What to eat in Zakopane: the real food of the Podhale region

What is worth eating in Zakopane?

Start with three things: kwasnica (a soup of sauerkraut and smoked meat), moskole (potato flatbreads baked on a hot plate) and bundz - a young, mild sheep cheese that has nothing in common with the grilled oscypek sold on the promenade.

Oscypek: how to spot the real thing

Real oscypek is seasonal, made from May to September when the sheep are on the mountain pastures. It has a protected name, a spindle shape and a pressed pattern. What is sold year round from a grill is usually a different cheese.

Kwasnica

Thick, sour and warming, cooked on smoked ribs or mutton. A good kwasnica needs no extras - it is the fastest way to judge a mountain inn.

Moskole

Flatbreads of boiled potatoes baked on a dry plate, served with butter, garlic or bryndza. Simple, cheap and authentic.

What to avoid

The main stretch of Krupowki has the highest prices and uneven quality. One street away you will eat better for less. The shorter the menu, the more likely the kitchen actually cooks.

Cooking for yourself

Our apartments have fully equipped kitchens, and the local market is a good place for bundz, smoked meat and sauerkraut.