Zaczyn is a bakery in 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.
Address: ul. Tadeusza Kościuszki 27, 30-105 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.
Worth the queue: Obwarzanek hot from the cart
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.
Worth the queue: Rose-filled pączki
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.
Worth the queue: Sernik (Polish cheesecake)
