Hala Mirowska, Warsaw

Hala Mirowska is part of my childhood memories. My grandmother would take me here almost daily to shop for fresh fruits and vegetables. My Mom sent me here for eggs and herbs and my friends and I would come here after school for some fresh sauerkraut from a big brown barrel.

Hala Mirowska is actually two pavilions, west is Hala and east is Gwardia. As a teen I attended Saturday night disco at Gwardia, it is still open space with some boxing facilities.

Mirowska has always been used as a market place. Trade centers have existed here since 1899, they were burnt during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944 and rebuilt in the early 1960's.

This red brick building is full of charm and character.

Inside there is a regular supermarket

In the front there is a wonderful flower market, packed with every type of a flower imaginable. The colors, the scent and the beauty are pure joy for all the senses. I tend to linger so long that the vendors are probably a bit annoyed with me.

The flowers are not expensive and they play a key role in Polish culture. Flowers are brought when visiting someones home, to teachers, to women on March 8th (Women's Day), to those celebrating a birthday or a name day, or just because. Poles buy a lot of flowers!

To the side of Hala Mirowska, is the outdoor market. This is where one will find fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, meats, herbs and cheese. Most Poles shop daily for that evening's dinner or at most for two days ahead.

Most customers have their favorite vendors that they have been loyal to for years. All the produce is fresh and a lot of it is from local farms.

It's wonderful to watch the seasons change just by seeing what is sold at the market.

Sunflower in the summer,

mushrooms towards the fall,

Fresh strawberries in May,

Asparagus in the spring,

Nice, new potatoes which are delicious boiled and served with a bit of butter and dill or with chilled buttermilk.

I got these fresh kirby cucumbers, they were quickly eaten with a dash of salt.

Hala Mirowska is open Monday-Friday 7am - 6pm, Saturday 7 am - 3pm and closed on Sunday

Plac Mirowski 1
Warsaw

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