224 POLANDFURTHER AFIELD CRACOW The Olive : 7 f ©
ul. Powiśle 7, 31-101 Tel (012) 662 1660
As expensive as any restaurant in Cracow, the Sheraton’s showpiece is an award-winning eaterie famed for its
high-class Mediterranean cuisine. There is a particularly good selection of seafood and fish dishes, and the wine
list is pitch-perfect. A glass roof makes dining here in winter a particularly pleasurable experience.GDAŃSK Tawerna Mestwin : f ©
ul. Straganiarska 21/22, 80837 Tel (058) 301 7882 Map D3
Time stands still in Tawerna Mestwin, a restaurant serving traditional Kashubian cuisine, with an emphasis on tasty
hunks of meat. Staffed by an elderly, friendly team, it is crammed with so many local arts and crafts it could be
mistaken for an ethnographic museum. Excellent fare at low prices.GDAŃSK Kubicki : ©
ul. Wartka 5, 80841 Tel (058) 301 0050 Map E3
Founded in 1919, this legendary restaurant is still in the hands of the same family. The interiors are full of
interesting old furniture, while the food is typical of traditional Polish port cities, with a good selection of starters
and an excellently prepared fried trout. Be sure to leave some room for the delicious cheesecake.GDAŃSK Pierogarnia u Dzika : ©
ul. Piwna 59/60, 80-831 Tel (058) 305 2676 Map C4
Boar pelts and animal heads cheer up a peach-coloured interior, but design issues should be overlooked by anyone
who appreciates good, inexpensive food. As the name suggests, pierogi (stuffed pasta) are the speciality here, and
there is a vast collection of fillings to choose from: meat and cabbage to seasonal offerings such as fresh fruit.GDAŃSK Pod Lososiem : f ©
ul. Szeroka 52/54, 80835 Tel (058) 301 7652 Map C3
This opulent restaurant has hosted luminaries such as George Bush Sr and Pope John Paul II. The name means
“under the salmon”, and grilled salmon is, indeed, the house speciality, though guests should also keep an eye
out for the game dishes. This historic building originally housed the first Goldwasser vodka distillery in the city.GDAŃSK Restauracja w Palacu Opatów : ©
ul. Cystersów 18, 80333 Tel (058) 524 5699 Map xx
In the shadow of the Oliwa Cathedral is this wonderful restaurant, offering fine dining at its best. A maître d’ escorts
diners to their table, laid out in one of three rooms elegantly decorated in the style of an aristocrat’s retreat. The
menu changes with each season. The blini with caviar are perfect for small appetites.FURTHER AFIELD GDAŃSK Chata Chlopska : 7 ©
ul. Gielguda 4, 80207 Tel (058) 524 0095
Locals flock to this thatched lodge, which is just outside the fringes of the Old Town, to feast on vast portions of
meat and hoist their beers in the air. The rustic decor makes an enjoyable change from downtown Gdańsk’s
more formal eateries, and the menu serves as a great whistle-stop tour of traditional Polish cuisine.FURTHER AFIELD GDAŃSK Kresowa : 7 f ©
ul. Ogama 12, 80826 Tel (058) 301 6653
Highly recommended, this restaurant is located in the Old Town, next to the shipyard where the anti-Communist
party Solidarnośc was born. The excellent menu borrows literally from the culinary traditions of Poland, Russia,
Lithuania and Armenia, and dishes are served by waiters dressed in traditional costumes.FURTHER AFIELD GDAŃSK VNS : 7 ©
al. Grunwaldzka 82 (4th floor, Manhattan Shopping Centre), 80244 Tel (058) 767 7900
Shopping-mall dining has been completely reinvented with VNS. Forget about stopping for a fast-food burger, this is
a class act with a designer look generated by skylights, a piano stage and a minimalist interior. The menu would not
be out of place in any international restaurant; dishes such as duck in honey are divine.MALBORK Zamkowa : 7 ) ©
ul. Staroscinnska 14, 82200 Tel (055) 272 2738
This large restaurant is located in the rebuilt wings of Malbork Castle’s outbuildings, and it has a knightly theme.
The menu serves up traditional Polish cuisine, including a dish called “Castle Soup” – in essence a beef goulash,
accompanied by olives and capers. It is a good spot to regenerate after a day spent touring the castle.POZNAŃ Bee Jay’s : 7 f
Stary Rynek 87, 61772 Tel (061) 853 1115
Bee Jay’s boasts a main-square location and a truly eclectic menu. Burgers can be found on one page, Mexican on
the next, and Indian on the following one. Perhaps more surprising is that the ethnic food is pretty good – a real
bonus in such a gastronomically conservative town. Big-screen live sports make for a lively atmosphere.POZNAŃ Brovaria : ) ©
Stary Rynek 73/74, 61772 Tel (061) 858 6868
Brovaria is a hotel, restaurant and microbrewery all under one roof, each of which wins praise for excellence. The
chic restaurant offers beautifully presented dishes such as veal stuffed with chicken and veal mousse. Finish off with
cocktails at the impressive steel-and-glass bar.Map References see map of Cracow pp182–3 and Gdańsk pp208–209