Pensjon Polska

A former barn, this warm and welcoming spot in the dynamic neighbourhood of Jeżyce has been renovated in a chic style that feels elegant, yet still with a rustic touch. The cooking is all about the French classics, from pâté en croute to decadent chocolate ganache with sour cherries cooked in red wine. There’s a wonderful generosity to the food that chimes with the enthusiastic service; the prices are sensible and the added extras include a drink on arrival and freshly baked madeleines with your coffee.

Setting a high standard in the Poznan dining scene for many years, Muga is an elegant place with plush, understated décor and classically formal service that mirrors the surroundings. The French-based cooking shows both utmost skill and a welcome restraint; grassy white asparagus, for example, might excel in the simple company of rich pistachio and tangy bilberry. Wine plays a large role too: the list is excellent; Sommelier Łukasz is charming and generous; and their wine shop Casa de Vinos is just next door if you want to pick something up on the way home.

As the name suggests, cheese-lovers will be in heaven at this welcoming, rather unique dining spot. To one side is a smart, bustling little bistro; to the other is a cheese bar with an admirable display of global varieties. Heartily flavoured dishes provide great value for money and usually incorporate cheese in some form, such as parmesan grated onto the excellent beef tartare. Whatever you order, follow it, naturally, with a cheese course. If you’re just after a quick snack, pop in for a seasonal cheeseboard with alcohol pairings.

The gorgeous Sołacki Park provides a wonderful setting for this restaurant housed inside a fine lakeside building that’s over 110 years old. The recently refurbished interior is suitably bright, but it’s the lovely terrace that steals the show. The extensive menu caters for a range of appetites, featuring soup, salads and pastas alongside more substantial dishes like bone-in pork chop – which shows off the technical skill of the kitchen. Their bedrooms provide the perfect base for exploring the park.

Steaks, steaks and more steaks are the order of the day at this butcher’s shop and restaurant housed in part of the reinvented former army barracks at Stare Koszary. Thankfully, those steaks are of great quality and are cooked with an assured hand. Beef from the US, Argentina and Australia are on offer, but it’s worth going for the Polish Hereford Heifer for its flavour and value for money. Non-steak dishes include burgers, merguez sausages and fish of the day.

Housed inside a historic building that was once a military barracks, the ever-developing Cucina now forms part of the City Park Hotel. The Mediterranean-influenced menu has a particular leaning towards Italy, from focaccia and gnocchi to linguine and tiramisu. A large, on-view wine wall is an indicator of the serious list, which features some excellent vintages and is enhanced by charming, knowledgeable service. A covered terrace comes into its own in the summer.

As you approach this restaurant via the small coffee shop in front, it’s hard to imagine that such a glitzy, dark and moody dining room awaits you. From its velvet banquettes to the baby grand piano being played in the evening, there’s a special occasion feel to the place – which is enhanced by warm, caring service that puts a smile on your face. A farm-to-table ethos runs through the food, with ingredients from the team’s nearby farm used in complex, at times creative dishes.