Best things to do in Bucharest: Clubs, cafes, and restaurants
Last Updated on December 15, 2024 by Ingrid
I have noticed that we tend to overlook the places we are familiar with. One such destination is the city where I was born and raised, Romania’s capital of Bucharest. Thus, I’ve decided to put the best things to do in Bucharest on paper.
Being born and raised in Bucharest, Romania, for so much time, I have overlooked everything about this city in the Southern part of my country.
For so many years, the city was indeed nothing but a gray, crowded, and sad place, or at least that was how I used to perceive it. But in recent years, my city of birth has undergone a metamorphosis, transforming itself from a caterpillar into a (still, modest) butterfly.
I have grown up with the city and have learned to like it (and accept the things I don’t like), respect it and admire it, and, most important of all, discover with every day that goes by the best places to visit in Bucharest.
Through the years, I have relentlessly searched for and been introduced by friends to many incredible places, and I have come to think that this is a place for everyone!
This post contains affiliate links. It helps keep our site running at no additional cost to you. Read more about it on our disclosure page here.
Table of Contents
Let’s discover together the best things to do in Bucharest!
We are only at the beginning regarding tourism awareness and marketing, but Bucharest is slowly moving up the European destinations list.
There are many reasons why you should not skip Bucharest, whether you are visiting Romania during winter, spring, or any other time of the year.
Clubs and Parties
During my university years, there weren’t many places where you could go out (or maybe there were, and I was a geek and a lame little girl who was – almost – never going out). There were some places, but the list was not as long as the one available today.
In Bucharest, you can find anything you want:
- Fancy, posh, expensive clubs (where people usually go to be seen, not particularly to have fun – or they do, in their way, of course) such as Fratelli Social Club, Bamboo, Player Club, BOA, and others
- The more down-to-earth clubs in the old city center, where you can go club hopping and have a night of intense fun until the morning, can change clubs whenever you feel like it. Here, you can find anything and everything from Jazz and rock clubs (notably Fire Club, Club A, and Suburbia) to mixed clubs for merriment (Bordello’s, The Drunken Lords, The Vintage Pub, Mojo, and many more).
- All the other hipster-ish clubs outside of the old city center: the one and only Control (great atmosphere, great indie/alternative music, great people), Fabrica (another iconic place where no one will judge you while you are having a great time) and B52 (party till the morning in the true Vama Veche style)
It is all about the food
Taste pure Romanian dishes or head to the fanciest places in town where you can indulge in fusion cuisine or feel like traveling to different parts of the world with just one bite.
Here are my favorite places in town:
18 Louge
As its name suggests, the restaurant is located on the 18th floor of an office building, in the North part of the town, if you are lucky and get a table next to the window you will indulge in a great view over Herastrau Park.
Apart from that, the food (Italian) is delicious and diverse (plenty of interesting salads, pasta, and main dishes).
Prices: $$$ Reservation needed: Yes
Journey Pub
I just love this place! I leave for a short trip every time I pass through the doors.
The place has an indoor garden, menus in the shape of pieces of luggage, a diverse number of dishes from all over the world, and a special room with board games where you can spend quality time with friends! What more would you ask for?
Prices: $$ Reservation needed: Not necessarily
Shift Pub and Alt Shift Pub
I have to admit I am more conservative, and I always go for the first one since it was the first one opened in town.
Moreover, this is where my girlfriends and I always end up going out after work or for brunch on weekends. Why? Well, because it has everything we want: delicious food (please, please try the Tagliatelle Primavera or the huge Shift Salad), lovely scenery (both inside and outside), good music, and friendly people!
Prices: $$ Reservation needed: Yes (with some time ahead)
Dianei 4
This is one special place in an old house, on a small street right in the center of Bucharest, where the old feel of the house has been kept, and cool young people gather daily. I like brunches here. I love the coffee and the fact that you can have breakfast until 3 pm on the weekends.
Prices: $$ Reservation needed: Not necessarily
Simbio
If you don’t know this place, chances are you will pass it by and miss it, and that would be a pity because it has a beautiful garden, yummy food, and delicious pancakes.
This is the perfect place to go, sit back, and relax. At some point, I was even obsessed with their Eggs Benedict and made all my friends join me for brunch.
Prices: $$ Reservation needed: Yes
Frudisiac
Oh, the pancakes here! You have to taste them to believe such a thing can exist: lemony, with a pinch of lavender and pistachio. Just bear in mind this is a tiny place and they don’t take reservations, thus luck is in order.
Prices: $$ Reservation needed: they don’t make reservations
Terraces and “Beer” Gardens
Come during Summer and let yourself seduced by the beautiful and chill outdoor places:
Gradina Verona
This garden is hidden behind a well-known library where I usually managed to waste a whole lot of time during university, and not only since there are so many things to be discovered in this place.
Apart from that, the large open terrace is very nice, no matter if you are visiting in the spring or summer of autumn.
Acuarela
This place is different, in a good way. Imagine stepping into a colorful, surreal world, and the umbrellas here are iconic.
Come here for a nice cold glass of wine with some jazz in the background, or come for a good portion of the independent theater.
Either way, you will like it and will keep coming back.
Terasa Monteoru
Another lovely, hipsterish hidden gem of Bucharest (we seem to have a lot of these places around here by now) where people come to relax after work, listen to some good music, and drink some chilled wine.
The atmosphere is so chill that you will risk falling asleep gently caressed by the peaceful wind (I almost did).
Sera Eden
Hidden behind the Vietnamese Embassy, you step into this oasis of greenery and start wondering if you are still in the heart of the city or if the “engage” button has been invented, and you are suddenly somewhere else.
I like this place because of its lovely garden and serene vibe.
Baraka
You enter one of the largest parks of Bucharest (Heratrau), and this is one of the first things you come across: this wooden platform with cozy seats, a small bar in the middle, and a whole lot of cool people gathering here for the daily dose of “who cares?”.
This is the vibe I get from this place, maybe also because it is across the street from the skate park, where you can usually find this kind of person: teenagers without a care in the world looking to push their limits.
If you are looking for some Bucharest touristic attractions read One day in Bucharest
The Best Things to do in Bucharest // Coffee places
Bucharest has transformed itself, and along the way, many small places selling some of the best coffee have appeared on small corners and hidden streets.
In some cases, you can even miss out on a tremendously intense flavored coffee if you don’t know where to look, and for me, that would be a sad incident since I LOVE coffee, and Italy has spoiled me.
Origo
I feel the strong coffee scent in my nostrils when I think about this place. I taste the deep, dark, bitter aroma on my tongue and even remember the novel coffee cocktail I once drank here.
This is the first place of its kind that has opened in Bucharest, and they have all sorts of events, and you can also buy all types of coffee to bring home. Just bear in mind I don’t think they take reservations, and the place is tiny, so you might find it hard to find a spot since it is popular.
Orygyns Specialty Coffee
The deep blue cup stands for intense flavor. Here, you can find friendly people and engage in an interesting conversation about coffee. Moreover, at every visit, you can taste a different type of coffee or stick to it once you have fallen in love with one particular kind.
T-Zero Coffee shop
A small place with an attitude!
Rooftop places
While they don’t compare to the rooftops we used to enjoy when we lived in Hong Kong and Seoul, these places are also becoming popular in Bucharest.
Deschis Gastrobar
There’s not much to say here since I am guilty of never going to this place. But from what I have seen on social media from the people around me, it is undoubtedly a place to add to the list: it’s on a rooftop, simple, friendly, and fun. What more could you ask for?
Upstairs Rooftop
Be it Summer or Winter, it does not matter because you will find a great place with good food, nice music (sometimes even live music), an open terrace and a closed area. This is a place I sure enjoy visiting now and then.
NOR Sky Casual Restaurant
it’s called Nor (Romanian for cloud) because it is the highest restaurant in the city, located (of course) in the tallest office building on the 36th floor, in the Northern part of Bucharest.
It recently opened, and it was rather crowded until now. I booked a table only last week (reservations are mandatory if you want to get in) and have come here with great expectations, forgetting that this is the best way to avoid disappointment.
And so it was. Don’t get me wrong, the place is nice, people are great and pay a lot of attention to customers, the view is nice from above, the food is good (even though the menu does not offer such a great variety of dishes), and the drinks are delicious. But…I was expecting something more. It’s not you Nor, it’s me!
Pura Vida Sky Bar
Maybe one of the most Instagrammable bars in town, I love how the Old City Center is depicted from this rooftop right in its heart.
The owners put it best, “Pura Vida Sky Bar is a great place to meet travelers from all over the world, as well as beautiful local people.”
This is where you will come to listen to some good music with great views over the city, especially at sunset.
Tea and sympathy
Infinitea
This place is like the house I imagine aristocratic families used to live in in the 1920s. The garden is so relaxing, and during summer, the smell of linden delights your senses.
One of my friends even had her pre-wedding pictures here, the setting is that nice. Of course, it is a tea house so you will find here a great variety of teas and cookies.
Go with an open heart. Note that you will need a reservation.
Serendipity
Since it was near my alma mater, I often visited with friends and colleagues for a lovely hot tea. Throughout the years, I have returned to different “setups” and have always enjoyed the quietness here.
They also organize all sorts of events, from live music to different workshops (I remember attending many years ago a belly dance workshop :)) don’t tell anyone about it).
Ceainaria Cinci (five)
It is not such an easy place to find, but it is worth the walk and risking getting lost. The place is also a hostel and is excellent for spending an afternoon with friends in the garden. The place is very hippie-style, and you should expect to have to sit on the floor.
Green Tea
My favorite place by far, even though I got lost so many times on the streets looking for this place. I can close my eyes and visualize a hot Summer evening, sitting with friends at a big table surrounded by roses in bloom, filling the warm air with their beautiful perfume.
The only thing romanticly lighting the place up was some small delicate candles carefully placed on each table. Oh, that mango iced tea with some chestnut puree was all you could wish for.
Ceai la Cotroceni
I think this was the first tea place I have ever been to during university (too many years ago). If you don’t know there’s a tea house in the basement of this old house in Cotroceni, you will miss an incredible experience.
The rooms are small and crowded, but you sit on bunked beds in dim lighting while enjoying a flavored mate.
Bohemia Tea House
A good playground for the child within, come here on a rainy day and spend countless hours playing board games in the attic of this tea house and you will never want to leave.
Burger places
Vivo Fusion Food Bar
Even though I am not a great burger fan, I must admit the burgers here are pretty good (if you manage to work your way around them :)) ).
I always recommend this place to everyone visiting Bucharest; they all love it but don’t forget that you must make a reservation.
Trick Shot
This cool place is on the roof of a fashionable shopping mall in the business district.
It used to be my husband’s “secondary” office. He was in high-end consultancy at the time, so meeting clients for a drink was a must (or so he tells me).
Among other delicacies, they also offer great burgers. Try it!
Traditional Pubs and Restaurants
Caru’ cu bere
Classic! This is where you will find all the tourists, but that doesn’t mean it is not a good, authentic place. It is!
You can enjoy a great traditional Romanian dinner and admire the old building (historical monument) while also listening to local music. Just don’t forget to try some palinka and papanas!
La Mama
Food like the one served by your (ok, not yours, by mine) mother at home. There is good food and many locations in town, but maybe you would like to choose the one next to Ateneul Roman since it’s central and in a lovely location.
Hanu’ lui Manuc
This former inn, built in the days of Ottoman rule, is located in the Old City Center. It offers authentic Romanian dishes in a historical setting.
And here it is, my list of best things to do in Bucharest, for a long night out or only for a cup o coffee, tea or sympathy, in my Bucharest.
Where would you like to go first? What would you like to try?
Similar Posts
- See whether Romania is safe to visit.
- Take some of these day trips from Bucharest
- Taste some delicious Romanian traditional food
- Don’t miss out on Romania’s hidden gem: Oradea
- Amazingly delicious Romanian food to indulge in during your trip
- Spend the perfect one day in Bucharest and take some great pictures in these Bucharest Instagrammable places
Hi:) Happy to have found another Romanian blogger.
Have started my own recently, would love to have your support and follow too.
https://egodiary.com
Really good that you wrote an article about Bucharest. We tend to praise very much the other countries but we often forget about our own. And as you said, Bucharest has changed a lot, and not it is a vibrant European city. Yes crowded, yes overwhelming, but it has it’s charm and so many places to spend a good time.
Salutari, Iulia