Milk Bars - Poland

Have you ever heard of “bar mleczny”? [In English, ‘milk bar’]

Did you know ‘milk bars’ have been a part of Polish life since the late 1800s?

A ‘milk bar’ is a Polish cafeteria, which provides government-subsidized traditional Polish cuisine at very low cost.

During our first month in Warsaw, we took a walking tour (ask me how- I am a travel advisor here in Warsaw, working with American clients heading anywhere in the world and assisting in planning or booking or both, visit my website here). We heard that these are an authentic place to try Polish dishes, as the kitchen makes large pots of dishes each day, unlike a restaurant, where the customer requests a freshly made dish. I made it a goal to visit and try one before departing post. I loved it!

Things to know: Ordering is from a board inside the door, to a cashier sitting with a cash register- there are no special orders, choose what is available that day (many menus have items crossed off if not being made), place your order, pay and take the receipt to the kitchen window. Present the receipt and wait for your order to be called. Fortunately, milk bars tend to be small enough to be able to see the food coming from the kitchen, if you don’t hear your order called. Note: in my experience, english speaking is unusual in a milk bar- hang in there, it’s worth it!

From Wikipedia: The first milk bar, called "Mleczarnia Nadświdrzańska," was established in 1896 in Warsaw by Stanisław Dłużewski, a member of the upper class. Although the typical bar mleczny had a menu based on dairy items, these establishments generally also served other, non-dairy traditional Polish dishes as well.

During the post-war years, most restaurants were nationalized and then closed down by the communist authorities. In the mid-1960s, milk bars were common as a means of offering cheap meals to people working in companies that had no official cafeteria. They still served mostly dairy-based and vegetarian meals, especially during the period of martial law in the early 1980s, when meat was rationed.

In the early 2010s, milk bars began to make a comeback. They became small, inexpensive restaurants that took advantage of nostalgia, while providing good quality food and customer service. Today, milk bars continue to be subsidized by the government, allowing them to operate at very low prices.

My first meal was for 2 people, with 2 courses, for a total of $6.35. Wow!