Where to Eat the Best Polish Food in Kraków: Top Restaurants & Street Food Spots

I knew a little bit about what to eat in Krakow having grown up with some Polish friends. Prior to heading to Poland a few weeks ago, I thought I might do some research on what to expect from traditional Polish foods.

Now having been treated to some great Polish foods I was really looking forward to some of my favourite things to eat in Krakow like kielbasa, Krakow Bagel and those fabulous paczkis not to mention cabbage rolls. No, I’m not forgetting the iconic traditional Polish dish pierogies.

What is Stare Miasto Krakow and why is the place to eat in Krakow?

Stare Miasto is Krakow’s old town. This is a UNESCO protected area located in the centre of Krakow. It is surrounded by a green ring known as Plankty Park which replaced the old town walls destroyed centuries ago it is the beating heart of Krakow. The area includes Wawel Castle, Rynek Square with its Basilica and Market Square, the University and the Barbican and ancient entrance into Krakow.

The heart of Stare Miasto is Rynek Glowny, which is the biggest medieval square in Europe. Inside the Stare Miasto, you will find plenty of restaurants from the cheap to the gourmet to Starbucks and Costa Coffee. Not only packed with food joints the Square has hundreds of bars and pubs. You will find vodka shots for around €1 Euro to a pint of beer for the same amount.

We stayed just outside Old Town which can get expensive depending on the season. Where we were located was within the Kleparz District. This area sits just to the north of the Old Town and the park “walls” that surround the Old Town area from our apartment it took 15 minutes to walk to the main square.

Now for those of you who don’t know any of those Polish foods here is a bit of a list of some of my favourites and what the Polish love to eat.

TIP: Can you spend Euros in Krakow? While some bars and tourist businesses in Kraków and Warsaw may accept euros, most places in Poland do not. Even those that do will likely offer unfavorable exchange rates, so it’s best to pay in złoty whenever possible.

Here are the top 16 foods you must try when visiting Poland and Krakow

Kraków is a culinary paradise, blending traditional Polish flavors with modern twists.

1. Pierogi (Polish Dumplings)

Pierogies are probably one of the most well known classic Polish foods. Tender little pockets – or Polish dumplings if you like, similar to an Italian ravioli or stuffed pasta. Pierogies even have their own patron saint is called St. Hyacinth he is a 13th-century Polish saint who, according to legend brought Pierogies to Poland from Kievan Rus which is now the capital of Ukraine.

2. Obwarzanek Krakowski (Kraków’s Bagel)

A chewy, ring-shaped bread sold at street stalls—best fresh with sesame or poppy seeds. This is a braided ring-shaped bread that is boiled and sprinkled with salt, poppy seeds, or sesame seeds before being baked. It is served virtually everywhere and is particularly popular for lunches served with hummus.

3. Żurek (Sour Rye Soup)

A tangy soup with sausage, potatoes, and a boiled egg, often served in a bread bowl. A soup that is seen on virtually every menu in Krakow. This is a sour rye soup with potato, sausage or an egg, sometimes served in a bread loaf. This flavour comes from fermented rye flour.

4. Kiełbasa (Polish Sausage)

Grilled kielbasa z grilla from a street vendor or smoked varieties like Kabanos. Kielbasa is actually Polish for sausage. Many of us N. Americans are accustomed to going into our delis and getting some Kielbasa but in Poland, if you ask for a kilo of Kielbasa you get asked which kind.

There are two types of kielbasa in Poland a normal sausage that has to be cooked or dried or sucha which is eaten cold. Regular kielbasa can be eaten cold or cooked and is the most common sausage in bigos.

5. Bigos (Hunter’s Stew)

A hearty mix of sauerkraut, meat, and mushrooms—perfect with bread. Bigos are the ultimate Polish comfort food and the national dish of Poland.

6. Zapiekanka (Polish Pizza Bread)

A toasted baguette topped with mushrooms, cheese, and ketchup, best from Plac Nowy in Kazimierz that hosts a variety of food trucks and one of the specialities is Zapienkanka. At its most basic zapiekanka is an open-face sandwich made on half a baguette and loaded with sautéed mushrooms, cheese and toasted until the cheese melts. Served hot with ketchup, it is popular street food in Poland and in high demand when the bars let out.

7. Oscypek (Smoked Cheese from the Tatra Mountains)

Grilled and served with cranberry sauce—find it at the Main Market Square stalls. It is on virtually every menu as a starter it is a soft cheese made from salted sheep’s milk. Since 2008 the cheese is a protected trade name under the EU’s Protected Designation of Origin geographical indication. The milk is from a special breed of sheep called Polish Mountain Sheep.

8. Placki Ziemniaczane (Potato Pancakes)

Crispy pancakes served with goulash or sour cream. These are very much like latkes, Swiss rosti or Irish boxty. Usually made from mashed or grated potatoes mixed with flour, a little onion and some salt and egg to bind the mixture then pan-fried.  They can be served sweet with cinnamon sugar and cooked apples with cream, or savoury as we had them at Chata with a pork stew.

9. Pączki (Polish Donuts)

Fluffy, jelly-filled donuts—Pączkarnia near the Old Town is iconic. A great big jam-filled doughnut. Tender and sweet the most traditional filling is a rose-flavoured jam. These lovely deep-fried morsels of joy are usually eaten on Shrove Tuesday before Lent and include fillings such as prune, apricot, strawberry, raspberry or sweet cheese filling.

10. Maczanka Krakowska (Slow-Cooked Pork Sandwich)

A juicy pulled-pork sandwich with sweet onions—Andrus Food Truck is famous for it. Simply perfect Polish street food. Maczanka Krakowska It was one of the most famous Polish street food before WWI. Invented in Krakow (hence the name) this is really a very traditional Polish pork dish that resembles a pulled pork. It is served in a bun which is dunked in the sauce or gravy before being filled with the meat; it was a popular student snack that kept them going for hours.

11. Gołąbki (Cabbage Rolls) 

Cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice, baked in tomato sauce. Gołąbki is the Polish name for this dish. I adore cabbage rolls I have eaten them around the world and with all kinds of variations but Polish recipe ones are my favourite. I even tried vegan cabbage rolls in Krakow at Pod Leliwa which had bulgur, lentils and a wheat berry filling that was out of this world.

12. Gulasz Wolowy – Polish Goulash

Originally from Hungary Polish goulash is a thicker version of the Hungarian soup. A thick meat stew made with mushrooms, carrots, onion, potatoes and bell pepper flavoured with paprika. Always best served the next day the Polish serve goulash with crispy potato pancakes, potato gnocchi or simply served over kasha which is roasted buckwheat.

13. Kotlet Schabowy 

At heart, this is a pork schnitzel. It is a pork cutlet pounded until thin and then coated in breadcrumbs and fried till crispy on the outside tender on the inside. Usually served with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut.

14. Steak Tatar

As seen on every menu this is simply steak tartar; raw minced beef with chopped onion and raw egg yolk served in the centre of the meat patty. Here in Krakow Tatar is served with dill pickles, pickled mushrooms, and a yeast extract like Marmite instead of Worcestershire sauce.

15. Sernik

A Polish cheesecake made with a farmer’s cheese called twaróg has a sweet pastry crust. Sernik is less sweet than N. American cheesecake and much thicker I guess I’d describe it as cheesier.

16. Makowiec

A poppy seed roll made from a sweet yeasted dough and stuffed with poppy seeds, it’s a must-have for Easter and Christmas in Polish homes, but it’s not saved for these special occasions. Often served for breakfast or with a cup of coffee during workers coffee breaks.

What and where to eat in Krakow

In Poland, traditional meals often start with a variety of starters (przystawki) or entrees (zupy – soups), which are an essential part of Polish cuisine. Here are some popular Polish starters and entrees:

Starters (Przystawki):

Żurek – A sour rye soup, often served with boiled eggs, sausage (kiełbasa), and sometimes in a bread bowl.

Barszcz Czerwony – Clear beetroot soup, sometimes served with uszka (small dumplings filled with mushrooms or meat).

Chłodnik – A cold beet and buttermilk soup, perfect for summer, with cucumbers, radishes, and hard-boiled eggs.

Ogórkowa – A tangy dill pickle soup, often with potatoes and carrots.

Flaki (Flaczki) – A tripe soup, slow-cooked with vegetables and spices, considered a hearty delicacy.

Rosół – A clear chicken noodle soup, often served on Sundays as a starter before the main course.

Cold Starters (Przystawki Zimne):

Śledź w Oleju (Herring in Oil) – Marinated herring served with onions, sometimes in cream or vinegar.

Tatar Wołowy (Beef Tartare) – Raw minced beef with egg yolk, onions, pickles, and spices, usually eaten with bread.

Sałatka Jarzynowa – A Polish-style vegetable salad with mayo, potatoes, carrots, peas, and eggs.

Pasztet – A meat pâté, often made from liver or poultry, served with bread or crackers.

Jajka Faszerowane (Stuffed Eggs) – Hard-boiled eggs filled with yolk mixed with mayo, mustard, or mushrooms.

Bread & Spreads:

Smalec – Rendered pork fat with cracklings, often spread on bread with pickles or onions.

Twarożek – A farmer’s cheese spread with radishes, chives, or paprika.

Dumplings & Pancakes (Light Starters):

Pierogi (as starters) – Smaller portions of dumplings, often filled with meat, mushrooms, or cheese.

Placki Ziemniaczane – Potato pancakes, sometimes served with sour cream or goulash.

Polish Main dishes

In Poland, main courses (dania główne) are hearty, flavorful, and often feature meat, potatoes, cabbage, and dumplings. Here are some of the most popular traditional Polish mains:

1. Meat Dishes (Mięsa)

Bigos (Hunter’s Stew) – A rich stew made with sauerkraut, fresh cabbage, various meats (pork, sausage, beef), and mushrooms, it should always include Polish Sausage. Kotlet Schabowy – A Polish-style breaded pork chop, similar to Wiener Schnitzel but thicker, served with potatoes and cabbage.

Golonka (Pork Knuckle) – Slow-cooked or roasted pork knuckle, often served with horseradish and mustard.

Kiełbasa z Grilla (Grilled Sausage) – Polish sausage, often served with bread, mustard, and sauerkraut.

Gulasz Wołowy (Beef Goulash) – A thick, spiced beef stew, usually served with potatoes or bread.

Żeberka w Miodzie (Honey-Glazed Ribs) – Tender pork ribs roasted with honey and spices.

2. Dumplings & Potato Dishes (Pierogi & Ziemniaki)

Pierogi Ruskie – Dumplings filled with potato, cheese (twaróg), and onions, served with sour cream or fried bacon.

Pierogi z Mięsem – Meat-filled dumplings, often with ground pork or beef.

Pyzy (Kluski) – Large potato dumplings, sometimes stuffed with meat or served with gravy.

Kopytka – Small, hoof-shaped potato dumplings, similar to Italian gnocchi, often served with butter and breadcrumbs.

Placki Ziemniaczane (Potato Pancakes) – Crispy fried pancakes, served with sour cream, goulash, or mushroom sauce.

3. Cabbage & Grain Dishes (Kapusta & Kasza)

Kapusta z Grochem – Braised sauerkraut with peas, often served with sausage or bread.

Kasza Gryczana (Buckwheat Groats) – A nutritious side dish, sometimes mixed with bacon or mushrooms.

4. Fish & Poultry (Ryby & Drób)

Karp Smażony (Fried Carp) – A traditional Christmas Eve dish, breaded and fried.

Kaczka z Jabłkami (Duck with Apples) – Roasted duck served with apples and red cabbage.

Kurczak Pieczony (Roast Chicken) – Often seasoned with garlic, marjoram, and butter.

5. Modern & Regional Specialties

Zrazy Wołowe – Beef rolls stuffed with pickles, bacon, and mustard, slow-cooked in gravy.

Silesian Kluski (Śląskie Kluski) – Dense potato dumplings served with meat and gravy.

Kaszanka – A blood sausage made with buckwheat and pork, often grilled.

Typical Side Dishes:

Mizeria – Cucumber salad with sour cream and dill.

Surówka z Białej Kapusty – Shredded cabbage and carrot salad.

Gotowane Ziemniaki (Boiled Potatoes) – Often sprinkled with dill.

 Traditional Polish Desserts (Desery Polskie)

Polish sweets are rich, comforting, and often feature ingredients like poppy seeds, cottage cheese (twaróg), honey, and seasonal fruits. Here are the most beloved desserts:

1. Classic Cakes & Pastries

Sernik (Polish Cheesecake) – Made with twaróg (farmer’s cheese), often with a hint of vanilla or lemon, and sometimes a crust of crushed cookies.

Makowiec (Poppy Seed Roll) – A sweet yeast roll filled with ground poppy seeds, honey, and nuts.

Szarlotka (Apple Pie) – A buttery shortcrust cake layered with spiced apples, often served with whipped cream.

Karpatka (“Carpathian Mountain Cake”) – A choux pastry layered with custard cream, resembling mountain peaks.

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Piernik (Polish Gingerbread) – Soft, spiced honey cake, often glazed with chocolate or icing.

2. Dough-Based Desserts

Pączki (Polish Doughnuts) – Deep-fried yeast doughnuts filled with jam (rosehip, plum, or raspberry), traditionally eaten on Fat Thursday (Tłusty Czwartek).

Faworki (Angel Wings/Chrust) – Crispy, fried pastry twists dusted with powdered sugar, popular during Carnival.

Racuchy (Polish Pancakes) – Small, fluffy yeast pancakes often served with apples and powdered sugar.

3. Sweet Dumplings & Puddings

Knedle z Śliwkami (Plum Dumplings) – Potato dough wrapped around whole plums, boiled, and served with butter and sugar.

Kutia (Christmas Pudding) – A traditional Eastern Polish dessert made with wheat berries, poppy seeds, honey, and nuts.

Budyń (Polish Pudding) – A creamy vanilla or chocolate custard, often served with fruit compote.

4. Seasonal & Regional Sweets

Mazurek (Easter Cake) – A flat, decorated shortcrust cake topped with nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate.

Kogel Mogel – A simple dessert of whipped egg yolks with sugar (sometimes with cocoa or rum).

Księżyc (Moon Cake from Łódź) – A crescent-shaped pastry filled with sweet cheese or jam.

Popular Polish Street Food (Jedzenie Uliczne)

Polish street food is hearty, affordable, and perfect for on-the-go eating. On the edge of the Kazimierz district across from the Market Hall, a great Kielbasa can be had from the now legendary Krakow Blue Van which can be the van that has been a Krakovian street food institution for over twenty-five years. Here two old boys in white smocks set up shop outside their blue Nysa (a Polish PRL-era van) every evening except Sundays to grill kiełbasa sausages over a wood-fired stove. Kraków’s first food truck, don’t miss it if you’re in the neighbourhood. Kielbaski pod Hala targowa ul. Grzegorzecka 14, Krakow.

Here are the top picks:

1. Must-Try Savoury Street Foods

Zapiekanka – A long, open-faced baguette topped with mushrooms, cheese, and ketchup (a Polish pizza baguette!).

Kiełbasa z Beczki – Smoked sausage grilled over a barrel, served with mustard and bread.

Oscypek – Smoked sheep’s cheese from the Tatra Mountains, often grilled and served with cranberry sauce.

Placki Ziemniaczane (Potato Pancakes) – Sold at food stalls with garlic sauce or goulash.

Pyzy & Knysze – Stuffed potato dumplings or fried dough pockets with meat or cheese.

2. Fried & Fast Bites

Paszteciki – Deep-fried pastry filled with meat, mushrooms, or cheese (popular in Warsaw).

Krokiety – Crispy fried crepes stuffed with meat or cabbage, often served with barszcz.

Hot Dog w Bułce (Polish Hot Dog) – Served with fried onions, mustard, and ketchup.

3. Sweet Street Treats

Lody (Polish Ice Cream) – Creamy, artisanal ice cream in flavors like śmietankowe (cream) or malinowe (raspberry).

Obwarzanek Krakowski – A twisted, chewy bread ring similar to a bagel, sold in Kraków’s streets.

Wafle z Nadzieniem (Waffles) – Crispy waffles filled with Nutella, fruit, or whipped cream.

Where to eat in old town Krakow Poland

What is a Polish Milk Bar?

Poland’s first milk bar was actually opened on Kraków’s market square on May 30th, 1948. Originally no actual food was served only a glass of milk. Run by the government, this was the Communist Party’s way to popularize milk drinking to use up Poland’s large surplus of dairy products. As restaurants were nationalised by the communists more milk bars were started and many workers had their lunches or meals at a Milk Bar included as their “pay”.

One of the earliest Milk Bars -Bar Mleczny is in the Old Town, on Grodzka, a street near the Castle, on one of the main tourist routes that connect the Castle and the Town Square. The cafe is very busy and popular as it is very cheap. There is a menu in English and the staff do speak English. Milk Bars are self-serve, place your order and wait to pick it up to take to your table. It’s a very cheap way to eat and is highly recommended.

My personal recommendations on where to eat in Krakow

Breakfast restaurants in Krakow

What is a traditional Polish breakfast? In Poland breakfast (often seen as a ‘Master’s Breakfast’) is a pretty substantial meal it’s similar to a Full Irish Breakfast but it includes cold cuts, Kielbasa, pickled and fresh fruits and vegetables, hard-boiled eggs cheeses both soft farmer’s cheese and hard sliced cheese, pastries and bread, prune jam appears to be the most popular.

Domowe Przysmaki is a small restaurant that we passed by on our way to the Square. We ate both breakfast and lunch there. Our breakfast was the Master’s Breakfast which was eggs on toast with avocado.

We also enjoyed a true Polish breakfast which included rye bread, sliced meats, cheeses and salad. They also served traditional Polish cuisines such as pierogies, borscht and various other dishes.

Relaks Cafe we discovered on our way to Old Town from Kleparz (on Dluga Street) as we walked right past it. It had a nondescript black chalkboard offering a breakfast buffet for zlotys (A zloty when we were there averaged around .25 cents).

What we discovered walking through the sort of tunnel was a lovely little courtyard and a small cafe with stone arches and a fantastic breakfast buffet. By the way, they also have a beautiful hotel or rather an aparthotel attached.

Restaurants for lunch in Krakow

Pierogarnia Krakowiacy is a really pretty little traditional restaurant that only serves pierogi and a couple of stews and soups. But oh those pierogies will leave you dreaming about Polish food.

Ona Kazimierz next to the High Synagogue in the Jewish quarter, we stumbled across this little cafe that looked a little bare in the middle of March, to be honest. A young woman was hanging paintings on the wall and the cafe was pretty empty at lunchtime. We decided we didn’t care and ordered coffee with a lunch platter.

That platter was loaded with sliced meats, cheeses, olives, and some of the best hummus we have ever eaten there was a plain one, sundried tomato and olive hummus. We also had lettuce, tomatoes and soft Polish spreadable cheese along with a huge basket of obwarzanek Krakowski a ring-shaped bread kind of like a bagel.

Chimera Salad Bar & Restaurant is ideal for a casual meal, Chimera is known for its buffet of fresh salads, quiches, and vegetarian options. They also offer a sit-down menu with Polish and European dishes in a rustic garden-like setting.

Best dinner restaurants in Krakow

We discovered Chata which was directly behind our Aparthotel and we managed to get in and get seated on a Sunday night. The place was packed and many times over we saw folks being turned away. Chata is in the Kleparz district just outside the green park.

Inside it looks like a country cabin the tables are huge wooden and the bench seating is covered with fake fur. You feel like you are seated in a mountain cabin. The fire is burning and folks are all chatting to each other at the communal tables. Chata serves authentic traditional Polish food which is superb.

The first time we went to Chata we had the best goulash I have ever tasted and it was served in an edible bowl of absolute deliciousness. We also tried the Cheese and cranberry starter, the potato pancakes with garlic and honey. For mains, we had the Pork Chops with crispy potato pancakes, obviously the pierogi and stuffed pork chop mains as well.

Looking for a Michelin starred Restaurant? The best restaurant in Krakow for a Michelin Star is Copernicus. On Kraków’s oldest street, the restaurant is housed within the historic Hotel Copernicus, a 15th-century palace with a striking Gothic façade.

Inside, the elegant dining room features rich wood paneling and a grand stone fireplace, evoking a timeless, regal atmosphere. The menu offers inventive, modern twists on Polish classics—such as delicate pierogi stuffed with local cheese—all expertly prepared.

Podleliwa Restaurant is located on Sławkowska Street just before you reach the main square. This was once an XVII century palace owned by the Tarnowski family and the baroque portals on the interior walls are decorated with coats of arms.

We began our meal with Żurek soup and Chlodnik which is cold borscht. Our mains was Vegan cabbage rolls with buckwheat and forest mushrooms.

Ariel Restaurant in Kazimierz the restaurant was established in a tenement house erected between the World Wars, occupying the place where an old 18th century “Rabbi House” used to stand. This is where you will find the best food in Kazimierz.

Currently, it houses the first private Judaistic art gallery in Cracow, with old and contemporary pieces of art, and in the second symmetric wing of the building, newly constructed, there is a cafe and restaurant with Jewish music concerts.

One of the oldest restaurants in Kazimierz it serves some wonderful Jewish foods such as Carp fish Jewish style, Gefilte fish, Chopped chicken livers with eggs, Kreplach, Matzaball soup, Cholent and other great dishes from the Hasidic and Orthodox traditions. The restaurant is kosher and probably on the more expensive side for Krakow but the food is superb.

Pierożki u Vincenta is a tiny restaurant in Kazimierz where our tour guide advised us to try the pierogies at Mr Vincent Pierogi. A small homey place it has Van Gough-inspired interiors and a large selection of pierogi to choose from. With over 40 kinds to choose from the best is to go with more than two people and try a selection of pierogies.

They have the usual culprits but also a great selection of sweet pierogi like Grandma’s Dumplings which have sweet cottage cheese and vanilla, there are cherry dumplings, plum dumplings and much more. The savoury dumplings include the Castellan with chanterelles, honey, butter, cream and fresh herbs, Tiria Dumplings with 3 kinds of cheese, Dumplings from Hell with hot peppers, salami, red beans, chicken and sweetcorn alongside the traditional Polish pierogi.

Hamsa Restaurant Kazimierz. Make hummus not war is the Hamsa restaurant’s credo. An Israeli restaurant settled in a gorgeous old stone building in the Kazimierz district Hamsa concentrates on serving fresh Israeli dishes. Dishes like shakshuka, falafel, and hummus platters provide a flavorful break from Polish fare.

On weekends they have an amazing Middle Eastern breakfast brunch. The menu includes  Muhammara, Baba ganoush, various hummus dishes, homemade marmalade, homemade granola and weekly specials!

For someone missing their pastrami, a huge pastrami sandwich was ordered and enjoyed, in fact, there were two kinds on the menu Hamsa pastrami: which included sliced beef pastrami, muhammara, sheep`s cheese from the Beskid Mountains, jalapeno, gherkins, shallots and salad mix.

For 4 days in Krakow, we probably spent a grand total of €40 Euros a day for the two of us and that includes beverages so 2 coffees with breakfast, tea, coffee or a beer with lunch and a couple of beers at dinner. The one or two nights we had some drinks (as in vodka drinks) we spent a whole €15 Euros for many vodkas and a few beers.

If you’re planning to visit the area and looking for the best things to do in Krakow don’t miss the chance to try national dishes like halloumi cheese, souvlaki, or moussaka. Krakow, Poland, is a must-visit—home to the stunning Wawel Castle, the historic Old Town with its lively Market Square, and the poignant Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial, a sobering but essential historical site.

We absolutely loved Krakow and would love to return again in the warmer months.