Snacks

Kawałek po kawałku is a rather special place in the middle of Salwator district. It’s not really far from the centre of town – just on the opposite side of Aleje, between Wisła and Błonia. The area is quite lovely, with old buildings, almost no public transport and no crowd you have to fight through, within a walking distance (15 min) from the city centre. A rather nice place to live.

It has one disadvantage – it’s over-crowded, but not in the sense of people rushing in every direction. The streets are quite narrow and cars parked in every possible spot. In this neighborhood such a place as Kawałek po kawałku fits perfectly.

It’s absolutely tiny, located “in the corner” – when you see it, you’ll know what I mean – of an old tenant building. Inside you’ll find 4 tables with a few chairs, some piles of newspapers and a board on which today’s menu is displayed.

By displayed I mean “written” – it changes quite often (even weekly/daily), respecting the seasons. You can order different types of sandwiches on different types of bread (freshly made after you order!), quiches, soups, cakes, cocktails, of course – coffees… An breakfasts on saturdays. Of course, I never it all, but what I tried was great, and the rest looked pretty delicious.

Kawałek po kawałku gets a huge plus for their unrushed, home feel, for some imaginative flavor combinations and a friendly atmosphere. If you are in the neighborhood, you should definitely give them a try.

I know Chimera as a place to eat has already been mentioned (and that’s excellent, as the place is definitely worth recommending), however something new has sprouted from this business, which also deserves attention.

On the corner when entering the passageway to Chimera’s garden/courtyard, a small shop has been opened. There you can get Chimera’s tarts, including the most beloved broccoli and spinach (having worked there a few years ago, I discovered they’re much more popular than I thought), as well as other types. You can get different sweet or savory pies and tarts, sandwiches, traditional Polish barszcz… The list of products is quite long, however, those I tried didn’t let me down.

This spot is perfect for people who are in a hurry, like Chimera’s food and want to enjoy it at home or as lunch. It also allowed the owner to widen the selection of sold foods – now you can get cabbage & mushroom pies in many sizes, or try various sweet tarts (usually one or two were available on the counter). The service is really nice, the selection rather wide so, being a loyal Chimera fan, I consider this a very important spot on my city map.

Not that I don’t like the unstable wooden chairs and tables – they’re fantastic, and truly characteristic for this city. In fact, before I went out for drinks anywhere outside Krakow, I was sure that’s how it always is in bars and cafes.However, it’s good to have something else in town. Bomba is wonderful because it’s a compromise between the old and the modern. Its interior is not “wobbly” or a yet another antique store look-alike, but also, it’s far from the cold design which can be seen in other places, which just want to be modern and chic.

In Bomba you can sit during the day (plus, there are a few tables outside) as well as spend long evenings and nights. Beer doesn’t cost more than usual (8 zl), but there are obviously other alcohols and soft drinks to choose from. Sometimes, in the evenings there are also concerts on the ground floor (didn’t I mention this? Being quite spacious, it has a sort of an entresol). It’s not overly crowded, nor is it empty, it can be good for studying, but in the evenings it can change into a more party place. Visited by mostly young people, it is, at least for me, a modern version of old Krakow cafes.

You would think that you can’t eat cheap and well in the city centre. Actually, it’s quite hard to do either. There is however a brilliant exception to this theory – Koko. In the middle of Gołębia street, about 2 minutes on foot from the Market Square, open till 03:00, it is a perfect solution for all those who want to eat something really “homey”, quick and for an extremely attractive price.

Koko consists of two separate rooms, a garden and a basement, merged with the pub “Still” – there you get food and different alcohols. Gospoda Koko is wonderfully casual – loads of people, mostly but not exclusively students, who come by to have a hearty meal, which tastes just like the food you get at a Polish home. This means soups, pierogi, pancakes, krokiety, gołąbki, meat (here it’s mostly chicken – “koko” is the noise a hen makes), various types of typical side-salads (celeriac, cabbage, cucumber with sour cream)… The portions are unusually generous,  so if you don’t feel like feasting, you can take halves.

Sometimes there are minor food-related mistakes or disappointments. The menu is so large and the amount of people great, so it’s to be expected that the level of “deliciousness” may vary. For me this still remains a brilliant opportunity to eat something typically Polish, served without much fuss, like it would be at home, for a very reasonable price. Judging by how busy Koko is, I’m not alone.

In Krakow fast food isn’t really diverse – it can be brilliant, but usually the choice is limited and boring. That’s why Burrito Buffet, despite a slightly tacky design, is a wonderful surprise and a place worth supporting. If you like Mexican cuisine, you’re hungry and in a hurry then it’s a perfect solution. If you’re not in a hurry, it’s not a problem, you can come anyway.

The food is very good (approved by people who’ve been to Mexico), the portions generous and prepared in front of you. An additional asset is that you can pre-order it on the phone and when you come it’s ready. You may take it to go or stay in – the place is tiny, but inviting. During lunchtime prepare to meet loads of students as well as people working nearby. They will come to get their food, sometimes even take out larger orders – these are the hours when the place is most busy.

For me the size of burritos is more than sufficient, but it’s also worth adding that boys claim the (big) burrito makes them full. The selection of things you can get is quite large, among which I also recommend quesadillas. This kind of food is perfect for cold, rainy days and a lot of those are surely coming.