Krakow's Best Coffee Shops

update 2023: After a span of 5 years, we find ourselves in need of updating our list. With delight, we announce that certain places remain open and are still offering delicious coffee!

Krakow is just full of great and unique coffee places so it’d be a shame to drink coffee in just any random  cafe or at an international chain. Recently, we have been lucky to see an increase in the number of artisan coffee shops in Krakow that use independent roasters and different modern and classic brewing techniques. Since such high-quality coffee is still a growing sector in Poland, local roasters are constantly working to educate others about how to brew better coffee by offering monthly cupping events. On our tours, we often get asked by our guests for recommendations on where to find the best coffee shops in Krakow, so we decided we should make a list specifically for all the coffee lovers. Here are our recommendations for the best Krakow coffee shops. Enjoy!

JAVA Coffee Showroom & Cafe

update: Regrettably, Java Coffee has ceased its operations.

Java Coffee was one of the first specialty coffee roasters to open in Poland. Their Krakow coffee shop, located on Joselefowicza Street, is open from Wednesday to Sunday. This is not only the perfect place to find an excellent cup of coffee but is also a showroom where workshops are led. The mission of the Java Coffee team is to spread coffee-drinking culture and their helpful baristas will be happy to advise you on the perfect beverage and brewing method for your tastes.

FB     |     Wednesday-Sunday / 10:00-18:00             

Adress: Joselewicza 12

                                                    Photo by Delicious Poland

Urban Coffee

update: Urban Coffee remains operational.

This tiny coffee shop occupies just a single room and is located in front of the Hala Targowa (Market Place), one of the busiest places in town. As you sit and enjoy a coffee, roasted by Krakow’s own Coffee Proficiency, you can people-watch and observe the bustling daily life of the city.

FB     |     Monday-Friday 07.30-18:00  / Saturday-Friday 08:00-18:00   

Adress: Wielopole 26

                                                       Photo by Delicious Poland

Coffeece

update: Coffeece remains operational.

You’ll find this friendly little cafe situated in the Zabłocie district, not far from the Shindler Factory Museum. Zabłocie is an old industrial district that has been developing over recent years and is now bustling thanks to the help of the many offices and companies in the area. Coffeece serves a variety of roasts from different companies such as Etno Cafe, Audun Coffee, and Coffee Grange. And this cafe carries more than just coffee, with different types of coffee brewing accessories and products from local designers also for sale.

FB     |     Monday-Friday 07.30-18:00  / Saturday 10:00-17:00 / Sunday Closed

Adress:  Przemysłowa 12

                                                          Photo by Delicious Poland

Karma

update: Karma remains operational.

For the past six years, this company has been roasting coffee in Krakow. They have their own coffee shop, located near the Main Square on Krupnicza Street. Every day, they serve their own roasts for both espresso and filter coffee. Their food menu changes daily, according to what’s available and in-season. They also have a location on Sw. Wawrzynca, in Kazimierz, where they brew and serve coffee on the weekend. They are also known for their vegetarian and vegan dishes, with gluten-free options available.

FB     |     Monday-Friday 08:00-19:00  / Saturday-Sunday 10:00-19:00

Adress: Krupnicza 12

                                                        Photo by Delicious Poland

Wesoła Cafe

update: Wesoła Cafe remains operational.

With its cool interior and shaded garden, this cafe is the perfect place to work or meet with friends. It has been open for three years and is located near the Central Train and Bus Station. This cafe serves coffee from different roasters including Krakow’s Coffee Proficiency and Casino Mocca in Hungary and they are happy to prepare you the classics, like cappuccinos and espressos, while also offering beverages made with trendy new brewing methods like Chemex and Aeropress. Their wide food menu features a variety of different dishes and an assortment of craft beer and wine.

FB     |     Monday-Friday 07:00-21:00  / Saturday-Sunday 08:00-19:00

Adress: Rakowicka 17

                                                      Photo by Delicious Poland

We are Delicious Poland. We run memorable and personal culinary tours in Krakow, Wroclaw and Warsaw. Join us and experience the tastes of Poland.

Blogger / Content Creator (Remote)

Delicious Poland is looking for a talented freelancer content creator (foodies are more than welcome) who can write blog posts on Delicious Poland’s website. This is a remote job (you can work from anywhere) but we expect 4-5 blog posts every week. To know more about us click here

Responsibilities:

• Writing unique blog posts (approx. 15  articles per month) about Krakow and Polish culture (places to visit, good restaurants, cafes activities etc)

• Coming up with new ideas and topics that help foreigners who visit Krakow

What we expect:

• Fluent English

• Excellent overall writing skills

• Impeccable spelling and grammar

• Knowledge about Krakow (places to visit, good restaurants, cafes activities etc.)

• Creativity and originality

Nice to have:

• Experience in blog writing

• Passionate about travel, food, and drinks

Please send your application with a short cover letter and an example of your work to hello@deliciouspoland.com if you live in Krakow. If you have questions please use the same email.

Miejscówka- Snowboard Rental Shop with Craft Beer

Miejscówka is a multitap pub in Podgórze near Kładka Bernatka in Krakow, just on the other side of Kazimierz. Miejscowka used to serve regular beers before transforming into multitap bar, which has been a good move and probably it attracted more customers. So far it'is a first good craft beer pub on this river's side. Miejscówka cooperates with microbrewery Trzech Kumpli and most of the beers in pub come from there. Trzech Kumpli is a small contract brewery from Tarnów. On my last visit in Miejscówka I had a chance to try Misty- Contemporary IPA from Trzech Kumpli and probably it will be my favorite IPA this Summer! However beer's offer in Miejscówka is quite broad and you may find there also some good crafts from other breweries like Podgórz, Piwojad, Piwne Podziemie.
What makes this pub a great “Miejscówka” (in Polish- a cool place to hang out in) besides good Polish craft beer, is a great front garden and beautiful river view.

                                                                       Photo: Miejscówka

Miejscówka has also daily offers, for example on Thursdays some of the craft beers on taps have 50% discount (only from Trzech Kumpli brewery) starting at 6 pm till the kegs are finished.

It's not only the place where you can try the great beer, delicious sandwiches and drink good coffee, but also a snowboard’s rental shop. It's a perfect place for snowboard's fans- check the photos, the interior designs is impressive.

Miejsowka is becoming one of our favorite place to stop by and have a glass of good Polish beer. If you want to get out of Kazimierz and Main Square for a while and chill out and enjoying the sun, Miejscówka is a perfect choice.

 We are Delicious Poland. We run Craft Beer Tour in Krakow, Warsaw, and Wroclaw.

FB: Miejscówka

Józefińska 4

Kraków 30-529

6 Things You Must Know About Polish Wedding

Even if you haven't been at Polish wedding yet, most probably you have heard how fun attending it is. A lot of vodka shots (believe me you stop counting a number of shots), plenty of food, dancing all night.. Countless of vodkas shots may sound scary but you will be doing well thanks to Polish tapas. (We will come to that point) On our vodka and culture tour, we have been asked many times how Polish weddings look like so we decided to write a blog post about it. I hope it helps you answer your questions regarding the Polish wedding. Enjoy!

1-Ceremony: Most of the Polish people still get married in a church, as Poland is one of the most Catholic countries. It is also quite common to be invited only to the ceremony in a church, not for the wedding party. That's why we advise reading your invitation carefully. The Polish word „ślub” refers to a ceremony in a church and „wesele” means wedding party. Generally, Ślub is held on Saturdays and starts around 3 pm and finishes in 1,5 hour. Wedding party starts after the ceremony and it can last even until early morning. 

2-Bread and Salt: After the ceremony in a church, newlyweds go to the venue where the wedding party will be held. There they are welcomed by parents with bread and Salt and two shots of vodka. They have to drink vodka in one gulp and throw the glasses behind their back. If the glasses are broken, it means they will leave together long and happy. Welcoming with Bread and Salt is also tradition for greeting important guests in Poland. We also practice that on our Krakow Food Tour.

3-Food: Wedding party obviously starts with the dinner. Traditionally the broth (in Polish „Rosół” is served as a first dish. As second course you may expect a lot of different meats and potatoes. After dinner on the table is served „zakąski”. Zakąski is kind of polish tapas- small snacks that perfectly go with vodka. They are generally very fatty like pork lard or herring. Don't count calories on Polish wedding, fatty food will help you to get along with the next point on the list!
 

4-Drink: Vodka is a thing that cannot be missed at Polish Wedding. It is not surprising that most of the Polish people drink the only vodka at Polish weddings. Sometimes some wine can be served as an option, but generally, it stays untouched through the whole party. Take it as a hint- Poles are experienced drinkers and they know that the worst thing what can be is a mixing different alcohols. So if you want to survive a Polish wedding, stay stuck to the vodka. How many vodka's shots people drink during the wedding is an unanswered question. It is impossible to count it as glasses are immediately refilled and the shots are drunk one after another. Between the shot take some fatty food, it will help you to slow the absorption of alcohol and you will stay sober longer.
 

5-Dance: Dance is another important part of Polish wedding. Poles dance a lot, especially with a partner. The wedding generally is accompanied by a live band playing mostly Polish songs. Be prepared for hours of dance, remember to wear comfortable shoes. Don't worry if you don't have a partner for a wedding, it is very common to change the dancing partners and dance with everybody. It is also compulsory to dance with the bride.

                                                          Photo: Delicious Poland

6-2nd day of Wedding: The Polish wedding takes two days. The second day is called „Poprawiny” which can be translated as a „to correct” or „improve”. The second part starts on Sunday around 1 pm and lasts generally until 7 or 8 pm. It is very similar to the first day but less formal. It the occasion to drink the rest of vodka. 
 

5 Must Try Polish Vodkas

On our Vodka and Culture Tour, we have heard many times the hard question: Which Polish vodka is the best? The reason why we think that the question is really hard to answer is that we have got different types of vodkas in Poland and each of them is characterized by different things. Below we listed 5 must try Polish vodkas which you can try almost in every bar and restaurant. In this post, you will not find the flavored vodkas as we decided to write them in another post.

1-Żubrówka: Żubrówka is called Bison Grass Vodka. This intriguing name comes from the one of its main ingredient- grass, that is gathered in Bialowieza Forest- home of polish bisons. Żubrówka delights unique, herbal taste. Generally, vodka is not served in Poland in cocktail form, but with Żubrówka we make an exception and mix it with Apple juice. Apples perfectly emphasize herbal notes. 

2-Żołądkowa Gorzka: It is herbal alcohol beverage with a beautiful, golden color. A blend of dried fruits, herbs and spices give unforgettable taste. However, Żołądkowa is not a proper vodka as its alcohol content is less than 37,5% abv (exactly 36% abv).So why Żołądkowa Gorzka has been listed here if it can not be called real vodka? Żołądkowa used to have 40% abv, but the number has been decreased without changing the taste.  It has very distinguished flavor and it's one of the few alcohols that are distributed only in Poland. Don't miss a chance to try it!
    

3-Sobieski: Sobieski is a vodka named after Polish invincible and fearless king Jan III Sobieski. The king had won Battle Vienna stopping the invasion of Ottoman Empire. Sobieski is based on high-quality rye and crystalline water. The careful selection of all ingredients makes Sobieski one of the smoothest and purest vodkas in Poland. It's not only premium quality vodka but also a history lesson.

4-J. A. Baczewski Vodka Monopolowa: Baczewski is a legendary vodka produced since 1781. It's one of the few vodka distilled from potatoes. Baczewski is distilled based on a traditional formula. You will be surprised by its smoothness and distinctive taste.

5-Dębowa: Dębowa literally means Oak Vodka. It's a herbal spirit based on Black Elderflower and Oakwood. The taste is a mixture of sweetness and spiciness. It reminds vanilla and pepper.
Visually Dębowa's bottle looks very impressive.
 

If this post made you more into the Polish vodkas join our vodka and culture tour! Our tour is not only about tasting but also learning traditions, drinking habits, and history.

The Art Restaurant and Cafe: The Unique Restaurant that Offers The Old Taste of Wroclaw

When you walk around Wrocław, you see plenty different restaurants and cafes. The culinary scene in Wrocław is rich and variety. However within the offer of Wroclaw's restaurants is hard to find the one that serves authentic Wroclawian cuisine. Maybe regional cuisine of Wrocław does not exist? Nothing could be more wrong!

 

Although the taste of Old Wrocław is almost forgotten, there are still few restaurants that maintain the memory of its traditional cuisine. One of them is The Art Restaurant and Cafe located on Kiełbaśnicza street. The restaurant offers the original delicacies and tastes of Wroclaw from the past ages. The cuisine of Old Wrocław is as rich as its history- it's a mixture of numerous culinary traditions, different cuisines and influences.
Chefs in Art restaurant use regional and seasonal products, that's why their menu often changes as it is prepared seasonally. Their menu has been influenced by the Italian recipes and traditional Polish cuisine. Sound interesting and exciting, isn’t it?

Also The dishes inspired by Wroclawian cuisine are always marked within the letter „W”. For example in their actual offer you may find the original dumplings with crayfish tails in a Wrocław manner with thyme sauce or spelt soup with poultry meatballs.

The Art Hotel restaurant is located near Old Town,  in a beautiful 16th century tenant house. You can easily make a booking if you want to indulge yourself with their a delicious food as well as a great atmosphere.

 As the food scene is developing day by day in Wroclaw we can easily say that Art Hotel has the one of the kitchen that has to be followed and experienced. Art restaurant is also a member of the prestigious network "The Culinary Heritage of Lower Silesia" and promotes regional cuisine of Lower Silesia.

If you are looking for something unique, you should definitely take into consideration having a dinner at The Art Restaurant and Cafe.

The Art Restaurant and Cafe

 20 Kiełbaśnicza Street, 50-110 Wroclaw

Phone +48 71 78 100

http://www.arthotel.pl/en/restaurant-page-59146

Would you like to join our Krakow Food Tour? Book your tour now!

5 Facts About Christmas Traditions in Poland That Might Surprise You

Christmas celebration starts in Poland on 24th of December and most of the traditions are connected with Christmas Eve. It's the most special and meaningful day of the year. On 24th of December Poles gather around the table and eat Christmas dinner. After dinner family sits near Christmas tree, sing Christmas carols and exchange gifts. 
Christmas traditions can be different depending on the region. However below you find five most common traditions that are known and practiced in all Poland:

1) 12 dishes: There must be served 12 dishes on Christmas table. Everybody should try every dish, so in the next year nothing will be missing. Number 12 refers to number of the apostles and number of months.

2) Meatless dishes: Meat is not served on Christmas Eve in Poland. On the table, you will find mostly fishes, soups (mushroom, beet), various dishes made of potatoes, sauerkraut, mushrooms, dried fruit compote. The most common „Christmas” fish is carp- before Christmas, you can buy in many markets a live carp. Poles keep live carps swimming in the bath for few days and kill it on the day of Christmas Eve. Carp can be served fried, baked or in jelly form.

3) One empty seat: There should be left at least one empty seat with full tableware in every polish home (plate, cutlery, glass). The place is for stray wanderer- whoever knocks the door on Christmas Eve, should be invited for joining the dinner. Nobody should be alone during that day.

4)Hay under the tablecloth: The hay is put on the table and covered by a tablecloth. It is related to the fact that Jesus was born on a hay in the stable.

5)Sharing the wafer: Before starting eating, Poles share the wafer (in polish „opłatek”) and wish each other all the best. 

                                                           Photo by FotoKatolik

5 Polish Craft Beers You Must Try

1) AleBrowar: The brewery was established in 2012 by the three beer enthusiasts and it’s located in the north of Poland (Pomorze). AleBrowar has been one of the initiators of the polish craft beer revolution. My favorite is Rowing Jack- American IPA.

AleBrowar-Rowing Jack- American IPA

2) Artezan: Artezan is a first established craft brewery in Poland. It has been opened in 2012 and as one of the first, they started offering another style of beers except for broadly known lagers. Among offered beers, you may find very intriguing types, for example: Cymbopogon (Wheat Ale with lemongrass), Bevo! Bevo! (Rye Ale with orange zest and bergamot).

                                                             Artezan - Wheat Ale

3)Podgórz- It is a small brewery from the south of Poland that exists since 2014. I have discovered Podgórz by trying its American Pale Ale- “Space Sheep” and must admit it was one of the best I’ve tried so far. As a big fan of light, summer beers, I can definitely recommend you also its Summer Ale: Sheldonada.

                                                  Podgorz - Space Sheep

4)Bazyliszek: The brewery has existed since 2014 in Natoiln, near Warsaw. I appreciate Bazyliszek for the unusual ingredients that they use to brew the beers (potatoes, acorns, herbs, flower petals, pine shoots, and even milk). I don’t usually choose stouts, but for their cocoa-vanilla rye stout, I make an exception.

                                                      Browar Bazyliszek - Sen O Warszawie

5) Ursa Maior- Ursa is the brewery located in Bieszczadzkie mountains. It is also the most ecological brewery in Poland. Ursa’s beers you may try in its pub in Krakow in Plac Wolnica.

I have tested all of the offered beers and I have never been disappointed, However, Ursa’s Golden Ale is still my number one. 

                                                      Ursa Maior- Golden Ale

On our Craft Beer Tour, I always care that at least half of the tested beers come from my favorite breweries. I think the five places I mentioned are the best representative of polish craft sector.

Useful links:

Here you can find the a great article about Krakow written by Waytostay : Visit Krakow in 48 hours