Casa Mița Biciclista is a historic house near Piața Amzei in central Bucharest, with an ornate façade, a brasserie, a pastry shop and dining rooms upstairs. The building takes its name from Maria Mihăescu, better known as Mița the Cyclist, whose bicycle rides became part of the city’s history.
I photographed the house, its rooms and the printed menu on 4 October 2026. There is quite a difference between the small tables downstairs, the courtyard and the tall rooms of the historic salon. This guide explains what you can see, what the menu costs and which parts need a reservation.
Casa Mița Biciclista at a Glance
Visitor quick guide · Casa Mița Biciclista
Hours, menu and ratings checked 7 October 2026. Scores, review counts and schedules can change. Official website · 031 229 4763
Inside Casa Mița Biciclista
The Brasserie, Courtyard and Pastry Shop
The ground-floor brasserie has small dining tables, blue chairs and a long counter. In my photographs, you can see patterned panels beside the tables and large windows facing the street. This is the part to choose for the breakfast service listed above.
Outside, there are tables beneath white umbrellas along the façade. The courtyard has a different setting: a narrow space beside the house, with tables among plants. It was occupied during my Sunday afternoon visit, so ask about the available seating when you arrive.
The pastry counter is another option if you want a short stop rather than a full meal. The display sits in a room with tall windows and wooden floors. You can buy something to take away and continue your walk around the Amzei area.
The Historic Salon and Cocktail Bar
Upstairs, the Historic Salon has high ceilings, detailed plasterwork, tall windows and parquet floors. The plants are large enough to frame some of the tables, and the lighting is noticeably modern. I photographed both a busy dining room and tables beside a black upright piano.
The cocktail bar has a wooden counter, illuminated shelves of bottles and burgundy curtains. It feels like a separate corner of the house, while the dining rooms connect through wide doorways. You can see more angles of the salon in the gallery below.
These are working restaurant rooms. If seeing the upstairs interior is the main reason for your visit, book the salon or check for an organised house tour. Do not assume a downstairs coffee gives access to every room.
The Bookshop and Architectural Details
There is a small bookshop too. I photographed its display table supported by a bicycle, a direct reference to the house’s name. Books are arranged on the table and along the walls of a room with a tall window.
The staircase is worth looking at as you move between the rooms. It has a wooden handrail and a deep blue carpet, with a chandelier visible below. Along with the doorways and ceilings, it makes the building’s origins as a private house easy to recognise.
The architects’ account of the salon project explains these choices. Bogdan Ciocodeică, Adelina Cucoranu and Cristina Iordache used contemporary furniture and lighting alongside the historic features, with movable pieces so the rooms could accommodate different events.
Their design also uses plants to recall the winter gardens of French palaces. The blue carpet was a restrained intervention on the old wooden staircase. You can see that approach in the photographs: the decorative ceilings remain prominent above the newer tables and lamps.
If bookstores are part of your Bucharest itinerary, the much larger Cărturești Carusel in the Old Town is another useful stop. Here at Mița, the bookshop is one part of a house that also serves food and hosts cultural events.
La Mița Biciclista Menu and Prices
The menu is built around French brasserie dishes, pastries, coffee and cocktails. The à la carte and drinks prices shown in my 4 October photographs matched the official online menu when checked on 7 October 2026. Breakfast prices below come from that official menu. Prices are in Romanian lei (RON), with VAT included.
Breakfast, Pastries and Coffee
A croissant and cappuccino come to 36 lei. A Croque Madame with the same coffee comes to 67 lei. These are simple menu combinations to help you compare costs; they are not a set breakfast offer.
Lunch, Dinner and Cocktails
The mains cover a wide price range, so check the dish before ordering. The French onion soup is made with beef stock and topped with Emmental cheese. The cold tomato soup and cauliflower steak with hummus are marked vegan on the menu. Ask staff about ingredients and allergens.
For a price comparison, Kiev-style chicken and a cappuccino total 93 lei. Boeuf Bourguignon with a 59-lei signature cocktail totals 179 lei. Desserts, further drinks and any optional tip are additional; these examples are not fixed-price menus.
The gallery includes the photographed cocktail and spirits pages as well. For the complete selection and any changes since my visit, use the linked official menu.
The History of Casa Mița Biciclista
Who Was Mița Biciclista?
Mița Biciclista was Maria Mihăescu (1885–1968), a woman who became a familiar figure in Bucharest society. She came from a modest family in Prahova and became a wealthy courtesan, with connections among artists, politicians and aristocrats.
Her nickname means “Mița the Cyclist”. Riding a bicycle along Calea Victoriei and wearing cycling trousers made her conspicuous at a time when these were unusual choices for women. Her appearance and independence helped turn her into a subject of newspaper stories and, later, urban folklore.
A historical account published by the Bucharest Municipality Museum connects the nickname with journalist George Ranetti. She is often described as Romania’s first female cyclist, but that superlative is harder to establish than her documented place in the city’s cycling history.
The House, Its Architecture and Restoration
The house dates from the early 20th century. The venue gives 1908 as its starting date, while Radio Romania International’s account, featuring ARCEN’s Edmond Niculuşcă, places construction in 1908–1910 and names architect Nicolae Mihăescu. Despite the shared surname, he was not related to Maria.
The building’s own heritage plaque adds another stage: a 1911 extension designed in a simplified Neo-Romanian style. The earlier part is described as eclectic and French influenced. That is a useful detail when looking at a house usually introduced simply as an Art Nouveau landmark.
Look for the sculpted figures, floral ornament and curved balconies on the façade. I took the wider photographs from across Biserica Amzei, where the upper floors are easier to see above the umbrellas and pavement tables.
The house was nationalised during the communist period and later went through restoration. It reopened to the public as a cultural space in 2022. The salon project described above forms part of its more recent adaptation for events and public use.
Exhibitions, Events and House Tours
Casa Mița Biciclista also hosts exhibitions, workshops and organised visits. These depend on the programme, so use the official events calendar to see what is actually available during your trip. A restaurant reservation and an event booking serve different purposes.
- House tours: Check the date, language, rooms included and booking conditions of the particular tour.
- Exhibitions: Look for a current exhibition listing and its own visiting hours or ticket arrangements.
- Workshops: The programme has included coffee activities and children’s baking workshops, with separate bookings.
For example, the October 2026 anniversary programme listed a tour combined with dinner, already fully booked when checked. Its 50-lei advance payment was deducted from the dinner bill. That was an event-specific arrangement, not a permanent admission price for the house. Check the current listing rather than relying on old ticket prices.
If you are mainly interested in the architecture, start with the façade and plaque. For the interior, choose a booked dining visit or a cultural event that gives access to the rooms you want to see. Ask the venue about access if the programme is unclear.
How to Get to Casa Mița Biciclista
Walking and Metro
The address is Strada Biserica Amzei 9, Bucharest, opposite Amzei Church. From Calea Victoriei, turn into Biserica Amzei and look for the ornate corner building and its pavement tables.
Piața Romană, on metro line M2, is the nearest useful metro stop. Allow roughly 5–10 minutes to walk to the house, depending on the exit and route. The official venue page estimates six minutes; this is an approximate walking time.
The Romanian Athenaeum is close by, and Cărturești Verona is on Arthur Verona, east of Calea Victoriei. Mița fits into a walk around these streets without needing a separate journey across Bucharest.
Coming by Car
There are several street parking zones around Piața Amzei. The table uses capacities listed by amParcat, checked on 7 October 2026. Total spots means the zone’s capacity, not the number currently free.
Biserica Amzei and Christian Tell 2 are useful first zones to check near the house. Piața Amzei, Mendeleev and George Enescu give you alternatives in the surrounding streets. The pins indicate approximate street zones; follow the bay signs and payment rules where you park.
| Parking | Total Spots | Directions |
|---|---|---|
| Biserica Amzei Parking Strada Biserica Amzei · P4453 | 41 | Get directions |
| Christian Tell 2 Parking Strada General Christian Tell · P3255 | 23 | Get directions |
| Piața Amzei Parking Piața Amzei · P1819 | 149 | Get directions |
| Mendeleev Parking Strada D. I. Mendeleev · P1111 | 113 | Get directions |
| George Enescu Parking Strada George Enescu · P1479 | 92 | Get directions |
[→ View all parking spots on the map]
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a historic house with a brasserie, pastry shop, upstairs salon and cocktail bar, as well as cultural activities. Exhibitions and tours depend on the programme. It is not a museum with one permanent visiting route and admission ticket.
You can see the façade and heritage plaque from the street. For an interior visit focused on the house, check the official cultural programme or ask the venue which rooms are accessible. A dining booking does not automatically include an exhibition or tour.
Book for upstairs dining and for the evening brasserie service. Daytime brasserie walk-ins are accepted during the hours listed above, but tables are not guaranteed. Use the official booking link and specify the area you want.
At the prices checked in October 2026, a croissant and cappuccino total 36 lei. Kiev-style chicken and a cappuccino total 93 lei. These are individual menu items added together; your bill depends on what you order. See the menu tables above.
The checked menu marks cold tomato soup and cauliflower steak with hummus as vegan. French onion soup contains beef stock and cheese. Confirm the current ingredients with staff, especially if you have an allergy or dietary restriction.
Yes. The ground-floor pastry shop sells products to take away during its opening hours listed above. Check the counter for what is available that day.
My photographs show a staircase connecting the rooms. I have not confirmed a step-free route to the upstairs salon, bookshop or event spaces. Contact the venue before booking if you need step-free access to a particular room.
Casa Mița Biciclista Photo Gallery
More photographs from my 4 October 2026 visit: the façade, heritage plaque, salon and printed menu. The menu pages show what was listed during that visit; use the official menu for subsequent changes.
