Cocktails are a great way to showcase the personality of the city, and the local cocktails should provide that experience. Bucharest doesn’t have any local cocktails (that I know of), but with love and a lot of drinking, I have discovered some cocktails that will make you happy and will bring a pinch of Romanian flavors. Here are some of my discoveries.
The Șpriț (Shpritz) – Most Restaurants will serve it
The most basic of cocktails, which will disappoint anyone from France, but this humble drink makes sense for a city that is as hot as hot can be. Fizzy mineral water and wine most restaurants will serve, but if you ask for one at a wine place, it might disappoint the person working there. This is the type of drink that is perfect during the summer and reminds me of family time where the adults can enjoy a weak alcoholic drink.
Where to have it? You can ask at any restaurant, but my favorite location for the quality is Ground Zero and for the experience, if you need something to cool off in the local market, OborAmor.
Ardeal Mule – Heavy Yard
My recent and most favorite discovery is The Yard. If you love the Moscow Mule, then the Ardeam Mule combines ginger beer with some nice, strong Romanian plum brandy.
Location: Google Maps
Palincarretto Sour – Heavy Yard
You smell it and you immediately get teleported in your grandpa’s moonshine dungeon of random stuff (sorry, I wrote this while drinking this cocktail).
Sober me: Well-balanced cocktail for those that like sweet, sour and boozy.
Location: Google Maps
Thank you. Heavy Yard for the photos!
Improvised Cocktail – Robescu
They are known for their experience bar. You go in, and they make cocktails based on what you like, but also, you can ask for the flavors of Romania if you feel adventurous. Something that I have done and can’t lie I had a lot of fun with the Romanian flavor, just know that each cocktail will be different.
Location: Google Maps
Pamela Cafe Bar – Quince Highball
Pamela Cafe Bar is one of my favorite locations in town in terms of unique design. It is a communist-chic cocktail bar with a mix of different drinks going for Romanian ingredients. I love the use of quince in cocktails, and the fact that they use quince rachiu (similar to palinca) makes me really happy.
Location: Google Maps
If this article is successful, I will look for more places with Romanian cocktails in Bucharest, but until then I will stick with what I know!
Dracula's Guide to Romania 
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