Chef John's European Bakery Menu

Pączki & Fried Dough

Rich fried yeast doughs, most famously the pączki of Fat Thursday and Fat Tuesday.

• Prune Pączek (Powidła)Vegetarian · SeasonalClassic version filled with thick, dark, slow-cooked plum butter that is tangy, deep and only lightly sweet.
• Chruściki (Angel Wings)VegetarianThin ribbons of dough twisted into bows, fried until shatteringly crisp and buried under powdered sugar.
• OponkiVegetarianRing-shaped cheese doughnuts made with farmer's cheese, giving a moist, tender interior and a sugared crust.
• PączkiVegetarian · SeasonalRich, eggy fried doughnuts that are denser than American versions, filled with rose-hip jam, plum butter or custard and dusted with sugar or glazed.
• Custard PączekVegetarian · SeasonalPączek filled to bulging with vanilla pastry cream, finished with powdered sugar for a softer, creamier variation.

Cakes & Babka

Coffee cakes and layered slices that fill a Polish bakery counter.

• SernikVegetarianPolish cheesecake made with twaróg farmer's cheese, dense yet light, often with raisins and a lattice or chocolate top.
• MakowiecVegetarian · Contains nutsRolled yeast cake spiraled with a thick filling of ground poppy seeds, honey, raisins, walnuts and orange peel.
• SzarlotkaVegetarianPolish apple cake with grated or sliced tart apples between layers of crumbly shortcrust, scented with cinnamon.
• Napoleonka (Kremówka)VegetarianTwo sheets of crisp puff pastry sandwiching a thick layer of vanilla custard, dusted heavily with powdered sugar.
• PiernikVegetarian · SeasonalDark honey spice cake layered with plum jam and coated in chocolate, flavored with cinnamon, clove and ginger.
• BabkaVegetarian · Popular pickTall, fluted yeast cake with a fine, buttery crumb, often swirled with chocolate or flavored with rum and raisins, topped with icing.
• Placek z KruszonkąVegetarianYeast coffee cake topped with a thick buttery crumble, sometimes layered with plums, apples or blueberries.

Cookies & Small Sweets

Pastries sold by the piece or pound for coffee and holiday trays.

• KołaczkiVegetarian · Popular pickDelicate cream cheese pastry squares folded around apricot, raspberry, prune or poppy seed filling and dusted with sugar.
• MazurekVegetarian · SeasonalFlat Easter tart on a shortbread base covered with caramel, nuts and dried fruit arranged in decorative patterns.
• PierniczkiVegetarian · SeasonalSmall iced gingerbread cookies cut into hearts and stars, chewy and fragrant with honey and warm spice.
• RogalikiVegetarianCrescent cookies of tender yeasted or cheese dough rolled around a dollop of jam, crumbly and lightly sweet.
• PtyśVegetarianPolish cream puff with a crisp choux shell filled generously with whipped cream or custard.
• Kruche CiasteczkaVegetarian · Contains nutsShort butter cookies with a sandy texture, sometimes decorated with jam centers or chopped walnuts.

Breads & Rolls

Rye loaves, sourdough rounds and everyday rolls.

• Polish Rye (Chleb Żytni)Vegetarian · VeganSourdough rye bread with caraway seeds, a chewy crust and a pleasantly sour, aromatic crumb.
• Chleb WiejskiVegetarian · VeganCountry-style wheat and rye round with a rugged crust, ideal for kanapki topped with butter and ham.
• BułkiVegetarian · VeganSoft, crusty white rolls with a split top, used for breakfast sandwiches or served alongside soup.
• ChałkaVegetarianBraided egg bread with a golden glossy crust and fluffy crumb, often sprinkled with crumble or poppy seeds.
• ObwarzanekVegetarian · VeganKraków-style braided bread ring, boiled then baked, with a chewy bite and a topping of poppy, sesame or salt.
• CebularzVegetarian · SavoryFlat wheat roll from Lublin topped with sautéed onions and poppy seeds, soft and savory-sweet.

Savory & Deli

Hot and cold items often sold alongside the baked goods.

• PasztecikSavoryYeasted pastry filled with seasoned ground meat, crisp-edged and traditionally served warm with a cup of clear barszcz.
• KrokietySavoryThin crêpes rolled around meat or sauerkraut filling, breaded and pan-fried to a crunchy finish.
• Paszteciki z KapustąVegetarian · SavorySmall flaky turnovers stuffed with braised cabbage and wild mushrooms, a meatless choice for Lent and Wigilia.
• PierogiSavoryHalf-moon dumplings filled with potato and cheese, sauerkraut and mushroom, or meat, sold fresh or frozen for boiling and frying.
• Kiełbasa RollSavorySmoked Polish sausage wrapped in soft yeast dough and baked golden, a hand-held snack for the road.

Drinks

• Flat whiteVegetarianA smaller, stronger cousin of the latte: a double ristretto under silky, barely-foamed milk for a dense texture and pronounced coffee flavor.
• MochaVegetarianEspresso, chocolate sauce, and steamed milk, sometimes crowned with whipped cream; a dessert-leaning drink balancing cocoa richness with coffee bite.
• Cold brewVeganCoarse grounds steeped in cold water for twelve hours or more, yielding a smooth, low-acid concentrate served over ice with chocolatey undertones.
• AmericanoVeganEspresso stretched with hot water into a full-size cup; lighter in body than drip yet keeps the toasty edge of the shot.
• CappuccinoVegetarianEqual-ish parts espresso, steamed milk, and airy foam cap, giving a drier, stronger-tasting drink than a latte with a velvety top layer.
• Caffè latteVegetarianEspresso with plenty of steamed milk and a thin microfoam layer; mellow and creamy, often finished with latte art and offered with oat or almond milk.