Restaurants in Krakow
Krakow Restaurants | Places to Eat
The Polish are passionate about what they eat and if you enjoy good food, there's an incredible variety of it on offer in Krakow. From Poland's national dish, bigos to local favourites such as Golbtsy to every tourist's favourite, Pierogi Dumplings - you're sure to find something that you like. Of course, you don't have to eat Polish, there are plenty of non-Polish restaurants in the City. In the most expensive restaurants you can expect to pay over 100 zl for a meal for one. If you want something cheaper, go to a small restaurant or bar or have a pizza (from 20 zl). 'Milk bars' offer the cheapest food (5 to 9 zl). A cake in a Krakow café will cost you 3-8 zl, a cup of coffee 4-10 zl. The price of a beer in a pub varies from 6 to 10 zl. The majority of larger restaurants accept credit cards.
For some genuine Polish food that might be served by your Babcia (grandmother in Polish) which is cheap and delicious, go to Babci Maliny (literally "Raspberry Grandma") on ul. Szpitalna 38 and enjoy the atmosphere, where you sit at benches with complete strangers and wait for your number to be called to enjoy some delicious food. The menu is in Polish but there are English menus available - ask. The area downstairs is impressively presented, with hearty traditional meals in the evenings served by waitresses wearing traditional dress, and live piano music.
If you want to try Polish cuisine for outstandingly good-value prices (a big lunch for one person for about 8PLN) then find a 'Bar Mleczny' (a milk bar - a kind of cafeteria very prevalent in Communist times so called because it serves no alcohol). They are fast disappearing from the city, but you can find one on the right side of Ul. Grodzka (if you are going from Rynek Glowny). They offer classic Polish food such as 'kroketka'. An English-Polish dictionary is recommended when ordering.
You won't see this in most guides, but one of the true joys of a trip to Krakow is a visit to the kielbasa van. Basically, it's these two gruff Polish men who, every night from 8PM-3AM, set up a fire grill outside of their van (parked in front of the market east of the old town near the train bridge) and grill kielbasa. For 7 zloty, get your sausage and a squirt of mustard and stand at the perch nearby and chow down with the locals in-the-know. It is delicious, especially after a night of exploring Krakows bars. A fun experience free of the usual tourist crush and off the main path (ul. Grzegorzecka, opposite ul. Blich)