Przypiecek

Centrally located, just off the Market Square, is a small, convenient restaurant, which mainly specialises in pierogi (dumplings) but also has other well-known Polish options on the menu. As the name suggests, Zapiecek Ekspres is a simple but pleasant eatery where you can come and go without the fuss of other restaurants in the city. It is perfect for those who want to refuel quickly or who are on their own and don't like the awkwardness, not to mind the expense of some of the other restaurants in Krakow.

The food is filling, tasty and very reasonably priced. Dumplings come filled with cottage cheese and potatoes, with meat or with spinach. You can get a dumpling mix to try all three. Other Polish options include stewed sauerkraut with pieces of sausage, pork and bread (bigos), cabbage leaves stuffed with mushrooms and rice (golabki) and Polish pasta with meat and cabbage (lazanki). At Zapiecek there is also the traditional lard on bread, which is not for everyone but worth a try.

Hot starter includes Polish sour rye soup and beetroot soup. To accompany your food, kompot, sour milk as well as tea, coffee and other cold drinks are all on offer.

Most Polish restaurants close pretty early but Zapiecek is open non-stop so you can satisfy your hunger at any time of the day or night. There is also the convenience of getting some delicious dumplings to take away and heat up at home or in another location.