The best restaurants Krakow

Located in a 14th century building, it is the most elaborate rustic restaurant in town, which also serves a selection of European dishes (especially Italian). The interior decoration is very successful and evokes a small village in the Polish countryside and conveys an intimate and friendly atmosphere. The Polish cuisine served is of good quality and well presented, at fairly modest prices. It is a well-known address that is well placed and known by tourists, so it is better to book in advance during the summer

A small vaulted room close to Rynek, this milk bar is slightly more expensive than the other. This is an excellent address, perfect for lunch at noon. Simple and fast kitchen.

Not far from Collegium Maius, delicious Polish cuisine and menu in French.

Polakowski is an improved mleczny bar that serves workers and tourists typical Polish food at good prices in a simple and warm setting. As in all Polish canteens, the meal is ordered directly at the counter and it is better to know in advance what you are taking so as not to provoke the ire of the rest of the queue. The space, as often, is a bit limited, but the folkloristic decoration makes it warm. Very good address in terms of quality/price ratio.

Located not far from the Wawel, Golonkarnia specializes in golonka, an ancestral dish very popular in Poland, based on pork shank and vegetables. Apart from golonka, in this very Polish restaurant you can taste a whole range of traditional meat dishes from the peasant tradition. The cuisine is therefore merciless to your liver and cholesterol, "a bit heavy" to put it mildly, but you will enjoy it like at grandma's in the village and you are sure to leave satisfied.

In the middle of a tourist street, "sous les anges" is a charming establishment that stands out above the competition. Its main level is a copy of a colorful antique palace and its basement is made of a maze of authentic small rustic cellars dating from the 13th century with a superb peasant decoration. The Polish cuisine is masterful and good, while the service, fast and jovial, is flawless. To compensate, the prices on the menu are higher than elsewhere, while remaining reasonable.

If you like herring and want to feel like a real Pole, this is the place to come. It is probably the best herring bar in the city and for really affordable prices

An honest little restaurant/snack bar with a unique, well-designed and pleasant room where you can enjoy a range of Polish specialties. The menu includes, in addition to soups, pierogi, potato pancakes and classic grilled meats, a set of homemade pancakes, including one with oscypek cheese from Zakopane that we recommend. The dishes are unpretentious, copious and very good, for a price that is also appreciable. We recommend the pierogi, one of the most appreciated specialties of the regulars.

Very welcoming self-service restaurant, with wood interior decoration, and where you can enjoy dishes of Polish cuisine at affordable prices.

Located just behind the MOCAK museum and the Schindler factory, the Bal is the opposite of a typical Krakow restaurant. If the entrance is more like a warehouse, don't be fooled by appearances: inside you'll find a bright, creative restaurant-café with white walls, large wooden tables and a decor that has been stripped of all unnecessary details. A pleasant terrace is revealed in summer, while an alternative cultural program takes place there all year long. A very nice address that contributes to the charm of this arts district.

If you want to experience a meal on board a barge in Krakow, this is the place to come. This 1889 Dutch river barge moored on the Vistula River at the foot of the pedestrian bridge that connects Kazimierz to Podgórze has been beautifully modernized by Polish craftsmen to great effect. The long room has beautiful wooden floors and a fireplace. It is a particularly pleasant place to go on a nice summer day. The cuisine consists of Polish specialties and seafood.

Splendid address absolutely ignored by the tourists, this restaurant Georgian guarantees an unforgettable experience of ethnic cuisine. Primarily meat tasty dishes, even if the vegetarians find their happiness also there, hearty portions, Georgian wines at ridiculous prices, merry and friendly atmosphere. Khinkali, khachapuri, kharcho: it will be a real pleasure!

"Long ago in Kazimierz..." is a restaurant with an atmosphere immersed in the Jewish past of Kazimierz. Good Jewish cuisine in an enchanting and exotic setting that aims to reproduce the atmosphere of the old stores and workshops of the early twentieth century. Its facade is still decorated with the signs of yesteryear and the windows, like the interior, display the products of an era lost during the war. The food is good (breakfast is served until 1am) and there are often Klezmer concerts for dinner. We highly recommend it.

In a vaulted cellar with a rustic and friendly décor, this restaurant offers Polish dishes, but also Spanish and Italian cuisine. Rich and well-executed dishes. However, we still wonder whether this head printed on the wall was really necessary to complete this decor…

In Nowa Huta you can't find much except milk bars (which is slowly changing). Stylowa is an exception. This restaurant, once one of the most prestigious in the city, is a local legend. It has kept the same interior for thirty years, probably the same menu, and a rather unique socialist atmosphere. While it used to be in its prime, it has lost its charm since it was repainted and the restaurant's disco closed. Go there anyway, there is a powerful spirit of nostalgia.

Ariel is the Revivaliste establishment of Kazimierz par excellence! The establishment is designed to honour Polish Jewish culture and Gastronomy. In addition to the delicious traditional dishes meticulously worked, the main private art collection of the city, be it antique and modern. Visited by Steven Spielberg during the filming of Schindler's List, Ariel offers a friendly atmosphere, rocked most of the time by traditional Jewish music in the evening. Of course, the place is now very tourist and a very high price practice… Ariel Ariel is an ideal place to immerse itself in the tradition of Kazimierz.

Excellent carpaccio, delicious pizza.

Chic but friendly, this restaurant offers authentic, Polish, French, Italian and American cuisine of excellent quality. The location is very well-known for its American-style breakfasts, including cakes from maple syrup, very good, rich and cheap.

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.

The central milk bar in Nowa Huta is part of a well-established chain. It's stodgy and 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 and you will have to draw on your best pronunciation of Polish or find a generous customer who will do the translation because the staff will not have the patience to please you. A 100% authentic experience.

Renowned on the gastronomic scene, the Albertina seduces by its chef's menu, thought for its food and wine pairing (the wine waiter will come between each dish to suggest a new one). The menu highlights the richness of the Polish terroir, with a large part given to game and fish. The food is very good, the gastronomic dishes are mastered and the presentation is pleasant. The decoration, very (too?) sober, allows you to concentrate on your meal. Have a 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 the transformation of Kazimierz. This restaurant, very popular with the locals, is located in a large building with an industrial style of inspiration, divided into 3 different rooms, with large windows and modern accents of copper and concrete. The menu is all-you-can-eat and its execution is simple but effective. It's known for its burgers, so much so that adjacent office workers order theirs in advance to enjoy on their lunch break. In the basement is the only bowling alley in Krakow!

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.

Gourmet BIB restaurant with a Michelin rating (i.e. good value for money) that plays with Polish cuisine. Its chef Robert Koczwara adapts the dishes to his own taste for a final rendering of great subtlety, which surprises as much by its staging as by its flavors. The restaurant strives to be environmentally friendly, its menu follows the seasons and its ingredients are all raw from producers without preservatives. The room, a superb vaulted brick cellar, is modern and pleasant. We recommend the steak Fiorentina.

This trendy and expensive restaurant chain is a big hit in the city. You can either order pizzas made to order like a Subway, or you can get good food from the menu. The result is correct, not too industrial or sloppy, as it is often the case in this kind of business (as far as the custom-made pizza is concerned, the result will depend on you). The room is often full and very noisy, the waiters a bit overworked and more concerned with making you clear the floor than with making you feel comfortable.

Well Done satisfies the American craving of Krakowites, offering as authentic an experience as possible in its retro dining room that still retains a touch of authorial 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 the premises, where you eat like Polish king, well and much, at prices that defy all competition. Get your eyes closed, but 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.

An excellent vegetarian and vegan address. As soon as you enter, the tone is set: big boxes of fruits and vegetables are displayed near the counter. The menu is just as good: mushroom-tomato quiche, chocolate-beetroot cake, tofu-mango cheesecake. The place is cosy, with its wooden floor, its large central bar, its comfortable benches; the service is 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.

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 typically Polish décor of very good taste. A selection of French wines purchased directly from producers in all regions. An impeccable service. Possibility to rent high-standing apartments over the restaurant with a splendid view. An exceptional decoration, and it is made through the trips of the owners in the art deco years. Not to mention Le Fumoir: A space decorated in the style of the 1930 s where you can taste your digestive or a simple glass in good chairs, accompanied by a good cigar with a jazz group sometimes.

This restaurant is part of the same complex L Sąsiadów (Auberge des voisins, restaurant des voisins)… Folklorisant, it serves as a costume of delicious Polish cuisine in beautiful pieces of apparent bricks, including a beautiful vaulted piece. Traditional and traditional Polish dishes with a typical ambience.

Located on the square behind the Barbican, this restaurant excels in preparing typical Eastern Polish cuisine. The specialties of the border are not so different from the rest of the Slavic dishes, but make a great part of game and rare meats, and it is uncommon to see dishes so well done. Those served are quite refined and very good, in a rustic "grandmother's house" decoration and a warm atmosphere. To add a layer, the waitresses are dressed in traditional costumes.

It is the comfortable home away from home for many travelers who regularly come to Krakow by chance. Indeed, Koko combines authentic Polish cuisine with a room installed 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. We feel very well back in Krakow in this nice restaurant, with a pint of pivo in one hand, a plate of pierogi in the other!

A real institution in the city, the equivalent of our kebabs and fast-food restaurants open at all hours to fill a sudden slump. Very few places in Krakow stay open until late at night and Przypiecek is, among these places, the favorite of the Poles. The program includes good pierogi and pierogi and more pierogi to kill hunger at any time. You can hardly do more local, served in a shabby room by a staff that doesn't speak a word of English despite the dozens of generations of Erasmus students who have failed there.

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.

Setting and simple food, but this bar with milk is popular attractions of the city. 

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 Polish restaurant, a little out of the way with a trendy decor, is very bright, overlooking a large bay window and opening onto a mezzanine. It's a Polish place 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 contribute to the charm of the place. The restaurant organizes occasional live concerts, sometimes even with 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.