Restaurants in Krakow Open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day [2019]
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Krakow might just be the ultimate Christmas destination - drawing in visitors from around the world who wish to be immersed in its fairytale wonderland of markets, decorations, concerts and old-world charm.
However, with most of the city shutting down on the main days of celebration (the 24th & 25th of December), it can be a truly frustrating experience to find an open restaurant in which to satisfy your Christmas feasting desires.
Luckily for you, we have decided to do the leg work and are happy to present you with the ultimate itinerary of indulgence for satisfying your holiday hunger. Here is Local Life's very own list of places with food that are actually open on Christmas Eve & Day 2019.
Krakow Christmas Market
First on the list and impossible to miss, it’s the famous annual Christmas Market. While it may be a strictly al fresco affair - rain, sun or snow, this veritable village of food and colour is an essential on every Cracovian Christmas list. A myriad of traditional wooden stalls, enveloped in Christmas cheer offer up a dedicated array of local fare. When your tummy starts to rumble after satisfying all your last minute Christmas shopping needs in the maze of decorations and gifts, this is the place to be if you want to experience Christmas, Krakow style.
To wet your palate, why not begin at one of the little barbeques busy grilling oscypek (that’s local mountain cheese) - a great appetizer when teamed with cranberries, bacon or prunes. Next, you can chow down on a plate of pierogi or nalesniki (lots of veggie options), or discover the delights of chleb z smalcem (bread with lard - tastier than it sounds).
If these options don’t tickle your taste buds then why not head over to one of the larger grills which are billowing deliciously scented plumes of smoke across the square. You’ll find them packed with ham hocks, pork neck, polish sausages, potatoes, wheels of bread the same size as those on your car and a whole lot more. For dessert, you might want to get messy with some hot waffles dripping in melted Belgian chocolate before you wash it all down with some mulled wine & beer, available in the giant cask-shaped huts.
Find it every day in the Main Square - from whenever the stall owners crawl out of bed, until they get too sleepy.
Bunkier Cafe
A firm local favourite and rather an institution for the more philosophical crowd, Bunkier Cafe might just be exactly what you’re looking for. If all you want is to settle in for a few hours in a down to earth, affordable setting while you chain-smoke and write your complex memoirs of Christmases’ past - then this is the place for you. Slightly less hidden by the foliage of the Planty at this time of year, Bunkier Cafe is a transparent greenhouse of relaxed energy and delicious food. Split into two by its smoking and non-smoking sections, it is one of the few places where you can enjoy the feel of being outside whilst still protected from the chilly winter winds.
Bunkier's kitchen may be closed on the 24th but with a wide selection of cakes, snacks, cocktails and warm drinks, you'll still be able to indulge in some merrymaking regardless. On the 25th the full menu returns with doors opening at Midday and revolving with starving artists until the last customer heads home.
24th December 2019: Dining will not be available. Drinking is definitely available. 9 am to 4 pm
25th December 2019: Dining is available with the regular menu and chefs specials. Midday to last customer
pl. Szczepański 3a // +48 12 431 05 85 // Facebook
Trzy Rybki Restaurant
Hotel Stary's Trzy Rybki Restaurant will be hosting an elegant Christmas Eve Dinner which will present a 6-course degustation menu filled with elegant twists on traditional Wigila foods. It'll set you back a rather pricey 350zl but the gourmet flavours that their talented chef will design will be inevitably divine.
24th December 2019: Dining with a special menu is available from 8 am to 11 pm
25th December 2019: Dining with a special menu is available from 8 am to 11 pm
Booking in advance is essential
Ul. Szczepańska 5, // +48 12 384 08 06 // Website
Pod Baranem
One of Krakow's most famous traditional restaurants, dine like a noble for your Christmas lunch in Krakow. Elegantly decorated in a medieval style, the food here is the same that would have adorned the plates at the nearby Wawel Castle. This well-loved and firmly established restaurant is a must-visit spot for your trip to this royal city.
24th December 2019: Dining with regular menu is available from Midday until 3 pm.
Booking in advance is strongly encouraged
ul. św. Gertrudy 21 // +48 12 429 40 22 // Website
The Grand
Grand by name and certainly grand by nature, a Christmas dinner amongst the elegant decor of The Grand Signature Restaurant will make you feel like you're on the set of 'Holiday Inn' or 'Miracle on 34th st.’. On the 24th, you will be presented with a very special dinner in the form of a Christmas Eve Tasting Menu, which will be served in the Belgian Mirror Hall. This will set you back the grand sum of 249 PLN per person. On the 25th, dine a la carte from a special menu. The palatial interior, authentic stained glass roof and great atmosphere will guarantee an unforgettable experience.
24th December 2019: Dining with a Special Christmas Eve tasting menu will be available from 5 pm to 10 pm
25th December 2019: À la Carte dining will be available from 1 pm to 11 pm
Booking in advance is essential
ul. Sławkowska 5/7 // E-mail: hotel@grand.pl // +48 12 424 08 00 // Website
Poleski
A short walk across the bridge will bring you to Hotel Poleski’s in-house restaurant. Open from the 24th right through to the 26th and not requiring advance booking, it’s a safe bet if you find yourself wandering around on an empty stomach. Traditional Polish and European cuisine are to be found along with ‘unique cocktails’ in their comfortable and spacious dining room. Head down on Christmas Eve and you will be treated to a choice of several starters, soups, mains & desserts from a specially designed Christmas menu.
Situated in Debniki and boasting Krakow’s best view of Wawel, enjoy an unadulterated panorama of the beautiful Vistula River. Only fifteen minutes’ walk from the Old Town, you can find their well-known premises right on the banks of the river, next door to the Manggha Museum.
24th December 2019: Dining is available from a special set menu. 1 pm to 8 pm.
25th December 2019: A'la Carte dining is available. 1 pm to 9 pm.
Booking in advance is recommended for the 24th Dec.
ul. Sandomierska 6 // +48/12 260 54 05 // Website // Special Christmas Eve Menu (24th)
Café Oranzeria
Café Oranzeria restaurant is located on the top floor of the four-star Hotel Kossak. The largely glassed interior allows guests to enjoy the most beautiful, sweeping views of a beautiful winters' Krakow: the snowy towers of Wawel castle, the snowy rooftops of the Old Town and the snowy banks and frozen surface of the Vistula river promenade. The beauty of our ancient city, lively Christmas carols and the head chef's carefully crafted cuisine create an unrivalled visual and culinary Christmas experience.
24th December 2019: Dining with a Special Christmas Eve Set Menu is available from 5:30 pm until 10 pm
25th December 2019: Dining A la carte and from a special seasonal menu is available from 12 pm until 9 pm
Booking in advance is essential on 24th & 25th
plac Kossaka 1 // +48 12 379 59 50 // Christmas Eve Menu // Christmas Day A la carte Menu
C.K Browar
This lively restaurant-cum-pub is something of a landmark in its own right in this part of town. Proudly bearing the Habsburg seal, CK Browar (The Royal Emperor's Brewery) doffs its hat to the grand days of the moustachioed Franz Josef. Besides the smart and cheerful decor (which will be additionally adorned with Christmas decorations), CK does indeed have its own brewery, and here you can put the world to rights over a flagon or five of cool Polish ales. Their suitably Austrian restaurant is on hand and offering the full menu for all you festive foragers and gourmet galavants.
24th December 2019: Open without kitchen from 9 am until 4 pm.
25th December 2019: Open from 1 pm, Dining with the regular menu is available from 2 pm until 1 am.
Podwale 6 // +48 12 429 25 05 // Facebook // Website
Milk & Co
A seat at the super Christmas table of Hotel Radisson Blu will definitely not disappoint the Christmas connoisseurs. On Christmas Eve you can enjoy a very special Christmas Buffet composed of a spectacular selection of starters & salads (smoked trout, grilled pork tenderloin with figs, pork loin with cranberry, Bulgur salad with brounois vegetables & loads more), soups (Cream of mushroom, with smoked bacon and thyme... mmm!), main dishes such as Ballotine chicken with cranberry in Parma ham, butter roasted with almonds, plus warm appetizers, desserts & beverages. At 179zl per head, this feast is well worth the splurge. On both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day you can also order à la carte from their special Christmas dinner menu (this can also be ordered as a set).
24th December 2019: Dining à la carte with regular menu & special Christmas buffet is available from 11 am until 11 pm
25th December 2019: Dining à la carte with the regular menu is available from 11 am until 11 pm
Ul.Straszewskiego 17 // +48 12 618 88 88 // Website
Szeroka
Nestled in the namesake picturesque cobbled square of Szeroka in Kazimierz, on the ground floor of Rubinstein Hotel, Szeroka Restaurant provides an elegant opportunity for Christmas consumption. Priding themselves on their charming atmosphere, the dining room is set beneath a glazed patio - an excellent location for awaiting the first star or first snowflakes of Christmas.
Szeroka's talented chef, well known for his surprising and innovative ways of preparing classic dishes, offers up a special tasting menu for the evening, with 6 wonderful courses inspired by Polish, Jewish and western cuisine. As well as being famous for its enormous (after all, 'szeroka' means wide) and exquisite drinks menu, this restaurant has a reputation for fast and efficient servers. This makes it all the more easy for you to carry out the most important Christmas rule: eat, drink and be merry.
24th December 2019: Dining is available with a special tasting menu for 250zl from 6 pm to 10 pm
25th December 2019: Dining is available with a special tasting menu for 190zl from 5 pm to 10:30 pm
Booking in advance is essential.
ul. Szeroka 12 // +48 12 384 00 00 // restauracja@rubinstein.pl // 24th Menu
Nowa Prowincja
Nowa Prowincja might be more of a cake-coffee-cognac kind of joint than a full-on feasting facility, but if you’re looking to beat the lonely winter blues and feed your soul with some care-free Cracovian characters then it’s certainly worth a look. With reportedly the best hot chocolate in town (feel free to add some Bailey’s), a magnificent meringue and a poetically inclined doorbell, this quirky grotto is a great place to snuggle up and let the afternoon melt away. The giant teddy bear in the window will be more than happy to accommodate your snuggling whilst you tuck into one of their delicious quiches, a salad or some hummus.
[waiting for updated 2019 information]
24th December 2018: Dining is available with a special menu, 8 am to 3 pm
ul. Bracka 3-5 // +48 12 430 59 59 // Facebook
The Olive
As the in-house restaurant of the Sheraton Hotel, this place is a good bet for those after a luxury x-mas affair. Pretty sure you won't be disappointed by their Executive Chef, Jacek Filipczyk and his quest to serve you up an unforgettably merry mouth moment. The Olive has expertly designed very special seasonal menus for both the 24th and the 25th. Christmas Eve you can choose between their International 6-Course Menu priced at 265zl per person and their Traditional Polish 12-Course Menu priced at 240zl per person. As for Christmas Day, you can dig in to their Lunch Buffet (including a live cooking station) with a seasonal stuffing setting you back 200zl PLN per person.
[waiting for updated 2019 information]
24th December 2018: Special Christmas Dinner Buffet, or choice of 6-course menus from 6 pm to 10 pm
25th December 2018: Special Christmas Lunch Buffet from 6 pm to 10 pm
Ul.Powiśle 7 // +48 12 6621604 // Full Christmas Menu
Andromeda Alfa
Andromeda Alfa, Restaurant of the Hotel Galaxy, will be hosting a Christmas Lunch on the 24th & 25th and it's a great place to build a holiday belly worthy of the tasty food. Andromeda's team of award winning chefs will be providing you with a special Polish fusion gourmet menu of Christmas favourites to taste at your leisure. Their mulled wine will warm you up and prepare you to attack their generous selection of desserts.
[waiting for updated 2019 information]
24th December 2018: Dining is available with a special menu from 12 pm to 4 pm.
24th December 2018: Dining is available with a special menu from 12 pm to 5 pm.
Booking in advance is essential
Gęsia 22a // +48 12 342 81 00 // Website
Bistro Beta
If you want to gift yourself a lovely present for Christmas then head over to Bistro Beta at Hotel Legend and unwrap flavours you'll be remembering every Xmas until the hereafter. The food here is amazing. Their regular A la Carte menu will be in play until 5 pm on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and it's centrally located on the edge of the Old Town, just moments from Wawel, so, we recommend stopping by this legendary lunch location after a picturesque walk around Krakow's snow-covered Planty park.
[waiting for updated 2019 information]
24th December 2018: Dining is available with an a la carte menu until 5 pm.
24th December 2018: Dining is available with an a la carte menu until 5 pm.
Booking in advance & fast is essential [not many places left]
św. Gertrudy 12 // +48 12 295 91 21 // Website
Charlotte
French festivities? Oui, salut! A firm local favourite, this French bakery/patisserie/bistro/bar/etc located in the Old Town's Plac Szczepanski bakes some of the best bread in town and all kinds of other goodies to go with it. A favourite for breakfast, light meals and feeling a little bit fancy, Charlotte is a fabulous spot to sit with a book, an Aperol spritz and a Croque monsieur in cosy surroundings.
[waiting for 2019 updated info]
24th December 2018: Dining with the regular menu is available from 8 am to 1 pm
25th December 2018: Dining with the regular menu is available from 8 am to 10 pm
Plac Szczepański 2// +48 600 807 880 // Facebook
La Fontaine
Christmas in a garden-themed 13th-century basement? This is a normal occurrence in Krakow. This classic French restaurant with extra Polish flair will not only be going the extra mile with live music to spice up their holiday feast, but they will also be serving up a very special Christmas menu. A seat at this continental table will set you back €89 per head
[waiting for updated 2019 information]
24th December 2018: Dining with a special menu is available from 12 pm until 11 pm.
25th December 2018: Dining with a special menu is available from 7 pm until 4 am.
Booking in advance is recommended
Sławkowska 1 // +48 12 431 09 30 // Website
Comments
Hello, please could you update for Christmas 2023
ReplyDzień dobry:), please, could you please update it for christmas 2022 (24.12, 25.12)? Thank you very much for any kind of help and wish you all the best.
ReplyHi booked Poland next year for Christmas where can eat for Xmas dinner
ReplyThank you i know where im eating on Xmas day solo
ReplyWe are coming to krakow for Xmas and new year staying on the main market square what restaurants and bars are open xmas eve xmas day new years eve and new years day please
ReplyNowa Prowincja - that alliteration made my cold Cracow Christmas morning a bit warmer - thank you! And now we know where to go - thank you!
ReplyCiao, noi saremo in 3 e arriveremo a Cracovia alle 22 del 24.12. Sai indicarmi un posto dove mangiare qualcosa verso le 23 (il tempo di raggiungere il centro dall'aeroporto)?
ReplyWe are staying in Krakow on the main Square over Christmas suggestions to eat Christmas Eve and Day not to far to walk please
ReplyHi, we are hoping to spend Christmas Eve, Day and Boxing Day in Krakow this year. Is there an updated list of places open over these 3 days for 2019? Many thanks
ReplyHi, we will be updating this soon, probably before the end of October. However in the meantime, most of the restaurants listed for 2018 will be open in 2019, so please feel free to contact them.
ReplyMe And My partner are in Krakow this year for Christmas and we are looking to book our Christmas meal on Christmas day we are in the United kingdom any suggestions how we can do this please?
ReplyJust talked to Klezmer Hois - and they are open with regular menu all through Christsmas. Wierzynek open on 25th with reservationd only. Just for your info. Thank you for your excellent information
ReplyThanks very much for this! We are heading to Krakow for the first time at Christmas this year and this has been a very useful guide. :)
Replyabsolutely I totally agree ....I've actually made some reservations already as I've been told it's very difficult to get them later
ReplyThank you so much:) We have updated it even further since your comment. Merry Christmas!
ReplyThanks Melanie :)
ReplyAlso waiting update. Please, ask if one these places is friendly for animals, in our case for small dachshunds :)
ReplyHi Marta! We're not sure about the dachshunds (cute little dogs!) but we have updated the article with lots of open restaurants including their contact details so i'm sure you can ask :)
ReplyHi Marta, I'm exactly in your situation (plus, there will be a Duchshund too with me!). Did you find any place to have dinner? Thanks in advance :)
ReplyAny update for 2018?
ReplyHey Ewa, we're currently working on it and collecting the names and information ;) Stay Tuned. Many of the same places from this list will be open again.
ReplyThe article is updated!
ReplyWill this be updated for 2018?
ReplyHey Peter - Yes we will most definitely be updating this for 2018. Probably towards the end of October.
ReplyPerfect I look forward to it, it's a very helpful guide!
ReplyUpdated for 2018, Peter:)
ReplyPerfect thank you so much!
ReplyTack för erbjudandet kan ni uppdatera restauranger för år 2018 där är det öppet på julafton 24/12
ReplyChristmas Restaurants article has been updated for 2018 :)
ReplyThanks for this. Very useful! I guess there will be a lot of us going to the same places :) Do you know anything about Museums and shops? I am assuming they will all be closed from 24th - 25th? Thanks, Sara
ReplyGlad we could help, Sara - thanks for the kind words :) Unfortunately, 99% of things will be closed on the 24th, maybe 80% on the 25th. If you're looking for something fun to do, there are lots of beautiful parks to walk through, the Christmas market in the Main Square will be open, and if you like to dance there is even a club called 'shakers' that will be open! Also, whether or not you are religious, it can be very interesting to visit the churches which will be filled with families. A great way to immerse yourself in Polish cultural traditions and quite a sight to be seen. If you want to experience a real Polish christmas, a company called Eataway have a movement for Polish families to invite foreigners into their homes for Christmas Eve! https://www.eataway.com/city/37-krakow-poland#food/hosted-meal The museums will be open again on the 26th as will most shops :)
ReplyWhat luck that I scrolled all the way down to this reply. Our family of 8 had been looking for a place to have a traditional Polish dinner on Christmas Day. I contacted Eataway and after a few days they found a couple, Hannah & Coen, who had room for us. A delicious Polish dinner and great conversation. A perfect end to our trip to Poland. Thanks.
ReplyYes would also like to see a updated list :) planing to spend christmas in Krakow
ReplyHey Kim, We have now updated our list but are still waiting on confirmation from Klezmer Hois and Nowa Prowincja ;)
ReplyJust wondering when you will be updating the restaurants open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day ? As there are 10 in our party feel we need to get it booked very soon ! Thankyou
ReplyHey Alexandra, Our list has been updated with as much information as we can get our hands on, however we are still waiting on confirmation from Klezmer Hois and Nowa Prowincja ;)
ReplyI am trying to book a restaurant for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day , however when I phoned 'pod wawelem ' they informed me that they closed at 16:00 on Christmas Eve , unlike the information on your website which says that the are open until 11 pm . Please could you email me an up to date list of where we could pd eat Many thanks A Woocock
ReplyAlex, this article is from last year, 2016. We will happily update all the information for you for this upcoming Christmas 2017 :) Check back soon.
ReplyThis is exactly the information I am looking for. Is it current for 2017?
ReplySorry Steven, this is from 2016! Most of the information will probably be the same but we will update the article with all the necessary corrections and additions for Christmas 2017 very soon :)
ReplyUpdated ;)
Reply