Welcome, travellers! During my trip to Warsaw, Poland, I discovered restaurants called “milk bars”—or, in their original Polish form, bar mleczny. I became fascinated with this concept after learning that these restaurants are extremely budget-friendly, costing perhaps less than half the price of food in a regular restaurant.
The mystery behind the name ‘Milk Bar’
At first, I was confused by the name. It sounds like these places specialize in milk-based drinks. But they’re not bars at all—in fact, no alcohol is served in these restaurants. They offer a wide-ranging menu, not limited to milk-related items. My curiosity got the best of me because these restaurants are quite ubiquitous around Warsaw. You just need to type “milk bar” into Google Maps, and you’ll likely find one within a 10-minute walking distance. So, I did a little research on the origin of their name and how these restaurants came to be.
The Origin of Milk Bars
Milk bars originated as an affordable dining option in the 1890s, peaking during the communist era in Poland. They were funded by the government to provide inexpensive and healthy meals to people from all walks of life. Initially, these cafeterias specialized in dairy-based dishes (milk, cheese, and eggs) and vegetarian meals, as these ingredients were abundant in Poland at the time. That’s why the name milk bar stuck, based on the original menu offerings. Later, traditional Polish cuisine was added to the menu. After the fall of communism, some milk bars closed, but during my visit to Warsaw, they were still quite prevalent. (Source: Wikipedia)
My Experience with Milk Bars
During my time in Poland, I visited a few milk bars, and I noticed that both the prices and the interior designs varied. However, the prices were consistently on the lower end, and I must say that the amazing taste was a constant in all of them. Some of my favorite dishes that I’d recommend include:
- Pierogi: Dumplings filled with potato, cheese, meat, or fruits.
- Kompot: A sweet drink made from boiled fruits, usually cherries.
- Placki ziemniaczane: Crispy potato pancakes, usually served with sour cream on the side.
- Naleśniki: Polish pancakes—I tried these with sour cream, and they were delightful.
Here’s a meal I had for just $3.92 (16 zł) at a milk bar I visited. It included sweet pancakes with fruit filling and sour cream on the side, a full plate of mashed potatoes and a glass of Kompot. I was pretty hungry and finished the mashed potatoes and kompot before remembering to take a photo of the pancakes! 😀 I would like to add that they tasted just like home made food.
One thing to note is that most milk bars close around 5–6 pm. Because of this, I sometimes ordered food in advance and stored it in the fridge to eat later in the evening.
Final Thoughts
Milk bars offer very affordable and tasty options while serving traditional Polish food—perfect for anyone wanting to experience the delicious Polish cuisine. I miss eating the sweet pancakes and pierogi and drinking delicious kompot. I already want to visit Poland again, just to try out milk bars once more.
Thank you for reading, dear travellers! Please share your experiences in the comments!