Also: Restaurants in Krakow
The rooms worth a reservation in Kraków, from neighbourhood bistros to the new classics.
The restaurants worth the trip in Kraków. bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
Bottiglieria 1881 in Kraków's Kazimierz holds Poland's only two Michelin stars. Przemysław Klima cooks Polish ingredients on a long tasting menu only.
Signature: Tasting menu with Polish-only wine pairing, Autumn game course
Order: The full tasting menu with the Polish-wine pairing from a 700-bottle list.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Book three weeks ahead for Friday or Saturday; midweek is easier.
Karakter in Kraków's Kazimierz is the loud, low-lit neo-bistro with chef Daniel Myśliwiec. Open kitchen, offal-heavy modern carte, small Polish growers.
Signature: Beef tartare with bone marrow, Charcoal-grilled lamb
Order: The tartare for the table, then whatever is on the grill list that night.
Tip: Counter walk-ins often available at 18:00. The dining-room tables take booking only.
Pod Aniołami in Kraków sits in a 13th-century cellar on Grodzka with a beech-wood grill at the centre of the room. Kitchen leans traditional polish.
Signature: Beech-smoked highlander lamb, Grilled trout
Order: The beech-smoked lamb shank, and oscypek with cranberry jam to start.
Tip: Ask for the vaulted-cellar room over the courtyard. Open daily from 13:00.
Wesele in Kraków is the editorial pick for traditional Polish on the Rynek Główny: pierogi, roast duck, żurek, with a terrace pointed at the Cloth Hall.
Signature: Mixed pierogi platter, Roast duck with apple
Order: The mixed pierogi plate and żurek soured-rye soup served in a bread bowl.
Tip: Reservation recommended for evenings; the cellar room is quieter than the terrace in summer.
Miód i Wino in Kraków sits at the north end of the Old Town with a courtyard under linden trees. The carte is straight Polish bistro: pierogi.
Signature: Pierogi ruskie, Pork knuckle in honey beer
Order: Pork knuckle for two with honey beer glaze, with pierogi ruskie to start.
Tip: The summer courtyard runs first-come weekdays; book ahead for Friday and Saturday dinner.
Pod Norenami in Kraków runs the city's most editorial vegan kitchen with a pan-Asian menu: ramen, gyoza, banh mi, sushi rolls. Krupnicza is the original room.
Signature: Gyoza, Shoyu ramen with king oyster
Order: The gyoza and a bowl of the shoyu ramen with king oyster mushroom.
Tip: Cash and card; closes around 22:00. Walk-ins for early dinner, book for prime time.
Hamsa in Kraków's Jewish quarter cooks Tel Aviv-style Israeli: hummus, shakshuka, sabich, fresh pita off the saj. Located in Kazimierz. Priced at $$.
Signature: Hummus with slow-cooked lamb, Shakshuka
Order: Hummus with slow-cooked lamb and fresh pita; arrive before the dinner queue at 19:30.
Tip: Book the terrace for sunset. The same group runs Hamsa Tel Aviv next door for a fuller dinner menu.
Klezmer-Hois in Kraków's Kazimierz is the Polish-Jewish kitchen in the 16th-century Great Mikveh on Szeroka. Gefilte fish, cholent on the carte.
Signature: Gefilte fish, Cholent
Order: Gefilte fish, the chicken liver pâté and a glass of Slivovitz to finish.
Tip: Book ahead for evenings with klezmer concerts. Check the concert calendar in advance.
Starka in Kraków's Kazimierz cooks classic Polish in a townhouse cellar with a courtyard garden, and pours its house-aged Starka vodka in 8 to 25-year-old.
Signature: Duck with baked apple, Aged Starka vodka flight
Order: Duck with baked apple and the 10-year Starka vodka flight; courtyard table in summer.
Tip: Book the courtyard for sunset; the cellar room is the better seating in winter.
Szara Gęś on Kraków's Rynek Główny runs a Polish carte in a Cloth Hall-facing dining room. Located in Stare Miasto. Kitchen leans polish-french.
Signature: Roast goose with apple and red cabbage, Pierogi with venison
Order: The roast goose for two with red cabbage and apple, in November during goose season.
Tip: Reservation only on weekends. The Cloth Hall side tables go first; ask when booking.
Ariel on Szeroka in Kraków's Kazimierz is a 16th-century tenement-house restaurant cooking Galician Jewish and Polish dishes across two dining rooms.
Signature: Carp Jewish-style, Roast goose with cherries
Order: Carp Jewish-style to start, then roast goose with cherries; a shot of slivovitz to close.
Tip: Klezmer concert runs every night (separate ticket); book the upstairs dining room for the larger space.
Zazie Bistro in Kraków's Kazimierz runs straight Lyonnais-bistro grammar: tartare, escargot, blanquette de veau, tarte tatin. Kitchen leans french bistro.
Signature: Beef tartare, Tarte tatin
Order: Beef tartare and the tarte tatin to share. House red by the carafe.
Tip: Walk-in only. Get there before 19:00 or queue 30 minutes. Closed Sunday.
Cargo Grill & Deli on Plac Nowy in Kraków's Kazimierz fires dry-aged Polish beef and fresh European seafood with a wine cellar to match. Priced at $$$.
Signature: Dry-aged Polish beef ribeye, Fresh fish of the day
Order: Dry-aged Polish ribeye with a bottle from the cellar; deli counter for cured meats on the way out.
Tip: Book the dining room for dinner; daytime walk-ins lean toward the deli side of the room.
Fiorentina on Grodzka in Kraków's Old Town is the Tuscan-inspired room with a vaulted red-brick ceiling. Located in Stare Miasto. Priced at $$$.
Signature: Bistecca alla Fiorentina, Hand-rolled pasta
Order: The bistecca for two with a Brunello by the bottle, and the gnudi as a starter.
Tip: The bistecca needs ordering in advance; closed Sunday. Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition.
Filipa 18 in Kraków's Kleparz is the neo-Polish room inside Hotel Indigo. Located in Stare Miasto. Priced at $$$. At ul. Świętego Filipa 18.
Signature: Tartare with pickled mushroom, Duck with smoked plum
Order: Whatever tartare is on, and the duck with smoked plum if it's running.
Tip: Tasting menu Tuesday to Saturday 17:00-22:00. Book a week ahead for weekend dinner.