Krakow Restaurant Tips by toonsarah

Chocoffee Bar: Chocolates and coffee

I walked past this coffee shop many times in my comings and goings to the Unikat B&B, and finally on my last morning I stepped inside. Wow, what a place! Ultra-stylish modern décor, and the most delicious-looking and -sounding chocolates. I ordered my cappuccino at the counter and took a seat at a table near the front. My fellow customers included a couple of young priests who had commandeered the well-placed window seats, and smartly dressed local women taking a pause from a shopping trip. When the coffee came it was good and strong, and I was pleased to see it accompanied by one of those tempting chocolates. I was strongly tempted to buy a selection at 19 PLN per 100 gram) but decided that they might not cope too well with the rigours of a train journey to Lviv – oh well, another time! Mind you, whether I’ll want to include some of the more unusual flavours on offer, such as the blue cheese cream filling, I am not quite sure.

My large cappuccino, with the single chocolate, cost 8.90 PLN – not cheap by Krakow standards, but worth it. As well as coffees there is a good range of different teas and hot chocolate, ice cream and of course those chocolates! The coffee shop is one of a small Polish chain, with branches in other cities such as Warsaw and Katovice, but this is the only one in Krakow.

Address: ul Wislna 8

Directions: A few metres south of the main square (Rynek Glowny), leaving at the south west corner

Rating: 4

Theme: Coffeehouse

Website: http://www.chocoffee.com/

Bona Ksiazka i Kawa: Books and coffee

This little café was a real find! Wandering back from a visit to Wawel Hill on my last full morning in Krakow I found myself in peaceful ulica Kanonicza, running parallel to the more well-trodden Grodzka or “Royal Route”. Already enamoured of my surroundings, and charmed by the small square in front of St Mary Magdalene Church, I spotted a family drinking coffees and juice outside a café. On entering I found it was a great example of one of my favourite types of establishment, combining bookshop and café. The books were nicely displayed in the front part of the shop, but didn’t detain me for long as unsurprisingly they appeared to be all in Polish. Heading to the back I found the café, with attractive wooden tables and a counter staffed by a friendly smiling waitress. I ordered a freshly squeezed orange juice but when she proposed a mix of orange and grapefruit I agreed willingly.

Despite the temptations of the pretty interior I chose to sit outside, and when my juice was brought to me I was very happy with both my surroundings and my refreshing drink. I would have loved to have sat longer and sampled the tempting-looking pastries, but a train to Lviv was calling me ... But this is definitely a place I will return to if, as I hope, I find myself once more in Krakow.

Address: ul. Kanonicza 11, 31-002 Kraków

Directions: Opposite St Mary Magdalene Church, a short walk south of the main square (Rynek Glowny) via Grodzka or ul Kanonicza

Rating: 4

Theme: Coffeehouse

Zapiecek: Pierogies aplenty!

On our final evening in Krakow a group of us, Spanish and Brits, went in search of pierogies, the traditional stuffed dumplings, and found them here in abundance! This is Polish fast food. A choice of various pierogies is presented on sheets of paper strung on the wall (in Polish, German and English) as well as a couple of mixed plates (traditional or fancy) and a couple of other dishes such as stuffed cabbage leaves. You make your selection and order at counter, then take your seat at one of a few wooden tables and wait to be called to collect it. Your meal will come on a paper plate, with plastic cutlery. No alcohol is available but there’s a good selection of soft drinks including water, juices and sodas. The décor is suggestive of an old Polish kitchen, with wooden shelving and implements on display.

Our table of four decided to choose a selection of dishes to share – the traditional and fancy mixed plates, and the stuffed cabbage. My own preference was for the cheese-and-potato and mushroom-and-cabbage pierogies. It has to be said that this is a filling dish, and a little goes a long way, so we didn’t manage to quite clear our plates. But it certainly made a satisfying meal and a fitting end to our stay here. As for prices – a bargain! I paid just 12 PLN (less than 3€) which included a tomato juice.

Address: ul. Slawkowska 32, Krakow

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: At the northern end of the street which leads from the north west corner of the main square (Rynek Glowny), not far from St Florian’s Gate

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 3

Theme: Local

Restauracja Bohema: 2nd VT Dinner

As with the Restauracja Kawaleria Szarza Smaku, our meal here was a large group affair, but the way the restaurant coped with the crowds and produced a delicious spread was equally impressive. The setting too was excellent – the restaurant is located in 15th century cellars deep beneath the streets of Krakow, with exposed brick walls and arches and striking décor, including a couple of complete suits of medieval armour which framed the entrance!

Favorite Dish: The menu started with a traditional dish of forest mushroom soup served in bread which was both dramatic in its presentation and very tasty to eat. This was followed by a main course of roast veal in a sauce of some kind (I think more mushrooms were involved), accompanied by potatoes and salad. The meat was lovely but I didn’t think the mashed potatoes matched the previous evening’s boiled ones. The dessert was cheese cake but I passed on this – I had noted that the cold buffet (which, unusually, was offered after we had stuffed ourselves with the sit-down meal) included some interesting-looking cheeses, which suit me much better than sweet stuff, so I headed there for a plateful and really enjoyed my selection. It was a shame though that many of us were too full to do justice to the wide array of dishes on offer here at the buffet.

As on the previous evening, wine was include and seemed to be plentiful, and it was good that fruit juice was also provided for the non-drinkers.

I also really enjoyed the folk music, singing and dancing that was laid on for our entertainment – a lovely touch!

Address: ul. Golebia 2, 31-007 Krakow

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: In a street that runs parallel to the south side of the main square (Rynek Glowny), joining Wislna and Bracka

Price: US$31-40

Rating: 4

Theme: Other

Website: http://www.bohema.cracow.pl/indexang.html

Restauracja Kawaleria Szarza Smaku: First VT Dinner

I never feel that it’s right to judge a restaurant solely on the experience of a VT meeting dinner, or on any other large group catering event, but when you’re in town for Euromeet that’s often all you have to go on. And if the meal we had at the Restauracja Kawaleria is anything to go by, this is an excellent restaurant – if they can produce such delicious dishes for a large group I would love to try their regular menu!

But to start with the building. We entered through the attractive courtyard which would be a lovely place in which to dine in warm weather – maybe for lunch. Inside tables are set out in a series of rooms, all of which have a cool appearance that manages to seem both traditional and modern at the same time. I especially loved the old white bread oven that dominated one room. The walls are hung with old prints of cavalry men and various horse-related artefacts.

Favorite Dish: And now to the food. Our set menu began with a platter of assorted starters - plums baked with bacon and served in two ways with porto wine, turkey liver pâté with raisin sauce, roast beef with ricotta mousse, and marinated beetroot salad. All of these were delicious, with the pâté being consumed with particular enthusiasm by most of us. In fact I can’t remember ever before enjoying a “mass catering” starter as much as I did this one! The main course of pork fillets interleaved with spinach served with cheese sauce and potatoes was also tasty – there seems to be a way of boiling potatoes in Eastern Europe that gives them extra flavour. And while the dessert of apple pie with vanilla sauce was less of a stand-out in my opinion that could be because I was full by then, or because I’m not so much a “dessert person”.

Overall I thought this meal was excellent value at 100 PLN (including what was supposed to be a bottle of wine between four but appeared to be unlimited!) I would love to come here again on a return to Krakow and sample their regular menu, which looks from the website to be equally delicious.

Address: ul. Golebia 4, 31-007 Krakow

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: In a street that runs parallel to the south side of the main square (Rynek Glowny), joining Wislna and Bracka

Phone: (+48) 012 430 24 32

Price: US$31-40

Rating: 4

Theme: Other

Website: http://www.kawaleria.com.pl/?lang=en