Slow-braised pork shank, often poached in dark beer then crisped under the salamander, served with sauerkraut, mustard and a pile of mashed potatoes.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
Eisbein arrived in Gdańsk with the German Hanseatic merchants during the late medieval period and survived through the Free City era between 1920 and 1939. Kubicki opened in 1918 and has refused to alter its eisbein recipe since; the dish is the room's century-long signature and the most-photographed plate on the menu. The brine cure runs 48 hours, the slow boil another four, and the finishing roast adds a crisp top. Served whole with sauerkraut, mashed peas and a dollop of mustard.
Common allergens: Gluten, Mustard
Tip from the editors. Skin-on, bone-in golonka is non-negotiable; the skin renders the lacquer and the bone enriches the braise. Polish porter beats lager every time for the dark colour and toffee notes.
Restauracja Kubicki in Gdańsk has run since 1918 on Wartka Street, the oldest surviving room in town. Book the window tables for the Motława view at sunset.
Signature: Eisbein (pork knuckle), Marinated matias herring
Order: The eisbein, the kitchen's century-old never-altered dish.
Tip: Book the window tables for the Motława view at sunset Walk-ins usually OK.
Goldwasser in Gdańsk sits in a 15th-century tenement on Długie Pobrzeże, named for the liqueur first distilled in the city in 1598. Located in Main Town.
Signature: Duck, Edible-gold steak
Order: Duck with red cabbage, with a glass of Original Danziger Goldwasser as the closer.
Tip: The Motława-side terrace from May to September is the best seat in the room.
Brovarnia in Gdańsk is the oldest active brewery in Pomerania, inside Hotel Gdańsk's 17th-century granary on Szafarnia. Booking recommended.
Tip: Brewery tours run by request; ask reception when you book the restaurant.
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