Suwalki Restaurants

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This charming Lithuanian restaurant is a recent addition to Punsk. Serving Lithuanian dishes, it is frequented not only by tourists but also by Lithuanians from across the border as there is no other restaurant in the vicinity on the Lithuanian side. The wooden building looks really lovely both outside and inside and the furniture is wooden too, with benches and tables in the rustic pub style. There are two tables outside at the back of the restaurant but if you sit there you must carry your meal there yourself. You'd better wear comfortable shoes or trainers - the car park and square in front of the restaurant and at the back are surfaced with cobblestones.
The waitress that served us was quite a character, not only pretty and smiling but with a good sense of humour too. I asked her to change the music as the disco polo would have spoilt my enjoyment of dinner and she readily obliged. Wasn't it nice of her?

Favorite Dish: The first time we went there we both had czenak - our favourite Lithuanian dish of vegetables and meat baked in special dishes (see the picture) in an oven. Delicious and very filling.
The second time we had 'chlodnik' - betroot soup with sour milk, fresh cucumber and a lot of dill added, excellent for the summer as it is served cold. We would have preferred it with boiled egg, the way my grandmother used to prepare it, but there were boiled potatoes on a separate plate served with it instead.
For the second course I had potato cakes with home pickled cucumber - just to try this was worth the trip to Punsk. Chris also had potato cakes but with meat and salad.

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It's one of two restaurants in this town and, as befits a town that is mostly Lithuanian, it offers Lithuanian food, which we had tasted before and loved. You may have to wait a little to get your meal but it's freshly prepared so worth it.

Favorite Dish: We both had 'czenak' or 'czynak' a Lithuanian dish of vegetables and meat slowly cooked in an oven in special earthenware jugs, and with fresh cucumber added just before serving - delicious! The dish is served in the same jars in which it is cooked so it's very hot when served.
And my husband had barszcz with kibinai, i.e. beetroot soup, which he said was excellent, with baked dumplings stuffed with meat.
We were also offered two glasses of Lithuanian 'kvas' to drink with our meal.
The picture of bliny comes from another restaurant in Punsk, which, unfortunately, has closed down now. I cannot be sure how they serve them here.

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The restaurant is very popular not only with tourists but also with the local people. It's always pretty busy as there are often busloads of tourists stopping for meals there. But there are plenty of seats both inside, on the verandah and in the garden and the service is very efficient. It must be a family business as the waiters and waitresses are very young, obviously teenagers, but very good at their job. There is a wide choice of dishes, including regional ones and the prices are quite reasonable, especially if you compare them with those in Warsaw restaurants. It's a family friendly place with big tables for families and smaller for couples, and even a playground with swings and slides for children to enjoy. You can bring your dog with you if you sit on the verandah or in the garden outside. And dogs are served too, in a plastic bowl put on the floor but anyway. The one we saw looked very satisfied with his meal.

Favorite Dish: Tench in wonderful cream sauce (lin w smietanie), in spite of the fish bones which take long to pick.
Also potato cake (babka kartoflana) in mushroom sauce ( w sosie grzybowym) served with white cabbage salad.
But try everything if you can, for a mix of local dishes order the so-called 'mix regionalny', although I must say I prefer the tench.