Warsaw has plenty of amazing restaurants for anyone. It’s easy to find traditional Polish food or ethnic cuisine. While Polish food isn’t particularly vegetarian-friendly, these days there is a range of choices of vegan restaurants in Warsaw.
Remember, most restaurants in Warsaw close earlier than in the US. You might struggle to find a place open after 10 PM. Polish cuisine is heavy on meat, potatoes, and cheese, but in this day and age, vegans will also be able to find something for themselves.
Traditional Polish Food Restaurants in Warsaw
Stara Kamienica
Fancier traditional Polish cuisine with a European twist. If you fancy some cocktails they’re delicious and on some days they have little jazz music playing.
Stary Dom
Great Polish restaurants with unique folklore decor. I prefer their menu over other traditional Polish restaurants in Warsaw (like Oberża Pod Czerwonym Wieprzem) as they have more non-meat dishes. Booking a table is recommended.
Specjaly Regionalne
It’s a small, traditionally decorated restaurant located right on the Royal Way. If you’re looking for a friendly atmosphere it could be your choice.
Zapiecek Polskie Pierogarnie
A trip to Poland is a trip lost without pierogi (important: pierogi is already plural, so don’t call them pierogies like they do in the US). Pierogi can be eaten sweet or savory, with different fillings and toppings, either boiled, baked or fried.
Zapiecek is a chain restaurant with multiple locations that offer fresh and tasty pierogi, many with vegetarian filling.
Bar Mleczny (Milk Bar)
Visiting a traditional milk bar is a must-do on your trip to Poland and should be high on your food to-do list. Milk Bars were extremely popular in communist Poland where people used to come for super cheap traditional food. While most of them are gone, Warsaw decided to leave a few to keep the tradition going.
Don’t expect the staff to speak much English, so be prepared for a surprise food. Some of the best milk bars include Rusałka (Floriańska 14), Familijny (Nowy Świat 39), and the recently renovated Prasowy (Marszałkowska 10/16).
Best Cafes in Warsaw
Wedel
Poland has one of the best liquid chocolate on the planet. It’s thick and rich in flavor. Do yourself a favor and stop by one of the Wedel cafes for a cup of hot or cold chocolate.
For first-timers, I recommend a tasting menu containing three small cups of hot chocolate: traditional, dark and white. Another favorite of mine is Amaretto Milk Chocolate.
Grycan Ice Cream
A huge selection of ice creams and sorbets to choose from, including non-typical flavors like rose, poppyseed, gingerbread, or kiwi. You can choose a cone with a few scoops (Polish scoops aren’t like American scoops – I’d say one American scoop is like 4 Polish scoops).
Other Good Restaurants in Warsaw
Kieliszki na Próżnej
The renovated and atmospheric street tempts with its unique atmosphere and sophisticated culinary concepts. You can try such excellent dishes as crayfish broth, smoked sea trout marinated in beetroot, celery with mushrooms, truffle and Tallegio, or lamb on lentils.
Izumi Sushi
At Izumi Sushi you can feel like you are in a tropical palm house that is not affected by the seasons. Minimalist Japanese-style interiors and exotic palm trees create the perfect balance of elegance and a relaxed atmosphere, where the main role is played by the highest quality sushi.
Vegan Ramen Shop
Each of their ramen is an essential mix of mushrooms, high-quality Japanese noodles and tasty additions, such as baked sweet potato, mizuna or blanched pak choi.
Manekin
I got to know Manekin while studying in Torun, and since then the small restaurant created many branches across the whole country. There’s always a line to get in, so I guess I’m not the only one who think the wait is worth it.
Manekin is the ultimate kingdom of crepes. There are over 100 fillings to choose from, both sweet and savory, with different sauces, toppings, and types of flour. The place also caters to gluten-free customers.
Fun Bars in Warsaw
Pijalnia Wodki i Piwa
It’s undeniable that vodka and beer is a big part of Polish culture. Pijalnia Wodki i Piwa is a place that’s inspired by the shops and bars in communist-style decor. It’s not your conventional type bar, as treat it as an experience. For 1 Euro you can get a fancy shot of vodka, or a beer.
Along with your beverage, you should try typical Polish snacks that come along with alcohol: dill pickles and herring.
Street Food to Try in Poland:
Kebab – It might not sound very Polish at first, but kebabs are extremely popular in Poland. They’re as authentic as they can get as they’re run by immigrants from Egypt. After a night out, Poles head to a nearby kebab place to stuff their faces with delicious meat or falafel.
Spring Rolls & Vietnamese – Vietnamese food is huge in Poland for the same reason as kebabs, there’s a huge Vietnamese community.
Unlike in the US, you won’t find Banh Mi or Pho in Poland, as the food is more Europeanized. The most popular items are spring rolls, chicken in the dough, sweet & sour chicken, or fried soy noodles.
Zapiekanki – An item I never paid any attention to my entire life, until I guided a few Mexicans who demanded to eat it. Zapiekanka (plural: zapiekanki) is a grilled open-face sandwich (sidenote: noone eats closed sandwiches in Poland) made of half baguette, topped with cheese, sautee mushrooms and lots of ketchup.
