Andrzejki falls on the night of 29 November, and in Poland it is the traditional last blowout before the quiet of Advent settles in. Old custom says this is the night when the future briefly becomes readable - wax poured through a key into cold water, shoes lined up across the floor, apple peel dropped over the shoulder. Most of it is played for laughs now, but the excuse to gather is completely sincere.
White Chocolate makes an unusually fitting home for it. A vaulted brick cellar under the Old Town, lit low and gold, is exactly the kind of room the superstition was invented for. Book one of the six private salons and your group gets its own pocket of the night, close enough to the music to feel it and far enough to hear each other tell the fortunes.
Why the Cellar Suits the Tradition
Andrzejki is a candlelit sort of holiday. It wants shadows, a low ceiling and a table people can lean across, which is more or less a description of our basement. The stone vaults hold warmth, the Edison bulbs throw a flattering amber light, and the white leather banquettes give a group somewhere to settle in for hours rather than hovering with a drink.
It also helps that we are underground. Late November in Krakow is cold and often wet, and the walk down the stone stairs into a warm room is half the pleasure of the evening. Coats go to the cloakroom and the weather stops existing.
How Groups Usually Spend the Night
Most Andrzejki bookings here are groups of friends or colleagues somewhere between six and twenty. The pattern is fairly consistent: an early arrival around nine, drinks and conversation while the room fills, then the evening loosens as the programme starts and the music comes up. Nobody is in a rush, which is the point.
Booking the Last Friday Feeling
Andrzejki is one of the busiest dates in the Polish calendar, and when 29 November lands near a weekend the city fills fast. Call ahead rather than hoping. A phone call lets us match your group to the right salon, note the occasion, and have the table ready when you arrive instead of assembling it around you.
We are open nightly from 20:00, and on Fridays and Saturdays we run through to 05:00, so an Andrzejki that starts slowly has plenty of room to grow.
Frequently asked questions
When exactly is Andrzejki?
The night of 29 November, marking St Andrew's Day on 30 November. Polish tradition treats it as the final celebration before Advent begins, so it is a fixed date rather than a moving one.
Do you organise the wax pouring and fortune telling?
The traditions are something groups bring themselves and we are happy to give you the space for it. Tell us on the phone that it is an Andrzejki booking and we will seat you somewhere with room around the table.
How far in advance should we book?
As early as you can. Andrzejki is one of the heaviest nights of the Polish year and the salons go quickly, especially when the date falls close to a weekend. A week ahead is comfortable, two is safer.
Is there a minimum group size for a salon?
Not a rigid one. We have six salons of different sizes, so a table for four and a group of twenty can both be accommodated. Tell us your headcount when you call and we will suggest the right room.
Where are you and how late are you open?
We are at ul. Św. Tomasza 16, 31-183 Kraków, in the Old Town a short walk from the Main Market Square. Open nightly from 20:00, until 05:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Strictly 18+.