Visiting local restaurants alone with my notebook has become one of my favorite memories of travel, regardless of the city I’m in. It’s become part of my travel routine, and it allows me to play the role of a quiet observer amid the noise. During my time here so far, I’ve compiled this list of where to eat in Sibiu. Poftă Bună!
Table of Contents
Where to Eat in Sibiu
1. Max
I arrived in Sibiu around 10 pm on a Wednesday night and needed to find some food after a 12-hour train ride plus interrogation at the border due to my time in Italy. Lucky for me, this place was across the street from my Airbnb and open till midnight. I had a pizza and 2 glasses of wine for a grand total of 50 lei (60 with tip) which equates to about $13 USD.
They have an extensive menu, but at that hour I didn’t want much more than comfort food. The food was phenomenal and the chef is from Italy, so if you’re looking for authentic Italian eats, this is where you’ll be satisfied.
2. Kulinarium
A restaurant located in Piața Mică, this place has the perfect ambiance for a solid date night. But the staff was nothing if not sweet and attentive.
I forgot what I ordered, and there is no menu available online – some pork roulade-type entree with mushrooms, and beets with horseradish. Both were yummy – I can’t wait to go back when the restaurants here re-open and sit at one of their outside dining options in the square.
3. AM PM Coffee & More
Located across the street from Max (and my first apartment here in Sibiu), AM / PM Coffee & More makes a deliciously creamy flat white. I had a prosciutto and tomato bagel as well, for a grand total of 25 lei (just over $5 USD).
4. Restaurantul Hermania
This is probably the best restaurant in Sibiu – but, relatively, it’s expensive. The food is delicious and, like Kulinarium, it’s a great option for date night. They offer a modern Saxon menu with super-fresh ingredients. Restaurantul Hermania has its own off-site farm as well – they raise trout and lamb, and make their own bread, jam, cheese, sausage, and pâté. 10/10 would recommend.
5. Burger House
Go for the ‘Smoke n’ Fire Burger’ with a glass of wine for a whopping 37 lei ($8 USD). I found this place in the mall while I was doing some much-needed clothes shopping. Relative to mall food in the U.S., it was pretty good. A solid option if you find yourself at the Sibiu Promenada and in need of food.
6. Benjamin’s Steakhouse & Bar
I expected a little more from Benjamin’s, however, it’s a steakhouse and I did not order steak. I’d visited for lunch, and a full-on steak seemed like it’d be too heavy. I opted for Spicy Beef with Noodles (44 lei) and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc (14 lei). Total – 58 lei, or roughly $13 USD.
7. Pardon Cafe
So, I have yet to actually eat here – but I’ve heard amazing things. They are still offering delivery while in-restaurant dining in the city is shut down, and the chef makes the most adorable videos each day on Facebook presenting the day’s menu. At some point, I will get around to eating here (or at least, eating from here), and I’ll update accordingly. I walk by this place almost every day on my walks with Andre.
Update** Unfortunately I moved to a different city before I had the opportunity to go for myself! Still, with all of its glowing recommendations, I still feel confident leaving it on this post. Give it a shot and report back to me!
8. Crama Sibiană
One of my top picks on this list of where to eat in Sibiu, for sure. At Crama Sibiana, I opted for a Transilvanian Pork Stew (tochitura), some house-made pickles, and 2 glasses of a dry Romanian red wine (not sure what they actually gave me). Total – 59 lei ($13-ish USD). I can’t wait until restaurants re-open after the pandemic to get back here!
9. Restaurantul Casa Weidner
This place was slightly odd. A friend had recommended Weinkeller, and I got the two mixed up and found myself here instead (located in Piața Mare). The service was god-awful – not just slow, but slightly rude as well. I was here for a quick lunch and only got a Transilvanian chicken soup with some house-made pickles (can you tell, I have a thing for Romanian pickles?). The soup was actually pretty good, though the pickles weren’t too crispy. Beer is always good. The total was about 30 lei, or, roughly $6.75 USD.
10. Sushi Master
When deciding where to eat in Sibiu, sushi never crossed my mind. Never in a million years did I expect to eat sushi in Romania (on multiple occasions, nonetheless), but I’d heard good things, so figured I’d give it a shot. Holy shit! It was as fresh as you could ask for, tasty, and SO INEXPENSIVE! $20 USD will get you a platter of about 48 pieces, a combination of basic maki and more creative, elaborate options. There are more and less expensive options as well. This place is so good, in fact, that when a friend came to stay with me from a Romanian city with no sushi options, we ordered it twice in the span of only a few days. I may or may not be ordering it for dinner today. Just sayin’.
11. Casa Frieda
At Casa Frieda, I was wholeheartedly expecting garbage tourist food, as it’s located on the tourist-oriented Strada Nicolae Bălcescu. While the menu was certainly geared toward tourists (it is also a hotel), the food was quite delicious. I had a lamb stew over polenta, some (you guessed it!) house-made pickles, and wine. One of my more expensive meals, totaling roughly 75 lei (about $17 USD).
12. Cafe Einstein
This is a great option for pizza or basic sandwiches. It’s located in Piața Mică, right next to Kulinarium. Actually, in between the two restaurants is a narrow passageway that cuts through to Piața Huet. Grab a seat at one of the outdoor tables for great people-watching while enjoying pizza and a beer.
13. La Turn Sibiu
My favorite Romanian dish thus far is – sarmale! When my very first Romanian friend recommended this traditional dish to me, it took me quite some time to get around to trying it. But – WOW. Sarmale is ground pork with vegetables and seasoning wrapped in brined cabbage leaves. It’s served with polenta, some smoked meat, and sour cream. I’ve actually tried to make (some variation of) my own twice since eating here. If you want to try sarmale, figuring out where to eat in Sibiu will be an easy choice. Most restaurants with traditional Romanian fare have it. This restaurant is located right beneath the Council Tower, at the edge of Piața Mare.
14. Restaurant Grand Plaza
Recommended to me by a local friend, this place is off the traditional tourist track. Actually, it’s a stone’s throw away from my apartment. Very inexpensive, very traditional food awaits at Restaurant Grand Plaza.
Come for legit, soul-satisfying traditional Romanian fare. They have a lot of traditional dishes here, such as pork knuckle, sarmale, and Transilvanian stews. I’d recommend coming here for a bite to eat over the more tourist-oriented places on Strada Nicolae Bălcescu, for sure. Expect to spend about $11 USD per person (with drinks).
15. Syndicat Gourmet
Come to Sibiu and ask a local where to eat, and someone will undoubtedly recommend Syndicat Gourmet. A unique fusion of Indian and Romanian, the food here is super fresh and flavorful. I had soup, an appetizer, and 2 glasses of wine for 55 lei ($12 USD). Mashed Beans, Fried Onions, Fresh Pickles, and Chapati-Bread (18 lei – $4 USD) and Cream of Horseradish Soup with Smoked Pork (16 lei – $3.60 USD). My only complaint here was that the pickles that came with the mashed beans weren’t crunchy. That being said, I’d still go back in a heartbeat (and fully intend to once things re-open).
16. The Gallery
Located on Strada Nicolae Bălcescu, this tourist-oriented restaurant is priced as such. My biggest takeaway from this thing was the shitty service. It. Was. Awful. Slow, rude, with a complete IDGAF attitude from all staff members. This steak salad I got was actually really good – the steak looks overcooked in the photo, but it was perfectly tender medium rare. Still, I won’t be returning given the quality of the service.
17. La Cuptor
This is another place that’s high on my list once the lockdown restrictions lift. Sadly, despite its close proximity to my place, I wasn’t able to make it here before everything closed. The interior looks gorgeous, and I’ve heard about the caliber of the food from multiple people who live in town. I’ll report back once I actually get there!
18. The Rabbit Hole
While the food here isn’t anything to write home about, this was the last restaurant I went to before the 2020 lockdown. With an optimally-placed terrace in Piața Mare, it’s a great place for people-watching and relaxing with a bite to eat. They have a limited menu for lunch (pizzas only).
19. Ribs & Beer
Pretty standard fare – they have a good selection of craft beer, and also deliver! If you’re more than one person, the platters were pretty impressive. They also offer an impressive selection of sausages. Platters with ribs and a couple of sides are around $11 USD. I personally am partial to the BBQ places back home, but this is a good choice if you’re craving ribs and, obviously, beer.
20. Covrigi
No post on food in Romania would be complete without at least mentioning covrigi, a sort-of street pretzel, I guess? Usually topped with sesame seeds, salt, sunflower seeds, etc., you’ll be hard-pressed to walk down a crowded street in Sibiu without seeing at least a couple of people walking around with these. The walk-up windows selling them are abundant on Strada Nicolae Bălcescu.
21. Zestrea Restaurant Romanesc
Tucked away in Piața Mare is Zestrea, a traditional Romanian restaurant. Less tourist- than some of its neighbors, I order delivery from here all the time. Their sarmale is the bomb, as is their meatball soup. Yum! When I order delivery, I usually pay around 50 lei ($11-ish USD) and it lasts me for two meals. Not bad at all!
22. St. Andrew’s Scottish Pub
Liquid dinner? Go to St. Andrew’s Scottish Pub for a beer or, as I opted for, a Laphroiag. I don’t think this place has food, but if you’re a solo traveler, it’s a great place to make friends. This place really shouldn’t be included on a list of ‘where to eat in Sibiu,’ but I couldn’t not mention it!
As our lockdown restrictions in Sibiu begin to relax, and as restaurants begin to open once again, I’ll do my best to get everywhere I haven’t yet visited and update this post accordingly. If you’ve been to this charming Transylvanian city and have other recommendations for where to eat in Sibiu, let me know in the comments! Peace.
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