Restaurants

Romania offers some top-class restaurants across the country, not just in the capital city of Bucharest. Some of these restaurants offer traditional Romanian dishes that incorporate fresh, organic produce into relatively uncomplicated but delicious meals. Many dishes use pork, paired with a staple like polenta (mămăligă), potatoes or cabbage with influences from Turkish, Hungarian, German and Slavic cuisine. Here are our top picks:

Since the opening of the restaurant in the historical center of Timisoara in June 2014, Caruso serves excellent international and modern Romanian cuisine that puts a 21st-century spin on old favorites, The restaurant also offers a tasting menu of authentic Romanian dishes including a polenta dish known as Scofala; a traditional soup made from chicken and sauerkraut juice; pork steak with beans; lamb stew; cabbage rolls known as Sarmale, with each course matched with a wine. The restaurant offers elegant luxury, a good wine list, and easy parking

Caruso, Timisoara

Roata, Cluj-Napoca

Off the beaten track, Roata offers authentic Transylvanian cuisine that may be the best you taste in Romania. There is a vine-covered trellis outdoors where you can enjoy roasted pork ribs and other international dishes or choose the Transylvanian platter with very generous portions of homemade sausages, meatballs, sheep's cheese, aubergine stew. It is wise to book a table in advance as it can get busy.

Crama Veche, Bistrita

Feast like a king in this stone-floored rustic restaurant in Bistrita located in the park in the town center. The walls are covered with guild regalia, and there is subdued lighting beneath low-slung beams of this village tavern-style restaurant. Here you find traditional music played each evening whilst enjoying the region's specialties and beverages. There is the Peasants Hall, Merchants Hall and the Terrace on which you can enjoy your food.

Lacrimi și Sfinți, Bucharest

Located on Șepcari 16, Centrul Vechii in the capital city of Bucharest, the philosophy of this restaurant is based on sustainability, innovation, and tradition. All ingredients used for the dishes are local and seasonal and have been raised and cultivated organically. With some innovation on traditional dishes, with ingredients that may seem incompatible, and from reinterpreting old recipes in a totally new manner, with new techniques.

Artist, Bucharest

Located in a restored, eclectic 1880s villa on posh Calea Victoriei near P-ta Victoriei, this is the top fine-dining locale in Bucharest thanks to chef Paul Oppenkamp and his approach to modern cuisine, peppered with Romanian influences for a surprising number of combinations of textures and flavors. Inspired by world cuisine, influenced by Romanian traditions and driven by innovation, the menu is updated every season using the highest quality ingredients.

Domnesc, Curtea de Arges

This clean and modern restaurant, with a large terrace, offers traditional food, featuring dishes from the surrounding Argeş region. The restaurant is located close to the tourist of the Biserica Domneasca and Curtea Domneasca. It also offers pizza and pasta dishes in a bar and lounge-style seating as well as the open outside terrace. Their Argesean menu is offered every Thursday.

Basa Fogadó, Gheorgheni

Fifteen kilometers west of Gheorgheni on the Gheorgheni–Sovata road is Basa Fogadó, marked with a giant roadside knife and fork. The inn was established in 1897, this establishment is well worth a trip for its chicken stew, bacon-wrapped garlic pork and green pea soup and other dishes with Hungarian, Romanian and European influences. Best to book ahead to eat traditional Szekler food served by friendly staff dressed in traditional local suits.

Homemade, Timisoara

Push your way through the unmarked doorway into what looks like someone's living room, with dark-green walls and antique rugs on parquet floors. Homemade feels like a well-kept secret. You are bound to find your perfect seat in one of the four rooms, all tastefully decorated. The quality of the food is consistently good, making it perfect for business lunches as well as family meals.

Ivan Pescar, Tulcea

An awesome fish restaurant on Tulcea's Danube port offers both freshwater and sea fish menu items. Expect very good traditional fish soup, as well as grilled fish and various stews and concoctions, pairing river species in appetizing recipes. The restaurant is warmly welcoming, with good service and communal tables to share. Of course after you enjoyed the amazing restaurants you can check the night clubs - come on!