Chleb i Wino Gdańsk – I can confess that I’ve discovered a gem of a restaurant.
Considering that I moved to Gdańsk in February 2020, it’s amazing that it took me nearly five years to take my wife out to lunch at this popular place. On the many strolls I’ve taken around Gdańsk’s stunning Main Town over the past five years, I’ve almost always walked past the Chleb i Wino on the Motława River. When I think about it, there are very few occasions after 14:00 when I haven’t noticed a long queue outside the restaurant, particularly in the summer. Each time I thought to myself – are those people mad enough to wait an hour or two for something to eat? What on earth is so special about this place?
Reviews on Tripadvisor are somewhat mixed: Some of the worst reviews include:
- “Expensive compared to most restaurants in the area”;
- “This was a tourist trap …”;
- “It took very long before they served drinks, and after 1.5 hours we had not received the main course even though we had pre-ordered”.
Fortunately, I can reveal that my experience ran counter to what all the naysayers on Tripadvisor had been through.
Where is Chleb i Wino Gdańsk?
Chleb i Wino Gdańsk is located just off the east bank of the Old Motława River. This is the side where a wooden boardwalk extends from the corner of Green Bridge (Most Zielony)/Stągiewna Street to just beyond the rotating footbridge (Kładka Św. Grzegorza na Wyspę Spichrzów). The restaurant is located just a few metres away from the footbridge.
Address: Chmielna 3/7
There are actually three Chleb i Wino restaurants in Gdańsk. The other two are located on Stągiewna Street – numbers 17 and 27. The Green Bridge actually feeds onto Stągiewna Street.
Overall, the focus of this post is on my experience at the restaurant by the rotating footbridge on the Motława River.
About Chleb i Wino Gdańsk
With restaurants in Gdańsk and Toruń, Chleb i Wino has become synonymous with top quality cuisine and a unique atmosphere.
The history of the brand began in Toruń, where the first restaurant of the Wójcik family immediately won the hearts of residents and tourists.
The first Chleb i Wino restaurant which opened in Gdańsk was at Stągiewna 17. Shortly afterwards, it was joined by a restaurant on Chmielna Street, by the Motława, and the “River Cruise Gdańsk by Chleb i Wino”. As the name suggests, the latter offers unique culinary experiences on the Motława River.
The latest step in the expansion of Chleb i Wino is the opening of the restaurant Chleb i Wino na Wyspie (Chleb i Wino on the Island) on August 7, 2024.
Chleb i Wino Menu
Aware that Chleb i Wino gets very busy after 13 p.m., we went to the restaurant at around midday. We sat down at table 1 which was reserved after 18 p.m. so we were ok. This table is actually a prime window seat so we were able to watch the world go by outside while waiting for our meals.
Our waitress informed us that they had stopped serving breakfast and they’d moved on to the main food menu. I said that it was fine as we intended to try something from the main menu anyway.
There is a distinct southern Italian theme running through the restaurant’s menu. According to the official Chleb i Wino website:
The sauce in our pizza has a taste of freshly cut Italian tomatoes, San Marzano, flavored with aromatic herbs.
Breakfast menu
As you can see from the breakfast menu below, guests get a decent bang for their buck. For 49 zł, guests can choose from a range of breakfast options which are served with tea or coffee (cappuccino/americano) as well as orange juice. Alternatively, guests can opt for a mimosa cocktail:
Food menu
The Chleb i Wino food menu is served from midday to 23:00.
When it comes to savoury dishes, the restaurant offers a range of salad dishes, appetisers, pizzas, pasta dishes and main courses. A few different soups are available to order. The restaurant also serves several desserts. Guests can order freshly baked bread, weighing 750 grams, for 17,90 zł.
Dining Experience – Service and Food
I’ve read quite a few reviews where people have criticised members of staff for forgetting orders and ignoring people while they were waiting to be seated. Some people also had to wait a very long time for their food to arrive at their tables.
Obviously, I didn’t experience any of the issues mentioned above. Mind you, I arrived at the restaurant at around midday when it wasn’t busy at all.
Anyway, my wife and I decided to share the fried turkey meatballs and a Truflowa pizza. The meatballs were delicious, and the sauce made from roasted tomatoes complements the meat perfectly. As for the pizza, it was a typical Neapolitan pizza if ever I saw one with a thin base and a crisp outer edge. Frankly, I would like to have seen the outer edge of the pizza puff up just a little more than it did. Nevertheless, the concoction of ingredients with the Truflowa pizza is spot on in my opinion. I particularly enjoyed the truffle paste and mozzarella.
My wife and I didn’t have drinks. However, the restaurant’s culinary specialties are complemented by a carefully selected wine list.
All in all, 95 zł for two great dishes in charming surroundings. Not bad at all.
Decor
It’s little wonder that Chleb i Wino Gdańsk on the Motława River has been attracting hordes of hungry and thirsty guests from the day it opened. The decor is simply stunning. ‘Classy’ would be the word I’m looking for. The stunning decor provides the ideal backdrop for the views out over the Motława River and the promenade (Długie Pobrzeże) on the other side of the river.
Anyway, I’ll let the pictures do the talking:
Final Thoughts
Overall, I have overwhelmingly positive impressions of the Chleb i Wino Gdańsk by the Motława River. In terms of the service, food portions and ambience of the restaurant, I couldn’t have wished for more. Nevertheless, it’d be interesting to go to the restaurant when it’s extremely busy to see how the staff handle the hordes of locals and tourists.
FAQ
The best way to reserve a table at Chleb i Wino is through the restaurant’s online reservation system.
Please note that the restaurant can’t guarantee a place at a specific table of your choice.
Reservations of more than eight people are accepted only by email at: rezerwacjechmielna@gmail.com
The only meal offered by Chleb i Wino that’s tailored for kids comprises chicken nuggets (three pieces), cooked carrot, fries or mashed potato, and a toy.