From fine dining to street food: culinary events in Krakow
The Krakow restaurant scene is flourishing. Each week you hear about new restaurants opening and the calendar of culinary events overflows with tastings, meetings and fairs.
For the last few years, culinary events are complemented by outstanding music festivals: Misteria Paschalia and Opera Rara festival programmes include elegant dinners where experts talk about the relationship between music and cuisine. For the second year in a row, food was a crucial element of the St. John's Fair held in June. It is an open-air historical reenactment of the Reinaissance period. Especially for this occasion, Krakow's restaurateurs try their hand at preparing dishes inspired by food served to the royal courtiers of the past. A Slavic carnival called Zapusty also draws on Krakow's culinary heritage.
Municipal squares regularly stage culinary events, e.g.: Easter and Christmas markets, Festival of regional flavours (Małopolski Festiwal Smaku), the Obwarzanek festival in May (Święto Obwarzanka), the Bread Fair in June (Święto Chleba) and the Pierogi Festival in August (Festiwal Pierogów). Street food is available to park visitors during Piknik Krakowski and at municipal markets - once a month at Stary Kleparz (from April to October) the Art&Food Bazar takes place. Here you can try dishes from all around the world, sip a glass of wine and simply enjoy your time with friends. In September Stary Kleparz market hosts a potato-themed version of Najedzeni Fest! food festival. All vendors prepare dishes with Poles' most beloved vegetable.
Najedzeni Fest! is one of the largest culinary events in Krakow. It takes place on a regular basis and the first one was held in 2013 in the surrounds of the non-operational Hotel Forum when over 70 restaurateurs, producers and chefs fed several thousand people. Since then the format of the festival was extended to include screenings of food documentaries (held at Kika and Agrafka cinemas), tastings and culinary workshops. Dropping by the Najedzeni festival is the easiest way to learn about the ins and outs of the Krakow food scene. Street food lovers should check out the schedule of the Street Food Polska Festival.
November is the month of the largest event for the food industry - during the International Trade Fair of Hotel and Catering Equipment HORECA®, the Food and Drinks for Catering Fair GASTROFOOD® and the International Wine Fair in Krakow ENOEXPO, where more than 350 exhibitors from Poland and abroad present their product range.
Wine connoisseurs should save the date of Saint Martin's Day when the New Wine Festival takes place. It is an opportunity to sample this year's vintage from Krakow's renowned Srebrna Góra vineyard. Another event for the same occasion is arranged by different winemakers from Małopolska who organise tastings at Judah Square (Skwer Judah) in Kazimierz as part of Zaułek Małopolskiego Wina (Małopolska Wine Alley). A further option for wine lovers is the Jesień Enologiczna, autumn wine festival, organised by Kobiety i Wino - Women and Wine Association.
Numerous wine tastings and culinary events are held at Krako Slow Wines on Lipowa 6F, such as the fantastic "Podwieczorek na dwa kieliszki" where Mariusz Kapczyński interviews culinary characters. Wine tastings are organised also by Magazyn Wina, Barawino, Stoccaggio and the Women and Wine Association. Those looking to sample craft brews should pop in to the Beerweek and One More Beer Festivals. Coffee addicts can also celebrate freshly roasted beans at Festiwal Kawy - coffee festival.
When you add to your calendar other events such as the biannual Restaurant Week with 40 participating restaurants, Fine Dining Week celebrating culinary art, numerous special dinner events organised by Krakow restauanteurs and culinary workshops, you end up with a pretty packed foodie schedule. And the year 2019 will be exceptional for Krakow considering the city was awarded the title of 2019 European Capital of Gastronomic Culture. Krakow will host the best chefs of the world, an international congress of gastronomy and organise a sea of other culinary attractions!
