From smoky mici and slow-cooked sarmale to native grape wines you won't find outside the country, here's a practical guide to eating and drinking well in Romania.
Why Romanian Food Deserves More Attention
Romanian cooking sits at a crossroads of Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and Slavic influence, but it has its own clear identity: sour soups, slow-braised meats, good bread, and a fondness for dill, paprika and garlic. Add a wine tradition that predates Roman rule and you have a food culture that rewards curiosity far more than its reputation suggests.
This guide covers the dishes worth ordering, the regional differences that make travelling here interesting, and the wines to look for on a menu, plus a seasonal event in Transylvania that's worth timing a trip around.
The Dishes to Order First
Start with sarmale, cabbage or vine leaves rolled around minced pork and rice, simmered for hours and served with polenta and a dollop of sour cream. It's the closest thing Romania has to a national dish, and it improves with age, so a restaurant serving reheated sarmale from the day before isn't cutting corners, it's doing it properly.
Mici (sometimes called mititei) are skinless grilled sausages of mixed minced meat, heavily seasoned with garlic, and best eaten from a grill stall with mustard and a cold beer. Ciorbă refers to any soured soup, usually with vinegar or fermented wheat bran (borș); the tripe version, ciorbă de burtă, and the Rădăuți chicken soup thickened with sour cream and garlic are both worth seeking out.
Mămăligă, a firm polenta, turns up everywhere as a side, but also as the base of bulz, baked with cheese and sometimes bacon until it forms a crust. For dessert, papanași are fried or poached dough rounds topped with sour cream and jam, richer than they sound and usually enough for two.
Don't overlook zacuscă, a slow-cooked spread of roasted peppers, aubergine and tomato, traditionally put up in jars each autumn. Good versions, often homemade, make a better souvenir than most things sold in gift shops.
Regional Differences Worth Knowing
Transylvania's food carries a Saxon and Hungarian stamp, with goulash-style stews, cured meats and excellent cheese, particularly around Bran and the Rucăr-Bran corridor, where mountain pastures still support small-scale sheep farming.
In Moldova, to the northeast, fish-based borș and plum brandy dominate, while Oltenia in the south leans spicier, with garlic and chilli used more freely. Along the Black Sea coast in Dobrogea, Turkish and Tatar influence shows in the fish dishes and in a lighter, more herb-forward style of cooking.
If you're travelling between regions, it's worth eating at family-run guesthouses (pensiuni) rather than only in city restaurants. The cooking tends to be more honest, ingredients are local, and portions are generous.
Romanian Wine: An Overlooked Tradition
Romania has been making wine for roughly three thousand years, longer than most of Western Europe, and it remains one of the largest wine-producing countries on the continent, though little of it is exported. That's changing slowly, but the best way to try it properly is still on the ground.
Look for native grapes rather than international ones. Fetească Neagră is a dark, full-bodied red worth pairing with sarmale or grilled meats. Fetească Albă and Fetească Regală produce crisp, aromatic whites, while Tămâioasă Românească is a fragrant, slightly floral white that works well with dessert.
Key regions include Dealu Mare, north of Bucharest, known for structured reds; Cotnari in Moldova, home to a historic sweet white made from the Grasă de Cotnari grape; Murfatlar near the Black Sea coast, producing both reds and aromatic whites in a warmer climate; and Târnave in Transylvania, whose cooler conditions suit crisp, mineral whites. Several cellars in these regions offer tastings, and a day trip from Bucharest or Brașov built around one or two wineries is an easy way to understand the range on offer.
For something stronger, try țuică, a plum brandy served as an aperitif across the country, or palincă, a more potent fruit spirit particularly associated with Transylvania and Maramureș. Both are often homemade and vary enormously in strength and quality, so ask before you accept a second glass.
A Good Time to Visit: The Bran Sheep Herding Festival
Every September, the villages around Bran and Moeciu mark the return of sheep from high mountain pastures with the Sâmbra Oilor, or Sheep Herding Festival, usually held over a weekend in mid to late September. Shepherds in traditional dress bring flocks down through the valley, and the event doubles as a showcase for local food: fresh telemea cheese, brânză de burduf aged in fir bark, and lamb dishes cooked outdoors over open fires.
It's a genuinely local occasion rather than a staged one for visitors, and it's one of the better times to understand how closely food, land and tradition are tied together in this part of Transylvania. If you're staying in the area, a Jet Crust property near Bran puts you within easy reach of both the festival and the wider Rucăr-Bran corridor, with its cheese producers and mountain trails.
Practical Tips for Eating and Drinking Well
Markets are worth a visit even if you're not cooking. Look for fresh telemea, smoked cheese, honey and homemade preserves, all of which travel reasonably well.
In cities, older restaurants in historic centres, such as Bucharest's Old Town or Brașov's Council Square, tend to serve reliable, traditional menus, though it's worth asking locals for a current recommendation since turnover is high.
When ordering wine, don't assume a familiar grape name means a familiar style; Romanian versions of Pinot Noir or Chardonnay are grown in different soils and climates and often taste distinct. Asking for a native variety instead is usually the more rewarding choice, and staff are generally happy to guide you if you say you're unfamiliar with the options.
Further reading
Frequently asked questions
What is the most typical Romanian dish to try first?
Sarmale, cabbage rolls filled with minced pork and rice and served with polenta and sour cream, is the closest thing to a national dish and a reliable starting point anywhere in the country.
Which Romanian wines should I look for on a menu?
Seek out native grapes such as Fetească Neagră for reds and Fetească Albă, Fetească Regală or Tămâioasă Românească for whites, rather than international varieties, since they show the country's wine character more clearly.
Is Romanian food spicy?
Generally no, though Oltenia in the south uses more garlic and chilli than other regions. Most dishes rely on paprika, dill and sour flavours rather than heat.
When is the Bran Sheep Herding Festival held?
It typically takes place over a weekend in mid to late September, when shepherds bring flocks down from mountain pastures near Bran and Moeciu, with local cheese and lamb dishes served alongside the traditional customs.
What's the difference between țuică and palincă?
Țuică is a plum brandy served widely across Romania as an aperitif, while palincă is a stronger fruit spirit, particularly associated with Transylvania and Maramureș, and often homemade to varying strengths.
Are Romanian wines widely available outside the country?
Not yet in most markets, which makes tasting them locally, either at wineries in regions like Dealu Mare or Cotnari, or on restaurant menus, one of the better reasons to explore Romanian wine while travelling.