and my coordinator’s favorite activity which I already miss, so I thought it would be good to share my
food adventure in Warsaw as a volunteer.
Zapiecek
This is the most Polish place you can ever find. It has very traditional, grandma-style decoration, there
are even dollies on the table and perfect place for pierogi, placki ziemniaczane and traditional soups.
You will totally love huge portions, sour cream on the top of the pierogi and hot kompot. It has more
than 20 kinds of pierogi both boiled and fried options. My favorite is fried pierogi with cabbage and
forest mushroom. Avarage price for 9-pierogi portion is 23zl, Polish suasages are 26zl and soups are
around 10zl.
Mleczarnia Jerozolimska – Milk bar
If you hate cooking and you need to survive with volunteering money like
me, milk bars are definitely life saving. In the mid-60s, during communism era,
restaurants were nationalized because they were “capitalist” and milk bars
started to serve cheap, dairy based and vegeterian foods to workers. After communism collapsed, milk bars went
bankrupt however in 2010s they came back as fast-food restaurants for Polish
traditional food and they are still cheap! A typical lunch option with soup,
main course, salad and kompot is around 20zl, a portion of pierogi is around
10zl and my favorite meal potato crepes with spinach is only 11zl. Leniwe and
tomato soup are definitely must try.
Asia Tasty
I can easily say my spice tolerance has increased in Poland but not because
of Polish food because of authentic Vietnamese food in Poland. Poland and
Vietnam relations grew in mid 1900s with student exchange programs while both
countries were communists. Now, Poland is home of almost 60.000 Vietnamese
people. You can easily find a Vietnamese restaurant even in suburbs in Warsaw
but one place is our favorite. It is cheap, fast and delicious. There is also a
supermarket inside where you can find asian snacks, instant noodles, different
rices and sauces from Asia.
I never understand why people eat kebap in foreign countries because it is
more like frozen kebaps sold in supermarkets in Turkey and not good. But this
place has really good meat and delicious authentic side dishes with olive oil,
tomato and eggplant. Döner wrap is around 15zl, Iskender kebap is 22zl. As a
Turkish I approved!
Hala Gwardii is an amazing experience. It is a street food market where you
can find delicious food from all around the world. Best thing is the most of
the places are vegan/vegetarian friendly. Also they serve foods with wooden
fork and knife in eatable plates in order to decrease plastic waste. There is a
craft beer place you can buy regional beers from Poland. My favorite food stall
is Tel Aviv and its amazing falafels. There are also thematic weekends with
different activities but it is only open from Friday to Sunday.
