Polish cuisine is Europe's great underrated food tradition — hearty, flavorful, and deeply satisfying. Here are the 15 essential dishes to try in Krakow.
- PIEROGI RUSKIE — potato and cheese dumplings. Best at: U Babci Maliny, Przystanek Pierogarnia.
- ZUREK — sour rye soup with sausage and egg, often served in a bread bowl. Best at: Wesele, Polskie Smaki.
- BIGOS — "hunter's stew" of sauerkraut, cabbage, sausage, and meat simmered for hours. Best at: Chlopskie Jadlo, Pod Aniolami.
- KOTLET SCHABOWY — breaded pork cutlet (Poland's schnitzel). Best at: Gospoda Koko, any milk bar.
- BARSZCZ CZERWONY — clear beetroot soup, often with uszka (tiny mushroom dumplings). Best at: Pod Gruszka, Tradycyjna.
- OSCYPEK — grilled smoked sheep cheese with cranberry. Best at: the street grill women near the Cloth Hall.
- GOLABKI — stuffed cabbage rolls with meat and rice in tomato sauce. Best at: U Babci Maliny, Polskie Smaki.
- PLACKI ZIEMNIACZANE — crispy potato pancakes, served with goulash or sour cream. Best at: Karczma u Baby.
- OBWARZANKI — Krakow's braided bread rings. Best at: the blue carts near the Barbican.
- ZAPIEKANKA — toasted baguette with mushrooms and cheese. Best at: Endzior, Plac Nowy.
- ROSOL — golden chicken broth with noodles, the Polish grandmother's cure for everything. Best at: Jadlodajnia u Stasi.
- NALESNIKI — crepes filled with sweet cheese, fruit, or meat. Best at: Bar Mleczny Pod Temida.
- SZARLOTKA — Polish apple cake with meringue. Best at: Cafe Camelot.
- SERNIK — Polish cheesecake (denser and richer than American). Best at: Cukiernia Staropolska.
- KREMOWKA — the papal cream cake from Wadowice. Best at: Cukiernia Staropolska.
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