Romania Travel Guide

Romania — Food and Dining

Browse the Romania Photo Gallery

Cuisine

Romanian cuisine is a product of the influence of different cultures throughout the centuries - Greeks, Romans, Saxons, Turks and Slavic neighbors. Ingredients are always fresh and processed foods are virtually non existent. Most meals are served alongside a hearty bowl of fresh vegetable/pork/chicken soup. Cabbage is a culinary favorite and is often used in soups and salads. Breakfasts almost always include eggs, either soft-boiled, hard-boiled, fried or scrambled. Omelettes, filled with either cheese, ham or mushrooms are also frequently served.

Things to know: Vegetarians may have difficulties, as most local specialties are meat-based. Although there are inexpensive self-service snack bars, table service is the norm. There are no licensing hours.

National specialties:
• Soups: Ciorba de perisoare (soup with meatballs), ciorba tãrãneascã (vegetable soup with meat and rice balls served with sour cream), giblet soup and a variety of fish soups.
• Moldavian parjoale (flat meat patties, highly spiced and served with garnishes).
• Mamaliga (a staple of mashed cornmeal).
• Nisetru la gratar (grilled Black Sea sturgeon).
• Pasca (a sweet cheesecake).

National drinks:
• Tuicã (plum brandy) and Tuicã de Bihor (strong brandy, generally known as palinca).
• Wines: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay from the Murfatlar vineyards; Grasa and Feteasa from Moldavia's Cotnari vineyards.
• Sparkling wines.
• Glühwein (mulled wine).

Legal drinking age: The legal age for drinking in a bar is 18.

Tipping: A 5 to 10% tip is customary in restaurants.

Nightlife

Bucharest has a growing number of nightclubs with entertainment and live dancing. Restaurants at most major hotels double as nightclubs and there are also several Parisian-style cafes. Two casinos operate in the Calea Victoriei. Opera is performed at the Romanian Opera House and the Romanian Athenaeum has two symphony orchestras. Folk entertainment is performed at the Rapsodia Romana Artistic Ensemble Hall and there are a number of theaters.