One of the things that definitely made my stay in Poland appealing was the Delicious Poland tour organized by the tour company of the same name. It is a country of good cooking, and there is no better way to experience this than to taste the best its kitchens have to offer! Delicious Poland is an amazing opportunity.

The tour lasted for three and a half hours, wherein we tasted some awesome dishes. We also learned the history of these cuisines, and the meaning the dish had in the Polish culture! Check out some of the places we tried:

1. Zalewajka. This is a restaurant that is named after the Polish potato soup of the same name. The latter is cooked traditionally in villages, originating from the Lodz region of central Poland. It’s a delicious, hearty meal! We also tried barszcz, which is a clear red soup made from beets. It’s great with either potatoes or bread!

2. Bar Trojkat. This is a bistro cafe that has some great przepalanka! This is a Polish liqueur, and we had the vanilla and caramel variant. There’s also the kwiaty bzu, which is a cake made of elderberry flowers. We tried out the Soplica Orzech Wloski, which is a walnut-flavored vodka, as well as the wódka żytnia, which is rye-flavored!

3. Plac Nowy. This is the famous market in the Jewish Quarter, with some of the best kielbasa in town! This is a sausage that is a staple of Polish food and comes in a huge number of varieties. We also had some oscypek (smoked cheese), and some zapiekanka (an open-faced sandwich made from baguettes).

4. Pierogi Mr Vincent. This place only has a few tables, but a staggering amount of Pierogi. The latter is a boiled dumpling-like cuisine that, like kielbasa, comes in a large array of flavors. It is also considered a national dish. We had a good time sampling the pierogi ruskie (cheese and potatoes). Pierogi ze szpinakiem (spinach), pierogi z kapusta (sauerkraut), and the pierogi ze śliwkami (plum).

5. Ursa Major. Back to a bar! This is one of the most famous places for craft beer. We tried the Śnieg na Beniowej, which is an American-style golden ale beer brewed by the place itself.

6. Kuchnia u Doroty. This affordable place has a lot of good food. We had some cabbage stew (bigos) and some potato pancakes (placki ziemniaczane). Of course, no Polish trip will be complete without a sample of the famed goulash, which is a traditional beef stew that originated in Hungary. The thick, flavorful dish can be made with either pork or beef. There’s also cabbage rolls (gołąbki) and beetroot salad (buraczki). The Polish sure love their succulents! Croquettes (krokiety) were also served, along with racuchy, a type of apple pancake. As for drinks, we had kompot, a sweet beverage made of fruits cooked in water and spiced.

The Delicious Poland experience was not just interesting, but also a filling one! It’s really good to know all the best places in town for a delicious bite, following in the footsteps of locals. And the fact that we learned a lot about the role food plays in Polish tradition is a cool thing, too! So whenever you are in Krakow,  you should do this Food Tour. If you have more days in Krakow, Read 14 Experiences you shouldn’t miss while there.  You’ll have a lot to fill your plate.