Cheapest eating places in Warsaw?

xpertizeThreads: 7 Posts: 10 Joined: Sep 14, 11 ♂	Sep 14, 11, 08:23 #1
Hello Friends, I am new to warsaw. Please tell me about the cheapest eating places in warsaw. Not looking for anything grand or big. Just any nice small cheap place for food. Sincerely, xpertize

LwowskaKrakowThreads: 49 Posts: 504 Joined: Mar 9, 07 MEMBER ♀	Sep 14, 11, 09:02 #2
In Poland check the places called "Milk Bars" ( they don't serve milk and there are not bars!) but some sort of subsidized restaurants , they offer Polish specialties at extremely low prices, and are popular with tourists too and are noted in tourist guides. Look for BAR MLECZNY in Warsaw. You ll get a lits of them on Google or a few Warsaw PF members might be able to recommend some.

TeffleThreads: 28 Posts: 2,105 Joined: Aug 26, 10 ♂	Sep 14, 11, 10:40 #3
"Milk Bars" Better than many restaurants IME.

xpertizeThreads: 7 Posts: 10 Joined: Sep 14, 11 ♂	Sep 14, 11, 11:28 #4
Thanks for the kind replies. Suppose I eat everyday at milk bars, (Lunch and dinner) how much monthly cost should I expect on food? Just a very rough estimate needed. Thanks for the help. Regards.

gumishuThreads: 17 Posts: 3,943 Joined: Apr 6, 09 ♂	Sep 14, 11, 12:15 #5
Thanks for the kind replies. Suppose I eat everyday at milk bars, (Lunch and dinner) how much monthly cost should I expect on food? Just a very rough estimate needed. Thanks for the help. Regards. some 500-600 PLN max (excluding alcohol) - and that is having what you wish for for dinner and lunch and not economizing on everything

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Edited by: Teffle Sep 14, 11, 12:20 #6

Wow - I knew they were cheap but that's even cheaper than I thought.

Just remember xpertize, these are not restaurants or even cafés and they operate differently. E.g. service doesn't really exist and you are expected to return your plates & cutlery to the kitchen "hatch"

It's like somewhere between a café and a school canteen. Usually staffed by grumpy old women.

But don't let any of that put you off - quality (if basic) wholesome food and lots of it. And of course, great value.

LwowskaKrakowThreads: 49 Posts: 504 Joined: Mar 9, 07 MEMBER ♀	Sep 14, 11, 12:21 #7
No idea , it depends on what you eat! Just check the cheapest dishes, every Bar Mleczy( pronunced Bar Mlayshnay) has different dishes. Those without meat are the cheapest.

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Sep 14, 11, 12:31 #8

No idea , it depends on what you eat!
Just check the cheapest dishes, every Bar Mleczy( pronunced Bar Mlayshnay) has different dishes. Those without meat are the cheapest.

when I was studying (middle till late 90's) in Wrocław one could actually eat a modest but filling dinner/lunch for lower than 1,0 PLN at a milky bar - but if you wanted to be on the healthier side you needed to spend closer to 2 złote / 2 PLN (no vegs for the cheapest meals)

I think you can bet that lunch+dinner in a milky bar will cost you between 15 to 20 PLN on avarage

aa - but there is one thing: these places tend to be crowded in certain times of the day - I remember sometimes queuing for half an hour or more to eventually get the meal and then it wasn't always easy to find a sitting place on the premises to eat it :P

LwowskaKrakowThreads: 49 Posts: 504 Joined: Mar 9, 07 MEMBER ♀	Sep 14, 11, 12:37 #9
a milky bar will cost you between 15 to 20 PLN on avarage There is also a Chain of restaurants called GREEN WAY( Warsaw ,Krakow etc) , it is vegetarian place but the dishes are quite good that even if you are not vegeterian you don't miss meat or fish. the big Pitta full of vegetables is less than 20 zl .

TeffleThreads: 28 Posts: 2,105 Joined: Aug 26, 10 ♂	Sep 14, 11, 12:48 #10
GREEN WAY Yep, tried it and as a non-Pole I can tell you that it is another v good budget choice. Same kind of idea, big helpings of nourishing and simple but good quality fare.

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Sep 14, 11, 13:04 #11

Best food and very attractive prices are in all the milk bars. These places are unique to Poland and offer rather traditional Polish food but always a very wide menu so ther's a chance to choose something and try some real Polish cusine. The only disadvantage is that the interiors and quality of those diners/bars is rather poor, but you can meet everyone there, form students, through blue and white collar, to drunks and dregs of society. Kinda interesting.

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Sep 14, 11, 13:31 #12

Best food and very attractive prices are in all the milk bars. These places are unique to Poland and offer rather traditional Polish food but always a very wide menu so ther's a chance to choose something and try some real Polish cusine. The only disadvantage is that the interiors and quality of those diners/bars is rather poor, but you can meet everyone there, form students, through blue and white collar, to drunks and dregs of society. Kinda interesting.

We have "pie & mash" shops in London, which are similar in many ways, but with a somewhat limited menu (pie, mash, eels, and not a lot else really lol), but they serve their purpose. Cheaper than McDonald's or KFC and a lot more filling.

OlafThreads: 8 Posts: 1,369 Joined: Oct 29, 09 ♂	Sep 14, 11, 13:34 #13
... and I guess better for your diet! ;)

Sidliste_ChodovThreads: 2 Posts: 683 Joined: Jul 27, 11 ♂	Edited by: Sidliste_Chodov Sep 14, 11, 13:50 #14
... and I guess better for your diet! ;) Much better than that American rubbish, certainly :) Whenever I'm in Shepherd's Bush I just have to go to Cooke's :)

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Edited by: warszawski Sep 14, 11, 14:25 #15

Not looking for anything grand or big

A lot of the restaurants do " lunch menu" between 12 and 4 pm cost will be 16-25 PLN, two or three courses. So this would be your cheap fuel top up for the day, in the evenings it is back to normal price. Milk bars would be a good option if you are on a tight budget. There are also bars offering " happy hours" you have git to smell out your own holes when you are on the ground.

We have "pie & mash" shops in London, which are similar in many ways, but with a somewhat limited menu

Pie, mash and lots of liquor - yes please.

OWELL	Sep 14, 11, 14:56 #16
cheapest eating places in warsaw. How about FREE? across centralnya and zlota trashay mall they give out free food and soup everyday just free:) or try cople of churches in stary miasta free soup and food:)

PWEIThreads: 5 Posts: 894 Joined: Jul 28, 11 ♂	Sep 14, 11, 15:59 #17
Just any nice small cheap place for food. Vega just off Solidarnosci (behind Kino Femina) has fairly cheap and usually excellent food. Subway do a Sub of the day for 7zl (13zl for the 30-cm version) and a breakfast Sub for 3.90, so you can certainly get three meals a day from Subway for under 600zl per month.

Sidliste_ChodovThreads: 2 Posts: 683 Joined: Jul 27, 11 ♂	Sep 14, 11, 16:32 #18
How can anyone live in SE18 and be stuck up? He lives in one of those "gated communities" by the river :D I know, I laugh as well :)

xpertizeThreads: 7 Posts: 10 Joined: Sep 14, 11 ♂	Sep 14, 11, 18:54 #19
Thanks for all the replies. You all are so friendly and nice. I really like this site. I did not expect such a great responses. Thanks a lot friends. Very useful. Regards, xpertize