Enjoying Kraków
Food scene
I walked past this place loads of times because it looked small and intimidating, but one day I ventured in and was amazed to discover we have a proper old-school milk bar practically on our doorstep. You go to the counter to order and pay, collect a table number and sit down. Proper Polish cooking, well made and cheap. I saw two firemen having their lunch when I was there.
Lunch Bar Marco
2 BiskupiaI walked past this place loads of times because it looked small and intimidating, but one day I ventured in and was amazed to discover we have a proper old-school milk bar practically on our doorstep. You go to the counter to order and pay, collect a table number and sit down. Proper Polish cooking, well made and cheap. I saw two firemen having their lunch when I was there.
There are many great bakeries in Kraków but this one is outstanding. Their Chleb pszenno żytni (Wheat and Rye) is particularly delicious, but they sell loads of other treats as well as homemade jams.
Piec Piekarnia
There are many great bakeries in Kraków but this one is outstanding. Their Chleb pszenno żytni (Wheat and Rye) is particularly delicious, but they sell loads of other treats as well as homemade jams.
It's just at the other end of Batorego, a 4-minute walk, but it would be worth crossing the city for their pastries. The coffee is also really good.
KAFFÉ BAGERI Stockholm
17 ŁobzowskaIt's just at the other end of Batorego, a 4-minute walk, but it would be worth crossing the city for their pastries. The coffee is also really good.
Excellent pizza and great Italian food. It’s often booked up on the weekends, but sometimes they’ll find you a table if you walk in, even if they’re saying “no” on the phone.
143 locals recommend
Trattoria Mamma Mia
14 KarmelickaExcellent pizza and great Italian food. It’s often booked up on the weekends, but sometimes they’ll find you a table if you walk in, even if they’re saying “no” on the phone.
It sounds like a vegan restaurant, but it’s not, just a super classy vegetarian bistro. Great for a breakfast that’s healthy but still delicious.
55 locals recommend
Veganic Restaurant
34 KarmelickaIt sounds like a vegan restaurant, but it’s not, just a super classy vegetarian bistro. Great for a breakfast that’s healthy but still delicious.
The most extraordinary range of beers, to drink in or take away, and the guys who work here are terrific. They know a lot about everything they sell and can enthusiastically guide you if you're unsure which one to get.
Świat Piwa
6 RajskaThe most extraordinary range of beers, to drink in or take away, and the guys who work here are terrific. They know a lot about everything they sell and can enthusiastically guide you if you're unsure which one to get.
This is one of my favourite restaurants in Kraków and for some reason, it’s not particularly well-known. They have a fairly short menu of gracefully interpreted Polish dishes which are served with quiet professionalism. It is quite expensive, but it’s worth it.
Kawaleria Restaurant
4 GołębiaThis is one of my favourite restaurants in Kraków and for some reason, it’s not particularly well-known. They have a fairly short menu of gracefully interpreted Polish dishes which are served with quiet professionalism. It is quite expensive, but it’s worth it.
The food is reliably excellent, the menu has plenty of variety and nobody we've ever taken here has been disappointed. Most of the dishes are goose-based, so it's probably not great if you're a vegetarian, but apart from that it's a great introduction to Polish food - everyone will find something they love in Gąska. (I strongly recommend starting your meal with a blackcurrant vodka to get those digestive juices flowing.)
22 locals recommend
Gąska Polish Restaurant
Bolesława LimanowskiegoThe food is reliably excellent, the menu has plenty of variety and nobody we've ever taken here has been disappointed. Most of the dishes are goose-based, so it's probably not great if you're a vegetarian, but apart from that it's a great introduction to Polish food - everyone will find something they love in Gąska. (I strongly recommend starting your meal with a blackcurrant vodka to get those digestive juices flowing.)
Great light lunch, or coffee and cake, but most of all Camelot is so beautifully decorated that it’s just a pleasure to be there.
42 locals recommend
Cafe Camelot
17 Świętego TomaszaGreat light lunch, or coffee and cake, but most of all Camelot is so beautifully decorated that it’s just a pleasure to be there.
This is a controversial one, but Żabka is a peculiarly Polish phenomenon. These ubiquitous franchised shops somehow manage to get around the government's Sunday trading ban, and some people claim it's because they sell hot dogs and that means they're classed as restaurants, not shops. In any case, the hot dogs are surprisingly good and they have millions of sauce options. They're cheap and tasty, so why not try one?
Żabka
This is a controversial one, but Żabka is a peculiarly Polish phenomenon. These ubiquitous franchised shops somehow manage to get around the government's Sunday trading ban, and some people claim it's because they sell hot dogs and that means they're classed as restaurants, not shops. In any case, the hot dogs are surprisingly good and they have millions of sauce options. They're cheap and tasty, so why not try one?
There are two branches of Karma, one is a hipsterish vegetarian cafe and deli on Krupnicza, just a 10-minute walk from Batorego, and the other one is down near the Tram Museum in Kazimierz. Both have excellent coffee.
Karma
9 Św. WawrzyńcaThere are two branches of Karma, one is a hipsterish vegetarian cafe and deli on Krupnicza, just a 10-minute walk from Batorego, and the other one is down near the Tram Museum in Kazimierz. Both have excellent coffee.
The best hot chocolate in Kraków, maybe the best hot chocolate anywhere. They have other things too, food and wine and lots of herbal teas, but why wouldn't you just have the hot chocolate?
Nowa Prowincja
The best hot chocolate in Kraków, maybe the best hot chocolate anywhere. They have other things too, food and wine and lots of herbal teas, but why wouldn't you just have the hot chocolate?
Sightseeing
This is my favourite bar in the old town and it's surprisingly un-touristy, maybe because it's quite hard to find.
Go to the southwest corner of the Main Square, behind the tall square clock tower, and through the passageway alongside Starbucks, then turn right down the stairs just before the courtyard.
28 locals recommend
Piwnica pod Baranami
27 Rynek GłównyThis is my favourite bar in the old town and it's surprisingly un-touristy, maybe because it's quite hard to find.
Go to the southwest corner of the Main Square, behind the tall square clock tower, and through the passageway alongside Starbucks, then turn right down the stairs just before the courtyard.
This market is very nearby and it’s fantastic. It is, admittedly quite scary if you don’t speak Polish, and you can only pay with cash, but the stallholders are generally kind and patient and the fruit and vegetables are seasonal, fresh, delicious and still surprisingly cheap.
172 locals recommend
Old Kleparz
20 Rynek KleparskiThis market is very nearby and it’s fantastic. It is, admittedly quite scary if you don’t speak Polish, and you can only pay with cash, but the stallholders are generally kind and patient and the fruit and vegetables are seasonal, fresh, delicious and still surprisingly cheap.
You'll have noticed that Kraków has a lot of churches, monasteries and convents. This hidden gem of a shop is where the professionals get their candles! It's not easy to find (go into the entrance hall for Number 7 and up the steps on the left) and it's tiny, but they have a massive range of church-grade, long-lasting candles as well as beeswax tapers and other delights. They can also decorate candles for you in any design, they made this one for my son a while back when we popped in to visit, but they usually do much more intricate work. If you want some really good souvenirs from Kraków, this is the place to come.
Wytwórnia świec kościelnych
7 Józefa SaregoYou'll have noticed that Kraków has a lot of churches, monasteries and convents. This hidden gem of a shop is where the professionals get their candles! It's not easy to find (go into the entrance hall for Number 7 and up the steps on the left) and it's tiny, but they have a massive range of church-grade, long-lasting candles as well as beeswax tapers and other delights. They can also decorate candles for you in any design, they made this one for my son a while back when we popped in to visit, but they usually do much more intricate work. If you want some really good souvenirs from Kraków, this is the place to come.
I feel a bit daft recommending this, it's so well-known! But it's the most "Kazimierz" bar/club in Kazimierz and if you can somehow get yourself a table you'll definitely feel like you've been somewhere.
556 locals recommend
Alchemia
5 EsteryI feel a bit daft recommending this, it's so well-known! But it's the most "Kazimierz" bar/club in Kazimierz and if you can somehow get yourself a table you'll definitely feel like you've been somewhere.
Fashion
Anna Gregory designs and makes beautiful, understated scandi-inspired clothes that you will treasure for a long time. Most days you'll find her in her shop so you can ask her about her designs and what inspired each item.
Anna Gregory
2 JózefaAnna Gregory designs and makes beautiful, understated scandi-inspired clothes that you will treasure for a long time. Most days you'll find her in her shop so you can ask her about her designs and what inspired each item.
Shopping
It's fairly hard to find but that just keeps out the riff-raff, and the nice man who owns it can't speak English, but that just makes it more fun choosing. He'll make useful recommendations, that you won't understand, but it doesn't matter because a hat either looks good or it doesn't, and there are so many great hats to choose from.
Czapki I Kapelusze
It's fairly hard to find but that just keeps out the riff-raff, and the nice man who owns it can't speak English, but that just makes it more fun choosing. He'll make useful recommendations, that you won't understand, but it doesn't matter because a hat either looks good or it doesn't, and there are so many great hats to choose from.
I'm pretty sure I've now visited all the ceramics shops in Kraków, and this is the best one. They have more designs in more shapes than the other stores, they often give you a discount if you buy lots of things and the people there are charming (and speak great English).
Pottery Home/ Dekorbuy - sklep z ceramiką
I'm pretty sure I've now visited all the ceramics shops in Kraków, and this is the best one. They have more designs in more shapes than the other stores, they often give you a discount if you buy lots of things and the people there are charming (and speak great English).
Traveler advice
Ways to save
Money
You can pay with a contactless card in most shops and restaurants and that's by far the easiest thing to do. If you want to go shopping in any of the markets - at Stary Kleparz or Hala Targowa - you'll need some cash. Search on your map for Bankomat, but avoid the ones run by Euronet, they charge you for taking money out but they don't tell you they're doing it. Bank Pekao, ING, Santander, Mbank and PKO are all good bets.
Getting around
Trams are fun
There's a great app called Jakdojade that can help you plan your route but a good start would be the Number 8 that goes from the stop called "Batorego" on Karmelicka (outside the bakery not the one outside Kwadrans Bistro) down through the old town, through Kazimierz and over the river to Podgórze.
Unless you're going somewhere very far away, a 4zł ticket is your best bet. It lasts 20 minutes and you'll very likely be at your destination before that. You can buy a ticket on the tram but don't forget to stick it into one of the little validating machines to get the time printed on it.