The reconstructed Hanseatic core: Długa, Długi Targ, Mariacka, where the cafes, milk bars and the city's oldest restaurants line cobbled blocks under St Mary's Basilica.
Piwna 47 in Gdańsk is the Michelin-recommended Old Town brasserie behind St Mary's, run by a kitchen that reads the Pomeranian rulebook. Located in Main Town.
Signature: Pomeranian seasonal main, Modern bistro plates
Order: Whatever seasonal main the chef has built around local Pomeranian produce that week.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. The conservatory at the back is the brightest table for lunch.
Restauracja Fino in Gdańsk hides off the tourist track on ul. Grząska, with chef-owner Jacek Koprowski running a Michelin-recommended tasting menu.
Signature: Tasting menu, Plant-based seasonal menu
Order: The full tasting menu or, if vegetarian, the plant-based equivalent.
Tip: Easier to book Monday to Thursday. Service ends 22:00 weeknights and 23:00 Saturday.
Kubicki in Gdańsk is the city's oldest restaurant, opened 1918 by Bronisław Kubicki on Wartka Street. Located in Main Town. Kitchen leans polish.
Signature: Eisbein (pork knuckle), Marinated matias herring
Order: The eisbein, the dish the kitchen has refused to alter for a century.
Tip: The window tables on the Motława side fill fast; reserve for sunset in summer.
Goldwasser in Gdańsk sits in a 15th-century tenement on Długie Pobrzeże, named for the gold-flake liqueur first distilled in the city in 1598.
Signature: Duck, Steak topped with edible gold
Order: A duck main with a glass of Original Danziger Goldwasser to close.
Tip: Open from noon every day; the Motława-side terrace is the room's best feature May to September.
Witómë in Gdańsk runs the only centrally-located Kashubian dining room, on Piwna behind St Mary's. Located in Main Town. At ul. Piwna 36/39.
Signature: Kashubian fish soup, Pomeranian herring
Order: The Kashubian fish soup with the regional herring plate.
Tip: Open seven days from 07:30; the late kitchen runs to 23:00 Friday and Saturday.
Zafishowani in Gdańsk runs out of a townhouse on Tokarska, with a wine bar and shop attached to the restaurant. Kitchen leans baltic seafood.
Signature: Halibut, Baltic herring tasting
Order: The halibut, the kitchen's most asked-after dish year-round.
Tip: The wine shop next door pours flights at half restaurant prices.
Cała Naprzód in Gdańsk crowns the Maritime Culture Centre with a fourth-floor terrace beside the medieval Crane. Kitchen leans polish seafood.
Signature: Kashubian herring, Baltic salmon
Order: Pikeperch fillet with spinach and cauliflower, or the pike-perch and smoked-trout pierogi.
Tip: Take the glass lift inside the museum building. Sunset on the terrace is May to September.
Restauracja Filharmonia in Gdańsk sits on Ołowianka Island opposite the Old Town, with chef-Kashubian Marcin Szlagowski cooking his region: herring tartare.
Signature: Herring tartare on potato pancakes, Roasted goose with golce
Order: The roasted goose with golce, the dish from Szlagowski's family table.
Tip: Cross the footbridge from Długie Pobrzeże; the Old Town view from the dining room is the trip.
Pierogarnia Mandu in Gdańsk Śródmieście rolls pierogi to order in dough varieties from yeast to spelt. Located in Main Town. At ul. Elżbietańska 4.
Signature: Salmon-and-dill pierogi, Pelmeni
Order: The salmon-and-dill pierogi, plus a side plate of the sweet seasonal ones.
Tip: Everything is made to order; budget 25 minutes from sit-down to first plate.
Pyra Bar in Gdańsk imports the Poznań potato-bar formula to the Old Town. Order at the counter, sit upstairs by the window for the best Old Town view.
Signature: Oven-baked stuffed potato, Vegan potato bowl
Order: An oven-baked potato with the mushroom-and-onion topping; the kitchen makes it vegan on request.
Tip: Order at the counter, sit upstairs by the window for the best Old Town view.
Niesztuka in Gdańsk works a Mariacka townhouse among the amber-shop terraces, with chef Jakub Śliwiński cooking a concise card that changes several times.
Signature: Daily-changing tasting plates, Corn-husk ice cream
Order: Whatever short tasting menu is up that week.
Tip: Ground floor runs communal-table; book the first-floor room for a quieter service.
Piwna 47 in Gdańsk runs a Michelin-recommended Pomeranian brasserie behind St Mary's. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Weekend dinners book out a week ahead.
Signature: Pomeranian seasonal main, Bistro plates
Order: Whatever Pomeranian main is on the seasonal board, paired with a local craft beer.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Weekend dinners book out a week ahead.
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.
Witómë in Gdańsk runs a Kashubian dining room on Piwna behind St Mary's, the city's most centrally-located rendition of the regional kitchen.
Signature: Kashubian fish soup, Pomeranian herring
Order: Kashubian fish soup with the regional herring plate to start.
Tip: Open seven days from 07:30, late kitchen until 23:00 Friday and Saturday.
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.
Zafishowani in Gdańsk works a Tokarska Street townhouse with a wine bar and shop attached to the restaurant. Located in Main Town. Priced at $$$.
Signature: Halibut, Baltic herring tasting
Order: Halibut grilled simply, with a flight from the next-door wine shop.
Tip: The wine shop pours bottles at retail-plus prices, well under restaurant lists.
Cała Naprzód in Gdańsk crowns the Maritime Culture Centre on Tokarska with a fourth-floor terrace beside the medieval Crane. Located in Main Town.
Signature: Kashubian herring, Pike-perch and smoked-trout pierogi
Order: Pike-perch fillet with spinach and cauliflower, or the pike-perch and smoked-trout pierogi.
Tip: Take the museum's central glass lift directly to the fourth floor.
Restauracja Filharmonia in Gdańsk runs on Ołowianka Island opposite the Old Town, with chef Marcin Szlagowski cooking Kashubian: herring tartare on placki.
Signature: Herring tartare on potato pancakes, Roasted goose with golce
Order: Roasted goose with golce, the dish from Szlagowski's family table.
Tip: Cross the footbridge from Długie Pobrzeże. The dining-room view back to the Old Town is the trip.
Pierogarnia Mandu in Gdańsk Śródmieście rolls pierogi to order in dough styles from yeast to spelt. Located in Main Town. At ul. Elżbietańska 4.
Signature: Salmon-and-dill pierogi, Pelmeni
Order: Salmon-and-dill pierogi, with a side plate of sweet pierogi for dessert.
Tip: Made-to-order kitchen; budget 25 minutes from sitting down to the first plate.
Restauracja Gvara in Gdańsk sits at the base of St Mary's Basilica on Chlebnicka, a modern-Polish room that pulls traditional Pomeranian plates.
Signature: Żurek with pork chop, Cod with blood sausage
Order: Żurek with the pork chop or the cod with blood sausage; the house cake to close.
Tip: Live music Friday and Saturday evenings; reserve a window seat for the Basilica view.
Pyra Bar in Gdańsk imports the Poznań potato-bar formula to the Old Town. Order at the counter; sit upstairs by the window for the Old Town view.
Signature: Oven-baked stuffed potato, Vegan potato bowl
Order: Oven-baked potato with mushroom-onion topping; vegan on request.
Tip: Order at the counter; sit upstairs by the window for the Old Town view.
Pikawa Bistro in Gdańsk runs a small Old Town room beside St Mary's, sibling to the Piwna cafe two doors down. Located in Main Town. Priced at $$.
Signature: Pomeranian seasonal main, Polish breakfast plate
Order: The Polish breakfast plate; or whatever seasonal main the chef builds at lunch.
Tip: Book a window seat for the St Mary's view; weekends fill by 11:00.
Hard Rock Cafe Gdańsk on Długi Targ is the two-storey rock memorabilia bar between the Green Gate and the Neptune Fountain, with a 100-cover outdoor patio and a small stage that books tribute and cover acts most weekends.
Tip: Live music nights tend to run Friday and Saturday from 21:00; the upstairs balcony is the calmer table when downstairs fills. Reserve via Facebook.
Flisak '76 in Gdańsk's Main Town is the subterranean cocktail bar on ul. Chlebnicka run by the third generation of the Rathnau family since 1976, with the current Greatest Show vintage-circus concept and presentations in perfume bottles and tiny cannons.
Tip: Walk down the stairs at Chlebnicka 9/10, no sign at the door. Cocktails 38-55 PLN; the Clown with gin, strawberry and shiso is the order.
Craft Cocktails on ul. Szeroka in Gdańsk's Main Town is the dim-lit chandelier-and-leather speakeasy of bartender Krzysztof Rathnau, with 280-plus spirits, filtered iced water at every seat and a Bar of the Year programme.
Tip: Book the back banquette for two; the menu rotates seasonally. House Old Fashioned is the move on a quiet weekday before 22:00.
Józef K in Gdańsk's Main Town is the Kafka-named cult cafe-bar at the top of ul. Piwna near St Mary's, a bookshelf-ceilinged bohemian room with retro armchairs, fruit vodkas and Browar Amber pours that runs as cafe by day and bar by night.
Tip: After 22:00 it tips into bar mode; ask for the Soplica plum vodka or the signature Mr Rosewater. Cash and card both work.
Bruderschaft in Gdańsk's Main Town is the underground LGBT-friendly pub on ul. Długa opened 2012, with live jazz and blues most Wednesdays and Thursdays and a vinyl night that runs into the early hours.
Tip: Take the basement stairway on ul. Długa; Wednesday jazz jams start 20:30. Pints 12-16 PLN, cocktails 25-38 PLN.
Pub Red Light in Gdańsk's Main Town is the red-walled gay-friendly pub off ul. Piwna near St Mary's Basilica, with deep armchairs upstairs, a basement dance floor at weekends and two terraces that catch the afternoon sun.
Tip: Entrance is from ul. Kaletnicza, not ul. Piwna proper. Happy hour from 14:00; basement opens 22:00 Friday and Saturday.
Pijalnia Wódki i Piwa on Długi Targ in Gdańsk's Main Town is the PRL-era nostalgia bar with transistor radios on the shelves and communist posters on the walls, cheap shots and beer on tap until 05:00 on Saturday.
Tip: Entrance from ul. Kuśnierska around the side; shots and pickled-herring snacks from 7 PLN. Loud after 23:00 once the students arrive.