Restaurants in Bucharest
Rustic eateries serve rich, meaty Romanian fare around Piata Romana square, while hip restaurants occupy the streets of Lipscani, where diners sit on minimalist chairs amid unusual artwork. The tree-lined boulevard Sos Kiseleff is home to gourmet restaurants like Casa Doina, set in a grand villa. For a snack during the day, try the small bakeries that stud the city. Restaurants are usually open until 12am, and a tip of 5-10% is expected.
La Mandragora
Classy fusion dining
Reservations are essential at La Mandragora, a smart, modern restaurant in a
renovated house. The menu is among Bucharest's most innovative, with dishes
like beef carpaccio with beetroot and pine-nut salad, or duck breast cooked
in Guinness ale. Save room for the homemade ice cream - green apple is a
favourite.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 6pm-midnight
Address
29, Strada Mendeleev, Bucharest
Telephone
+40 (0) 21 319 75 92
Casa Doina
Elegant Bucharest dining
Set amid the grand embassies of Bucharest's leafy north, Casa Doina is a
favourite among the city's elegant set. Smartly-dressed waiters serve a
modern take on Romanian cooking, from chicken filet stuffed with Roquefort,
to grilled duck liver. Diners book in advance for a table on the heated
garden terrace of this 18th-century Romanian villa.
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Opening Hours
Daily 12pm-12am
Address
4, Sos Kiseleff, Bucharest 011345
Telephone
+40 (0) 21 222 6717
Balthazar
Gourmet Asian fusion
Bucharest's top-notch Balthazar, near Piata Romana square, has candlelight
and cream-leather banquettes. Here affluent gourmets mix with visiting
A-list celebrities. The kitchen fuses French and Asian cooking, from duck
with mango sauce to salmon steamed in banana leaves, all served by attentive
waiters.
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Opening Hours
Daily 1pm-11.30pm
Address
2, Strada Dumbrava Rosie, Bucharest 020463
Telephone
+40 (0) 21 212 1460
Jaristea
Tastes of old Romania
Jaristea cooks up old-fashioned Romanian dishes. This popular restaurant near
Piata Romana square serves spicy soups, meat stews and Romanian polenta.
Inside are dark wooden furniture, woven rugs and stone walls covered with
pictures of a Bucharest long gone. Affluent locals and visitors book well in
advance for a table.
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Opening Hours
Daily 11am-12am
Address
50-52, Georgescu Street, Bucharest 040133
Telephone
+40 (0) 21 335 3338
Megosios
Fish prepared to order
Megosios serves fresh fish in a harbour-themed interior of blues and whites.
Bucharest's first Mediterranean restaurant when it opened in 2000, this
cheerful eatery, near Piata Universitatii, has quickly become a local
favourite. Guests select their fish from the display and tell the waiter how
they want it prepared.
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Opening Hours
Daily 12pm-12am
Address
29, Strada Jean Louis Calderon, Bucharest 020032
Telephone
+40 (0) 21 317 1355
Charme
Bright modern dining room
Charme serves simple, wholesome dishes. Friendly waiters deliver grilled
swordfish, fresh asparagus, and pasta with mushrooms to the backdrop of
smooth lounge music. The affluent young diners grab a spot on a sofa or
secure a swivel chair at the bar. This hip restaurant, in the Lipscani
district, also has a low-calorie menu for dieters.
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Opening Hours
Sun-Thu 11am-11pm; Fri & Sat 11am-12am
Address
12, Smardan Street, Bucharest 030075
Telephone
+40 (0) 21 311 19 22
Burebista Vanatoresc
Medieval temple to meat
Animal trophies and stuffed birds peer down from the walls at Burebista
Vanatoresc, as diners feast on dishes straight from the hunt. The menu
features bear paws and flame-grilled beef. The scent of barbeque hangs in
the air of the medieval-themed, wooden restaurant, near Piata Universitatii
square. Folk bands often accompany the feasting.
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Opening Hours
Daily 12pm-12am
Address
14, Strada Batistei, Bucharest 020934
Telephone
+40 (0) 21 211 8929
City Grill Centrul Istoric
Hearty cheap eats
One of a trusted chain of restaurants, City Grill Centrul Istoric in the
Lipscani area of Bucharest serves generous portions of wholesome food at
reasonable prices. The menu is a mix of Romanian specialities and Western
dishes, and includes everything from traditional zacusca (vegetable
relish) or Greek salad to steak with blue cheese sauce.
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Opening Hours
Daily 10am-12am
Address
12, Strada Lipscani, Bucharest
Telephone
+40 (0) 21 314 24 89
La Taifas
Cheerful Romanian bistro
La Taifas, near Calea Victoriei boulevard, serves an ever-changing menu of
simple Romanian dishes, including fresh rustic breads. Business types occupy
the cushioned seating areas at lunchtime. Live music attracts a cheerful
crowd in the evenings. The atmospheric eatery, decorated with onion domes
and rugs, fills up very quickly.
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Opening Hours
Daily 12pm-12am
Address
16, Strada Gheorghe Manu, Bucharest 010446
Telephone
+40 (0) 21 212 7788
