King of Old Centre challenged: La Mama and Dristor shawarma outlets compete with Petrescu

Bucharest’s Old Centre, the most vibrant area on the restaurant market, concentrating over 100 coffee shops, bars, pubs and restaurants, gained two new important players, La Mama restaurant and Dristor shawarma chain.

La Mama restaurants and Dristor shawarma outlets are major players on their market segments and are thus directly vying with City Grill and Bundetot restaurants, both controlled by Dragoș Petrescu, called “the king of the old centre” as he owns several units in this area.

At the opposite end, Cătălin Mahu, owner of Trotter Restaurant company controlling La Mama restaurants and Cafepedia coffee shops, is entering the Old Centre for the first time. His plans for the area will not stop here, though. He says that around four years ago he bought a space in the old centre. Though he chose not to provide any details about the space, Mahu said he would open another two units in the area, none of them La Mama.

At the other end of the old centre from La Mama, close to Calea Victoriei and Bundetot, the first Dristor Kebap unit was opened late last week. “(…) This year we plan to open at least another unit,” said Șerban Ionuț, a commercial manager with Dristor Kebap.