Many people cannot imagine their diet without meat, let alone becoming vegans. We are not trying to convert you to vegetarianism. All we want to do is present several places that have made a killing by serving vegetarian or vegan dishes for a growing numbers of people who would like to try something different in Wroclaw.
Healthy veggie street food, or Batat Bar
Address:Pl. Jana Pawła II (underpass)Open:
Monday-Sunday: 10:00 - 21:00
Batat Bar is a small eatery located in an underpass in Pl. Jana Pawła II. They formerly served their vegetarian and vegan specialities in Nadodrze. "Our focus is on street food. And our main goal is to show that vegan food can be simple, fast and easily available (before a party or during a lunch break), and that street food can also be healthy," says Marta Bobin, Batat Bar's owner. The bar serves veggie fast food with a slow food twist to it. "We fry our chips in rapeseed oil, use fresh ingredients, and take utmost care not to use any taste enhancers. We order bread rolls in the local bakery in the city centre, we make our chips from fresh potatoes, we also make falafel, burgers with groats and vegetables, samosas, and we also serve soup of the day and sandwiches. We are planning huge change in the near future. We are going to serve lunch boxes, cooked, healthy and different for each day," she says. Batat Bar attracts both vegan and vegetarian customers as well as students and local office workers. "We are going to cater for them with our lunch boxes, which we are also going to offer as takeaway," she adds. Batat Bar aspires to become a vegan competition for kebab shops and places that serve zapiekankas [grilled bread with mushrooms and cheese], which is why they are planning to serve late into the night both on working days and at weekends.
The Root, or veggie cuisine from the country of the rising sun
Address: ul. Krupnicza 3Open:
Monday-Thursday: 12:00 - 19:00, Friday: 12:00 - 21:00, Saturday: 13:00 - 19:00
This is the youngest vegan restaurant in Wroclaw. The Root was born out of love for vegan cooking, say the owners, Marcela and Yuji. "We are both vegan, I don't have much experience, just one year, but the chef has been vegan for seven years now," says Marcela. "We are trying to be creative as cooks and we love to experiment. We won't say no to customers who wish to combine their own dishes. We specialise in vegan sushi. We serve unique combinations of various types of rice and Japanese spices. Since our chef is Japanese and he learnt his profession in Japan and he adds Japanese ingredients to his creations, we can easily say that we serve genuine Japanese cuisine," she adds. The Root also serves tortilla or rice paper wraps with various fillings to choose from. You can taste vegan tuna, for example. "We love sweets, which is why you can always drop by to taste our delicious Brazilian nut cheesecake or doughnuts. We also serve smoothies, and our Oreo shake mixed from vegan ice cream and Oreo cakes is all the rage. We also have a speciality box, which we tend to alter from time to time. It usually contains couscous or chick pea salad, and we also add falafel or hummus," add the owners. The Root is a takeaway eatery and each dish is served in disposable packages. The owners are keen to be environmentally friendly, which is why they serve their dishes with wooden cutlery.
Pioneers, or Vega
Address: Sukiennice 1/2Open:
Sunday-Thursday: 08:00 - 19:00, Friday: 08:00 - 21:00, Saturday: 09:00 - 21:00
Located in Sukiennice, the restaurant was set up in 1987 and is among Poland's pioneers when it comes to strictly vegan cuisine. Their menu contains only vegan dishes, that is, dishes without a trace of animal products (milk, eggs, cheese, etc.). Their daily menu contains several dozen dishes. "The most popular item on the menu these days is burgers with beetroot chops and seitan, a product high in protein and made of wheat," says Vega's owner Dorota Danowska. "Our soups are also popular with customers. We want to bring pleasure to all of those who gave up on meat and miss traditional Polish cuisine, which, as we know, is all about meat. That's why our offer includes both oriental dishes and vegan home cooking," she adds. It must be emphasised that Vega is not just an eatery. They have been active in supporting animal rights. The restaurant holds meetings to promote vegan lifestyle and vegan cooking. They also organised Poland's first vegan Christmas Eve, which has later caught on in other locations throughout the country.
Pizza with cheese without cheese, or Złe Mięso
Address: ul. Ofiar Oświęcimskich 19Open:
Monday-Saturday: 12:00 - 21:00, Sunday: 13:00 - 20:00
Active for only three years, this relatively young restaurant has already managed to win quite a few regulars. They have twice changed location so far, and are now settled in ul. Ofiar Oświęcimskich. Their daily menu contains 30 different dishes, both for vegan and vegetarian customers. "We take particular pride in our vegan pizza, and we have replaced regular cheese with vegan cheese," says Dominik, Złe Mięso's owner. "The cheese is made from vegetable fats, including coconut fat, and it melts and gets stringy like regular cheese when reheated," he says. "All our products are made on the spot and with trusted ingredients and without any preservatives or taste enhancers. Our restaurant attracts a variety of people, not only vegan crazy, but also entrepreneurs, lawyers and IT specialists.”
Machina Organika, or getting it first right time
Address: ul. Ruska 19Open:
Monday-Thursday: 10:00 - 22:00, Friday: 10:00 - 23:00, Saturday: 12:00 - 23:00, Sunday: 13:00 - 21:00
The restaurant in ul. Ruska has been active for more than two years now. They specialise in RAW food, that is, dishes that you only warm up and serve in 41 Celsius degrees. "That's why all our products keep their nutritional value," says Jarka Kawałko, Machina Organika's Chef. The restaurant is quite unique in that it serves only one main course and one soup each day. "We change menus every day, which is why there is no monotony and customers are served only fresh ingredients," explains Jarka. "Of course, we also serve regular dishes, such as breakfast sets, hummus or various cakes and smoothies." The most popular item on the menu is "raw food" pancakes and crackers made of linseed and sunflower seed. The restaurant attracts both vegan and vegetarian customers as well as carnivores who like to taste something different. "We have a few regulars, for example Mr Gluten-Free or Miss Pepper, who is allergic to peppers," says Jarka. "In general, we attract people who follow difficult diets. They can always find something to their liking here."
Green Way, or what's good for your health
Address: ul. Kuźnicza 11Open:
Monday-Friday: 11:00 - 19:00, Saturday: 12:00 - 19:00
Green Way - Food for Life is a restaurant chain offering vegetarian and vegan cuisine. They have been active in Wroclaw in ul Kuźnicza since 2007. Their daily menu contains several dozen dishes, including soups, desserts and freshly squeezed juices and drinks. "Our main focus is on promoting good health," says Małgorzata Helbik, the Wroclaw branch owner. "A growing number of people are becoming more aware of what they eat and they tend to choose food that is natural. Healthy food is in fashion these days. At the beginning, we attracted mainly students, but now it's people of all backgrounds and all ages," she adds. Green Way restaurants are active in a dozen or so cities in Poland, so if you have your favourite dish in Wroclaw, you can easily taste it elsewhere in the country. The menu includes cauliflower chops, vegetarian Bolognese or vegetarian lasagne.
Nalanda, or five transformations on your plate
Address: Pl. Kościuszki 12Open:
Monday-Saturday: 10:00 - 20:00, Sunday: 11:00 - 20:00
A bookshop, a café and a vegan eatery rolled into one, Nalanda has been active in Wroclaw for over four years now. Apart from food, the place offers a profusion of books as well as soothing music and interiors that will help you relax and enjoy the moment. "We promote slow food ideas, a cuisine different from the omnipresent fast food grub. and we run a place where you can sit to wind down and enjoy something healthy and tasty," says Monika Kamrowska from Nalanda. "We serve dishes that follow the idea of five transformations in cooking, which carries on Chinese dietary traditions. We compose our creations to bring as much energy as possible to our diners. We focus on seasonal and regional cuisine." she adds. Nalanda is not just a vegan restaurant, but also a bookshop offering specialised publications on organic food, philosophy, natural medicine and travelling. The place also holds a variety of workshops, events and book promotions.
Taste the world at Najadacze
Address: ul. Nożownicza 40Open:
Monday-Thursday: 11:00 - 20:00, Friday: 11:00 - 21:00, Saturday: 12:00 - 21:00, Sunday: 13:00 - 20:00
If you want to taste vegan sushi, this place is just for you. Najadacze was set up in 2012 in ul. Nożownicza. Previously, its owners ran a catering company and served their dishes at a variety of festivals and mass events. "We want you to pick up the taste for food that is like going on a trip around the world," says Najadacze's founders. Najadacze serves vegan cuisine inspired by the Middle and the Far East. The menu offers nutritious sets including hummus, tofu, vegetable chops and artisan sauces and dips. Najadacze's dishes are made from locally sourced or Fair Trade products. You can also order these dishes as takeaway on-line.
A little something at Kalaczakra
Address: ul. Kuźnicza 29aOpen:
Monday-Wednesday: 10:00 - 02:00, Thursday-Saturday: 10:00 - 04:00, Sunday: 12:00 - 02:00
This place boasts a unique oriental atmosphere and is perfect for those of you who feel only a little peckish. Kalaczakra has been designed mainly as a café and a gallery. However, they serve vegan samosas and vegetarian sandwiches. You can also taste freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices and artisan cakes.
And maybe you have your favourite veggie restaurant? Whu don’t you share your recommendations!
ulaj
