The only thing I like better than talking about food is eating. -John Walters
Last night I went to dinner with a few of my friends. While we were eating, we talked about my parents visiting Krakow. Of course, the conversation went straight to food. After my initial freak out, I realized I know so many great places to eat in Krakow. Today I am going to share all of my favorite places with you. Now, I haven’t even lived in Krakow for a year, so this list is by no means extensive but just my own personal favorites. Eating out in Krakow is very affordable and you can get an extremely high quality mean for next to nothing. These are listed in no particular order because, honestly, I am not that great at picking favorites.
Natasha’s Favorite Places to Eat in Krakow (the brief version)
One thing you should know before we begin is that I make up a lot of names for places I visit. I’ll include a link with a map of where I am really talking about after each location. That way we don’t have a Jubie Lot situation on our hands (a hilarious story for another day).
Number One: The Secret Winery
Ok, it isn’t really a secret and I have written many blog posts about this place (see here, or here, or here) but I just love it so much. Not only is their wine list extensive and delicious, the food is amazing! Each time I go I have a new favorite wine and meal. There is a small garden in the back and the restaurant is quite intimate. You can drop by but I recommend making some reservations beforehand, especially during the summer months. (for a map, click here)
Number Two: Nad and Greg
If you followed my adventures on Snapchat or Instagram when I first arrived you will know that I indulged in Nad & Greg at least once a day. I just could not get enough of their iced coffees, teas, and delicious pastry treats. Now, for some reason, I never blogged about my love affair with Nad & Greg but if you like desserts, then this is a must! Nad & Greg is so adorable! The deserts are amazing and I have become friends with some of the people who work there. Stop in for a quick little afternoon snack. You will not be let down. (for a map, click here)
Number Three: Excellent People Watching
I have no idea what this restaurant is really called… I can tell you that it has excellent people watching. There are paintings of fat ladies on the menu. The inside is gorgeous and has very comfortable seating. The lemonade is to die for. I have tried each and every flavor of lemonade and they are all delicious. The atmosphere is super chill and the men behind the counter are very friendly. It is a self-serve restaurant so don’t sit down and wait for someone to come to you. Instead, head straight to the bars to get menus. Once you know what you want, head back to the bar to order. For the summer months, I highly recommend lemonade and salad. Also, for my Snapchat followers, this is where we took the frienemy for lunch! Once you walk across the walking bridge, you are practically there! (for a map, click here)
Number Four: Good Lood
I don’t have a picture of this one! Sorry! Follow me on Snapchat so you don’t miss out on all my adventures! This ice cream place always has a line out the door! After walking past it for almost a year I finally decided to get in the line and wait. Let me tell you that not going earlier was a big mistake. My favorite flavor is caramel. The dark chocolate and strawberry are also delicious. After waiting in line for what seems like forever, you get to order your scoops (I highly recommend 2) and pick out your flavors. Don’t settle for the subpar ice cream around the corner. Get the real deal! (for a map, click here)
Number Five: Boat Restaurant
When I first moved here I really wanted to go to dinner on one of the boats. One of the other teachers forbid it and even after she went back to The States I never ended up on one of the boats… until a couple weeks ago. We were on the C. C. Stegan Batory and I highly recommend it. The drinks were divine and the food was delicious. Also, you are sitting on a boat directly under the Wawel Castle. Life could not get any better. (for a map, click here)
Number Six: The Place With the Nice Garden
I have been to this garden several times in the warmer months and have been inside several times in the colder months. This place has wonderful beer and a great atmosphere inside and out. I believe that it is called RE or something like it. The beer garden gives off such chill vibes and is the perfect place to enjoy a cold one with friends. (for a map, click here)
Number Seven: Mexican Manzana
“Wow! You must be so thirsty. That’s a lot of drinks on your table. I got an orange drink! It looks like you have a strawberry drink!” -one of my students who I ran into while we had 5 shots of tequila on the table and each had a huge margarita. This food is delicious. It tastes just like the Mexican food in the US. Surprisingly, they also make really good burgers. Manzana recently moved to a new location that I haven’t been inside yet but I have had it delivered to my house… quite frequently. It is just like I imagine heaven! (for a map, click here)
Number Eight: Food and Wine Only
*Also see the cheese plate up top.
This place was another one banned by our dear *sarcasm* teacher friend who left before school started. So after she hopped on a plane back to the States we went over to Food and Wine Only and dined on delicious food. The waiter was hilarious and the food was amazing. This one is right across the walking bridge on an adorable little walking road. It is an amazing restaurant outside but I have to admit that I have never been in the building. (for a map, click here)
Number Nine: Italian Food
One night we were wandering around and found this restaurant. Isn’t that the way you end up at the greatest places? I think so. This restaurant is super calm. There usually aren’t a lot of people there and I love places like that. Feeling like you are the only person in a restaurant makes me feel like the rich queen that I am. The kitchen is surrounded by glass so you can see in as they make your food, another feature I thoroughly enjoy in a restaurant because not only do I think of myself as a queen, I am super nosy. (for a map, click here)
Number Ten: Macaroni
Obviously, I like pasta and this restaurant has amazing pasta dishes. They also have really good salads and I do love a good salad. Located right across the street from Food and Wine Only it is down the stairs into a little alley. The alley has adorable lights strung across it and is seriously precious. It looks like you are eating on a movie set. The waitresses there are very kind. If it happens to be raining the inside is equally adorable. The tables are very close to one another but that is how European restaurants go. (for a map, click here)
Number Eleven: Alchemia
Looking for a good beer? I highly recommend Alchemia. This bar is perhaps a little hipster but it gives off a very cool vibe. It is dark and cool on the inside. What I love about bars in Krakow is sometimes they are a maze of rooms. You can wind your way all around in this bar finding different rooms with different vibes to drink in. The bartenders are very friendly and the beer is always delicious. (for a map, click here)
Number Twelve: Singer
Singer is a place I have just recently visited this spring. It isn’t named because people sing there but after the old-fashioned sewing machines. My mom had one of those at our house and I always wanted to press the pedal but always got into trouble for touching it. Well mom, here at Singer I can touch the pedal as many times as I would like and put my beer down next to the sewing machine! The beer is also wonderful here and they can whip up quite a few delicious drinks! (for a map, click here)
Number Thirteen: The First Place I Ate Pierogi
*I don’t have a picture of this one! Sorry!
I know you are probably wondering why I have no restaurants that specialize in Polish food. The truth is that I like Polish food. I eat it from time to time but it just isn’t the food I want to eat all of the time. I would much rather eat pizza or pasta or food that I know and love. The first time I ate pierogi my principal took all the new teachers out for dinner. Of course, we all ordered pierogi and forced it down. Do not take this the wrong way, this restaurant is amazing and one of the best in Krakow but pierogi, in my opinion, is an acquired taste. Now, I will gladly eat pierogi but in the beginning, it was difficult to get used to. (for a map, click here)
Number Fourteen: Summer Menu Only
Sorry I actually don’t know the name of this restaurant and I will never be able to find it again and so neither will you. My frienemy, Emily and I went out to dinner before school started at this really great restaurant. It was near the square. The frienemy was complaining that the advertising and marketing in Krakow is terrible. No one does branding here like they do in the States. No one has business cards or websites. This soon became a trend with the frienemy, hating everything about Krakow that was un-American. Anyways she decided that she loved this restaurant and wanted to take her son there when he visited so she went to take a picture of the menu to remember the name of the restaurant. What she took a picture of was the summer menu titled, “Summer Menu Only” Once she realized the menu didn’t have the restuarants name on it, she was livid- pretty sure she added this to the banned restaurants list. #dying
One Last Story Before We Go
Well, if you have made it this far I feel as though you deserve the Jubie Lot story. Once I was out with my friends and made plans to meet up with a friend the following day. The next morning I called her up to see where we would meet. We were going to a once a year only market that takes place on Easter Monday. Now my friend also makes up names to places like I do, the thing is that I figure out the real name of places and can describe where they are if I am giving directions, she cannot. Once we met up at “the bar with the Tyskie umbrellas.” Let me tell you that almost all the bars have Tyskie umbrellas. So I am on the phone with her and this is basically how our conversation goes…
Her: So let’s just meet at the Jubie Lot. You know the Jubie Lot?
Me: No.
Her: You know the Jubie Lot. You have to know the Jubie Lot. So you take the tram to the Jubie Lot and we will meet there. So you know where you are going?
Me: No. Where is the Jubie Lot?
Her: You know it is over near the art museum and a couple of streets. I don’t know their name. Alright, see you at the Jubie Lot.
*hangs up*
What? I had never heard of the Jubie Lot. I had to pull up the tram stop and start guessing which one might be near the Jubie Lot. Luckily for me, one of them was called the Jubilat and I was able to find her. FYI Jubilat is written in large letters on top of one of the buildings but I live on the opposite side of the city so I never knew.
