The cuisine of Poland is a mix of not just native influences but also influences from Germany, Austria, Hungary, Russia, and the Ashkenazi Jewish ethnic minority, which before World War II was the largest such community in Europe. Like the cuisines of Germany and Hungary, Polish cuisine can be very heavy, with dairy commonly used in the preparation of dishes, and lots of different spices used. Dishes such as kotlet schabowy (breaded pork cutlet); golabki (stuffed cabbage rolls); and barszcz (beetroot and wild mushroom broth) were adapted to Polish tastes from these neighboring cultures.

Cabbage and cucumbers became staple ingredients in Polish cuisine by the Renaissance, brought to the country by Sigismund I's Italian queen Bona Sforza. In the 17th century, Poland received trading partners from as far away as Armenia and the Ottoman Empire. Kawa (coffee) became a staple drink during this time, and the first Polish cookbook was published. Russian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Austro-Hungarian influences on Polish cuisine were definitely felt by the 19th century, and newer cookbooks offered Polish-style takes on aforementioned "borrowed" dishes.

Poland's culinary prowess took a hit after World War II, with nationalization of all restaurants into two categories: cafeterias (bufet) for factory workers and milk bars (bar mleczny) for the general public. Basic dishes such as pierogi (stuffed dumplings, first picture) and placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes) became very popular, as they were two of the few dishes served. In the 1970s, the Communist Party relaxed regulations on food service; private citizens were allowed to operate food trucks, which gave rise to the zapiekanka. With ingredients scarce in Poland, enterprising citizens made do with what was available, and the zapiekanka was Poland's answer to "pizza-esque" street food. A half of a baguette is covered with meat, mushrooms, melted cheese, and covered with a liberal amount of ketchup. While not the most appealing dish to look at, its popularity has endured and even 30 years after the fall of Communism in Poland, zapiekanki are ubiquitous in major cities across the country. (Second picture: Street food sold in Krakow at Christmastime.)

Poland's restaurant scene after the fall of Communism took a while to grow. First, international chain restaurants arrived, and then finally more and more chefs opened up their own restaurants. Many came from all over the world, and now international cuisines are well-represented in most major Polish cities. Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, and Katowice have the largest food scenes in the country. Krakow was named the 2019 European Capital of Gastronomic Culture, and boasts 19 Michelin-starred restaurants; Poland's capital, Warsaw, has 15 Michelin-starred restaurants.

Must-Savor Specialties: kotlet schabowy, golabki, barszcz, Polish coffee, pierogi, placki ziemniaczane, zapiekanka

Warsaw (Masovia)

Poland's capital typically serves as a culinary "second city" to Krakow, a role reversal considering Krakow is considered Poland's "second city" in every other metric. Despite this, Warsaw's food scene is elevated and definitely competes with the other European capitals.

Due to the presence of so many vegetables in the Polish diet, Warsaw has become an unlikely competitor in the vegan food tourism market, with over two dozen restaurants across the city completely meat-free, and more and more similar restaurants are planning to open in the future. Popular vegan restaurants include Tel Aviv Food & Wine (Poznanska 11), Momencik Vegan Restaurant (Poznanska 16), and Lokal Vegan Bistro (Krucza 23/31).

Warsaw's Michelin-starred restaurants include the haute-cuisine à la polonaise Warszawska (in the Hotel Warszawa, Plac Powstancow Warszawy 9), the modern Polish steakhouse Koneser Grill (Zabkowska 27/31), and modern restaurant concepts such as Europejski Grill (Krakowskie Przedmiescie 13) and Szostka (on the roof of the Hotel Warszawa, Plac Powstancow Warszawy 9).

Warsaw is known for some delicious local flavors, which can be picked up at various produce and food markets such as Hala Mirowska (Plac Mirowski 1) and Forteca Kregliccy (Zakroczymska 12). Warsaw and the Masovia region are renowned for their tart jablka grojeckie apples, as well as miod kurpiowski honey.

If you are looking for the best of the best of Polish cuisine, you will be able to have so many delicious culinary experiences in Warsaw. You can find the absolute best golabki and kotlet schabowy here, as well as other Polish staples such as paczki (a stuffed jelly donut, similar to a Berliner), zrazy (fried beef cutlets, sometimes stuffed, served with a sauce), pyzy (potato and meat dumplings), zupa pomidorowa (tomato soup), and flaki (a traditional beef tripe soup; in Warsaw it is served with meatballs). Dessert options include wuzetka (chocolate-and-cream cake), and zygmuntowka (almond pastry filled with chocolate mousse, cranberry jam, and whipped cream, topped with meringue), both native to Warsaw.

For great flaki and pyzy, try Bar Warszawa (Miodowa 2), open 24 hours. Szynk Praski (Stalowa 37) is another great place for pyzy. For delicious paczki and other treats, visit Cukiernia Pawlowicz (Chmielna 13). Schabowy (Obrzezna 1) is renowned for its kotlet schabowy. For the best zrazy in Poland, go to U Kucharzy (Dluga 52). The most delectable golabki can be found at Mala Polana Smakow (Belwederska 13). To get a modern twist on a Communist-era milk bar experience, try the zupa pomidorowa at Bar Bambino (Hoza 19).

Must-Savor Specialties: Jablka grojeckie (apples), miod kurpiowski (honey), golabki, kotlet schabowy, paczki, zrazy, pyzy, zupa pomidorowa, flaki, wuzetka, zygmuntowka

Poznan (Greater Poland)

While not as large as Warsaw and Krakow, Poznan's food scene is thriving, and is arguably the third-most important food city in the country. The staple pyry z gzikiem (potatoes served with a dollop of cottage cheese, cream, and green onions, pictured), now enjoyed nationwide, was first made in Poznan, and the best pyry z gzikiem can be tried at Pyra Bar (Strzelecka 13). Poznan and the Wielkopolska region are also well-known for their use of linseed oil, Grodziskie brand beer, and Wielkopolski ser smazony fried cheese.

Poznan is also considered one of the best places in the country to eat pierogi, sernik cheesecake, rosol (traditional Polish chicken soup), and rogal swietomarcinski (St. Martin's croissant, filled and topped with cinnamon, icing, and chopped nuts). The top Polish restaurants in Poznan where you can try all these dishes are the restaurant insure the Mercure Hotel Poznan Centrum (Roosevelta 20), Pastela (23 Lutego 40), Na Winklu (Srodka 1), and La Ruina & Raj (Swiety Marcin 34).

Must-Savor Specialties: Pyry z gzikiem, linseed oil, Grodziskie beer, Wielkopolski ser smazony cheese, sernik, pierogi, rosol, rogal swietomarcinski

Torun (Kuyavia-Pomerania)

Torun is considered the gingerbread capital of Poland, and there are many bakeries across the city that bake not just piernik (a honey-spice cake) but also Torunskie pierniki (pictured), the city's famous gingerbread cookies. Kopernik (Rynek Staromiejski 6) is the city's largest gingerbread bakery and sells the definitive Torun-style cookie. Take time to visit Pierniczek (Zeglarska 25) as well. For Polish cuisine, you will love Pierogarnia Leniwa (Slusarska 5). For the traditional "milk bar" experience, Bar Mleczny Pod Arkadami (Rozana 1) is celebrated for their delicious crepe-style pancakes (nalesniki). Torun and Kuyavia-Pomerania are perhaps most famous for their delicious cooked goose meat (miesa z gesi); try this delicacy at Karczma Gesia Szyja (Podmurna 28).

Must-Savor Specialties: Piernik, Torunskie pierniki, pierogi, nalesniki, miesa z gesi

Gdansk and Gdynia (Pomerania)

Sister cities Gdansk and Gdynia in Pomerania are well-known for boasting the absolute best klopsiki (breaded meatballs that can be fried or braised) and mizeria (cucumber salad with dill and yogurt) in the country, at Bar Mleczny Leniwa Baba (Swietojanska 52) in Gdynia and Bar Turystyczny (Szeroka 8/10) in Gdansk, respectively. Delicious golabki can be had for cheap at Jacobsen (Swietojanska 46). Gdansk and Gdynia are known domestically for a wonderful sweet treat, gofry waffles with chocolate and fruit toppings and vanilla ice cream (pictured). There are over a dozen gofry spots across the region, but you won't go wrong by visiting Dlugi Targ (The Long Market) in Gdansk. Goldwasser liqueur can also be found at various merchants at The Long Market.

Must-Savor Specialties: Klopsiki, mizeria, golabki, gofry, Goldwasser liqueur

Katowice (Silesia) and Wroclaw (Lower Silesia)

Katowice is probably the biggest culinary success story, having the fastest rise to domestic food prominence out of any other city in the country. Silesian dumplings (kluski slaskie, pictured) are the delicacy of the region, and Wunderbar (Plebiscytowa 2) stakes claim to the absolute best Silesian dumplings in the world. Katowice also claims to have the best zurek (also called barszcz bialy, a sour fermented rye soup with eggs) and racuchy (bite-size apple-flavored pancakes) in the world, which can be enjoyed at Zurownia (Ligonia 16) and Wiejska Chatka (Plac Grunwaldzki 4), respectively.

Wroclaw does not have a celebrated food scene like Katowice does, but it boasts great restaurants as well, like the traditional Polish favorite Restauracja Konspira (Plac Solny 11). Knysza is a popular street food, a bread roll filled with meat and vegetables and slathered in a garlic aioli. Silesia is also famous for blood sausage (krupnioki slaskie), bread soup (wodzionka), and szpajsa, an egg-and-gelatin custard.

Must-Savor Specialties: Kluski slaskie, zurek, racuchy, knysza, krupnioki slaskie, wodzionka, szpajsa

Krakow and Zakopane (Lesser Poland)

In the span of 30 years, Krakow's food scene grew from next to nothing to the largest in the country, and in 2019 the city was the European Capital of Gastronomic Culture. Krakow's position in the south of the country, near many other cultural influences, helped shape the city's culinary identity to what it is today. Polish influences meet a number of international influences, from Italian to Turkish to Russian, and the immensely influential Ashkenazi Jewish community lives today in many of Krakow's food traditions. We recommend going to Chajim Kohan (Szeroka 1) and Ariel (Szeroka 18) in Kazimierz to get your fill of authentic Polish Ashkenazi cuisine.

Krakow is the street food capital of Poland, and you will be spoiled when it comes to the variety of popular Polish street foods, ranging from Cracovian pretzels (obwarzanek Krakowski, first picture) to grilled sausage (kielbasa) to the pizza-lite zapiekanka. There are nearly 200 obwarzanek Krakowski vendors across the city; any of them will have the best poppy-seed pretzel/bagel hybrids you've tasted in your life. For the best street kielbasa, order from the cart at Hala Targowa market (Grzegorzecka 3). Plac Nowy is home to the crème de la crème of zapiekanka food trucks. For delicious baked goods, from the poppy-seed-laden cake makowiec to sernik cheesecake, with quark comprising the main filling and fruit jelly on top, visit Cukiernia Cichowscy (Starowislna 21).

Krakow is also well-renowned for having the best of the best in a number of popular Polish dishes, such as the hunter's stew bigos, typically featuring pork, sauerkraut, and kielbasa; gulasz, a Polish spin on the Hungarian stew, featuring beef and onions in a paprika broth; sledzie, pickled herring and vegetables served with sour cream and onions; and chlodnik litewski, cold beetroot soup blended with cucumbers and a dairy product such as sour cream or kefir. These restaurants will satisfy your every urge when it comes to delicious Polish cuisine: Kuchnia u Doroty (Augustianska 4), Polakowski (Miodowa 39), Miod Malina (Grodzka 40), Karma (Krupnicza 12), Zielona Kuchnia (Ambrozego Grabowskiego 8), and Smakolyki Restaurant (Straszewskiego 28). Michelin-starred Polish restaurants in Krakow include the Medieval-themed Pod Nosem (Kanonicza 22) and the brasseries Kogel Mogel (Sienna 12) and Szara Kazimierz (Szeroka 39).

To the south, in the Tatra Mountains, the winter vacation destination of Zakopane is known for its delicious homegrown jams, its Oscypek smoked cheeses (second picture), runner beans (fasola piekni jas z doliny dunajca), and golonka (seared pork knuckle, cooked until tender, and served with potatoes or sauerkraut). For some very delicious golonka, try Owczarnia (Krupowki 26). The five-day Zakopane European Fair of Regional Products each August is attended by thousands from all over the world. People can sample delicacies of Zakopane and Malopolska (such as Bundz and redykolka cheeses), as well as treats and drinks from all over the world.

Must-Savor Specialties: Cracovian pretzels, zapiekanka, kielbasa, makowiec, sernik, gulasz, sledzie, bigos, chlodnik litewski, Oscypek smoked cheese, Tatra runner beans, golonka, Bundz cheese, Redykolka cheese, fresh Zakopane jams