Having visited Poland twice previously, I decided that on my third visit to Poland I should branch out and try some local cuisine instead of eating comfort foods that I know I will enjoy, such as pizza and pasta.
Pushing myself out there really paid off. I ate some of the nicest meals I have ever had during my time in Kraków.
Beef goulash in a bread bowl
Although a Hungarian dish, beef goulash is a staple in Poland, and a restaurant in the Main Square called Cafe Art add their own twist.
The easy, heart-warming dish was served in a bowl made entirely from bread.
Although it was one of the more expensive meals we had on our holiday, it was totally worth it. Especially when the temperatures were dropping below freezing it was a wonderful way to heat up.
Polish Potato Pancakes served with beef goulash
This dish doesn’t look all too appealing when you see pictures of it on the menu, however don’t let its appearance put you off.
A very simple dish yet very tasty, I would probably describe them as the equivalent of a hash brown but nicer.
There were plenty of options to have the pancakes with, they aren’t always served with beef goulash but it paired very nicely with the goulash.
Meat Pierogi
This is a dish you simply cannot miss in Kraków as Pierogi restaurants sit on every corner of every street, even multiple on the one street.
These traditional Polish dumplings can come stuffed with many ingredients and you won’t struggle to find vegetarian options.
They can come with savoury or sweet stuffings.
I had these in a traditional Polish restaurant that was at the foot of the hill that leads you to the Wieliczka Salt Mine.
I am unsure of the sauce used to coat the dumplings but it was simple yet effective. The sauce meant the dumplings weren’t too dry but the flavour wasn’t overpowering so the main star of the plate was still the Pierogi.
Eating this well outside of the Main Square means that the portion was huge whilst still being so cheap.
Oscypek Smoked Cheese
On a trip to Zakopane, we stopped off for some traditional Polish cheese and vodka tasting.
If you like halloumi you will love this Polish cheese.
The smokiness of the cheese comes from the high content of sheep’s milk and under Polish regulation, the cheese must be made with at least 60% sheep milk.
Also, the milk must be from a mountain sheep that roams in the Tatra Mountain.
Paired with the likes of cherry, lemon and quince vodkas, the cheese went down a treat.
So, we ate really well on this holiday and it was fun getting to try some new foods.
However, we did indulge in some of the classics like steaks, pizzas and pastas.
One of our favourite restaurants was N’pizza, which served the best pizza I have ever tasted and the ambience in the restaurant was really nice and relaxing.
We enjoyed it that much we went twice and that was the only place we ate in more than once.
It is safe to say that you will definitely find something absolutely delicious to eat during your visit to Kraków and you won’t struggle to find somewhere any night of your holiday.
Whether you want to try something different, or just stick to the things you know you like, Kraków has a way of making you feel at home with their comforting food.
Featured Image Credit: Anya Diggines