Sweet and Savoury Food you Must Try in Kraków
Kraków, with its rich heritage and cultural history, will always be a place where the most diverse and unique foods are present at every corner. There are many different types of foods to suit all palates: sweet and savoury, vegetarian and full of meat, simple and extravagant.
Polish food itself has a very interesting history. The main food bases contain some form of grain, and with the abundance of forests comes the introduction of forest foods: honey, berries, forest mushrooms, and much more. A cross cultural melting pot brought in ‘Italian vegetables’ like carrots, celery, and leek.
Being the cultural hub of the country, Kraków prides itself in its extensive range of foods, suitable for every type of taste. For the foodies out there, this article gives you the perfect bucket list of food to try on your trip to Kraków!
Kraków, with its rich heritage and cultural history, will always be a place where the most diverse and unique foods are present at every corner. There are many different types of foods to suit all palates: sweet and savoury, vegetarian and full of meat, simple and extravagant.
Polish food itself has a very interesting history. The main food bases contain some form of grain, and with the abundance of forests comes the introduction of forest foods: honey, berries, forest mushrooms, and much more. A cross cultural melting pot brought in ‘Italian vegetables’ like carrots, celery, and leek.
Being the cultural hub of the country, Kraków prides itself in its extensive range of foods, suitable for every type of taste. For the foodies out there, this article gives you the perfect bucket list of food to try on your trip to Kraków!
Sweet Food
Pączki aka Polish Jam Doughnuts
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Pączki are the most recognisable Polish food. They’re fluffy, sweet, and incredibly moreish. They come with a variety of toppings and fillings. Toppings typically include one or more of dried orange zest, sprinkles, powdered sugar, or frosting. Fillings vary even more: strawberry jam, plum jam, custard, apple jam..etc. My personal recommendation is plum jam. It may seem like an unusual choice of filling, but the sweetness of the jam pairs well with the dough, and the slight sourness and tanginess cuts through the sweetness, ensuring each bite is as ‘fresh’ as the last. Pączki are such a beloved treat in Poland that a national day ‘Fat Thursday’ has been dedicated to them!
Pączki are the most recognisable Polish food. They’re fluffy, sweet, and incredibly moreish. They come with a variety of toppings and fillings. Toppings typically include one or more of dried orange zest, sprinkles, powdered sugar, or frosting. Fillings vary even more: strawberry jam, plum jam, custard, apple jam..etc. My personal recommendation is plum jam. It may seem like an unusual choice of filling, but the sweetness of the jam pairs well with the dough, and the slight sourness and tanginess cuts through the sweetness, ensuring each bite is as ‘fresh’ as the last. Pączki are such a beloved treat in Poland that a national day ‘Fat Thursday’ has been dedicated to them!
Słodkie Pierogi aka Sweet Dumplings
This is a traditional Polish dumpling, filled with either seasonal fruit or farmer’s cheese. Pierogi were clasically filled only with meat, and other rich fillings. However fruit fillings were later brought in as a way to showcase and preserve abundant summer orchard and forest fruit. The farmer’s cheese variety used Twaróg, which is a dryer, tart cheese, mixer with sugar, egg yold, and vanilla. A dollop of sour or sweet cream is a popular topoping for sweet pierogi.
This is a traditional Polish dumpling, filled with either seasonal fruit or farmer’s cheese. Pierogi were clasically filled only with meat, and other rich fillings. However fruit fillings were later brought in as a way to showcase and preserve abundant summer orchard and forest fruit. The farmer’s cheese variety used Twaróg, which is a dryer, tart cheese, mixer with sugar, egg yold, and vanilla. A dollop of sour or sweet cream is a popular topoping for sweet pierogi.
Sernik, the Polish traditional cheesecake
Sernik is a Polish cheesecake made with Twaróg, a farmer’s curd cheese. A legend attributes this cake to King Jan III Sobieski, who brought it back coffee and baking ideas following his victory against the Ottomans in the Battle of Vienna in 1683. There are different types of sernik, the Wiennese style thats fluffly and rich, with no bottom crust, and of course the Kraków style, which is dense and rich, featuring raisins and often has a shortcrust pastry lattice on top.
Sernik is a Polish cheesecake made with Twaróg, a farmer’s curd cheese. A legend attributes this cake to King Jan III Sobieski, who brought it back coffee and baking ideas following his victory against the Ottomans in the Battle of Vienna in 1683. There are different types of sernik, the Wiennese style thats fluffly and rich, with no bottom crust, and of course the Kraków style, which is dense and rich, featuring raisins and often has a shortcrust pastry lattice on top.
Kremówka or Napoleonka
The Napoleonka, colloquially known as a Kremówka, is a Polish cream pie, an alternate version of the Mille-feuille. It has a top and bottom made of pastry, and it is filled with whipped cream and/or custard. Some kremówkas may contain alchohol, so it is worth asking if that may not be suitable for you. This dessert has a significant cultural significance for Polish people, as Pope John Paul II was very fond of the kremówka; a giant one was baked for his birthday in 2007.
The Napoleonka, colloquially known as a Kremówka, is a Polish cream pie, an alternate version of the Mille-feuille. It has a top and bottom made of pastry, and it is filled with whipped cream and/or custard. Some kremówkas may contain alchohol, so it is worth asking if that may not be suitable for you. This dessert has a significant cultural significance for Polish people, as Pope John Paul II was very fond of the kremówka; a giant one was baked for his birthday in 2007.
Savoury Food
Obwarzanek Krakowski aka the Kraków Pretzel
The Kraków pretzel can be found on every corner of the main town square, in little blue carts. They come in a variety of styles, with some sprinkled with poppy seeds, and the classic sesame seeds. The obwarzanek is extremely fragrant, and very moreish. They are made by first parboiling them before baking, which is why they are not as dry as some other types of baked goods. As a ‘dry pastry avoider’ I can assure that the inside of the pretzel is moist and chewy, almost as if it was made out of mochi. It is best to buy them earlier in the day when they are still fresh.
The Kraków pretzel can be found on every corner of the main town square, in little blue carts. They come in a variety of styles, with some sprinkled with poppy seeds, and the classic sesame seeds. The obwarzanek is extremely fragrant, and very moreish. They are made by first parboiling them before baking, which is why they are not as dry as some other types of baked goods. As a ‘dry pastry avoider’ I can assure that the inside of the pretzel is moist and chewy, almost as if it was made out of mochi. It is best to buy them earlier in the day when they are still fresh.
Zapiekanka, the Polish Pizza
The zapiekanka is one of the most delicious types of food you can find in Kraków. It is a half of a baguette, topped with melted cheese, sautéed white mushrooms, and many other ingredients. Places serving them get really creative with the toppings, and you can swap almost every item on the zapiekanka as they are made from scratch and warmed on the spot. Sauces are a staple for a zapiekanka, and there is often a wide variety to choose from. It also makes for a perfect lunch, as they are very filling and typically are around 50cm in length.
The zapiekanka is one of the most delicious types of food you can find in Kraków. It is a half of a baguette, topped with melted cheese, sautéed white mushrooms, and many other ingredients. Places serving them get really creative with the toppings, and you can swap almost every item on the zapiekanka as they are made from scratch and warmed on the spot. Sauces are a staple for a zapiekanka, and there is often a wide variety to choose from. It also makes for a perfect lunch, as they are very filling and typically are around 50cm in length.
Żurek, Polish sour soup
Żurek is a sour soup made with soured rye flour and meat. It is a soup that many Polish people consider a classic cuisine staple, and it is a very filling, tangy and thick soup. Its very common to eat żurek with two hard boiled egg halves, and usually eated with bread or with rolls. Sometimes żurek is served in a special bread bowl, and the nice and soft soup flavoured bread after eating all the soup is the best part of the meal!
Żurek is a sour soup made with soured rye flour and meat. It is a soup that many Polish people consider a classic cuisine staple, and it is a very filling, tangy and thick soup. Its very common to eat żurek with two hard boiled egg halves, and usually eated with bread or with rolls. Sometimes żurek is served in a special bread bowl, and the nice and soft soup flavoured bread after eating all the soup is the best part of the meal!
Gołąbki, aka 'little doves'
Gołąbki, directly translated as little doves, are made from boiled cabbage leaves wrapped around minced pork or beef, chopped onions, rice or other grains. They are usually served as part of a festive feast, but are also great to eat standalone as they are very warming and nutritious. What makes this dish special is it’s usually double cooked: first its steamed in a pot with cabbage leaves at the bottom to prevent burning, and then they are slow cooked in a broth of tomato sauce. This makes them really moist and easy to eat, there is no fighting with the meat inside or with the cabbage, everything is soft and scrumptious.
Gołąbki, directly translated as little doves, are made from boiled cabbage leaves wrapped around minced pork or beef, chopped onions, rice or other grains. They are usually served as part of a festive feast, but are also great to eat standalone as they are very warming and nutritious. What makes this dish special is it’s usually double cooked: first its steamed in a pot with cabbage leaves at the bottom to prevent burning, and then they are slow cooked in a broth of tomato sauce. This makes them really moist and easy to eat, there is no fighting with the meat inside or with the cabbage, everything is soft and scrumptious.
Oscypek, aka the best cheese ever!
Last but not least we have oscypek, which I have to announce, that (in my opinion), it is the best cheese in the world. The taste is so strong unique, and the smoked ‘skin’ of the cheese is so chewy, coupled with the soft inside makes it a multi-sensoral experience. This cheese is made from sheep’s milk, and is smoked for up to 14 days. The fancy shapes are made using wooden decorative shapes pressed into the cheese, a production step that I consider to be key in its textural experience. Another great thing about this cheese is it comes in many varieties, as sellers have gotten creative with their recipes. They also come in many shapes: a large cylinder to be eaten across a longer time, or little oval oscypki that are perfect to bring along as a snack. Another bonus of the smaller ones is that they have more of that highly flavoured smoky skin!
Last but not least we have oscypek, which I have to announce, that (in my opinion), it is the best cheese in the world. The taste is so strong unique, and the smoked ‘skin’ of the cheese is so chewy, coupled with the soft inside makes it a multi-sensoral experience. This cheese is made from sheep’s milk, and is smoked for up to 14 days. The fancy shapes are made using wooden decorative shapes pressed into the cheese, a production step that I consider to be key in its textural experience.
Another great thing about this cheese is it comes in many varieties, as sellers have gotten creative with their recipes. They also come in many shapes: a large cylinder to be eaten across a longer time, or little oval oscypki that are perfect to bring along as a snack. Another bonus of the smaller ones is that they have more of that highly flavoured smoky skin!
Final Thoughts
Kraków, with its many choices of types of foods and cuisines, is a place where everyone will find something they will like. Delicious soups, Polish pizzas, as well as doughnuts and dumplings, there is no shortage of food here! For your next trip planned in Kraków, I hope this srtile has helped plan your food bucket list, to make sure you have made the most of your trip to Kraków.
Kraków, with its many choices of types of foods and cuisines, is a place where everyone will find something they will like. Delicious soups, Polish pizzas, as well as doughnuts and dumplings, there is no shortage of food here! For your next trip planned in Kraków, I hope this srtile has helped plan your food bucket list, to make sure you have made the most of your trip to Kraków.