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.

WIELOPOLE 3 (KRAKÓW) – VEGGIE DOESN'T MEAN BORING

I've never been a great fan of meat but a few months ago I stopped eating it altogether. Unfortunately, most of the restaurants in Kraków serve a rather limited set of vegetarian options - only pancakes, pierogi (dumplings) and salads. That's why when I feel like eating something unusual, I go to a vegetarian restaurant WieloPole 3.

It's situated in 3 Wielopole Street, near the Main Post Office in Kraków. Because the restaurant is in the basement and has dark walls, it is always quite dim. The interior décor is ascetic: simple wooden tables and chairs, scanty decorations and a kind of baking paper in place of a tablecloth or table mats.

Fortunately, the quality of food compensates for any décor shortcomings. The menu is very short and changes seasonally, which is a big plus. It's dominated by fresh vegetables and various groats, including bulgur, which is very popular not only in its native Turkey but also, apparently, in Scandinavia.

I also liked buckwheat balls with horseradish and apricot sauce (PLN 10) but my favourite dish is potato pancakes – served with poached egg or fried mushrooms (around PLN 10). They have crunchy crust and big chunks of potatoes – exactly how I like them.

The restaurant's flagship drink is a mix of barley grass juice, apple juice and lavender syrup (PLN 4.50). The drink is nutritious and refreshing but if you don't like the taste of lavender, you should try home-made lemonade with elderflower syrup. For dessert, you can eat a small but quite tasty chocolate cake (PLN 7.50)

WieloPole 3 is a great place for an inexpensive, original lunch or dinner. I highly recommend it especially to vegetarians, vegans, people on a gluten-free diet, and everyone who wants to try healthy, wholesome food that doesn't taste like cardboard.  

Pros: tasty, unusual vegetarian dishes, affordable prices, friendly staff

Cons: gloomy interior, baking paper instead of tablecloths

Address: Wielopole 3, Kraków (Old Town)

Website: www.facebook.com/Wielopole3

PS. A new tab with a list of autumn food festivals in Kraków is available at the top of the page. :)