Food & Drinks
Food & Drinks in Poland
Where to eat, drink and linger.
Polish cooking runs from pierogi, zurek and bigos to milk bars, Baltic fish bars and a serious fine-dining scene in Warsaw and Krakow. These are the places we recommend across the country, chosen on merit and grouped by city.
All Food & Drinks in Poland
Gdańsk
Jozef K
A characterful cocktail bar off the main drag with a literary theme and inventive drinks. Popular with locals for an evening away from the riverfront prices.
Sopot
Monciak waffle and fish stands
The line of promenade kiosks selling gofry waffles, fish and chips and grilled corn through the summer. A few PLN each and open late in season.
Toruń
Oberza
A homely spot near the Rynek with a strong meat-free selection of pierogi, soups, and Polish plates alongside the classics.
Warsaw
Relaks
A pioneering third-wave coffee spot in Srodmiescie with a small, focused menu and serious espresso. A neighbourhood favourite for a mid-walk break.
Wrocław
Restauracja Pod Fredra
An elegant restaurant on the Rynek serving contemporary Polish and international dishes with square views. Good for a special occasion in the heart of the Old Town.
Gdańsk
Piwna and Garnizon bars
Piwna street in the Main Town and the Garnizon quarter in Wrzeszcz hold the densest cluster of craft-beer bars and pubs. Good for sampling Polish craft breweries on tap.
Lublin
Chatka Zaka
A student cultural centre and cafe run by UMCS, serving coffee and cake alongside concerts and film nights. A window into Lublin's academic and creative life.
Poznań
Pijalnia Wodki i Piwa
A retro PRL-styled bar chain outlet on the Stary Rynek pouring cheap vodka shots and beer late into the night. A no-frills local institution.
Toruń
Cafe Lenkiewicz
A historic Torun confectioner and cafe pairing good coffee with cakes and its own gingerbread specialities.
Warsaw
Woda Ognista
An intimate cocktail bar off Plac Zbawiciela mixing seasonal drinks with Polish spirits and infusions. Small, dim, and best booked at weekends.
Lublin
Perlowa Pijalnia Piwa
A retro beer hall pouring the local Perla brand, brewed in Lublin since 1846, in a plain and cheerful room. A cheap and characterful stop for a regional pint.
Poznań
Whiskey in the Jar
A grill and drinks bar off the Old Town known for ribs, whisky and cocktails in a rock-tinged room. Good for a livelier evening.
Polish food is hearty, seasonal and built around soup, dumplings and slow-cooked meat, and it is some of the best value in Europe. You can eat a filling plate of pierogi at a milk bar for a handful of zloty, or book a tasting menu at one of the country's Michelin-starred restaurants. Both belong on a food-focused trip.
What to eat
Start with pierogi, the filled dumplings, then work through zurek (sour rye soup), bigos (hunter's stew), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes) and, in Krakow, the ring-shaped obwarzanek from street carts. Our Polish food guide runs through the dishes and drinks in full, and what food to try is the short version.
Where to eat it
Eat at least once in a bar mleczny, a plain milk-bar canteen serving traditional dishes at low prices, a tradition that survived from the communist era. At the other end, the MICHELIN Guide Poland lists starred kitchens led by Bottiglieria 1881 in Krakow, the country's only two-star restaurant. In between sit strong regional cooking, speciality coffee and Baltic fish bars on the coast.
By city and by region
The deepest restaurant scenes are in Krakow and Warsaw, with Wroclaw, Poznan and the Tri-City close behind. Cooking shifts by region: highland cheese and grilled meats around Zakopane, fresh fish on the coast, and hearty stews in the east. Browse by city to eat where you are staying.
Food & Drinks by city
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