Heavily influenced by Eastern European and German cuisines, Polish food isn’t as one dimensional as you might think. Sure, it uses lots of cabbage, potatoes, and sauerkraut, but that’s because when these are done well, they’re delicious. Other influencers include Jewish, French, Turkish, and Italian cuisines.
But if you’re looking to hire a car in Poland, what is the best food to try there? Once again we’ve put our bodies on the line to find this out!
Rosół
You’ll find this clear, chicken noodle soup everywhere in Poland. Served with homemade noodles, other common ingredients are onion, leek, celery, parsley, cabbage, salt, and pepper. You can’t really go wrong with this dish and it’s worth a try. It originally used salted meat but this changed somewhere in the 18th century and slowly turned into modern Rosół. Much like Jewish Penicillin, Rosół is often used at home to help with colds or illness.
Chrusciki
These wonderfully light pastry twists are the polish version of Angel Wings and usually include vodka or brandy in the ingredients. Typically associated with Lent, Chrusciki are made from strips of dough shaped into a bow tie. These are then deep fried and sprinkled with sugar. What’s not to like? If you want to push the boat out, why not add some apple compote to dip them in?
Łazanki
One of the most addictive things on the list. Homemade pasta is fried off in pork fat with some cabbage and cooked pork to create a mouth-watering dish. Łazanki came to Poland in the 16th century when King Sigismund I the Old’s Italian wife introduced Italian cuisine to the nation.
Mushrooms and sour cream is often added to make a type of Polish Stroganoff. The pasta is normally cut into triangles or rectangles but you can use farfalle or fusilli instead. Pierogi
Pierogi
These empanada like dumplings are to die for. Made from a thinly rolled dough and then steamed or fried, Pierogi are stuffed with various fillings and can be either sweet or savoury. Common fillings include meat, sauerkraut, and mushroom and cheese, potato, and onion. Sweet variations include strawberries and cream or blueberries and sugar.
On Christmas Eve, there are traditionally 2 variations on offer. One type is pierogi filled with sauerkraut and dried mushrooms, another is uszka filled with dried wild mushrooms and served in a clear borscht. Uszka isn’t technically pierogi and is smaller and never eaten on its own.
Bigos
This is a hearty and traditional hunter’s meat stew. It’s made with white cabbage, sauerkraut, various meats, ham, and sausages, tomatoes, spices, and mushrooms. Bigos is normally served with rye bread or mashed potatoes although you may be served it in a hollowed out loaf of bread.
Legend has it that bigos was introduced by a Lithuanian Grand Duke who became Poland’s King Władysław Jagiełło. Others argue that the word “bigos” is actually German in origin and therefore is more likely to come from there.
Placki Ziemniaczane
These potato pancakes are fantastic eaten hot or cold. Usually filled with grated onion and meat, they’re often topped with a sauce or goulash. Sweet variations include apple sauce, cream, and fruit syrup.
You’ll often find sour cream served alongside or meat “crisps” sprinkled on top along with a sheep’s milk cheese. Simple placki ziemniaczane were a staple for Polish monks in the 17th century and it’s possible that it was through the monks that its popularity spread around Eastern Europe.
Kotlet Schabowy
This breaded pork escalope recipe dates back to the 1800’s. It’s similar to a Viennese schnitzel except it uses either a pork chop or tenderloin. It’s normally served with mashed potatoes, pierogi, fried mushrooms, hand cut chips, and coleslaw. Simple but fantastic when you have a good one.
Where are the Best Restaurants in Poland?
In no particular order, here are a selection of restaurants we’d recommend in Poland.
- Restauracja Starka, ul. Jozefa 14, Krakow. Tel: +48 12 430 65 38
- A Noz Widelec, ul. Czechoslowacka 133, Poznan. Tel: +48 61 832 91 78
- Zapiexy Luxusowe, Str. Widok 19, Warsaw. Tel: +48 88 833 57 75
- Mercato Restaurant, Targ Rybny 1, Gdansk. Tel: +48 58 778 74 42
- Stara Kamienica, Str. Widok 8, Warsaw. Tel: +48 22 690 67 67
If you can recommend any more food to try in Poland, get in touch below and we’ll add it to the list. In the meantime, why not check out some more of our top foods to try on your travels?
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