Visiting Chisinau and wondering where to eat real Moldovan food? Loft Pub & Kitchen on Decebal 20 serves the classics: zeama soup, mamaliga with pork stew, mici from the charcoal grill and local wine from Purcari, Cricova and Fautor. We are a relaxed pub, not a folklore museum, and just a 2 minute walk from Jumbo Hotel.
Every Moldovan dish on this page comes with a short explanation, so you can order with confidence even if you have never heard of zeama before. Here we tell you what the dishes are and how locals eat them; the full menu with prices lives on its own page. Book a table at 061 204 044 or on Telegram @Loft_Pub_Botanica.
Zeama is Moldova's answer to chicken noodle soup: a light, slightly sour broth with homemade noodles, served with sour cream to stir in, fresh bread and a hot pepper on the side. Locals swear by it as comfort food for cold days and as the classic morning-after remedy. Our zeama de casa (house zeama) is a generous 470 g bowl for 75 lei. Stir in the sour cream, risk a bite of that pepper if you dare, and you will be eating like a true Moldovan.
Mamaliga is a golden cornmeal dish, a close cousin of Italian polenta, and it sits at the heart of Moldovan home cooking. On its own it is humble; the magic is in what comes with it. We serve ours with tocanita, a rich pork stew in sauce, for 170 lei. Order a glass of dry red from Purcari or Fautor alongside and you get the most Moldovan dinner possible without being invited to somebody's grandmother's house.
Mici (say "meech") are small skinless meat rolls seasoned with garlic and grilled over beech charcoal until juicy and lightly smoky. You order them by the piece at 15 lei each, so they work as a beer snack or as part of a bigger feast. For groups, the new Platou Moldovenesc is the move: 1200 g for 2-3 people at 490 lei, with traditional mici, grilled pork sausages and chicken, grilled vegetables and homemade red sauce. One platter, and the whole table understands Moldova.
Moldovan wine deserves far more fame than it gets, and you should not leave the country without trying it. Our list focuses on three names Moldovans are proud of: Purcari, Cricova and Fautor. A dry red pairs beautifully with mamaliga and grilled meat; a chilled white works with zeama. Celebrating something? The sparkling Purcari Cuve Alb Brut (600 lei) is the local way to do it. Our staff will happily help you choose by the glass or by the bottle.
Loft Pub & Kitchen sits at 20 Decebal Boulevard in the Botanica district, a 2 minute walk from Jumbo Hotel. Two floors, more than 100 seats, two terraces in the warm season, free Wi-Fi and free parking at the door. We are open daily from 11:00 until midnight, with the kitchen taking last orders at 22:45, so dinner after a long day of sightseeing is never a problem. Google rating: 4.8. To book a table, call 061 204 044 or message us on Telegram @Loft_Pub_Botanica.
