Caru’ cu Bere traces its roots to 1879, when a brewery called La Carul cu Bere (“At the Beer Wagon,” named for the horse-drawn wagons that delivered its beer) operated on Calea Victoriei in Bucharest. Brothers Ion, Gheorghe, and Nicolae Mircea learned the brewing trade there, and in 1899 Nicolae built the Neo-Gothic restaurant that stands on Stavropoleos Street today.
The building’s vaulted ground floor is richly decorated with painted ceilings, stained glass, mosaics, and carved wood paneling, giving the dining room the feel of a small cathedral. Seized by the communist regime in 1948, the building was returned to the Mircea family’s descendants in 1999 and reopened as a restaurant in 2006.
Today Caru’ cu Bere serves traditional Romanian dishes alongside a house beer brewed to a recipe dating back to 1879, drawing both locals and travelers to the Lipscani old town. It’s been a stop for visiting dignitaries and celebrities, including members of the Rolling Stones.