German$$centru
Beer House in Chișinău is the German-themed brewpub on Bulevardul Negruzzi, brewing on-site and serving grill-heavy pub food with a daily 12-hour run.
Signature: House-brewed lager, Pork knuckle, Grilled sausages
Order: Pork knuckle with house lager and sauerkraut.
Tip: Order the four-beer flight to taste the house range; the pork knuckle for two is the kitchen's grill anchor, request the sauerkraut on the side.
Pizzeria$centru
Andy's Pizza on Ștefan cel Mare in Chișinău is the central branch of Moldova's homegrown pizza chain, open into the late hours with a 24/7 sister branch.
Signature: Capricioasa pizza, Mushroom cream soup in bread bowl, Moldovan-style pasta
Order: Cream of mushroom soup in a bread bowl with the Capricioasa pizza.
Tip: Order the cream of mushroom served in the hollowed bread bowl; the Capricioasa is the local-style pizza if you want something Moldovan.
Moldovan traditional$$botanica
Sălcioara in downtown Chișinău is the traditional Moldovan dining room with carved-wood interiors, evening live music and a kitchen built on village recipes.
Signature: Sarmale in vine leaves, Mămăligă with brânză and smântână, Zeamă chicken broth
Order: Sarmale wrapped in vine leaves with sour cream and mămăligă on the side.
Tip: Reserve a corner table for the live music nights; order the house brandy alongside the zeamă starter.
Moldovan traditional$$centru
La Taifas in Chișinău is the old village house with porch on Strada București, serving rustic Moldovan cooking and live folk music in a clay-pottery room.
Signature: Sarmale in cabbage leaves, Mămăligă with brânză, Cauldron-cooked tocăniță
Order: Tocăniță cooked in the cauldron with mămăligă and a shot of house țuică.
Tip: Book a porch table on a warm evening; the kitchen leans on cauldron stews and the placinte are made to order with a 20-minute wait.
Moldovan traditional$centru
La Plăcinte on Ștefan cel Mare 3 is the central Chișinău branch of the Moldovan chain that turned the street plăcintă into a sit-down restaurant.
Signature: Plăcinte with cheese, Plăcinte with cabbage, Zeamă chicken soup
Order: A mixed plate of plăcinte: cheese, cabbage and pumpkin slices, with smântână.
Tip: Order the plăcinte by the slice from the counter for a quick lunch; the full menu carries zeamă, mămăligă and sarmale at chain-pricing.
Modern European$$centru
Pegas in Chișinău is the long-running two-storey European fusion room on Strada Albișoara, with a wide summer terrace and a Moldovan wine list.
Signature: Marbled beef steak, Salmon tartare, Apple strudel
Order: Marbled beef steak with seasonal vegetables and a glass of Fetească Neagră.
Tip: Sit on the terrace in summer for the kitchen's grill program; the wine list is the deepest mainstream Moldovan selection in the neighbourhood.