Hearty soups and dumplings are two most commonly found Polish dishes served in Krakow restaurants. Especially in cold weather, a bowl of steaming hot beetroot soup or barley soup will definitely keep the body warm. Asian travelers will also find Polish dumplings, pork knuckle, fried shallots, soup and rice rather familiar and comforting to their taste palette.

Most restaurants in Krakow, be it family-run eatery, cafe or high-end establishment, provide diners with comfortable ambiance and homely environment, great tasting food and good value. There are so many dining choices in Krakow, MICEreview can only present three with different styles:

Pod Baranem is a fine dining restaurant with a homely atmosphere. Antique furniture, two fireplaces with piles of logs burning in winter, and a carefully selected musical collection all add up to create the cozy atmosphere. Located near the Wawel Hill Castle, Pod Baranem’s five halls can accommodate up to 110 people for private MICE group bookings. There is a great selection of flavourful soups such as Beef Tripe, Barley Sausage, Beetroot, and Onion Soup. These soups are not cream-based and hence will not make diners feel too full even before starting on the main course. Main course dishes comprising mainly pork and beef are well prepared and presented. Diners should try the grilled beef tongue, which is very tender and well complemented by the creamy but not-to-rich gravy.

MICE organizers planning for a special theme dinner may want to consider Media Aetas Restaurant instead. The restaurant, situated in the Main Market Square, has a Medieval theme throughout, from the entrance right down to the toilets, with rustic furniture and decorations from the period. The bar and dining area on the ground floor can probably host about 50 guests, while the basement hall can accommodate up to about 100 comfortably. The dumplings here are done to perfection, where the dumpling ‘skin’ is not too soggy while the mushroom and meat fillings are tasty and just the right amount. Sprinkled with fresh, local mushrooms and fried shallots, this dish is a meal by itself. The desserts such as apple crumble and cheese cake are equally satisfying.

An F&B establishment with Michellin recommendation is the restaurant at the Gródek Hotel. Its specialties are recipes of historical Polish cuisine - full of the aromas of herbs and spices. Even the breakfast served here uses the finest ingredient with truly fresh tomatoes and green vegetables, cheese, crusty pastries and warm bread. The restaurant space has natural daylight and is a mini-museum showcasing archaeological items found around its vicinity. Gródek Hotel is a cozy 23-room boutique hotel conveniently located at the fringe of the Main Market Square, and is suitable for small meetings and dinner functions of not more than 50 people.

Where time allows, visitors to this city should really try out some of the many cafe restaurants located throughout the Main Market Square, or venture out to the Jewish Quarters for a traditional Kosher meal with live Jewish music performance.