Four photogenic (& delicious!) restaurants in Krakow [2024]

Krakow’s restaurant scene is so much better than I remembered.

When I last visited the city eight years ago, I remember loving the history, architecture and chilled out feel. However no meals stood out – except a few slices of cake maybe. While you’ll find decent food in Rynek Główny (main square), we wanted to find some more special, photogenic restaurants in Krakow that were still budget-friendly spots for a friend’s hen weekend.

After some meticulous online research, we had a shortlist of restaurants that I’ll share with you below. These photogenic restaurants in Krakow all serve delicious vegetarian-friendly food, look good and – for English-speaking tourists – have translated menus. Even better, they’re all located within five minutes of each other!

Keep this handy as your guide for a full and happy belly at all times on your city break to Krakow.

Moment Resto Bar

Great for: laughs with the girls, morning and night.

Kazimierz, the bustling Jewish Quarter, is a great place to stay in Krakow as it’s packed with restaurants and bars. We headed to Moment for breakfast and discovered that this place sets you up well for a day sightseeing.

The quirky decor is cool enough to take the venue from lunch hotspot to evening drinks without a hitch: we had every intention of going back later but as always, time ran away with us. It was virtually full when we arrived and snagged one of the last tables – always a good sign.

The breakfast menu is reminiscent of the brunch plates served in cities like Copenhagen. Picture hotel-buffet breakfasts where you’re overwhelmed with choice and end up choosing the weirdest combination of food, then make it edgy and presentable. This is what you’ll get.

Meat eaters, you’ve got to try to Polish breakfast, although I couldn’t tell you how authentic it is. Alternately, the sweet breakfast looked intriguingly indulgent with french toast, lemon curd and fresh fruit. Don’t worry if you’re dedicated to a full English – there’s one on the menu too!

My vegan breakfast was a smorgasbord of flavour, featuring jam-topped millet porridge, a tofu salad and hummus for spreading on soft seeded bread. Not remotely traditional but I’ve got a weird love for mad savoury breakfasts – the Roti Canai for breakfast in Malaysia is still one of my all-time top morning foods – it went down a treat.

Address: Estery 22, 31-056 Kraków
Menu: http://www.momentcafe.pl/menu.html

Looking for activity ideas? Check out my guide to 11 of the BEST things to do in Krakow!

Cytat Cafè

Great for: hot chocolate and chill.

I was sold on Cytat from the moment I walked in. My trips aren’t complete without a trip to a cute, book-filled cafe and this is the perfect place to rest your weary feet or snuggle up out of the cold. I’d go as far as saying this is one of the most photogenic restaurants in Krakow.

Cytat is adorable without being overly contrived: armchairs sit alone for those who just want to settle in with a book for a few hours while you’ll find plenty of board games stuffed haphazardly onto shelves, their battered cases testament to how at-home visitors feel here.

There’s not a huge selection of food on offer but we all indulged in pancakes and mouth-wateringly tasty cakes alongside our drinks. We all loved how your drinks are served accompanied by a famous quote too.

Most of all, I couldn’t get enough of the Harry Potter themed bathroom and Star Wars fan will be happy too. I’m keeping my lips sealed on the details though – go and have a peek for yourself!

Address: Miodowa 23, 31-055 Kraków
Menu: https://www.cytatcafe.pl/menus

Alchemia od Koulchi

Great for: breakfast, dinner, drinks…all of it.

With the sparse feel of hipster restaurants across the world, there’s a sense of familiarity when you eat at Alchemia od Koulchi. What is it about exposed brick that sucks us in every time?

You’ll find Alchemia located next to a packed-out bohemian bar of the same name, a popular evening haunt of artists, students and locals alike. But this place is about the eats as well as the drinks and it shows.

The menu is fairly small but tasty-looking with plenty of vegetarian options and a few vegan eats too. We went crazy for the pancakes that weekend and Alchemia’s were delightfully fluffy, but the daytime sharing platters look like a total treat too. It isn’t necessarily somewhere you’d spend hours but it’s a pretty spot and similarly priced to Moment.

Address: Estery 5, 31-056 Kraków
Menu: https://odkuchni.com/

Looking for things to do? Check out these tours…

Hamsa

Great for: an absolute feast.

Hummus and happiness; I can get behind Hamsa’s motto any day. We discovered this purely by accident and it looked so cute that we decided it to pay it a visit the very next evening.

While the restaurant itself may be a tad less photogenic than the others, the food well and truly makes up for it. If you’re trying to travel and eat more sustainably, you’ll also be happy to know that they profess to using eco-friendly products too!

The menu here is extensive; groups can choose from many mezze options or opt for individual dishes. As an egg-hater (don’t @ me), I was excited to see vegan shakshouka on a menu for the first time.

Utterly delicious as it was, I underestimated how filling it would be – particularly when accompanied by a side of hummus and the most delightful bread. We left in a total food coma that kept us almost protected from the bitter cold on our faces.

Address: Szeroka 2, 31-053 Kraków
Menu: http://hamsa.pl/menu-en/

Mercy Brown

Great for: those who love hidden gems.

Yes eagle eyed lads, this is a bonus as it’s technically not a place to eat! I was originally planning to keep schtum on this 1920s style bar but you absolutely need to know about this place. Hidden above a restaurant, you’d never guess there was anything special going on here from the street. But step inside, give your name to the clockroom attendant and enter a different world.

Up flight of spiral stairs, the door opens out into a gorgeous bar decked out in muted lighting and plush velvet chairs. A gentle hum of conversation entwines with jazz music, perfect for living your most sophisticated life.

I won’t say too much else on Mercy Brown but delightful cocktails are on hand in spades. They’re strong – consider yourself warned – but refreshingly different to the norm so you’ll be tempted to try them all.

Wanting to visit? Book in advance via their Facebook page, email or phone to avoid disappointment.

Address: Straszewskiego 28, 31-153 Kraków
Website: http://mercy-brown.pl

Eating on the go?

Make sure you try Zapiekanka, a Polish open sandwich. The traditional mushroom and cheese toppings are delicious but you can find all kinds of other flavours on offer too. Some of the best Zapiekanka are found in Plac Nowy so combine lunch from one of these street food hatches with a browse of Saturday’s flea market.

With this line up of photogenic restaurants in Krakow, I came home with a whole new view of Krakow’s restaurant scene. It’s surprisingly good for vegetarians and from street food to fine dining, every taste is catered for. Now get out there and enjoy!

Laura x