Manuc’s Inn (Hanu’ Lui Manuc) is the oldest traditional inn still operating in Bucharest. The restaurant is located on Strada Franceză, opposite the Curtea Veche Church in the historic old town.
Manuc’s Inn was built in 1808 as a so-called khan, a roadside inn for travelers, by the wealthy and influential Armenian businessman Emanuel Mârzaian, better known as Manuc Bey. The complex was also an important commercial center with 15 spaces for wholesalers, 23 retail stores, 107 guest rooms, storage spaces, a pub, and a restaurant.
Over time, the premises have also functioned for several other puposes. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1806-1812 it hosted preliminary talks that led to the Treaty of Bucharest in 1812 and in 1842 Manuc’s Inn temporarily housed the Bucharest City Hall. In 1880, one of the spaces was converted into a theater that hosted the first Romanian operetta performance. The building also hosted meetings leading up to the Great Union of 1918.
In 1949, Manuc’s Inn was nationalized under the communist regime, but ownership was restored to the rightful heirs in 2007.
Nowaday’s Manuc’s Inn is one of the most popular restaurants in Bucharest where you can enjoy delicious traditional food in a historic atmosphere. There are tables inside, but in the summer you can also sit outside in the courtyard and they often have traditional live music and folk dance to entertain the guests.
