Polish pottery shopping
Polish Pottery Shopping, an ultimate guide!
I'm not going to lie, I knew nothing about Polish Pottery before I started working with Americans.
Working as a teacher/chef I heard for years about Polish pottery during my classes and I always thought that it was just crazy. People raved about their pottery and almost seems like a cult. Years passed and I went to a friend house in Germany, she had a lot of Polish Pottery and I baked a Lasagna in her pan. That's it, it was sold right there. The lasagna turned perfect and was so easy to clean.
Then years passed again and I organise a bus full of woman to go from Vicenza, Italy to Boleslawiec, it was a great group on the first trip but a long trip. We were in that bus overnight, arrived in Poland all very tired but they were not tired to shop.
 |
| Big fine, 380EUR. Look all the boxes behind! |
I started to drive by myself and bringing the pottery to sell in Vicenza. Many, many trips and always so enjoyable! Sometimes with friends, sometimes with Seppi (my dog), sometimes alone and the last time was with my mother.
The worst thing that ever happened in those trips was a big fine I got in Germany, 380 Euros for speeding just 9Km. At least I got a picture for memories.
So after few years going and coming back and having so much fun in the way I feel obligated in write down and pass all the information I can for others to have the same experience.
How much to buy?
I can guarantee you will be tired and overwhelmed of all the shops and all those blue plates. When you are at the shop just immagine how the pottery that you have in your hands will look like in your house.
The first time I went to Boloeslawiec it was hard to decide and end up just buying three bowls.
Shops
There will be lot's of shops but to be very honest not all are good. In this list the five shop that I mostly shop, any one have a reason. There is also te outlets that I will tell you all about.
 |
| I bought the whole shop! |
This is for sure my favorite shop. Is the smallest and the most authentic pottery you can get. Is very hard to find the things you like in this shop in just one trip. Their art is precious and they had no idea how valuable are their items. The quality is superior of mostly of the other shops, the pottery is heavy and the painting quality is top.
Only cash, they prefer Zloty.
No English but very nice and helpful (something very hard to find in any other Polish pottery shops).
I will not post a picture of the place because I want you to be surprised. Is a old shop with a big chimney and on the top of the chimney there is big bird living there with baby birds on the spring.
Address: 60, 59-700 Brzeźnik, Poland
Andy's Polish Pottery
Andy's is the most popular shop with the American community. They have lot's of big stuff and things really made for Americans, some of the baking dishes do not fit in any European oven.
The prices are very good for the quality you get, quality of ceramic excellent, big and easy parking. Sometimes you get a 10% off if you pay in cash, so bring cash.
Address: Tomaszów Bolesławiecki 110, 59-720 Raciborowice Górne, Poland
Manufaktura Polish Pottery
Big shop with traditional and new designs. Pottery is expensive and the staff tends to be rude and bitchy but the pottery is one of the best so we have to suck it up.
Address: Gdańska 30, 59-700 Bolesławiec, Poland
Ceramika Artystycza - Polish Pottery
Of the high quality pottery this is the cheapest. The shop is big and is full of different patterns. The staff is super helpful and nice, they also pack your boxes very nice and careful. Lot's of good deals. This shop is mostly popular with other Europeans, Japanese and Polish people. They accept credit cards, pay by card there.
Address:Kościuszki 23, 59-700 Bolesławiec, Poland
Zaklady - Polish Pottery
Very good deals on the tent outside. Some items are 50% off. Good pottery for a good price.
Address:Kościuszki 11, 59-700 Bolesławiec, Poland
Outlets of Polish Pottery
On some outlets you can find treasures for a good price but have to be very careful to don't buy bad quality stuff. Always ask if you can bake on it an the quality number.
The best outlets are in front on the Ceramika Artystyca. DO NOT park there because there is always very rude guys asking for money to 'watch your car'. Leave your car parked at the Ceramika Artystyca and walk over there.
Other good outlets:
Munufaktura Outlet
Zgorzelecka 22, 59-700 Bolesławiec, Poland
Wiza
Masarska 1, 59-700 Bolesławiec, Poland
Quality of pottery
Not all the Polish Pottery are the same, some are excellent and some are shit. How you know the difference?
First you have to feel the weight it needs to be heavy than regular pottery or will chip. Some shops have their categorised, but not all shops.
Gat 1: Perfect quality. Oven, dishwasher and microwave safe.
Gat 2: The ceramic is good quality, but may have a painting issue.
Gat 3: May crack or have a crack in the glaze.
Gat 4: Is already chip or broke
Gat 5: Bad quality, great for gift for those people you don't like.
How to pay the Polish Pottery?
My advice is to pay just using cash. With cash you can get a better deal. They accept Euros, US Dollars and Zloty. My second advice is to use JUST ZLOTY, with Zloty you can get a better deal everywhere. You can get the zloty in the ATM on carrefour, or you can exchange cash inside the carrefour.
Carrefour address: 10-go Marca 1, 59-700 Bolesławiec, Poland
Where to eat in Boleslawiec?
There is two places I can recommend 100%.
Restauracja Pod Wiaduktem
My favorite place. The food is great, price is super cheap and the staff speaks English and are helpful.
I found this place because a guy that own a shop in Boleslawiec told me is the best in town.
http://www.podwiaduktem.pl/kontakt/index.html
Address: Dolne Młyny 36, 59-700 Bolesławiec, Poland
Restauracja Anabela
All super tasty and good. Best pierogis in town and they have a amazing beet soup. Price is ridiculous inexpensive.
Address: 59-730 Czerna, Poland
Avoid the nice looking restaurant that look like a hobbit house, that place is mostly for tourists. The food is just ok.
Best time for visiting BoleslawiecI've been there in all the seasons and probably from January to December.
The best time to find deals are in the winter. January until March. I think is because no one have money to shop in those months because they spent a lot in December.
The shops usually have a lots of options and some have great deals from pottery that they don't make anymore in the past year.
If you are not so worried about the deals the best month is May, May is the spring and you see lots of yellow flowers and the weather is perfect for driving and stopping on other cities on the way there.
Summers are better to avoid, lot's of tourists and is hot as hell.
Other things to buy
Boleslawiec is not just for pottery, every time I go I always stop in the Kaufland and buy lots of good food and alcohol for so cheap. Grocery shopping there can be very fun.
In my list of Polish shopping:
Honey
Mustard
Jams
Bread
Vodka
Beet juice
Conserves
Beer
Decorative pans that you can find at the carrefour
Wood baskets.
BIG TIP!Before you go to Boleslawiec, put all those addresses in your GPS. Can be very stressful to do while there, the names are complicated to write. Other tip is to make a plan in where you go in what time. The time flies there!
If you liked this post, share with your friends. All this informations took years to be collected.
If you would like to say thanks send a coffee EUR1 or a beer EUR5 or a pizza EUR10 to Lucas on paypal: lucas@cookingwithlucas.com
 |
| Spring time... Road to Prague. |
 |
| This cute dog was abused in Poland, so I had to jump the fence and stole him. |
 |
| He was very stinky on the way to Italy... |
