Romanian Food, Region by Region

Romanian cooking is the product of a history at the crossroads of influences — Balkan, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, Slavic — filtered through a strong rural tradition. Far from uniform, it varies noticeably from one region to another.

National dishes

A few dishes are found everywhere and define the cuisine:

• Sarmale — cabbage or vine leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice, slow-cooked; the festive dish par excellence.
• Ciorbe — sour soups (with borș, sauerkraut juice or lovage), from tripe soup to ciorba rădăuțeană.
• Mici (mititei) — grilled rolls of spiced meat; the king of the summer table.
• Mămăliga — cooked cornmeal, accompanying many dishes, often with cheese and sour cream.
• Papanași — the emblematic dessert: sweet-cheese doughnuts with sour cream and jam.

The regions

Transylvania and Banat

Central-European influence: creamy soups, stews, goulash, cakes and a rich tradition of sausages and smoked meats. The Banat has a more "Austrian" cuisine and good bread.

Moldavia (north-east)

The home of "zeamă" (a clear broth), of pies and of herb-rich dishes. The festive cozonac (sweet bread) is emblematic here.

The Danube Delta and Dobruja

The kingdom of fish: fisherman's soup, carp saramură, sturgeon soup, plachie. Dobruja also has Turkish and Tatar influences (pies, baklava).

The mountains (the Carpathians)

The land of cheeses: smoked cașcaval, brânză de burduf, telemea, urdă, often made by shepherds at the sheepfold. Bulz (polenta with cheese and egg) is mountain food.

The south (Wallachia, Oltenia)

A region of vegetables and stews, with dishes like tochitura and Balkan influences. Oltenia has spicy dishes and plenty of garlic.

Drinks

• Țuica and palinca — strong fruit brandies, drunk as an aperitif.
• Romanian wines — a story in themselves (see our dedicated guide).

Tips

• Look for places serving "like mother makes it" cooking for authenticity.
• Portions are generous — don't order everything at once.
• Sarmale, ciorbă and papanași are a complete tour de force for a memorable lunch.