When you walk the streets of Bucharest, on Calea Dorobantilor, you can notice three beautiful, elegant houses. Looking back in time, you can picture those houses belonging to important families that left their footprints on Romania’s map and history. To spur your imagination, it is said that the receptions organized there were not ones you’d want to miss: tastefully decorated rooms with thin windows, very modern for those times, silverware specially delivered from Paris and shiny waxed floors on which you could admire couples waltzing around or having intellectual conversations.
Luckily, the houses have stood through the centuries and, today, we can enjoy our favorite coffee in one of them; and while you are there, think about the story we’re about to tell.
Once upon a time, there was a man named Ion Bratianu. Born in Romania, he became an important political man former minister of the National Defense, of the Foreign Affairs and of Finance. Ion was also a good writer, known mostly for his French written political pamphlets. He and his wife, Pia, had many children, one of them being Constantin (Dinu) Bratianu, the owner of our beautiful house. Dinu was born in 1866, in his father absence, but this was only because his father had an important task entrusted to him; that of helping King Carol I to enter the country and be proclaimed ruler of Romania.
Dinu grew up to study in Paris, France, yet upon finishing his studies, he returned to Romania. He became the director of few Romanian private banks, yet, same as the other members of his family, he couldn’t stay away from the political life. He was the president of the Liberal Party until the revolution in 1989 and even though he was an important figure of his time, during the communism period he suffered the oppressions of the regime.
Coming back to the beautiful era before the world wars, when Bucharest was in the highest peak of development and received the nickname of “Little Paris”; in 1909, Bratianu bought the terrain we nowadays call 18 Calea Dorobantilor. In the autumn of the same year, the architect Petre Antonescu started to plan and build the houses for the Bratianu brothers. Dinu wanted his house to be an elegant residence of a bank director and not that of a political leader or prime-minister. Unlike his brothers the houses, built in a neo-romanian style, Dinu’s house was built in an eclectic-academic style.
Today, 106 years later, a new story is written between the walls of the once Bratianu residence, entitled Love.Peace.Coffee.
Tucano Coffee was created with the purpose of making life interesting, of bringing brighter colors to the colourful days. It’s a space where you can find refuge in the company of a book, simply enjoy the peaceful atmosphere or spend time with your loved ones, either in one of the rooms of the beautiful house or on the wooden terrace in front.
Tucano Coffee firstly opened its doors in 2011 in Chisinau, Moldova. In 2014 the brand arrived also in Bucharest, combining its philosophy with a beautiful, full of history space. Its concept though remained the same: Love.Peace.Coffee. Love as a feeling, Peace as a state of mind, Coffee as a favorite beverage.
Love –Stands for the love and respect they have for the guests of the coffeeshop, for interesting conversations, sharing experiences, friendship and understanding.
Peace – The warm, cosy atmosphere which allows anyone to enjoy a good book, pull out a laptop, study or simply spending time with friends. Tucano Coffee stands, in the same time, as a creative space where ideas become real, a place for multiple workshops, movie projections, expos and musical festivals.
Coffee –in the heart of Tucano Coffee lies the love for flavoured, high-quality, freshly roasted coffee, in honor of the exotic countries that grow those beans, for their rich culture and traditions. The Tucan Bird was especially chosen as a symbol, representing the etno culture and brand upon which Tucano Coffee built their story.
Next time you discover the Hidden Treasures of Bucharest put Tucano Coffee on your list! Explore the beautiful house, remember the stories and share your experience with us.
In case you will want to see and know more about Tucano Coffee, here’s a tip from us: you can find their second shop on one edge of the Old Town, next to the famous monument „Lupoaica” (en.”Capitoline Wolf”).