One of the world’s most influential restaurant guides sealed its comeback with the Best Awards 2026 gala in Warsaw on March 9, honoring standout restaurants on Poland’s fast-developing culinary scene.
Founded in 1969 by French critics Henri Gault and Christian Millau, and sold to the magazine Le Point in 1983, Gault & Millau is often known as the Yellow Guide because of its distinctive cover.
It is widely regarded as one of the world’s two most influential restaurant guides. The Polish edition has returned following the long disruption caused by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The relaunch began in May last year, when local inspectors resumed visits to restaurants across the country. Starting on May 15, they evaluated more than 200 venues, from major-city establishments to lesser-known restaurants in smaller towns.
Like the Michelin Guide, Gault & Millau relies on anonymous inspectors who visit as regular guests. They judge food, service, decor, atmosphere, and the overall coherence of the restaurant’s concept.
The new Polish edition also places emphasis on more than the head chef alone, giving attention to pastry chefs, sommeliers and restaurant managers.
This year, inspectors assessed 251 restaurants in Poland. Just 18 made it into the top tier of venues awarded three or four toques, the guide’s signature mark of distinction.
The highest rating in Poland this year went to Bottiglieria 1881 in Kraków, which received four toques and 18 points, out of a maximum score of 20.
Two other restaurants earned four toques and 17 points, Arco by Paco Perez in Gdańsk and Nuta in Warsaw, led by Andrea Camastra, a chef from Italy’s Puglia region.
Camastra also received a special award, Innovative Chef of the Year 2026.
Camastra said guides such as Gault & Millau matter because they recognize creativity and craftsmanship, while one of the hardest things in gastronomy is maintaining a high standard every day throughout the year.
He added that Polish cuisine has enormous potential and said the task is to discover it and present it in a way that guests from other countries can understand.
Fifteen restaurants received three toques. In Warsaw, the list included hub.praga, Nolita, Epoka, Rozbrat 20, Restauracja Warszawska, N31 Restaurant & Bar by Robert Sowa, and Tuna by Martin Gimenez Castro.
Awards also went to A Nóż Widelec and Mugi in Poznań, Giewont in Kościelisko, Most and Między Mostami in Wrocław, Fino in Gdańsk, Bufet KRK in Kraków, and Steampunk in Pszczyna.
The Chef of the Year title went to Przemysław Klima of Bottiglieria 1881, giving the Kraków restaurant the evening’s strongest result.
Speaking at the Warsaw gala, Patrick Hayoun of Gault & Millau International said Polish gastronomy is developing with remarkable energy and passion.
Krawczyk said the guide’s return was very good news for the sector, arguing that it could help restaurateurs and chefs raise standards while drawing more international culinary tourism to Poland.
The comeback reflects a broader rise in interest in dining out, regional food culture, and gastronomic tourism in Poland.
The last Polish edition, published in 2020, listed 540 restaurants and appeared in both Polish and English, helping promote Poland's food service sector abroad.
The new edition builds on that foundation, with tighter entry standards and a renewed effort to present the growing breadth and ambition of Poland’s restaurant scene.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP