3 Best Restaurants in Romania

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.

The smaller of the Brasov's two La Ceaun, this one is for quick bites and the other, just around the corner at Strada Republicii 17, is for more substantial meals. The menu majors on soups and stews, served with pillowy house-made bread. There's a menu for each day of the week. For instance, on Monday, you can tuck into cabbage soup with bacon; on Tuesday its potato soup with tarragon; and on Saturday Papricas de pui cu galuste, a hearty pork and paprika concoction.

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.