Krakow
Dining And Drinking

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In the last few years many new cafés, bars and restaurants have opened up in Kraków. This wasn't always the case: once visitors regularly complained about the lack of choice.

This boom has been brought about by increased tourism and the presence of a huge academic community. Students discover the small, unique side-street cafés soon after they open. They are all later discovered by the tourists, especially during the summer months. There is also a good balance of inexpensive and world-class restaurants to cater for both groups.

Polish Cuisine

Kraków has a wealth of traditional Polish restaurants, ranging from the ornate and sophisticated to the quaint and affordable.

One of the most enduringly popular places is 'Chlopskie Jadło'—where diners sit on rustic wooden benches and eat dishes prepared according to centuries-old traditions. Babcia Malina, in the Old Town, offers similar fare in a building resembling an old Polish farmhouse.

For those seeking more formal and elegant Polish cuisine, there are several famous places to visit. Wierzynek has been around for more than 600 years and continues to be popular, offering fine dining on the Old Town Square. U Bonera offers fine food in an upscale environment. Chimera is another long-time local favorite, offering very traditional food in stylish surroundings.

Less formal and very stylish are places like Gospoda C.K. Dezerterzy, Krew I Roża and Pod Aniołami. They all offer well-made Polish food in a relaxed atmosphere.

International Cuisine

Kraków has seen a range of restaurants specializing in international cuisine open up in the past several years.

With the revival of Kazimierz (the traditional Jewish quarter), a host of Jewish restaurants are now open for business. Ariel> is one of the most popular and it is both charming and authentic. Alef is also an extremely atmospheric place to dine. Na Kazimierzu offers kosher food, while Klezmer Hois presents not only delicious food but also evenings of live Klezmer music.

Contemporary international cuisine is well covered by Hawełka, the modern and stylish Metropolitan and the beautiful Pod Gruszką. Villa Decius is beautifully decorated and Wentzl is located on the Old Town Square.

Kassumay is the first and only African (Senegalese) restaurant in the city. There are a few Chinese choices with A Dong being particularly good. There are several high-class French restaurants here, including Cyrano de Bergerac and La Fontaine. Dionisos offers traditional Greek food while Paese - an authentic Corsican restaurant—made a big impression when it opened.

Perhaps the most prolific of foreign restaurants are the Italian ones. Ristorante Amarone, in a beautiful glass-roofed courtyard inside the Hotel Pod Roza offers a classic fine dining experience. Ristorante Caruso offers delicious and authentic Italian dishes while Padva has combined a beautiful and formal atmosphere with excellent food. Da Pietro has several cellar rooms deep underground.

Taco and Taco Mexicano both offer incredibly cheap Polish-style Mexican dishes while El Paso serves more authentic food in a hacienda-like atmosphere. Los Amigos is another good choice and it benefits from a pleasant courtyard.

Restauracja Balaton is a Hungarian restaurant which has been around for ages and is still deservedly popular. As for Indian food, Bombaj Tandoori and Ganges are both very good.

Kartagina serves up Tunisian food in a relaxed atmosphere. Vega is a rare but successful vegetarian restaurant with three locations. For fun-loving carnivores, "U Boot" serves huge steaks and has a nightclub attached.

Fast food lovers are not forgotten. One of Europe's prettiest McDonald's can be found on Ulica Florianska and Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut and Dunkin' Donuts are also here. Polish fast food is available in the form of crepes at Nalesniqi, kebabs at the Kebab Grill and a huge selection of everything from salads to crepes at Rożowy Słoń.

Cafés

The Old Town Square and its sidestreets are dotted with cafés whose tables cover the sidewalks.

Jama Michalika is one of the city's oldest. Ratuszowa is in the former dungeon of the Town Hall Tower. The Sukiennice Café (in the historic Cloth Hall) has a longstanding tradition as does the Noworolski. Dym on the other hand is fresh and contemporary. The Europejska is an Old Town Square classic, as is Redolfi. Demmers serve tea rather than coffee and Larousse has a French feel to it.

Wine, Beer, Cocktails and Cigars

Kraków offers many fine places to go after a meal. Le Fumoir, located above the French restaurant La Fontaine, is an elegant cigar bar. Vinoteka (which is part of the Pod Roża Hotel) has a huge selection of wines in its ancient cellars. Dom Wina offers wines from around the world in a romantic location.

For something more informal, O' Morgans is lively and fun, Non Iron is elegant and modern, Oldsmobil specializes in cocktails and Ye Olde Goat (in Kazimierz) is extremely lively.

There is no shortage of places to go out to eat in Krakow, so pick whatever takes your fancy. Smacznego!