Sarmale, mici and papanași: Bucharest on a plate

About Sarmale, mici and papanași: Bucharest on a plate

By the ULTIMATE Bucharest Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Romanian food is hearty and generous, shaped by the countryside and by centuries of neighbours, from the Ottomans to Central Europe. In Bucharest you can eat it in old beer halls, garden restaurants and modern bistros.

Ciorbă

Ciorbă is the sour soup that begins many Romanian meals, soured with borș (fermented bran) or lemon. Try ciorbă de burtă, tripe soup with sour cream and garlic, or ciorbă de perișoare, with meatballs.

Sarmale and mămăligă

Sarmale, cabbage or vine leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice, slow-cooked and served with mămăligă (polenta) and sour cream, are the national dish, eaten especially at Christmas.

No Romanian meal is complete without a sour soup.

Mici

Mici, or mititei, are small grilled sausages of minced meat with garlic and spices, eaten with mustard and bread, often with a beer at a market or garden restaurant.

Papanași

Papanași are fried doughnuts topped with sour cream and jam, the most popular Romanian dessert.

What to drink

Try țuică or pălincă, plum brandies, and Romanian wines from grapes such as Fetească Neagră and Fetească Albă.

Our advice: start with ciorbă de burtă in a traditional restaurant, share sarmale and papanași, and have mici at Piața Obor. Portions are generous.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Sarmale, mici and papanași: Bucharest on a plate before you go.