Sibiu is a charming city, a meeting place between Romanian, German and Hungarian cultures. With picturesque squares and fascinating Baroque buildings, the city is one of the cultural centres of Romania. The dining scene offers flavourful dishes, from traditional cuisine to Mediterranean recipes. Check out the following restaurants and catch a glimpse of their menu.
Crama Sibiul Vechi
Restaurant, Romanian, Vegetarian, $$$
Tasting traditional Romanian food when visiting Romania is a must. While in Sibiu, try it at Crama Sibiul Vechi, located in a wine cellar and decorated with traditional towels, plates and jugs. On the menu, you will find authentic dishes such as chicken soup, bean soup, polenta with cheese and bacon, pork sausages, sarmale and papanasi. While the menu is meat-heavy, there are also tasty vegetarian options, such as the eggplant salad or polenta. Two things are certain: not only will you leave with a full belly, but you’ll also fall in love with Romanian food.
Maybe you didn’t expect to find a Portuguese restaurant in a Romanian city, but here you have it: Old Lisbon Restaurant. They place an emphasis mainly on fish and seafood flavoured with piri piri (a fiery chilli pepper), black pepper, cinnamon, vanilla, saffron, garlic, coriander and parsley. And the list could go on, as Portuguese cuisine is a delicious mix of aromas. Some of the house specialities are brown rice with seafood or pork with clams and fried cubed potatoes, but their menu features a broad variety of fish plates, meat plates, pasta, vegetarian dishes and luscious desserts.
For Italian food lovers, there is one restaurant that you cannot miss: Enzo Ristorante e Caffe. Pizza, pasta, seafood, lasagna, oysters – nothing is missing from the traditional Mediterranean menu prepared by Italian chefs. A warm atmosphere and a lovely terrace that is open during the summer complements the simple design. Buon appetito!
In an elegant location and with great food, La Cuptor is certainly one of the best restaurants in town. The menu offers a great variety of dishes, from mussels to onion soup to foie gras-wrapped duck to pork loin covered in peppercorns and diced pecans. The offerings are not very extensive, but the food is heavenly. In summer, if you pick a place on their terrace, you can watch the chef while he’s preparing your meal, and all of this while savouring a good wine. It’s an experience not to miss.
A small but comfortable restaurant, Hochmeister lies a stone’s throw away from the city centre in an 18th-century building erected by Martin Hochmeister. If you want to get away from the main square and have your meal in a lovely location, this restaurant is an ideal choice. Their menu has both traditional and international food, satisfying a great variety of tastes. The owner is always close by, making sure that you have a wonderful time. Their flammkuchen is a must-try.
Max Restaurant sits inside a centuries-old restored building in the historical centre of Sibiu and has a passion for Italian food. Try their polpo alla griglia – octopus flavoured with dill – or the risotto con limone y gamberi, which is rice with lemon sauce and shrimp, and rediscover Italian cuisine. The restaurant is great whether you are going out for dinner with your friends or you want to have a quiet lunch. Order a glass of wine with your meal from their Romanian and Italian wines selection.
Situated in the old Philarmonic’s Baroque building, Hermania Restaurant is a typical Saxon cuisine establishment, and its name comes from the German name of Sibiu – Hermanstadt. All of the food features fresh, homemade ingredients from their ecological farms. Angus beef with forest fruits sauce and baked potatoes, mustard-crusted trout filet, lamb chops with wild rice and the traditional apfelstrudel are some of the toothsome dishes you can taste at Hermania Restaurant. Moreover, you can buy some of their farm products on the spot.
Syndicat Gourmet, the only Indian fusion cuisine restaurant in town, is best known for preparing its meals and gourmet dishes with local ingredients. You can taste exotic mango foam soup, hearty pasta with chicken curry and cheese and exquisite duck breast with pink grapefruit and sour cherry sauce; they change their menu with each season. The restaurant is great for a romantic dinner or an out-of-the-ordinary lunch.
Cafe Wien is a place where you feel closer to the Austrian capital and where Austrian history and ambience are made complete by authentic flavours. Whether you are going for lunch, dinner or just to savour a Viennese café, you will be in a warm, romantic atmosphere. The classical schnitzel, gulasch and apfelstrudel all make an appearance on the menu. For your delight, the classic Viennese Sacher Torte is also on offer. From time to time, music events take place inside the restaurant, and the lovely environment is perfect for a couple’s lunch or a meal between friends.
Traditional plateau at Kulinarium | Courtesy of Kulinarium Restaurant
Located in the Little Square, Kulinarium is about eating wonderful food while enjoying the city’s charming atmosphere. Their menu features steak salad, salmon with broccoli and a hearty Leonhardt pan with chicken breast, pork neck and sausages with potatoes and mushroom sauce, all made with fresh and seasonal products. In summer, you can enjoy a glass of wine from Transylvania or a cocktail on their lovely terrace.
