Local Flavours | Traditional Polish Dishes
Traditional Polish Dishes Polish food is famous for being simple, rich and very filling. Below we list the most well-known dishes you simply must try while in town, all of which you should be able to order from any Polish restaurant worth its salt. Smacznego!
BARSZCZ A nourishing beetroot soup, barszcz may be served with a croquette (‘barszcz z krokietem’), with miniature pierogi floating in it (‘barszcz z uszkami’), or simply as broth in a mug expressly for drinking. A recommended alternative to other beverages, we’d be surprised if you can find a bad cup of barszcz anywhere in Poland, so make sure you return home with barzszcz stains on at least one of your shirts.
BIGOS Though there’s no standard recipe for this hearty stew, ingredients usually include fresh and pickled cabbage, sausage, onion, mushrooms, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, caraway and whatever else is on hand. In fact, metaphorically bigos translates to ‘big mess,’‘mish-mash’ or ‘confusion’ in Polish. A Polish restaurant or prospective bride can be fairly measured on the strength of their bigos, so put it to the test.
GOŁĄBKI Translating to ‘little pigeons,’ this favourite dish is like a ‘cabbage enchilada'. Consisting of boiled cabbage leaves filled with rice, onion and typically beef, gołąbki are rolled up and baked or steamed, then served with tomato or mushroom sauce. Polish legend claims that King Kazimierz IV fed his army gołąbki before the Battle of Grunwald, and their unlikely victory attributed to the fortifying meal ever since.
GOLONKA This is ‘pork knuckle’ or ‘ham hock,’ as in the part of a pig’s leg between the knee and ankle. Boiled, braised or roasted, this is the closest the Poles come to barbecue, and is a delicacy. The meat should slip right off the bone, be served with horseradish, and washed down with beer. Generally sold by weight, you might end up with more than you bargained for, but it’s certainly an Instagram opportunity. Go caveman. 68
