The best restaurants Little Poland

Sometimes you just want a kebab. Despite all our common sense and the nearby zapiekanka, it's the kebab we're after. In this situation, we might as well go to the best kebab in the neighborhood, certainly the best in town. This family-run bouiboui, where you can sit if you really feel like it, serves an excellent German-style doner. You choose your meat from the three skewers, then you choose your pita (the simplest being thick and covered with flour) and finally your sauce, which is very good and really strong: don't play the hero.

This little eatery, whose bar takes up most of the space, has conquered the hearts of the neighborhood with lightning speed. It has accomplished the feat of importing the habit of morning hummus to Krakow and converting a whole host of devotees. Although not exactly as good as back home, it's still excellent and makes for a top-quality breakfast. Of course, it's not just hummus you'll find here, and all sorts of Levantine specialities are on the menu. All in all, it's a delight from morning to night, you eat light and leave with a smile on your face.

This is the restaurant of chef Tomasz Leśniak, who cut his teeth for ten years at the Sheraton and is now the official chef of the Polish national soccer team. His ambition is clearly to win Michelin stars. Will he succeed? Certainly. The cuisine is excellent, particularly the steak (which would be criminal to miss), and the setting is fantastic, especially on the terrace. However, service, food and wine pairings and the sometimes crude experimental gastronomy are still lacking.

This Italian bistro with a modern, sober and friendly decoration with its beige and white dominants is a good contemporary trattoria that does not inflate its bill. It is also one of the only Italian restaurants in the city to offer gluten-free pasta. Everything is good and homemade with love, especially the fresh pasta in the morning. The atmosphere is family friendly, the small terrace at the entrance of the restaurant overlooks the church of Saint Mary and the wine list (mainly Italian varietals) is skillfully composed to please the palate.

Charlotte and Scandal are neighbors and together create a small island of ease and trendy party on Szczepańsk Square. The restaurant brings above all a refined setting an original modern and catch-all menu that mixes French dishes as well as Polish or Asian specialties. This clever mix, if not very great cuisine, is successful and appreciated by the executives of the neighborhood. In the basement, the room is arranged around a stage where musicians, comedians and magicians perform once a month

One of the most popular restaurants among locals. It serves excellent Polish cuisine of well above-average quality. The dishes are carefully presented, and the atmosphere is charming and festive in the three rooms decorated with artefacts and equestrian motifs such as colourful Cossacks or hunters with trophies in hand. The menu changes with the season, but you'll always find game and vegetarian options. The restaurant is also family-friendly, with a children's menu, adapted chairs and even a dedicated play corner.

Located in a cellar of one of the beautiful Armenian houses in the city center, not far from the city hall, this restaurant is specialized and even rather famous ten years ago in Polish cuisine and has seen over the years many great personalities. Although its star has faded somewhat, its traditional cuisine remains formidable, mixing local specialties with Jewish and Armenian dishes on its menu. The soups in particular are delicious. We recommend it for an atmospheric dinner in town.

The "Guardhouse" is a restaurant-cafe on the Rynek, which you should not miss: overlooking the square, its terrace is set high up on a small shady knoll. It is very popular for good reasons. First of all, it is very pleasant. Then, its rather trendy atmosphere joins its cuisine, which is very good, especially the naleśniki. The desserts are hearty. From a certain hour, it is the only somewhat lively place in the sleepy downtown Sandomierz. A must visit for a sweet break.

We find this modern cafe at the roundabout Mogilskie, after the opera, in a building that looks like a chalet. Pizzas, pierogis, salads: The card is diverse, but the dishes are successful and adapt to every taste. The place lends itself to a small stop to take a drink. Just steps from the Chopin hotel, it is an ideal place to take a few moments away from the bustling tourist activity of the city centre.

Nowa Huta's central milk bar is part of a well-established chain. Its stodgy, proletarian appearance is completely reminiscent of the socialist era, which is particularly easy to do in this neighborhood. The room is very large, and looks like a canteen. The menu, typical of these establishments, is obviously not translated, so you'll have to draw on your best Polish pronunciation or find a generous customer to translate for you, because the staff won't have the patience to please you. A 100% authentic experience.

Renowned on the gastronomic scene, the Albertina's chef's menu is designed to match food and wine (the wine waiter will suggest a new pairing between each course). The menu highlights the richness of Poland's terroir, with an emphasis on game and fish. The food is very good, the gourmet dishes mastered and the presentation pleasing. The chic, understated decor lets you concentrate on your meal. Have dessert!

The Gossip is well known, the Gossip is very popular. It is one of the best placed on Trip Advisor and a favorite of tourists looking for breakfast or a late brunch. We tell you here, its reputation is not unfounded: we eat very well, the room is nice and the terrace is pleasant in summer. On the other hand, it is getting a bit old and more sophisticated and much quieter alternatives exist in town for those who want to get off the beaten track. For the others, we recommend the bagels and sandwiches, as well as the homemade smoothie.

Plac Nowy 1 is the emblem of Kazimierz's transformation. This popular local restaurant is housed in a large, industrial-inspired building divided into 3 different rooms, with large bay windows and modern accents of copper and concrete. The menu is all-you-can-eat, and its execution is simple but effective. It's renowned for its burgers, so much so that adjacent office workers order theirs in advance so they can enjoy it on their lunch break. In the basement is Krakow's only bowling alley!

In a trendy setting of photos, he proposes a simple brewery menu over a drink. Continuing, you will discover the Scandale Garden under a glass roof that opens for the sunny days when the Grill offers you a more complete menu of meats and fish whose quality is renowned in the city. Flat screens, good music, sofas to relax and even jazz evenings some evenings, in short a friendly space to enjoy. Be careful, despite this huge space, it is often full on weekends.

Michelin-starred gourmet BIB restaurant (i.e. good value for money) that plays with Polish cuisine. Its chef, Robert Koczwara, adapts the dishes to his own liking for a final rendering of great subtlety, which surprises as much by its staging as by its flavors. The restaurant is committed to ecological practices, its menu follows the seasons and its ingredients are all sourced from producers without preservatives. The dining room, a superb vaulted brick cellar, is modern and pleasant. We recommend the Fiorentina steak.

This inexpensive, trendy restaurant chain is a big hit in the city. You can either order pizzas made to order in the style of a Subway, or be served good little dishes from the menu. The result is decent, not too industrial or sloppy, as is often the case in this kind of business (as far as the made-to-measure pizza is concerned, the result is up to you). The room is often full and very noisy, the waiters a little overworked and more concerned with getting you off the floor than making you feel at ease.

Well Done satisfies Krakow's American fad, offering as authentic an experience as possible in its retro dining room, which still retains a touch of auteur design. The menu covers as many American specialties as possible, from milkshakes and sex on the beach to burritos, burger n'fries, taquitos, pancake mountains, sauce-covered ribs... you get the idea. Well Done also serves a European version, healthier but just as desirable. Another argument in its favor: the prices, quite low.

In a quiet street, not far from the Wysoka synagogue, this restaurant with a Mediterranean decoration, sober and bright, is specialized in Polish cuisine... but not just any cuisine, it is an authentic grandmother's cuisine that fills the stomach and regulates the hunger in the world (or at least your caloric intake of the week)! This is a very nice address, not to be missed, in the heart of the Jewish Quarter. Especially if you are a big eater, or simply hungry: you won't be disappointed by the size of the dishes served.

A milk bar frequented by locals, where you can eat like the Polish kings, well and plenty, at unbeatable prices. Go with your eyes closed and your mouth wide open!

Formerly located on Plac Nowy in Kazimierz, Meat & Go quickly found its place in Tytano. The idea is simple: this meat bar offers knockout sandwiches with high-quality products, including its Porchetta, an Italian-inspired roast pork sandwich served with caramelized onions and salad leaves. The atmosphere is trendy and relaxed, with large tables above which light globes float. A very nice place where you can take your time and have a break in your day.

In one of the most beautiful buildings in the main market square is the Wentzl, one of the very beautiful tables of the city and its elegant pre-war framework. Rich interior, dark wood and with voluptuous curtains, bouquets of flowers, white tablecloths. European dishes, refined and a seasonal menu to highlight local products. One of Cracow's most recommended tables.

In a very pleasant dining room with comfortable banquettes and exposed stone walls, this is an excellent vegetarian and vegan address. The menu is just as good, with a range of Polish, French and Asian-inspired dishes. The place is cosy, the service young and English-speaking. Ideal for a late breakfast on weekends (served until 1pm). The coffee is organic, the wine at the bar is organic and the cocktails are vegetable-based. In summer, you can relax in the pleasant garden. Definitely an address to try out in Krakow.

Opened in 1364, it is the oldest restaurant in Krakow, the venerable grandfather of the city's gastronomic tradition. It is located in two historical buildings and has eight rooms, each with a different decor, absolutely exceptional and sumptuous in the tradition of the aristocratic palace and overlooking the market square. On the menu, a prince's meal, not too gastronomic: lobster soup, quail, venison, wild boar, roast duck with apples and for the gourmets an excellent chocolate fondant. It also serves as a café and tea room.

This is a history buff's restaurant, featuring a very neat historical interior with animal and chivalric motifs. The name of the place itself is a reference to Nobel Prize winner Sienkiewicz's epic dealing with the war between Cossacks and Poles. The dishes, researched in the university library, are also old recipes. In short, it is a paradise for enthusiasts and a real gustatory journey to discover a disappeared world. Everything is good and their beautiful vodka list is a wonderful accompaniment.

This restaurant offers excellent French cuisine in a tasteful, typically Polish setting. A selection of French wines purchased directly from producers in all regions. Impeccable service. Luxury apartments with splendid views can be rented above the restaurant. The decor is superb and has been collected from the owners' travels. And let's not forget Le Fumoir: a space decorated in the style of the 1930s where you can enjoy your digestif, accompanied by a good cigar.

This restaurant is part of the same complex as Oberża Sąsiadów (Neighbors' Inn, Neighbors' Restaurant). Folkloristic, it serves delicious Polish cuisine in costume in beautiful exposed brick rooms, including a superb vaulted room. Fine, traditional Polish dishes, with a typical atmosphere.

Located on the square behind the Barbacane, this restaurant excels in the preparation of typical Eastern Polish cuisine. Frontier specialties are not so different from the rest of Slavic fare, but the emphasis is on game and rare meats, and it's unusual to see dishes so well executed. The dishes served are quite refined and very good, in a rustic "grandma's house" decor and warm atmosphere. To top it all off, the waitresses are dressed in traditional costumes.

It's a comfortable pied-à-terre for many travelers who happen to visit Krakow on a regular basis. Indeed, Koko combines authentic Polish cuisine, with a room set in a vaulted cellar with mismatched vintage furniture typical of Krakow, a warm and relaxed service staff and very reasonable prices that make you happy. You'll feel right at home back in Krakow in this friendly restaurant, with a pint of pivo in one hand and a plate of pierogi in the other!

A veritable institution in the city, the equivalent of our kebabs and fast-food outlets open at all hours to fill a sudden slump. Very few places in Krakow stay open until late at night, and Przypiecek is one of the Poles' favorites. On the menu: good pierogi and pierogi and more pierogi to kill hunger at all hours. It could hardly be more local, served in a dingy room by staff who don't speak a word of English, despite the dozens of generations of Erasmus students who have failed here.

Every Wednesday and Saturday from 7 pm (and some other days on request), Marta, who created the excellent website of good addresses in Krakow local-life.com, welcomes up to 12 people to her home for a memorable dinner. Anyone can sit at her table! She cooks a delicious three-course Polish meal, with beer or wine included, served in her apartment. Her site is home to other guests who are attracted to this principle and are scattered all over the city. It's a unique chance to see the other side of the city.

Simple setting and food, but this milk bar is one of the most popular in town.

This pub-restaurant is one of the most pleasant in the neighborhood, which is not easy to do in Kazimierz. In the summer, you can relax in the garden on the large open terrace lined with wood, and in the winter, you can enjoy the warmth of the large adjacent veranda. The openness of the room, the omnipresence of varnished wood, the welcoming architecture full of curious curiosities create an atmosphere that invites you to escape. The kitchen is light and produces a variety of soups, salads, toasts and naleszniki . In the summer, many of the farm's dairy products can be found on the table.

This trendy Polish restaurant, a little out of the way, is very bright, with a large bay window opening onto a mezzanine. It's a Polish restaurant where you can settle down for a French-style dinner for a few hours and watch the night set over the Planty. The relaxed atmosphere, the coffee, the locally-produced beers and the simple but delicious and inexpensive Polish dishes prepared here all contribute to the charm of the place. The restaurant occasionally organizes live concerts, sometimes even featuring big international names.

The trendy locals didn't wait for this restaurant to be recommended by the Michelin guide to occupy it in numbers. It is located on the first floor of the Stary, one of the most luxurious hotels in Krakow. The dining room is very distinguished, in a spacious cellar with beautiful vaulted ceilings and cross-beams with alcoves and exposed brickwork. The gastronomic menu changes with the seasons, and features Polish products cooked in the European style, alongside traditional dishes (try pasta with lobster or foie gras with pears).

The two Warsztat' in Kazimierz are a sure bet among the addresses favored by young Krakowites. Excellent value for money for pasta, pizzas, salads and dishes, a striking decor and efficient service. But the love of the owner, Witold, for the real Polish cuisine pushed him to make his third address a Polish Warsztat! Family recipes, traditional, with fresh and seasonal products... and you can feel it in the dishes, always copious and at very good prices. No reason not to enjoy it!

A steakhouse with a trendy and warm decoration, where you can enjoy yourself. Its chef, Adam Chrząstowski, is a true lover of Polish meat and it shows in the plate. The result: a delicacy that melts in your mouth. His technique of dry-aging his meat for about 60 days decided him to open an artisanal cannery where he sells his products. They can be kept for two years. The kitchen is open, ideal to follow the cooking of your meat. The homemade terrine, served on a crispy pork skin, is to die for.

The cultural center in Nowa Huta has been rehabilitated in recent years and, to ensure that locals make it their own, a Food Truck Park has been installed there. In the same spirit as those in Kazimierz and downtown, on Lekowka, Świętego Wawrzyńca and Krupnicza streets respectively (which did not have the honor of their own section in the guidebook), there are half a dozen good quality stalls serving street food. Tables set up at regular intervals allow for dining, or in the summer you can eat on the Łąki Nowohuckie park.

A large, trendy American-style room in a post-industrial cellar with brick walls, wooden floors and spotlights on every table. A large bar takes up part of the interior, and as the evening progresses, the place fills up with young drinkers. The restaurant's atmosphere is definitely party-oriented. In terms of cuisine, it serves meat (of good quality) and burgers (a little too heavy and average for the price). It remains one of the city's great restaurants, and the atmosphere is pleasant.