Top 5 specialty coffee shops in Bucharest

I wanted to write this for a long time now, but I was always waiting to take more photos. Call it procrastination, yeah.

I am leaving on a ski trip today and since I don’t think I will be able to post that much the next week, I decided to leave you with some good quality content to chew on (and why not, sip on) over the weekend.

So, here they are, my 5 favorite coffee shops in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, in the order I have discovered them.

1. Origo Coffee Shop

The first specialty coffee shop in the city, as far as I remember, it’s located fairly central (right off Victory Way), on a quiet street. Small and intimate, it gets very crowded in the cold season. In the summer they have more tables on a terrace outside. They are roasting the beans themselves. Amazing filter and espresso and the good news is that you can also buy some for home (very good variety – El Salvador, Costa Rica, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Kenya). At night they shut down the espresso machine and the place becomes a very nice cocktail bar.

Address: Str. Lipscani, 9 – Bucharest

2. M60 Cafe

As the name suggest, this is a café rather than a coffee shop, and the difference is that they also serve meals (very good sandwiches and salads) rather than only snacks (muffins, scones, croissants). Nevertheless, you can still have a cup of good coffee here. I really enjoy their cappuccino and flat white. They have great selection of cakes too. M60 has become a sort of creative hub in Bucharest – people go there on meetings or to work on their computers. Very nice atmosphere, and as a fan of The New Yorker magazine, I really appreciate their up-to-date stock.

Address: Strada Mendeleev, 2 – Bucharest

3. Steam Coffee Shop

Every time I go to one of their locations it reminds me of the coffee shops in New York: very cute and small and perfect if you’re in a hurry. These guys have teamed up with Origo Roastery and they are selling very good coffee usually in to-go cups. They too attract a  cool crowd.

Address: Strada Uruguay, 22 – Bucharest / Strada Visarion, 2 – Bucharest

4. Frudisiac

The people behind Frudisiac have literally built a small Scandinavian barn in the middle of the city as their location. And, as you would probably expect, it’s great (on the outside as well as on the inside). They serve amazing coffee from Drop Coffee Roasters from Stockholm and also cold pressed juices and healthy food. I also appreciated the fact that they were carrying issues of Kinfolk magazine. The barista is a very nice guy and very knowledgeable about his coffee and his tools.

Address: Intrarea Bitolia, 4 – Bucharest

5. Bloom Specialty Coffee

They just opened recently and they are young and passionate about coffee. Their barista, Cosmin, has participated in multiple competitions and won several awards, so you’re in good hands. Featuring coffee from different roasters, you will certainly find your perfect cup here. They’re located on a quiet street and it’s more of a place where you’d go and have coffee and talks with friends rather than by yourself.

Address: Strada George Vraca, 7 – Bucharest

Well, that’s about it. Have a great weekend!