Milk bar has a totally different meaning in different parts of the world. In Australia, milk bar refers to a local general store; in the UK, it could refer to a snack bar that sells dairy products. In Poland, milk bar refers to cafeterias offering dairy-based dishes and has a long history since WWI, as well as throughout the communist era. Today, locals visit it for quick and cheap everyday meals.
Overview
- What can you expect from a Polish milk bar?
- How to order without speaking Polish?
- What to order in a Polish milk bar?
- Where to find milk bars in Poland?
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What can you expect from a Polish milk bar?
Step in the restaurant, you will see a big menu board (all in Polish) and beneath it, stands an angry cashier. No one escapes facing an angry Polish cashier who speaks no English and that is also one of the biggest charms of dining in a Polish milk bar.
You can’t really spend too much time pondering what to order because that is how the system is like in here – everything goes pretty fast.
You can count on milk bars for cheap and traditional Polish food. But apart from the obvious, it is important to also know that it is fully self-served. After your order, there should be a hole in the wall connecting the kitchen for you to pick up your food, almost immediately after you make your payment.
Without knowing, searching for a milk bar quickly became an instinct to satisfy my stomach.
How to order without speaking Polish?
I don’t know if it makes sense for someone who doesn’t speak Polish to give this piece of advice: just read off the menu. That’s if you are adventurous enough and not a picky eater!
Or you could do some homework (by reading articles like this one), here are some of the words that are easily recognisable for English speakers and also famous dishes you can’t miss in a Polish milk bar.
What to order in a Polish milk bar?
– Pierogi
Regarded as the Polish national dish, the dumplings could be stuffed with anything from savoury to sweet!
Most common savoury fillings are meat (pierogi z mięsem), potato and cheese (pierogi ruskie), sauerkraut and mushroom (pierogi z kapusta i grzybami). Many of these pierogi are topped off with caramelized onion.
On the other hand, sweet fillings are usually with seasonal fruits but I have also tasted chocolate filling – which I wouldn’t call myself a fan.
Price: 8 – 15 złoty
– Kotlet Schabowy
The pork chop cutlet that is considered a staple in the milk bar – it is often served with a generous portion of potatoes (kotlet schabowy z ziemniakami) or salad on the side.
Price: 16 – 22 złoty
– Żurek
You may be familiar with a bowl of bright beetroot soup called borscht that is served across Eastern Europe countries. Żurek, is the Polish white borscht soup that is perfect for warming up your winter days. The soup typically consists of smoked meat, egg and with sour rye as the base – which gives it a tangy taste. An unforgettable dish once you have tried it.
Tip! If you are craving for a hot bowl of soup while in Poland, look out for the word ‘zupy’ on menus which means ‘soup’. That word sounded too cute so it was easy to remember.
Price: 5 – 6 złoty
– Bigos
Often translated as the Polish Hunter’s Stew, bigos is a traditional Polish dish that is easy for a foreign palate. You can find various smoked meat and mushrooms covered with heaps of sauerkraut. This dish is easily made at home with different versions for every household and it is often made days before serving.
Price: 7 – 8 złoty
– Kompot
A captivating non-alcoholic traditional fruit drink in the region – sometimes with a dash of spices for additional flavours. The drink is made by boiling assorted fruits such as berries, apples, cherries etc with water and sugar or other sweeteners. Can be served hot or cold depending on the season and restaurant.
Price: 2 – 3 złoty
Where to find milk bars in Poland?
Google Maps served me well in Poland. So what you need to do when you’re hungry, lost or freezing in Poland is to seek warmth by searching for ‘bar mleczny’ on Google Maps. The milk bars are usually located in the town centre which is often a reasonable travelling distance for travellers.
Milk bar in Warsaw:
Rusałka
Floriańska 14, 00-001 Warszawa, Poland
Google Maps
Milk bar in Poznan:
Schaboszczak od Dziadka
Szkolna 7, 61-636 Poznań, Poland
Google Maps
Milk bar in Krakow:
Bar mleczny Żak
Królewska 84, 30-081 Kraków, Poland
Google Maps
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