Restaurants in Krakow – Supreme guide to eat delicious!

Every trip to the next country or city is connected with food. No wonder – eating is an essential part of learning about a new culture! So if you are planning an amazing trip to Krakow, you have to know where to find the best restaurants in Krakow as well!

Don’t book a table without being sure!

Your trip is too short for tasteless meals!

Thanks to this article, you will know exactly where to go for a tasty breakfast, nice lunch and a very good dinner in Krakow.

What is Krakow’s gastronomy like?

The popularity of eating out in Poland is still growing. Poles go to restaurants more often and spend more money there than ever before. The quality of ordered food is also becoming more and more important for them. Thanks to that we can observe as new restaurants are still opening around and the served food is getting better and better.

As one of the biggest Polish cities, Krakow offers the huge variety of restaurants. Here you can find all types of restaurants and all kinds of kitchen.

Excellent high-level restaurant? Cosy bistro? Fast food truck? Krakow is well prepared for all these options, no matter what kind of dish are you looking for!

One one hand Krakow is known for its regional cuisine and restaurants with many years of tradition. On the other hand, the city attracts modern and bold chefs who open original and delicious places there.

Do you want to know, how much will you pay?

Prices in Krakow restaurants are divergent. You will pay only a few zlotys for yummy fast food (2 Euros), 20-30 zlotys (7 Euros) for a nice lunch and even 60 zlotys (15 Euros) for excellent dinner in an exclusive restaurant. Add the price of a possible starter, dessert and drinks to this amount.

Don’t be surprised if you find polish cuisine on the most menus. Polish people love their national dishes, and you will fall in love with them as well.

You can not leave Krakow without trying:

• kotlet schabowy (pork chop)
  
• gołąbki (meat and rice stuffing wrapped in a cabbage leaf)
• żurek (sour soup)
• pierogi (dumplings)
• and many more!

At least try them twice: in traditional places serving “Polish mother’s kitchen” and in modern restaurants in Krakow as well!

Now you know what to look for, but do you know where all these places are?

Where to find restaurants in Krakow?

The answer is… almost everywhere!

But what is the best area to look for some Krakow restaurants? Main square and the streets next to it.

Krakow main square is filled with restaurants which usually serve really good food.

But the prices may be higher and looking for a free table can be problematic there.

So don’t be afraid and also check some other districts of Krakow. It can be a nice walk, though!

Let’s take a look for Kazimierz:

As you can see, there are many restaurants as well.

Restaurants in Kazimierz are usually visited by local people and students of Krakow Universities, so you can feel the atmosphere of real Krakow there.

That’s why, when preparing our compilation, we have chosen restaurants from various parts of the city.

In those places, you will find all types of meals and various cuisines.

So let’s go!

Best restaurants in Krakow

Getting hungry after Krakow grand tour? Go straight to the place, that you will love!

Check our lists of top 5 restaurants in Krakow for magnificent dinner, easy lunch, lovely breakfast, cracking fast food or healthy vegetarian meal.

Top 5 Krakow elegant restaurants

Do you want to have some high-level dinner, together with starter and dessert? Or maybe take a girlfriend for a romantic date?

Gąska

Limanowskiego 1

Gąska is a quite new restaurant in the centre of Krakow’s Podgórze. Its speciality is a goose, potato pancakes and other Polish dishes. This restaurant should not be missed. Word “delicious” does not even begin to describe their food – true Polish food at it’s finest. The restaurant itself is very cosy with fast and friendly service and reasonable prices. Your evening there will be amazing!

Do you want to visit a slightly less official place? Or just looking for some tasty lunch or a quick meeting with a friend?

Top 5 restaurants in Krakow for lunch

In these places you will have a great time and a lovely lunch:

Zenit

Miodowa 19

Miodova has great, artistic atmosphere and the whole place are very nice. The food is very creative so if you like to try out something new – you will love it. The restaurant is located in Kazimierz, so you can go there after Kazimierz Jewish Quarter Walking Tour. Waiters are super nice and helpful so you’re going to feel like at home. In the summertime, you can choose a table outside. You won’t forget it!

Zalewajka

Wąska 2

Zalewajka is the perfect place which offers the combination of traditional and modern Polish cuisine. Stylish and warm interior, modern and open kitchen and delicious homemade is a short description of this restaurant. Dumplings, stuffed cabbage, potato pancakes and pork chop are just some of the delicacies that you can admire there. The menu is composed so that everyone can find something for themselves.

Karakter

Brzozowa 17

Karakter is a “restaurant with character”, so you can expect there tasty, original dishes and unique interior as well. It has a very interesting menu and the quality of both food and drinks is very good. Surprising combinations of flavours and really nice wine are the showcases of this place. Do not forget to order goat cheesecake with beetroot ice cream! A different universe of the taste!

Alchemia od Kuchni

Estery 5

Alchemia od Kuchni believes that there is nobility in simplicity. That is why the menu is quite short. It includes breakfasts, snacks, street food, main courses, burgers and salads. The dishes are varied, and simple in some way. Everything is made of only a few ingredients and fresh products. But don’t worry – portions are very solid! You have to know that the restaurant makes its own sausages and bakes its own rolls!

Barka

Podgórska, 16

Barka restaurant is located on the boat on Vistula river. It’s a great, friend  d multifunctional place for everyone! You can eat there an amazing lunch, drink cold beer and dance a little in the evening. Everything with beautiful river view. Its really original place with lovely staff. Very relaxing and very different than you can find in Krakow. Try their chicken, gnocchi and burger – you won’t regret!

Don’t you have time for a lunch or dinner? Go and grab some fast food!

Top 5 fast food places in Krakow

We all (from time to time) love burgers, french fries and some other unhealthy food.

You can find it in Krakow in food trucks and some small restaurants as well.

Here’s our top 5:

Streat Slow Food

Kupa 10

Streat Slow Food is the first food truck in Krakow referring to the American tradition of mobile cuisine. The restaurant serves fast dishes of the highest quality. The whole food is prepared with an idea of the slow food movement. It has own vegetable breeding and uses only carefully selected products without chemicals and preservatives. All sauces and are prepared on the spot as well. Warning: probably the best burgers in town!

Robimy Pierogi

Different places in Krakow

Robimy Pierogi is a small gastronomic food truck. They prepare high-quality dumplings without the use of preservatives and improvers. The dumplings are made only by hands and with traditional, family recipes. The perfect taste is the secret of high quality, natural ingredients. Their dumplings taste delicious. You can have them cooked, fried, with onion, bacon, butter or cream – the way you like it. And you will like them all!

Andrus Food Truck

Św. Wawrzyńca 16

“Maczanka” is a speciality of Andrus Food Truck. It is traditional Krakow dish with several centuries-old traditions. Andrus has created the first and only “maczanka” street food in Krakow. It’s the combination of a traditional recipe and a modern form of serving. You can expect a pork meat marinated for two days, then baked for a long time at a low temperature. The meat is served on a hand-made roll. Real polish food-porn!

Bar Namaxa

Plac Nowy 4B

Zapiekanka is famous polish street-food and Krakow is known for the best zapiekankas in the whole country. Kazimierz district is probably the best place to try them, but you may have a problem to choose the one place. That’s why we recommend you Bar Namaxa. It’s also a local choice. What zapiekanka is? It’s half-cut baguette baked with vegetables, meat, mushrooms and cheese on the top. Tastes delicious especially with extra sauce!

Jadło na Kółkach

Piastowska 20

Jadło na Kółkach is a food truck which offers great hot-dogs. They are inspired by cuisine from around the world, so you can try untypical hot-dog, like never before. Jadło makes also fries from various vegetables. Thier menu is still changing so you have to follow the fan page to keep up! Forget about boring hot-dog with ketchup only. Thanks to Jadło na Kółkach you will discover this fast-food again!

Do you want to start the day in Krakow with delicious breakfast?

Don’t forget to visit one of those charming places:

Top 5 restaurants in Krakow for breakfast

No matter what kind of breakfast is your favourite one, those amazing restaurants will impress you:

Bunkier Cafe

Pl. Szczepański 3A

Bunkier Cafe is an amazing place on the Krakow restaurants map. It’s located in the middle of the Planty Gardens and is open for guests for all year. It has no walls during warm seasons but you can admire the park also in winter. Bunkier Cafe is connected with an art-gallery so you already know where to go after the delicious breakfast. This place is beloved by both, locals and tourist.

Wesoła Cafe

Rakowicka 17

Wesoła Cafe serves delicious breakfasts and lunches since 2014. Everything is prepared daily with fresh, seasonal ingredients. For dessert, you’ll find there a large selection of various homemade, delicious desserts and cakes as well as fresh juices and smoothies. In the evenings you can sit with a beer from a local brewery or Italian wine. You can recognize this place by funny neon which calls “It’s better to drink coffee than don’t”.

Kolanko No 6

Józefa 17

Kolanko No 6 is the restaurant combined with a place of cultural events. They’ve started in 2002 with a tiny bar serving pancakes. Today it is a large and full restaurant serving many interesting dishes. Clients appreciate its tasty meals and relaxed atmosphere. There is a large veranda open to the charming garden at the back of the restaurant. You will love their breakfast menu!

Gossip Cafe

Zwierzyniecka 4

Gossip Cafe has probably the best coffee in Krakow served by fantastic, always smiling service. But that’s not all! They offer delicious pastries, breakfasts, lunches, tarts, salads as well. Be patient when coming to this small restaurant – you will most likely have to wait for a table. But it’s worth it! Everything is made fresh and you can taste the freshness of your first bite.

Smakołyki

Straszewskiego 28

In Smakołyki’s menu, you will find traditional Polish dishes but also a lot of most interesting flavours from around the world. The unique atmosphere and friendly service perfectly harmonize with the beautiful view through the huge site on Planty and the old buildings of the Jagiellonian University. Breakfasts are a strong point of that place, but don’t forget to try their all dishes!

Of course, we have not forgotten about vegetarian and vegan.

There are plenty of restaurants in Krakow that serve very healthy, non-meat dishes.

Their food will amaze all meat-lovers as well!

Top 5 vegetarian restaurants in Krakow

Ready for a big portion of vegetables?

Zielona Kuchnia

Grabowskiego 8

Zielona Kuchnia serves dishes that are not only healthy but also very tasty. The food is really fresh and always presented amazingly. The service is really pleasant and the atmosphere is friendly as well. You will be surprised how much healthy food you can have for a really good price. In the summertime try to find a free table in their lovely garden. Zielona Kuchnia is like a wonderland!

Glonojad

Vegab

Veganic

Dolnych Młynów 10

Veganic is a restaurant with a new, veggie, vegan and gluten-free dishes prepared from seasonal vegetables, groats, cereals, seeds, nuts and fruits. Everything is served in strong-flavored compositions. In Veganic you will find also a large bar with a selection of craft beers, wines and colourful cocktails made of vegetables, herbs and fruits. If you have kids – take them with you! They won’t be bored there as well!

WieloPole3

Wielopole 3

WieloPole’s cuisine is a place where the Polish flavours are crossed with discoveries of scientists about the unusual properties of food. Results? The dishes that are a fusion of the most valuable plant ingredients with delicious superfoods from the farthest places of the world. Dishes from that restaurant are especially recommended for people with chronical problems, like diabetes, elevated cholesterol or overweight. Healthy and delicious!

Now you will never be hungry in Krakow again!

Restaurants in Krakow to avoid

Krakow is famous for many great restaurants.

But it doesn’t mean there are no bad places as well.

So if you want to find some restaurant on your own, be careful and:

• Do not enter into the restaurants without anyone guest inside. It can be a sign, that food is just awful there (unless they’ve just opened the door).
• Go away if the staff is rude or did not notice your present for longer than few minutes.
• Check if the tables are clean. If they’re not, this may mean that they do not care about guests.
• Take a deep breath and smell the air. If you can not feel the fetching scent of the food – better go somewhere else.
• Read the whole menu at the beginning. Is it definitely too long? If so, dishes may be stale or prepared from frozen food.

We hope that it will help you find some perfect place!

Useful tips before a feast

Usually, restaurants in Krakow has the same level of the service as restaurants in any other big city in Europe. That is why you won’t feel the difference (except an amazing taste of Polish food!) during your visits. Anyway, we have prepared some nice tips for you. Thanks to them you’re going to feel more confident and relaxed.

• Tipping in Poland is not compulsory but of course, you can tip the service if it was really good.
• Free tap water in restaurants is not very popular. Usually, you have to order something extra for a drink.
• Always ask the waiter if there is some special dish of the day or seasonal menu.

• Check some reviews of the restaurant you have chosen. You can find it on social media, rankings or just ask the local people. You can also trust us and pick one of our top restaurants in Krakow list.
• If you will fall in love with the taste of Polish cuisine, be sure to join the food tour: the taste of Poland. You can also start your visit in Krakow this way and quickly become an expert of Polish home-food.

Enjoy your meal – summary