Dala Restaurang Kraków: homespun pleasures are the order of the day

(Image credit: Migdal Studio)

Life’s simple pleasures set the rhythm at this Swedish-influenced café and restaurant in Kraków’s storied Kazimierz district. From the team behind the city’s Kaffe Bageri Stockholm comes Dala, where their love of coffee and bullar (sweet buns) expands into a full menu of delicious moments. Here, it’s all about celebrating togetherness, like the dalahäst, the traditional Swedish wooden horse symbol of happiness and festivity, from which the venue takes its name and inspiration.

The warm, tactile interior is the work of local studio Znamy się, which drew on Swedish landscapes and traditions as both literal and figurative influences. ‘Each celebration (like summer’s Midsommar festival or winter’s Lucia) is associated with specific aromatic dishes, herbs and floral decorations, which are reflected in the space, creating a multi-sensory narrative about traditions,’ explains Wojciech Nowak, co-founder and architect of the practice.

The scent of chamomile, pine shoots and other herbs fills the venue, especially as guests enter and are greeted by a striking floral arrangement suspended above the central communal table. While the open layout of the main dining room and bar encourages interaction, there are tucked-away corners for lingering, set behind sheer curtains and finished with metal canopies. Colours, textures and forms feel homespun, inspired by the spices that have accompanied Swedish holidays and baking for centuries.

‘Cinnamon, present in the kanelbullar (cinnamon bun) eaten during daily fika, is reflected in the dark wooden shelving with rounded edges and cylindrical backrests reminiscent of cinnamon sticks. Red countertops and finishes add warmth and cosiness to the interior, just like the saffron lussekatter baked during the Lucia celebration,’ adds Nowak. Meanwhile, cardamom – the aroma of semlor from Fettisdagen (Shrove Tuesday) – also plays its part, echoed in the green, airy curtains and in the table lamps with shades shaped like seeds.

Naturally, the menu pays tribute to Scandinavia too, featuring recipes created by the owners, Zuza and Adam. For breakfast, home-baked bread arrives with classic spreads such as cod liver, gravlax or Comté cheese, accompanied by pickled companions. Those with a sweet tooth should head straight for the freshly-baked cardamom or blueberry buns. For the evening serve, pair the strawberry-kissed, summery Midsommar Fizz with the confit duck leg, served with duchess potatoes and truffle paste, or opt for the aromatic squid schnitzel, paired with couscous, trout roe and alioli.

Dala Restaurang is located a Krakowska 35, 31-062 Kraków, Poland.

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Sofia de la Cruz is the Travel Editor at Wallpaper*. A self-declared flâneuse, she feels most inspired when taking the role of a cultural observer – chronicling the essence of cities and remote corners through their nuances, rituals, and people. Her work lives at the intersection of art, design, and culture, often shaped by conversations with the photographers who capture these worlds through their lens.