One of the best experiences to live in Krakow is to join one of its delicious Krakow Food Tours. You will be able to discover the most authentic side of Polish food and learn many trivia about the local culture. Led by passionate, knowledgeable and super-friendly local guides, Krakow food tours are the best opportunity to explore the best places to eat, just the ones the locals love, stalls, farmers’ markets and the best patisseries and bakeries.
Do you know what golabki is? And the pązcki? Have you ever heard tasted a homemade barszcz czerwony? Have you ever tried the delicious oscypek? No? Then it’s time to join a Krakow Food Tour!
What you will find in this guide to the best Krakow Food Tours:
- What is a Krakow Food Tour?
- Best Krakow Food Tours
- What to Expect from a Krakow Food Tour?
- What can I taste on a Krakow Food Tour?
What is a Krakow Food Tour?
A Krakow Food Tour is an amazing experience that will allow you to discover the best of authentic local cuisine, away from tourist traps and menus designed for travelers’ tastes. It will be like exploring the city with a friend, who will show you the most secret corners where locals like to go for food and drink. You will be able to visit farmers’ markets and some of the best patisseries, bakeries and rustic taverns. You will taste dozens of local specialties, as well as local drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic).
Krakow is one of the most interesting food destinations in Europe: Polish cuisine is not just pierogi. Poles don’t eat pierogi frequently, instead they have fabulous traditional cuisine made of ancient recipes, soups, sausages, stews. Poland, and especially Krakow, is the best place to taste the most authentic traditional Eastern European specialties. While moving to Kazimierz, Polish cuisine blends with Jewish cuisine, creating unique flavors.
Unsurprisingly, Krakow has one of the liveliest European food scenes, as well as an ancient culture boasting dozens of excellent beers and vodkas. The best way to discover authentic local cuisine is to visit the city with a local, who will be able to show you the most hidden and intimate side of the local culture.
You will discover tons of interesting facts, anecdotes and tips. You will meet many locals, who will tell you the secrets of some of the tastiest local specialties and you will learn a lot about Polish customs, because for Poles food is closely linked to culture, is the preferred way to socialize and deeply reflects the historical evolutions of the city.
Best Krakow Food Tours
Private Krakow Food Tour – 10 Tastings and Local Culture
This is one of the best Krakow Food Tours, because it is a private and intimate experience, led by knowledgeable and passionate guides, and allows you to get a good overview of the local food and culture.
You will stroll around Krakow’s Old Town discovering the best traditional food in the city, visit some traditional stalls, restaurants and bars and taste 10 different local specialties, as well as some local drinks. The tour is also suitable for vegetarians, and also includes tasting some delicious local desserts at one of the best patisseries in town.
This Krakow Food Tour lasts 3 hours and is led by a professional English or Polish speaking guide. As this is a private tour, availability is limited, so it’s best to book in advance.
Private Krakow Food Tour – Eat Like a Local!
This is another excellent Krakow Food Tour that allows you to visit several local restaurants and bars, enjoying a hearty traditional lunch or dinner and trying dozens of local specialties, desserts, vodkas and beers.
You can choose from several options, ranging from 2.5 to 5 hours of Krakow food tour, led by an expert local guide who will show you the best corners of the old town and the best places to try the best authentic local food.
You will visit 2 to 4 different restaurants, trying dozens of local specialties, soups, meats, desserts and so on. The basic tour does not include alcoholic beverages, but there is also the option that includes the tasting of beers and 8 different great local vodkas. The tour is led by professional guides and is available in several languages. It is more affordable for couples or families, so you get a better price per person.
What to Expect from a Krakow Food Tour?
A Krakow Food Tour is essentially like a walk with a local friend through the streets of Krakow Old Town and its surroundings, discovering the best authentic local food. Tours are usually private or in small groups, this is to guarantee you the best experience. This is why you should only choose reputable guides and agencies, avoiding the many tours offered by street vendors which are often nothing more than tourist traps.
The guides are local people, knowledgeable of the local culture and great food experts and enthusiasts, of course. The guides speak fluent English (some also speak other languages, such as French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Polish, of course). They are licensed guides, who will not only show you the best of local food, but also tell you interesting facts about the history of the city and its main monuments.
In fact, Krakow Food Tours wind their way through the most scenic corners of the city, you will be able to see the main monuments and you will discover some interesting places off the beaten path. You will visit some restaurants and bars that the locals love, stalls and farmers’ markets. You will learn the name of different specialties and you will be able to taste dozens of traditional foods.
A good Krakow food tour is not just a tasting, but it is a real meal. So it can replace a lunch or dinner, because Poles are used to serving very generous portions, so by the end of the tour you will surely be full.
Some tours are customizable, so you can have the experience you want. There are options for vegetarians too, as the local cuisine offers many vegetable specialties. Usually you will try different soups, main dishes, desserts and local appetizers, sausages or herring. The perfect complement to a Krakow food tour could be a Vodka Tasting Tour, to find out more about the Polish national drink. By the way, did you know that vodka originated in Poland?
What can I taste on a Krakow Food Tour?
Usually on a Krakow food tour you will taste dozens of local specialties, as well as local snacks, desserts and drinks.
Some of the specialties that you can usually try on a Krakow food tour is the famous Oscypek, a kind of smoked sheep cheese made by hand by shepherds of the Tatra Mountains, a selection of traditional soups, such as zurek – but it can vary depending on of the season and the availability of fresh local ingredients – golabki (pork cabbage rolls stuffed with potatoes and gravy) or some of the hundreds of other traditional meat and vegetable specialties, as well as sausages, herring and specialties from the renowned Polish pastry, included what was Pope John Paul II’s favorite cake.
Tours often include a few drinks, such as kompot (a kind of non-alcoholic fruit juice), but some also offer the interesting option of adding a tasting of local vodka and beers.
Other interesting tips for your trip to Krakow
Here you will find lots of resources and advice from the locals that will surely come in handy.
Planning your trip to Krakow? These are our in-depth guides with everything you need to know to plan an amazing trip to Krakow:
- Krakow Travel Guide: Things to do in and around Krakow
- All You Need to Know Before Going to Krakow (Best Tips for Planning Your Trip)
Here you will also find everything you need to know about the Best Things to Do and See in Krakow and the must-do day trips: Auschwitz and Wieliczka Salt Mines.