9 Best Restaurants in Bucharest, Romania

Background Illustration for Restaurants

New restaurants serving a diversity of cuisines open in Bucharest almost daily and fast-food chains have invaded the capital. But be sure to sample Romanian cuisine while you're here. Except for at the most upscale places, some of which are well worth trying, prices are inexpensive by Western standards. Check your bill for the correct price and number of dishes. No-smoking sections are virtually nonexistent.

Cantina Verde

$$ Fodor's choice

As fine an Italian restaurant as you'll find in Bucharest, the Cantina Verde's mission is to present a modern, farm-to-table Italian cuisine with an emphasis on homemade (pasta is made by hand on the premises) and fresh. If you're having trouble choosing, go for the seafood of the day—fresh marinated sardines, filet of sole in a mild lemon butter and caper sauce, pasta with spicy mussels—a house specialty. The spacious garden terrace overflowing with greenery and flowers is a big bonus in the warmer months.

L'Atelier

$$$ Fodor's choice

This elegant restaurant in the beautiful 1900-era Epoque Hotel is a welcome oasis of calm and sophistication in busy Bucharest. Set in a luminous, half-round dining room, complete with crystal and white linens, the thoughtful French-inspired cuisine focuses on fresh, market driven dishes that are sophisticated without being pretentious: duck parmentier perfumed with fresh herbs, roasted sea bass and vegetable risotto, warm lentils and bacon with flecks of black-truffle, followed by a heavenly light mille feuille or caramel crème brulée. A good wine list rounds out an excellent meal.

Le Boutique - Food Concept Store

$$$$ Fodor's choice

A sleek, contemporary atmosphere, friendly and attentive service, good music, and top-notch French and European-inflected food with an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients all culminate in one of Bucharest's best dining spots. For lunch choose from a selection of beautifully presented soups and salads; and for dinner dishes like tender duck breast with fresh vegetables, lamb cutlets with rosemary and garlic roasted potatoes, and superb gourmet pizzas with a range of imaginative toppings are served by candlelight. Desserts—chocolate mousse or bourbon vanilla soufflé with apricot jam—are not to be resisted. A top-notch wine and drinks list and very good coffee are just icing on the cake.

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Bistro La Taifas

$$

This lively down-home bistro's popularity is due in part to tasty Romanian dishes made with whatever is freshest in the market that day: pork stew with root vegetables, lemon chicken with bright, crisp broccoli, and a copious olive, tomato, and feta-laden Greek salad. The other part of its popularity? It's one of a handful of Bucharest restaurants with a designated non-smoking area.

Café Athenee

$$

This stylish European café in the Hilton Athenee sits right on Revolution Square in downtown Bucharest. It's a popular daytime snack or lunch spot for hotel guests and locals alike for the variety of sophisticated pastries and hot beverages, an appealing brunch menu, and plenty of wines by the glass. At night, out come the candles and the atmosphere shifts to loungy and louche: a DJ spins, and the champagne flows.

Casa Doina

$$$$

This elegant 19th-century villa turned restaurant houses two dining salons, one of which is open to the outdoors on three sides in warm weather. The menu combines high-end Continental cuisine, along with Romanian specialties like sarmale cu mămăligă (cabbage rolls with polenta). Tables are mostly filled with tourists, expats, and well-heeled locals out for a special night.

Casa Veche

$

This Italian place first introduced Bucharest residents to pizzas cooked in a wood-burning oven several years ago. And it’s still top-notch. The breezy terrace, complete with miniature fountain, might be the most relaxing place in town to kick back for some pizza and a beer. It tends to fill up fast, so come slightly ahead of meal times to secure a table.

Count Dracula Club

$$$

At this unique restaurant, each carefully chosen item—from service plates to wall decorations—somehow relates to the fictional Dracula or the 15th-century prince Vlad Ţepeş. Several times each week, the count rises from his cellar coffin to wander, candelabrum in hand, among his guests. The menu highlights well-done Transylvanian and wild game dishes. Not surprisingly, this is a popular spot for visitors.

La Mama

$

Part of a locally owned chain, La Mama is a great choice for an easy-in, easy-out meal if you’re not looking for a big production and are short on time or cash. The menu includes an ample range of pork and chicken staples, Romanian treats like sarmale, and decent soups and salads. Lunches are popular with the local office crowd.

Not finding what you're looking for?

We've got a few suggestions for nearby spots.
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Casa Comana Restaurant18.3 miles away

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