Restauracja Piwnica Łódzka — Restaurant in Łódź

It took me a while to write this review due to lack of time. But the deep desire to share my culinary impressions pushed me and I’m finally presenting my experience. For those who don’t have time to read my full review, here is a summary - 5 stars from me. Great service, simple but pleasant interior, okay prices for wine and bottled beers plus great food. Please note that part of the menu appears to be changing from time to time. Now for the actual story. The third time is a charm, as some people say... Every time we visited our hometown we wanted to eat at the restaurant Piwnica Łódzka but always something got in our way. This time the same scenario was about to occur and its creator would be time, or rather, the lack of it. However we were so desperate to dine there that we ran all our errands and ultimately spent 2 lovely hours at Piwnica Łódzka. We were very hungry so decided to take more than what we normally would eat. We ordered two appetisers (but one of them was actually a main dish) and then we both had the main course. For that reason there was no place for dessert. First appetiser was dumplings with crayfish (they are not in their current menu anymore). This is one of the few appetisers that will remain in my memory for the rest of my life. They were wonderful, this sauce, this smell, this taste… The second appetiser was a Polish classic beef tartare which could be done either amazingly or disastrously. Luckily this one was really flavourful and we both agreed that the famous tartare from the restaurant Stary Dom in Warsaw dropped down to second place after trying this one. Tartare is served here with all sides like pickled cucumber and onion separately so you can compose it just as you like. After the appetisers I could have eaten dessert and would have been full :) but we wanted to try the main course. Paulina ordered knedle (dumplings) with plum with slow-cooked beef and young sweet cabbage. ATTENTION! At their English menu you’ll see dumplings but don’t expect regular “pierogi” as it is a different dish. There simply isn’t a better word to translate KNEDLE hence dumplings. Enter POLISH KNEDLE in google and you will see the difference. By the way, plum dumplings are a real delicacy and the combination of sweet plum with slow cooked meat and cabbage is a true perfection here. I had roasted pork ribs, potato croquette stuffed with spinach and grana padano cheese plus coleslaw. My ribs were as good as my fiancée's beef. Perfectly seasoned, perfectly baked and the sauce was very tasty. The only drawback - too much for us :) Alf with his seven stomachs was missing to consume that feast :) The prices here are similar to those in any good Polish restaurant. For foreign tourists it is an excellent opportunity to try delightful Polish cuisine inspired by Łódź traditions at an affordable price. Our determination to eat at this restaurant paid off and we will definitely visit this...

Great place! If you want to taste real polish food "with a twist", you should definitely visit Piwnica Łódzka. Dumplings filled with duck meat are amazing! Prices are medium-high I think, but definitely worth it. Food is fresh, tasted well balanced, portions are good. Service is kind, relaxed. Menu options are written in English too.

Please don't eat at crowded places like Manufaktura, look around and you'll find this kind of gems. It's worth the walk or ride!

Side note: it's downstairs, no elevator. Not accessible for wheelchairs or strollers. I would not recommend bring your kids. If you want to, just choose another great place where kids can play or walk around. Łódź has...

We went to the restaurant with a very knowledgeable local who knows Polish cuisine very well, who obviously recommended it.

The food was marvellous: absolutely fresh, with daily/weekly specialities. The borscht (red soup) was just delicious as well as the starters others had. The large dumplings with plum are a typical dish people know from home and are just delicious. Others had pirogi and they also were just excellent. The food is nicely prepared (like in haute cuisine restaurants, but for traditional food) and the service was great and friendly. A speciali tip is the 70% Slivovitz which has some "enlightning" power (better stay with one glass).

Full five stars in...