Regional Dishes

Essential Eats

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 are a few picks - smacznego!

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 and recognizable across Poland as a Wielkopolska creation. It’s vegetarian-friendly, too, which isn’t often the case with traditional cuisine.

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. You’ll find that this is the star of the menu in many Polish restaurants in the city.

Grey dumplings / Szare kluchy

Grey - the #1 least appetising colour. Unfortunately, that’s just the hue raw potatoes turn after you shred them, a necessary step in the making of this regional dish. After shredding, the potatoes are mixed with egg and flour and cooked to lumpy perfection. Traditionally accompanied by sauerkraut, szare kluchy aren’t exactly fashionable anymore, though they seem to be making a bit of a comeback.

St. Martin’s Croissants

Traditionally prepared for St. Martin’s Day (November 11th), a big deal in Poz thanks to a church named after the saint, these sweet treats have become a local trademark. Filled with a poppy seed and almond paste and topped with a healthy pile of sugary glaze, the pastries date back to at least 1860. They’re ubiquitous in November, but can be found in some bakeries year-round.