29 bakeries worth the trip across Poland, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Poland guides.

Chleboteka ★ 4.8 · Wrocław

ul. Ruska 64/65, 50-079 Wrocław

Chleboteka on Ruska in central Wrocław bakes the city's most ambitious sourdough, some loaves a 48-hour prove. At ul. Ruska 64/65. Booking recommended.

Tip: Get there by 09:30 for the best pastry selection; the morning bake sells through by lunch.

Nowy Chleb ★ 4.7 · Gdańsk

ul. Śląska 17A, 80-389 Gdańsk

Nowy Chleb in Gdańsk Przymorze is Łukasz Stafieja's artisan micro-bakery: own-milled flours, natural starter, wheat and rye sourdoughs to order.

Tip: Pre-order online for Saturday pickup; walk-in stock sells out by 13:00.

Cukiernia Pawlova ★ 4.7 · Poznań

ul. Żabikowska 44, 62-030 Luboń

Cukiernia Pawlova in Luboń outside Poznań is run by World Master Confectioner Paweł Mieszała, with traditional butter rogale baked to the Master's recipe.

Tip: Phone order a day ahead and collect at the shop; the butter rogale sell out by mid-morning every November.

Lukullus (Mokotowska) ★ 4.7 · Warsaw

ul. Mokotowska 52A, 00-543 Warszawa

Lukullus on Mokotowska in Warsaw is the third-generation Warsaw patisserie family business since 1946. Open mon-sat 09:00-20:00, sun 09:00-18:00.

Cukiernia Paradowski ★ 4.6 · Gdańsk

ul. Wajdeloty 11, 80-437 Gdańsk

Cukiernia Paradowski in Gdańsk Wrzeszcz is the city's oldest active confectionery, opened spring 1945 by Stefan Paradowski. Son Andrzej still runs the shop.

Tip: On Fat Thursday (Tłusty Czwartek, the last Thursday before Lent), the queue stretches down Wajdeloty.

Cukiernia Kandulski ★ 4.6 · Poznań

Plac Cyryla Ratajskiego 1, 61-728 Poznań

Cukiernia Kandulski in Poznań is a family bakery founded by master confectioner Wojciech Kandulski in 1983, certified by the Cech Cukierników i Piekarzy.

Tip: Pre-order phone-only in early November; daily production caps and queues outside the shop are routine before St Martin's Day.

Wedel Staroswiecki Sklep ★ 4.6 · Warsaw

ul. Szpitalna 8, 00-031 Warszawa

The Wedel old-fashioned shop on Szpitalna in Warsaw, opened in 1894 in Emil Wedel's tenement, sells chocolate bars, Ptasie Mleczko marshmallows.

RANO Piekarnia Rzemieslnicza ★ 4.6 · Warsaw

ul. Stalowa 47, 03-425 Warszawa

RANO on Stalowa in Praga is the small craft bakery that supplies bread to a long list of Warsaw's better restaurants. Daily wheat sourdough, wheat with oats.

Piekarnia Złoto Nadodrza ★ 4.6 · Wrocław

ul. Henryka Pobożnego 20, 50-240 Wrocław

Piekarnia Złoto Nadodrza in Wrocław's Nadodrze has run by the Krajewski family since 1979, one of the city's best craft bakeries. At ul. Henryka Pobożnego 20.

Tip: Buy three pączki to take across the river; they hold for the day if not refrigerated.

Cukiernia Le Delice ★ 4.5 · Gdańsk

ul. Partyzantów 9, 80-254 Gdańsk

Le Delice in Gdańsk Wrzeszcz works a tight cukiernia-piekarnia format on Partyzantów. Croissants out of the oven about 09:30; the chocolate ones go fastest.

Tip: Croissants out of the oven about 09:30; the chocolate ones go fastest.

Cynamonka Bakery ★ 4.5 · Gdańsk

ul. Grobla III 17, 80-837 Gdańsk

Cynamonka in Gdańsk works a Grobla III unit a block off Długie Pobrzeże, the city's most-named cinnamon-roll counter. Open tue-sun 09:00-18:00, closed mon.

Tip: Plain (sauté) sells out first. The cream-filled cinnamon rolls go by mid-afternoon.

Zaczyn ★ 4.5 · Kraków

ul. Tadeusza Kościuszki 27, 30-105 Kraków

Zaczyn on Tadeusza Kościuszki west of the Old Town grinds its own flours on-site and runs a 25-hour fermentation on every loaf. Sourdough country breads.

Tip: Soft challah with crumble lands warm on weekend mornings; queue for the early bake.

Fawor ★ 4.5 · Poznań

ul. Hetmańska 91, 60-216 Poznań

Fawor in Poznań is a baker-confectioner cooperative founded in 1908, certified by the Wielkopolska Craft Chamber for rogale świętomarcińskie and producing up.

Tip: Skip the central locations on Nov 11; the further-flung Fawor branches have shorter queues and the same product.

A. Blikle (Nowy Swiat) ★ 4.5 · Warsaw

ul. Nowy Swiat 33, 00-029 Warszawa

A. Blikle on Nowy Swiat in Warsaw has sold rose-filled paczki since 1869. Five generations of the Blikle family across 157 years, fifteen Warsaw locations.

Charlotte (Plac Zbawiciela) ★ 4.5 · Warsaw

Aleja Wyzwolenia 18, 00-570 Warszawa

Charlotte on Plac Zbawiciela in Warsaw is the French boulangerie that locals queue at from 07:30. Open mon-fri 07:30-23:00, sat-sun 09:00-23:00.

Chleb z Natury ★ 4.4 · Gdańsk

ul. Klonowa 1/8, 80-264 Gdańsk

Chleb z Natury in Gdańsk Wrzeszcz is the city's dedicated gluten-free bakery, run by A&J Olejniczak: every loaf is certified safe for coeliacs.

Tip: Hours are short (Wed-Fri afternoons, Sat morning); a separate pickup point on ul. Kielneńska 7 in Osowa runs Wed-Fri 19:00-20:00.

Obwarzanek Krakowski (Rynek Główny carts) ★ 4.4 · Kraków

Rynek Główny, 31-042 Kraków

The red-and-yellow obwarzanek krakowski carts on Kraków's Rynek Główny sell the EU-protected salted ring bread, hot, for 2 to 3 zl. Open daily 06:00-22:00.

Tip: Choose poppy seed, sesame or salt. Best within 30 minutes of leaving the oven; older rings turn rubbery.

Piekarnia Sąsiedzi ★ 4.4 · Wrocław

ul. Michała Wrocławczyka 37, 50-380 Wrocław

Piekarnia Sąsiedzi in Wrocław's Grunwald student district is the neighbourhood breakfast room: sourdough breads, cinnamon buns, daily-changing breakfast.

Tip: Saturdays sell out by noon. Weekday breakfast from 08:00 is the calmest version.

CINNAMOON ★ 4.3 · Gdańsk

ul. Podwale Staromiejskie 94, 80-844 Gdańsk

CINNAMOON in Gdańsk works a Podwale Staromiejskie counter on the edge of the Old Town: cinnamon rolls in 10-plus combinations, paired with specialty coffee.

Tip: Pistachio-cream sells first. Vegan options on the board most days.

Cukiernia Michałek ★ 4.3 · Kraków

ul. Krupnicza 6, 31-123 Kraków

Cukiernia Michałek on Kraków's Krupnicza is the family-run pastry counter west of the Planty since 1958: rose-filled pączki, kremówka, sernik.

Tip: The rose-filled pączki are the counter pick; Fat Thursday queue runs hours long.

Pellowski Piekarnia Cukiernia Kawiarnia ★ 4.2 · Gdańsk

ul. Długa 40, 80-827 Gdańsk

Pellowski in Gdańsk is the family bakery on Długa, with branches across the city. Open mon-sat 06:30-19:00, sun 08:00-15:00. At ul. Długa 40.

Tip: The Długa branch fills fast at lunchtime; the larger Słupska Street store is calmer.

Charlotte ★ 4.2 · Wrocław

ul. Świętego Antoniego 2, 50-073 Wrocław

Charlotte on Św. Antoniego in Wrocław doubles as bakery and bistro: French-style croissants, daily bread bakes, breakfast plates. At ul. Świętego Antoniego 2.

Tip: Order croissants to go after 11:00 when the bistro service takes over the seats.

Pellowski Słupska ★ 4.1 · Gdańsk

ul. Słupska 26, 80-392 Gdańsk

Pellowski Słupska in Gdańsk is the larger production bakery and cafe of the family chain, in Przymorze. Open mon-sat 06:30-19:00, sun closed.

Tip: Bigger choice of wholegrain and seeded breads than the Długa tourist branch.

Vanilla ★ 4.0 · Kraków

ul. Brzozowa 13, 31-050 Kraków

Cukiernia Vanilla in Kraków runs traditional Polish patisserie from two shops, Brzozowa 13 and Na Szaniec 14. Open daily 10:00-21:00. At ul. Brzozowa 13.

Tip: Sernik krakowski is the city's lattice-topped cheesecake; ask for it at the counter.

Cukiernia Sowa ★ 4.0 · Poznań

ul. Półwiejska 32, 61-888 Poznań

Cukiernia Sowa at Stary Browar on Półwiejska 32, Poznań is the city-centre branch of the Bydgoszcz-founded 1946 patisserie chain, good for karpatka.

Tip: Eat the karpatka or sernik on weekdays; the rogal bydgoski here is Bydgoszcz's PGI workaround, not a certified rogal świętomarciński.

Piekarnia Lubaszka ★ 4.0 · Warsaw

ul. Pulawska 36, 02-512 Warszawa

Piekarnia Lubaszka in Warsaw is the city-wide chain of Polish sourdough bakers, twenty-plus addresses pumping out rye loaves, paczki and savoury rolls.

Chleboteka Krzyki ★ 4.0 · Wrocław

ul. Zwycięska 20a, 52-414 Wrocław

The Krzyki branch of Wrocław's Chleboteka, the bakery's southern outpost. Easier weekday parking than the centre; useful if you're driving in from Borek.

Tip: Easier weekday parking than the centre; useful if you're driving in from Borek.

Cukiernia Sowa Długa ★ 3.9 · Gdańsk

ul. Długa 13-17, 80-827 Gdańsk

Cukiernia Sowa in Gdańsk runs the Długa branch of Poland's oldest national patisserie chain, founded Bydgoszcz 1946. Napoleonki, butter cookies.

Tip: Napoleonka is the brand's signature; ask for them at the counter, never from the case.

Pellowski Galeria Madison ★ 3.8 · Gdańsk

ul. Rajska 10, 80-850 Gdańsk

Pellowski in Gdańsk's Galeria Madison runs the family bakery's shopping-centre counter, close to the train station. Open mon-sat 09:00-21:00, sun closed.

Tip: If you missed the Długa queue, this is the fallback. Closed Sunday.