Poland's milk bars (bary mleczne) are subsidised canteen-style restaurants dating from the communist era, and Neptun is one of Gdansk's survivors. The menu is simple — bigos, zurek (sour rye soup), pierogi, kotlet schabowy (breaded pork cutlet), and pork chops with cabbage — all served quickly, without ceremony, at prices that feel like a different decade. Lunch for two costs what a single coffee costs at the terrace restaurants a block away on the Long Market.
The decor is unadorned, the seating communal, and the clientele a mix of pensioners, students, and tourists who've done their homework. Order at the counter, pay first, collect your tray. It opens early and closes mid-afternoon. It's on Dluga Street, right in the heart of the old town.