Bigos and Zurek
The hearty heart of Polish cooking - bigos, the hunter's stew of cabbage and meat, and zurek, a tangy sour rye soup, comfort food for a cold country.
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Two dishes sit at the hearty heart of Polish cooking. Bigos, the hunter's stew, simmers sauerkraut and fresh cabbage with several meats, sausage and mushrooms for hours, or days, into a rich, deep stew often said to taste better each time it is reheated. Zurek is a tangy, creamy soup of soured rye flour, with sausage and egg, sometimes served in a bread bowl.
What you actually see
- Bigos - the long-simmered hunter's stew of cabbage, meat and sausage.
- Zurek - the tangy sour rye soup with sausage and egg.
- The bread bowl - zurek served in a hollowed loaf.
- Reheated bigos - the stew said to improve each time it is warmed.
When to go
Year-round; hearty comfort food especially welcome in the cold, found in traditional restaurants and milk bars. A home-style or traditional restaurant does them best.
Honest expectations
Both are hearty, robustly flavoured dishes rather than delicate ones, so come for comfort. The sourness of zurek surprises some. They are best at a home-style restaurant or milk bar rather than a tourist spot.
Nearby
Milk bars and traditional restaurants across Poland serve them; they belong with the Polish winter.
What to pack for Bigos and Zurek
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
