The 7 Best Restaurants in Gdansk, Poland for 2025

First established in the 9th century, Gdansk quickly grew. It’s Baltic Sea port soon established the city as a trading post and center for shipbuilding, which it remains today. A major player in the Hanseatic League, Gdansk hasn’t always been Polish. During it’s over 1,000-year history, the city has been ruled by the Teutonic Order, Prussia and Germany.

For a brief period in the early 20th century, Gdansk was its own country. When the First World War drew to a close, the Treaty of Versailles redrew Europe’s borders. With 90% of the city’s population being German, it was decided that Gdansk shouldn’t become a part of the newly independent Poland. Nor could Poland be stripped of access to their main seaport. Thus, the Free City of Danzig was born, a city-state which existed from 1920 until the German invasion in 1939 which marked the beginning of the Second World War.

A city break in Gdansk will leave you little time to be bored. Once you’ve explored the Old Town and seen the museums, get out on the water to visit Westerplatte, the site of one of the most significant battles in European history. Spend your evenings sipping cocktails from ahigh, or catch a candlelit piano recital in a medieval church.

But, no matter how busy you are, leave time to enjoy the food. Polish cuisine is a feast for the senses. A melting pot of Eastern and Western European styles, expect centuries-old Russian delicacies infused with modern touches from the west. Like the city itself, the best restaurants in Gdansk will leave you craving more.

With that, here are the 7 best restaurants in Gdansk for 2025.

Getting to Gdansk

Gdansk Lech Walesa Airport (GDN), named in honor of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Polish president, is where most visitors to Gdansk arrive. As northern Poland’s low-cost hub, it’s well served by flights from across Europe. If you’re visiting from further afield, connecting through Warsaw, Amsterdam or Frankfurt are often the most convenient options.

Public transport between Lech Walesa Airport and the city center is fast, frequent and reliable. Bus line 210 takes around 40 minutes, whilst slightly less frequent trains complete the journey in half an hour. Both options are affordable, and tickets can be purchased from vending machines at the airport or onboard. Taxis (including Bolt and Uber) and car rental outlets are also available.

Poland is one of the best countries in Europe for traveling overland, too. Intercity rail links and express coach services link Gdansk with Warsaw and major Polish cities. This makes Gdansk a great start or end point for a longer Poland itinerary. If you only have enough time for a city break, be sure to take a day trip to the Hel Peninsula by ferry or by organizing a private tour.

Where to Stay in Gdansk

Gdansk is an ideal, and as such very popular, weekend break destination. There are hundreds of hotels to choose from. Staying in, or close by, the Old Town puts you within easy reach of all the best restaurants in Gdansk, plus countless museums. The Old Town is around a ten minute walk from the main railway station (Gdansk Glowny), which is ideal for day tripping to Malbork Castle, Sopot or Orlowo beach.

There’s outposts of all the major chain hotels here, but we’ve picked out a few of our favorite boutiques to help your search. For a great value stay in the heart of the Old Town, historic Hotel Artus is our top pick. If you’re seeking a little more luxury, Hotel Podewills, just across the river from the Philharmonic is a hotel to remember. One of my personal favorites, with a good dose of old world charm, has to be Liberum Residence.

The 7 Best Restaurants in Gdansk

1. Gdanski Bowke

Starting off our list of the best restaurants in Gdansk is my all-time favorite: Gdanski Bowke. Its prime riverside location in the Old Town makes it the ideal spot for a relaxed lunch whilst sightseeing. Even better, it’s right by the dock where sightseeing cruises to Westerplatte depart.

Gdanski Bowke’s menu is all about tradition. Start off with herring in sour cream, a Baltic staple, followed by a hearty Polish classic. Wild boar bacon, pork schnitzel and roasted rib with fried eggs and pierogi, an age-old sailor’s favorite, are the highlights. If you prefer fish, flounder, cod, trout and perch are always on the menu. When it comes to drinks, their namesake house beer is a must. Once you’re done, you’ll be offered a shot of a Gdansk delicacy. Danziger Goldwasser was first produced here in 1598. It’s a herbal liquor, not dissimilar to vodka, with tiny gold flakes added. Back in the late 16th century, alchemists believed gold held natural healing properties.

2. Perla Baltyku

The next of our best restaurants in Gdansk also champions classic Polish fayre, but the atmosphere couldn’t be more different. A couple of kilometers from the Old Town near the modern port, Perla Baltyku is well away from the crowds.

Small and intimate, this is the place to go for a cozy, romantic dinner that won’t break the bank. Like the restaurant, the menu isn’t huge, but their quality certainly makes up for it. Homemade soups are their specialty. Every meal at Perla should start with a bowl; choose from classics like mushroom and chicken, or if you’re feeling adventurous, go for cucumber or their house sausage and egg sour soup, zurek.

When it’s time to order your main, expect delicacies including salmon in a chanterelle mushroom sauce, pork neck and meatballs. For something a little lighter, go for their potato pancakes with a choice of goulash or chanterelle sauce.

3. White Rabbit Consular Bar

Straying away from Polish cuisine, White Rabbit Consular Bar is Gdansk’s answer to a classic all American tavern. Expect live sport on the screens, an endless draught beer list and Jack Daniels straight from the cask. Open until 3 am every night, if you don’t stop by for food, it’s well worth popping in for a late night drink. Whatever the day, it’s always buzzing.

The food is everything you’d expect from an American bar. Simple, hearty and with portion sizes to match the atmosphere, you won’t leave hungry. Alongside their staple smash burgers, they rustle up homemade pizzas, ribs, chicken and nachos. If you’re dining as a group, the sharing plates offer exceptional value.

4. Hola Tapas

Tucked away at the side of grand St Mary’s Church, Hola Tapas is our pick of the best restaurants in Gdansk for Mexican and Spanish food. From tapas to taco, tamales and fajitas, whether you’re sharing tapa with friends or just craving something spicy, Hola won’t disappoint. Take a seat in the courtyard and tuck in.

Their tapas selection is nothing short of impressive. They have all the staples. Start off with olives, Spanish cheeses and cured meats before tucking into patatas bravas, croquettes, chorizo, pimentos and calamari.

If it’s Mexican you’re after, there’s far more to Hola than tamales and tacos, as good as they undeniably are. Dive into a burrito bowl or a traditional molcajete with chicken, beef, chorizo, shrimp and octopus. Whatever you settle on, don’t leave without trying a churro or two. Not that you have to stop at two, that is.

5. Literacka

On the edge of the Old Town, the chances are you’ll walk past Literacka several times during your stay in Gdansk. The chances also are, that you’ll walk past it without stopping. A true hole-in-the-wall joint, the saying blink and you’ll miss it has never been more true.

Starting life as a wine bar, Literacka has evolved into one of the best restaurants in Gdansk. The wine list is as impressive as ever, and trying a glass of their Polish Riesling or Merlot is a must, but it’s the food which has put Literacka on the map. Expect a wonderful fusion of Polish staples with French and Italian influence.

Homemade tagliatelle, roasted duck breast, rabbit legs and panko-breaded cod are the stars of the show. Round off the evening with their rich chocolate fondant. It pairs perfectly with a glass of red.

6. Miss Hotpot

Wherever you go in the world, there’s something comforting about Chinese food. Miss Hotpot is Gdansk’s top offering to the oriental dining scene and like any good hotpot restaurant, it’s all about the experience.

Start by picking your broth, spicy Asian style is the one to go for if you want the authentic Szechuan flavors, but be warned: when they say spicy, they mean spicy. Next, add your proteins, vegetables and noodles, and top off your masterpiece with any of their eight sauces. Then sit back and let their chefs bring your dish to life. Best of all, you can go back for more as many times as you like.

7. OSTRO

If there’s one cuisine even more universal than Chinese, it’s Italian. Last, but by no means least, on our run down of the best restaurants in Gdansk is OSTRO, the place to go for traditional Neapolitan pizza. Not only do they do the finest pizza in town, they have one of the best views. In an old townhouse right by the river, OSTRO is perfect for leisurely al-fresco lunches, pizza in one hand, Aperol Spritz in the other.

Expect beautifully fluffy woodfired dough, D.O.P San Marzano tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella with all the toppings you could imagine. For something a little different, go for their white pera con gorgonzola with pear, walnuts and honey.

The ever-changing seasonal special always offers some eyebrow-raising combinations. The current offering features a leak cream topped with salmon, potatoes, peas and lemon wedges. But worry not, no matter how adventurous OSTRO get with their toppings, there is never a pineapple in sight.

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