4 minute read
Best Hidden Gardens in Kraków
While there’s no shortage of wonderful places to eat/drink outdoors, our favourites will always be those that feel like entering a hidden world detached from the city beyond. The gardens listed here capture that secret thrill; go discover them.
MERCATINO - VINO, FORMAGGIO & CAFFÈ
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Mercatino
We can stop the list right here, because there's no finer public garden in Kraków. Quiet, lush and intimate, Mercatino's garden is packed with plants, pathways, ivy, vines, and even features a small stream. Open early, drop in for coffee among chirping birds, enjoy an afternoon glass of wine and tapas under the shaded pergola, or lounge in a hammock with a book and craft beer. The climate suits the huge shop of imported Italian wine and delicacies (p.112), which also offers pasta, panini, desserts and ice cream.QH‐4, ul. Karmelicka 27, tel. (+48) 726 78 70 11. Open 08:00-22:00; Sat 10:00-22:00; Sun 12:00-20:00. T 6
2 OKNA CAFE
2 Okna Cafe's back garden
Bypass the sunny streetside tables of this charming Kazimierz cafe for the cool, green garden in the back. Full of trees, ferns and murals, this is certainly one of the best places in town to disappear with a book or an old friend. Quiet, artsy and very low-key, 2 Okna is ideal for idly passing the time, and offers wine, coffee and beer for that pursuit, as well an array of breakfast bites (Cracovian bagels, quiche, pastries), tapas and empanadas.QK‐8, ul. Józefa 40, tel. (+48) 12 378 34 43. Open 08:30-22:00; Thu 08:30-23:00; Fri, Sat 08:30-24:00; Sun 08:30-23:00. Opening hours subject to change from Sept. T U E 6
MEHO CAFE
Meho Cafe on Krupnicza st.
One of our favourite places for a respite, the magnificent gardens of the Mehoffer House (p.62) represent the majority of the seating at the otherwise tiny Meho Cafe. Full of roses and fruit trees, this expansive oasis is well-maintained and completely uncluttered, making it one of the most peaceful, pleasant places to enjoy a coffee, arrange an afternoon rendezvous, or select from their menu of tasty, under-priced eats. Open early with a full breakfast menu (served until 13:00), there are few more magical places in Kraków than here.QH‐5, ul. Krupnicza 26, tel. (+48) 600 48 00 49. Open 10:00-22:00. T 6
LA CAMPANA TRATTORIA
La Campana Trattoria on Kanonicza st.
Planted on picturesque Kanonicza Street in a historic building, La Campana Trattoria is worth visiting just to relax in the gorgeous, ivy-green garden; full of sunlight, singing birds and blooming trees, don’t miss the chance for a sightseeing pitstop inside. Deep, vast and with an almost monastic vibe, in the evening there are few more romantic places for a candlelit dinner at dusk, and the simple pastas and risotto dishes have been endorsed b y many a guidebook. When it comes to an upscale meal, this may be the best setting in Kraków.QI‐7, ul. Kanonicza 7, tel. (+48) 12 430 22 32, www.lacampana.pl. Open 12:00-23:00. €€€. E
TAO THAI & SUSHI
TAO
This trendy Japanese and Thai bistro in Podgórze is smart and stylish, and features an amazing seasonal garden, which lures in the after-work drinks crowd (try the plum wine!), but also caters to kids with swinging seats, a climbing wall and fluffy rabbits literally hopping about between the tables. The expansive, expert menu features standards such as edamame, dim sum, Thai curry, pad thai and tempura, as well as their own specialties like the tasty Tempura Burger - all of it is absolutely delicious.QK‐10, ul. Józefińska 4, tel. (+48) 725 88 03 04, www.taogarden.pl. Open 12:00-22:00; Fri, Sat 12:00-23:00. €€. T U 6
KRAKOWSKIE ZAKĄSKI
One of our favourites just off the Main Square
This hole-in-the-wall dive bar features one of Kraków’s largest hidden gardens, tucked in the back of a tenement just minutes from the market square. Overdue for a name change (they don’t serve ‘zakąski’/appetisers), Krakowskie Zakąski does offer cheap beer and drinks (happy hours Mon-Thu until 18:00) and over 60 types of whiskey. Iron drams be damned, the summer garden is well and truly the main lure of this local, full of beach chairs and beer-crate tables, with plenty of space for groups and open late. QI‐5, ul. Sławkowska 16, tel. (+48) 732 66 63 96. Open 14:30- 02:00; Thu, Fri, Sat 13:00-03:00; Sun 13:00-02:00. X
