Number of Michelin-starred restaurants in Poland doubles in new guide

Three further restaurants in Poland have been awarded the prestigious Michelin star, bringing the total number in the country to six.

All three newly awarded restaurants received one of three possible Michelin stars. They are Rozbrat 20 in Warsaw, Giewont in the village of Kościelisko, around 85 km south of Kraków, and Arco by Paco Pérez, the first Michelin-starred restaurant in the city of Gdańsk.

This year, Michelin also awarded a Polish restaurant, Eliksir in Gdańsk, with a green star for the first time. The award, which was introduced in 2020, aims to recognise establishments committed to sustainable gastronomy.

“This year’s guide…reflects Poland’s rapidly developing dining scene and the enormous talent of the country’s chefs,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides.

“I am particularly happy that the famously anonymous Michelin Inspectors found so many fabulous restaurants in the beautiful Pomorskie [Pomerania] region, which has been added to the selection for the first time this year,” he added, referring to a province in northern Poland that has Gdańsk as its capital.

Arco by Paco Pérez is located on the 33rd floor of Olivia Star, the tallest building in northern Poland, affording customers views over the city and out to the Baltic Sea.

“The cooking is equally spectacular, underpinned by Polish produce, driven by Spanish flavours and incorporating a few Italian influences,” wrote Michelin in its guide.

“The first Michelin Guide star is not only the proof of many valuable experiences but, above all, the beginning of a new and fascinating journey,” wrote the restaurant on Instagram, celebrating the news.

Rozbrat 20, is located in the heart of Warsaw, close to the city’s largest park, Łazienki. It describes itself as a place that can transport its clientele “to the atmosphere of a Berlin breakfast, a London lunch, a Warsaw podwieczorek and a Parisian dinner”.

“It’s a smart spot where the front room affords a view of the skilled chefs as they work on intricate dishes that have a creative edge,” wrote Michelin.

The third of the newly starred restaurants distinguishes itself by its view of the Polish Tatra mountains. Giewont, named after one of the peaks in the Tatras, serves Polish cuisine with a modern twist.

“An à la carte is available alongside three tasting menus (comprising classic, seasonal or vegan fare), which are the best way to sample the kitchen’s expressive, consummately seasoned dishes,” wrote Michelin. “Influences and produce come from both Poland (superbly cooked sirloin from Zaczyk) and France (excellent, plump asparagus).”

Meanwhile, Eliksir, which received Poland’s first Michelin green star, is located in Gdańsk’s trendy Garnizon district.

It specialises in food pairing – the art of combining dishes with cocktails – and focuses on a zero-waste policy as well as using local and ecological produce.

“The core of our menu is based on ingredients sourced from producers located around Gdańsk,” said Eliksir’s chef, Paweł Wątor, quoted in the Michelin Guide. “We strive to eliminate CO2 emissions through a detailed analysis of our carbon footprint.”

This year’s guide recognises 77 restaurants in Poland overall, including 16 that received the Bib Gourmand award, which highlights eateries that serve good food at reasonable prices.

The nine new recipients of this award include Treinta y Tres and Hewelke in Gdańsk; 1911 Restaurant and Vinissimo in Sopot; Luneta & Lorneta Bistro Club in Ciekocinko (about 80km west of Gdańsk); kontakt and Ceviche Bar in Warsaw; SPOT in Poznań; and Folga in Kraków.

The only restaurant in Poland with two Michelin stars, Bottiglieria 1881 in Kraków, has maintained its rating in the newest edition of the Michelin Guide after receiving it for the first time last year.

The Michelin Guide has awarded two stars to a restaurant in Poland for the first time in history https://t.co/txUtYmEYkP

— Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) June 19, 2023

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Main image credit: ARCO by Paco Pérez / Facebook