What to Eat in Poznan – Rogale, Pyry z Gzikiem and Where to Find Them

Wondering what to eat in Poznan to get a real taste of the city? The cooking of Wielkopolska (Greater Poland) is simple and filling: plenty of potatoes, which locals call pyry, twaróg (quark), duck, dumplings for every occasion and the famous croissant with white poppy seeds.

Below we explain which regional dishes are worth trying, how to order them the Poznan way and where to look for them. Instead of a list of restaurants that change from season to season, you get districts and places that never go out of date.

Poznan flavours you have to try

1. Rogal świętomarciński – St Martin’s croissant

Poznan’s most famous bake is a crescent of semi-puff pastry filled with white poppy seed paste and dried fruit and nuts, then glazed with icing and sprinkled with chopped nuts. Since 2008 its name has been protected in the European Union as a Protected Geographical Indication, and only certified patisseries and bakeries may sell it under that name. Most of them are snapped up on 11 November, St Martin’s Day, but you can buy them all year round.

2. Pyry z gzikiem – potatoes with quark and chives

In the Poznan dialect, pyry are potatoes, and gzik is twaróg mixed with cream, chives and onion, sometimes with radish too. The potatoes are served boiled or baked in their jackets. It’s a simple and very local dish: in restaurants it is often a starter, while at home it makes a proper main meal.

3. Szare kluski and szagówki – potato dumplings

Szare kluski (literally “grey dumplings”) are made from raw grated potatoes, which give them both their colour and their name. They usually arrive with skwarki (crispy pieces of fried pork fat) and onion, or with cabbage. Szagówki, on the other hand, are dumplings made from potato dough and cut on the diagonal – “na szagę” in the local dialect. Elsewhere in Poland you would call them kopytka.

4. Kaczka z kluskami na parze – duck with steamed dumplings

The signature dish of Wielkopolska restaurants: roast duck, often with apples, fluffy steamed yeast dumplings (kluski na parze) and sweet-and-sour modra kapusta, the local name for red cabbage. If you fancy something different from the same kitchen, order rolada wołowa – beef roulade – with dumplings.

5. Plyndze – potato pancakes

This is what Poznan calls potato pancakes. They are eaten savoury, for example with soured cream, or sweet, with sugar. Look out for this name on the menus of bars and restaurants serving regional food – it sounds much better than the ordinary Polish word, placki.

6. Ślepe ryby and czernina – two traditional soups

Ślepe ryby (“blind fish”) is a meatless potato soup with vegetables, thickened with a roux – and despite the name, there is no fish in it. Czernina, a soup made from duck’s blood with dried fruit, rarely appears on menus, but it is still part of the region’s tradition. If you come across it, try at least a spoonful.

7. Szneka z glancem – a glazed sweet bun

A yeast bun rolled into a spiral and topped with icing – the glanc. It’s Poznan’s classic partner for a morning coffee, and you’ll find it in many bakeries and patisseries. Order it by its local name and the staff behind the counter will know straight away that you’ve done your dialect homework.

8. Gęsina na Świętego Marcina – goose for St Martin’s Day

In November, around St Martin’s Day, restaurants across Wielkopolska serve goose dishes, led by roast goose with apples, marjoram and garlic. If you’re visiting Poznan at that time of year, have a look at the menus of restaurants in the centre.

9. Piwo grodziskie – Grodzisk beer

Order something local to go with your food. Grodziskie is a historic beer style from the town of Grodzisk Wielkopolski – light, smoked, wheat-based and low in alcohol. You’ll find it in shops and craft beer bars, and it pairs with duck or plyndze better than you might expect.

Where to find Poznan’s local flavours

• Stary Rynek (the Old Market Square) and around – many restaurants serving Wielkopolska cuisine are housed in the tenement houses around the town hall. This is the easiest place to order duck with dumplings, pyry z gzikiem or szare kluski.
• Rogalowe Muzeum Poznania (Poznan Croissant Museum) – right by the Old Market Square, you can watch how the croissant is made and taste it on the spot. The show is also a good idea for a company outing – you’ll find more ideas like this in our article on team building in Poznan.
• Certified patisseries and bakeries – a genuine rogal świętomarciński is only sold by certified producers, so don’t be shy about asking to see the certificate.
• Jeżyce – a district of breakfasts, bistros and food from all over the world. Rynek Jeżycki (Jeżyce Market Square), where traders have been selling since the end of the 19th century, is a good place to shop if you want to make pyry z gzikiem yourself.
• Milk bars – in the centre you’ll find bary mleczne, simple canteens serving home-style cooking, where you can eat potato pancakes or pierogi without much planning.

Sample food-lover’s day in Poznan

• 9:00 – a szneka z glancem and coffee at a bakery
• 11:00 – the show at the Croissant Museum and a croissant tasting
• 13:30 – lunch by the Old Market Square: pyry z gzikiem to start, then duck with steamed dumplings
• 16:00 – a stroll around Jeżyce and coffee in one of the bistros
• 19:00 – a light dinner and a glass of grodziskie
• 20:30 – an evening on a private tram with catering and drinks

A foodie evening on a tram

After a day full of food, you can take dinner onto the tracks. For a private tram party we’ll prepare catering – hot, cold or BBQ – and serve a welcome drink. Bartenders can work on board, and a flair bartending show adds a touch of spectacle to the evening. You’ll find all the possible extras on the TramParty Poznan page.

What to eat in Poznan: frequently asked questions

What is Poznan’s most typical dish?

Most people name pyry z gzikiem and the rogal świętomarciński. Add duck with steamed dumplings and red cabbage, plus szare kluski, and you have the ideal starting set for discovering Wielkopolska cuisine.

Where can you buy a genuine St Martin’s croissant?

From patisseries and bakeries that hold the certificate allowing them to bake croissants under that name. You can also see how it’s made at the Croissant Museum by the Old Market Square, where the show ends with a tasting.

Can you order catering on a party tram?

Yes. For a tram party we can prepare hot, cold or BBQ catering, as well as a welcome drink and bartending service. We agree the menu and the details individually, depending on what you have in mind.