Ludowa Bistro

This slightly odd bistro is what happens when you take the hipster spirit of contemporary Jeżyce and apply it to the culinary traditions of generations past. Located half a level below Słowackiego Street, Ludowa Bistro celebrates the kind of hearty Polish comfort food once found in canteens, milk bars and family kitchens across the country. The menu features classics like gołąbki (cabbage rolls), bigos (hunter's stew), golonka (pork hock) and pierogi, while their signature dish is the humble schabowy - a breaded pork cutlet served with buttery mashed potatoes. It doesn't get much simpler, yet an entire generation of locals seem to have put down their matcha lattes and savoury brunch waffles to rediscover this most Polish of meals. Perhaps what makes it so popular and delicious is that all of the ingredients are sourced locally and the menu changes with the seasons to keep things fresh from the countryside. The knowingly ironic off-white interior, meanwhile, mixes the antiquated elegance of crystal glassware and silver serving platters with PRL plates and whitewashed bricks to pull off a sort of casual sophistication. As a bistro you expect a relaxed atmosphere (check), quickly-served food (check) and more affordable prices, but it's this last item where you might be surprised that Ludowa holds itself in high esteem. The sense of self-worth is working, as it gets rave reviews from all-comers.