Beyond Warsaw, Krakow is one of the best cities in Poland, if not Europe, to sample Polish craft beers, as well as small batch beers from independent breweries around the world. However, just a decade ago, it was almost impossible to find anything occupying the taps in the city’s numerous pubs other than the usual mass-produced, tasteless lagers.
Anyone visiting the country will notice that Polish beer culture has come a long way in the intervening years, competing favourably with the craft scenes in almost any other European nation thanks to the explosion of Polish craft breweries and multi-tap bars that have caused a dramatic increase in the diversity of beers available in both pubs and shops.
All it took was a small number of entrepreneurial pub owners in Krakow, sick of the bland output from the national breweries that had been taken over by the likes of Heineken and Carlsberg following in the years following the fall of communism, to start selling beers from smaller, regional and independent breweries instead. Thankfully, the city’s beer drinkers began to take note and these bars built a loyal clientele.
Omerta pub in Kazimierz was one of the first to take this leap, and started selling bottled beers from smaller Polish breweries in 2008. They now have 30 draught taps and have even expanded into the premises next door, such is their popularity.
A short distance away, in the Old Town, The House of Beer has achieved similar success. While it is a more recent opening than Omerta, this stylish drinking spot has stocked over 400 different beers to date and claims to have over 200 beers available on any given day.
Omerta and House of Beer are not the only bars that have leapt into this craft beer revolution. Since their opening, a cluster of fantastic bars have popped up in the hip, former Jewish Quarter of Kazimierz and scattered between the ornate spires and bustling squares of Stare Miasto you will find fantastic multitap pubs such as Viva la Pinta and Multi Qlti Tap Bar.
Krakow’s brewing scene has also come a long way. For over a century, Browar Lubicz was the city’s dominant brewery and following its closure in 2001, only C.K Brower remained. Gradually, more microbreweries began to appear to quench Krakow’s taste for craft, starting with Stara Zajezdnia, the first new brewery in Kazimierz for many years who set up shop inside a vast, former tram depot to produce a range of unpasteurised beers inspired by their Czech master brewer, followed by real ale brewers T.E.A Time and even the local university, who launched their own brewhouse under the moniker Browar Górniczo-Hutniczy (BGH).
What has resulted from this step-change is a city is that Krakow has cast aside its reputation for cheap lager and the ubiquitous vodka, replacing them with pints of rich porter, IPAs and even very English real ales. Krakow, a city established as a centre for culture, festivals, and architecture can now also take its place as one of Poland’s finest beer destinations.
Breweries & Taprooms in Krakow
Although Poland’s beer output is more closely associated with macro-breweries like Lech, Tyskie, and Zywiec, Kraków is home to a number of fantastic brew pubs whose beers are rarely seen beyond their own premises, making them an essential stop for any beer-lover visiting the city.
T.E.A Time Brewpub
A home from home for Krakow-based Brits and tourists alike, T.E.A Time is Poland’s first and only real ale brewpub, serving freshly brewed ‘Traditional English Ale’ (T.E.A.) from Co-owner, Dave Twigg (Cambridge doctoral graduate and brewer) on cask, something that is rarely seen elsewhere in the country. Notably, these are all served by the pint (13.6% larger than the typical Polish half-litre) and half-pint.
Alongside British-style beers, you can get your fix at home by ordering fish and chips or taking part in their weekly pub quiz. The pub has been decorated in a style reminiscent of an old English ale house and the room down stairs allows you to get a view of the brewery, which is in the basement.
Where: Klub Studio, Witolda Budryka 4
When: Daily 12pm – 12am
Browar Górniczo-Hutniczy
Although craft brewing is mostly associated with relatively small scall operations or independent producers, Krakow’s Akademia Górniczo-Hutniczy, the University of Science & Technology, has recently dipped its toes into the beer game by opening its very own microbrewery. You will find Browar Górniczo-Hutniczy (BGH) on their campus just west of the city centre in Bronowice, on the site of Klub Studio, one of Krakow’s best event venues.
Where: Klub Studio, Witolda Budryka 4
When: Monday to Friday 4pm – 12am; Saturday & Sunday 12pm -12am
Viva La Pinta
Run by Browar Pinta, one of the oldest and most widely respected craft brewers in Poland and one of the first to ply the trade, Viva La Pinta is their Krakow outpost, but you’ll also find their pubs in Warsaw, Wroclaw, Sopot and the Beskidy mountains.
You’ll find Viva La Pinta down an alleyway just of Floriańska, which opens up into a spacious beer garden. In winter this is closed and the patio heaters are brought inside the cosy interior where you will find knowledgeable bar staff waiting to advise you on which Pinta beer to sample.
Where: Floriańska 13
When: Monday to Saturday 4pm – 12am; Sunday 2pm – 11pm
C.K. Browar
Founded back in 1996 (making them technically the oldest continuously running brewery in Krakow) in a cellar below a building opposite Krakow’s Planty, the garish exterior hides a wonderful and cavernous beer hall style room the wooden tables are all illuminated with colourful billiard lamps.
The beers here are generally simple and unpretentious, such as dark and wheat, but they do branch out with slightly more pretentious honey or ginger varieties. While I recommend purchasing a flight to sample all of their output, CK Browar is especially known for its 5-litre tubes that you will find adorning the tables, just make sure you have some friends to share it with.
Where: Podwale 7
When: Sunday to Thursday 12pm – 12am; Friday & Saturday 12pm – 1am
BroPub
Although Brokreacja are located 45km away in Szczyrzyc, their Krakow outpost and taproom is situated a short walk from Wawel Royal Castle, tucked away in a quiet courtyard in between the Old Town and Kazimierz.
There are 16 taps serving only their own beers, which range from pils and fruited IPAs to a Whiskey Rye Double Brown Porter and everything in between. The food on offer is the standard pizza and burger fare but it is worth showing up to sample their beers alone. The space inside the bar is limited but there is a decent little beer garden out front, and the décor – taken directly from the beer labels – is fairly distinctive, with each of their brews represented by a uniquely designed character.
Where: Stradomska 11
When: Monday to Thursday 2pm – 12am; Friday 2pm – 1am; Saturday 12pm – 1am; Sunday 12pm – 11pm
Browar Lubicz
Originally founded in 1840 when a Swiss brewer, Rudolf Jenny, constructed a brewery on urban land in the Wesoła district, Lubicz is a Krakow institution.
Although it closed for good in 2001 after 161 years of production, the brewery was restored and refurbished just 14 years later in the form of a modern brewpub located in the post-industrial Malt House building which was built in the second half of the 19th century, under the watchful eye of Krzysztof Ozdarski, the chief brew master who over 30 years experience plying his trade in the brewing industry.
As well as the brewery, there is also an on-site restaurant serving traditional Polish cuisine where you can sample Lubicz Lager, Wheat and dark beers alongside whatever seasonal variation has recently been added to the tap list. The brewery also has its own hotel and apartments in the form of Browar Lubicz Residence.
Where: Lubicz 17J
When: Monday to Wednesday 4pm – 11pm; Thursday 4pm – 12am; Friday 4pm – 1am; Saturday 2pm – 1am; Sunday 1pm – 9pm
Stara Zajezdnia Kraków
In the heart of Kazimierz, Stara Zajezdnia is housed in the vast surroundings of one of the Jewish Quarter’s old factory cargo terminals, retaining much of the depot’s industrial character. In the summer months, drinkers lounge upon deck chairs in the outdoor space, but the enormous main hall – which features the city’s longest bar – only opens for special events of over 100 guests.
When the main hall isn’t open, the smaller outbuildings act as the bar and restaurant where you can taste the beers brewed on site, and they are good too. This is one of the city’s best microbreweries and their core range is much more interesting than what many other Krakow breweries have to offer: a pear wheatbeer, pineapple APA, orange bitter, and a dark beer with buckwheat honey.
Where: Świętego Wawrzyńca 12
When: Monday to Wednesday 5pm – 10pm; Thursday 4pm – 11pm; Friday 3pm – 12am; Saturday 1pm – 12am; Sunday 12pm – 9pm
Craft Beer Bars in Krakow
Throughout the old town and Kazimierz, Krakow is packed with all manner of places to drink, from traditional pubs and beer halls to upmarket bars and nightclubs. Thankfully there are also an abundance of specialist beer bars serving brews from some of Poland’s best craft breweries. Here are my recommendations:
House of Beer
Situated on the ground floor of a beautiful townhouse on the junction of Tomasza and Krzyza streets, just a couple of minutes from the Main Square and close to Planty Park, the House of Beer is a rather elegant setting for a craft beer bar: The traditional bar stands in a high-ceilinged room and is hewn from dark, varnished wood and tall cases stand at one end, filled with beer paraphernalia. Mix this with leather furnishings and moody lighting and it is a far cry from some of the city’s livelier drinking spots.
There’s a good selection of pub food on the menu but the main reason to visit is the beer. There are 200 bottled varieties and 21 draught beers over two bars, mostly local and served by friendly, knowledgeable bar staff.
Where: Świętego Tomasza 35
When: Sunday to Wednesday 2pm – 12am; Thursday 2pm – 12.45am; Friday & Saturday 2pm – 12.45am
Multi Qlti Tap Bar
If you need somewhere to drink great beer close to the main Market square, you can’t do much better than Multi Qlti Tap Bar. Taking the place of one of the city’s infamous stripclubs on Ulica Szewska, the bar – with 20 beers on tap and hundreds of bottled varieties – can get pretty busy on weekends as it is in the midst of Krakow’s most hectic nightlife areas. However, during the week this is a relaxed affair, with locals and tourists alike sitting in the café-style setting sampling some of Poland’s finest brews.
Where: Szewska 21
When: Monday 4pm – 11pm; Tuesday & Wednesday 4pm – 12am; Thursday 4pm – 1am; Friday 4pm – 2am; Saturday 3pm – 2am; Sunday 3pm – 12am
Świat Piwa
It’s worth venturing outside of the old town or Kazimierz to find this off-the-beaten-track gem that is, in my mind, the best craft beer spot in Krakow.
Thankfully, you won’t have far to walk. Świat Piwa is still only a 10-minute stroll across Planty Park from the main square and once you step through the threshold you will find a veritable Aladdin’s cave of beer; This bottle shop has over 700 different beers on offer as well as a few tap lines and a scattering of tables if you wish to drink inside.
Where: Rajska 6
When: Sunday to Wednesday 10am – 11pm; Thursday to Saturday 10am – 12am
Nowy Kraftowy
You will find this great craft beer bar hidden away just off Plac Nowy – and it is well hidden – from the outside, only the front door is on display, but head down a few steps and it opens up into a cool, dimly lit bar with an expensive conservatory area. The atmosphere and design may be more in-line with a late-night bar, but they have one of the best beer selections in the city at around 25 draught lines.
Where: Plac Nowy 8
When: Monday 4pm – 12am; Tuesday to Thursday 4pm – 1am; Friday 4pm – 2am; Saturday 2pm – 2am; Sunday 1pm – 11pm
Strefa Piwa
Despite its bland ‘Beer Zone’ moniker, Strefa Piwa distinguishes itself from Kazimierz’s abundance of cool drinking spots by ditching the inductrial and antique-chic style in favour of something a little less fussy: The narrow room and curved ceiling give the impression of a Czech pivnice, and a cross between a cosy pub and a beer hall. In a nod to the architectural features, there is a good selection of beers from Poland’s neighbour, mostly from quality Czech microbreweries rather than the usual macros such as Staropramen and Pilsner Urquell, alongside 8 taps of Polish brews and a huge bottle selection.
Where: Józefa 6
When: Sunday to Thursday 4pm – 11pm; Friday and Saturday 4pm – 1am
Weźże Krafta
Weźże once occupied space at the popular but now defunct Tytano complex, that sat between the Old Town and the AGH University of Science and Technology. It has since moved to premises to the hip Kazimierz district. , taking up residence in a mural-covered building next to Galicia Jewish Museum.
While some of the industrial design and DIY aesthetic may have been lost in the move in favour of something a little more sleek and stylish, Weźże still very much has a laid back vibe, especially in the early evening before the crowds arrive and the dimly lit upstairs rooms are a calm oasis for beer-lovers to relax with one of the 25 beers that are offered on draught. It’s one of the best beer bars in the city, as well as being one of the coolest drinking destinations Krakow has to offer.
Where: Dajwór 16
When: Monday 4pm – 11pm; Tuesday & Wednesday 4pm – 12am; Thursday 4pm – 1am; Friday 4pm – 2am; Saturday 3pm – 2am; Sunday 3pm – 11pm
Craftownia
Just a stone’s-throw from Weźże Krafta on the eastern edge of Kazimierz, lies a beer bar that is relatively undiscovered by tourists but popular with craft beer-loving locals. First opening its doors in 2016, this is a an unpretentious, slightly rustic looking place, focusing on its beer rather than chic décor. The 10 taps are taken up by mostly Polish beers that are all relatively inexpensive, even by Poland’s standards. It’s also close to one of the biggest beer halls in Krakow – Stara Zajezdnia – making it a perfect stop off on a pub crawl of the city’s Jewish Quarter.
Where: Świętego Wawrzyńca 22
When: Monday to Thursday 2pm – 12am; Friday & Saturday 2pm – 2am; Sunday 2pm – 11pm
Omerta
Even in a city that is packed with pubs, Omerta has managed to make a name for itself as one of the best beer bars in town, becoming a favourite of Krakow’s beer aficionados. There’s a good reason for this: Omerta was one of the first pubs in the city specialised in craft beer and now have over 30 taps as well as over 150 different bottled beers.
Where: Kupa 3
When: Sunday to Thursday 4pm – 12am; Friday & Saturday 4pm – 1am
Pierwszy Lokal na Stolarskiej
With a name that fully translates to “The First Place on Stolarska Street, on the left when walking from the Mały Rynek”, this isn’t so much a bar but a quaint and quiet café that happens to serve a good selection of beers from Browar Stary Kraków who has a short-lived stint as contract brewers between 2005 and 2007 before being taken over and resurrected by Wronin-based Browar Relakspo.
Pierwszy Lokal na Stolarskiej were the first venue to introduce the brewery’s Dragon’s Head Ale to the market and still have their beers on heavy rotation. It can be difficult to find a spot for a quiet pint in Krakow’s bustling old town so it is worth stopping off for a quick one.
Where: Stolarska 6
When: Monday to Thursday 8.30am – 2am; Friday 8.30am – 3am; Saturday 9am – 3am; Sunday 9am – 1am
Krakow Beer map
Whether you are planning a Krakow pub crawl or just want to locate one of the breweries mentioned above, this map includes all the best brewpubs and microbreweries that were covered in this guide.
Using this map: This map shows both the city’s breweries (red icons) and craft beer bars (orange icons). The list can be seen and filtered by toggling the icon on the top left-hand-side of the map, and each location can be explored further by clicking them. Expand the map by clicking the icon on the top right-hand-side.
Beer Festivals in Krakow
Beer festivals are a great way to sample the delights of breweries from all over Poland without having to travel across the country and there are a few big ones, all within easy reach of Krakow, that celebrates the best local brews and are marked in the calendars of every Polish beer-lover.
Beer Week
Each year, the most important craft breweries from all over Poland and the Czech Republic gather at Krakow’s Cracovia Stadium to showcase their beers at the city’s largest beer festival. Alongside the opportunity to sample great beer, the three-day festival also features a wide range of other craft alcohols, a food zone, stage performances, and lectures to help visitors deepen their knowledge of brewing and the range of beers on offer.
Birofilia Festival at Żywiec Brewery
Żywiec, located 90km southwest of Krakow, may be home to the country’s most famous beer export, but it is also home to the Żywiec Brewery Museum which hosts this annual festival. Expect brewing competitions and demonstrations as well as talks and tours from local guides.
Krakow Wreaths Festival (Krakowski Festiwal Wianki)
Taking place on the summer solstice, the festival celebrates the pre-Christian tradition of making wreaths to celebrate the longest day of the year. Yes, this is not strictly a beer festival, but breweries are amongst the main sponsors of the event, which means that it is the perfect excuse to enjoy a few beers on the banks of the Vistula during a balmy summer night.
Silesia Oktobeer Fest
In the nearby city of Katowice, the Silesia Beer Festival has been taking place yearly since 2015. The first edition of the festival took place in the Giesche Porcelain Factory and has since expanded, first to the Wilson Glass Factory and finally to the city’s culture zone. As well as showcasing the best of Polish craft breweries, the festival also hosts workshops, talks, and discussion panels dedicated to brewing.
Krakow Beer Tours
What could be better way to sample a city’s beer scene than venturing off the tourist path and connecting with local beer professionals over a cold one? With Krakow offering so much choice in breweries and craft beer bars, it is always better to take the advice of someone in the know and a guided tour is the perfect way to do this.
Hoppy Tours offer an in-depth tour of a local microbrewery led by a master brewer that includes traditional Polish food and an 8-beer tasting session while Delicious Poland has a 3-hour long trip that takes in three of Krakow’s best drinking spots.
Where to Stay in Krakow
Krakow is Poland’s most visited city so it should be no surprise that is brimming with hotels to fit almost every taste or budget, with the old town – Stare Miasto – containing everything from party hostels to luxury hotels that occupy former castles and opulent townhouses.
The old town is relatively compact but there are still great accommodation options outside of it in the Jewish Quarter and south of the Vistula, with the city’s affordable and efficient public transport system of trams and buses makes it easy to get around and explore further.
Budget
Greg & Tom Beer House Hostel
There are quite a few hostels in Krakow suited to large groups or those wanting to party, but no others have the word ‘beer’ in their name, making Greg and Tom’s beer house the perfect place to stay for the travelling beer aficionado. Located in the old town close to most of the city’s major attractions, Greg and Tom’s beer house offers free breakfast and dinner, and hosts plenty of social events such as pub and club crawls to help you meet fellow beer-loving backpacker.
Mid-Range
Amber Design Residence
Situated near Planty Park in a 1930s town house on a quiet residential street, Amber Design Residence contains 34 beautifully stylish rooms and apartments that are perfect if you prefer to have a self-catered stay in Krakow. There is also a sheltered garden as well as a small spa and gym.
Luxury
Hotel Copernicus
Housed in a regal 14th-century building on Krakow’s oldest street, Hotel Copernicus contains 29 luxurious rooms that are decorated in a classic and understated style, retaining historic features such as the wooden beams and medieval frescoes. The hotel is just a short walk from Wawel Castle and the rooftop terrace gives stunning views of the Old Town. For an extra treat, ensure you book ahead for the tasting menu in the Copernicus Restaurant.
How to get to Krakow
Krakow’s John Paul II International Airport (KRK) is around 11km west of the city, with regular flights available from most UK airports.
There is a train connecting Kraków Airport and Kraków Głowny railway station, running approximately every 30 minutes between 5am and 10:30pm. The route takes around 20 minutes.
The airport’s train station is just a short walk from the arrivals area and well-signposted with ticket machines situated on the platform. However, with a limited number of machines available, there can often be a queue so it is easier to download the iMKA app and purchase your train tickets. The app can also be used to buy bus and tram tickets throughout your stay in Krakow.
Alternatively, bus lines 208 and 252 connect the airport with the city center during the day and the number 902 runs throughout the night. There is also a frequent Flixbus service, that takes just 25 minutes, running at all hours and can be booked through Trainline.
