Forum Krakow is one of the city’s best summertime hangouts for beers, bites to eat, and riverside chills. Looking at it, you might not think it quite fits that bill – the joint occupies the bottom floor of a Communist-era hotel that’s Brutalism from tip to toe. But that’s before you see the clusters deck chairs and the open-air beer kiosks, the makeshift beer-crate tables and the pub benches that spill out from the main door. These days, Forum is much more than just a single venue. The space includes an events hall, an art gallery, tattoo parlors, and multiple bars. During the summer, it also hosts a whole array of music shows and food festivals. We rate it as one of the top local recommendations out there – don’t miss it, especially if the sun is shining!
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The atmosphere in Forum Krakow
Forum is where Krakow meets East London by way of Berlin. It’s an unashamedly hipster space that cut its teeth on the usual off-beat cocktail of sourdough pizzas, ciabatta subs, and craft beer. The vibe is still very much the same more than 15 years on from the lauded opening, although it’s been expanded ad infinitum to cover the whole first floor of the erstwhile USSR hotel suite with ink parlors and more.
Check out the original Forum Przestrzenie space by going through the right-hand entrance to the building. It’s got a series of sharing tables and a cool bar space covered in retro metro tiles. As we’ve already mentioned, the highlight here is most certainly the al fresco drinking garden. It spreads over a patio right by the main door and spills onto gravel areas a stone’s throw from the river. Sitting there on a summer’s evening, you’ll be able to watch the light fading over the church spires of Kazimierz and the distant Wawel Castle in the distance. There’s not really anywhere to rival the evening view if you ask us.
The food and drink at Forum Krakow
The crispy pizzas that made Forum famous back in the day are still available on the menu. Their creative pies that run the gamut from gorgazola-topped truffle pizzas to vegan creations that have non-dairy parmesan (you’re actually likely to find that Forum Przestrzenie is one of the most vegan-friendly brunch and lunch spots in town). They’ve now expanded the menu to include zingy Mexican sharing plates and halloumi burgers, veggie burritos and gnocchi pastas. Order at the bar to get a buzzer that you can take back to your table. It will go off when your grub is ready for collection.
