Address: Calea Dorobanti 152
Phone: +40 021 222 00 42
Web: www.pascucci.ro


Caffe Pascucci is located on Calea Dorobanti 152, about 500 metres from the main shops in Dorobanti. It has a very modern feel with state of the art furnishings and an interior colour scheme of black and white through out. This theme continues outside onto the very wide pavement with tables and chairs laid out to watch the world go by.
This is a cafe that works best in the day time, a place to meet friends for a sandwich and a cofee, or just to sit and read the paper. The food and drink menu is broken down into five different catagories with a seperate menu for each which makes it very easy to navigate. Sushi, Cake, Coffee, Milkshakes and other drinks including cocktails wines and spirits.
The Sushi is mouth watering and the cake display very inviting, although the cakes could do some serious damage to the waiste line so I had to be strong willed and say no! They also do Laurent-Perrier Champagne by the glass so if your feeling decadent and you’re in the mood, then a glass of Champagne can be just the tonic.
Caffe Pascucci has a very comfortable atmosphere and is neat and tidy to look at, give it a try.

By Richard Fox, fox@citycompass.ro

Address: Strada Smardan Nr. 7 (next to Van Gogh)
Phone: +40 0749 057 771


Kartell is a compact and bijou café bar situated in the old town opposite the National Bank of Romania. The bar is totally unique in this area with its Baroque style decor and its eclectic mix of chairs all covered in pillar box red velvet; it activates the senses on a first visit.
They launched their new food and drinks menu last week which looks interesting and what I sampled was very good. On the opening page the food offering starts with eleven different types of bruschetta, just about anything you could want on toast. The rest of the food menu is made up of salads, pasta and some very good looking Mexican tortillas and quesadillas, which are great bites to go with a drink. The
drinks menu leads off with a selection of coffees, twenty-nine different types to be exact, that would compete with any New York coffee shop. The large espresso I had was very good. They have a very extensive range of hot and cold non-alcoholic drinks, but if you are looking for something a little stronger you have to turn to page 7 before you find a ‘proper’ drink. They have an interesting choice of cocktails with some good house specials, a range of local and imported bottled beers, and a broad choice of red and white wines.
The outside space is furnished with tables and chairs with original design which compliment the interior decor, and create the difference in look between this bar and any of its neighbours in the old town as you walk down the strip.
In summary, I like Kartell as it offers something a little bit different in terms of look and feel, so I intend to do some more practical research into its new menu.

By Richard Fox, fox@citycompass.ro

Address: Banu Antonache Nr 55
Phone: +40 0722 388 239


This week as a change of scene I am commenting on a wine shop rather than a wine bar. Ethic Wines is an independent wine shop based opposite Floreasca fruit and vegetable market. The shop is owned and run by Cornel and Lucian, a pair of wine enthusiasts who appreciate the grape.
They carry a wide and diverse range of wines made up of around 50% Romanian and 50% imported wines including French, Italian, Chilean and Australian varieties. For me the interest lies in their fantastic selection of Romanian produce.
Romania is now producing some very inovative and exciting wines and experimenting with blends that you will find nowhere else in the world. A good example of this is a wine I picked out last week with the guidence of Lucian.
It was the Solo Quinta created by wine maker Hartley Smithers at the Recas Estate. A blend of Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Feteasca Regala and Muscat makes a very different and fabulous glass of wine.
The range of Romanian wines starts with many of the commercial labels to be found in the supermarket, all priced very honestly, going up to the small production high quality wines. In an article I read recently, it was saying that the only places left in the world where you can drink very good quality wines at very reasonable prices are Romania and Moldova, and I am making the most of it!
Cornel also owns a vineyard, so there is often the home produce available to taste and to buy. His Feteasca Regala is a good simple crisp dry white, which could invite itself to any BBQ on a hot summers day. If you buy it directly through the store, it is a bargain!
So the moral of my story is, whilst in Romania drink Romanian, and do give Ethic Wines a try.

By Richard Fox, fox@citycompass.ro

Address: Calea Dorobanti nr. 155
Phone: +40 0724 759 227
Web: www.skybar.ro


Sky Bar is a brand new roof top bar in Dorobanti born only 3 weeks ago. The unique and wonderful thing about this bar is the fully retractable roof that can be peeled back at the first sight of sunshine, and the glass wall surrounds which open fully as well to give it a totally out door feel. When closed it has a very light airy feel, and you almost feel like you’re sitting in a glasshouse, so the bar has great versatility to open or close depending on the weather.
The furnishings are very modern like something you would expect to see in a Phillippe Starck designed venue, with clear chairs and moulded white sofas covered in a selection of green and blue cushions. The flooring is part wooden decking and part white gravel, I would
suggest the girls watch there heels on the gravel as you wouldn’t want to spoil those Choo’s.
The drink offering looks good although not different and exciting in anyway, which I think a unique bar like this deserves. I managed to work my way through a few of their cocktails and what I had was very good: they have a list of classic cocktails all priced very well at RON 20, then a small selection of house cocktails. On the wine front, they list 18 wines and champagnes, which in itself is a good selection, the only thing that bothers me that only two are Romanian! If you want to drink wine the choice is French or Italian with prices to match.
I am really looking forward to seeing this bar in full-swing. On a hot summer’s night, after dark with all the doors and the roof open, I think it will rock!
Sky Bar is open from 10am until the last man standing everyday, and is situated on the 5th floor, 155 Calea Dorobanti.
I have to say on balance I like this bar and really love the whole concept so hope to see it do well.

By Richard Fox, fox@citycompass.ro

Address: B-dul Titulescu 18
Phone: +40 021 222 94 73
Web: www.irishpubs.ro


The Dubliner is an Irish bar, an institution among many, and it has been around for seventeen years on the Bucharest Night Life scene. It has the feel of a traditional Irish bar and has a loyal gang of regulars which sit at the bar solving the problems of the world.
There is a smoky atmosphere and rather tired furnishings but if you want to watch sports from around the world and drink good Guinness this is a great place to go. They have UK Sky Sports so you can watch Premier league football with your favorite commentators and all the banter. They serve traditional English/Irish pub food with exceptionally good pies most notably the steak kidney.
If you are living in Bucharest and missing your local at home, The Dubliner can give you that warm fuzzy feeling!

By Richard Fox, fox@citycompass.ro

Address: Piata Lahovari 8
Phone: +40 0733 50 03 00
Web: www.embassy-club.ro


The Embassy is a lounge bar located in Piata Lahovari, in a very fine old building just behind Piata Romana. As you walk up to the bar it has a rather grand feel about it with its solid dark wood bar top and above your head a landing of matching dark wood banister with old paintings on the walls. The bar area itself has low tables with soft, sink-into sofas and chairs. I really like this bar in the afternoons as it has a very relaxed atmosphere and a great place to while away a few hours with friends. The bar has TVs showing sport which seems to be standard equipment in all Bucharest bars, but this is definitely is not a sports bar so I do find the TV is a slight distraction. The service is good with friendly, attentive bar staff. The offering is good with a bar food menu of Tapas, Pizza, Pasta and a drinks menu with some cocktails, and all the standard beers, wines and spitits at reasonable prices. There are 2 private rooms upstairs, which are available to hire, either for business meetings during the day or for party at night. One of the rooms is good for numbers around 80, and the other for numbers around 50. The Embassy has a fantastic outdoor space and I think this is really where it comes into its own. The terrace doubles the total floor space of drinking area and is very nicely decked out with quality outdoor furnishings and a separate bar area. I think now the snow has gone and there is a hint of spring in the air; it won’t be long before the terrace is back in action. The opening hours are 11am until 3am between Sunday and Thursday, and 11am until very late on Friday and Saturday. It is possible to reserve a table on a first-come first-serve basis, so if your planning your Saturday night out in advance call ahead.


By Richard Fox, fox@citycompass.ro

Address: Strada Benjamin Franklin Nr. 14
Phone: +40 (0)741 123 098
Web: www.fourteen.ro

Fourteen is an English-owned bar new on the Bucharest night life scene which opened its doors in October 2009, and I have to say what a little gem. Situated at Strada Benjamin Franklin 14 just to the side of the Athenaeum,it is a basement bar club run by a very friendly and welcoming team of bar staff serving up good wines, cocktails and a selection of draught and bottle beers, including Newcastle Brown Ale, which makes me feel right at home!
The bar has a cosy feel with its exposed red brick walls and soft lighting, ideal for an early evening drink, with bench seating and tables along the walls playing background tunes.
As the evening progresses the tunes are gently rev’d up playing a mixture of 80′s, Brit pop with a few of your favorite anthems in the mix.
This is a great venue for a private party if you want to invite 80 of your best friends.
Fourteen is open from Tuesday ‘till Saturday 7pm until very late.
By Richard Fox, fox@citycompass.ro