Where do you
usually buy food? As I mentioned in the post about Krakowskim Targiem Festival,
I love traditional markets, especially Plac na Stawach in Kraków
(near Cracovia Stadium). There are my favourite, friendly
greengrocers, a butcher's shop with always fresh meat, a stall selling
home-made cottage cheeses and butter, and much more. What's more,
everyone, both vendors and buyers, are much friendlier than in your
usual supermarket.
Famished
after the shopping spree, we usually go for lunch to nearby Karmnik
restaurant (karmnik means 'bird feeder' in Polish), where the
atmosphere is even more welcoming than at Plac
na Stawach. The restaurant is run by one family who oversee all the
details: from serving the guests, to preparing the dishes, to
changing decorations according to the season.
The interior
is small but neat and cosy. In the photos you can see the winter look
dominated by silvers and whites with splashes of red and green. I especially
like the quaint, yellowed pages from an old cookery book hung on the
walls. I can't wait to see what this artistically gifted family will
prepare for the spring season. :)
Menu changes
daily but you can always order some nutritious soups (PLN 6-8), meat
with potatoes and salad (PLN 15-20) and crunchy pancakes (PLN 9-11
for 2 pancakes). Sometimes there are also delicious savoury tarts
(about PLN 11 a piece), which are a particular favourite of mine.
Pasta, such as penne with chicken and spinach (PLN 16), is also very
good.
Portions,
especially of the meat dishes, are really large: the cutlet is as big
as the plate, there's a heap of potatoes and four different salads
served on a separate plate. That's why D. and I often share one
portion for two. Our favourite dishes are pork breaded cutlet (kotlet
schabowy, PLN 15 zł) and grilled chicken breast with mozzarella and
spinach (PLN 16). The latter is usually quite salty but as each
portion is prepared individually for every client, so you can always ask
for less salt on your meat.
All the
dishes are really fresh and tasty, almost like home-made. Not all of them were to my liking, for example onion soup, which didn't taste at all like onion, but I think it's a matter of taste because D. really liked it. Drinks
include delicious fruit juice called kompot in Polish (PLN 3), coffee
and tea, but the only thing lacking in Karmnik is desserts. I think
home-made cake would be a perfect complement to the lovely lunch.
Karmnik is
probably the restaurant I visit most often in Kraków – mainly
because of the delicious food, friendly ambiance and very reasonable
prices. You can have here both breakfast and lunch or you can just
drop by to drink some warming tea with raspberry juice. I recommend
this restaurant to everyone who likes Polish home-made food and
warm, informal atmosphere. You can also come here with your kids or
dog – everyone will be welcome. :)
Pros: tasty food, big portions, nice interior
Cons: wait time (dishes are prepared only after an order has been placed), some dishes are too salty, no desserts
Pros: tasty food, big portions, nice interior
Cons: wait time (dishes are prepared only after an order has been placed), some dishes are too salty, no desserts
Address: Senatorska 13, Kraków (Zwierzyniec)
Website: restauracjakarmnik.pl
Daily menu
on facebook (in Polish):
