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Trying to figure out where to eat in Sibiu? Sibiu is a small-ish city, but with a ton of great food options. Thankfully, this is my specialty. 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 quiet observer amid the noise. During my time in this beautiful city, I compiled this list of where to eat in Sibiu. Poftă Bună!
cheap eats
am pm coffee & more
Located across the street from my first apartment in Sibiu, AM / PM Coffee & More makes a deliciously creamy flat white. I always had a prosciutto and tomato bagel as well, for a grand total of 25 lei (just over $5 USD).
They have a good variety of teas, different styles of coffee, and pastries or bagel sandwiches to choose from. It’s by far the best quickie-breakfast option in Sibiu.
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.
cafe einstein
This is one of the best restaurants in Sibiu 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.
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 Transylvanian 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 $11USD per person (with drinks). Restaurant Grand Plaza wins ‘best hidden gem’ restaurant in Sibiu!
If I could recommend any restaurant to know about before traveling to all of Transylvania, it’s this one. I’d make the two hour drive from Cluj just to eat here! Try the bean soup with smoked ciolan (or any of the soups, really).
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).
zestrea restaurant romanesc
Tucked away in Piața Mare is Zestrea, a traditional Romanian restaurant. Less tourist-y than some of it’s neighbors, I order delivery from here all the time. Their sarmale is 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!
This is also where I tried my first-ever papanasi, a traditional Romanian dessert – yumm!!
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. Total was about 30 lei, or, roughly $6.75 USD.
mid-range
crama sibiana
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). Tochitura is one of the most delicious traditional Romanian foods to try – 10/10 would recommend.
Crama Sibiana was ultimately one of my favorite restaurants in Sibiu.
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 $15 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.
the gallery
Located on Strada Nicolae Bălcescu, this tourist-oriented restaurant is priced as such. My biggest take-away 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 – it actually looked a bit overcooked, but it was a perfectly tender medium-rare. Still, I won’t be returning given the quality of the service. If you’re seriously considering where to eat in Sibiu, maybe skip The Gallery.
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 a soup, 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 as crunchy as I like. That being said, I’d still go back in a heart beat.
la turn
My favorite Romanian dish thus far – 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. They have great plates of assorted grilled meat as well! Sitting at an outdoor table and people-watching in the Big Square is one of the best things to do in Sibiu, especially if the weather is nice!
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).
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.
pardon café
While the city was locked down from March-May of 2020, the chef made the most adorable videos each day on Facebook presenting the day’s menu. Everyone consistently raves about this place, locals and tourists alike. Many claim it’s one of the best restaurants in Sibiu.
benjamin’s steakhouse
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.
Worth noting – if you’re planning on having a big, juicy steak, this restaurant may be better categorized as a ‘splurge’ – what I ordered wasn’t too expensive.
max
I arrived in Sibiu around 10pm 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) that 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.
Max is, undoubtedly, the best Italian restaurant in Sibiu (one of the best restaurants, period, actually!).
splurge
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 entrée 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.
la cuptor
La Cuptor (‘the oven’) has a very eclectic menu, with spins on traditional Romanian food. This is one of the best restaurants in Sibiu for a date night – the back terrace and ornate interior of the restaurant are nothing short of stunning.
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, make their own bread, jam, cheese, sausage, and pâté. 10/10 would recommend.
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