Is it worth it to pay a million PLN for a sports car? And 100,000 PLN for a luxurious watch? And what about 10,000 for a dream holiday in the Maldives? On a smaller scale, if you consider that 30 PLN for a very good sandwich is fair, then you should try Meat & Go.
Meat & Go
In quality products, what you purchase is not the thing only. Along with it, what you get is the experience, the craftsmanship, and the history behind it. At Meat & Go, with every sandwich you buy a sandwich with high-quality bread and superb meat. At almost 30 PLN, I should hope so! Portions are generous though — 200-300 gr. so put that eyebrow back down that you raised when you saw the prices.
Owners Jacek & Agnieszka are the hearts and minds of this place that has a long story in Kraków. It dates back to when this lovely couple ran a meat processing factory before moving on to open the first Meat & Go in Plac Nowy in 2014.
This square, in the heart of Kazimierz, is where Krakowiacy and tourists alike go for cheap zapiekanki, so it took some vision to open a higher brow sandwich stand there. But it worked — very well. So much so, that now they settled in the old Tytano Mill complex. The former tobacco factory-turned cultural center is an old industrial complex where you can find dozens of trendy restaurants. Many are vegetarian or vegan, so again Meat & Go stands out among its neighbors.
Cool Industrial
As in other places at Tytano, Meat & Go has an industrial atmosphere that matches the image of a serious meat lovers’ mecca. Their tables could be out of Robocop, the lights from Blade Runner. But behind all this mechanic and cyberpunk stuff there is a soul. Jacek and Agnieszka run their business with real passion and they are obsessed with meat. Its quality, its preservation, how to highlight the flavor in the sandwiches, and how to convey this to hungry guests is obviously a top priority. Not many sandwich bars focus this much on offering different cured meats and preparing it all in-house.
Many people flock here for the classic Porchetta sandwich (23 PLN). It’s made with top-quality beef slices, tomato, caramelized onion and ciabatta bread. In addition to the tasty beef, the ciabatta won’t disappoint you even if you have tried some before in Italy. And is no secret that the ingredients play a starring role.
Kubańska
I tried the kubańska — It tasted raw but a bit dry and smokey (the meat is not
roasted or really cooked). The melted cheese and pickles were a nice
addition but the flavor got somewhat eclipsed by the huge amount of meat on
the sandwich. It comes with three kinds of meat, including beef marinated in lemon, Italian sausages, and pork. Somehow pickles, cheese, honey, and a secret sauce fit and everything comes together between a buttered ciabatta bun. It’s a tour de force that you won’t find in your typical sandwich bar.
Other super-sandwiches include the Reuben (30 PLN with pastrami, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing), Pekefleisch (27 with corned beef cheeks, gherkin, Slovakian mustard, horseradish and rye bread), Lampredotto (30 with tripe, Tuscan tomato sauce, salsa verde and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese).
Required Reading
There is a nice set of tables outside the entrance if you prefer natural light to appreciate the beautifully tasty color of the meat served here.
You can take with you a copy of The Master Butchers Singing Club, by Louise Erdrich, the story of a German woman that arrives in the US state of North Dakota with a suitcase full of sausages and butcher’s knives to settle down before the First World War. A journey through history, life, and meat that will do to your mind what Meat & Go sandwiches will do to your stomach.
For more articles on Kraków, follow the link here.