GLUTEN-FREE PIEROGI VS. PINK DWARFS (KRAKÓW)

This weekend my American friend came to visit me in Kraków and I was faced with a culinary puzzle. Where can I find a restaurant serving dishes which are gluten-free (Kathryn is gluten-intolerant), vegetarian (we both don't eat meat) and, most importantly, tasty? I found the solution to this riddle on the Internet (e.g. here and here) and below you can read an account of our culinary adventures.

POD BARANEM – GLUTEN-FREE PIEROGI 

Almost every foreigner visiting Poland wants to try our famous pierogi (Polish dumplings) but where can I find pierogi which are gluten-free? Apparently, in a restaurant near the Wawel Castle called Pod Baranem, which has probably the widest array of gluten-free dishes in Kraków. Our pierogi ruskie (Russian-style dumplings with cottage cheese and potato filling, PLN 24) and pierogi with cabbage and mushrooms (PLN 25) were delicious – covered in melted butter with fried onion and full of yummy filling. The effect was spoiled by dough which was slightly too thick but Kathryn explained that it could have been the fault of the gluten-free flour. All in all, we left the restaurant full and happy.

Address: Pod Baranem, św. Gertrudy 21, Kraków (Old Town)

Website: podbaranem.com

SHAKE & BAKE – GLUTEN-FREE CAKES AND SMOOTHIES

The following day, we had breakfast in Shake & Bake cafe close to the Bagatela Theatre, which serves gluten-free pastries and shakes. Savoury muffins (with cheese and olives) were very nice but unfortunately they were sprinkled with huge salt crystals turning the muffins into a salt mine. Luckily, brownie with peanut butter was very nice and almost salt-free. In the cafe, we were accompanied by two pink dwarfs and a cute pink deer. :)

Address: Shake & Bake, ul. Dunajewskiego 2, Kraków (Old Town)

Website: shakeandbake.pl

CAFE MŁYNEK – VEGETARIAN AND GLUTEN-FREE

We had a hard time choosing our food in a vegetarian restaurant Cafe Młynek because all gluten-free dishes and desserts seemed really nice. Finally, we followed advice from a friendly waitress and ordered crunchy potato pancakes and spicy pasta with vegetables and hot pepper. The servings were so big that we didn't have any space for dessert. But after lunch we stayed in the restaurant's beer garden to sip coffee with cardamom and hot ginger lemonade and admire the view of the quaint Wolnica Square.

Address: Cafe Młynek, Plac Wolnica 7, Kraków (Kazimierz)

Website: cafemlynek.com

CAFES

Fortunately, most of the drinks are naturally gluten-free so we could safely venture into my favourite cafes: Mleczarnia in Kazimierz (you can read more about it here) and Forum Przestrzenie near the Vistula River (it serves really nice coffee and home-made lemonade). We spent the evening in Domówka Cafe, sipping cider and playing a funny board game about shopping in the communist era called “Kolejka” (which means “queue” in Polish). On the whole, I think Kathryn's stay in Kraków was a great success, both from the social and culinary point of view. :)

OTHER GLUTEN-FREE PLACES

Here are a few other gluten-free restaurants and cake shops which were also on our list but we didn't have enough time to visit them.

WieloPole3 (read more here) – restaurant with unusual vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes Wielopole 3 (Old Town)

La Manzana – gluten-free Mexican restaurant, Miodowa 11 (Kazimierz)

Red – gluten-free cake shop, Smoluchowskiego 7 (Bronowice)

NovaKrova – gluten-free began burgers, Plac Wolnica 12 (Kazimierz)

PS. All photos in this post courtesy of Kathryn.

BEST FRENCH RESTAURANTS IN KRAKÓW

What country do you associate with love? For me, it's definitely France – French culture, French language and most of all, French food. That's why before upcoming Valentine's Day I've prepared for you my subjective ranking of the best French restaurants in Kraków. When you click on the subheadings, you'll be able to read full reviews of each of the restaurants. Cracovie, je t'aime! :)

4. ZAKŁADKA (KRAKÓW) – FRENCH CHIC VS. OILY SNAILS

Pros: a tasteful interior inspired by the film “Amélie,” nice, free snack before the meal, delicious onion soup

Cons: ill-mannered service, fried snails soaked in fat

Address: Józefińska 2, Kraków (Podgórze)

Website: http://zakladkabistro.pl/

3. LA PETITE FRANCE – ALMOST LIKE PARIS

Pros: tasty, seasonal salads, delicious fondant au chocolat (cake filled with melted chocolate), a small shop with French specialities

Cons: stark interior, small portions, mediocre coffee

Address: św. Tomasza 25, Kraków (Old Town)

Website: www.lapetitefrance.pl

2. CHARLOTTE IN KRAKÓW - FRENCH DELICACIES

Pros: breakfast served until midnight, delicious sandwiches, lovely coffee

Cons: bread in croque-monsieur wasn't very crunchy, the restaurant can get sometimes crowded

Address: Plac Szczepański, Kraków (Old Town)

Website: www.bistrocharlotte.com

1. ZAZIE BISTRO – THE MAGIC OF FRENCH FOOD

Pros: delicious foie gras, nice service, very good quiche

Cons: uncomfortable chairs, mediocre onion soup

Address: Józefa 34, Kraków (Kazimierz)

Website: www.zaziebistro.pl

Please note that all of the above restaurants are very popular so you should book a table in advance, especially on the Valentine's Day! :)

But if you're staying at home that night, you can watch one of my most beloved films, “Amélie,” and read my post about French food in this film: FILM AMÉLIE – HOW FOOD CONNECTS KIND PEOPLE.

And for dessert, one of my favourite French songs about love. It's neither Edith Piaf nor Jacques Brel (even though I adore them as well) – but controversial Carla Bruni. Hope you'll enjoy her sexy voice! :)

Wersja polska

CHARLOTTE IN WARSAW – IS IT REALLY HIPSTERS' DEN?

 

Reportedly, the most hipster place in Warsaw is Saviour Square ('Plac Zbawiciela' in Polish), and the most hipster place in Saviour Square is Charlotte. When I was in Warsaw, I decided to investigate it myself, especially because I really liked the Charlotte café and bakery in Kraków (you can read about it here).

Saviour Square seems to be one of the most charming corners in the Polish capital. The round square with solid buildings in Socialist realism style is dominated by a neo–baroque Church of the Most Holy Saviour and a half–burnt rainbow awaiting reconstruction. Charlotte is housed in one of the buildings with a colonnade, under which you can find a pleasant beer garden with a view of the whole Square. The café’s interior is rather stark and industrial but it's enlivened with a huge common table decorated with fresh flowers.

My friend, Jasmine, and I sat at one of the few free tables under the colonnade and we were immediately approached by a cute waiter. With his side swept blonde fringe and impeccably white shirt he didn't look like a hipster at all. We discreetly glanced around but unfortunately we couldn't notice anyone bashing out at their typewriter, wearing their granddad’s clothes or even wearing glasses without lenses. We were a bit disappointed. ;)

Nothing in the menu seemed particularly hipster, either. We had a problem to choose just one dish from all the French delicacies but finally Jasmine ordered quiche with ham and asparagus (PLN 9), while I settled on a French toast called pain perdu (literally 'lost bread' in French), which was golden, crunchy and lavishly covered with honey (PLN 12). Yum. :)

Sipping aromatic coffee, we almost gave up hope of meeting a real hipster but at last I saw him! He was wearing a hat (granddad’s?), thick–framed, black glasses, checked shirt, rolled up corduroy trousers and the final proof – elegant, leather shoes without socks. So Charlotte does sometimes become hipsters' den. Mystery solved. ;)

Address: Plac Zbawiciela (Savior Square), Warsaw

Website: www.bistrocharlotte.com , www.facebook.com/bistrocharlotte

Fussy on Facebooku = more photos
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TRIBECA U SZOŁAYSKICH - COFFEE IN A DRAWER

TriBeCa in not only a neighbourhood in NYC, but also a chain of cafés in some of the museums in Kraków. My favourite TriBeCa is the one in the Szczepański Square, which has recently become vibrant with life thanks to a new musical fountain and new cafés (such as Charlotte). TriBeCa u Szołayskich (meaning 'TriBeCa in the Szołayski House' in Polish) fits perfectly in with this new, dynamic place.

I usually drop by to have a coffee with my friends or grab a quick lunch. You can sit here either in a beer garden overlooking the Szczepański Square and Pałac Sztuki ('Art Palace' in Polish), or at an inner patio, or in a spacious, cool room. The room has a nice interior, if rather minimalistic. During the day it's very peaceful in there so it can be a good place to work or study if you don't mind the buzz of the café.

A ladder with shelves is loaded with books about art history (in various languages) so while waiting for your orders, you can become an art expert. Especially because waiting for the waiters can be really long... That's why if the waiting becomes interminable, I simply go to the counter and order myself.

I think TriBeCa's biggest advantage is coffee. Some flavoured coffees tend to be a tad too much on the sweet side and that's why I usually choose classics, such as latte (PLN 8-12) or cappuccino (PLN 8-12). But if you aren't afraid of sugar, you should try a frozen mint coffee (PLN 12). The sandwiches and other snacks are also very tasty. During my last visit I had there a delicious grilled baguette with chicken, cheese and lots of veggies (PLN 14). The desserts, however, are a different kettle of fish. Chocolate TriBeCa cake (PLN 12) was very good even though a bit too sweet. But the tiramisu (PLN 11) was one of the strangest dessert I've ever eaten and I don't mean it as a compliment...

While you're in TriBeCa, you should visit one of the two exhibitions housed in the same building, the Szołayski House: 'Forever Young! Poland and it's art around 1900' and 'Szymborska’s Drawer' ('Szuflada Szymborskiej' in Polish). The latter exhibition is not only for free, but it also has an interactive and a bit surreal form. Wisława Szymborska was a very famous Polish poet and the winner of the 1996 Nobel Prize in Literature. And now her belongings, presented in drawers, create cabinet of curiosities. The Szołayski House is a perfect place for an afternoon with art, a poetry and coffee.

See more photos! :)

Po polsku (Polish version)

Addres: Plac Szczepański 9, Kraków

Website: Szymborska’s Drawer exhibition

CHARLOTTE IN KRAKÓW - FRENCH DELICACIES

I adore almost everything French, especially the language and the cuisine. Don't you sometimes think that everything in French sounds more dignified and elegant? A hilarious book 'Talk to the Snail' lists names of the dishes that sound appetizing in French and weird in any other language. For example pain perdu literally means 'lost bread' (French toast) and foie gras is actually 'fat liver.' No wonder the French eat seemingly inedible things - they just need to give them a proper name and voilà! :)

Tempted by the Frenchness of the bistro, I went to Charlotte with my friend, who writes a very nice blog about cooking (in Polish). We've both heard that Charlotte in Warsaw has the reputation of being 'posh' and 'hipster' but we haven't noticed anything of that kind in the Kraków branch. The atmosphere was very friendly and casual. We sat on bar stools in front of a big window near the entrance. The stools turned out to be most uncomfortable but at least we had a great view of the Szczepański square and the pavement café. There were some free tables on the mezzanine and in a huge, industrial-looking room at the back of the bistro, but we didn't feel like moving from our vantage point.

We ordered quiche with asparagus and croque-madame (PLN 17), which literally means 'crunchy lady.' Croque-madame is a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, embellished with a fried egg. And it's the egg that distinguishes madame from her poorer relative croque-monsieur, aka 'crunchy mister.' My sandwich had a very nice filling of roast turkey and Gruyère cheese, but it also had one crucial flaw: it wasn't crunchy. Quel dommage! :/

We washed down the food with excellent (and inexpensive) lemonade (PLN 4.50). For the dessert we had hot chocolate (PLN 9), which - although not very thick - was tasty and aromatic. Finally, we decided to order a glass of white wine so that we could feel like proper French girls.

I think Charlotte is a great place for a solitary meal or a night out with friends. Because breakfast is served until 11.00 pm, you don't have to be an early bird to catch a French worm. The service was quite good but rather slow so we had to order almost everything at the counter. The biggest plus are the French delicacies (though there's still room for improvement) and a great location in the charming Szczepański square.

Want to see more photos? Click here!

Przeczytaj to po polsku. :)

Address: Plac Szczepański, Kraków (Old Town)

Website: www.bistrocharlotte.com

PS. For the dessert, check out this funny French song. :D

RODZINKA CAFE - FOR YOUNG AND OLD

 

A cold, cloudy afternoon. My bored niece called Little My is sitting on a sofa, demanding cake and children's games. Things aren't looking good. It seems that the only solution is to find a place which will provide her not only with sweets but also with entertainment suitable for a four-year-old girl. After a quick search on the Internet, I find Rodzinka Cafe (Family Cafe). We put on our warm jackets and set off on a mission.

 

When we arrive, it turns out that Rodzinka Cafe is something between a cafe and a kindergarten playroom. Little My immediately throws herself into a whirl of play. First, she enthusiastically plays with a wooden railway, demolishing the whole wooden city. Luckily, there are no fatalities. After a few moments she turns her attention to stuffed animals and then to colouring books and jigsaw puzzles. But a rocking horse with a real saddle with stirrups becomes her favourite. In the meantime, we play a family game called "Where is the frog?". Obviously Little My wins.

 

We are so engrossed in the games that we forget to take pictures of food, which is a pity as the food was really nice. Little My drinks thick cocoa and sneaks my home-made fruit cake. I have to settle for fresh apple juice and the leftovers of the cake. The only thing we are not delighted with are cream rolls ordered by My.

Full and happy, we get ready to head home. We say goodbye to the nice waitress and the lonely rocking horse. Putting on our hats and scarves, we step from the warm, cheerful cafe onto the freezing Floriańska Street. Lyttle My says she can't wait to visit Rodzinka Cafe again. :)

Wersja polska
More photos 

Website: www.rodzinkacafe.pl

Address: ul. Floriańska 15, Kraków

MLECZARNIA x 2

A lot of people know the café/pub Mleczarnia (which means “dairy” in Polish) but not everybody realizes that actually there are two Mleczarnias: one in Kraków and one in Wrocław. Both cafés have old-fashioned décor and mysterious atmosphere. The walls are hung with black-and-white photographs dating back to our great-grandparents' time. Tables are covered with lace tablecloths and the furniture looks as if it had just been found in the attic. In the evenings, candles are the only source of light, which on the one hand creates a romantic atmosphere, but on the other provides extra excitement while walking on the uneven floor.

Both Mleczarnias have similar food and beverages on the menu but there are some territorial differences. As the name indicates, the cafés specialize in milk drinks: cocoa, hot chocolate and various types of coffee. Alcoholic drinks are also delicious, especially mojito and Słodkie Mle (with chocolate flavoured liqueur). If you're hungry, you can order toasts, soups or homemade cakes, while the Wrocław Mleczarnia offers also hearty breakfasts (served between 8.00 am and 1.00 pm, PLN 15.00-18.00 for a breakfasts set). Both cafés are self-service.

Despite many similarities, each Mleczarnia has a slightly different character. Mleczarnia in Kraków is tucked away in one of the side streets of the Jewish quarter, Kazimierz. Apparently this place once housed a real dairy, which gave name to the pub. In winter, Mleczarnia is peaceful in cosy, while in summer it throbs with life thanks to a spacious beer garden across the street. In the beer garden, you can order not only most of the drinks served in the café (except for spirits), but also freshly squeezed fruit juices. A huge tree provides a leafy shade, while fresh flowers in milk cans bring to mind holidays in the countryside.

Mleczarnia in Wrocław, which is much bigger than the one in Kraków, consists of two rooms on the ground floor and a large smoking room in the basement (open from 5.00 pm). A beer garden is located in the courtyard of a newly renovated Synagogue, but it has much less charm than the garden in Krakow. Fortunately, the interior of the Wrocław Mleczarnia compensates for imperfections of its beer garden.

Both Mleczarnias are perfect venues for a date or a meeting with friends. Thanks to the special atmosphere and delicious coffee, I am a regular guest at the two cafes. I always bring my friends along and so far they all have succumbed to the alluring magic of Mleczarnias.

Wersja polska
More photos

Address:

ul. Rabina Bera Meiselsa 20, Kraków

ul. Pawła Włodkowica 5, Wrocław

Website: mle.pl

DYNIA RESTO BAR – THE SECRET GARDEN

I usually stop by Dynia (which means “pumpkin” in Polish) for a coffee and my favourite pumpkin soup. Even though Dynia is situated nearby the noisy Main Market Square, it is an out-of-the-way place where you can completely chill out. Especially in the lovely summer garden nestled at the rear of old tenement houses.

Dynia offers mostly healthy, vegetable dishes, but there is also quite a lot on the menu for carnivores. I usually order pumpkin cream soup or tomato cream soup with feta cheese (PLN 7.50 for a bowl). I also recommend pasta, especially spaghetti with goat cheese, aubergine, arugula and sun-dried tomatoes (PLN 21.90). If you have a sweet tooth, you can order a piece of cake or another dessert, such as apple crumble (PLN 9.90).

The waiters and waitresses in Dynia are very friendly but they sometimes keep you waiting for too long. Therefore, if you are in a hurry, you can walk over to the buffet and order or pay directly at the till. Dynia is a child-friendly restaurant, which provides not only special kids menu and high chairs, but also colouring books and crayons.

The inner garden is a great spot for lunch with friends during the day, while at summer night it changes into a perfect scenery for a romantic date. The garden's magical atmosphere is highlighted by glowing balls hidden among ferns. And when it rains, you can snuggle under a large umbrella and get warm with mulled beer or hot chocolate with rum.

Address: 20 Krupnicza Street, Kraków
Website: dynia.krakow.pl

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