Gdańsk is getting ready to turn red and white. On Wednesday, 11 November 2026, the city’s 24th Independence Day Parade is expected to bring 20,000–30,000 people into the streets for a celebration of Polish freedom and togetherness.
Participants gather from 9:00 AM on Podwale Staromiejskie, with the march setting off at 10:30 AM. The procession winds through the historic centre and finishes at the Green Gate, where the national anthem and a huge community photograph are planned for around noon.
Elsewhere in the city, look out for patriotic concerts, guided walks, exhibitions, a carillon performance and special food offerings. Different generations, different opinions, one shared celebration. No tickets, no barriers — just Gdańsk showing its colours.
Event details
Date: Wednesday, 11 November 2026 Assembly: 9:00 AM Parade starts: 10:30 AM Starting point: Podwale Staromiejskie, Gdańsk Finish: Green Gate / Długi Targ Admission: Free
Forget tech startups and luxury hotels. Apparently, the real money in Sopot is hiding inside a bowl of fish soup.
For over 30 years, Bar Przystań has been feeding hungry locals and tourists on Sopot’s beachfront. Long queues, mountains of fried fish and enough chips to feed a small country. But nobody expected the numbers to be quite this ridiculous.
According to Forbes, the family-run restaurant generated a staggering 37.7 million PLN in revenue in 2025, with 16.6 million PLN in net profit.
Yes, that’s profit. After expenses.
275,000 Bowls of Soup. Seriously.
The figures are almost as outrageous as the queues outside.
In just one year, Bar Przystań reportedly sold:
275,000 portions of Fisherman’s Soup
150,000 portions of fries
40 tonnes of Atlantic cod
The restaurant can accommodate around 525 customers at once, with orders typically served within 15 minutes.
That’s not just a beach bar. That’s a fish-powered money machine.
From Humble Beach Bar to Millions
Behind the success are the Kaniewski and Juszczakiewicz families, who have spent more than three decades building the business in the same beachfront location.
Now run by the second generation, including Damian Kaniewski and Łukasz Juszczakiewicz, Bar Przystań has become one of Sopot’s most remarkable family-business success stories.
No fancy international expansion. No celebrity chef empire. Just one location, a seriously efficient operation and a lot of hungry people. Just check the queues…
The 3City Daily Verdict
While half of Sopot is busy complaining about restaurant prices, Bar Przystań is quietly generating millions from fish soup, cod and chips.
16.6 million PLN in annual profit. From a beach bar.
Suddenly, that queue outside looks a little different.
And somewhere in Sopot, a restaurant owner is seriously reconsidering their menu.
Maybe we should all stop chasing the next big business idea and start selling fish soup.
Matcha is everywhere these days, but how much do we actually know about the green stuff we’re drinking? We dropped by MOYA Matcha on Piwna Street in Gdańsk to meet Dawid, the café manager, and Dianna, the Gdańsk brand manager. We asked them a few questions about Japanese tea culture, why some people reckon matcha tastes like grass, what we’re all getting wrong and whether this green obsession is here to stay. Turns out, there’s a lot more to matcha than a pretty Instagram drink.
Ten years ago, most people in Poland barely knew what matcha was. Now it’s everywhere. Did you ever imagine the green powder would become this cool?
Honestly, I don’t think anyone could have predicted how quickly matcha would move from something relatively niche to a full-blown part of café culture in Poland. When MOYA started 11 years ago, matcha was still something people needed explained to them. Today you see it everywhere — in cafés, restaurants, bakeries, desserts and even corner stores. What’s exciting is that the conversation is moving beyond “matcha is trendy”. People are more interested in where the tea comes from, different cultivars, harvests and flavour profiles. We work with family farms in Uji and Kagoshima, and want people to discover that there’s a whole culture, craft and history behind it.
Be ruthless: what’s the biggest crime people commit against matcha?
Probably treating matcha purely as a flavour. We love experimenting — our menu is full of it — but the matcha should still be able to speak for itself. The biggest crimes are using boiling water, over-sweetening it, or adding so many other ingredients that you can’t taste the tea anymore. And please — don’t leave your matcha sitting around for half an hour. Drink it while it’s fresh. It deserves better.
Someone tells you: “I tried matcha once. It tasted like grass. I hate it.” What do you tell them?
You probably just haven’t found your matcha yet or you tried a low-grade one. Matcha can taste grassy, but it can also be creamy, sweet, nutty, umami-rich or much more delicate depending on the cultivar, origin, harvest and preparation. We don’t want matcha to feel intimidating — we can start with an iced drink or latte, and later introduce usucha or different cultivars. If you still don’t like it? No problem — we just want you to try a really good one.
Moya sits between Japanese tradition and modern European café culture. What’s one part of Japanese tea culture you absolutely refuse to mess with?
The respect for the tea itself. We can play with formats, flavours and presentation, but there has to be respect for the tea’s origin, cultivar, harvest and the way it’s prepared. Matcha isn’t just a green powder that looks good in a cup. We want MOYA to be contemporary and accessible, but never disconnected from the craft behind Japanese tea. Tradition gives us the foundation, curiosity gives us room to play.
Someone gives you €1 million, but you have to create a matcha product so ridiculous that Japan might ban you from entering the country. What are you making?
A matcha perfume! An actual luxury fragrance that smells like freshly whisked matcha. Limited edition, hand-crafted bottles, Japanese tea ceremony-inspired packaging — the whole thing. Completely unnecessary, but I suspect people would buy it!
Photos by Dianna Wojciechowska
Looking at the menu right now: what’s the order you wish more people would take a chance on instead of automatically going for the obvious matcha latte?
I’d love more people to try usucha — our blend of three first-harvest cultivars. It gives a completely different experience from a flavoured latte and helps you understand why the quality matters. Of course, our seasonal drinks and desserts are also worth exploring!
What’s the most surprising reaction you’ve had from a first-time matcha drinker?
People are often surprised by how smooth and naturally sweet matcha can be. Many expect it to be bitter or intense, but with a good quality matcha, the flavour can be creamy, soft and really pleasant. We also get a lot of people who are surprised by how good they feel after drinking it — more focused and energised, without the crash you can get from coffee.
Do you have a personal favourite on the menu right now?
And why?
It’s hard to choose, but I always come back to usucha. It’s the purest expression of the tea — simple, honest and full of flavour. I also love our seasonal drinks because they let us be creative and show how versatile matcha can be. At the moment, the Lavender Matcha is a big favourite — it’s a fun, modern take that still lets the matcha shine.
Matcha is often linked to health, focus and a calmer mind. How important is that side of the story for you?
It’s definitely part of the appeal, but for us matcha is about much more than health benefits. We want people to enjoy it for the flavour, the experience and the culture behind it. The focus and natural energy are a great bonus, but at the end of the day, matcha should also just taste amazing and bring people together.
What’s next for MOYA in Gdańsk?
Any plans or dreams you can share with us?
We’d love to keep growing the community here — more workshops, special events and collaborations with local creatives. Gdańsk has such an inspiring energy, and we want MOYA to be a place where people not only come for a drink, but also to connect, learn and experience Japanese tea culture in a modern way. There are always new ideas in the pipeline!
Moya Matcha Gdańsk, Piwna 59
Maybe the best way to understand matcha is to stop treating it as a trend and taste the tea itself.
He barely drank coffee. Now he’s running NICPOŃ in Gdańsk’s Letnica, breaking coffee rules and proving that a little trouble can taste pretty damn good.
Before NICPOŃ, who was Maciej?
I started in hospitality in 2017. A friend persuaded me to try specialty coffee. Ironically, I barely drank coffee and couldn’t distinguish a cappuccino from a flat white! A year later, I was head barista.
What pushed you to open your own place?
My girlfriend encouraged me enormously. She still helps with paperwork and the café. The reality check? Great coffee doesn’t automatically pay the bills!
Why choose Letnica?
I wanted specialty coffee outside Gdańsk’s obvious hotspots. Somewhere neighbours could enjoy great coffee without travelling downtown.
NICPOŃ means troublemaker. Are you one?
A little! I like doing things differently. We wanted a playful name that makes people smile.
What annoys you about coffee culture?
Snobbery! Drink whatever makes you happy. Espresso, sweet latte, caramel syrup. There’s no correct way to enjoy coffee.
Your autumn menu favourite?
Banana Bread Latte! I created it because I love warm banana bread. Our Maple Orange Latte combines maple syrup, orange, cardamom and smoked salt.
A beginner, flat-white addict and coffee geek walk in. What are you serving?
A pour-over for the beginner, a flat white for the addict, and experimental Vietnamese coffee macerated with lavender for the geek.
Strangest coffee you’ve tasted?
That Vietnamese coffee! Blueberries, cinnamon bun and lavender. Incredible. Specialty instant coffee, though? Maybe we’ve taken convenience too far.
What’s the reality behind running NICPOŃ?
Invoices, repairs, endless responsibilities and very few days off. It’s mentally exhausting. But regulars remembering me, smiling and sharing my latte art make everything worthwhile.
What’s the most outrageous thing you’ve ever done?
As a child, I wandered off in Toruń and disappeared! Police got involved. Teenagers eventually helped reunite me with my family. My crying grandmother rewarded them with ice-cream money. She still reminds me about it!
Maciej takes his coffee seriously, but thankfully not himself. At NICPOŃ, there’s room for coffee geeks, caramel syrup lovers and everyone in between. He’s building something personal in Letnica, one cup and one familiar face at a time. And considering he once had the police searching for him as a runaway kid in Toruń, perhaps the name was always meant to be. Once a little troublemaker, always a Nicpoń. At least now everyone knows where to find him.
Forget white tablecloths, fancy speeches and people telling you how pizza should be eaten. At Banda Pizza in Gdańsk, it’s all about good dough, big flavours and doing things their own way. We get behind the scenes to discover what makes this pizza-loving crew tick, why great pizza is never quite as simple as it looks and how a little attitude can make all the difference.
KAROL, WHY DETROIT PIZZA IN GDAŃSK?
We were bored of seeing Neapolitan pizza everywhere. Detroit-style looked completely different, and in 2025 there was only one place serving it in Poland. We wanted to bring something fresh.
SO WHAT DOES BANDA ACTUALLY MEAN?
A gang of friends. We’ve always had lots of people around us, so we wanted somewhere everyone could meet, eat and hang out.
Photo by Adalat Naghiyev
KAROL, DID EMINEM REALLY SEND YOU TO DETROIT?
Pretty much! I’ve loved Detroit since I was a kid, probably because of Eminem. I travelled there to learn how the real pizza is made. I also visited Chicago, where Robert Maleski from Milly’s Pizza in the Pan taught me so much. I came home and changed almost everything about our recipes.
WHY MOVE TO SZEROKA?
Our first place was tiny and takeaway- only. We needed a bigger kitchen and somewhere people could sit, grab a drink and enjoy the whole American atmosphere.
YOU’RE MARRIED AND RUN A PIZZERIA. RECIPE FOR ROMANCE OR MURDER?
Definitely murder! Anyone who says otherwise is lying. Ania has a full-time job, so I’m practically living at the pizzeria. But she’s always involved in ideas, events and planning.
Photo by Adalat Naghiyev
WHAT SHOULD A DETROIT PIZZA VIRGIN ORDER?
Our classic Detroit. Pepperoni, a little spice and sweetness from hot honey. And those crispy, caramelised cheese edges! They’re the best part, especially with our homemade sauces.
HOW MUCH OF DETROIT IS ACTUALLY INSIDE BANDA?
A lot! Detroit loves cars, sport and music, and we’ve brought that atmosphere here. I still miss the city’s Art Deco architecture and the Riverwalk, where you can look across to Canada.
WHAT’S BEEN YOUR MOST SURREAL PIZZA MOMENT?
The President of Poland visiting us in August! That was crazy. We were honoured he chose to try our pizza.
Photo by Adalat Naghiyev
DO YOU EVER STOP TALKING ABOUT PIZZA AT HOME?
We try! Sometimes we escape Gdańsk with the kids and make a rule not to check the restaurant. Luckily, we have a great team. Then we can talk about our next trip and, most importantly, our children.
Photo by Adalat Naghiyev
FINAL QUESTION. WHAT DOES YOUR PARTNER DO THAT DRIVES YOU ABSOLUTELY CRAZY?
Karol: Ania makes plans for us without checking when I’m working. Then we have to cancel everything! Ania: He leaves the kitchen looking like a disaster. But his cooking is so delicious, I usually forgive him.
Gaweł, who the hell are you when the cameras are off and there’s nobody left to impress?
The cameras, restaurant and attention haven’t changed me. I’m still the guy who has to find out what’s around the corner. I chase the unknown, taste, explore and soak up life. The only one who slows me down is Boguś, my ridiculously affectionate dog, who has more patience with me than I do.
Photo by Adalat Naghiyev
Restaurant, fame, TV show. Ambition, ego or refusing an ordinary life?
I’ve always had an enormous appetite for life. I love discovering new things and finding out what’s next. I refuse to stand still.
Everyone sees charming Gaweł. When does Dark Gaweł come out?
I’m emotional, feel everything deeply and overthink far too much. When I care, I give 100%. Disappointment hits hard, but I’ve learned not every relationship is worth saving. Sometimes you appreciate the lesson, close the door and move on. No regrets.
Sopot: seaside postcard or midnight playground? What’s your wildest printable story?
I came for the nightlife, but now I love the peace, especially out of season. As a student in Wrocław, I’d come to Sopot to party, sleep in my car because I couldn’t afford a hotel, hang my clothes up to avoid creases and brush my teeth at a petrol station.
Photo by Adalat Naghiyev
“After all these years, what keeps you coming back to Cały Gaweł?”
Honestly, Cały Gaweł is about people. An incredible team and loyal guests, from Sopot and across Poland. I even go there to forget my own problems. After years of hard work, knowing we’ve created somewhere people genuinely feel good is the greatest reward.
Your perfect, slightly unconventional day in Sopot?
I start with a forest walk with Boguś, then matcha at Cały Gaweł and filming recipes. If I’ve got a free afternoon, I cycle along Obrońców Westerplatte, past Villa Bergera and down the coast to Nowy Port. Headphones on, music blasting — I’m starring in my own music video. I also love Małe Molo and LAS café.
Every success story has an ugly chapter. What’s yours?
At university, I worked in a bank opening business accounts, making hundreds of calls daily. To this day, I hate phone calls. Seriously. Just text me.
Photo by Adalat Naghiyev
TV Gaweł versus real-life Gaweł. What’s the difference?
Imagine walking onto a TV set with 35 people and absolutely no experience. We filmed six episodes in two days — a crash course in television! But I quickly relaxed. The most important thing was staying myself. I never wanted to invent some polished TV version of Gaweł.
What makes the polished Gaweł completely lose it laughing?
Almost anything! I don’t take life too seriously, especially myself. The past year and a half has been the happiest period of my adult life. I feel lighter, laugh more and appreciate everything I’ve built. Nothing lasts forever, which makes enjoying the present even more important.
Ever smiled at someone while thinking, “What an absolute idiot”?
More than once! Haha! I try to see the good in everyone, but I have zero tolerance for fakeness, selfishness or insincerity. If I sense it, I’ll say it to your face. Honesty matters, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Photo by Adalat Naghiyev
What’s the stupidest decision you’ve made that turned out brilliantly?
Opening my restaurant. I imagined having my own table, sitting back and enjoying the atmosphere. I had no idea what happened behind the scenes. I lost seven kilos in the first week, followed by years of hard work and mistakes. But it became the project of my life. Ten years later, it still is.
What’s the most ridiculous thing people do to look important in Sopot?
Showing up at every event just to be seen. I’d rather be at my restaurant with my guests and team, or creating recipes in my kitchen. I don’t need to be everywhere.
What experience changed how you see food?
Copenhagen taught me that exceptional food doesn’t need complexity. Just a few outstanding ingredients.
Which criticism hurts because it’s true?
That I’m stubborn. I prefer to call it having standards. Haha!
Photo by Adalat Naghiyev
What scandal would your friends reveal anonymously?
That most of my Instagram content gets published during my morning bathroom routine.
What behaviour makes you lose faith in people?
Disrespecting restaurant staff. I’m close to my team, and I won’t tolerate anyone treating them badly. I’ll always speak up.
What’s the most outrageous thing you’ve worn?
An enormous trench coat borrowed from my mum in high school. I thought I looked like the Wizard of Oz. My style is rebellious minimalism, and I regret nothing!
Your most expensive mistake, beyond money?
Investing years in a friendship I knew wasn’t right. Eventually, I said, “ENOUGH.” Friendship means giving back the energy you receive. It must work both ways.
Photo by Adalat Naghiyev
Your most extravagant indulgence?
Quality and originality. Forget glitz and champagne. I love places where taste, detail and passion come together and genuinely make my pulse race.
Ever broken your own rules?
My rules are sacred.
If you could change anything in Sopot for 24 hours?
I’d make people stop watching each other and start taking a genuine interest in one another.
What’s the biggest misconception about you?
That I’m impressed by the things that impress everyone else.
What would you tell everyone who’s underestimated you?
Come visit me at Cały Gaweł. I’d be happy to give you a high five.
Finally, what’s the truth you’ve spent longest hiding?
That I know everything. The truth is, there’s far more I don’t know than I do. That’s what keeps me curious about the world.
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Some people follow the rules. Others make their own. Gaweł Czajka has never seemed particularly interested in playing it safe. We sat down with the man behind the attitude to talk about life, ambition, the decisions that shaped him and what happens when you stop caring about other people's expectations. No polished PR answers. Just Gaweł, in his own words.
