Food in Miercurea Ciuc is firmly Székely, which means closer to Hungarian than to Romanian cooking: heavy on meat, paprika, sour cream, and stuffed cabbage. The cooking is hearty rather than refined; portions are generous.
San Gennaro near the centre is the long-running favourite for Italian — wood-fired pizza, decent pasta, a quiet courtyard in summer.
Borsika Étterem does proper Székely cuisine: paprika-rich pork stews (pörkölt), stuffed cabbage rolls (töltött káposzta), and the obligatory chimney cake (kürtős kalács) for dessert. Atmosphere is folksy in a sincere way.
Csíki Söröző, a brewpub on Piața Libertății, pours Csíki Sör on tap with grilled meats, pretzels, and salads. The terrace in summer is one of the better evening spots in town.
Két Szarvas does upscale modern takes on Hungarian and central-European cooking — game dishes, duck, lamb with sour cherries — in a more polished dining room. Reservations advised in season.
For something light, the bakeries around the central square sell warm kürtős kalács and pogácsa savoury cheese scones for almost nothing — the best snack between visits.