When in Krakow, you’ll see many restaurants around that look and seem inviting. But, we all like a good recommendation right?! So here we go!
Following my other articles on Kraków – mostly food related. I thought we definitely need one with recommendations to where to get all that food from. So, first of all, keep in mind that I personally prefer more unique places with good food, not necessarily super fancy looking restaurants. Therefore, expect more quirkiness than poshness. But one is for sure – the food will be seriously delicious.
Nowa Prowincja
Nowa Prowincja is an absolute must when visiting Krakow. Seriously. Their hot chocolate is known to be the best in Europe, or at least that’s what some people have decided anyway. And let me assure you – it will leave you speechless. It’s the best hot chocolate I have ever had and I’m a full on chocolate lover.
They have delicious cakes including szarlotka (apple pie) in town, which you might remember from my Sweet Treats You Must Try in Krakow article, so good. In general, it’s more of a dessert place.
Another thing I love about Nowa Prowincja is the vibe. The atmosphere is brilliant, with old, mismatched furniture plus loads of candles everywhere. There is a wall with loads of signatures and sometimes quotes and it’s just really cool. It looks very different from the outside than it does on the inside – so keep that in mind.
Forum Przestrzenie
Ok, so here we have something different. Somewhere very popular with the locals but not necessarily the tourists and it’s an absolute treat. One of the coolest places (if not the coolest place) to have a drink and chill out in Kraków.
Now the best part? It’s by the river, with an outside area where you’ll find beach chairs, fairy lights, bean bags etc.
The whole place has quite a hipster vibe with loads of events and even little exhibitions, plus pop-up shops. It’s definitely worth checking out. The food is also very good, plus they serve interesting drinks!
Pijalnia Wodki i Piwa
Ok, now… I did mention quirky, didn’t I? This place is definitely different and very interesting. It’s also absolutely genius for when you feel like getting a drink or experiencing drinking the old-school Polish way. And when I say old-school, I mean from the Communist times. Yup.
Visiting this place will slightly take you back in time. It’s all about simplicity. Simplicity meaning a few things on the menu, but good things. Including: 7 types of drinks – vodka (the main one), beer, wine, coke, tea, coffee or water. Although there are different shots to choose from, the usual one for locals is just vodka, but there are options such as Nutella (so good) plus around 7 other flavours.
It doesn’t matter which drink you buy – they all cost 4zl (under £1). So cheap. The food is also very straight forward and very traditional, which I absolutely love, the dishes cost 8zl (less than £2) each.
U Babci Maliny or any other Bar Mleczny
Bar Mleczny (Milk Bar) is by far my favourite place to eat in Poland, other than when visiting family of course. It’s super traditional and the food is the same aka absolutely delicious. It’s made the way that it is at Polish homes. It’s also very straight forward, there isn’t much focus on the food presentation as it’s more of a buffet style way of ordering. The other best thing about Bar Mleczny is the price. They are so ridiculously low. There are many of these to choose from but U Babci Maliny is definitely a treat!
It’s not very often that Bar Mleczny has an English menu, although if you’re in a city centre, there shouldn’t be too much of a problem. It is best to however have a translator at hand, for example the Google picture one to minimise any miscommunication. But you’ll most likely be able to choose the food in front of you so nothing too tricky!
These places are all about good food, cheapness and speed. So don’t be surprised if you feel a bit rushed when choosing – it’s normal. And most importantly, it’ll be so, so worth it. Here is where you can go crazy with the traditional dishes and my recommendations from my other article: 8 Savoury Foods You Must Try in Krakow. Make sure to try Schabowy, pierogi and the salads! Saying that, all the food is absolutely delicious. Also kompot – a fruit beverage, made by stewing fresh or dried fruit. So good.
Bare in mind that usually, these places are self-service, meaning you pay at the counter, get a number, collect your food when it’s ready and once you finish -put the plates back.
Alchemia Bar
Originally this post was meant to have 5 choices but I had to add Alchemia Bar to it. This is definitely a definition of quirky to the point where you’ll most likely question it once standing outside, the front door looks like an entrance to an abandoned house but the place is very cool, I promise.
The deco is very unique and old-school, for example there is a wardrobe as an entrance to another room. The atmosphere in the evenings especially is great and there are some cool events happening too. The food is delicious and there is more focus (than some other choices here) on the presentation too, without losing taste.
It’s worth checking out for sure, especially when looking for something unique. Alchemia bar is also located right in the centre of Kazimierz which has a unique atmosphere & vibe and is definitely a must visit.
So there we go! Enjoy allllll the deliciousness in Krakow!!
