Polish cuisine was born out of diversity.
There is no homogeneity of flavour between North and South or East and West but rather, a wealth of flavours that is simply staggering. Culinary diversity is one of Poland’s treasures. Discover the best foodie cities across the country and start planning your next delicious trip today!
Krakow – European Capital of Gastronomic Culture 2019
It is not possible to describe the history of Krakow – the former capital of Poland – in a few words, especially when it comes to the abundance of the culinary delights available in this beautiful city for tourists.
The unique architecture of the most famous Polish city was already recognised in 1978, when the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list was created. The historic centre of Krakow was placed on the list, including the Old Town with its main square, the Cloth Hall and the St. Mary’s Basilica, the buildings of the oldest university in Poland, churches, monasteries, tenements and palaces, as well as the Wawel Hill, the Wawel Castle and the cathedral, along with the adjacent Stradom and Kazimierz districts.
Culinary legacy in a modern outfit
Forty years later, the culinary of Krakow was also appreciated, as the city was chosen the European Capital of Gastronomic Culture 2019. As a result, multiple events showcasing the local culinary legacy in various ways are organised. In order to prepare traditional dishes, chefs use not only local products of great quality, such as suska sechlonska (smoked plum), jablka lackie (Lacko apples), brown trouts, sliwowica lacka (Lacko plum brandy), oscypek or bryndza, but also historical recipes. The latter are transformed into the art of modern cuisine, simultaneously showcasing that the old street food, such as the maczanka po krakowsku (Krakow’s meat-stuffed pastry) can even be located in the best restaurants. You will also find out that bublik, loved by the residents, is not only served as a quick snack, but also as the base for an exquisite dish. While planning a stay in Krakow, it is advisable to check the kulinarny.krakow.pl (culinary.krakow.pl) website and visit one of the twenty-one restaurants that take part in the project.
Portable picnic
The Jewish and Austro-Hungarian culinary influences are the most visible in modern Krakow. You can buy a fragrant challah at the traditional bakeries, while at the Market you can taste a juicy schnitzel, and finish your meal with an Apfelstrudel or a Sachertorte. In this city, which is both open to new inventions, while also preserving its ethnic customs, you can find great locations with food from almost any part of the world: from the Italian or French cuisine, through the Georgian and Ukrainian ones, up to the quite recently popularised Israeli, Korean or Japanese delights. And, since the residents of Krakow enjoy eating outdoors, there will be a number of opportunities to try some of the most fabulous food outdoors, especially due to the portable Krakow picnic.
At the Krakow Fair
Ever since the medieval times, the rhythm of Krakow was set by fairs. Due to the location of the city, that is, on the most important trading routes, fairs were visited not only by the residents but also by the traders from all around the world. Shopping on market squares was done every day. The largest choice of merchandise was available at the Main Market Square. Popular were also, among others, the Szczepanski Square, Wolnica and the Kleparski square.
Currently, these trading customs are preserved by such places as the Old Kleparz, New Kleparz, the Na Stawach square, Unitarg market or the Imbramowski square. Shopping at these locations constitutes a return to these old customs, and its atmosphere is an immersive experience for international tourists. The variety of the merchandise here can make your head spin. This should not come as a surprise: the capital of Lesser Poland can be proud of its twelve certificated regional products and over two-hundred customs. If you are looking for regional and eco products, you should visit not only the Pietruszkowy Fair, where you will find fruit and vegetables from ecological farms, as well as multiple traditional preserves, smoked meat and cheese, but also the Ekosfera Mateczny fair and – since September 2019 – the Ekosfera North fair.
