The Battle

Walk through the Old Market on a Friday night and everything looks great.

Full tables. Drinks flowing. People laughing.

But behind the scenes, many restaurant owners are facing a much tougher reality.

Over the last few months we’ve spoken to people from Poznań’s food scene, and the message is clear:

People are eating out less regularly than last year.

Not because they stopped loving restaurants — simply because everything got more expensive.

Rent. Energy. Ingredients. Salaries.

And while a busy weekend looks amazing from the outside, one packed Saturday doesn’t always cover the quieter days.

Many restaurants are now working with smaller margins, and some months are becoming a fight just to stay open.

The restaurant game is changing

The old formula was:

Big space. Big menu. Big team.

The new reality?

Smaller locations. Smaller teams. Smarter menus.

Expect to see more places moving towards:

5–6 signature dishes

seasonal specials

limited menus

fewer but stronger options

Even the favourites aren’t immune

Recent closures in Poznań show one thing:

Being loved doesn’t make a restaurant untouchable.

MO.BAR

Another familiar Stary Rynek name is closing its current chapter after years of serving Poznań with food, drinks and memories and one of our favorites for breakfasts in the Old Town.

Perełka

A true Poznań favourite.

Lidia’s nostalgic, personal cooking made it the place many people recommended without hesitation. We’ll remember the incredible seasonal menus, potato pancakes, desserts, beautiful interior and that feeling of being somewhere special.

Dram Bar

After 9 years, one of Poznań’s most loved cocktail spots is closing.

A place of first dates, celebrations, concerts and quiet evenings.

The owners pointed to challenges including Covid, the Old Market renovation and lower tourist traffic.

Falla

After 10 years, FALLA left the city map.

One of the places that helped change how people saw plant-based food in Poznań — proving vegan food could be exciting, creative and packed with flavour.

The restaurant scene isn’t disappearing.

It’s evolving.

Smaller.
More focused.
More personal.

So if you have a favourite local place…

Don’t wait until it becomes a “remember when” story.

Go there. Order your favourite dish.

Because restaurants don’t survive on likes.

They survive on people walking through the door. ❤️