Restauracja Filharmonia in Gdańsk sits on Ołowianka Island opposite the Old Town, with chef-Kashubian Marcin Szlagowski cooking his region: herring tartare, mustard soup, golce dumplings with roast goose.
Signature dishes: Herring tartare on potato pancakes, Roasted goose with golce
Must 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.
Address: ul. Ołowianka 1, 80-751 Gdańsk
Pierogarnia Mandu in Gdańsk Śródmieście rolls pierogi to order in dough varieties from yeast to spelt. The international card runs from ruskie and wild boar to khinkali and Korean mandu; salmon-and-dill anchors the fish side.
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. Oven-baked spuds with 20-plus toppings, a strong vegan run and a price ceiling well under 40 PLN per dish.
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.
Czerwone Drzwi in Gdańsk hides behind a red door on Piwna, two blocks from St Mary's. The kitchen runs a tight Pomeranian-Polish card with a fish-of-the-day and a goose dish locals book ahead.
Signature: Pomeranian goose, Baltic fish of the day
Order: The Pomeranian goose if on; the fish of the day if not.
Tip: Small dining room, around twenty seats. Book a 19:00 slot or expect to wait at the bar.
Pierogarnia Mandu in Gdańsk Śródmieście rolls pierogi to order in dough varieties from yeast to spelt. The international card runs from ruskie and wild boar to khinkali and Korean mandu; salmon-and-dill anchors the fish side.
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.
Brovarnia in Gdańsk operates inside a 17th-century granary on Szafarnia, the city's oldest active brewery. House-brewed Złoto Brovarni won gold at Concours de Lyon 2022; the kitchen pairs Polish classics.
Signature: Pork knuckle in dark beer, House-brewed Złoto Brovarni pils
Order: The pork knuckle braised in dark beer with a glass of Złoto Brovarni pils.
Tip: Sit in the high-beam main hall, not the modern annex. The brewery vats are behind the bar.
Pyra Bar in Gdańsk imports the Poznań potato-bar formula to the Old Town. Oven-baked spuds with 20-plus toppings, a strong vegan run and a price ceiling well under 40 PLN per dish.
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.
Avocado Vegan Bistro in Gdańsk Wrzeszcz cooks the everyday-Polish canon without animal product. Soy schabowy, croquettes, stews, dumplings, all turned out by one of the first vegan kitchens in Poland.
Signature: Soy schabowy, Plant-based pierogi
Order: The soy schabowy plate with cabbage, the kitchen's most-requested dish.
Tip: Daily specials sell out by 14:30; arrive at lunch for the full board.
Czerwone Drzwi in Gdańsk hides behind a red door on Piwna, two blocks from St Mary's. The kitchen runs a tight Pomeranian-Polish card with a fish-of-the-day and a goose dish locals book ahead.
Signature: Pomeranian goose, Baltic fish of the day
Order: The Pomeranian goose if on; the fish of the day if not.
Tip: Small dining room, around twenty seats. Book a 19:00 slot or expect to wait at the bar.
ARCO by Paco Pérez in Gdańsk is the city's only Michelin-starred room, on the 33rd floor of Olivia Star. Catalan chef Paco Pérez and head chef Antonio Arcieri cook Polish produce with Spanish technique.
Signature: Polish-produce tasting menu, Baltic seafood with Spanish technique
Order: The Beauty of Nature tasting menu, 22 courses for 750 PLN.
Tip: Wednesday and Thursday evenings are easier to book than Friday and Saturday. Sunset views start about 19:30 in summer.
