There were just so many cafés now-bearing conceited names such as Charme, Rembrandt, La Muse-with their chairs and tables made of wicker, zinc, velvet, blond wood, and black metal, each establishment desperately trying to evoke Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Stockholm, or New York. Even the ashtrays bore edgy designer patterns evocative of Art Deco and the Belle Époque. And yet it has to be said that these new cafés of Bucharest lack the enfolding and layered elegance-and especially the intimacy-of cafés in Central Europe. I was still south of the Carpathians, in the former Byzantine and Turkish world. There was simply
The cafés in Bucharest have proliferated, flaunting names like Charme, Rembrandt, and La Muse. Each venue tries to capture the essence of cities like Paris and New York through its choice of furniture and decoration. From wicker and velvet chairs to ashtrays featuring trendy designs reminiscent of Art Deco, the atmosphere seems engineered to appeal to modern tastes. However, despite these attempts, they fall short of offering the same layered elegance and intimacy found in Central European cafés.
In this setting, the lack of an authentic, rich café culture is palpable. The author, Robert D. Kaplan, highlights that these establishments, while stylish, do not embody the historical depth associated with the cafés of the region. Instead, they reflect a superficial aesthetic that fails to connect with the true essence of the place, reminding readers that Bucharest remains in the shadow of its past ties to Byzantine and Turkish influences rather than embracing the Central European café tradition.
