NYC Restaurants

Known for its unbelievably low prices and large, home-cooked portions, Lomzynianka provides a memorable dining experience and the appeal of a friendly, family-run kitchen.  You’ll find the restaurant’s tiny storefront tucked away amid copious other Polish signage on Manhattan Avenue—look out for a string of blinking Christmas lights strung around the window near the Bedford Avenue intersection.  The name is pronounced Lahm-zhin-YAHN-eh-ka, and holds true to it’s meaning—‘girl from Lomza.’  The girl is Janina Grzelczak, who does the cooking, and really is from Lomza, Poland.

First, let’s talk decorations.  The small dining room is chock full of the tackiest, most helter-skelter decorations you’ll find outside the nearest dollar store.  The lighting consists of colorful strings of lights and old yard sale lamps, the tablecloths are plastic and the wallpaper is a brick-print, but in an odd way, they add to the charm of the room, right down to the stag’s head with tinsel-draped antlers.  The room is small, but the server’s smiles are big.  

Almost immediately, you will be served a plate of appetizers that may include sweet shaved carrots, vinegary red cabbage, or sliced beets.  Some locals have been known to travel here just for this plate of pickled treats.  If you’re feeling adventurous, you may be inclined to order a Polish soda, which comes in Orange or Neon Lime and is just about as brightly colored as the chintzy décor.  Though it mimicking the consistency of sno-cone syrup and turbo-loaded with fructose, it’s worth trying once!  Or, stay on the safer side and enjoy a Polish beer.  Before ordering an entrée, chose from three types of borscht, red, bright red, or white, which are all delicious at $1.   

Entrees start at just $3.  That’s for a whole roasted chicken, kielbasa, meatloaf, pyzy, (Polish potato dumplings), pierogie, or bigos (a meaty hunter’s stew; considered Poland’s national dish).  You can get the Polish Platter, which is the priciest thing on the menu, (3 pierogies, kielbasa, stuffed cabbage, bigos and potatoes) for just $5.50.  Expect a steaming plate piled high with your hearty fare, served with panache, within minutes.  For dessert, take your choice of cheese, blueberry, strawberry or cherry blintzes for $3 each.  Leave with a hearty helping of good cheer and good memories.