8 Best Restaurants in Romania

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.

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.

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.

The homey-rustic interior here complements the restaurant's toothsome pizzas and fresh dishes like grilled sardines, vegetable skewers, and Tagliatelle with tomatoes and basil. Sit outside on the patio and toast to your vacation with a crisp glass of Rose Frizzante and a thick slice of tiramisu.

Right on the Danube River and with plenty of terrace seating, Perla is a relaxing place to tuck into fresh fish while watching the boats go by. The food is simple but good—grilled salmon is served with boiled potatoes and carrots, grilled sardines with a side of mămăliga (similar to polenta), and if you don't like fish, there are a few other dishes, such as spaghetti Bolognese.

Don't be fooled by its name—pizza is not what's served here—but this popular gastropub does have an extensive menu, utilizing seasonal produce whenever possible. You'll find seafood dishes such as carp fillet in brine served with mămăligă (similar to polenta), grilled house-made sausages, and spinach cream soup with bacon. A bounty of vegetarian options there are not, but there are a few, which might include: grilled vegetables with garlic toast; polenta with cheese, sour cream, and eggs; and broccoli in garlic butter.

It's not Mykonos, but in this small Romanian town, the whitewashed covered terrace with blue accents is a nice slice of Mediterranean life. The menu really caters to all tastes, with lots of seafood like crispy fried anchovies and grilled sardines, pizza, pasta, toothsome mezze like fresh feta, tzatziki, and briney olives, and, of course, salads. For dessert, don't miss portokalopita, a tangy, crunchy cake made of phyllo dough, Greek yogurt, oranges, and olive oil.

There are more than 500 wines to choose from here, and the restaurant's sommelier is on hand to help. The food menu is as short as the wine list is long, with a handful of starters, salads, burgers, and four big mains—surf-and-turf, a steak, pork ribs, and salmon. There's little for vegetarians, but the sandwiches and salads can all be made meat free. If you're coming by for a post-sightseeing bottle, pair it with the cheese or meat board.

Although this restaurant's focus is on wine, it's non-smoking and friendly enough for older children, especially at lunch.