Bucharest is the capital and largest city of Romania, a Danube-plain metropolis of about 1.7 million people known for the monumental Palace of the Parliament, a revived medieval Old Town, grand Calea Victoriei and its belle epoque 'Little Paris' boulevards. It combines Ottoman-era inns, Brancovenesc churches, interwar villas and communist-era blocks with a lively cafe, bar and live-music scene.
Bucharest's cuisine blends Romanian village cooking with Ottoman, Balkan, Hungarian and French influences. Soups sour with borș or lemon (ciorbă), cabbage and vine-leaf sarmale served with polenta (mămăligă), grilled minced-meat sausages called mici and smoked pork are everyday food. Dessert is papanași, fried cheese doughnuts with sour cream and jam. Beer, țuică plum brandy and Dealu Mare wines accompany meals. The Old Town has tourist-oriented traditional restaurants, while Floreasca, Dorobanți and Piața Romană host Italian, Japanese and plant-based places and the markets show everyday eating.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Bucharest.
Mici
Grilled skinless sausages of mixed minced meat and garlic, eaten with mustard and bread
Where to try: Caru' cu Bere / Hanu' lui Manuc / Berăria H
Price: 30-50 RON (about $7-11 USD)
Sarmale
Cabbage or vine-leaf rolls stuffed with pork and rice, served with polenta and sour cream
Where to try: Lacrimi și Sfinți / La Mama / Hanu' lui Manuc
Price: 35-60 RON (about $8-13 USD)
Ciorbă de burtă
Creamy tripe soup with garlic and vinegar, a classic hangover cure
Where to try: Caru' cu Bere
Price: 25-40 RON (about $5-9 USD)
Ciorbă rădăuțeană
Chicken soup soured with sour cream and garlic from northern Bucovina
Where to try: La Mama
Price: 20-35 RON (about $4-8 USD)
Mămăligă cu brânză și smântână
Polenta served with salty cheese and sour cream
Where to try: Crama Domnească
Price: 25-45 RON (about $5-10 USD)
Tochitură
Pork stew with sausage, served with polenta, fried egg and pickles
Where to try: Hanu' lui Manuc / Vatra / Crama Domnească
Price: 40-65 RON (about $9-14 USD)
Papanași
Fried or boiled cheese doughnuts topped with sour cream and sour cherry jam
Where to try: Caru' cu Bere / Casa Doina / La Mama
Price: 25-40 RON (about $5-9 USD)
Plăcintă cu brânză
Baked or fried pastry filled with cheese, a cheap breakfast or snack
Where to try: Bakeries and La Plăcinte branches across the centre
Price: 8-15 RON (about $2-3 USD)
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Italian
European
Japanese
Food tours & tastings in Bucharest
Eat your way through Bucharest with a guide.
Browse food experiences in BucharestWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Shaorma (shawarma)
Chicken or mixed meat in lipie flatbread with fresh vegetables and garlic or spicy sauce; the late-night staple
Find it at: Dristor Kebap, Strada Lipscani 41 and other branches (open to about 3AM)
Covrigi
Soft sesame pretzels baked fresh through the day, plain or with cheese, walnut or poppy seed
Find it at: Covrigi Luca counters on Calea Victoriei and across the centre (about 6AM-10PM)
Gogoși
Fried yeast doughnuts, often dusted with sugar or filled with jam
Find it at: Bakeries and market stalls at Piața Obor
Mici la grătar
Grilled sausage sold by weight at market stalls and beer gardens, with mustard and bread
Find it at: Piața Obor food stalls / Berăria H
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Piața Obor
Bucharest's largest fresh market with produce, dairy, cured meats, cheese, honey and pickles; takes cash in lei, with some stalls taking cards (Soseaua Colentina and Strada Gheorghe Sincai area, Sector 2)
Hours: Daily approximately 6AM-6PM (busiest before noon)
Piața Amzei
Small central market and food hall near Calea Victoriei for produce, flowers and prepared lunch, with restaurants including Red Angus Steakhouse around the square
Hours: Daily approximately 8AM-8PM (hours vary by stall)
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Lunch runs about 12PM-3PM and dinner from 7PM; Old Town kitchens stay open to midnight or later on weekends
Tipping 10% in cash is customary; service is not always included, so check the bill (nota de plată)
Many menus list weight in grams and price per portion; mici are sold in 2-3 pieces or by weight
Most restaurants take cards, but small shaorma counters and market stalls can be cash only (RON)
Smoking is banned indoors in restaurants; terraces are often heated in winter
Book Caru' cu Bere, Hanu' lui Manuc and Lacrimi și Sfinți ahead for weekend dinner
- Vegetarian
- Good options: cheese polenta, vegetable ciorbă, plăcintă cu brânză, fasting (de post) menus in Lent, and dedicated vegetarian places like Verv Kitchen and Rawdia; ask for 'fără carne' (without meat)
- Vegan
- Verv Kitchen and Rawdia are fully plant-based; Romanian 'mâncare de post' dishes are often vegan
- Halal
- Limited; Turkish and Lebanese shaorma places in the centre offer halal chicken, but confirm by asking 'este halal?'
- Gluten free
- Polenta (mămăligă) is naturally gluten-free; ask for 'fără gluten' in Italian and modern restaurants
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | 25-60 RON (about $5-13 USD) per meal | Shaorma, covrigi, plăcinte and market lunches |
| Mid-range | 80-160 RON (about $17-35 USD) per meal | Traditional restaurants such as Hanu' lui Manuc, La Mama and Vatra with a drink |
| Upscale | 250-450 RON (about $54-98 USD)+ per meal | Casa Capșa, Osteria Galletto and Lacrimi și Sfinți with wine |