If you’ve ever wandered along Calea Victoriei, Bucharest’s grand old boulevard, you might have walked past Casa Capșa without realizing you were in the presence of greatness. Casa Capșa is not just a café, not merely a restaurant, and certainly not just a hotel. It is an institution, a living, breathing relic of Bucharest’s golden age, where history seeps from the walls and every creak of the floorboards seems to whisper tales of grandeur, scandal, and far too much coffee.
The Birth of a Legend: Capșa’s Humble Beginnings
Casa Capșa was born in 1852, a time when Bucharest was still figuring out whether it wanted to be a Balkan village or a Parisian wannabe. It was founded by two brothers, Anton and Vasile Capșa, who had the foresight to realize that what Bucharest really needed was a proper confectionery. And not just any confectionery—oh no. The Capșa brothers had trained in Paris, the culinary capital of the world, and they brought back recipes that would make even the most jaded French patissier weep with envy.
Their pralines, bonbons, and cakes were an instant hit, and soon enough, Casa Capșa became the place to see and be seen. By the late 19th century, it wasn’t just a confectionery anymore—it had evolved into a café, a restaurant, and eventually a hotel. And not just any hotel, but the hotel, the one where foreign dignitaries, artists, and writers stayed when they wanted to experience the best of Bucharest. It was, quite literally, the height of sophistication.
The Glittering Age: A Who’s Who of Casa Capșa
In its heyday, Casa Capșa was the beating heart of Bucharest’s intellectual and cultural life. Its café was a gathering place for the city’s brightest minds, a sort of unofficial clubhouse for writers, poets, and journalists. If you were anyone worth knowing in Bucharest at the turn of the 20th century, you were at Capșa. And if you weren’t, well, you probably weren’t worth knowing.
The list of luminaries who frequented Casa Capșa reads like a roll call of Romanian cultural history. Mihai Eminescu, the country’s most beloved poet, was a regular, as was Ion Luca Caragiale, the playwright and satirist whose sharp wit could cut through even the thickest slice of Capșa’s famous cakes.
Nicolae Iorga, the historian and politician, was another notable patron, as were painters, actors, and musicians of every stripe. Even foreign visitors couldn’t resist the allure of Capșa—legend has it that the French writer Paul Morand once declared it to be the most elegant café in Eastern Europe.
But Casa Capșa wasn’t just about intellectuals sipping coffee and debating the meaning of life. It was also a favorite haunt of politicians, aristocrats, and even royalty. King Carol II himself was known to drop by, and it’s not hard to imagine him enjoying a quiet moment over a cup of coffee and a slice of cake, perhaps plotting his next scandal.
The Dark Days: War and Communism
Of course, no great institution escapes history unscathed, and Casa Capșa is no exception. The two World Wars took their toll on Bucharest, and Casa Capșa was no longer the glittering jewel it had once been. Then came communism, that great equalizer of all things glamorous. Under the communist regime, Casa Capșa was nationalized and stripped of its former glory. The café became a “state-run establishment,” which is about as depressing as it sounds, and the hotel was turned into a dormitory for students.
And yet, even in its darkest days, Casa Capșa retained a certain mystique. It was a shadow of its former self, to be sure, but the ghosts of its illustrious past still lingered. You could almost hear the echoes of laughter and debate, the clinking of glasses, and the scratching of pens on paper. It was a reminder of what Bucharest had been—and what it could be again.
The Revival: Capșa Today
After the fall of communism, Casa Capșa began its slow journey back to greatness. The building was restored, the hotel reopened, and the café regained some of its former elegance. Today, Casa Capșa is once again a place where you can sip coffee in style, surrounded by history and a faint whiff of nostalgia.
The menu is a mix of old-world classics and modern fare, and while the prices are higher than your average café, you’re not just paying for the food—you’re paying for the experience. Where else can you sit in the same room where Eminescu once scribbled poetry, or Caragiale plotted his next play? Where else can you feel like you’ve stepped back in time to an era when Bucharest was known as “Little Paris”?
Fun Facts and Tips for Visiting Casa Capșa
- The Famous Cakes: Casa Capșa is still known for its desserts, particularly its chocolate cakes and pralines. Try the Joffre Cake, named after a visiting French general who was so impressed with the café that they created a dessert in his honor.
- The Hotel: The Capșa Hotel is still in operation, and while it may not rival the Ritz, staying there is like sleeping in a piece of history. Just don’t expect ultra-modern amenities—it’s more about charm than luxury.
- Location: Casa Capșa is located right in the heart of Bucharest, making it an easy stop on any walking tour of the city. It’s just a short stroll from landmarks like the National Museum of Romanian History and the Romanian Athenaeum.
- Dress Code: There’s no official dress code, but you might feel a bit out of place in flip-flops and a T-shirt. This is a place where you’ll want to channel your inner aristocrat, even if it’s just for an hour.
Why Casa Capșa Matters
Casa Capșa is more than just a café or a hotel—it’s a symbol of Bucharest’s resilience, its ability to reinvent itself while holding onto its past. It’s a reminder that even in the face of war, communism, and modernization, some things endure.
So the next time you’re in Bucharest, do yourself a favor: step inside Casa Capșa, order a coffee and a slice of cake, and let yourself be transported to a time when the world moved a little slower, the conversations were a little deeper, and the cakes were a little sweeter.
