First, a disclaimer to the effect that I am a vegetarian.  All of the information about meat comes from friends, Romanian and foreign.

In General

If you are a vegetarian you are going to have a somewhat challenging time in Romania, though you are slightly better off in a college town like Cluj.  In restaurants you are going to be looking at French fries, bread, omelettes, and fried cheese.  Not so good.  Sarmale can be vegetarian but in Transilvania it is usually served with meat inside.  Mamaliga, basically polenta, is made of corn meal and is very hearty, though most people think it quite bland, and Romanians are even somewhat disdainful of it.  It is thought of as peasant fare but is often on the menu.  I would suggest Mamaliga cu branza, which is polenta with cheese and usually served with smantana on top, a kind of cream.  It is rough being a vegetarian here, but you will at least know if you are committed to it or not, after some time spent scouring the many meat-filled dishes on the menu.  On the other hand, if you like meat, especially pork, you have come to the right place.  Mici, small pork sausages, are supposedly especially delightful and should be tried.

Another thing to keep in mind about restaurants in Romania.  I suffered a very bad bout of food poisoning the first time I came here.  Apparently, the milk was bad in the mashed potatoes I ate.  I was sick for ten days and lost 18 pounds. It was nearly fatal.  The funny thing is that I ate at one of the best restaurants in town.  I am happy to report that this was a one time occurrence in Romania, and the town was Satu Mare not Cluj, but there are a few things to think about that might save you any discomfort.  If the restaurant is very expensive, especially in a hotel, it is likely not frequented that often by your typical Romanian.  The problem then occurs that food products (like milk) sit around and expire but sometimes get used anyway.  If you are eating at a popular restaurant, even if it is a cheap one, you can rest assured that the food is moving through the place quickly and not going bad.    

Your server might seem a little rude.  A friend of mine complained about this.  But you have to understand that tipping is not considered the norm in Romania; if so, it is usually just rounding the bill up.  So, the server has no real incentive to make you like him/her.  Further, they are working for very little money.  So, be patient, smile and try to do your best to take it easy on these folks.  It is a rough occupation.  That being said, tipping at a restaurant or bar at the same rate as in America can actually cause offense.  If you hand someone a five dollar tip, they might take it the wrong way, especially if you are a man and your server is a woman.  So, watch other people, leave them something extra, but be mindful of the situation.

The Market

The large open-air market on Piata Mihail Viteazu in the shadow of the large McDonald's will be very important to you if you are staying for an extended time in Cluj, or if you wish to sample some fresh fruits and vegetables.  Unfortunately, I didn’t take advantage of the market until the third time I came to the city. 

In terms of prices you will be surprised to find how cheap fruits and vegetables are here compared to America and Europe.  Romania is still a very rural area and there is an abundance of good farming land. 

Some of the fruits you can find here: 
Peaches, giant grapes, apples, cherries plums, and several types of melon.

Some of the vegetables you can find:
Tomatoes, onions, leeks, garlic, and red peppers.

You can’t go wrong here.  I suggest you bring your own plastic bag, though several stalls will give you small bags for free.  You can barter with the vendor, but if you are coming from America or Western Europe you will be shocked by the advertised prices.  The melons are comparable in price to American stores, but everything else is three times as cheap.  The market is open seven days a week from the break of dawn until the sun goes down.  The best selection can be found earlier in the day.  Flowers and spices are also sold.

Gogoasa Infuriata (The Angry Doughnut)

Str. Memorandumului 2 and near the Market

A word on Romanian doughnuts... I'm not a big fan of doughnuts in general, but the ones made at Gogoasa Infuriata are great. You can get branza (feta) filled doughnuts which are my favorite, or apple, plain, etc. They come dipped in powdered suger or without. They are much better than the standard placinta kiosks you will see about town. Placinta are deep-fried bread with various stuffings like cheese and potato. If you are hungry they are good, but be warned: they are very heavy on the digestive track. There is nothing like an angry doughnut and a little cup of sweet black espresso to get you ready to tackle the day ... besides maybe a healthy breakfast.

Restaurants

Maimuta Plangatoare (The Crying Monkey)

1 Str. Emil Isac

This is my favorite all around restaurant in Cluj.  The service is very good there, unlike many restaurants in Romania.  For vegetarians you can find several types of omelette, french fries, a good rice pilaf, and a very tasty garlic dressing.  A meal with a beer or two won’t run you much over five dollars.

Restaurant Beijing

12 Avram Iancu

The menu is extensive.  The cuisine can be a welcome change from the typical Romanian fare if you are staying a while.  I would suggest something with eggplant, which is very good there.  It’s not a great restaurant but the change can be needed if you are staying for a while.  A meal with a drink will be at least five dollars though there are many dishes that are more expensive.

Ursus Restaurant

Ursus is the “king of beers” in Romania.  (That is actually their slogan.)  Cluj is the home of the Ursus brewery, and they have a restaurant/bar in the center of town.  The prices are surprisingly cheap and the service is decent.  I have only been there once, but I enjoyed it quite a bit.  The architecture is communist and it may take a little while for the food to show up, but it is nothing to complain about.  The peasant soup (soupa taraneasca) is apparently very tasty here.  And of course you can find all types of Ursus for very cheap prices.

Speed

Str. Napoca 12

The fastest service you are likely to find in the city.  Though you can sit down, it feels like a fast food restaurant and the menu reflects that.  However, the pizza is very good, some of the best in town.  I can also suggest the falafel for those who are vegetarian and need a break from the regular French fry and omelette diet you will likely be on.  The sauce sitting out on the table is questionable, and I have heard stories from those who work there regarding the state of the kitchen, but they said that the pizza is always good, and that is what I would go with.  A large pizza runs about three to six dollars.  There is a patio in the back.

Hanul Cetatii

Str. Fortaretei 4

This place used to be called the Black Knight. It is still basically the same restaurant and although they redesigned it, nothing much has changed, since there was a medieval theme before, and now there is a peasant/hayduk feel to it. This place is very close to the Retro hostel and caters to tourists. The food is very good, but the prices are not very Romanian. You can pay ten or fifteen dollars for a meal here. That said, they have some of the best mamaliga in town, and I have been told any of the soups with pork are very good. If you are staying at the Retro and you would like to have a little atmosphere and a decent dinner this is a fine choice, though it probably won't be a mainstay in your culinary voyages about town. They used to play medieval guitar music in the background which was a relief from the normal music in restaurants, but sometimes they turn on an oldies CD someone probably copied.

Hotel Meteor Restaurant

B-dul Eroilor 29

I like this place so much that I remembered it from the first time I visited Cluj. It is a very basic cafeteria. Most of the food is laid out before you and you can just point, which is good for those who can't speak any Romanian. I am particularly fond of it, because a large bowl of vegetable soup is only fifty cents, and it is hard to find just plain vegetable soup in town. The prices are very cheap and it is centrally located. You can take your food outside to the terrace, or eat inside. A lot of students favor this place due to the prices and consistent food. A friend complained that sometimes the dishes are not very hot, but I have not had this problem.

Bolero

Piata Cipariu

You probably won't be in this part of town, but this Italian restaurant is quite good. It is situated beneath a very large communist-era apartment complex, but the decor inside is rich and the service is good. It is more on the expensive side, but the menu is more diverse than in most places. Most of the pasta dishes can be recommended, though if you are a snob about Italian food you will probably find a lot to complain about.

Fast Food

Fast food works differently in Romania than in America.  Fast food is served at kiosks or small storefronts.  You will find no chains here, besides a McDonald's which I have refused to go to.  One of my friends went and assured me that it was the same as anywhere else. 

There are several local fast food options about town, but I can’t recommend them.  They serve a variety of sandwiches and French fries.  You’re selection of toppings for the sandwich is almost always cabbage and cucumbers.  Ketchup and mayonnaise are also available though I warn you now, if you ask for it they will give you three times as much as any normal person would want.  I am talking about three or four heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise on your sandwich.  I like mayonnaise but after eating fast food Romanian style, I don’t even bother anymore with it. 

Vegetarians will be in luck in the winter before Christmas, as this is known as Post.  That means meat is not eaten by the faithful, so the kiosks serve a soy patty.  You can also find a soyburger, year round, at Fast Food Rosa, under the heading “Cheeseburger Vegetariana”, but I can’t recommend it. 

The above being said, I will list a few kiosks.

Fast Food Rosa

If you look down Str. David Ferenc while traveling on Piata Mihail Viteazu you will see it.  The people who work here are generally not as suicidal looking as elsewhere, and you can get the above-mentioned “Cheesburger Vegetariana.”  My friend likes the kebab lipie, which is chicken.  French fries and heaping portions of mayonnaise are served here twenty-four hours a day.

Fast Food Damasc

32 Mihail Viteazu

Quite popular and located on a busy thouroughfare, you’ll find the usual suspects on the menu: french fries, hamburgers, etc. 

NYKOMO Fast Food

Str. Bolyai Janos, just off of B-dul Eroilor

This is located in a fairly small alley that cuts across the width of Piata Unirii. It is one of the only fast food places where I have found rice. They also have fried mushrooms, but they are pretty soaked in oil and often cold. The usual fast food fare.

Spartacus Fast Food

Str. Bolyai Janos 12

This is the fast food place I have frequented the most, mainly due to location. The french fries are usually cold, but after a night out drinking they don't taste that bad. They serve soy burgers during Post.

Groceries

Sora

Inside this large indoor mall you will find the biggest grocery store in the center of town. The prices are high at Dia market, but you will find a fully stocked deli, frozen foods, and everything else you would find in a grocery store in America. As with most food stores in Romania, there is a huge selection of alcohol and candy.

Tunak is the brand of choice for tuna. A lot of the other brands look like cat food. You can also find really good breakfast cereal, whole grains with dried fruit and nuts. Bizkrem is a Turkish cookie brand that makes a tasty chocolate chip wafer. Romania has a wide variety of cheeses and most of them are very good. Moiecu is a fine cheese to start out with, though there are many types of feta as well.

Billa

If you are visiting you will probably never go out to the suburbs where this is located. Even if you are living in Cluj, I don't think the trip is worth it. It is about four times the size of Sora, and prices are supposedly cheaper, but not by much.

Small Stores

There are a variety of small food shops around town, called "alimenta.r" The best one is at the corner of Str. Regele Ferdinand and Mihail Viteazu. It is open all night and has a small fruit area along with a deli. This is one of the few places that is open all night where you can buy groceries besides the over-priced Sora. Blue World is another store located in Piata Cipariu, but it is only open until ten and is not as centrally located. You will find small food shops dotting the city, and a lot of mega-apartment buildings have their own store at the ground level. The prices are cheaper in these stores than in the larger Sora and Billa.

Fornetti

You can find several fornetti stores about town. There is one on the corner of Piata Mihail Viteazu across from the market. I have a love/hate relationship with fornetti. They are basically small baked pastries filled with various pastes that you buy by the 100's of grams. The chocolate is okay and the pizza too. The apple is probably the best. I know some people who swear by fornetti and say that is all they need to live. I like to get a bag every now and then for a change. Worth a try.

Vin Fiert

This is only served in the autumn and winter. You can find it at several but not all pubs or cafes in Cluj, including Music Pub. There are many different recipes for the drink, and everyone makes it slightly differently. I made it at home several times and here are the ingredients:

1. One bottle of red Murfatlar wine

2. A packet of cinnamon, cloves, and other assorted spices

3. Sugar

Essentially, you boil the wine on the stove, and add cinnamon and spices, letting them infuse for as long as you see fit. Ask around about different things to put in it. Some people prefer using white wine, but I can't see that, and never tried it. This is a really nice drink to have when it is freezing outside. It warms you up and keeps you cheerful against the very harsh Romanian winter.