Best Cafes And Restaurants in Wroclaw
One of the main reasons why I wanted to visit Poland was because the of the food. I had heard a lot about the Polish cuisine but never had the opportunity to try a lot of it. As a big foodie, the journey appealed to me. Our first stop was in Wroclaw. We found that there were great places to eat and the cost did not have to break the bank.
Some of the best restaurants in Wroclaw that we dined at are chronicled below. I’ve also included some of the milk bars, cafes and bakeries that you should add to your list because as a true foodie, I just couldn’t leave them out!
Wroclaw also has a lot going on in terms of night life and themed bars. Obviously we managed to get to these too. Since this is Europe, the kids are more than welcome to join so many of these are kid friendly with some kid friendly drinks (mocktails) so they can join in too.
As you can imagine, there are many speciality coffee shops and restaurants in Wrocław. I guess if you lived there you would stand a good chance of visiting many of them but if you’re on a short city break you have to be selective!
I spent 3 days in Wroclaw visiting its Christmas markets and its many wonderful sites. In that time I made sure to take a break at a few cafés and to eat in a couple of restaurants. The rest of the time I was eating (and drinking hot chocolate and mulled wine!) at the Christmas markets.
In this post I will set out 4 of the best places to stop for coffee in Wroclaw and 2 of the best restaurants to eat at in the city. I’ll also suggest a few additional cafes and restaurants that are highly regarded and which you may wish to try.
My choices are based on recommendations I read about before travelling as well as each respective location relative to sites I was visiting. In this way, I hope this post can act as a guide and help you plan an essential part of your Wroclaw itinerary….where to take a break!
Four of the Best Wroclaw Cafes to Stop for Coffee
Wroclaw is an amazing city, with much to see and do but being a tourist anywhere can be tiring, especially if, like me, you enjoy walking everywhere (and/or you join one of the free walking tours on offer!). I’m also a coffee drinker and love nothing more than finding a good café, taking a break and watching the locals.
Here are 4 Wroclaw cafes where I did just that:
1. Paloma Coffee
Location: Plac Solny
Convenient for visiting: Wroclaw’s Medieval Market Square in the Old Town
I arrived here early afternoon and it was quite a busy place….always a good sign! They roast their own coffee beans which you can also buy instore. The café had a very positive, bustling vibe and is clearly a place for meeting friends and work colleagues.
My coffee and this Biscoff slice were both very good!
2. Popiol i diament
Location: Rynek 6
Convenient for visiting: Wroclaw’s Market Square
From the outside, Popiol i diament doesn’t look that big, but there’s actually a cozy seating area on the lower level. The café is part of the Pan Tadeusz museum which itself is hidden behind impressive doors! Access to the café is by a separate door leading directly onto the market square.
I enjoyed both my coffee and this chocolate tart!
3. Selfie Café
Location: Kużnicza Street (near the University)
Convenient for visiting: Oratorium Marianum and Aula Leopoldina at the Wroclaw University
Ordering a cappuccino with your face on it is certainly one of the more unique and unusual things you can do in the city and it was a fun experience! At a cost of 20 Polish Złoty, I took a selfie in the café (I forgot to take off my woolly hat!), emailed it to the address provided and this was the result! The coffee was nice and of course, a selfie is optional. The café offers a range of drinks and pastries and is conveniently located for visiting the beautiful baroque halls at the University.
4. Kawiarenka sw. Jadwigi (St Hedwig’s Café)
Location: Notre Dame House, across from St Martins Church, Cathedral Island
Convenient for visiting: Cathedral Island (Ostrów Tumski) to see the lamplighter, Cathedral of St John the Baptist and Saint Martin’s Church
There isn’t much in the way of cafes on Cathedral Island, however across the street from St Martin’s Church, the site where Wroclaw was founded, is a Bed & Breakfast called Notre Dame House. Inside, there is a small café open to the public. Coffee, tea, cold drinks and a small selection of cakes and cookies are available.
It’s somewhat of a hidden gem in that it’s not obvious from the outside that it’s there but once inside you can see some of the underground remains of Piast Castle, home to the first rulers of Wroclaw.
Other Recommended Cafes
There were plenty of other Wroclaw cafes that my research revealed as good places to go. I have set out a few of them here, however I was either not able to get to these or had already had coffee (and cake!) elsewhere before arriving at them:
- Cafe Targowa – located inside Market Hall
- El Gato Coffee Roasters
- Larks
- Chmiel kawę
- Cherubinowy Wędrowiec
- Vinyl Cafe – known for its living room feel
- Blossome Café
Two of the Best Wroclaw Cafes/Restaurants to Stop for Food
As I was visiting Wroclaw for the Christmas markets, I had already decided that I would eat my evening meals there. That meant finding places to eat at other times during the day. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, there is plenty to chose from in Wroclaw, depending on your tastes, budget and how much time you want to devote to eating.
Aside from my hotel breakfast one day and general snacking, I chose to eat at:
1. Jolie Brasserie Café
Location: Kurzy Targ, 2
Convenient for visiting: Wroclaw’s Market Square
When I dined here for breakfast during my visit to Wroclaw, the café was located in Plac Solny, close to the main Market Square. The Jolie Brasserie Café website however is only showing the one location. That said, it’s location is central making it convenient for most visitors.
There was a good range of options on the menu and my meal was very tasty. The coffee was also very good. I’d definitely recommend Jolie Brasserie Cafe as a great place for breakfast or lunch.
2. Konspira Restaurant
Location: Through the arch located in one corner of Plac Solny
Convenient for visiting: Wroclaw’s Market Square and the Four Denominations District
Dining at Konspira Restaurant was high on my to do list and I was not disappointed when I visited at lunchtime.
The restaurant is a throwback to the post World War II era when Poland was under Soviet control. It tells of the struggle by the Polish people to free themselves from communism, the story of the Solidarity movement and the subversive methods used in printing and distributing illegal materials.
The menu explains more about this time period, the activities of the residents and why they have such an important place in Wroclaw history. Hold on to the menu once you have ordered as it makes for an informative read as you wait for your meal. In addition, the decoration and atmosphere in the restaurant really do create the feeling of a bygone era.
The portions served are very large and the food – I ordered the Printer’s Meal – was very nice! I highly recommend eating here. As it was December, I also enjoyed their mulled wine!
Other Recommended Restaurants
There are, of course, many restaurants in Wroclaw. Where you choose to eat is very much dependent on what kind of food you like, how much you want to spend and whether you want to try local specialities.
Having visited Poland previously, I had eaten quite a few national dishes, including the delicious dumplings, Pierogi. As a result, and given that I was intent on trying local food at the Christmas market, I chose the cafes and restaurants I have mentioned above.
When I was researching my visit to Wroclaw however, one restaurant serving Pierogi that kept popping up as highly recommended was Pierogarnia Stary Młyn. Located at Rynek 29, it is conveniently located on the Market Square in the historic city centre and seems a great option for those wanting to try Pierogi for the first time.
Another recommended restaurant serving Polish cuisine is Mloda Polska which is located in Plac Solny.
Final Thoughts
The city of Wroclaw is definitely worth visiting and is well equipped to keep busy visitors fueled with plenty of great cafes and restaurants around the city.
My chosen Wroclaw cafes and restaurants are based on research I did before my trip. Their proximity to the many amazing sites around the city also helped in my decision making and I hope this post will help you with your trip planning.
The tour takes you to four or five places and allows you to sample anywhere between 15-20 local delicacies. It is a great way to spend the evening and make like minded friends. Just make sure that you come with an appetite.
Did I mention that you will also get to try a shot of Polish vodka and the famous local craft beer. While I am not a fan of beer, Shawn really enjoyed his tastings in the city.
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