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Vegan PolishSrodmiescie
Lokal Vegan Bistro on Krucza in Warsaw, run by the Margines cooperative since 2015, rebuilds the Polish home-cooking canon without any meat or dairy.
OrderThe vegan pierogi ruskie and a bowl of mushroom-and-barley krupnik.
TipClosed Mondays. Tue-Sat 12:00-21:00, Sunday 12:00-19:00. Cash and card.
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PierogarniaStare Miasto
Zapiecek on Swietojanska is the Warsaw Old Town pierogarnia chain locals send tourists to without apology. Located in Stare Miasto. Priced at $$.
OrderA mixed plate: ruskie (potato and cheese), miesem (meat) and a sweet jagody (blueberry) closer.
TipSix locations across the centre; this one queues less than the Freta sister. Walk in for late lunch.
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PierogarniaStare Miasto
Gosciniec Polskie Pierogi in Warsaw plays the modernised-pierogarnia card with four central locations: Podwale, Krakowskie Przedmiescie, Nowy Swiat and Piwna.
OrderThe wild-boar pierogi and a half-litre of cherry-infused vodka.
TipThe Podwale branch has the biggest dining room and the easiest weekday lunch booking.
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Traditional PolishPraga Polnoc
Pyzy, Flaki Gorace! in Warsaw's Praga district plates pyzy dumplings in jam jars under fluorescent strip lights. Kitchen leans traditional polish.
OrderPyzy with mushroom gravy and a small bowl of flaki on the side.
TipOpen daily 11:00-22:00. A second branch sits at Podwale 5 in the Old Town if you can't cross the river.
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Milk Bar (bar Mleczny)Srodmiescie
Bar Mleczny Prasowy in Warsaw has fed the centre since 1954 from a socialist-realist building on Marszalkowska. Kitchen leans milk bar (bar mleczny).
OrderPierogi ruskie with sour cream and a glass of kompot.
Tip12:00-14:00 weekday peak. Aim for late breakfast or the 14:30 lull.
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Milk Bar (bar Mleczny)Srodmiescie
Bar Familijny on Warsaw's Nowy Swiat has run continuously since the People's Republic. Mon-Fri 07:00-20:00, Saturday 09:00-17:00, Sunday closed.
OrderNalesniki (Polish pancakes) with twarog and a bowl of zurek with white sausage.
TipMon-Fri 07:00-20:00, Saturday 09:00-17:00, Sunday closed Walk-ins usually OK.