Recommended restaurants and bars in Cluj-Napoca

Valachia – A Great Local Restaurant

I got a recommendation from a local on Instagram for this place, which is one of the many reasons I love social media. It enables you to meet people from all around the world and get insider tips from locals.

We got to the restaurant in the evening and it was almost full. There are a lot of tables, they have 2 floors inside and an outside area. The service it a bit slow, so you shouldn’t go while starving.
For an appetizer we ordered chorba soup (a traditional meal in Romania), it tastes a bit sour. I only had a few bites but it was good. Roman also ordered mamaliga (another traditional dish) and some sausage with beans.

I ordered spaghetti with cheese (I thought it was going to be similar to what my Romanian dad makes, but it was just pasta with cheese on top). The mamaliga was stuffed with cheese as well, and I didn’t really like it because it was too heavy. Roman seemed to enjoy it. We liked the sausage with bean course, it was really good.

For dessert we ordered papanash, which is sort of donuts with jelly, cream, and chocolate. I don’t really like fried foods but I’m sure who does will enjoy this.
Address:
Strada Govora 27, Cluj-Napoca
Hours:
Monday – Saturday 10: 00-23: 00 Sunday 13: 00-23: 00

Roots – Healthy Cafe with Great Food

For breakfast I looked up a place that serves some nutritional food and not just eggs with bacon. I found a recommendation for a place that served healthy breads and fresh juices, so we went there for breakfast.

I ordered an avocado toast – it was soo good. It was loaded with avocado and chilli (which ended up being a bit to spicy) and some lemon. The toast was a part of the meal that also included a banana bread – it was super good and I ended up taking one to-go 🙂 I also ordered orange and grapefruit juice.

You can customize your meal to your preference. You can choose a toast or a sandwich, banana bread or croissant, and you can even trade the juice for coffee.

Roman ordered the avocado toast as well but also a sandwich with ham and cheese. He enjoyed them both.
I really recommend this cute cafe for breakfast or just a light snack, for coffee, or juice.

Address:
Bulevardul Eroilor 4, Cluj-Napoca
Hours:
Monday-Friday 07:30-23:30, Saturday 09:00-23:30, Sunday 09:00-17:00

Makeba – Bar-bistro

We went here for lunch. The design was lovely, and they serve modern foods for great prices.
Roman got a burger and I ordered some salad with shrimps, and also a vegan dish with tofu and roasted veggies.

The food was overall good. The shrimp salad was good and so was the tofu, the only thing I was missing is some carbs.
The burger was classic, but not the best one Roman has ever had, but the price was good and the flavor as well.

Address:
Strada Inocențiu Micu Klein 23, Cluj-Napoca
Hours:
Monday – Friday 09:00 – 01:00, Saturday 11:00-02:00 and Sunday 11:00 – 00:00

The Lab Cocktail Bistro – A bar designed as a lab

We went to this place after seeing recommendations on the website Like a Local. We went to the bar after the local restaurant. We were really full and hungry, but the bar seemed so cool in the pictures and we had to check it out.

It is one of the best and coolest bars as far as design. Everything looks just like a lab. The walls, the tables, and even the bar itself. They went as far as the restrooms.

The drinks were served in flasks and whatnot – it was so cool. We were there practically by ourselves, it was late and the bartender said that most people go during the day or on the weekends. Both the cocktails we ordered were really yummy. We enjoyed the experience and forgot that we were ever tired.

Address:
Strada Avram Iancu nr. 12, Cluj-Napoca
Hours:
Monday – Friday 10:00 -00:00, Saturday 12: 00-02:00 and Sunday 12: 00-22:00