10 Ways to Vegetarian Heaven in Warsaw

It’s true that Polish cuisine relies heavily on animal-related products. On the other hand, one of the most famous and oldest Polish recipes is a fermented beetroot soup – barszcz – which is stricly vegan! As our country is one of the biggest European markets for fruit and vegetable trade, vegetarians can cope surprisingly well here. New places feeding those who don’t eat meat keep springing up in Warsaw and many foreign visitors are quite surprised with the abundance of meatless options so ending up like this is more and more unlikely.

So here is our brief guide to the veg haven in the Polish capital – the list could go forever but we’re pretty sure you’ll find your favourite pick here.

01. Vegemiasto

no sugar, no gluten, limited soya – and yet rich, beautiful flavours

“With a good diet a doctor is not needed, with a poor diet a doctor won’t help”.  This quotation from Hippocrates is the idée fixe for the people who run Vege Miasto. The meals here are well balanced, imaginative and simply tasty. You won’t find refined sugar here, the food is strictly vegan and both soy and wheat are as much avoided in preparation of the meals as possible. A lunch of the day is 25 pln and after a soup and the second plate one is full. Drop in (With on Thursdays to have millet kopytka (Polish gnocchi) instead of yasmin rice or buckwheat as a side. Enjoy exquisite dressings: raspberry vinegret or plum BBQ souce. You can hardly find anyone whose face won’t brighten up looking at the dessert counter – all colours of the rainbow in the form of pumpkin ‘cheescake’, blueberry cashew tarta,  banana strudel or delicious ice-cream served in summer. Close to the Old Town! Important – cash only!

Vege Miasto, Solidarności 60A

02. Vegan Pizza

the comfort zone

There are several advised ways to make your life happier. Hardly any can compete with crispy and hot pizza, full of melting cheese. That’s why it is easy to become a regular in Vegan Pizza which is a place of comfort ??? for non-diary eaters.  Top it whatever you need: spinach, dried tomatoes, ‘ham’, gherkins, ‘pepperoni’, beetroot, you name it. The cheese, made of coconut, is soft and mild, melts lovely. You can get a GF option as well (for extra 5 PLN. Still, this one needs some improvement). Both in the restaurant and to take away. You better book a table if you come with a party, the place is tiny.

Vegan Pizza, Poznańska 7

03. The Loving Hut

heal the world. The guru explains how to make world a better place

If every person in the world stopped eating meat for two weeks, that would solve all the world problems. We though it would need him to succeed but we may be wrong;)  This is the message you have a chance to think about over a ball of noodles with tofu or seitan served in dozens of forms. The meals can be quite fatty and salty, protein boosted though. Cheap (15-25 pln for the main plate), quick and popular Vietnamese spot which helps to make peace with its innovator, Supreme Master Ching Hai. Don’t worry though if green-eco-spiritual filosophy is not your kind of thing. They won’t ask you to declare your devotion to the Master:)

Loving  Hut, Jana Pawła II 41 and Metro Politechnika

04. Krowarzywa

the best slow fast – food

Some say that speaking Polish is a superpower. Let’s practice then.

Krowa. (hear it) A cow.

Warzywa. (hear it) Vegetables.

Żywa. (hear it) Alive.

A lovely word-play, isn’t it?

Krowarzywa is a veggie answer to the burger boom that Warsaw has been through over the last years. It’s not only vegan but supertasty and you get a sandwich in a size of baby’s head;) Choose between Cieciorex (cheackpeas), Jaglanex (millet), Warzywex (vegetables) and a few more to follow, topped with handmade dressings (try ‘koperkowy’ – with dill!), tones of lettuce, onion, gherkins, tomatoes and beetroot. Go Krowa!

Krowarzywa, Hoża 42 and Marszałkowska 27/35

05. Vega

just everyday zen oriental cantine by the corner

It looks like a cantine, it works like a cantine (self­service) and I has just unbeatable low prices. You will mainly find one-­pot dishes in the menu but you can get a full set, with a soup, Poland salads, starter (kofta or some burger-like variations), potatoes/rice/buckwheat for less than 20 PLN (!). It’s not fancy but it’s neat, it’s not posh but laid­back and it has always been there. Vega comes to be one of the oldest vegetarian places in Warsaw, connected with the Vedic people of good will community in Warsaw. The music played and the decoration of the place give you a hint on the spiritual attitude of the group who runs it. Recently some GF, no-­sugar cakes were added to the menu. Definitely home ­made rather than Masterchef-like but still yummy.

Vega, Jana Pawła II 36c (in the backyard, behind big blocks of flats)

06. Bioway

the easy way on your way

If you’re accommodated in some airbnb or do couchsurfing in Warsaw it may happen that you live somewhere close to the shopping malls. Two of them have a nice vegetarian option. Bioway has simple, hearty, everyday style menu with some vegan options as well. Broccoli cutlets, potato lasagane, lentil soup, veggie curry, pancakes with veggies and cheese are always in the list. For those who only have a stopover in the city, Bioway is an option as well, having a spot in the Central cheap mlb jerseys Train Station.

Bioway, Dworzec Centralny, Blue City and Wola Park

07. Lokal

how about a ‘pork chop’ ? Traditional Polish food and mommy’s dinner for vegans

Within the block limited by Hoża, Wilcza and Marszałkowska streets, you have a chance to get into the heart of the DIY and social-alternative culture of Warsaw. Two very important squats are located near one another, Syrena and Przychodnia. No surprise that you will find some vegan places nearby. Our favourite there is Lokal. Books on fair trade, posters on social and political activism, staff all pierced and tattooed. And yet, when you look in the menu you get some of the most typical and popular Polish dishes and some fast food as well! “Herring” in linen oil, huge “porkchop” with mashed potatoes, served with fermented cabbage or gherkins, “nuggets” made of baked culiflower and corn and one of our Przewodnik personal favourites – the famous Bretagne beans (you are from Bretagne and you’ve never heard of them? No surprise, as it’s a Polish dish, usually served with meat).  One gets really full after a plate! Prices vary from wholesale nfl jerseys 10 – ­12 PLN for a soup or starter, to 20 – ­24 PLN for a main dish.

Lokal Vegan Bistro, Krucza 23

08. W gruncie rzeczy

so good and so simple [EDIT: by the end of February 2016 the place closed:( ]

A very short menu (two main courses every day plus dumplings), very reasonable prices (around 20 PLN  for a dish, 8 – 10 PLN for a huge cake), big portions, good smoothies, laid-back and open staff and kitchen working until 10 pm (! – that’s not common even in many regular restaurants in Poland). Food is stricly vegan, a plate makes you full and the clients are a mixture of people of all kinds. Some only drop in for coffee to work on their macs, others enjoy Sunday all-you-can-eat brunches for 25 PLN for hours (from 12 pm). Not the best place for an intimate date wholesale mlb jerseys but rather to hang out with friends.

W gruncie rzeczy, Hoża 62

09. Cafe Kulturalna and barStudio

enjoy the company of those who eat ‘normal’

There are some vegetarians who totally cannot accept consumption of meat so they only visit strictly no-­meat places. For those who feel comfortable around people eating “in a normal way” there are no more centrally located places then Café Kulturalna and barStudio. What you get is everyday lunch set with a vegetarian (often vegan) option and quite a long list to choose from on the regular menu. Try their delicious soups (10­ – 12 PLN) or creamy hummus, tasty combinations in tartas and interesting interpretations for common ingredients such as long ­baked ­buckwheat strudel or orange vegetables puree instead of potatoes (main dish 20­ – 30 PLN) . Both are located in the interiors of the massive Palace of Culture and Science, both hold cultural events, both are visited by interesting people and both serve great food. A place to be!

Café Kulturalna, Bar Studio, Plac Defilad 1, main entrance to the Palace of Culture and Science (from Marszałkowska street)

10. Veg deli

sweet, sour and sexy

A very elegant way of serving food here coressponds nicely with cute interior design – baskets flled with flowers and fruits, candles. All is very feminine and lovely.  If you’re looking for the most #Instagram-friendly vegetarian food served in Warsaw: it’s here;) It’s pricey, yet delicous, fun (sexy burger, basmati and tofu dessert, coconut and tomato hot soup, tomato steak tartare!!!) and located in the trendy area of Powiśle district.

Veg deli, Radna 13

Text: Beata Godlewska

We’re Eat Polska. si? We run culinary tours about food and vodka in Warsaw and Krakow. We’re also passionate foodies and city explorers, and this blog is where we share our hints with you.