Welcome to Bistro Miasto, one of those Gdańsk restaurants that deserves a lot more attention than it gets. We sat down with the team to talk Turkish eggs, crispy oyster mushroom wings, proper comfort food and why nobody should have to explain themselves for ordering breakfast in the afternoon. Sometimes the best places are the ones hiding in plain sight.
If Gdańsk itself walked through your door tomorrow, what would you serve it?
First, I’m thinking fish and chips – we are by the sea, after all. However, if Gdańsk were to arrive in a breakfast mood, it would be challah with salmon, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce. A city with such a history deserves decent food.
Every restaurant has something the team likes more than the guests themselves. What is it at your place?
Turkish eggs. Garlic yogurt, poached eggs, and burnt butter with chili – they sound unassuming, but together they do a fantastic job.
Breakfast until 4:00 PM. Is Gdańsk really that bad at getting out of bed?
We simply believe that a good breakfast shouldn’t depend on an alarm clock. Some people wake up early, others work late, and still others have the day off and want to enjoy it. We won’t tell anyone that 2:00 PM is too late for breakfast.
What’s the most unusual dish on your menu?
Oyster mushroom wings. The name might surprise you, and then it turns out that mushrooms in crispy tempura with BBQ sauce really have a lot to say.
I walk in at 2:30 PM with a hangover and I’m completely unable to make a decision. What do you have in front of me?
Our emergency kit is shakshuka. Warm, filling, with tomatoes, peppers, and eggs, slightly spicy thanks to jalapeños. Plus a carafe of water, which we always serve. Coffee, if you’d like. We won’t bombard you with questions; we let you eat it in peace and get back to the world.
What does Bistro Miasto become after 4:00 PM?
Breakfast is over, but the same relaxed atmosphere remains. Main courses and plates appear on the table, which you can order to share. After a long day, you can sit down, eat something delicious, and have a glass. Life is still bustling outside our windows, and here you can take a break from the hustle and bustle.
What is the undisputed heavyweight champion of your lunch menu?
De volaille with parsley butter, potato purée, and cucumber salad. These are familiar flavors that you want to return to. Sometimes you just want a proper dinner – one that leaves you full and satisfied.
What order makes you think, “This person really understands Bistro Miasto”?
Breakfast at 3:30 PM, without rushing or explaining why so late. We like it when guests feel at ease and eat how they want.
What three people would you invite to a long dinner, and what would you serve them?
Instead of a long dinner, we prefer to invite people over for small plates, a good drink, or wine. Ernest Hemingway might have sat down for something stronger and ordered our oyster mushroom wings. Mia Wallace in a black suit would be served a bold drink and two light plates, and after a few well-placed retorts, she would head straight to the dance floor of Gdańsk’s clubs. Jo Nesbø would sit at the third table, sipping black coffee and writing the plot of a new crime novel in his notebook, set in the dark streets around the Motława River.
In twenty years, someone will say, “Do you remember Bistro Miasto?” What would you like to hear right afterward?
“It was so good there. We always met there.” We want people to remember specific flavors, but also conversations, shared breakfasts, and the people they went with. For Bistro Miasto to be part of their fond memories.
After chatting with the Bistro Miasto team, we’re convinced this place deserves to be on more people’s radar. No complicated food philosophy, no judging your breakfast habits, just good cooking and a refreshingly relaxed attitude. And if you turn up at 3:30 pm with a hangover, they’ll bring you shakshuka instead of asking what happened last night. Now that’s hospitality.