Bucharest will host Taste of Transylvania for the first time on October 16–18, 2026, bringing together 36 restaurants, beverage brands and culinary concepts, including two Michelin-starred restaurants. Held at the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, the three-day festival is expected to attract between 8,000 and 10,000 visitors.
Now in its tenth edition after four years of development, Taste of Transylvania is positioning itself as something different from a conventional street food festival. Its focus is on restaurants, regional ingredients, culinary heritage and the relationship between traditional Transylvanian cuisine and contemporary gastronomy.
No food trucks: a festival built around restaurants and regional ingredients
“We want to bring Transylvania closer to the Bucharest public,” said Trucza Adorján László, founder and director of Taste of Transylvania. Speaking at the press conference, he explained that the concept deliberately moves away from the standard street food model.
Rather than gathering food trucks around familiar dishes, Taste of Transylvania invites established restaurants to showcase their culinary identities through ingredients associated with the region. Participating chefs have been encouraged to work with Transylvanian ingredients, while retaining creative freedom over their recipes and presentation.
The result is intended to reflect the region’s complex culinary identity, shaped by Romanian, Hungarian, Saxon and other cultural influences. For visitors, the format creates an opportunity to explore multiple restaurants and culinary philosophies in one location, without travelling across Romania.
Michelin-starred guests join leading Romanian chefs
The Bucharest edition will feature two Michelin-starred restaurants from outside Romania, with Italian chef Simone Cantafio among the international guests. Leading Romanian chefs are also involved, including Alex Petricean of N.O.U.A. Bucătărie Românească, Mihai Toader of Soro.lume and Adi Hădean, who is participating in Taste of Transylvania for the first time.
Petricean highlighted the importance of rediscovering local ingredients and traditional recipes that risk disappearing from everyday cooking. Toader described the festival as an ambassador of Romania’s multicultural heritage, arguing that traditional cuisine can develop a modern identity without losing its connection to local producers.
Hădean approached the subject from a broader perspective, noting that Romania is still in the process of defining its national culinary identity. From a gastronomic standpoint, the country is still learning its own vocabulary, he suggested during the conference.
MasterChef, culinary workshops and premium tasting experiences
Throughout the three-day event, MasterChef will operate a dedicated cooking tent where contestants will prepare dishes using Transylvanian ingredients. Public tasting sessions are scheduled daily at 4 PM and 8 PM.
The Taste Academy Workshops area will host free practical sessions and coffee tastings, while the Joy Cooking by PPC programme will bring professional chefs and home cooks together to prepare dishes from the same ingredients.
The festival will also feature wine and beverage tastings, including names such as Oremus, Vega Sicilia and Clandestin Champagne. Music performances will run throughout the weekend, combining culinary demonstrations with a broader cultural programme.
Unlimited brunch and live music on Sunday
One of the festival’s main special events is scheduled for Sunday, October 18, starting at 11 AM. The brunch will offer unlimited food for two hours, accompanied by a live performance from Floare de Maidan, a musical project associated with the Subcarpați collective. Access requires a separate brunch ticket, which also includes admission to the festival on Sunday.
The Village Museum becomes a culinary destination
Choosing the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum as the venue reflects the festival’s emphasis on gastronomy as cultural heritage. Paulina Popoiu, director of the museum, highlighted the institution’s role in bringing different cultural traditions together and creating opportunities for visitors to explore the diversity of Romanian communities.
Ötvös Koppány Bulcsú, State Secretary at Romania’s Ministry of Culture, also emphasised the connection between food, collective memory and cultural identity. For the organisers, the move to Bucharest marks a new chapter in a project launched in 2022.
The ambition extends beyond a three-day festival. By connecting traditional ingredients with contemporary restaurant concepts, Taste of Transylvania aims to strengthen the region’s position as a distinctive culinary destination.
Dates, opening hours and tickets
Taste of Transylvania will take place on October 16–18, 2026, in the Satul Nou area of the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, on Șoseaua Kiseleff in Bucharest. The festival opens Friday from 12 PM to 9 PM, Saturday from 11 AM to 9 PM and Sunday from 1 PM to 6 PM. Sunday brunch ticket holders can enter from 11 AM.
Entrance is through the Transilvania Gate, accessible from the Herăstrău Park side near the Arch of Triumph. Festival tickets also include museum admission. Single-day tickets include two tasting dishes, while the full-weekend pass includes three dishes selected from participating restaurants.
