3 Coolest Streets in Wrocław

The 3 Coolest Streets in Wrocław

I was recently reading TimeOut’s article on the 30 Coolest Streets in the World, and it inspired me to write something similar about my own city. What streets can I recommend in Wrocław that offer something worth seeing, places to shop, eat, and grab a drink?

Wrocław isn’t such a tourist-heavy city, so anywhere you go you’ll likely be rubbing elbows with locals. Of course you still won’t want to spend your whole time in the city just on the market square, no matter how beautiful and massive it really is. There’s also plenty of great finds around these streets, so I’ll also include some places which are just a step around the corner. You can always join me for a walk through the old town to get in-depth history of our beautiful city.

So here are, what I consider, the 3 coolest streets in Wrocław with great places worth visiting.

1. Odrzańska

Starting at the market square and taking you to the Odra river, this street in the heart of Wrocław is easy to pass by without realizing how much it has to offer. At one end you can see the cute Hansel and Gretel houses dwarfed by the enormous Basilica of St. Elizabeth (which I can tell you all about on a historical walk through Wrocław). As you walk down you’ll pass by the famous Old Butcher’s street, with its Memorial to Slaughtered Animals, and the decorative houses on Painter’s Street (Malarska). As you reach the river you’ll find the stone Pomorska bridge with a great view over the Odra river and the impressive main building of Wrocław University.

Eat: If you are a fan of ramen, then you definitely shouldn’t miss Ato Ramen, which is likely the best in all of Poland. You can find a variety of other international cuisines down this street. I can personally recommend Dinette for breakfast or brunch, El Cubano for authentic Cuban food, WSHOKU for sushi, SemSem for Lebanese, and Indieflavours for (you guessed it) Indian food. There are also good places for Chinese, Georgian, and more.

Drink: The El Gato Coffee Shop offers high quality specialty coffee. If you are looking for something later in the day, then most of the restaurants here will offer a variety of alcoholic drinks, such as Ato Ramen with its Japanese inspired cocktails. I highly recommend one of my favorite bars in the city: Spritz Break. Whether you want Aperol Spritz, Hugo Spritz, or a mimosa, this place can fulfill all of your spritz and prosecco cravings.

Shop: At Vroclinki you can pick up some local specialty chocolate and other sweets. Jatki, or Old Butcher’s street (connected to, and just a small pedestrian pathway off of, Odrzańska), has plenty of art shops where you can pick up works by local artists.

Nearby: On Malarska street there is a really good Korean restaurant called Oseyo 25, or if you want a modern fancy take on Polish food, you can visit Baba on Nożownicza. Continuing to the river and across the Pomorska bridge you’ll find a collection of high-priced fine dining places, my favorite being La Maddalena.

2. Świętego Antoniego

Just a few minutes walk from the market square, this street is unsurprisingly named after the baroque church of Saint Anthony, which sits firmly in the middle of it. Antoniego might be the most characteristic street of Wrocław’s famous Quarter of Four Denominations. Despite being surrounded by four places of worship, this street offers a lot for those looking for less religious experiences. Listing every place on this street worth eating or drinking at would take its own article, so don’t feel like you need to visit only those mentioned here.

Eat: Central Cafe is a great place for breakfast, offering delicious pancakes. You can also find Panczo, with its modern (and somewhat hipster) take on Mexican food, Solleim for quick Korean fried chicken, and be sure not to miss the very popular Fries and Sauce, which is as simple as it sounds.

Drink: Pestka Bistro has all of your Italian wine needs, or head to OTO Coffee Bar for high-quality roasted coffee. Karavan has good cocktails, and Panczo has margaritas, but if you like trying craft beer, then both Szynkarnia and AleBrowar are for you. If you are looking for the best that Polish craft beer has to offer, then you can join me for a craft beer tour through Wrocław.

To Do: You can catch a Hollywood blockbuster, or a small indie film at one of the best cinemas in the city: Nowy Horyzonty.

Nearby: Antoniego is merely the busiest and most vibrant street in this neighborhood, which offers a lot, and you could spend most of your time in Wrocław wandering through it. Just off the streets you can find the Jewish quarter with the White Stork Synagogue, the Pasaż Niepolda nightclub district, the Neon District, and the surrounding Old Town Promenade. Intersecting with the street is Włodkowica, which can stand on its own with gastronomy offerings such as Cocofli, VaffaNapoli, Bułka z Masłem, and Mleczarnia to name a few.

3. Wojciecha Bogusławskiego

This street is locally known as Pod na Sypem, which means under the rails, because the places here quite literally sit underneath train tracks. About a 15 minute walk from the market square and stretching westward from Wrocław’s main train station, expect to hear the rumbling of trains overhead while shopping, eating, or grabbing a drink at one of these cool places. The whole street is developed with pretty red brick, and you can watch passing trains as you meander down it. It’s a great area for a relaxing night, so come by after 5pm for food and drinks.

Eat: Just like Antoniego this is a street where you really can’t go wrong in terms of food. You can get a finer dining experience at Napa, or walk a few doors down for amazing tapas at Mercado. Even if you love meat, Talerzyki won’t disappoint with its vegetarian menu. There’s good pizza at Pizza Si, Georgian at U Gruzina, but you’ll also find Indian, German, Czech, and so much more.

Drink: One of the best cocktail bars in the city is Rusty Rat, or you can get an international collection of craft beer at both FAM and Mistrz i Małgorzata. Czuła jest noc (tender is the night) and Rumbar each combine a great atmosphere with great drinks. If you can decide on a place to eat, you can always join me for a special experience of tasting Polish food in Wrocław.

To Do: If you are feeling uneasy and need to move around, then check out the adult gaming arcade Zagrywki. One curious thing to mention here is the handful of sex shops, if you find yourself in need of such merchandise while in Wrocław.

Nearby: A few minutes walk from here is Plac Kościuszki, where you can find the original Etno Cafe, European fusion at CULTO, and the historic Renoma shopping center. A couple minutes in the other direction is Sky Tower, the city’s one and only (for now, hopefully) skyscraper, where you can visit the top to see all of Wrocław.

Honorable Mentions

While I can comfortably call these the 3 coolest streets in Wrocław, there’s definitely more than just them. Here are some honorable mentions with great architecture, fun spots, or good food and drinks that are worth taking a stroll down:

• Świdnicka Street – between the market square and plac Kościuszki
• Włodkowica – intersecting Antoniego above
• Szewska – just a block off the market square

I believe that wherever you find yourself in Wrocław, you are sure to love it. You’ll have no issue finding something that will be fully enjoyable.