Hot Chili

Some restaurants open with a bang and a flourish, others are more discreet. In the case of Hot Chili, what was once purely a pizza restaurant has morphed ninja-style into an authentic curry house that still includes a pizza menu for the less adventurous. Krakow doesn't have that many Indian restaurants, but this centrally located gem is one of the best.

Situated on Pijarska Street, to the North of the Main Square and overlooking the Planty Gardens, this restaurant is indicative of Poland's endearingly eccentric habit of offering pizza in just about any kind of restaurant. On the face of it, this isn't a good sign - what is a good sign, however, is the sight of people from the Indian subcontinent dining there. Make no mistake; this is likely the most authentic Indian food to be found in Krakow, and the only place where you can get Chana Batura.

It also offers astounding value, particularly if you take advantage of their daytime menu, from which you can pick one of nine vegetarian or nine chicken curries together with a samosa, rice, naan bread and salad for less than 20 zloty. You can choose how spicy you prefer it, and in a country that can be a little conservative when it comes to spicy food, it's pleasing to note that eye-wateringly hot is definitely a possibility.

And of course, if one of your fellow travellers wants a pizza, all the usual suspects are available in two sizes, served in the more Italian 'thin and crispy' style rather than the deep pan American variant. It may seem an odd concept, but as Indian cuisine gains more of a foothold in Poland, places like Hot Chili are in the forefront of helping pave the way.