The best restaurants in Krakow

The best restaurants in Krakow

Krakow may not be on every foodie’s list as a place to seek out a great culinary experience, but those who are willing to wander will be greatly rewarded. The city is bursting with a variety of restaurants ranging from high-end hotspots to local, family-run cafés serving up traditional Polish dishes. International fare isn’t hard to find either, as are healthy and veggie options. Also, if you’re looking for great coffee, you won’t be short of choices.

Old Town

Chimera

Chimera has captured the hearts of Krakow’s salad lovers. With an amazing salad bar in their garden, you can get an affordable, nutritious lunch that’s also super quick. In addition, you’ll immediately notice after entering the gate that the place is beautifully decorated. Throughout the day you can nosh on the menu of the day (there’s always a few different options to choose from), and in the evening dine on a wonderful selection of Polish dishes. On weekends, quite often there are live music performances, and sometimes even theatre performances — all the more reason to stay and grab a bite to eat!

Address: św. Anny 3, Kraków, Poland.
Phone number: +48 12 292 12 12

Dynia

This friendly restaurant has a large garden, interesting interiors, and friendly, professional service. For lunch, we recommend trying the pumpkin soup and one of the homemade pasta dishes. If you’re looking to get your daily fruits or veggies, the juices are absolutely delicious. The highlight of Dynia is undoubtedly the breakfast — and the best part is that it’s served till midday! Brunch anyone?

Address: Krupnicza 20, 31-123 Kraków, Poland.
Phone number: +48 12 430 08 38

Zamieszanie

This small bar, despite only being on the city’s culinary map for a few months, has already garnered rave reviews. But as they only offering soups, many of you might be hesitant at first. Soup? Just soup? Why? If you’re not particularly fond of soup we promise that this will be the place to convert you and bring you over to the dark side (or the soup-ier side at least!). Every day you’ll find different two kinds of soup: one being more traditional and very Polish (usually tomato-based, or zurek), and the other more international (Moroccan, African, Asian, etc.). Minimal seating and simple decor cater towards those who like their food with no frills — simple, delicious, and quick.

Address: Rajska 20, 33-332 Kraków, Poland.
Phone number: +48 692 711 352

Polakowski

Polakowski is a self-service bar with strong ties to tradition. If you’re looking for some hearty, authentic Polish dishes, this is the place to visit. The walls are decorated with jars of sauerkraut and pickles — two things that true Poles cannot imagine their lives without! The atmosphere is rather cosy and sleepy, but pleasant and somewhat sentimental because of the old music playing in the background. Hits from the past like pre-war tangos and communist-era Polish beats can be heard, and add to the authentic feel of the place. Also, the scrumptious potato pancakes merit special attention — don’t leave without trying them!

Address: plac Wszystkich Świętych 10, 31-004 Kraków, Poland.
Phone number: +48 12 430 21 56

Kazimierz District

Ambasada Zupy

Grab yourself a hot bowl of soup at Ambasada Zupy

Grab yourself a hot bowl of soup at Ambasada Zupy

This new place serves up delicious soups — both Polish and international. The prices are good, the interior is pleasant, and the service, friendly. This is a great place to check out when all that you’re looking for is a good, nutritious lunch to fuel up for a day of exploring the town. Additionally, this is a great place when you need somewhere to just sit and think, or to people-watch, as there is ample seating by the windows that overlook a busy street.

Address: Mostowa 2, 31-061 Kraków, Poland.
Phone number: +48 793 570 828

Kuchnia u Doroty

This classic Polish restaurant serves some great soups, dumplings, potato pancakes, and other local delicacies. From Monday to Friday, a two-course menu of the day is set at a very affordable price. The place is usually filled at lunchtime with students and employees from nearby offices. Set in the heart of Kazimierz, a quiet, relaxed part of the city, Kuchnia u Doroty is the perfect spot to grab a bite to eat before or after sightseeing.

Address: Augustiańska 4, 31-064 Kraków, Poland.
Phone number: +48 517 945 338

Amazing food + amazing people = The Best. Day. Ever.

Amazing food + amazing people = The Best. Day. Ever.

Hummus Amamamusi

For those who like to take their sweet time eating, Hummus Amamamusi is definitely worth a visit because of the inspiring atmosphere and the spirit of the place. They have a wide variety of fresh handmade dishes, hummus, vegetables, and delicious, freshly brewed coffee on hand at all times. The owners take the time to prepare your food in front of you and have conversations about any topic you can think of — just the way people in Krakow like it.

Address: Meiselsa 4, Kraków, Poland.
Phone Number: +48 533 306 288

Ketchup, cheese, liberty: The legend of Poland’s zapiekanka

The zapiekanka (a long, open-faced sandwich) was a beloved piece of my childhood. But not only mine — it was a miracle treat for a whole generation of Polish children who discovered it at the end of ‘80s (and who still buy one from time to time for sentimental reasons).

I will never forget the white trailer that parked close to my family home, and the old lady who sold from its window this first Polish “fast food” — a hot baguette with cheese and mushrooms. Zapiekanka. If I close my eyes I can still smell it, and remember that feeling of happiness, waiting in a long queue to spend the first bit of pocket money offered by my wealthy uncle.

For those who didn’t grow up in Poland, it can be hard to believe that an ordinary piece of bread and toppings became so popular. But in the past, if you could prepare the real-deal zapiekanka at home for a party, you’d feel like a local hero.

Today, zapiekanka is sold with many additional toppings, such as meat, all sorts of vegetables and even pineapple rings, but to be honest, I’m convinced that the traditional version is the best. The secret is to have a fresh baguette, good-quality cheese and mushrooms, and to bake it in the stove instead of in a microwave. And besides, the true flavour of zapiekanka comes from its nostalgia, and no fancy new toppings can beat that.

In our youth, what really shaped the taste of zapiekanka was this special feeling of trying something new and unknown on the one hand, and prohibited and secret on the other. It was the taste of change. The first-ever capitalist fast food in Poland tasted like liberty, and liberty tasted like a mix of ketchup and fried cheese. These were times when pizza, hamburgers or sushi were not available at all, so zapiekanka reigned on the Polish streets and undoubtedly started the street food fashion that is still in progress in Poland.

#localsknow where to get authentic zapiekanka | Photo by Krakow Urban Adventures

#localsknow where to get authentic zapiekanka | Photo by Krakow Urban Tours

In Krakow, you can buy zapiekanka everywhere, but local residents know that there’s only one place where this special taste has survived the turbulent years of transformation. A microscopic shop in the middle of Sienna Street, a stone’s throw from the Main Market Square, Zapiekanki od 1980 roku still maintains tradition and, since 1980, has been selling true zapiekanka.

Ms Marta opened her shop at a time when the cracks in Poland’s Communist regime were starting to crumble; many say her stall was the first fast food restaurant in Krakow — a place where on-the-go meals were sold, flauting the law forbidding American-style cuisine. Her toasted open-faced sandwiches became a symbol of freedom, and eating one was a way of fighting the regime. Today, Marta’s shop doesn’t hold the same political power, but for the locals who remember, her simple sandwich holds heavy, nostalgic significance.

Even though her tiny shop is open from 10am to 7pm, her busiest time is the lunch rush between noon and 2pm. On any day, you’ll find a range of Krakow locals grabbing lunch — construction workers on break from street projects, professors from the university, actors from the nearby theatre. Don’t be surprised if the person ahead of you in line, sharing local gossip with the owner, is a famous Polish celebrity grabbing a bite to eat.

People come here not just for the best hot sandwiches in the city, but to talk with the women who have been working here for some 30 years, Ms Martha and Ms Anna. For three decades, they have politely listened to all the problems and concerns of their customers; they have shared joys and heartache and seen the next generation grow up. It remains a place where I can go with my own mother and my four-year-old daughter and together we all can have a taste of my childhood and of liberty.

How to find it: 3 Sienna Street. It’s a small street between two of the main tourist points of the city, Main Square and Small Square, and is a one-minute walk from either square. (Psst, Small Square is also the meeting point for our Food by Foot tour.)

What to order: Traditional zapiekanka (no extra toppings!); fresh beetroot juice.

Krakow Food by Foot

Learn about Krakow through the best local restaurants and bars on this walking tour of traditional Polish food and historical monuments. After all, the best way to understand how to live a local is to eat like a local! Get your first taste of Polish cuisine and local beer over a discussion on Polish gastronomy in Small Market Square.

Where to get the best coffee in Krakow

The charm of Krakow is best experienced from inside one of the city’s cosy cafés, with a warm cup of coffee in-hand — and the following places are some of Krakow’s best for enjoying your daily dose of caffeine. Grab a seat, watch locals go about their day, enjoy decadent desserts and indulge in some of the city’s best brews at these Krakow coffee shops loved by locals.

Szara Resto & Bar

For delicious coffee in the city centre of Krakow, at Main Market Square (Rynek Głowny), head straight to Szara. You might think because of its location that only tourists come here, but this isn’t the case. The café is an extension of a well-known restaurant nearby and its entrance is a bit hidden, so only a few in-the-know (or just lucky) travellers get there on their own. Local citizens, on the other hand, have long been visiting Szara for fresh coffee and tasty, nutritious breakfasts at a good price. (Breakfasts are served daily, up to 12pm.) I personally recommend grabbing a window seat, as then you can look out over the hectic Rynek Głowny from a safe distance. 6 Main Market Square.

For a taste of Lisbon in Poland, head to Cafe Lisboa | Photo by Krakow Urban Adventures

For a taste of Lisbon in Poland, head to Cafe Lisboa | Photo by Krakow Urban Tours

Cafe Lisboa

Be sure to come to Café Lisboa in the heart of a cold Krakow winter because, as its name says, this café can virtually carry you away to the sunny capital of Portugal. The place offers a good choice of delicacies, all made according to traditional recipes from Lisbon. The decor brings to mind one of the cafés of the Belem district: blue tiles, fado music in the background, and above all the delightful smell of freshly brewed coffee and that delicious Portuguese dessert, pasteis de Belem, made on the spot. The owner of the place, Marta Kirsz, loves Lisbon and spent a lot of time there studying the art of baking and she has really managed to recreate that Portuguese vibe (and those tarts!) in Krakow. 3/4 Dolnych Młynów Street.

Meho Cafe

If you dream of finding an enchanted garden in the middle of the city, Meho Cafe is the place for you. It offers a pleasant and colourful interior year-round, but it fully blooms in springtime thanks to a big and shady garden where you can forget the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s an ideal place to drink good coffee and eat a piece of homemade cake. During lunch hours, Meho serves a soup or nutritious kaszotto (the Polish version of risotto, which uses buckwheat or barley in place of rice). Do not miss the interesting anti-war mural on the wall of the neighbouring tenement house. 26 Krupnicza Street.

Les Couleurs

Plac Nowy is full of great places where you can have a coffee or a snack, but I am personally in love with the French-style café named Les Couleurs. In addition to enjoying its Parisian atmosphere and original interior (packed with cinema posters and photos of French actors), you can have a good coffee or tea — or even a decent glass of wine or something stronger. They also serve small snacks such as salads, toasts and homemade cakes. Because Les Couleurs opens its doors quite early (around 8am), it is one of the few places in this sleepy, local area of Kazimierz where you can grab a quick coffee before the rest of the city wakes up. Enjoy it at the bar while reading the day’s news alongside the local artists (or at least those who consider themselves so) who gather here in the mornings. #localsknow tip: The toilet here is worth seeing. 10 Estery Street.

Grab a slab of homemade cake at Crico | Photo by Krakow Urban Adventures

Grab a slab of homemade cake at Crico | Photo by Krakow Urban Tours

Crico Cafe

The name of the café refers directly to the building in which it is located: the freshly created Cricoteca, which is an amazing place associated with the brilliant Polish artist and theatre director Tadeusz Kantor. You can come here after visiting the exhibition (or not) for good coffee and delicious, homemade cake of fruit or chocolate. Crico Cafe offers one of the best views in the city due to its location in the Podgórze district, just on the bank of the Vistula River. Several districts and all the most important monuments of the city can be seen from here. The interior is also worthy of photo-taking, so bring your camera; you will rarely see something so lovely while drinking coffee. 4 Nadwislanska Street.

The 12 dishes of a Polish Christmas dinner

Christmas is the most celebrated feast in Poland, and while the day is traditionally considered a religious holiday, the fact is most people here celebrate it in some way regardless of their religion. For many Poles, this is the one time of year when all members of their families come together at the dinner table, close to a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, of course.

For us, the most important day is Christmas Eve (December 24th). On this day, families gather to eat a traditional Christmas dinner, which starts exactly after the first star is seen in the sky. The table is covered with a white tablecloth, placed atop some hay — a symbol of the fact that Jesus was born in a manger.

Once everyone is seated at the table, the head of the family acknowledges the group and then everyone shares a wafer, called opłatek, and offers good wishes for the coming new year. Only then do we start eating — but once we start, we don’t stop! A typical Christmas Eve dinner involves some four to five hours of eating, with just short breaks in between!

Traditionally, there are 12 dishes served over Christmas Eve, symbolising the 12 apostles as well as the 12 months of the year. It’s said that you should ensure you eat at least a little bit of everything so that you’ll be blessed with prosperity in the new year.

The first course is always a soup. It is either beetroot soup with small mushroom-filled dumplings (uszka) or mushroom soup with noodles. Then the dinner continues with regular Polish dumplings (pierogi) with various vegetarian fillings (our Christmas menu may be different from what you expect, as it includes no meat). We also serve carp, which may be fried and accompanied by potatoes and vegetables, or served cold in gelatin (the so-called Jewish style). Carp isn’t the only fish we eat on this special evening, as you’re also likely to find herring fillets in oil or herrings covered with cream, served with potato salad. Later on, there will be sauerkraut with mushrooms or cooked together with beans, and eaten with bread.

 Who could say no to a basket of Christmas cheese?! | Photo Credit: Krakow Urban Adventures

Who could say no to a basket of Christmas cheese?! | Photo Credit: Krakow Urban Tours

It might be hard to imagine, but after all that, the dinner still continues! Except now, we turn to sweeter dishes. The menu differs by region, but typically in Krakow, we have kutia, which is a mix of honey, dried fruits, poppy seeds, and wheat grains sometimes served with noodles, poppy seed cake, and gingerbread with almonds and raisins.

I know that there is a stereotype that Poles drink a lot of vodka but at this time of year, vodka isn’t the drink of choice. Instead, we finish the dinner off by drinking kompot, a non-alcoholic beverage made from dried fruits, as we sing Christmas carols.

Pierogi – the only Polish dish patronised by the saint.

Pierogi – the only Polish dish patronised by the saint.

If you’ve ever eaten pierogi, chances are fairly good that you fell in love at a very first bite – and we wouldn’t blame you. But if you’re wondering where this popular Polish dish originated, we have a secret to reveal.

Pierogi are pierogi – there is no better world for this famous Polish dish, although some people try to translate the name as Polish dumplings, Polish raviolis or even small empanadas – none of which are accurate. For us, it is a national dish – something unique and integral to our culture. You can picture pierogi as half-circular dumplings stuffed with many types of different fillings, made out of unleavened dough, and then boiled. The most classical fillings are cheese and potatoes, cabbage and mushrooms, or different type of meat. For Polish people though, it is also ok to have as a main course (not dessert!) sweet pierogi filled with strawberries, blueberries or any fruit of your choice. Once a year, you can find even more offbeat fillings like marzipan with poppy seeds or turkey with peaches or… anything you can imagine to have inside such a small thing like pierogi. This special occasion is the Pierogi Festival we celebrate in Krakow in the middle of August to honour the legendary, patron saint of pierogi: St. Hyacinth, the first Polish Dominican monk.

According to legend, when he was travelling to Krakow to settle down and create the first Dominican congregation at the beginning of 13th century, he was stopped in a village nearby by a huge thunderstorm and he had to spend the night in the local house. He found the peasant and his family very sad because, due to the awful weather and heavy wind, all the crops were totally damaged and they were afraid there would be nothing to collect and they might die of hunger in the wintertime.
So St. Hyacinth promised to help and proceeded to spent the whole night praying to God and asking for mercy. In the morning, a miracle allegedly happened and the villagers discovered that the whole agricultural area had been reborn and they could come back to their fields and cultivate crops. They were so happy and grateful to St. Hyacinth that they took wheat and barley, made flour, and prepared for St. Hyacinth the first pierogi ever.
That is why pierogi is said to be a dish with a patron saint. There is even an old expression of surprise – “Swiety Jacku z pierogami!” (St. Hyacinth and his pierogi!) meaning more or less, ‘good grief!’

Still hungry for more? We suggest jumping on our online Traditional Pierogi Cooking Class (aktywny LINK kierujący do imprezy) or join us during your real visit to Krakow for Home Cooked Krakow workshop (aktywny LINK kierujący do imprezy).

You’ll learn even more about this famous and delicious Polish food and you will have a lot of fun while visiting our house to prepare pierogi according to our family recipe.

Where to find Krakow’s best street food

There’s more to Polish cuisine than pierogies — and in Krakow, there are serious street food stalls, cafes and bars serving up delicious snacks along with a dose of local culture and history. Here’s where to get the best street food in Krakow.

Complex Dolne Młyny

This complex is a real city inside a city, created in the 15,000-square-metre former Tobacco Factory, just a stone’s through from the Main Square of Krakow. All the industrial buildings were carefully renovated to integrate, in a creative way, the local community, start-ups, artists and tourists. Here you’ll find a variety of restaurants, bars, design shops and coworking spaces. Among others, you’ll find a vegan bar, a Mediterranean restaurant, a craft beer pub and a design forum, all so close to each other that you can visit all of them in a night. Incredible, isn’t it? 10 Dolnych Młynów Street.

Zapiekanki od 1980 roku

#localsknow where to get the best zapiekanka | Photo by Krakow Urban Adventures

#localsknow where to get the best zapiekanka | Photo by Krakow Urban Tours

In Krakow, you can buy zapiekanka (a long, open-faced sandwich) everywhere, but local residents know there’s only one place where this special taste has survived the turbulent years of transformation. A microscopic shop in the middle of Sienna Street, a stone’s throw from the Main Market Square, Zapiekanki od 1980 roku still maintains tradition and, since 1980, has been selling true zapiekanka.

Ms Marta opened her shop at a time when the cracks in Poland’s Communist regime were starting to crumble; many say her stall was the first fast food restaurant in Krakow — a place where on-the-go meals were sold, flouting the law forbidding American-style cuisine. Her toasted open-faced sandwiches became a symbol of freedom, and eating one was a way of fighting the regime. Today, Marta’s shop doesn’t hold the same political power, but for the locals who remember, her simple sandwich holds heavy, nostalgic significance. 3 Sienna Street.

Hala Targowa

Another option for an unforgettable night in Krakow is to head back to the Kazimierz district, known for its nightlife, and spend the rest of the evening roaming local bars, talking to people and dancing. If you feel hungry at some point, don’t miss the excellent smoked sausages and fresh rolls with mustard, served right on the street directly out of an old blue Communist-era van at the busy market place Hala Targowa, located between Kazimierz and Old Town. 4 Grzegorzecka Street.

Judah Square

This is a great corner of the former Jewish district, Kazimierz, and is where you can find different food trucks and eat local snacks while checking out the huge white and black mural made by artists participating in the Jewish Festival some years ago. Reasonable prices and enthusiastic sellers are two of the biggest highlights of Judah Square. My recommendation is to try kumpir, a huge potato served with cottage cheese, green onion and a long list of other optional ingredients. Other good options are more international, but also very, very tasty: Belgian frites, Czech trdelnik or typical British fish and chips sold directly from ane original double-decker bus. Go inside, it’s well worth it! 16 St. Wawrzynca Street.

Stary Kleparz Farmers’ Market

 The Stary Kleparz Farmer Market is Krakow's oldest market | Photo by Krakow Urban Adventures

The Stary Kleparz Farmer Market is Krakow’s oldest market | Photo by Krakow Urban Tours

For the best food shopping in Krakow, we recommend Stary Kleparz Market, located very close to the Old Town, just north of St. Florian’s Gate, between Matejko’s Square and Dluga Street. Having run since the 18th century, this is the oldest and most colorful market, where farmers bring fresh fruit and vegetables to sell daily, and for quite reasonable prices, too. You will always find locals here looking for good bargains. Try some samples of fresh mountain cheeses oscypek and bundz, famous Polish sour cucumbers or sauerkraut, and locally made sweets. As there are some expats in the city, Kleparz also offers small shops selling typical Hungarian, Italian and even Arabic foods. Do not miss this place as they have great decor, good prices and fresh coffee that smells like heaven.

Plac Nowy

New Square is the most classic place for locals to hang out. Wherever you look, there is a bar or restaurant, and many locals will spend an entire night in this one spot. You could meet up with friends at one corner of the square and then spend hours visiting the different bars around it. Every Sunday morning there is a huge flea market, where I often go to look for vintage furniture, old records or handmade pottery.

Europe’s best-loved dishes

While you’re likely to find Asian fusion in Denmark or pizza in Poland, if you want to travel like a local (and we know you do), a great start is knowing some traditional foods in the destinations you visit. The following is a list of foods with a rich history that have stood the test of time; foods with deep ties to the culture and the ways in which a country has developed over time. These foods encourage us to learn more about a place, well beyond museum visits and guidebooks. If you’re curious about some of the best-loved local foods across Europe, we have got you covered.

Czech Republic: vepřo, knedlo, zelo

Sampling pork, dumplings, and cabbage in the Czech Republic | Photo by Prague Urban Adventures

Sampling pork, dumplings, and cabbage in the Czech Republic | Photo by Prague Urban Tours

It’s not easy to pick one specific dish that could represent the cuisine of the Czech Republic in all of its variety. In fact, we have a whole range of unique foods, all of which could compete for the status of a national dish. But we think most people would agree that vepřo, knedlo, zelo is an appropriate representation of the Czech culinary scene.

The literal translation of vepřo, knedlo, zelo is “pork, dumplings, cabbage,” which is quite a telling name. To be even more specific, this truly Czech delight consists of roast pork in delicate gravy, our world-renowned dumplings (which you might know under the title of knedlíky), and either red or white braised cabbage. It’s tender, it’s juicy, and it simply bursts with flavour. These three ingredients are the absolute staples of Czech cuisine, so it makes sense to try them all in one go with a portion of this absolute classic.
Denmark: stegt flæsk med persillesovs

Denmark: stegt flæsk med persillesovs

Make sure to order crispy pork belly with parsley sauce and boiled potatoes in Denmark | Photo by Copenhagen Urban Adventures

Make sure to order crispy pork belly with parsley sauce and boiled potatoes in Denmark | Photo by Copenhagen Urban Tours

Make sure to order crispy pork belly with parsley sauce and boiled potatoes in Denmark | Photo by Copenhagen Urban Adventures

As far as food goes, crispy pork belly with parsley sauce and boiled potatoes (stegt flæsk med persillesovs) is without a doubt the most traditional dish you can come across while you’re in Copenhagen or Denmark. In 2014, our government set out to find the most Danish dish – and this hearty option came out on top with more than 60,000 votes. It consists of crispy pork belly with boiled potatoes and a white, creamy parsley sauce with chopped parsley on top. The dish can be traced all the way back to the 1800s and has, during its history, been considered a poor man’s dish since it was one of the fattier dishes and pork was very easy to come by. If you didn’t know, Denmark actually still has more pigs than people!

If you find yourself in Denmark try some stegt flæsk med persillesovs, which is served on many menus in Copenhagen and throughout the country.

Greece: souvlaki & gyros

Greek gyros with tzatziki sauce – a must try | Photo by Athens Urban ADventures

Greek gyros with tzatziki sauce – a must try | Photo by Athens Urban Tours

If you visit Greece, you should definitely ‘go for souvlaki’ as Greeks simply say when they mean the trio of classic Greek fast foods: souvlaki, gyros, and pita souvlaki. All of these dishes are served in the same kinds of venues, called a souvlatzidiko, a Greek culinary institution. Souvlaki (sometimes known as kalamaki), first appeared in the town of Livadia in 1951 but with origins dating back to ancient Greece, as archaeological artefacts have revealed. The name refers to the wooden skewer (or “little reed”) the meat is cooked on. Skewers are filled with cubes of meat that have been marinated overnight, broiled over charcoal, and finally salted and peppered.

Gyros consist of either pork or chicken meat placed on a large metallic skewer and broiled while the skewer is rotating on a vertical rotisserie. The cooked and sliced meat is then wrapped in a slightly grilled flatbread called a pita and then filled with tomato, onion, tzatziki sauce, and French fries. In the case of pita souvlaki, the gyro meat is replaced by souvlaki inside the grilled pita. No matter which one you order, you won’t be disappointed.

Hungary: goulash

A hearty bowl of goulash | Photo by Budapest Urban Adventures

A hearty bowl of goulash | Photo by Budapest Urban Tours

The true character of Hungarian cuisine is based around simple, hearty dishes rich in flavour – the kind that stick to your ribs. It’s safe to say that the most famous Hungarian dish undeniably goes to goulash, a filling, paprika-flavoured soup with beef and some vegetables. Without going too deeply into the details, goulash started out as a kind of a stew, but didn’t include paprika at first as the Hungarians were not introduced to it until the mid-18th century.

But for goulash to become what it is today, paprika was essential. The ground pepper gave the dish not only a nice colour, but a distinct taste. Oddly, goulash as a stew in Hungarian used to be referred to as pörkölt (a stew), while the name goulash (gulyás in Hungarian) referred to a soup. This is why even now, different dishes can go under the same name, sometimes even in Hungarian restaurants. But it doesn’t really matter if the dish is listed as pörkölt, a goulash, or even our other famous dish, the paprikash (paprikás), because they are all based on the essential combination of fat, onion, and paprika. As such, they are all closely related – and equally tasty.

Madrid: torrijas

Torrijas of Spain | Photo by Madrid Urban Adventures

Torrijas of Spain | Photo by Madrid Urban Tours

Similar in nature to bread pudding and French toast – but with it’s own regional flair – the Spanish torrija is a simple yet must-try traditional dish with an interesting history that’s well worth seeking out on your next visit to Spain. If you take some basic ingredients such as bread, egg, milk or sweet wine, you can create one of Spain’s most traditional desserts. The torrija, a fried three-day-old slice of bread which has been dipped in milk, egg, honey and cinnamon (or in a sweet white wine and sugar), is now a must during Easter week in Spain.

If you visit Spain during Easter, all you will seem to see are people who eat, breathe, and fry torrijas. However, for those desperate to try a torrija outside Easter, you can find them at La Casa De Las Torrijas in Madrid.

Poland: pierogi

Is there anything better than a pierogi? | Photo by Krakow Urban Adventures

Is there anything better than a pierogi? | Photo by Krakow Urban Tours

If you’ve ever eaten pierogi, chances are good that you fell in love at first bite – and we wouldn’t blame you. The soft, pillowy dumplings filled with cheese and potato (among other possible fillings) is the ultimate in comfort food: filling, hearty, and totally satisfying, whether boiled or fried.

Pierogi are pierogi – there is no better world for this famous Polish dish, although some people try to translate the name as Polish dumplings, Polish raviolis or even small empanadas – none of which are accurate. For us, pierogi is something unique and integral to our culture. You can imagine them as half-circular dumplings stuffed with many types of different fillings, made out of unleavened dough.

The most classical fillings are cheese and potatoes, cabbage and mushrooms, or meat but you can also find sweet pierogi filled with strawberries or blueberries, and so many other flavours. For example, marzipan with poppy seeds or turkey with peaches, especially during the Pierogi Festival we celebrate in Krakow in the middle of August to honour the  legendary, patron saint of pierogi: St. Hyacinth, the first Polish Dominican monk.

Romania: papanaşi

If we’re talking about Romanian national food, papanaşi should be given the title of best national dessert. Based on a recipe originating in Moldova (the northeastern part of Romania), this delicious fried dough and sweet Romanian cheese has the shape of a doughnut. The traditional sweet treat is then garnished with fruit jam and sour cream. The combination of the hot, fluffy doughnut with the cold, melty sour cream and the mouth-watering fruit notes of the jam will be instantly addictive for anyone with a sweet tooth. You’ve been warned.

Nowadays, papanași have become popular all over the country and restaurants compete to come up with the best rendition. If there was one thing, and one thing only that you could choose to experience Romanian cuisine, take our advice and go for papanași.

Slovakia: halušky

If you’re in Slovakia, try some Halušky | Photo by Bratislava Urban Adventures

If you’re in Slovakia, try some Halušky | Photo by Bratislava Urban Tours

There’s no way you can visit Slovakia and not try a national dish called halušky. What is it, you ask? Halušky consists of what you might call a noodle (some would argue a dumpling — many English versions of menus have translated this as gnocchi). While we won’t sit here and argue semantics, we will say that basically all of these descriptions are correct. The noodle camp may be confused by the shape, which is more gnocchi-like than anything else, but hey, what are gnocchi but tiny potato noodles? And what are dumplings but larger versions of those potato noodles? The debate could go on and on, but the gist of it though, is halušky is the ultimate comfort food.

In addition to the noodles (or dumplings or gnocchi), halušky is smothered in a cheese sauce made of not just any cheese. No, this Slovak staple is smothered in sauce made with the traditional bryndza cheese, which #localsknow, is best when it comes straight from the farm (although it’s still just as tasty in its pasteurised form served up in Bratislava restaurants). This decadent dish is then topped off with a bit of hot, tasty bacon to provide the ultimate culinary solution for when you just want the travel foodie equivalent of your go-to childhood comfort food. It’s like having a long-lost Slovak grandma give you a warm hug.

If you’re looking to try the best food in one of our destinations, please join us for one of our group food tours, or if you have something more specific in mind, why not have a go at curating your very own private food tour?! Fill out the online form and a local member of our team in your chosen destination will be in touch to help you organise your best foodie day ever!

Ultimate guide to being vegan in Krakow

Polish cuisine at first glance is not very vegan, but in Krakow, vegan and vegetarian restaurants have been popping up like trendy mushrooms, there are so many of them now that it’s hard to keep track. This is great news for vegan travellers to Krakow or anyone who wants to eat a more plant-based diet. Want to know more? Our local city guide, Monika, shares everything you need to know about being vegan in Krakow.

Local food

You can’t talk about local food in Krakow without talking about pierogi. While not inherently vegan, pierogi can be made vegan if you omit eggs from the dough (totally possible) and stuff the delicious dumplings with plant-based ingredients rather than cheese or meat.

Something you’re likely to see a lot of in Krakow, is obwarzanki, one of Krakow’s staple street foods. This dough ring (kind of like a bagel) is sprinkled with salt, poppy or sesame seeds and can make for a quick vegan snack. Some are served with cheese, so make sure to avoid those ones.

Snack on some obwarzanki, found everywhere in Krakow | Photo via Pixabay

Snack on some obwarzanki, found everywhere in Krakow | Photo via Pixabay

Borscht, a vibrant and hearty beet-based soup may include meat, but it’s just as tasty without, using vegetable stock rather than chicken or beef stock and omitting the meat. Similarly, cabbage rolls, another Polish staple, can easily be made vegan by sticking to rice and vegetables for the filling.

In addition, depending on the season, you can get some seriously good local produce in Poland, something you’ll notice in the sałatkas (salads) you’ll find. Surówka, for example, basically just means shredded, raw vegetables (think slaw) and it can be made with anything from red or green cabbage to celery root and apples. Just make sure those vegetables aren’t dressed in a dairy-based dressing (which is possible).

The Urban Adventures Krakow team offers several vegan-friendly group food tours, like Krakow Food By Foot and Markets & Flavours of Krakow. Just let us know at the time of booking what your dietary preferences are and we’ll do the rest. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a vegan tour that showcases the best of the city’s vegan cuisine, why not let us organise a private vegan food tour just for you. Enquire here for more details.

Eating out

Veganic: Located in the former Dolne Młyny (Lower Mills) cigarette factory complex, Veganic is a fashionable and multi-functional place. Due to long opening hours, the place is good for breakfast as well as for lunch or dinner. I especially recommend the vegan breakfast buffet for PLN 25 (about EUR 7 per person). In summer, a nice garden and live music make the place even better.

Karma: A good place for a quiet lunch, Karma serves a large selection of meatless dishes, sandwiches, and vegetable pates, as well as freshly-roasted, delicious coffee. It tastes like heaven with the local cheesecake or lemon tarte.

Glonojad: This popular restaurant is located in a convenient spot just behind the medieval Florian Gate. It’s worth taking advantage of a two-course set lunch at a good price, which changes every day. I also recommend delicious, freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices.

Momo: If you’re looking for a good place for the quick, simple and healthy lunch, Momo is a good bet. The interior is a bit old fashioned, but on the other hand, all the dishes served at Momo are tasty, nutritious, and inexpensive.

Mazaya Falafel: If you love falafel, Mazaya is a great place to full up. In my opinion, they sell the best falafel in the city. In addition, in the summer you will find in a small garden with two small tables and few chairs, which makes for a lovely place to sip your strong, Arabic coffee with cardamom or tea with sweets.

Bhajan serves up vegan and vegetarian Indian cuisine | Photo by Krakow Urban Adventures

Bhajan serves up vegan and vegetarian Indian cuisine | Photo by Krakow Urban Tours

Bhajan Café: If you’re in the mood for Indian food, Bhajan serves up a menu of vegetarian and vegan Indian dishes with a variety of vegan options to choose from. They also host yoga and meditation events.

Hummus Amamamusi: Sit back, relax, and enjoy the food at this place where you can eat a freshly prepared hummus with pita bread and pickles, drink coffee or squeezed juice, read a newspaper, and even talk with the owners or other hummus-eaters sitting nearby.

Vegab: Fancy a kebab? This spot is the first vegan fast food restaurant in Krakow. Nice interior, good quality products, friendly and enthusiastic owners. A place for everyone, does not matter who they are and what they eat daily.

Shalom Falafel: Krakow’s only kosher street food restaurant, where everything is made exactly like in Israel, and dishes are prepared under the strict supervision of Krakow’s Rabbi Eliezer Gurary. The tiny place hidden in the basement brings to mind Kazimierz of old times. Everything is delicious, affordable and healthy. The only thing that bothers me a lot is the fact that all the meals are served on plastic, single use plates. It would be ideal to come with your own cutlery set and a small plate.

Vegan shopping

Fairma Ethical Design: This spot sells 100 percent vegan, ethical, and fair trade items including clothing, accessories, and shoes for both men and women.

Naturalny Sklepik: Both a café and an organic grocery store, Naturalny Sklepik is where to go for stapes like vegan meats, plant milk and cheese, as well as household products.

KOKOWorld: Head to this local clothing brand to browse and buy unique, handmade clothing and accessories made from natural materials.

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