Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Polish clear beetroot broth, soured with rye starter or lemon, served clear with uszka (small mushroom dumplings) at Christmas Eve or as Sunday lunch first course.
Barszcz czerwony in its clear festive form is the canonical Christmas Eve first course on Polish tables, served alongside uszka dumplings filled with wild mushroom. The dish has been part of Polish cooking since at least the 16th century, with the clear broth (klarowny) distinguishing the Polish version from Russian or Ukrainian borscht. Warsaw restaurants like Restauracja Polka and Stary Dom serve it year-round; at Christmas every Polish household sets a tureen on the table.
4 editor picks for Barszcz czerwony in Warsaw, ranked by editorial score. All Warsaw signature dishes · Barszcz czerwony across every city.
Stary Dom in Warsaw is the steak and Polish-classics anchor of leafy Mokotow, an old-house dining room with linen tablecloths and a deep cellar list.
OrderThe hand-cut tartare to start, then whatever steak the butcher's window has aged longest.
TipSunday lunch is the easy booking window. The basement dining room is the better seat.
Bar Mleczny Pod Barbakanem in Warsaw sits just past the Barbican between Old and New Town. Vintage decor, ladies in white coats at the till.
OrderBigos with a slice of rye bread and a beetroot soup chaser.
TipOpen daily 09:00-17:00. Pay cash. The line moves fast Walk-ins usually OK.
Magda Gessler's Restauracja Polka in Warsaw sits in a Renaissance tenement steps from the Royal Castle. Located in Stare Miasto. Priced at $$$.
OrderThe bigos and the hand-rolled pierogi, with a shot of Polmos vodka.
TipBook a window seat on the Old Town side. It is touristy but earns the reputation.
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.
Barszcz czerwony makes more sense with someone from Warsaw explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Guided tour · 4 hours
Discover what pierogi, gołąbki and schabowy are on a 4-hour food tour of Warsaw, and experience the flavors of Polish cuisine. Learn about the local food culture and h...
2 hours
Make your trip to Poland complete by learning to make pierogi, delicious Polish dumplings that become popular across the world.
Day trip · 1 day
A swift journey will take you to the "European Capital of Culture 2016", Wrocław. The city of 100 bridges will enchant you with its splendid Gothic Old Town.
.jpg){kind=link}