Chopin and Słowacki ate there. The oldest restaurant in Poland is still working

As for tourism, Wrocław is one of the brighter points on the map of our country. Among its numerous attractions, it is worth paying attention to the often overlooked issue. It is the oldest restaurant in Poland in the capital of Lower Silesia.

Piwnica Świdnicka The oldest restaurant in Poland

As the National Geographic portal reminds, the Świdnicka Piwnica, located at the Wrocław market, was founded in 1273. We will also learn this from a commemorative plaque, which is attached above the entrance to the premises. The name of the restaurant comes from the Lower Silesian Świdnica, from where the owners brought barley beer.

It is known that the regulars of the Świdnicka Piwnica belonged, among others Fryderyk Chopin, Juliusz Słowacki, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Józef Wybicki. They had to follow the rules of the premises – they could not swear in it, smoke or play cards. They also had to pay a deposit before placing the order.

Wrocław. The oldest restaurant in Poland

Interestingly, the first serious renovation of the Świdnicka Piwnica took place only at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1939, the premises could accommodate a shocking number of 800 people, counting on service. After the war, however, the restaurant did not resume its operations for a long time. It wasn’t until the 1960s that part of it was converted into a youth club. Gastronomy returned there at the end of the 20th century, but again there were problems in the form of a flood from 1997.

The Świdnicka Piwnica was closed in 2017, and the opening took place only five years later. Currently, the place is again popular, and it can take up to 300 guests at the same time. The menu includes such hits of Polish cuisine as pork knuckles, a soup on natural sourdough or Wroclaw Maczanka. Of course, there is also a beer characteristic for this place and special tasting boards that allow you to try various varieties.