Our story
A story that begins in our grandparents' kitchens.
Around 1900, recipes were learned by watching and tasting, close to the people who cooked. That is where our story begins.
How we got here
Around 1900
Recipes learned beside the stove
They were written down nowhere. They were learned by watching, tasting and staying close to the people who cooked.
2019
The first restaurant
Ion Potîrniche opens the Ciorbe La Ion traditional restaurant, on Domnească Street in Galați.
Today
The place on Gării Street
The restaurant moved to number 55, where the table is laid every day.
Ion's own words
Our story begins something like this:
And it is not only about food, it is about a journey back in time with roots reaching around the year 1900, in a family with a passion for cooking.
As I was saying, it all began long ago, in the welcoming kitchens of our grandparents, where cooking was a proof of love and loyalty, and of care for the family.
The recipes passed from one generation to the next, not on paper, but through inviting smells and tastes, or through secrets whispered in the ear.
Every soup, every dish carries the mark of those times, the authentic taste and the passion for a kitchen made with soul.
We grew up surrounded by the captivating aromas of our grandmother’s kitchen, and we learned that good food brings people together, creates bonds and offers comfort.
Our recipes are not merely instructions, they are stories in themselves, fragments from the history of our family.
“Ciorbe La Ion” is not just a restaurant, it is an extension of our home. Family is the heart of everything we do.
In a hurried world, we want tradition to stay alive, we keep faithfully to the original recipes, we use quality ingredients and we pay particular attention to every detail.
Authentic taste never goes out of fashion; it keeps returning to everyday life. We strive to offer dishes that remind you of the taste of childhood, of generous family meals, of the joy of simplicity.
“Ciorbe La Ion” is a registered trademark that stands for our commitment to quality, and for tradition carried forward with pride and respect for the authentic taste of times past.
We draw inspiration from the past, but we look to the future. We adapt, but we do not stray from the basic rules: QUALITY, AUTHENTICITY AND HOSPITALITY.
If you feel like family here, then our purpose is fulfilled. We look forward to seeing you at “Ciorbe La Ion”, the place where tradition is woven together with authentic taste, where the family grows wider and every meal served is a story with meaning.
In memory of those who are no longer with us, in honour of our contemporaries and of those who follow, we raise a glass of good wine.
Happy storytelling!
Transcribed word for word from the cover of the printed menu.
Recipes travelled from one generation to the next through flavours, smells and small secrets kept in the family. Every dish carries the mark of those who cooked it before us: the taste you recognise, and the wish to bring people to the same table.
Ion's words
Family is the heart of everything we do.
Ion Potîrniche
In 2019, Ion Potîrniche opened the first Ciorbe La Ion traditional restaurant, on Domnească Street in Galați. The restaurant later moved to the premises it occupies today, at 55 Gării Street. Grill Domnesc is the other brand of the family, born of the same skill with the grill and with generous tables.
We keep tradition alive through rooted recipes, chosen ingredients and food cooked with purpose. We move with the times without losing the three things that guide us.
May the stories flow!
What guides us
Quality
Ingredients chosen with care and recipes followed exactly.
Authenticity
Romanian dishes cooked as they should be, with no shortcuts.
Hospitality
You are welcomed with a warm word and the table laid.
The table is ready
Come for a warm word, the way it used to be.
Daily 10:00 to 22:00