Covrigi Luca runs the city's largest covrigi chain, with Soviet-era warm soft-pretzel counters all over central Bucharest, the standard 4-5 RON walking snack.
Try: Covrigi (Romanian pretzels)
Tip: Multi-location chain; the Magheru kiosk is the central reliable.
The Covrigăria Luca outlet on Calea Victoriei serves walnut and rose preserve pastries alongside sesame covrigi, the morning-to-evening Bucharest grab.
Try: Sesame covrigi and walnut pastries
Tip: Hot covrigi out of the oven every 40 minutes; ask when the next batch is due.
Dristor Kebap on Lipscani is the Old Town outlet of Bucharest's biggest shaorma chain, an after-hours staple with the city's most-imitated garlic-cream sauce.
Try: Dristor shaorma
Tip: Open until 04:00; the special shaorma comes with all four sauces.