19 editor-picked romanian restaurants across 2 cities.
A guide to romanian restaurants worth a trip, by city. We list operators, signature dishes, and the rooms locals book first.
Radu Ionescu's Kaiamo cooks Bucharest's most ambitious modern Romanian tasting menus from a Dorobanți townhouse on Ermil Pangratti, 9 to 20 courses.
Order: The full chef's tasting; pairings are Romanian wines from Cotnari and Recaș.
Tip: Tuesday through Saturday only, dinner from 18:00; book through the site weeks ahead.
The 1879 Caru' cu bere on Stavropoleos serves the soul of Bucharest dining, where mici were recorded in a 1920 chef's letter to the Academy.
Signature: Mici, Sarmale, Papanași
Order: Mici with mustard and ciorbă de burtă, then papanași for dessert.
Tip: Walk-up queues from 12:30 onward; the upstairs hall has the live folk band.
Poet Mircea Dinescu's Lacrimi și Sfinți on Șepcari pours wines from his Cetate estate alongside modern Romanian classics in Bucharest Old Town today.
Signature: Sarmale, Mămăligă cu brânză, Slănină plate
Order: The signature sarmale; a glass of Cetate Riesling Italian.
Tip: The wine list is heavy on Dinescu's own bottlings; ask the room for the day's house pour.
Sammy's Roumanian reopened on Stanton Street in 2024 after the Chrystie basement closed in 2021. Romanian-Jewish steakhouse, schmaltz on every table.
Signature: Skirt steak, Chopped liver, Karnatzlach
Order: Garlic-rubbed skirt steak with seltzer-and-chocolate-syrup egg cream service.
Tip: Tables are mixed at long shared boards; book the early seating by phone (646-410-2427) if you want any chance of hearing your tablemate.
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