Text by Alison Hope

If you look at the menu of any restaurant serving traditional Polish cuisine, you will almost certainly find mushrooms in one form or another. Whether it is flavoursome wild mushrooms served on buckwheat pancakes with a generous dollop of sour cream, or pierogies (small dumplings stuffed with mushroom and cabbage), mushroom dishes served with a mixed salad on the side can make a more than adequate meal, especially when preceded by a tasty beetroot or tomato soup. Also look out for salads – far from being a collection of limp lettuce leaves and a slice of tomato, many smaller cafes and informal restaurants in Poland serve salads that are almost a meal in their own right, especially when served with a slice or two of crusty bread.

International cuisine is always a good back-up option for a vegetarian with a hearty appetite – even in smaller towns; you’ll find an Italian restaurant or pizzeria where you can feast on meat-free pizzas and pasta dishes. Larger cities offer a wider range of ethnic restaurants, which means that you’ll be able to take your pick from Asian style stir-fried vegetables and tofu with noodles, Middle Eastern falafels and salads, Indian dahl and other types of lentil-based curries, to name just some of the many vegetarian-friendly ethnic options available in Poland.

There are also quite a few dedicated vegetarian restaurants available throughout Poland. Keep an eye out for the green and yellow Green Way logo; this restaurant chain, which has over 34 outlets across Poland, offers an excellent range of freshly prepared soups, salads and main-courses such as enchiladas, koftas and vegetable bakes. “From the very beginning, our aim has always been to improve the quality of peoples’ lives” explains Jerzy Szkolnicki, one of the founders of Green Way. “Offering truly delicious and healthy vegetarian fare has always been our highest priority. We knew that in order to run the restaurant successfully, we needed to provide absolutely tasty, healthy meals served in generous proportions at a reasonable price and with great service”.

Before you head out to Poland, make sure that you pack a copy of Vegetarian Europe, a 288 page guide to vegetarian restaurants in 23 countries including Poland, which will help you to locate vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurants and health-food shops. Compiled and reviewed by vegans and vegetarians with extensive local knowledge, the guide also provides valuable phrases in the Polish language, including “I am a vegetarian” and “I do not eat meat, chicken or fish”.

Whatever you eat, wherever you eat, Poland is a country that is full of culinary delights. Smacznego!
 

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