menu item that we tried in various restaurants throughout Romania, but none were quite as delicious – or well presented – as the ones we had at Manuc. The polenta-meat-egg dish is served stacked and the flavor combination is exceptional.
#4 Paine si Vin
A modern concept just past the western edge of the Old Town, Paine si Vin is a chic eatery that gets our vote for the best pizza in Bucharest. Utilizing traditional methods for the crust, the pizzas and flatbreads are topped with unique and flavorful local ingredients – and then baked in a wood fired oven.
What To Order at Paine si Vin
There are so many wonderful and intriguing topping combinations at Paine si Vin that it makes it difficult to choose which one to order! We ended up ordering several pizzas to share – and in the end we preferred the From the Forest that features black truffles, wild boar sausage and Apuseni cheese from Transylvania.
#5 Balls Restaurant
Serving comfort food classics – think meatballs covered in sauce, mashed potatoes and soup – Balls is a relatively new establishment that cranks out inexpensive meals. The food taste like something a Romanian grandma would serve! It’s the best place to eat in Bucharest on a small budget with a big appetite.
What To Eat at Balls
Meatballs, of course! While there are several options to choose from, we recommend the Ostropel (pork balls with a tomato and garlic sauce) and the Shroomy (chicken balls with mushroom and bacon sauce). Order the Lunch All Day meal deal and you will get a choice of soup, mashed potatoes or rice and a salad for a budget price.
#6 Terasa Obor
Located at the classic Obor produce market, Terasa Obor is a favorite spot for a cheap lunch and a local experience. The house specialty is grilled mici – finger-sized sausages served with mustard and bread.
There will no doubt be a queue, but it moves quickly – and it’s worth the wait for some of the best food in Bucharest!
What To Eat at Terasa Obor
There is no question what to order at Terasa Obor: get the mici with mustard and bread! You will need to determine how many you want…which will just depend on how hungry you are. The little sausages pair perfectly with a cold beer, so we suggest doing like the Romanians do, and order a local Skol to round out your meal.
#7 Selale Cantina Bufet
An absolute local gem, Selale Cantina Bufet is a busy little family-run take-away restaurant in Bucharest. They serve generous portions of inexpensive homecooked fare to a mostly local crowd. Only open for lunch – and usually with a queue out the door – the food is unpretentious and incredibly satisfying.
What To Eat at Selale
While there is a menu in Romanian posted inside Selale, the translations we got were a bit off. Besides, the buffet-style food specials change daily. The Mutton Soup (only served on Thursdays) is a top pick, but on any other day of the week, we recommend simply pointing at what looks good on the buffet line!
#8 Mario’s Osteria for Burgers
While the name doesn’t allude to the fact of the matter, Mario’s Osteria makes the best burgers in Bucharest! What started as a food truck, Mario’s now has a permanent location inside the Ironic Taproom (we talk more about craft beer in Romania next). The smashed burgers are made with fresh beef from a local Romanian farm and are simply amazing.
What To Eat at Mario’s
Honestly, every burger at Mario’s is fantastic. That said, the Truffle Burger and the Romanian Burger are two of the best. Either way, get an order of the parm fries with garlic sauce for a side!
#9 Gyros Thessalonikis
One of the top fast-food places to eat in Bucharest, Gyros Thessalonikis in Old Town is a popular spot for a late-night meal or quick lunch. Absolutely stacked, simple and to the point, a gyro from Thessalonikis hits the spot!
What To Order at Gyros Thessalonikis
For us, it’s a no-brainer what to order…of course you get a gyro! The large is enormous, so if you want to be on the go after lunch, we recommend sticking with a small chicken gyro with all the toppings, including fries.
#10 French Revolution
As evidenced by the incredible number of French bakeries in the city, Bucharest embraces its moniker as the ‘Little Paris of the East’. French Revolution, a fancy Romanian bakery focused on creating delicious eclairs, undoubtedly makes one of the best desserts in Bucharest.
What To Eat at French Revolution
The creative eclairs at French Revolution are made fresh daily with quality ingredients. They all look delicious, so go for whatever piques your interest!
More of the Best Food Bucharest
Our above list of Bucharest restaurants includes the places that we recommend from our personal experience. However, there are a few more spots that were mentioned to us by locals and fellow travelers that are on our list for our next trip to Bucharest!
Kraft Market
A contemporary urban concept, Kraft Market is a (mostly) outdoor venue featuring multiple food trucks serving international cuisine, as well as adult beverages from the bar. Due to the open-air location, it tends to be closed for several months over winter, but is buzzing any other time of year.
La Mama
A local chain of restaurants serving Romanian comfort classics in an atmospheric space. Try the Transylvanian goulash – or go big with the Tasting Platter of Romanian Specialties.
Ciobarie
A simple restaurant concept dedicated to regional and Romanian soup, Ciobarie is a good place to try the nation’s beloved Tripe Soup. It’s a quick, easy and inexpensive lunch in Bucharest.
Zexe
Zexe is a traditional Romanian restaurant offering a dining experience from a bygone era. The classic space goes big on style and backs it up with an impressive menu.
Gioelia Cremeria
Highly rated by fellow travelers as the best ice cream in Bucharest Old Town, Gioelia Cremeria doles out tasty cones and other desserts, too.
Beraria H
A boisterous spot during concerts and sporting events, the H Grill is a sprawling beer hall located within the vast Herastrau Park. Boasting grilled meats and pub eats – plus a long list of alcoholic beverages – Beraria H exudes a lively atmosphere.
Craft Beer and Wine Bars in Bucharest
The best Bucharest food is further enhanced by craft beer and Romanian wine. Therefore, we also created a list of the best bars in Bucharest that are dedicated to serving local brew and delicious regional wine.
Ironic
Located in an open, industrial space, we believe Ironic Taproom offers the best craft beer in Bucharest. With their own line up of brews, plus a featured selection from other Romanian craft breweries, Ironic sells beer in 100ml increments. We loved this option to create your own sample platter or go all in with a pint!
Hop Hooligans
Hop Hooligans was the very first Romanian craft beer we tried, and it still ranks as one of our favorites. We were excited to see that they had a taproom in Bucharest…and it doesn’t disappoint!
The Hop Hooligans Taproom is a hip space with a selection of 24 beers on tap and even more in cans. Casual and easy going, it’s the kind of place you could easily settle into for a few incredible pints local Romanian beer.
Zaganu Romanian Craft Beer
With a hip design and indoor seating spread across two floors, Zaganu Craft Beer Bar is a great place that welcomes beer lovers with open arms. They feature mostly their own brews on tap but offer Romanian beers from fellow brewers in can and bottle.
Additionally, they have deeply discounted weekday happy hour specials and a full menu of bar favorites, making it one of the best pubs in Bucharest, Romania!
Craft Beer Bars in Old Town Bucharest
Travelers looking for craft beer bars in Bucharest Old Town need to look no further than Strada Gabroveni. Three craft beer bars – Beer Station, Beer O’Clock and Bere si Bere Pub – cluster together on the street, making it easy to hop (pun intended) from one to the next!
Abel’s Wine Bar
Open since 2013, Abel’s is one of the Best Bucharest Bars for tasting local Romanian wine. Cozy and charming, guests can order wines by the glass or by the bottle. The staff is super, providing helpful insight to the wines and offering suggestions, as well. To compliment the wine, meat and cheese platters along with other snacks are available.
Cafes in Bucharest
There are several cafes in Bucharest Old Town where you can stop for a morning coffee or afternoon pick-me-up. The Grand Café Van Gogh is often touted for its incredible décor, but we preferred the vibe at The Urbanist.
Map of Bucharest Restaurants
Use this link to Google Maps for an interactive version of our map.
Planning Tips for your Trip to Bucharest
Discovering the best Bucharest, Romania restaurants is just one aspect of planning your trip. We share heaps of useful tips – from sightseeing to where to stay – in our Bucharest, Romania Travel Guide.
We also have advice for travelers visiting other top destinations in Romania!
- Things To Do in Brasov
- Best Brasov Restaurants and Bars
- What To See in Sibiu
- How To Spend 1 Week in Romania
- Where To Eat in Sibiu
- Tips for Planning a European Trip
As you make your travel plans, staying organized is key. Use our Printable Travel Planner to make sure you stay on top of all the details of your trip!
Start planning your trip to Romania! Search for the lowest airfares, the best accommodations and fun things to do…then start packing! Want more travel planning tips? Head over to our Travel Planning Page for more advice – and for country-specific information, take a look at our Travel Guides Page!
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