Central Romania is rich in diverse, flavorful ingredients and cultural influences, with many restaurants showcasing the culinary possibilities of the Transylvania region. Here are some suggestions for stops for great food, while in Transylvania.
Where: Town of Târgu Mureș
Address: Strada Scăricica 1
Telephone: (+4) 0725 510.511
Service: contemporary casual
Menu
At Petry Bistro all dishes are made from scratch from fresh, mostly local, ingredients. A nice selection of Petry Estate wines - obtained from Chardonnay, Fetească Regală, Muscat, Pinot Noir Rosé, Riesling or Traminer grapes - complements the menu.
Dishes worth trying at Petry Bistro:
Autumn’s Secret: lamb and cabbage
Lamb, white cabbage, onion, vegetable stock, apple, mangold, lovage-infused oil,
butter, cream, olive oil, garlic, fresh parsley, pepper, salt, thyme, sweet paprika.
Root and Smoke Terrine
smoked pork knuckle, potatoes, onion, demi-glace (rich brown sauce - carrot, beef, celery, mushrooms, thyme, salt, pepper),
pickled green tomatoes, white beans, red wine, vegetable stock, garlic, honey, butter, miso paste, anise, cinnamon,
fresh parsley, bay leaves, cumin, cloves, thyme, salt, pepper.
Grandma's Appetizer
Homemade sausage, dry-cured sirloin cap, dry-cured pork neck, homemade butter,
sourdough bread, garlic, pepper, salt, sweet paprika, herbs.
Fish and pasture
Catfish fillet, sheep's milk cheese polenta, polenta crunch,
homemade sourdough bread crumbs, yard-long bean, sea buckthorn
onion, olive oil, flour, butter, milk, pumpkin seeds, herbs, salt, pepper, microgreens, paprika.
Peach Rice Pudding
rice, peach cream, milk, apricot jam, cornmeal, sugar, whipped cream, eggs, honey, pumpkin seeds, prosecco foam, basil, cinnamon, vanilla.
Pava
Where: town of Odorheiu Secuiesc (29 miles east of Sighisoara)
Address: Strada Principală 215
Telephone: (+4) 0747 525.525
Menu
Service: contemporary casual
Dishes worth trying at Pava:
Soup:
Smoked pork knuckle and bean soup.
Beef cheek soup.
Main:
Smoked pork knuckle and potato served with creamy horseradish,
Beef cheek ragu braised slowly in beer, served with organic potatoes,
Matured beef fillet with potato dumplings and creamy wild mushroom sauce.
Dessert:
Cremsnit - home-made vanilla slice.
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Restaurant Castel - Kovács
Where: town of Sfantu Gheorghe (21 miles northeast of Brasov)
Address: Strada Lunca Oltului FN
Telephone: (+4) 0749 822.822
Menu
Service: contemporary casual
Local Chef Gábor Áron Kovács continues the tradition of offering authentic local dishes, started by his father - Mihály Kovács - 30 years ago. Mosts smoked meats served at the Castle come from the restaurant's own smoke-house. Most cheeses and meats, used as ingredients at Castel restaurant, are supplied by the nearby Kongo Farm.
Dishes worth trying at Restaurant Castel:
Soup:
Potato soup with smoked shank, flavored with taragon,
Rooster soup with home-made dumplings.
Main:
Grilled, Marinated Pork Shank served with stewed beans,
Beef tenderloin ragu with wild mushrooms and fresh thyme, served with creamy mashed potatoes,
Chicken stew with butter dumplings with butter and parsley and pickled cucumbers,
bear meat sausage (bear meat Mititei).
Dessert:
Pumpkin seed flour crepes, served with pure rose (flower) honey and roasted walnuts,
Hungarian poppy-sead bread pudding.
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Bistro de l'Arte
Where: Brasov Old Town
Address: Piața George Enescu 11 Bis
Telephone: (+4) 0720 535.566
Menu
Service: contemporary casual
Bistro de l'Arte features seasonal menus that highlight the cuisine of Southern Transylvania.
Ms. Oana Irina Coantă, chef and co-owner of Bistro de l'Arte:
"Soups and stews best define the Romanian cooking.
I cannot name a traditional Romanian dish that is not slowly cooked."
Dishes worth trying at Bistro de l'Arte:
Appetizer:
Bellow (kneaded) cheese polenta (Bulz),
topped with tomato and green garlic sauce and sour-cream,
Yellow wax beans, stewed with tomatoes, garlic, dill and, thyme, served with poached egg.
Soup:
Green Lettuce Soup, with fried bacon, egg and sour-cream,
Orach (saltbush) and potato soup,
Main:
Nettle purée with fried macaroni and cheese,
Bell peppers stuffed with seasoned ground meat and rice, cooked in tomato sauce,
Țușpais - zucchini, carrots and turnips, cooked with dill and sour cream or yogurt,
Topala - thick turkey meat (or mushrooms) stew with sour-cream and garlic sauce,
Home-made pasta with smoked bacon, wild garlic and, king oyster mushrooms, topped with local mature cheese.
Dessert:
Strawberry dumplings (Galuste cu capsune),
Steamed, farmers cheese doughnuts served with vanilla-flavored crumbs and sour-cream.
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Castel Daniel
Where: village
Tălișoara (37 miles north of Brasov / 54 miles east of Sighisoara)
Address: Strada Principală 215
Telephone: (+4) 0725 942.787
Menu
Service: contemporary casual
A 24-miles detour from the shortest route from Brasov to Sighisoara offers travelers the opportunity to discover a well-preserved late-1600s mansion and to try traditional Transylvanian dishes. All cheeses, cured meats and ingredients for dishes are locally sourced.
Dishes worth trying at Castel Daniel:
Appetizer:
Mixed, garden, greens with local buffalo mozzarella.
Soup:
Transylvanian Goulash soup with locally produced paprika,
Onion soup with cheese croutons.
Main:
Trout fillet with polenta gnocchi,
Home-made fresh tagliatellw with Transylvanian truffles,
Stewed sauerkraut and Oyster (tree) mushrooms,
Honey-glazed ham hock, served with Beluga ((black) lentil and carrot purée.
Dessert:
Red wine poached pears, served with chocolate truffles.
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GastroLab - Balvanyos
Where:
village Turia
(46 miles north of Brasov / 26 miles north of Sfantu Gheorghe)
Address: DN 11C, Km. 23 - Turia, Covasna county
Telephone: (+4) 0729 106.777
Menu
Service: contemporary casual
Dishes worth trying at GastroLab:
Appetizer:
Creamy Smoked Trout Pate,
Veal brains fried with seeds,
Langoş - cabbage-stuffed, fried, flat bread.
Soup:
Bean Goulash (BabGulyas) -
beef shortloin, pork shank, root vegetables, beans, home-made dumplings,
Wild mushroom soup,
Lentil and smoked meat soup.
Main:
Grilled wild trout, served with polenta and wid garlic sauce,
Oven-baked lamb with potato salad,
Venison meat stew, served with wild mushrooms and cheese polenta,
Game-meat, skinless, sausage, served with mustard and horseradish sauce.
Dessert:
Farmer's cheese dumplings, served with sourcream and appricot preserve,
Ișler - shortbread cookies, rich cream, baked quince and fir buds syrup.
GastroLab serves home-made bread, baked in restaurant's wood-fired oven.
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Casa de Ceai
Where: village Bran (19 miles southwest of Brasov / 32 miles north of Sinaia)
Address: Bran Castle,
Str. General Traian Moșoiu 24,
Telephone: (+4) 0749 121.120
Menu
Service: contemporary casual
Village Bran is a must-visit destination for visitors interested in medieval castles and Count Dracula legend and home to a great restaurant: Casa de Ceai a Reginei Maria. The menu features authentic Transylvania dishes and reflects, local, seasonal ingredients.
Dishes worth trying at Casa de Ceai:
Appetizer:
Spinach pie topped with local cheese sauce,
Toasted potato bread, topped with pork greaves and lard paste.
Soup:
Chicken borsch, flavored with lovage and fermented wheat bran juice,
Spinach egg drop soup.
Main:
Stewed gourmet mushrooms served on a bed of polenta,
Roasted local lamb shank, served with fried potatoes and lovage flavored mayonnaise sauce,
Beef goulash with white rice,
Pork loin with wild mushrooms sauce and polenta.
Dessert:
Deserul Principesei - apple tart w cloves and cinnamon vanilla sauce,
Gogosile Reginei Mama - yogurt dough and egg doughnuts, topped with sourcream and fruit preserve,
Deliciul Auriu - pumpkin cake with orange cream, sea buckthorn preserve, walnuts and cream.
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Viscri 32
Where: village Viscri (48 miles north of Brasov / 26 miles southeeast of Sighisoara)
Address: Strada Principala 32,
Telephone: (+4) 0755 084.084
Menu
Service: contemporary casual
Viscri is a quaint village, home to an UNESCO fortified church and a popular, short, detour for visitors traveling from Brasov to Sighisoara. Viscri 32 guesthouse ofers local dishes as well as home-made juices and lemonade.
Dishes worth trying at Viscri 32:
Soup:
Transylvanian cabbage soup with smoked pork -
a hearty soup with stew-like texture,
Cauliflower soup with aged local cheese and walnut
Main:
Papricas, a Transylvanian classic, free-range veal and peppers stew,
Cabbage stew, cooked with apples, nuts and wine and served with fried
potato patties and sour cream sauce.
Dessert:
Rhubarb tart with meringue topping,
Colivă de veselie - Pearl wheat porridge, cooked in milk,
served with caramelized sugar and elderflower preserve.
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