Address: Brezoianu street 23-25

Traveler Reviews

Cosy traditional Romanian restaurant
Reviewed by Grizz76 on Mar 14, 2010


We were recommended to eat at Vatra if we wanted to try some traditional cuisine and i'm glad we did. A cosy restaurant, minimalist decor, but with some traditional Romanian acoutrements, but kept fresh and clean. Nice atmosphere with traditional music in the background, but it didn't intrude on conversations. Food was excellent (though i'm no gourmet). I know what i like and Vatra gave me a new experience of food i was unfamiliar with. We started with a selection of cheeses and grilled breadcrumbed cheese. We then had the sausages with braised cabbage and a suet style mash which was gorgeous, if a little heavy on the stomach. For dessert it was "Dragus" cake which topped the meal of lovely. The staff were very friendly, spoke excellent english, though i tried my romanian (badly i might add!) The food came nicely prepared and at a nice pace. You weren't rushed which allowed the courses to go down well. The price was very reasonable, about £30 for a three course meal for two people with beer. The smoking section of the restaurant is nicely separated and the air con works fine. Will definitely eat there again when we go back.

Wonderful food at reasonable price
Reviewed by dangrad on Aug 21, 2009


This restaurant was so good we went here twice during our trip. The first visit was with a Romanian colleague from Bucharest. Six of us went here and let him do the ordering. We nixed the hot meal (it was in the 90s) and went for a typical cold platter of fresh vegetables, cheeses, various cold cuts (sausages, pate, and even some pork rinds) with fresh bread. The desserts here are wonderful and you can't go wrong having the traditional Romanian-style fried donuts stuffed with cream or cottage cheese and topped with sour cherries. YUM! Very reasonably priced. On the second visit we were only two people and not as hungry so we went for the fresh veggies and cheeses appetizer with fresh bread-more than enough for a meal for two people. The menus are in English and the staff speak limited English. The decor is homey, traditional Romanian and I can't say enough good things about this place. Try it, you'll love it!

Nice Place to Eat
Reviewed by daveinnewyork on Aug 7, 2009


I ate here twice during my stay in Bucharest. The food was very good and the service was good as well. I like the traditional Romanian atmosphere. The prices are reasonable and the staff was very friendly.

Very nice Romanian cuisine in a cosy environment
Reviewed by mzoulias on Jun 28, 2009


The food was excellent. Well prepared and properly served. We tasted cheese varieties and mixed grills, accompanied by the house salad and potatoes. Romanian and Transylvanian specialties were available. Excellent traditional deserts also. Everything was very good and perfectly cooked. Nice Romanian beer (dark and blonde) and Romanian wines (very nice reds). The prices were very affordable for European standards. The view of the restaurant from the outside is not something inspiring. Located in a quiet but also a little dark road. As soon as we got in we found ourselves into a warm and clean - kind of like going to grandma's house - restaurant. Very warm and cosy. The decoration was a little overwhelming and tourist oriented but it was nice. Old Romanian and Transylvanian artifacts are all over the place. The staff was friendly and helpful. The kitchen is visible from some tables, clean and professional. The toillets also (as my wife - a difficult customer ;-) claims). I am not saying this is a gourmet place and my standards are average. I found what I was looking for. Excellent food, friendly service, reasonable prices and a most enjoyable evening. I went there 3 out of the 4 days of my stay. I will probably go back to Bucharest in the near future and will definitely dine at Vatra again.