Caru' cu Bere

Bucharest, Romania

Bucharest's most famous beer hall, opened in 1879 on Stavropoleos Street in the old centre, with a Gothic Revival interior of stained glass, carved wood columns, and painted ceilings that survived two world wars and the communist period. The kitchen serves Romanian classics alongside its celebrated draught beer, and mici appear on the menu as a straightforward national staple. Eating mici in this setting is less about the street-food experience and more about the room: the arched vaults, the painted tiles, the long communal tables. The building is a national monument. The food is honest, the mici grilled to order, and the beer is the reason most people choose a table here.