Eat Cheap at Poland’s Milk Bars

Anywhere in Poland, you can find milk bars. These are leftovers from communist times, when the government would subsidize a cafeteria so workers could have an affordable place to eat out. Despite the misleading name, they don’t sell just milk — they have a long menu of mostly traditional, stick-to-your-ribs Polish dishes.

The idea of a cheap and hearty meal survived communism, and 25 years later, you’ll still find a wide variety of these budget cafeterias — ranging from slick and modern places with excellent food and slightly higher prices, to holdovers from the old days (with a certain Soviet je ne sais quoi) where you can snare a fast and forgettable meal for about $2. If this clip doesn’t get you salivating…anything will.