For many visitors, Bucharest is a city of eclectic architecture, leafy boulevards and lively Old Town. Yet beyond its landmarks lies another story, one written in cafés, bookstores and long conversations.
Long before specialty coffee became fashionable, Bucharest was a city of literary cafés. Writers, journalists, actors and intellectuals gathered around small marble tables to debate politics, literature and the future of the country. Some of those places have disappeared, but the spirit of Belle Epoque can still be found today, especially around Cișmigiu Park, Regina Elisabeta Boulevard and Calea Victoriei.
If you are searching for an authentic coffee shop Bucharest experience, there is no better place to begin than the neighborhood surrounding Hotel Cișmigiu.
The Golden Age of Bucharest’s Literary Cafés
At the end of the 19th century and throughout the interwar years, cafés played an important role in the cultural life of Bucharest. The most famous of them was Casa Capșa, a meeting place for writers, politicians and artists. Nearby, cafés such as Kübler and Fialkovski attracted journalists, poets and intellectuals who spent hours discussing literature, theatre and current affairs.
The café was far more than a place to drink coffee. It was an extension of the city’s cultural life. Newspapers were written, literary movements were born and friendships, rivalries and artistic collaborations developed over countless cups of coffee.
Among the personalities associated with this world were Mihai Eminescu, Ion Luca Caragiale, Tudor Arghezi, Liviu Rebreanu, Camil Petrescu and literary critic Eugen Lovinescu. Their works helped shape Romanian culture, and many of the conversations that inspired them took place in the cafés and salons of central Bucharest.
People came not only to be seen, but to exchange ideas. This culture of conversation remains one of the most charming ways to discover Bucharest. Even today, the city invites visitors to slow down. A coffee often turns into a discussion, a walk into an afternoon, and a bookstore visit into an unexpected discovery.
Hotel Cișmigiu: More Than a Place to Stay
Standing proudly on Regina Elisabeta Boulevard since 1912, Hotel Cișmigiu has witnessed more than a century of Bucharest’s cultural history. Originally opened as the Palace Hotel, the building quickly became part of the social and artistic life of the city. Throughout the decades, it has watched Bucharest evolve from the elegant Little Paris era to the dynamic capital visitors discover today.
The hotel itself became part of this cultural world and of Bucharest history. Among the literary figures who lived here were the celebrated poet Ion Barbu and literary critic and philosopher Tudor Vianu, both important voices of Romanian intellectual life during the 20th century.
Today, the hotel continues this connection to culture, welcoming travelers who want to experience a more authentic side of Bucharest. Start your morning with a coffee at Bistro La Etaj, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, where panoramic views stretch across the city center. Looking out over the rooftops of Bucharest, it’s easy to imagine the boulevards, cafés and literary circles that once gave the city its reputation as “Little Paris” before setting off to explore them yourself.
Humanitas Cișmigiu and the Modern Literary Scene
Near the hotel entrance, Humanitas Cișmigiu has become one of Romania’s most beloved bookstores. Book launches, debates, author meetings and cultural events regularly bring together readers, writers and visitors from across the city. For anyone interested in books and coffee, it is one of the most rewarding stops in central Bucharest.
Coffee Bucharest Today: Five Cafés Worth Discovering
The cafés of old Bucharest may have changed, but the city’s love affair with coffee remains very much alive. Over the last decade, Bucharest has developed one of the most vibrant specialty coffee scenes in Eastern Europe. Here are our five coffee shop recommendations, close to the hotel, that you can enjoy in a city break in Bucharest.
Origo
Located in the Old Town, approximately 5 minutes on foot from Hotel Cișmigiu, Origo is considered one of the pioneers of specialty coffee in Romania. Since opening in 2013, it has become a benchmark for coffee lovers thanks to its expertly roasted beans, skilled baristas and commitment to quality. It remains one of the most respected names in the Bucharest coffee scene.
M60
A short walk toward Piața Amzei leads to M60, one of Bucharest’s most recognizable cafés. Inspired by Scandinavian coffee culture, it combines excellent coffee, healthy brunch options and a bright, minimalist design. It attracts a creative crowd of freelancers, entrepreneurs, students and travelers looking for a relaxed atmosphere.
Sloane Coffee Roasters
Located near Calea Victoriei, just a short walk from Hotel Cișmigiu, Sloane Coffee Roasters is one of the most respected names in Bucharest’s specialty coffee shops scene. Known for its carefully roasted beans and elegant, understated atmosphere, it attracts coffee enthusiasts as well as visitors looking for a quieter place to pause between museums, bookstores and city walks. Its location makes it an ideal stop while exploring the historic heart of Bucharest.
Meron
Originally founded in Cluj-Napoca, Meron has become a successful specialty coffee shop. Conveniently located on Regina Elisabeta Boulevard, just steps from Hotel Cișmigiu, it combines excellent coffee with elegant design and warm hospitality. Whether you’re starting your day before exploring the city or taking a break after a walk through Cișmigiu Gardens, Meron offers an experience that reflects the sophistication of Bucharest’s contemporary coffee culture.
BOB Coffee Lab
BOB Coffee Lab has become one of the most internationally recognized names in Bucharest’s specialty coffee scene. In 2026, it was included in The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops, ranking among the top coffee shops worldwide and becoming the only Romanian coffee business to make the list. Selected from tens of thousands of cafés and evaluated by an international panel of coffee professionals and public voting, BOB was recognized for the quality of its coffee, innovation and overall customer experience.
With several locations across Bucharest, it represents the modern face of the city’s coffee culture. While the literary cafés of Little Paris belong to another era, places like BOB continue the tradition of gathering people around good coffee, conversation and urban discovery.
Bonus: DeSoi Restaurant
Located on the ground floor of Hotel Cișmigiu, DeSoi Restaurant is the most convenient place to begin your coffee journey through Bucharest. The café has built a strong reputation among locals for its specialty coffee, carefully sourced beans and expertly crafted drinks. Whether you’re starting the day before exploring the city or taking a break after a walk through Cișmigiu Gardens, DESOI combines quality coffee with the relaxed atmosphere that has always been part of Bucharest’s café culture. In a city where conversations have long revolved around coffee, books and ideas, it feels like a natural continuation of the traditions that once defined “Little Paris.”
Where Old and New Meet
More than a century ago, Bucharest’s writers gathered in cafés such as Capșa, Kübler and Fialkovski to exchange ideas and debate the future of the city. Today’s specialty cafés may look different, but the ritual remains surprisingly familiar: a good coffee, a long conversation and a few hours spent observing Bucharest unfold around you.
What makes the coffee shops experience in Bucharest unique is this coexistence of old and new. Within the same afternoon, you can walk past historic buildings that once hosted literary salons, browse a bookstore, enjoy a specialty coffee and end the day on a terrace overlooking streets that have inspired generations of writers and artists.
Where to Stay in Bucharest?
The literary cafés of old Bucharest may belong to another era, but their spirit survives. You can still find it in bookstores, conversations, historic buildings and cafés around Cișmigiu. And few places are better positioned to explore this side of the city than Hotel Cișmigiu.
If you are looking for accommodation in Bucharest that connects you not only to the city’s landmarks but also to its cultural history, Hotel Cișmigiu offers a unique perspective. Among the many Bucharest hotels, few are so closely linked to the stories, writers, artists and places that helped shape the city’s identity.
Some hotels in Bucharest place you near the city. Hotel Cișmigiu places you inside one of its oldest stories. Book your stay directly through our website and discover Bucharest from the heart of its cultural heritage.
