It used to be the case that few people travelled to Romania for the food. As with much of the Balkans the vast majority of what passed for Romanian cuisine, certainly in this part of the country, were localised - yet often vastly improved - versions of Turkish dishes. Hungarian and German influences are more clearly discernable in Transylvania.

Over the past few years however, that has all changed, at least in the handful of restaurants we list here. With young, dynamic chefs at the helm, these places are rather quickly revolutionising both local food and local attitudes to food. Increasingly making use of fabulous local produce these restaurants have taken traditional Romanian food and added a contemporary twist to create genuinely original dishes that are a match for anything else the city can offer.

Where once Romanian food was a byword for bland peasant fare, these establishments are proof that the future of Romanian cooking is bright.

If it is a more traditional Romanian meal you are looking for, then we recommend either Caru cu Bere and Hanul lui Manuc (which we also list below), not least as both places are historic monuments in their own right and well worth a visit.