Where to have lunch on the go Krakow

Zapiekanka is one of the Cracow specialties, despite its origin in neighboring Czech Republic. Nevertheless, it is here that this street food has gained its credentials and has become a trend throughout Poland. The ground zero of this phenomenon is the former slaughterhouse-market that stands in the middle of Nowy Square. The vast majority of its stalls have been converted to making these bruschetta covered with melted oscypek cheese. Small rule: limit the ingredients to the maximum and beware of the sauce, it stains very quickly.

You won't find authentic Mleczny Bars on the city's main thoroughfares, for the simple reason that the proletariat and the workers who go there aren't present. The Mila is one of the rare exceptions, frequented as it is by local workers and students. You'll get the full immersion experience: the tiny room with its canteen-style tables is manned by impatient matrons who don't speak a word of English, amid the heavy fumes of potato pans. The menu, untranslated, is ridiculously low-priced.

A small, vaulted room not far from the Rynek, this milk bar is slightly more expensive than the others. Nonetheless, this is an excellent address, perfect for lunch. Simple, fast food.

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.

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.