A culinary Journey through Kraków
Polish cuisine is hearty, comforting, and deeply rooted in centuries of tradition. For WordCamp attendees, exploring Kraków’s food scene offers a delicious window into Polish culture. Here’s your complete guide to eating your way through Poland’s culinary capital.
Pierogi (dumplings)
The undisputed star of Polish cuisine. These filled dumplings come in countless varieties. The most traditional fillings include ruskie (potato, cheese, and onion – despite the name, nothing to do with Russia), mięsne (meat filling, usually pork or beef), z kapustą i grzybami (sauerkraut and mushrooms), and owocowe (fruit-filled with strawberries or blueberries, served as dessert with cream).
You’ll find them boiled with butter and fried onions, fried for crispy edges, or, in the case of sweet pierogi, dusted with sugar and cream. For the best experience, try Przystanek Pierogarnia for a modern take on classics, Pierogarnia Krakowiacy on Szewska 23 for traditional recipes, or U Babci Maliny on Sławkowska 19 (“At Grandma Malina’s”) for authentic home-style cooking.
Żurek (sour rye soup)
This tangy fermented rye soup is quintessentially Polish – nothing quite like it exists elsewhere. The base is fermented rye flour, combined with white sausage (kiełbasa), hard-boiled eggs, potatoes, and sometimes bacon. If you’re lucky, it arrives in a bread bowl.
The taste profile is sour, savoury, and complex. It’s an acquired taste for some, an instant favorite for others. Pro tip: it’s best consumed on chilly days or after a heavy night out. Poles swear by its restorative properties.
Bigos (hunter’s stew)
Often called Poland’s national dish, this hearty stew combines sauerkraut, fresh cabbage, various meats (pork, beef, sausage), and mushrooms. It’s traditionally cooked for days, getting better with each reheating. Legend says the longer it cooks, the better it tastes. Some families keep batches going for weeks.
Kotlet schabowy (pork cutlet)
Poland’s answer to schnitzel. Think thin pork loin, breaded and fried to golden perfection, served with mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes with dill butter, and surówka (cabbage salad with carrots). Simple, satisfying, beloved.
The real deal is best experienced at milk bars, where grandmothers in white coats pound the meat thin and fry it fresh.
Gołąbki (cabbage rolls)
Boiled cabbage leaves wrapped around seasoned meat and rice, then baked in tomato sauce. Comfort food at its finest. The name literally means “little pigeons,” though no one knows exactly why.
Rosół (chicken soup)
Clear chicken broth with noodles, vegetables, and sometimes dumplings. Polish Jewish heritage shines through in this dish. It’s the traditional Sunday lunch starter, and Poles believe it cures everything from hangovers to heartbreak.
Street Food Essentials
Zapiekanka
Polish-style open-faced baguette pizza topped with mushrooms, cheese, and various other ingredients. It was born in communist Poland when ingredients were scarce but creativity was abundant.
The iconic spot is Plac Nowy in Kazimierz, where circular food stalls serve them late into the night. Order “z wszystkim” (with everything) to get mushrooms, cheese, ham, peppers, onions, and garlic sauce with ketchup. Expect to pay 8-15 PLN.
Obwarzanek krakowski
The bagel ancestor. This braided ring-shaped bread comes with toppings like poppy seeds, sesame, or salt. It’s a UNESCO-protected traditional product unique to Kraków.
You’ll see them sold from distinctive blue carts throughout the city. They’re best eaten warm, plain or with cream cheese. The braided shape and boiling-before-baking technique actually predate bagels. The recipe was created by Kraków’s Jewish community centuries ago.
Placki ziemniaczane (potato pancake)
Poland’s classic potato pancakes. These crispy, golden fritters are made from grated potatoes mixed with onion, egg, and flour, then fried until perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft inside. Deeply rooted in Polish home cooking, they’re found everywhere from family kitchens to traditional restaurants.
They can be served savoury — with sour cream, mushroom sauce, or goulash — or sweet, sprinkled with sugar or served with applesauce. In Kraków and across southern Poland, both versions are equally beloved. Best eaten hot, straight from the pan, placki ziemniaczane are comfort food at its finest and a staple of Polish cuisine.
You can find the best ones in traditional milk bars, but also in very modern fast food places like InoPlacki.
Soups beyond żurek
Barszcz (beet soup)
There are two main types. Czerwony (red) is a clear beet broth, often served with uszka (tiny dumplings), and it’s the traditional Christmas Eve dish. Ukraiński (Ukrainian-style) is thick with vegetables, beans, and meat, almost like a stew.
Ogórkowa (pickle soup)
Made with pickled cucumbers and their brine. It sounds strange, but tastes amazing. Creamy, tangy, comforting.
Grochówka (pea soup)]
Thick yellow pea soup with smoked meat. It has military origins and is hearty enough to sustain soldiers.
Dairy and Bread
Oscypek
There are two main types. Czerwony (red) is a clear beet broth, often served with uszka (tiny dumplings), and it’s the traditional Christmas Eve dish. Ukraiński (Ukrainian-style) is thick with vegetables, beans, and meat, almost like a stew.
Twaróg (curd cheese)
Fresh white cheese is used in pierogi, cheesecakes, and eaten plain with radishes and chives.
Polish rye bread (chleb żytni)
Dense, dark, slightly sour sourdough rye. Poles take their bread seriously. Supermarkets have entire aisles dedicated to different varieties.
Desserts and sweets
Pączki (donuts)
Polish doughnuts filled with rose jam, custard, or other fillings. They’re not just for Fat Thursday (Tłusty Czwartek) anymore. Check Cukiernia Michałek for best ones.
Makowiec (poppy seed cake)
Sweet yeast bread rolled with sweetened poppy seed paste. It’s a traditional Christmas and Easter dessert, but you’ll find it year-round.
Sernik (cheesecake)
Polish cheesecake made with twaróg (curd cheese), resulting in a lighter, less sweet texture than American versions.
Kremówka (cream cake)
Custard cream between puff pastry layers. It’s also called papieska (papal) because Pope John Paul II mentioned loving them. You’ll find it at practically every café, but Cukiernia Wadowice does a particularly decadent version.
Szarlotka (apple pie)
Polish apple pie with generous cinnamon, often served warm with whipped cream and sometimes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Every grandmother has her secret recipe.
Drinks
Kompot
Fruit drink made from boiled fruit (usually berries). It’s served at every Polish meal at home. Refreshing, natural, sometimes too sweet.
Kefir
Fermented milk drink, tangy and probiotic. Poles drink it for breakfast or as a healthy snack.
Polish beer (piwo)
The craft beer scene here is excellent. Major brands include Tyskie, Żywiec, and Okocim, while craft breweries like Kormoran, Artezan, and Pracownia Piwa are pushing boundaries. You can find quite a few craft beer dedicated pubs in Kraków with a huge variety of Polish beers to choose from. Some of the best ones are: House of Beer, Weźże Krafta, Multi Qlti, Nowy Kraftowy and Szklanki.
Vodka (wódka)
Traditional types include Żubrówka (bison grass vodka, slightly sweet, served with apple juice), Wyborowa, Belvedere, Chopin (premium clear vodkas), and Śliwowica (plum brandy, strong and fruity).
A word on drinking culture in Poland: vodka is typically drunk in small shots rather than sipped. It’s usually served well chilled and almost always accompanied by food, especially during meals or longer gatherings. Toasts are an important part of social drinking, and maintaining eye contact while clinking glasses is considered polite and customary.
Nalewka
Homemade liqueurs infused with fruits, spices, or herbs. Every Polish home has someone’s grandmother’s recipe.
Dietary considerations
Vegetarian
Polish cuisine is meat-heavy, but there are options. Ruskie pierogi are vegetarian, as are mushroom-based dishes, kopytka (potato dumplings), and naleśniki (crepes with cheese or fruit). Modern restaurants increasingly offer vegetarian versions of classics.
Vegan
The scene is growing in Kraków. Check out Veganic in Kazimierz, Glonojad.
Gluten-free
More challenging but improving. Communicate clearly with “Czy to jest bez glutenu?” (Is this gluten-free?)
Polish food etiquette
If bread is served, eat it with your meal, not before. Poles don’t typically have appetisers. Soup is often a starter, not the main course, so don’t fill up too much. Dessert is usually cake with tea or coffee, not elaborate plated desserts. If eating at someone’s home, always compliment the food. Seconds are appreciated.
Budget Guide
- Milk bar meal: 15-25 PLN
- Mid-range restaurant: 40-70 PLN
- High-end traditional: 80-150 PLN
- Street food: 10-20 PLN
Final tips for food adventurers
Try everything. Polish cuisine rewards the adventurous. Even if it sounds unusual, give it a chance. Ask locals for recommendations – Poles are proud of their food culture and happy to share. Go hungry because portions are generous. One main course is often enough.
Learn a few key words:
- Smacznego (enjoy your meal)
- Pyszne (delicious)
- Rachunek poproszę (check please)
Embrace the heaviness. Yes, it’s rich. Yes, there’s a lot of pork and potatoes. That’s Polish cuisine. Balance it with walks through the city.
Polish food tells the story of a nation – resourceful, hearty, shaped by history and geography. Every dish carries tradition, every recipe is someone’s grandmother’s secret.
Eat well in Kraków. Your taste buds (and maybe your waistline) will never forget it.