Breb 148 - Local Food&Garden — Hotel in Ocna Șugatag

If you are an international visitor to Maramureș (especially my fellow Americans 🇺🇸!) in search of a dining experience that does justice to the unique surroundings, homegrown ingredients and fascinating culture of this special region, it’s well worth a trip to Breb on a nice day to experience this restaurant. It’s simple, well-prepared local fare and a great opportunity to try humble Maramureș cooking at its best. We enjoyed homemade lemonade with elderflower syrup, fresh bread and local vegetables, tasty soups and even a craft IPA on draft. The restaurant is a series of outdoor buildings and picnic tables in a beautiful bucolic setting, complete with wildflowers, haystacks, hammocks and traditional decor. One of the owners thoughtfully brought over a blanket so a child in our group could relax and play on the ground. Service was attentive, invested, caring and proactive, in sharp contrast to the typical Romanian dining experience. You can tell the proprietors and staff are proud of the food and guest experience they provide.

I’ll add something here based on my experience as an American visitor: fI’ve been traveling to Maramureș regularly for three years now and this is the first restaurant I’ve been to that manages to deliver authentic Maramureș cooking and traditional atmosphere free of any of the unfortunate pitfalls of rural Romanian dining (I’m looking at you, blaring techno music, indifferent service and dirty bathrooms). I understand the owners came to the area from Oradea nine years ago, and, for better or for worse, they seem to have the savvy that’s otherwise missing in Maramureș tourism to distill the best of the region into an experience that meets international traveler expectations. I wish I could say I have uncovered countless diamond-in-the-rough rural restaurants during my travels here, but the sad reality seems to be that most locals who have money to invest in a quality restaurant don’t make menu and atmosphere choices that reflect what international visitors come to this area for. Local Food&Garden threads the needle of authenticity and accessibility...

Our best local holiday (and heavily competing with the foreign ones too) started when we arrived late in the evening and Irina welcomed us with a smile on her face.

We cannot pinpoint what exactly made this whole experience so unique neither can we say exactly what was our favourite part - the hosts, the home, the food, the location, the people - however we'll mention some of the reasons that made us plan our future visit to this home:

Irina and Radu were really helpful, always available, always willing to help (she even helped us find a charriot ride) the food: Irina's cooking got us always wanting for more and to be honest it really surprised us. We thought we knew everything about our local cuisine but boy were we wrong the home: clean, rooms spacious, warm, it had that cozy feeling that it's hard to replicate. For those born in Romania ever since you set your foot in Irina's home you will be taken back to the winters you spent at your grandparent's house in the countryside during the winter holidays the location: ever since you enter Breb's wooden gate you will be greated with some surreal sceneries, and we think that the best view can be seen from the home's living room, from the couch the people: although the village is surprisingly large, everyone says "Hello!" to each other, everyone's really friendly the silence: we had the opportunity to disconnect from everything and really enjoy the silence. Should be needed you have a really fast wifi connection that can help with with video conferencing and so on

In absence of a real reason we will have to say that the only downside to Irina and Radu's home is that it's far away from where we live

All in all: Irina, speram ca data viitoare cand venim ai sa ne gatesti din nou o...

I had an amazing time at Breb 148 – Local Food & Garden. They offer electric bikes at a very good price, perfect for exploring not only Breb but also the surrounding villages like Ocna-Șugatag, Budești and many other attractions in Maramureș. Riding through the traditional wooden houses and beautiful landscapes was unforgettable. After the bike ride, I enjoyed delicious local food and drinks in their cozy garden, beautifully decorated with lights. The service was excellent and the atmosphere was peaceful yet full of charm. Traditional wooden house in Breb – This house is like a living museum. The books placed in the window, the plush dolls looking out, the old tools hanging outside, and the flowers by the entrance all tell stories of local life. Even the old glasses and ceramic dishes are preserved with care, showing how people lived and worked in harmony with nature. Outside, the wooden bench reminds us how neighbors once sat together, sharing stories and always ready to help each other. Every detail is unique, turning the house into a centuries-old story of authenticity and tradition. If you want both adventure and relaxation at the foothills of Mount Gutin, this is the place to go. Highly...