Restaurants in Transylvania

Our Transylvania Restaurant Guide below tells you all about the food you will encounter whilst in Transylvania. So, after a fun day of sightseeing or shopping in Transylvania, relax in beautiful surroundings and taste a variety of dishes from the restaurant of your choice. You should also take a look at our Romania Restaurant Guide for more information on the food and cuisine of this fascinating country.

Food & Cuisine in Transylvania

The food found in Transylvania is wholesome and nourishing. The diet usually includes thick vegetable soups, meat stews and customary dishes such as cabbage stuffed with rice, and pancakes with cheese and raisins. Herring and carp are popular. Home made wines and the ‘tuica' (plum brandy) are also produced in Romania.

The major cities also have international restaurants which serve Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Italian, Greek, Turkish or French food. Global fast food giants like McDonalds and KFC are also present in Romania. These outlets are considered mid to high end restaurants in Transylvania and you will find the cleanliness and quality of food served here far better than what is served in more developed countries.

Ketchup is not used in Transylvania because the local people prefer traditional region-specific sauces made out of pimento, onion and roasted flour. Fat is used in place of cooking oil.

Pork is the favoured meat in this region. The residents do not eat fish since fishing is not possible in the rivers in Transylvania. However, both vegetables and meat are commonly used in local dishes.

Transylvanian Soup

Transylvanian soup, renowned throughout Romania, is made with green peas, white ham, green garlic, parsley and tomatoes. For an authentic experience, you must savour this soup with a wooden spoon. Borsch (a vegetable soup), which is a preferred dish in Muntenia, is not such a favourite in Transylvania. Transylvanian people prefer pork, lamb or beef soups flavoured with vinegar or tartaric acid. Smoked bacon, sausage and tarragon are also added to enhance the taste of soups.

Cabbage a la cluj

You must try the cabbage a la cluj served during your visit to Transylvania. It is as well known as the Moldavian sarmale (meat rolls in vine leaves) or the Oltenian sausages (beef and pork mixed with garlic, pepper, salt and then stuffed into sheep gut and smoked for two hours). It is a delicious baked dish made with cabbage mixed with minced meat and light spices, served with sour cream. Usually, a few slices of bacon and mushrooms are fried on the side and then added to the meat. The dish is then served with polenta (made from boiled corn meal) and sour cream. You could not ask for a better feast.

Street Food in Transylvania

Romanian street food consists of chocolate, cheese, apple and strawberry doughnuts and pretzels. There are special places that make pretzels called "Simigerii" (singular: simigerie or mititei). Try the kebab, shawarma, or souflaki if you want non-Romanian food. "Drob" is a special dish made during Easter. It is shaped like a cake and filled with fresh green vegetables and the insides of lamb. Lamb is also the traditional Easter food in Transylvania.

Typical Romanian Cuisine

The main dishes of Romania include the following:

Sarmale - meat cooked in wine or cabbage leaves

Mici - a traditional Romanian dish made of grilled meat (minced) rolls flavoured with spices and served with mustard and beer.

Ciorba de Burta - soup made from the cow's stomach (tripe).

Bulz - a dish found only in Transylvania, made of cheese with polenta (dish made of boiled corn meal).

Papanasi - a traditional dessert in Transylvania made of cheese dumplings rolled in breadcrumbs and sugar. Absolutely delicious!

Eating & Drinking in Brasov

Brasov has a good selection of places to eat and drink, with excellent restaurants in the main hotels, mostly with spoken English personnel.

The cafes around Piata Sfatului serve a wide range of cakes and buns, and terraces enable clients to watch the comings and goings on this lively square. The best are the opium bar (Str. Republicii nr. 2) and Casata (Piata Sfatului, nr. 13).

In addition, Brasov´s kiosks sell what is certainly the best apple strudel in Romania.

In what concerns drinking, Romanians are considered the greatest eastern European beer drinkers. The Gropa cu Bere (The Beer Hollow) is a friendly and cheap place for having a good beer.

Eating & Drinking in Sighisoara

The restaurants in the Casa cu Cerb and Sighisoara hotels are the best dining options in the citadel. La Strada have good pizzas and outdoor seating.

For drinking, try the Crama, a little locals´ bar. The Culture Pub in the basement of the Burg Hostel has live music and stays open until late at night.

No Limits, beneath the clock tower, is the most central club.