Explore Poland’s timeless milk bars

Poland’s culinary renaissance is in full swing and its milk bars remain a staple of the food scene. Ubiquitous across the country, these milk bars (or Bary Mleczne in Polish) are simple, unpretentious cafeteria-style eateries serving affordable, traditional and nourishing food. A symbol of old Poland, the milk bar has trodden a precarious past back into the present. We’ve looked into its humble history and a few of the best places to visit.

A short history

The very first milk bar opened back in 1896. The brainchild of a Warsaw dairy farmer, it began as a simple produce shop that sold milk and egg-based dishes. It soon became a widespread format replicated across the country to much fanfare and became an integral part of Poland’s societal fabric. Sadly, towards the end of the 20th century, the majority of milk bars were displaced by more typical restaurants.

The fortunes of the milk bar were turned around again in 2010, when a resurgence in its popularity was seen as a protest against gentrification. And this rediscovered appreciation remains today. Read on for the best spots in Poland to revel in this unique cultural phenomenon, where you’ll find a mix of people mingling over faint nostalgia.

The food

As for the food, not much has changed since a century ago. Locals still come for the simple, traditional, comforting and great-value fare. While the ‘milk’ aspect of the name is a nod to the previously dairy-based menu, these bars predominantly serve vegetarian meals as meat was often rationed in times of economic downturn. At a present-day milk bar, you can expect cabbage and mushroom pierogi, omelettes, żurek (a rye-based soup with eggs), sizeable bowls of beetroot-heavy borscht and occasionally kotlet schabowy (Poland’s version of Wiener schnitzel). Except for pierogi (dumplings), most dishes are served with potato, rice or buckwheat – all for just a handful of złoty. Milk bars are canteen-style eateries, so head down the cafeteria aisle and ask the staff to pile your plate high.

Where to go: Prasowy, Warsaw

Though it has been open since 1954, this bright milk bar is decidedly modern. Rickety high-backed chairs circle gingham-patterned tables, groaning with trays of breaded pork cutlets, potatoes and tomato soup, while floor-to-ceiling windows, metro tiles and charcoal-coloured walls give the interior a stylish and contemporary feel. When you’ve found yourself a spot and had a chance to read the menu, tuck into pork loin and rice alongside a complimentary bowl of pickles and shredded cabbage salad. Have a wander through the manicured Lazienki Park nearby, as you eventually make your way towards VanGogh apartment.

Milkbar Tomasza, Kraków

Right in the heart of Kraków’s Old Town, Milkbar Tomasza retains the original charm of a milk bar without scrimping on design. Exposed brick plays off against sage green and charcoal-blue paint that looks part industrial Meatpacking District, part English countryside cottage. Order at the counter and take a seat at one of the farmhouse-style tables, before the amicable staff fills plates with golden-crumbed schnitzel, fiery Polish goulash and towering stacks of pierogi. You’ll need to work up an appetite before coming here, though Apartament St.Markus Cracow is mercifully close if you want a lie down afterwards.

Bar Mleczny JUNIOR, Starogard Gdański

A proper example of the milk bars of old, Bar Mleczny JUNIOR is a simple, unpretentious eatery and a refreshing contrast to the bombast prevalent in much of Europe’s fine dining scene. Here, it’s homecooked, authentic food that wins patrons over; hunks of pork chops and chicken, beetroot salads and generous bowls of borscht. Of course, the winning (and notably smiley) service is a bonus, too, and one that makes eating here a downtempo affair. Spend the night at Willa BROWAR.