Breakfast of Champions in Kraków

“We are healthy only to the extent that our ideas are humane.” 
― Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Breakfast of Champions

Rise and shine, it’s 7:15am in Kraków, your fridge is empty or the hotel you’re staying at offers a very standard breakfast option. You’re about to go to work or out to explore the city. Your head is already in the office or wondering where to go sightseeing today. Your stomach, however, is focused on something else. They say it is the most important meal of the day. Myth or truth, we couldn’t care less.

If you’re a foodie or a gourmand, a coffee hedonist or an e(gg)picurean, a gastro-connoisseur or a bon-vivant, then you should know about these restaurants in Kraków to have breakfast.

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1. Bagelmama

If you’re in the mood for a bagel, this is your place. Kazimierz‘s favourite bagel spot and already an institution in Kraków, they offer a range of different toppings and cream cheeses. Plus drip coffee, wraps, homemade soups, a killer breakfast burrito, pastrami sandwich and more – served all day, naturally. Make sure to try their breakfast bagel.

2. Bococa

This small NYC-inspired cafe/bistro is a great place to start the day or get some work done, offering all the (heretofore locally unheard of) hallmarks of a good brunch spot: delicious coffee, good sweets and healthy eats, fine wines and great bottled from Belgium, the UK and PL, vitamin-rich veggie cocktails and shakes, reliable wifi, and (drum roll, please)…even mimosas!

3. Bunkier Cafe

Drop in for breakfast until 12:00 and make sure to order the eggs Benedict. This veteran crossover venue – essentially an enormous year-round terrace on the Planty – continues to be the same perfect place for an early morning paper read, afternoon coffee and cigarette, after-work drink, casual first date, conversational English lesson, or people-watching piwo that it has been since we first published this guide.

4. Charlotte

Early risers won’t find many better places in the Old Town than Charlotte, which offers great coffee, fresh bread, pastries, breakfast sets (served all day) and a wonderful atmosphere.  With wall-length windows overlooking Plac Szczepański this Parisian-style cafe/bakery is a great place to read the paper, open the laptop or slowly unwind the day ahead of you.

5. Forum

Quiet in the morning, this is a great place to start your Saturday or Sunday morning. Make sure to try their San Francisco breakfast. Opening in the formerly abandoned, monstrous and much-maligned Soviet-era Forum Hotel, Forum Przestrzenie immediately vaults itself to the top of the list of Kraków’s most original, intriguing and hip locales, without even really trying (not caring is the key to being ‘cool’ after all).

6. Gossip

Breakfast (in our humble opinion) should be taken as an opportunity to get out of the hotel and connect with the city. This small, charming cafe sneakily stationed next to the Radisson has a local vibe, and serves really good sandwiches and sweet or savoury breakfasts all day from 07:30. Highlights include the French toast with ham and cheese, and the bacon and goat cheese omelette, plus there’s delicious coffee.

7. Mo-Ja Café

All-day breakfast, brunch and lunch options (served from 12:00) with a conscious bent towards vegan and gluten-free diets.

8. Ranny Ptaszek

This self-described ‘breakfast bar’ combines the classic American budget diner (pink retro decor, sunny ’60s soul grooves) with the modern brunchery (the menu skews towards healthy habits more than greasy spoon). Most of their meals involve a tasty composition of hot and cold eats – shaksouka, Hungarian sausage, patatas bravas, pickled veggies, hummus and more, or go for one of their sandwiches, salads, or simply a coffee and banana bread.

9. Scandale Royal Resto & Vodka House

Mornings in Scandale Royal feature a full breakfast buffet, or order a la carte (until 12:30) and choose from two pages of exciting breakfast options, including eggs, omelettes, pancakes, and a solid English breakfast. If you consider breakfast a proper meal, this is one of the best places in town to go.

Whether you find yourself in the Old Town, Kazimierz, Podgórze or Dębniki, the amount of restaurants Kraków has in offer is quite abundant. Check out more BF options in Krakow IYP and leave a comment to let us know about your favourite place for breakfast or brunch.