If you are new to Bucharest—or simply want to understand Romania through its food—these restaurants are strong starting points. The list ranges from historic dining rooms to modern kitchens that reinterpret familiar regional recipes. Prices below are approximate and may change.
Caru’ cu Bere
One of Bucharest’s oldest and most emblematic restaurants, Caru’ cu Bere has welcomed guests since 1879. It occupies a splendid Neo-Gothic building in the Old Town and is known for both its house beer and traditional Romanian cooking.
The menu brings together many local classics: tripe soup (around 20 lei), cabbage rolls with polenta (around 35 lei), pork knuckle with braised cabbage (around 55 lei), and mici, the skinless grilled sausages often served with mustard (around 6 lei each). The mood is lively and bohemian, with live traditional music on some evenings. Reviews frequently praise the generous cabbage rolls, while TasteAtlas has also highlighted the sarmale with polenta and the simple baked-apple dessert. Prices are geared toward visitors, but the painted, vaulted interior and the history of the place make the experience distinctive.
Hanul lui Manuc
Another Bucharest legend, Hanul lui Manuc is housed in an early-19th-century inn built in 1808, with a picturesque inner courtyard. Its menu combines authentic Romanian dishes with oriental influences that recall the inn’s past, while the architecture still evokes the atmosphere of a caravanserai.
The grilled mici are a popular choice, served with mustard, while sour soups such as ciorbă de potroace or fish soup are also well regarded. For a main course, try the mutton pastrami with polenta and garlic sauce. Expect mid-range to higher prices: roughly 40 lei for a portion of mici and around 120 lei for a traditional platter for two. Hanul lui Manuc is especially worth visiting for its historical setting and cool courtyard terrace in summer.
Lacrimi și Sfinți
Opened in the Old Town by poet Mircea Dinescu, Lacrimi și Sfinți offers contemporary Romanian cooking built around recipes more than a century old. The kitchen gives them a modern twist and favours local and organic ingredients, including vegetables from its own farm and meat sourced from small producers. The rustic-chic dining room is decorated with traditional objects.
Soups cost around 20 lei and main courses are generally around 50–60 lei. Depending on the season, the menu may include rooster aspic, Moldavian meat patties, Transylvanian goulash, roasted duck with cabbage, and courgette patties. Desserts reinterpret familiar favourites, such as deconstructed papanași or pumpkin pie in delicate pastry. It is a good choice for anyone who wants Romanian tradition served with imagination.
Zexe Zahana
Part of the Zexe group, this zahana—an old term for a restaurant specialising in roasted meat, especially lamb or mutton—brings the aristocratic cooking of interwar Romania into the present. The group has several locations in Bucharest, including in the Icoanei and Aviatorilor areas.
The menu revives dishes that are now rarely found elsewhere: mutton chops, venison, goose sarmale wrapped in vine leaves, rooster aspic, babic sausage and pastrami, many inspired by recipes collected around 1900. Main courses generally cost around 60–90 lei. The atmosphere combines the elegance of old restaurants with modern comfort. House desserts—such as the lemon-layered Albă ca Zăpada cake—are also drawn from traditional cookbooks.
Soro Lume
In the Iancului area, chef Mihai Toader, known to Romanian audiences from MasterChef, explores what he calls the new Romanian cuisine. The compact menu changes frequently and focuses on seasonal ingredients and reworked rural recipes.
An autumn menu, for example, might feature porcini soup with tarragon, chicken terrine with horseradish, or cabbage stuffed with duck confit. Prices are moderate for this style of dining: around 35 lei for a starter, 55 lei for a main course and 25 lei for dessert. A tasting menu with wine pairing is also available at times. The intimate interior blends rustic and contemporary details, and the cooking aims to bring the flavour of the countryside into a fine-dining format without unnecessary formality.
Mahala
Close to Bragadiru Palace, Mahala is a restaurant and lounge where chef Sorin Cucu combines traditional and contemporary ideas. Classic dishes such as tripe soup and sarmale share the menu with modern plates including turbot with black truffles or duck with cabbage and orange emulsion.
Main courses are generally in the 60–80 lei range. The eclectic interior mixes old photographs with modern neon, reimagining the atmosphere of Bucharest’s historic neighbourhoods. Guests often praise the careful presentation and balanced flavours. Mahala offers a culinary journey from old-style Romanian tavern food to present-day fine dining while keeping a clear connection to local roots.
This article is an English translation and adaptation of the original Romanian guide on Lista Scurtă. Read the Romanian version.
