An Introduction to Street Food in Bucharest

 From corner bakeries to street vendors, Bucharest has a brilliant variety of authentic cuisine on offer. Street food is an excellent option for those who want to save on the pennies and continue to explore while eating on the go. Take a look below to discover some delicious delicacies you can find while wandering the streets of Bucharest.

Covrigi

Perhaps one of the most common foods you’ll find in the streets of Bucharest is covrigi. It is a pretzel that can be served with an array of different fillings and flavours, such as apple, chocolate or even sausage! In parts of the city, you can find a pretzel shop on every street corner; they are that popular! Most covrigi are sold primarily by independent sellers, making it a truly authentic snack. Either breakfast, an afternoon snack or just something to kill your hunger till your next meal, we highly recommend you visit a covrigi stand and try one. With 10 Leu in your pocket (roughly £2), you should be able to buy a few covrigi which could last a few hours while you explore the amazing city.

Kürtőskalács

A spit cake (named for being produced on a rotating spit) that is especially popular in the Hungarian-speaking regions of Romania, Kürtőskalács is a yeasty dough that is roasted over an open fire and then brushed with butter and sugar. The butter and sugar then crystallise to create a delicious crispy sweet treat. Once a festive treat, it is now enjoyed throughout the year and can be found in numerous street stalls with a variety of flavours such as coconut, cocoa powder and cinnamon. Kürtőskalács are quite fun to eat too; you can pull the dough and unwind it, or you can cut to the chase and bite straight into it.

Gogoshi

Doughnuts are delicious, let alone when they are deep-fried! Gogoshi is a favourite in Bucharest; the deep-fried doughnuts can be found in many forms and flavours. Some are bite-sized balls with sugar dusted on them, while others are filled with fruit or meat and are much larger in size. Unlike UK doughnuts, that often have extravagant coatings of chocolate or caramel, Romanians opt for a plain coating, caring more about the filling. Although they won’t be dipped in chocolate or have loads of sprinkles, they’ll be just as tasty!

Plăcintă

Traditional pastries in both Romania and Ukraine, plăcintă can be made either sweet or savoury and can be either round or square in shape. What makes them unique is that you can find them either flat and rolled up or baked in a sheet and cut like a brownie. Furthermore, plăcintă comes in an array of flavours, such as apple, cheese or chocolate.

Mici

Similar to a Turkish kebab, mici is a skinless sausage that is a well-loved street food across Romania. It is made from a combination of beef and pork, which is then mixed with spices and barbecued for a few minutes. The mici is served alongside a bread bun and some mustard, and if you want to do it like the locals, you order a cold beer too! If you wish to eat on the go while you explore Bucharest or you want to take five, have a seat and watch the world go by, mici is great street food for either option.

Shaorma

Shaorma is a very popular street food in Bucharest, even though it is slightly more expensive than other options, such as covrigi or pastries. Somewhat like a flatbread, shaorma is a combination of various types of meats, sauces, picked cucumbers and fries. If you are looking for a healthy option, this certainly isn’t it, but it is delicious and therefore, worth the calories! You can find sellers of shaorma on many streets, so you won’t struggle to find somewhere to try the local favourite.

Not only is Bucharest a beautiful place to visit, but it is also bursting with delicious street food. We hope that our list of some of the best authentic food in the city has enticed you to try one or more of them when you visit. While you are in Bucharest, we highly recommend travelling a little while away from the city and trying out the Transylvania Dracula experience. You can visit the birthplace of Vlad III Dracula, Sighisoara, and discover the mesmerising Bran Castle and Rasnov Fortress. In addition to this, you will also travel along the Transfăgărășan; it is a winding road with breath-taking scenery.

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