ExploFood · Europe
What to eat in Romania
Five dishes to try in Romania, the most typical first. Two are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Romania
Sarmale
Cabbage or vine leaves stuffed with minced pork and rice, slow-cooked.
How to have it: Served with polenta and sour cream at Christmas, weddings and traditional restaurants.
Mici
Skinless grilled rolls of minced beef, lamb and pork with garlic.
How to have it: Ordered by the piece with mustard, bread and a cold beer at beer gardens and markets.
Ciorbă de burtă
Sour, creamy tripe soup with garlic and vinegar.
How to have it: A hangover cure; add the garlic sauce, sour cream and a hot pepper served on the side.
Mămăligă
Firm cornmeal porridge, Romania's traditional bread substitute.
How to have it: Eaten with salty cheese and sour cream, or as the side to sarmale and stews.
Papanași
Fried cheese doughnuts topped with sour cream and berry jam.
How to have it: The classic Romanian dessert; most traditional restaurants have it, portions are large.
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Questions
What food is Romania famous for?
Sarmale (cabbage or vine leaves stuffed with minced pork and rice, slow-cooked) comes first on our list, followed by Mici, Ciorbă de burtă, Mămăligă and Papanași.
What is the national dish of Romania?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Romania is Sarmale: cabbage or vine leaves stuffed with minced pork and rice, slow-cooked. Served with polenta and sour cream at Christmas, weddings and traditional restaurants.
Which dishes in Romania are vegetarian?
Two of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Mămăligă and Papanași. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Romania?
Mici (skinless grilled rolls of minced beef, lamb and pork with garlic).
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.