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Kraków Cafes

Kraków is infamous for its cafe culture which easily rivals that of celebrated capitals like Paris and Vienna, perhaps even outmatching them pound for pound.  The Kazimierz district is particularly known for its atmospheric cafes, filled with candlelight, antiques and Old World mystique. Most Cracovian cafes also serve beer and the line between cafe and bar can be a blurry one. The venues we've listed here tend to favour coffee and cakes and when most cafe/bar establishments are turning up the music for their 'til last guest' clientele, these are more often closing their doors.


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Krakow » Restaurants & Cafes » Cafés

4D Gelato Caffe

4D Gelato Caffe
Delicious gourmet Italian coffee and ice cream on the first floor of Galeria Krakowska. On offer are more than 30 gelato flavours Read_on (No Comments)

Albo Tak

A charismatic joint accessed by the esoteric bookshop on the ground floor. A young crowd occupies the random furniture morning, noon and night. Read_on (No Comments)

Antonio Caffé

A trendy café bar with squeaky Ferrari red seats, glistening floor tiles, black plastic tables and a bright back patio - an ideal place to enjoy what is undoubtedly some of the best coffee in town. Read_on (No Comments)

Argasińscy

A bright, modern cafe off the main square, specialising in ice cream with fresh fruit and nut toppings. All that's missing is some outdoor seating. Read_on (No Comments)

Bambus

Cafe and restaurant squeezed into a corner of Old Town Square that posesses one of the most cramped terraces on the Rynek. The food is by and large cheap and cheerful local fare, the exception being the excellent and terrific value English breakfast. Read_on (No Comments)

Bar 13

Enjoy coffee, sandwiches and wine in a chic basement cafe that acts as a decent place to regroup following a day of battling the elements outside. Read_on (No Comments)

Boogie Café

Boogie Café
A snappy, yet soothing black and cream-coloured interior of jazz portraits, glossy ceilings and textured walls characterises this intimate, self-consciously stylish hangout where live music covering a range of genres can be found on Fridays and Saturdays. Read_on (No Comments)

Cafe Art

Hidden at the back of a hallway and down some steps is one of Kraków's better kept Rynek secrets. The arched cellar decorated with bits of dismantled church organ overhead is good for a candle-lit coffee. Read_on (No Comments)

Cafe Bistro Guliwer

Reinventing itself as a cafe and French bistro, Guliwer has pared down its menu to paninis, pastries, cheese plates and other snack samplers. Read_on (No Comments)

Cafe Botanica

This one has it all from beer to coffee and chocolate; breakfast platters to toasted sandwiches, salads and wraps. As the name Read_on (No Comments)

Cafe Gołębia 3

Positioned just well-enough to avoid the brunt of tourist traffic, this little bohemian cafe in the Old Town is full of all Read_on (No Comments)

Cafe Lunch Bar Wierzynek

Cafe Lunch Bar Wierzynek
Tucked along side its namesake restaurant, Cafe Wierzynek remains quaint both in the traditional Polish fare and with the decor, Read_on (No Comments)

Cafe Młynek

The best cafe south of ulica Józefa (sorry Rękawka), Cafe Młynek is a great escape from the bustle and buggery Read_on (No Comments)

Cafe Rękawka

Formerly one of the sole cultural outposts in a neighbourhood seemingly cut off from the rest of Kraków, this charming, veteran Read_on (No Comments)

Cafe Szał

On the second floor of the renovated Cloth Hall, Cafe Szał offers great views of St. Mary's Basilica and the market square from its large terrace. Read_on (No Comments)

Cafe Zakątek

At the back of a cool courtyard is where you'll find this little diamond-in-the-rough's hiding place. Sandwiches for 7-9zł and a small selection of fresh-baked desserts. Read_on (1 Comment)

Camelot

Camelot
Let a blissful day unravel before you amid a collection of tiny tables, squeaking floorboards and watercolors pinned to white walls. Read_on (No Comments)

Camera Cafe

Following renovations the style and atmosphere of this place has changed little: film reels with stills of old favourites look down upon local starlets stirring their chocolates while a silent film plays evocatively in the background of this curvy, creamy cafe/bar. Read_on (No Comments)

Castor Coffee Club

Squatting squarely on the corner of Floriańska and the Market Square, Castor pulls in tourists with its prime location, great smells, huge selection of drinks and the somewhat rare opportunity to get them all to go. Read_on (No Comments)

Cava Cafe & Wine

This small hangout from the same team as Camelot and Cherubino continues to revitalise Old Podgórze's riverfront next door to Drukarnia. Read_on (No Comments)

Cheder

Opened by the Jewish Culture Festival Association in a former prayer house, Cheder continues Kazimierz's obsession with its past, serving as a Jewish cultural centre and cafe. Read_on (No Comments)

Chocoffee

Building on the success of their excellent Wrocław location, this half chocolate shop, half coffeehouse, offers an assortment of to-die-for filled chocolates, pralines and truffles, but it's the coffee concoctions that keep us coming back. Read_on (No Comments)

Cocktail Bar

A splendid hark back to days long forgotten by much of Poland, if you can stomach the appalling coloured walls and warm beer then you may be rewarded with an interesting chat or two with some of the moustachioed gentlemen who like to drink here. Read_on (No Comments)

Coffeeheaven

Coffeeheaven
Expect the mass-produced charm of a Starbucks inside this chain venture, and while the atmosphere is non-descript its success is a direct reflection of the quality found within these walls. Read_on (No Comments)

Cupcake Corner

Cupcake Corner feels like a modern-day gingerbread house right down to the red and white colouring, the decorations of recipes and pictures of food, and the smell of baking sweets saturating every corner of the shop. Read_on (No Comments)

Europejska

An elaborately elegant atmosphere prevails inside this classically decorated local legend. Gramophones, suitcases and other ephemera tastefully clutter this classy upscale venue. Read_on (No Comments)

Frania Cafe

Kraków's first and only laudromat cafe, Frania is full of bright walls, retro furnishings, local art and laidback, laptopping students giving it the kind of atmosphere you might expect to find in a youth hostel common room. Read_on (1 Comment)

Gehanowska

A classy, august venue with plenty of wood panelling, oil paintings and delicate crockery. Principally aimed at a pensioned and prosperous crowd, Gehanowska is a Kraków institution. Read_on (No Comments)

Indalo Cafe

A bright café decked out with ceramics, glassware, figures of angels and tiny little trinkets. They’re all for sale, and best of all you can sit down and tank back some caffeine while mulling over just what picture will end up in your suitcase. Read_on (No Comments)

Jama Michalika

Not so much a café as a lesson in local history. Established in 1895, it was here that the Młoda Polska movement was founded, with many of the leading artists of the day choosing to take their libations inside this grand looking venue. Read_on (No Comments)

Karma Organic Coffee

Just a couple of minutes up from the Planty and Teatr Bagatela, Karma is the kind of coffee-shop that lets you feel like you’re getting your body and the planet healthy at the same time. Read_on (No Comments)

Karmello

Kraków's finest chocolatier also serves as a tantalising cafe offering coffee and chocolate concoctions to go along with the dozens of chocolates, truffles, marzipan and other candy creations that pack the display cases. Read_on (No Comments)

Kolanko N°6

One of Kazimierz's most underappreciated venues, Kolanko has plenty going for it. The main attraction must be the large garden Read_on (No Comments)

Kraina Szeptów

Typically Kazimierz, this friendly, two-floor, laid-back cafe/bar is as good as any for filing away at the fiber of your youth. Read_on (No Comments)

La Petite France

This indeed petite French cafe with sweets, sandwiches, salads and baked goods made on site, gains authenticity by offering the opportunity to enjoy that most Parisian of pastimes - people-watching - from the great window seating. Read_on (2 Comments)

Lokator

Despite spending years as one of the best bars and cultural houses in Kazimierz, the team behind Lokator has forsaken the beer business, casting their lot full force into their independent bookshop that was beginning to outgrow its old space. Read_on (No Comments)

Loża Klub Aktora

Established as the city's first 'Actor's Club', this was once the place to find local actors, singers and sportsmen enjoying the high life. Read_on (No Comments)

Main Square

An impressive location not just offering a cup of tea or coffee but also breakfast, lunch and alcohol. Found in the Pałac Read_on (No Comments)

Massolit Books & Café

Massolit Books & Café
A true labour of love, filled with dusty shelves groaning under the weight of thousands of titles with broken spines. This is Read_on (3 Comments)

Nowa Prowincja

The sad demise of its sister establishment a few doors up the street only makes Nowa Prowincja all the more rare for its enduringly Cracovian atmosphere of half smoke and half candlelight, half laughter and half blather. Read_on (No Comments)

Noworolski

Take a seat in this local classic inside the Cloth Hall and breathe the history which reflects the life and times of Krakow during the last century or so. Read_on (No Comments)

Pierwszy Lokal...

Known for its labourious, unmemorisable name - and as one of the only places in the centre where you can enjoy local delicious Dragon's Head beer (amber or porter) - this long-standing favourite blends seemlessly into a bar in the evenings. Read_on (No Comments)

Pijalnia Czekolady Wedla

A superb collection of confectionary supplied courtesy of Wedel, Poland’s best-loved brand. Find chocolates, cakes and pralines of every description, every bit as delightful as the aproned girls that serve them. Read_on (No Comments)

Pod Basztą

Those exploring the guts of the Wawel complex now finally have a decent spot to take a time out, study their maps and order a coffee that doesn’t taste like tar. Read_on (No Comments)

Pożegnanie z Afryką

Very serious about coffee and offering a a huge variety from around the world. Whatever you choose will be brewed individually Read_on (No Comments)

Pracownia

This small, cosy, strictly civilised cafe is a great escape from urban bustle and boozy shenanigans in a way that few Kazimierz venues can provide anymore. Read_on (No Comments)

Ratuszowa

Go through the secret door in the Town Hall Tower on the Rynek and descend into this nicely renovated cellar pub. One disconcerting fact you can tell your friends is that it used to be a prison, hence the heavy doors and dim atmosphere. Read_on (No Comments)

Royal Art Cafe

Royal Art Cafe
Located in one of our favourite Kraków hotels, Royal Art Cafe is much more modern than the regal art nouveau hotel that houses it, with sharp lighting and design and windows overlooking the Planty. Read_on (No Comments)

Sempre Caffe

Charged with the bad karma of being the venue to replace the sorely missed Prowincja, Sempre Caffe is a quiet, smooth jazz oasis that doesn't exactly make up for the departure of soul on Bracka street. Read_on (No Comments)

Siesta

A charming veteran cafe just off Mały Rynek on Embassy Row, Siesta is a great place to rest the feet between strolls of the Old Town. Read_on (No Comments)

Sky Bar

Sky Bar
The cherry on top of the impeccable Hotel Stary, this seasonal cafe has all the class you'd expect from this outfit, not to mention the best views of the market square you'll get without borrowing the personal aircraft of one of the guests here. Read_on (No Comments)

Słodki Wentzl

Allegedly the best ice cream in the city, and we’ve found no reason to dispute the claim. With a revitalised interior, this café proves that the Rynek is far more than just a case of dodging tourist traps. Read_on (1 Comment)

Tajemniczy Ogród

Packed at nights, it appears the Secret Garden isn’t such a big secret to Kraków’s night-owls. Recently Read_on (No Comments)

TriBeCa Rynek Marek Chyla

Krakow, summer morning, 11am. In Your Pocket's most junior member of staff (aged five) wants an ice cream. Perusing Tribeca's not unimpressive ice cream menu he picks out the biggest. Read_on (No Comments)

Ul Lala Cukiernia & Lunch Time

The sweet-tooth magnet on the Rynek, otherwise known as Ul Lala, offers admission into a dessert-only alternative universe. Read_on (No Comments)

Vienna Cafe

A former haunt of Quo Vardis author Henryk Sienkiewicz, the Grand Hotel's continues its elitist theme with a regular weekly meeting of the city's professors. Read_on (No Comments)

Zakopianka

Many places in Krakow claim to be 'far from the maddening crowd'; this one is the real deal. On the northern edge of the Planty just seconds from the train station and a quickstep from the Rynek it barely seems feasible, yet it's true. Read_on (No Comments)