Hotel Biała Gwiazda

As soon as you enter this slick restaurant in vibrant Kazimierz, you know you’re in good hands. The smart interior with its high-top seating and marble-topped tables has a stylish, wine bar feel, while the superbly friendly and attentive service team keep things running smoothly. The menu offers a delicious taste of Israel, with excellent pitta and some of the best lamb kebabs you will find. That it all comes at affordable prices is an added bonus – as is the selection of Israeli and Polish wines.

Located in the trendy Plac Nowy square in the city’s historic Jewish Quarter of Kazimierz, this busy and buoyant restaurant adopts a chic brasserie-style aesthetic with high-top tables and a terrace that’s ideal for the summertime. The menu showcases appealing variety, with the globally influenced dishes ranging from oysters to arancini and tempura to ceviche. Whatever you choose, there’s a unifying theme of sensible pricing and quality execution from the kitchen team.

It’s easy to miss this likeable little wine bar tucked away in the Old Town, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled, lest you lose out on all the joys it has to offer. There’s a comforting, rustic feel to both the look and the cooking, with a semi-vaulted ceiling and whitewashed brick walls providing the perfect setting for the generous and full-flavoured dishes. A wonderful risotto with Polish porcini mushrooms is a prime example. The fun, trendy wine list focuses on orange and natural options, hence the ‘Nat’ in the name.

A younger sibling to the acclaimed Bottiglieria 1881, this buzzing modern brasserie feels distinctly of-the-moment. From the pared-back yet well-appointed décor to the open kitchen and counter seating, it’s no wonder the place is so packed. The cooking resurrects and reinvents Polish classics – such as homemade kaszkanka (black pudding) – while offering a selection of high-quality meats cooked over the grill. Assured, personable service suits the vibe of the place well.

A pretty little restaurant in the heart of the Old Town, the dining area here is divided across three cosy rooms, each with their own character and blending original features with more modern furnishings. The simple cooking eschews fussiness in favour of reliably enjoyable dishes that allow the core flavours to shine. Seafood is the speciality, with fish arriving from France several times a week and then cooked whole over salt and herbs. Dishes to share are a feature.

In four 16th-century tenement houses in the city’s Old Town lies the luxury H15 Palace Hotel; on its ground floor sits this smart, contemporary restaurant with a glass roof, marble-topped tables and bright modern artwork. Choose from two tersely worded tasting menus that fuse Polish and Spanish flavours in colourful dishes that are presented with plenty of explanation from the team, such as 'Liquid Salad' with spring vegetables. Go for a wine pairing to add to the experience.

In an area of the city filled with restaurants, seek out this atmospheric spot where the menu reads like a ‘greatest hits’ of Japanese cuisine. Gyozas, nigiri, yakitori… all will be provided by the skilled kitchen team; and while the place lives up to its name with a wide sushi selection and multiple cuts of beef cooked on the robata grill, it’s worth diverting your attention to the terrific vegetable tempura. It’s all perfect for sharing, so bring some friends and sample as much as possible.