The Ultimate Guide to Traditional Romanian Food

The Ultimate Guide to Traditional Romanian Food – And Where to Find it in Bucharest

Part of the joy of travelling is experiencing new cultures. And food is a huge part of a country’s culture and heritage. What better way to learn about an area than by eating loads of amazing, exotic, local foods?! Having visited Romania many times, we have managed to get a good idea of the different types of cuisine available. We have put together a list of the very best, traditional, Romanian food! We have also included our recommended restaurants for you to sample these delicacies on your visit to Romania.

Traditional Romanian Food

Traditional Romanian food is usually made up of lots and lots of meat. However, there are more vegetarian and vegan options available in many great restaurants. The traditional dishes have influences from across the Balkans, Germany and Turkey. It is heavy food, and not particularly healthy, but delicious, warming and filling.

Most traditional dishes come from rural areas where people are hard workers and the weather is extreme. This goes part way to explaining the high calorie dishes that use everything available to villagers.

Traditional Romanian Food – Mici

Mici are traditional Romanian skinless sausages. They are generally included at pretty much every barbeque held in Romania. They are very delicious. Mici are similar to Cevapi that is found in other parts of the Balkans.

Mici can be found all over Romania, often in street food outlets. However, we would recommend trying the ones from Terasa Obor, a small, unassuming restaurant in Bucharest. A portion of mici with mustard and a cold beer is hard to beat.

Strada Oborul Nou, București, Romania

Or

Strada Ziduri Moși 4, București 077085, Romania

Sarmale

This intense stuffed cabbage dish will heat you up on a cold day and keep you full for hours! The cabbage leaves are stuffed with a mix of rice and pork served with a helping of polenta. We recommend enjoying Sarmale in the beautiful surroundings of Caru’ cu Bere in the heart of Bucharest. If you time your visit well, you might also be treated to some incredible live music.

Strada Stavropoleos 5, București 030081, Romania

Traditional Romanian Food – Ciorba de Burta (Tripe soup)

Visiting Romania in the cooler months? This delicious soup will warm you up! Ciorba de burta is as tasty as it is filling and has been part of Romanian culture for hundreds of years. This soup’s origins are in rural parts of the country where life was hard and nothing was wasted. Just don’t think too much about the ingredients…

You can enjoy a warming bowl of Ciorba de burta in Ciorbarie where they specialise in traditional soups and delicious bread. The perfect place to go on a cold day in Bucharest.

Calea Dorobanți 73, București 400609, Romania

Sausage Stew

Stew is a popular dish across Europe. It is simple to make and uses up ingredients that are easily available. One of the best traditional Romanian foods we tried was sausage stew. It was so tasty and warm and kept us full for hours, even before a long hike in the mountains.

A great place to try Romanian sausage stew in Bucharest is La Mama restaurant, near the Athenium.

Strada Episcopiei 9, București 030167, Romania

Mămăligă 

This is a great option for veggies or vegans to try traditional Romanian food. Mămăligă can also be known as polenta in other parts of the world. However, the Romanian version seems to be extra delicious. It is often included as part of a stew or as a side dish as a bread or potato substitute. Mămăligă can also be served with sour cream and jam for breakfast or served with bacon, fried egg and sausages.

Occasionally it can be found as a main dish served with cheese and vegetables. We had some yummy Mămăligă in Vatra Restaurant in Bucharest. It is a great place to find lots of traditional Romanian food.

Strada Ion Brezoianu 19, București 010131, Romania

Traditional Romanian Food – Pickles

At the end of the summer, Romanians will begin storing their supplies for the long, cold winter. The best way to do this is to pickle the produce. Many different pickles are found across the country, particularly pickled cucumber and cabbage.

Picked vegetables can also often be used as a side dish in many restaurants. We enjoyed a portion of traditional sausages and pickled cabbage with dill at Cerbul Carpatin Watford in Bucharest.

Strada Nicolae Iorga 19, București, Romania

Traditional Romanian Food – Papanasi

If you like your food sweet and stodgy then papanasi is for you. It is pronounced Papanash by-the-way – we learned the hard way… Similar to a western donut, the fried dough comes filled with a sweet cream cheese and topped with a delicious fruit jam.

The thought of a cheesy donut didn’t instantly appeal but we decided it was surely our duty to try it out. This was a good move! The soft, sweet dough was still warm when served and the cheese and jam contrasted beautifully. We were served with two donuts as one portion so make sure you save space for this incredible desert.

The best Papanasi we have had in Bucharest, to date, was at Thalia Victoriei. There is also a nice terrace to enjoy in the warmer months.

Strada Sevastopol 8, București 010992, Romania

Romanian Palinka

This potent, fermented fruit drink originates in the north and Transylvania around the Carpathian Mountains. It is a stronger version of ţuică – Romanian plum brandy. Often home-made, the alcohol content ranges from 40-55% so be warned! Palinka is available in most restaurants and bars in Romania.

It is particularly popular in mountain towns such as Sinaia – around 1.5 hours from Bucharest. We stopped for a quick refreshment before a hike in the Mountains. It definitely helped to propel us up the slopes!

Eclairs

This is a bonus food we would like to include. Although not a traditional Romanian food, eclairs are popular around the country. Bucharest is often known as “Little Paris” or “The Paris of the East” so there are several French influences throughout the city. The éclair is definitely one of the tastiest!

Don’t miss the little bakery called French Revolution. There are four outlets in Bucharest and they specialise uniquely in eclairs, providing options on every flavour you could imagine! Our favourites are pistachio, cherry, coconut, amaretto, white chocolate, Black Forrest Gateaux… Their coffee is pretty nice too, what a combination! Below are the two of the more central locations.

Strada Constantin Esarcu 1, București 030167, Romania

Bulevardul Aviatorilor 8A, București 011852, Romania

Traditional Romanian Food

Romania is not particularly well known for its cuisine. However, most people are often pleasantly surprised at how delicious traditional Romanian food can be. Each time we visit, we try more of the amazing restaurants and dishes available in Bucharest and across the country. We would definitely recommend giving it a go!

Some Practical Tips for Your Trip

Bucharest is a bustling city with so much to offer. Here are a few practical tips for your visit.

The local currency is Romanian Leu. 1 RON equals about €0.20.

Romanian is the official language spoken throughout the country. It is of Latin origin so if you have knowledge of any of the romance languages, you might recognise a few words. Here are some phrases for you to try out.

Hello – “Salut.” (sah-LOOT)

Please – “Vă rog” (vuh ROHG)

Thank you – “Mulţumesc” (mool-tzoo-MESK). “Mersi” is also popularly used.

Yes – “Da” (DAH)

No – “Nu” (NOO)

Goodbye – “La revedere” (lah reh-veh-DEH-reh)

The weather is hot in the summer (above 30°C) and cold in the winter (below -10°C in the mountains). Spring and autumn temperatures are really pleasant.

The best time to go is probably spring or autumn to avoid the extreme temperatures. Most attractions are open all year round. There aren’t big crowds during the peak tourist seasons but it can get busier with locals during holidays.

There is one airport in Bucharest and flights from other European countries are quick and cheap.

Things to Watch Out For

Taxi scams – safest to use an Uber or take the bus.

Stag parties – cheap beer can attract Stag dos and loutish behaviour. There are plenty of amazing bars and restaurants in the city so it’s easy to avoid them.

Traffic – the traffic in Bucharest is intense and has led to poor air quality. Try to stay off the main boulevards for some fresher air.

More Info

Click here for BUCHAREST TOURIST INFO

Click here for ROMANIAN TOURIST INFO

What next?

Inspired by Balkan food and drink? Take a look at our other posts HERE and try a few of the delicious recipes.

Maybe you’re thinking of a trip to Romania to try some hearty cuisine? Check out our SURPRISING THINGS TO DO IN BUCHAREST page for loads of information on the area.

Have you tried any of these dishes? Let us know by dropping a comment in the box. We would love to hear from you!

Short on time? Save “The Ultimate Guide to Traditional Romanian Food” for later by pinning the image below.