Regional Dishes
St. Martin’s Croissant | Photo courtesy of City of Poznań
Though much of their cuisine is shared with Poland as a whole, Poznań and the wider Wielkopolska region do have some of the most distinctive dishes in the country. Here’s a rundown of popular fare that you can get your hands on even when all the local grannies are busy cooking for someone else. Do keep in mind that restaurant menus change, and these dishes might become unavailable during the shelf life of this guide - luckily most restaurants post their menus online, so you can quickly double-check before showing up for dinner.
POTATOES WITH GZIK
Nearly ubiquitous as a starter in Poznań’s Polish restaurants, gzik is made of quark cheese mixed with cream and chives or radish. Served together with jacket potatoes, this 19th century peasant dish is known as ‘pyra z gzikiem’ in local parlance. Where to try it: Wiejskie Jadło (p.68), Oberża Pod Dzwonkiem (p.66), Bamberka (p.67), and Hyćka (p.66). 54
ROAST DUCK
Whereas in most corners of Poland, until fairly recently, Peking duck was an eyebrow-raising oddity, and ‘edible’ poultry was limited to chicken and turkey, Wielkopolska has long liked its kaczka. Traditionally served roasted with cabbage, apples, and dumplings, duck has recently also founds its way into pierogi and even burgers. Where to try it: Ratuszova (p.67), Bazar 1838 (p.65), Wiejskie Jadło (p.68), Oberża Pod Dzwonkiem (p.66), Bamberka (p.67), FermentuJEMY (p.64), and Hyćka (p.66).
