10 of the best breakfast spots in Krakow

A satisfying breakfast is what you need before exploring famous sights and hidden corners of Krakow. If you don’t have a hotel spread to pillage, or tire of waiting for Sahara-dry eggs to be replenished, you’ll find many breakfast champions dotted around the city.

Although plenty of culinary creativity bubbles beneath the surface in Krakow, everyday Polish breakfasts can be plain. 

Open sandwiches, kanapki, are one of the go-to options. They handily double-up as a lunchtime favorite, making them a brunch stalwart. If you’re eating on the go, head to a bakery or street vendor to grab an emblematic Obwarzanek Krakowski. For something more substantial for international breakfast connoisseurs, you’ll readily find a croque monsieur, a full English, or a plate of avocado-loaded eggs on local breakfast menus. 

For those who like podcasts and relish a slow and satisfying start to the day, we talk about several tempting brunch specialists in our Jolly European Best Krakow Breakfast Podcast.

Here to help you sort the cornflakes from the crepes are 10 of the best breakfast restaurants in Krakow, plucked from our Goodtime Monty backpocket guide. Smacznego!

If you don’t fancy waking with the cockerel, head to Las where breakfasts are served until 4pm. They know how to deliver a sumptuous late breakfast, with prosecco and a global menu that leaves no brunch stone unturned.

The Polish word for forest, LAS is dotted with greenery and contemporary café décor. On the dining tables, you’ll see eggs cooked in myriad ways alongside cold plates and twists on global classics, as the extraordinary Croque Madeleine comprising brioche, goat cheese, and Polish pear jam demonstrates. Roll out of bed whenever (or at least before sundown) and roll down to the Old Town for a śniadanie, brunch, or whatever you choose to call it. There’s a breakfast for all hours and appetites.

Las, Gołębia 5, 31-007 Kraków (Old Town)

Charlotte takes inspiration from la vie française. Cheese, bread, pastries, and wine are welcome ingredients for a lazy brunch, and Charlotte knows it.

There are a few outlets of this Parisian-style bistro in Warsaw, but only one in Krakow. The menu is stuffed with French classics, from freshly-baked viennoiserie to tartines (open sandwiches). Several croques and quiches add heft to the dining choices. Go for the morning pastries, and return in the evening to find the setting transformed into a wine bar. Perched on Szczepański Square, it’s a welcoming stop day and night. And considering they serve breakfast until midnight, you could end the day the way you started. If that wasn’t incentive enough, Charlotte triples up a wine bar and bakery. That’s a trifecta of reasons why the bistro is a gastronomic star in the Old Town. 

Charlotte, plac Szczepański 2, 31-011 Krakow (Old Town)

Camelot’s eclectic vintage décor is a welcoming nook for lingering breakfasts and boasts more than one round table. When weary eyes crave sunshine, migrate to the charming terrace and watch the Old Town stir into life.  

While the setting is vintage chic, the food and drink choices are fine tuned to contemporary tastes. Fruit salads and lighter breakfasts line up alongside indulgent hot chocolate. Several creatively filled omelettes shine, and the cakes are divine (cheesecake and bitter chocolate cake are irresistible). An Italian-influenced lunch menu (risottos, pasta, bruschetta) means you can seamlessly segue from breakfast to lunch. And with plenty to divert the attention on the walls and terrace of the former brothel (which possibly explains the pink walls), there’s no impetus to hurry. 

Camelot, Świętego Tomasza 17, 33-332 Krakow (Old Town)

Kolanko no.6 is among our picks of places to eat in Krakow, any time of the day. Breakfast fans will appreciate the morning buffet stacked with hot and cold favorites. The high-end hotel experience for everyday prices.

Fill your stomach with everything from bacon to salad, homemade muesli to sugar-rush cakes. Coffee and tea included. With organic produce from their local farm, a folksy interior, and a green terrace, it’s a cozy city escape that opens early and close late. If you miss breakfast (served until noon), a tempting menu from all corners of the globe awaits.

Kolanko no.6, Józefa 17, 31-056 Krakow (Kazimierz)

If you crave something different to kickstart your day, head to the Turkish-inspired Muhabbet in the vibrant Kazimierz district.

A brunch favorite of locals and visitors, this is the place to find a fresh and (sometimes) nutritious choice. It’s not the cheapest place to grab a coffee (try Turkish tea instead), but the big draw is the unique brunch menu you won’t find elsewhere.

Dishes like spicy menemen (Turkish scrambled eggs with pepper and tomatoes) and specials that pile high ingredients like halva, baked pumpkin, and other eastern Mediterranean flavors for a plate of color and vitality. The setting is warm and understated. Later in the day, brunches give way to mezze plates and bulging wraps. It’s a standout choice among restaurants in Krakow when you crave sunshine food.

Muhhabet, Brzozowa 15, 31-050 Krakow (Kazimierz)

Restaurants in Krakow happily look abroad for breakfast inspiration. Astrid borrows its vision from Sweden. Poland loves open sandwiches (AKA kanapki,) and so does Scandinavia. It’s a match made in gastronomic heaven.

But the headliner at Astrid is the big, crisp rostis topped with smoked salmon and poached eggs. Which stands out from a similarly fresh and flavorsome mix of smørrebrød (open sandwiches). An understated yet stylish setting completes the brunch package. A primo choice for a wholesome breakfast.

Astrid, Stefana Batorego 1a, 31-135 Krakow (Piasek Północ)

Hrabina is an inviting bistro that tourists rarely stumble upon. Those who do fall in love with the cozy, intimate setting and comforting plates composed with skill and care.

A neighborhood joint with a reassuringly concise menu focusing on doing what they do best, it is worth adding to your offbeat itinerary for a taste for an authentic taste of the city. Coffee and their delectable cakes keep winning fans and rave reviews. Try the Sernik cheesecake, a dessert emblematic of Polish cuisine. The coffee is excellent, so if you’re off exploring less-trodden parts of Krakow, this is the place to recalibrate with a decent brew. And probably one of the pastries that will inevitably lure you away from any intention to keep it light. 

Hrabina Bistro, Juliusza Lea 11b, 30-048

If a nutritious pick-me-up is what you need before embarking on adventures around Krakow, the aptly named Fitagain is the place to refuel.

The Power breakfast is the perfect liftoff for a long day. Vegans can opt for a medley of scrambled tofu, veg, hummus, tapenade, and even a vegan croissant. Meat eaters can swap it all for a similar-sized pile but with sausages, eggs, pancakes, and more.  Smoothies, wraps, sandwiches, crepes, and pizzas add to the café-style selection. A neat, slimline terrace and spruce interior finesse the hip vibe. And only a short hop from the central landmark, Rynek Główny.

Fitagain, Szczepańska 7, 31-011 Krakow (Old Town)

The pavement terrace and red canopies of Moment could have been transported from Paris.

Diners head here for comfort and to pick through a menu for all seasons. Opt for a cooked English breakfast or a śniadanie po krakosku (slang for a Cracovian breakfast) with eggs, regional cheese, pickles, and an iconic Obwarzanek Krakowski. The menu lists numerous breakfast options, including vegan and diet-friendly options. Dinner menus are a world tour of ever-popular dishes; pad thai and burgers jostle with European flavors on a menu with something for everyone.

Moment, Estery 22, 31-056 Krakow (Kazimierz)

It’s a demanding job keeping up with all the breakfast joints in Krakow, but we’re not complaining. A Krakow foodie favorite that’s not (yet) made it into our digital city guide is the inventive vegan bakery, Zaczyn. 

Bread is the unsung hero of many breakfasts, and here you can sample some of the city’s best. Crumble challah and wheat-rye loaves rule. Early starters are rewarded with a colorful array of pastries and buns for a sweet and light start to the day. Or up the ante in the bright, stylish café and enjoy something from the small yet diverse breakfast menu. Among a wealth of breakfast restaurants in Krakow, this bakery-café is fast gaining a name as the place to be, vegan or not.

Zaczyn, Tadeusza Kościuszki 27, 30-105 Krakow (Zwierzyniec)

Having visited 10 of the best breakfast places in Krakow, it’s time to drag ourselves away from temptation. It should be significantly easier than it will be for anyone visiting the city. As you can see, you won’t have to look hard to find somewhere to load up with breakfast goodies in Krakow. Much like authentic Polish food, there’s an abundance of places that’ll make you want to skip the hotel buffet.