The first time I tried bulz, I was in a mountain village outside Brașov. A local shepherd grilled polenta balls stuffed with sheep cheese over a wood fire. It wasn’t in any travel guide—but I still think about that meal.
When most travelers think of traditional Romanian food, a few staples come to mind: sarmale (stuffed cabbage rolls), mămăligă (polenta), and maybe a steaming bowl of ciorbă de burtă (tripe soup). But Romanian cuisine is so much more than its better-known dishes. Tucked away in small villages, local markets, and countryside kitchens are recipes passed down through generations—flavorful, humble, and deeply tied to the land and seasons.
As someone born in Eastern Europe and obsessed with exploring food cultures on a budget, I’ve eaten my way through Romania more than once. Here are some underrated traditional Romanian dishes that are worth discovering—and most importantly, that locals actually eat.
Whether you’re planning a trip to Romania or simply hungry for a different perspective, this guide invites you to discover the unsung heroes of Romanian cuisine—flavors that might surprise you, charm you, and stay with you long after the meal is over.
Learn more about Romania!
- 24 epic places to visit in Romania (with map + many bonus ideas!!)
- The Ultimate Guide to Romania Trip Planning
- Best Time to Visit Romania: A Complete Seasonal Guide
- The ultra-complete guide before you travel to Transylvania (26 tips)
- Must-see Transylvania 2025: The Ultimate Guide
Foreword on Traditional Romanian food
Tocăniță de Ciuperci (Mushroom Stew)
Plachie de Pește (Baked Fish in Tomato & Garlic Sauce)
Ciorbă de Fasole cu Afumătură în Pâine (Bean Soup with Smoked Pork in a Bread Bowl)
Bulz (Grilled Polenta Balls Stuffed with Cheese)
Salată de vinete (Eggplant dip)
Tobă (pig head cheese)
Piftie (Jellied Pork)
Pâine cu Untură și Ceapă (Bread with Lard and Onion)
Scrob (Romanian-Style Scrambled Eggs)
Prăjitură cu foi de nucă (Walnut Cake with Thin Sheets)
Final Thoughts: Taste Beyond the Tourist Trail
Foreword on Traditional Romanian food
Romanian cuisine is a tapestry of humble ingredients, ancient traditions, and unexpected depth. Rooted in peasant life and shaped by Slavic, Ottoman, and Hungarian influences, these dishes carry the warmth of wood-burning stoves and stories passed down through generations. Some are bold, some subtle—but all are deeply local and meant to be shared.
The gastronomic scene is loaded with hearty stews, fermented sour soups, and centuries-old recipes. Romania is a carnivore country. Romanians crave for meat, especially its majesty the pork, but we are also champions in cheese varieties especially in the mountainous area where the quality of the pasture converts in superior quality. (Vegetarians, do not worry – there are options for you as well!!)
While dishes like sarmale and mămăligă are often in the spotlight, Romania’s true culinary soul lives in its lesser-known meals — the quiet comforts passed down through generations, from countryside kitchens to holiday tables.
Find out more!
- Take it cheesy – Transylvanian cheese specials!
- Nice to meet you, meat!
- The Taste of Transylvania – A Gastronomic Experience
🥘 1. Tocăniță de ciuperci (Mushroom Stew)
In a forest, after the rain, a grandmother wearing an apron and a scarf, carefully picks wild mushrooms to gently stir them in a cast-iron pot over an open flame. This is the image I still have when thinking of the mushroom stew seasoned with garlic and thyme. And this is how a humble stew can turn into something almost sacred.
This rich, earthy mushroom stew is comfort in a bowl. Made with foraged forest mushrooms, onions, garlic, and lots of fresh dill, tocăniță de ciuperci is usually served with polenta and a dollop of sour cream. They make a good alternative to meat.
Where to try it: In Transylvania’s mountain regions, especially during autumn when mushrooms are fresh-picked and abundant.
Not anyone can pick mushrooms in the forest; https://comunavadusapat.ro
🐟 2. Plachie de pește (Baked Fish in Tomato & Garlic Sauce)
A dish rooted in Romania’s rivers and Danube Delta, plachie is a rustic, slow-baked fish stew cooked with onions, garlic, bay leaves, and tomatoes. It’s fragrant, simple, and soul-satisfying.
Travel tip: In fishing villages like Sfântu Gheorghe (Danube Delta), you’ll often find locals making this at home—ask your guesthouse host.
🍲 3. Ciorbă de fasole cu afumătură în pâine (Bean Soup with Smoked Pork in a Bread Bowl)
You might walk past this dish thinking it’s touristy because of the bread bowl, but it’s an old-school Romanian mountain meal. The smoky beans, paired with pork ribs or sausage, are hearty and warming—especially after a hike.
There’s another version to this traditional Romanian food, fasole cu ciolan afumat (beans with smoked ham), often accompanied by onion slices. Absolutely delicious and hearty.
Budget-friendly bonus: This dish can be a meal on its own and usually costs under €6 in local restaurants. It is best either in the countryside or at the restaurants specialized in traditional Romanian food.
🧀 4. Bulz (Grilled Polenta Balls Stuffed with Cheese)
Bulz is basically Romania’s answer to cheesy street food. These grilled balls of cornmeal are filled with brânză de burduf (a salty sheep cheese), then baked or grilled until gooey inside and crispy outside.
Where to find it: Roadside stands in mountain areas or try it at rural pensiuni (family-run inns). We did it at Cetatea Carului, somewhere between Bran Castle and Fundata and Fundatica villages.
Adventure on Rucar-Bran area to discover not only top landscapes, but also some of the best places with bulz and other shepherd-inspired dishes!
5. Salată de vinete (Eggplant dip)
Many people could argue that the eggplant dip has nothing Romanian to it. Indeed, there are so many Middle East dishes based on this versatile plant… but, I have a point. This ordinary and universal plant is made in such a simple way that all foreigners rave about our eggplant dip. It literally became a traditional Romanian food.
Where to find it: unlike most of the dishes, it is common in many restaurants in cities. Or try traditional guesthouses.
6. Tobă (pig head cheese)
I know, the name sounds awful! Tobă (literally translates as drum, observe the shape) is a winter sausage made after sacrificing the pig.
(Yes! This was a frequent habit in communist Romania, and it happened in almost every household.) Tobă is pig head meat chopped and poured into a bowl together with garlic and spices into a natural casing—nothing wasted, everything honored.
It chilled overnight on the balcony, guarded by snow and tradition.
In the morning, we sliced it thin and ate it with mustard.
Where to find it: prepared in traditional guesthouses and cured meat stores.
7. Piftie (Jellied Pork)
Piftie, also called răcitură, derives from the word rece, meaning cold. Somewhat similar to tobă, piftie is usually made with pig’s trotter (but could be turkey, chicken or fish) and vegetables, boiled to make a soup with high gelatin content. The broth is poured over the boiled meat and mashed garlic in bowls, the mixture being then cooled to become a jelly.
Not for the faint of heart, but beloved by locals for its bold, rustic flavor.
Another dish with nostalgic vibes, it trembled in the cold like winter itself. Best eaten with horseradish.
Where to find it: Look for it at rural guesthouses or traditional Romanian restaurants. Only in winter.
🍞 8. Pâine cu untură și ceapă (Bread with Lard and Onion)
This might raise some eyebrows, but the traditional Romanian food, pâine cu untură is a nostalgic snack for many. A slice of fresh bread smeared with pork lard, sprinkled with salt, paprika and raw red onion slices—it’s fatty, simple, and surprisingly addictive. Goes perfectly well with friends and beer!
During communism I ate a lot and loved it!
When to try it: During village festivals or rural home visits. You’ll feel like you’re time-traveling. No-frills and very cheap!
🍳 9. Scrob (Romanian-Style Scrambled Eggs)
Each country has a basic egg dish. Ours is scrob.
A dish of scrambled eggs with cheese, sometimes onions or herbs, scrob is often eaten for dinner in rural households. It’s a reflection of Romania’s resourceful cooking—minimal ingredients, maximum flavor.
Best enjoyed with: fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and a shot of homemade plum brandy (țuică).
🥧 10. Prăjitură cu foi de nucă (Walnut Cake with Thin Sheets)
Most Romanian desserts don’t scream for attention—but this one deserves a moment. A layered cake with crunchy walnuts, cocoa, and thin sheets of dough, it’s time-consuming to make and often only found at holidays or homemade.
Where to try it: Visit a local market around Christmas or Easter, or look for family-run bakeries.
💬 Final Thoughts: Taste Beyond the Tourist Trail
As someone who travels to connect, taste, and feel a place beyond the surface, I’ve come to love the quieter side of food culture. These dishes may not be the stars of glossy travel guides, but to locals, they’re comfort, identity, and memory. I know, most of them are not everybody’s cup of tea, especially not for diet or vegetarians. However, they are authenticity on a plate.
The best food in Romania often isn’t on a restaurant menu. It’s in someone’s kitchen, made with love, and shared without pretension. If you get the chance, say yes to home-cooked meals, village feasts, or dishes you can’t pronounce.
That’s where the real magic happens.
👣 Have you tried any of these? Or discovered your own underrated Romanian dish?
Let me know in the comments—or better yet, share your favorite “hidden flavor” from your travels!
