The Atlas · Nº 23 ·Romania

Most Popular Romanian Food

Romanian food is sour soups and slow stews over polenta: a pot of ciorbă sharp with fermented bran, tochitură of pork and sausage spooned over mămăligă, cabbage rolls simmered for a feast. It leans on pork, beans, and garlic, and puts up jars of roasted-vegetable zacuscă against the winter.

103 dishes ranked·42 in the global top 1,000 ·6,257 diner ratings·Best rank Nº 19

Plate I — The Origins

Fig. 1 Where 103 ranked romanian dishes were born. Dish origin

Drag to pan · Double-click or +/− to zoom · Select a marker for its entry

The Signature Dishes

The twelve highest-ranked Romanian dishes, by global position.

Ciorba Radauteana, chicken soup from Romania
Plate IIChicken Soup · Romania

1 Nº 19 worldwide

Ciorba Radauteana

Chicken Soup · Radauti Soup

A creamy sour chicken soup from the town of Rădăuți in the north, chicken and vegetables in a broth soured with lemon or vinegar and enriched with sour cream and garlic. A gentler, milder cousin of the tripe soup it was invented to imitate, it is the best-ranked Romanian dish on our map.

★ 4.6|96% positive |83 ratings

Papanași, sweet pastry from Romania
Plate IIISweet Pastry · Romania

2 Nº 26 worldwide

Papanași

Sweet Pastry · Papaenesh

Romania's great dessert, a doughnut of soft cheese dough fried golden with a little ball perched on top, then drenched in sour cream and sour-cherry jam. Warm, tangy, and generous, it is the way to end a meal at any Romanian restaurant.

★ 4.6|92% positive |129 ratings

Zacuscă, relish from Romania

3ZacuscăNº 46

Relish

A thick vegetable spread of roasted eggplant, red peppers, onion, and tomato, cooked down slowly with oil until dark and jammy. Families make it by the potful each autumn and jar it for winter, when it is spread on bread as a taste of the harvest.

★ 4.5|114 ratings

Tochitură, stew from Romania

4TochiturăNº 87

Stew

A rustic Romanian pork stew, chunks of meat and sausage browned and simmered in their own fat with garlic and a little wine until rich and dark. It is served over mămăligă, the country's polenta, and crowned with a fried egg and grated sheep's cheese.

★ 4.4|58 ratings

Mujdei, sauce from Romania

5MujdeiNº 99

Sauce · Also Mujdei de Usturoi

Romania's fierce garlic sauce, raw garlic pounded to a paste with salt, oil, and a little water or broth into something sharp and pungent. Spooned over grilled meat, fish, or polenta, it is less a condiment than a statement, and a little goes a long way.

★ 4.4|89 ratings

Salată de vinete, appetizer from Romania

6Salată de vineteNº 111

Appetizer

A smoky eggplant salad, whole eggplants charred over a flame until the skins blacken, then peeled, chopped, and whipped with oil and onion into a creamy spread. A summer appetizer piled onto bread, sometimes brightened with a little mayonnaise or fresh tomato.

★ 4.4|154 ratings

Varză a la Cluj, casserole from Romania

7Varză a la ClujNº 260

Casserole

A Transylvanian layered bake from Cluj, soured cabbage layered with spiced minced meat and rice, then baked until it sets into a rich casserole. Like an unrolled version of sarmale, the stuffed cabbage rolls, it is hearty Sunday food topped with sour cream.

★ 4.3|68 ratings

Ciorbă, soup from Romania

8CiorbăNº 268

Soup

Ciorbă is the sour soup at the heart of Romanian cooking, a broth of vegetables and meat given its defining tang by borș, fermented wheat bran, or by lemon or fermented cabbage juice. Countless versions exist, but the sourness and a scatter of fresh lovage tie them together.

★ 4.3|67 ratings

Fasole cu cârnați, stew from Romania

9Fasole cu cârnațiNº 272

Stew · Also Beans with Sausages

A hearty stew of white beans slow-cooked with smoked sausage, onion, and paprika until thick and comforting. A dish tied to national holidays, when it is cooked in vast cauldrons and handed out in the street, it is Romanian winter food at its plainest and best.

★ 4.3|58 ratings

Tocană de vită, stew from Romania

10Tocană de vităNº 281

Stew · Also Tocana de vita

A simple Romanian beef stew, cubes of beef pan-fried then simmered slow with a heap of onions and tomato until the sauce turns thick and glossy. Close kin to Hungarian pörkölt across the border, it is spooned over mămăligă or served with bread.

★ 4.3|24 ratings

Ciorbă de fasole, vegetable soup from Romania

11Ciorbă de fasoleNº 323

Vegetable Soup

A sour bean soup, dried beans cooked with onion, carrot, and pepper and soured with borș, sometimes smoked with a ham bone. In the villages it is famously served in a hollowed bread loaf, and it is a Lenten and everyday favorite of the ciorbă family.

★ 4.2|189 ratings

Tochitură Moldovenească, stew from Romania

12Tochitură MoldoveneascăNº 328

Stew

The Moldavian take on tochitură, pork stewed in wine and its own fat with garlic and paprika until dark, from the historic region of Moldavia in the east. Served the classic way over mămăligă with a fried egg and salty telemea cheese, it is festive, filling country food.

★ 4.2|81 ratings

The Departments

Every Romanian dish in our ranking, grouped the way you'd order them.

The Complete Ledger

All 103 Romanian dishes in the world ranking. Every entry, leaf by leaf.

103 entries
  1. 19 Ciorba Radauteana Chicken Soup Rădăuți ★ 4.6
  2. 26 Papanași Sweet Pastry Romania ★ 4.6
  3. 46 Zacuscă Relish Romania ★ 4.5
  4. 87 Tochitură Stew Romania ★ 4.4
  5. 99 Mujdei Sauce Romania ★ 4.4
  6. 111 Salată de vinete Appetizer Romania ★ 4.4
  7. 260 Varză a la Cluj Casserole Cluj-Napoca ★ 4.3
  8. 268 Ciorbă Soup Romania ★ 4.3
  9. 272 Fasole cu cârnați Stew Romania ★ 4.3
  10. 281 Tocană de vită Stew Romania ★ 4.3
  11. 323 Ciorbă de fasole Vegetable Soup Romania ★ 4.2
  12. 328 Tochitură Moldovenească Stew Western Moldavia ★ 4.2
  13. 360 Fasole batută Side Dish Romania ★ 4.2
  14. 376 Rasol Stew Romania ★ 4.2
  15. 403 Ostropel Stew Romania ★ 4.2
  16. 429 Taci şi înghite Porridge Romania ★ 4.2
  17. 436 P Pelincile Domnului Dessert Romania ★ 4.2
  18. 472 Salată de roșii Salad Romania ★ 4.2
  19. 485 Cârnaţi de Pleşcoi Sausage Buzău County ★ 4.2
  20. 498 Bulz Side Dish Romania ★ 4.2
  21. 511 Tocană de ciuperci Stew Romania ★ 4.2
  22. 532 Ciorbă de fasole cu afumătură Soup Romania ★ 4.1
  23. 539 Plăcintă Savory Pastry Romania ★ 4.1
  24. 556 Salată de boeuf Appetizer Romania ★ 4.1
  25. 575 P Plăcintă aromână Savory Pie Romania ★ 4.1
  26. 594 Mămăliguță cu brânză și smântănă Porridge Romania ★ 4.1
  27. 604 Ciulama Sauce Romania ★ 4.1
  28. 625 Stufat Stew Romania ★ 4.1
  29. 630 Frigărui Meat Dish Romania ★ 4.1
  30. 649 Saramură Freshwater Fish Dish Romania ★ 4.1
  31. 652 Pomana porcului Pork Dish Romania ★ 4.1
  32. 656 Ciorbă de Perişoare Meat Soup Romania ★ 4.1
  33. 660 Ciorbă de salată cu afumătură Vegetable Soup Romania ★ 4.1
  34. 696 S Sângerete Blood Sausage Romania ★ 4.1
  35. 726 Ciorbă de burtă Offal Soup Romania ★ 4.1
  36. 786 Gogoși Sweet Pastry Romania ★ 4.1
  37. 849 Mititei Ground Meat Dish Romania ★ 4.0
  38. 874 Plăcintă cu mere Sweet Pastry Romania ★ 4.0
  39. 922 Ciorbă de văcuţă Meat Soup Romania ★ 4.0
  40. 954 Covrigi Snack Romania ★ 4.0
  41. 975 Supă (de pui) cu tăieței Chicken Soup Romania ★ 4.0
  42. 985 Ciorbă ţărănească Vegetable Soup Romania ★ 4.0
  43. 1,008 Vargabéles Dessert Cluj-Napoca ★ 4.0
  44. 1,070 Cozonac Sweet Bread Romania ★ 4.0
  45. 1,087 Salată de icre Appetizer Romania ★ 4.0
  46. 1,163 Rață pe varză Duck Dish Romania ★ 4.0
  47. 1,225 Mămăligă cu brânză Porridge Romania ★ 4.0
  48. 1,247 Limbă cu măsline Stew Romania ★ 4.0
  49. 1,274 Plăcintă cu urdă Sweet Pastry Romania ★ 4.0
  50. 1,339 Plăcintă cu cartofi Savory Pastry Romania ★ 3.9
  51. 1,417 Iahnie Stew Romania ★ 3.9
  52. 1,438 Supă (de pui) cu găluște Soup Romania ★ 3.9
  53. 1,506 Savarine Dessert Romania ★ 3.9
  54. 1,523 Urzici cu usturoi Vegan Dish Romania ★ 3.9
  55. 1,581 Chiftele Meatballs Romania ★ 3.9
  56. 1,635 Borș Soup Romania ★ 3.9
  57. 1,751 Tocană Stew Romania ★ 3.9
  58. 1,769 Salată orientală Salad Romania ★ 3.9
  59. 1,795 Scovergi Fried Dough Romania ★ 3.9
  60. 1,820 M Mămăligă cu lapte Porridge Romania ★ 3.9
  61. 1,832 Caltaboș Sausage Romania ★ 3.9
  62. 1,913 Braşovence Pancake Transylvania ★ 3.9
  63. 1,990 Vinete umplute Vegetable Dish Romania ★ 3.9
  64. 2,053 Plăcintă cu ciocolată Sweet Pastry Romania ★ 3.9
  65. 2,128 Borș de miel Meat Soup Romania ★ 3.8
  66. 2,265 M Momițe Offal Dish Romania ★ 3.8
  67. 2,358 Pască Sweet Bread Romania ★ 3.8
  68. 2,396 Amandine Chocolate Cake Romania ★ 3.8
  69. 2,522 Salată de sfeclă Salad Romania ★ 3.8
  70. 2,549 G Gulii umplute Ground Meat Dish Romania ★ 3.8
  71. 2,846 Ciorbă de pui Chicken Soup Romania ★ 3.8
  72. 2,969 Drob de miel Offal Dish Romania ★ 3.8
  73. 2,976 Ardei copți Side Dish Romania ★ 3.8
  74. 2,987 Prăjitură cu caise Cake Romania ★ 3.8
  75. 3,412 Ciorbă de lobodă Vegetable Soup Romania ★ 3.8
  76. 3,417 Salată de castraveți Salad Romania ★ 3.8
  77. 4,239 C Chifteluțe de ciuperci Appetizer Romania ★ 3.7
  78. 4,421 Dovlecei pané Vegetarian Dish Romania ★ 3.7
  79. 4,516 Mucenici Sweet Pastry Romania ★ 3.7
  80. 4,520 Mâncare de mazăre Stew Romania ★ 3.7
  81. 4,734 Ciorbă de sfeclă Vegetable Soup Romania ★ 3.7
  82. 4,765 Dovlecei umpluţi Vegetable Dish Romania ★ 3.7
  83. 5,052 Ciorbă de pește "ca-n Deltă" Fish Soup Dobrogea ★ 3.7
  84. 5,281 Salată de varză Salad Romania ★ 3.6
  85. 5,302 Varză călită Vegetable Dish Romania ★ 3.6
  86. 5,725 Mămăligă Porridge Romania ★ 3.6
  87. 5,767 Jumări Appetizer Romania ★ 3.6
  88. 6,331 M Mere cu șuncă Appetizer Romania ★ 3.5
  89. 6,504 Piperchi Vegetable Dish Dobrogea ★ 3.5
  90. 6,593 Snițel de ciuperci Snack Romania ★ 3.5
  91. 6,783 C Chiftele de pește Appetizer Romania ★ 3.5
  92. 6,791 Ciorbă de praz Vegetable Soup Romania ★ 3.5
  93. 6,813 Joffre Cake Chocolate Cake Bucharest ★ 3.5
  94. 6,861 Ciorbă de oase Soup Romania ★ 3.5
  95. 7,066 Ciorbă de legume Vegetable Soup Romania ★ 3.5
  96. 7,223 Mâncare de praz Stew Romania ★ 3.4
  97. 7,382 G Gutui cu pui Chicken Dish Romania ★ 3.4
  98. 7,502 Piftie Meat Jelly Dish Romania ★ 3.4
  99. 7,507 Ardei umpluţi Vegetable Dish Romania ★ 3.4
  100. 7,566 P Papricaș de pește Stew Romania ★ 3.4
  101. 7,739 Ciorbă de cartofi Vegetable Soup Romania ★ 3.3
  102. 8,183 Ghiveci Stew Romania ★ 3.2
  103. 8,455 Ciorbă de peşte Fish Soup Romania ★ 3.0
Leaf 1 of 3

Gazetteer

A Regional Tour of Romanian Food

Where Romania's ranked dishes were born, and what to order there.

Questions, Answered

Romanian food, frequently asked. Answered from the data.

What is the most popular Romanian food?
By ratings the favorites are Mititei, skinless grilled minced-meat sausages, the sweet bread Cozonac, and Ciorbă de burtă, the sour tripe soup. Our best-ranked Romanian dish is Ciorba Radauteana, a creamy sour chicken soup from the northern town of Rădăuți. All 37 Romanian soups & stews →
What food is Romania known for?
Sour soups, stews, and grilled meat. Romania over-indexes on ciorbă, the tangy soups soured with fermented bran, and on hearty stews like Tochitură over polenta. Its icons are Mititei, the grilled minced-meat rolls, and Sarmale, cabbage rolls stuffed with pork and rice.
What is Romania's national dish?
Sarmale, cabbage or vine leaves rolled around spiced pork and rice and simmered for hours, is widely considered Romania's national dish, especially at Christmas and weddings, usually with mămăligă polenta. Its everyday partner is Mititei. Our top-ranked Romanian dish is Ciorba Radauteana.
What is the most famous Romanian dessert?
Papanași, a warm fried cheese doughnut topped with a little dough ball, sour cream, and sour-cherry jam, is the restaurant favorite and our best-ranked Romanian sweet. At Christmas and Easter, families bake Cozonac, a rich swirled sweet bread filled with walnuts and cocoa. All 15 Romanian desserts & sweets →
What is Romanian ciorbă?
Ciorbă is Romania's defining sour soup, a broth of meat and vegetables soured with borș, fermented wheat bran, and freshened with lovage. The tripe version, Ciorbă de burtă, is the most famous, while Ciorbă de fasole, a sour bean soup, is often served in a bread bowl.
What Romanian dishes do locals love that tourists miss?
Village comfort food. Fasole bătută mashes white beans with fried onion into a smooth, garlicky paste spread on bread. Ostropel simmers chicken in a thick garlic-and-tomato sauce, and Rasol, boiled beef and vegetables with horseradish, is the plain Sunday dish behind the soup.