18 romanian rooms worth the trip across Romania, editor-ranked. All cuisines in Romania.
Kaiamo ★ 4.8 · Bucharest
dorobanti · 30A Emil Pangratti Street, District 1, București, Romania, 011884
Radu Ionescu's Kaiamo cooks Bucharest's most ambitious modern Romanian tasting menus from a Dorobanți townhouse on Ermil Pangratti, 9 to 20 courses.
Tip: Tuesday through Saturday only, dinner from 18:00; book through the site weeks ahead.
Caru' cu bere ★ 4.6 · Bucharest
lipscani · Strada Stavropoleos 5, 030107 București
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.
Tip: Walk-up queues from 12:30 onward; the upstairs hall has the live folk band.
Lacrimi și Sfinți ★ 4.5 · Bucharest
lipscani · Strada Șepcari 16, Old Town, București 030116
Poet Mircea Dinescu's Lacrimi și Sfinți on Șepcari pours wines from his Cetate estate alongside modern Romanian classics in Bucharest Old Town today.
Tip: The wine list is heavy on Dinescu's own bottlings; ask the room for the day's house pour.
Mahala ★ 4.5 · Bucharest
centru-civic · Calea Rahovei 147-153, 050912 București
Chef Petru Sorin Cucu's Mahala cooks contemporary Romanian inside the Bragadiru Palace, near the House of the People, one of the boldest menus in town.
Tip: Lunch service is quieter; dinner books out Thursday to Saturday.
Hanu' lui Manuc ★ 4.4 · Bucharest
lipscani · Strada Franceză 62-64, 030106 București
The 1808 caravanserai-turned-restaurant Hanu' lui Manuc on Franceză serves classic Romanian plates around one of Europe's last remaining inn courtyards.
Tip: The courtyard fills first; ask for a balcony table inside the U-shaped inn.
Kané Restaurant ★ 4.4 · Bucharest
dorobanti · Strada Tunari 60, 020526 București
Kané on Tunari runs a Romanian-fusion kitchen in a converted Dorobanți house in Bucharest, with a courtyard garden and a strong modern wine list.
Tip: Sunday closed; the garden runs May through October.
Mici la Mahala ★ 4.4 · Bucharest
obor · Strada Ziduri Moși 4, Sector 2, București
The Obor mici terrace inside the Piața Obor complex is the legendary Bucharest grill counter, mici plus mustard plus bread plus a Timișoreana lager.
Tip: Cash works fastest; the lunch counter peaks 12:00-14:00 Walk-ins usually OK.
Vatra ★ 4.3 · Bucharest
cismigiu · Strada Ion Brezoianu 19, 010131 București
Vatra on Brezoianu cooks traditional Romanian on bakestones and in tin kettles, in a 1920s Transylvanian interior next to Cișmigiu Park in Bucharest.
Tip: The veranda opens May through October; lunch fixed menu is 45 RON.
Hanu' Berarilor Casa Oprea Soare ★ 4.2 · Bucharest
centru-civic · Strada Poenaru Bordea 2, 050554 București
Hanu' Berarilor Casa Oprea Soare runs a neo-Romanesque manor as a brewery-restaurant near Bucharest's Piața Unirii, giant platters and house beer.
Tip: Booking by phone is fastest; the courtyard runs to 24:00 in summer.
Locanta Jaristea ★ 4.2 · Bucharest
lipscani · Strada George Georgescu 50-52, 040132 București
Locanta Jaristea cooks Belle Epoque Romanian inside a 19th-century Bucharest townhouse south of Old Town, with live folk and costumed staff service.
Tip: Set menu nights book solidly; the regular evenings are a la carte.
Biutiful by the Lake ★ 4.2 · Bucharest
floreasca · Bulevardul Aerogării 27, 013591 București
Biutiful by the Lake sits on Herastrau next to the Aerogării bridge, the daytime lake terrace and Saturday brunch big hitter for north Bucharest residents.
Tip: Outdoor terrace open May to October; winter service moves inside.
Crama Domnească ★ 4.1 · Bucharest
lipscani · Strada Șelari 13-15, Old Town, București
Crama Domnească sits in the cellar of the Princely Court on Șelari, the Princely Wine Cellar in Bucharest, with live folk and house wines by carafe.
Tip: Live taraf music every evening; cash and card both accepted.
Berăria H ★ 4.0 · Bucharest
floreasca · Șoseaua Kiseleff 32, Pavilionul H, Herastrau Park, București
Berăria H opened in 2014 inside the former Heavy Industry Pavilion in Herastrau Park, billed as Southeast Europe's largest beer hall on a 5,000 sqm floor.
Tip: Concerts most weekends; bookings essential for Friday and Saturday nights.
Hanu' Berarilor Interbelic Casa Soare ★ 4.0 · Bucharest
centru-civic · Strada Poenaru Bordea 2, 050554 București
The interwar-themed Hanu' Berarilor Interbelic Casa Soare runs the same Bucharest Poenaru Bordea inn as Casa Oprea Soare, darker beer-hall room.
Tip: Same site as Casa Oprea Soare; ask for the Interbelic side at the host.
Casa Capșa ★ 4.0 · Bucharest
calea-victoriei · Calea Victoriei nr. 36, București, Romania
Casa Capșa is the historic Bucharest dining address since 1852, on Calea Victoriei at the corner of Edgar Quinet, reopened 2003 inside a hotel rebuild.
Tip: The literary cafe ground floor pours coffee from 09:00; the restaurant is upstairs.
La Mama (Lipscani) ★ 3.9 · Bucharest
lipscani · Strada Lipscani 36, 030033 București
La Mama on Lipscani is the Bucharest chain doing Romanian home cooking at scale: oversized sarmale, ciorbă bowls, big-portion papanași for dessert.
Tip: Multi-branch chain; walk-in works on most weekdays.
City Grill Primăverii ★ 3.9 · Bucharest
dorobanti · Bulevardul Primăverii 3, 011972 București
City Grill Primăverii is the Bucharest Romanian grill chain done well: mici, pork chops, sarmale, an all-purpose dining room for families and lunch.
Tip: Multi-location chain; this is the Primăverii branch.
Cartofisserie ★ 3.8 · Bucharest
sector-4 · Strada Liviu Rebreanu 4, 031787 București
Cartofisserie is the Bucharest potato-house chain: loaded baked potatoes, fried wedges, vegetarian and vegan options, the cheap reliable lunch.
Tip: Counter service; take-away is the default.