Katowice (kah-to-vee-tseh) is at the centre of the so-called Upper Silesian Industrial District (Górnośląski Okręg Przemysłowy, or GOP). The GOP contains 14 cities and a number of neighbouring towns, forming one vast conurbation with a population of well over three million.
Historically, Katowice is a product of the 19th-century industrial boom, but it only became a city in the interwar period. After WWII,( the city can't claim to have been beaten by the Ugly Stick during World War II) at the height of the Stalinist cult craze, the city was renamed Stalinogród, but reverted to its old name soon after Comrade Joe died in 1953. Katowice has few significant historical monuments, but it’s a major commercial and cultural centre and holds sufficient attractions to make it worth a stopover. Those interested in industrial tourism are advised to get their hands on a copy of Silesia's Industrial Monuments Route,which can be picked up free of charge in any Silesian tourist information office, and while we've covered many of the entailed sites in this very guide, the region has plenty more to offer than we have space to include here.
Katowice, for its part, has become a growing business and cultural centre filled with new venues, cafes, restaurants, pubs and clubs to match all tastes. Those seeking more conventional interpretations of the word attraction will find plenty of cleaned up 19th century architecture in the form of handsome townhouses in the city centre, particularly along ulica 3-go Maja between the Rynek and Plac Wolności.
If you're looking for something older, such as churches, Christ the King Cathedral isthe country's largest, although one should not forego the chance to see the charming St. Mary's church at the end of the pleasant Ul. Mariacka. One of the best museums in southern Poland is the Silesian Museum, on the site of the former Katowice Coal Mine. Conventional charm has obviously never been a strength of Katowice, however, as best evidenced by the bonkers Spodek sport and concert arena. Yes, historically it's always been the shaft (literally) for Katowice, and while being a tourist in this city may once have felt a bit like getting dressed for the theatre and ending up at a Board of Education meeting, things have definitely improved. We hope you enjoy the city for its oddities, and remember, next time you hear negative opinions expressed about Katowice, set the record straight.
An extremely well developed system of trams and buses operated by the wonderfully named KZK GOP provide a simple and fast way of getting around Katowice and its surrounding towns. The tickets for the network are valid for both buses and trams. A three-zone system is used, of which Katowice is in zone-one and Chorzów in zone-two. Accordingly, a one-zone ticket is required for the former and a two-zone ticket for travelling between the two. A one-zone ticket costs 3.20zł and now also serves as a 15min ticket allowing you to swap forms of transport (bus to tram and onto a different tram for instance) within that time period. A two-zone ticket costs 3.80zł and also serves as a 30min ticket. There is also a three-zone/one-hour ticket available for 4.80zł. A 18zł 24hr ticket allows travel within all three zones, though it's hard to imagine getting your money's worth out of this without spending the whole day on the tram. Okay, we admit, there's not much reason to get off.
Almost all travel within Katowice and Chorzów can be accomplished using trams, most of which run through the new stops on the Rynek. Tram no.s 6, 11, 19, or if you're feeling nostalgic, vintage tram no. 23 (operating from 04 June until the end of September) run between the Rynek and Chorzów via Silesia Park and are the most useful trams for getting there and back. Tickets can be bought from any kiosk, or from bright yellow machines found at many tram stops around the city. Make sure you validate your ticket when entering the tram or bus. The penalty for riding without a validated ticket is 90zł (plus the price of the ticket) on the spot. (The normal price of the fine if you pay within 7 days is 125zł plus the price of the ticket.) http://www.kzkgop.com.pl
That’s your intro, now for the best of the multi tap craft beer bars (July 2023):
Browar Mariacki, Mariacka 15
Open: Daily 06:30-22.00 laster at weekends?
Located in the city center, right in the middle of Katowice's main party strip, in the vicinity of local craft tap bars. It is actually a hotel restaurant but surely one not to be missed. The interior is modern and elegant, upscale looking, with the brewing equipment on display. The service is professional, the food is delicious and the beers make it the best brewpub in town as of now. Slightly expensive but worth the trip.
Cześć Brat! GASTROPUB, Staromiejska 8, Katowice
Open: Daily
An interesting place located between the market square and Mariacka Street. Basically Cześć Brat! tap room with 4 taps serving their own beers. A small menu encourages you to quickly choose the most suitable dish. They have a choice of 5 sandwiches with the specialty of the pub, pastrami, Heaven in mouth, an explosion of unforgettable flavors. Great service. Beer for beers gourmets. Recommend.
There are also two “chain” brew-pubs in town, but don’t expect much!
Bierhalle Katowice: Chorzowska 107
Located in a shopping centre just outside the city centre (tram 6 or 19 from the city centre). Bavarian decorations and decent beer. Pretty good to be in a shopping mall. The food was decent and the service was excellent. Nice place to relax while others go shopping in the mall.
Spiz – Katowice: ul. Opolska 22
Open - 11 am till late night
A large brewpub/night club go in the afternoon if you want to try the beers.
Kontynuacja Katowice: Staromiejska 8
Open - 16:00 – 01:00
Located on Katowice main street. Good choice of polish craft beers. The décor is a bit cold, but a great choice of beers and good service. The only food is beer snacks. It can get overcrowded - especially on the weekend. Making it hard to get to the bar and order a beer.
Absurdalna: Dworcowa 3
Open - 16:00 – 00:30
Located very close to the city centre, just about 400m from the railway station. Quite big, with an interesting mix of old fashion with modern design, it seems like an art gallery. Old style mixed with a modern artistic work. Approx 16 taps with mostly Polish crafts + some bottles. The staff are very competent and can recommend good beers. I have not tasted food but it looks very good what they serve (mainly typical bar food, burgers, ribs, etc.). Beer is sold in 0,25 and 0,40 glasses what gives a chance to taste several before getting wobbly!
Biała Małpa: 3 Maja 38
Open - Mon - Thu: 12:00 - 00:00 Fri: 12:00 - 02:00 Sat: 14:00 - 02:00 Sun: 14:00 - 00:00
Excellent Dive Bar located in city centre. Very good selection on taps and in bottles. They have approx 20 taps, (one hand pump) and something like about 400 bottles. The staff are super friendly with a good knowledge about beers. Best of the best places in Katowice!
Upojeni: sw. Jana 10
Open – Daily Noon to late?
Quite pleasant place(if a bit Hipsteresque) adjacent to the market square. Two levels, rather dimly lit, with metal and wood furniture, but it has tables on a balcony overlooking the inside of the building that it shares with a theatre. Approx 10 rotating taps plus some bottles in the fridge. A nice touch is that the kitchen specialises in beer and food pairing. Overall a neat place with a good selection of beer. Plus a friendly and smiling crew, able to advise.
Browariat: Francuska 11
Open – 15:00 – 00:00
A central, convenient location about 5 minutes by walk from the Railstation towards Mariacka`s Church. Easy to grab something to eat nearby and immerse yourself. The bar is located in a basement Excellent service the staff are knowledgeable, funny and quick. A great selection of craft beers, in particular from UK and Germany. (From the Bavarian brewery Schönram and from UK, The Kernel, Partizan Brewing, Fourpure & Brew By Numbers. Plus two Dutch breweries - Jopen & Uiltje Brewing) Good balance between old school and new .
Kato: Mariacka 13
Open – 15:00 – 00:00
Kato is the other, alternative side of town and a place to explore. Kato has been created out of love for the city and is 100% Katowice. With sights and decor that leans more towards Berlin than overused stereotypes. In their controversial interiors you can drink vodka or a variety of regional beers. Either you'll like it or you won't feel it. There is no compromise but a friendly atmosphere. They believe in functional design. You can also watch an exhibition here, or listen to a concert... all this about the city and for it.
C4: Wojewódzka 26a
Open - Mon - Thu: 4:00 pm - 12:00 am; Fri - Sun: 5:00 pm - 3:00 am
One of the most obscure places to go for a beer. The main room is ok, with sofas, a bar with 5 taps (some Czech beer from medium sized breweries plus the occasional Polish craft beer, all dirt cheap for Katowice). But then you go deeper into this club and find yourself in a shabby looking brick wall labyrinth and when you pass some shady looking folk and some small niches that would fit for a low budget horror movie, you end up on a very small dance floor with really bizarre electronic music all around you. It’s like a lowlife hangout for degenerates, taken straight from a Hollywood B-movie. Believe it! it is much more fun to watch on the screen than in real life but then again, it has its charm.
Klub Podróżników - Namaste, ul. Sobieskiego 27
Open: Mon-Wed14.00-23.00 Thu-Sat 14.00-00.00 Sun 15.00-23.00
This pub holds events for globetrotters, together with presentations of travels etc. 5 taps, usually some Czech beers and some Polish craft brews. The bottle selection is neat, you can always find something interesting from Poland or Lithuania.
CyberMachina, Damrota 6
Open: Mon-Thu 12:00 PM – 00:00 AM , Fri 12:00 PM – 04:00 AM, Sat 16:00 PM – 04:00 AM, Sun 16:00 PM – 00:00 AM
A modern video games bar, lots of retro games, plus board games, a good bottle selection, worth a pop in to play street fighter :-)
Rudy Goblin Fantasy Inn: Wita Stwosza 5
Open - POSSIBLY CLOSED ?
The whole fantasy imagery is great. Rudy Goblin is a medieval-fantasy pub. With approx 4 taps with the most interesting being a Czech pils. Decent bottle selection with Pinta, Ursa Maior et al A place where you can take a book or board game, listen to Irish music show, take part in dance workshops, watch battle shows. Chivalry, listen to a lecture on Slavic feasts and meet your favorite author of fantasy literature.
Here are a trio of the best bottle shops to visit;
BIERLAND - land of 1000 beers: Sowinskiego 13
Open - 12.00 - 20.00
Lots of new Polish beers, from time to time beers are not available elsewhere. A very wide selection of international beers (about 2/3 of the offer), from Czech lagers, through Belgium (competitively priced in Poland), to beer from the United States and Japan. Nice prices, for regular customers discounts. Service very well oriented in the topic. In the shop, in addition to craft beer, also available imported sweets.
Chmielobrody - piwa kraftowe: Slowackiego 31
Open - 12.00 - 20.00
A nice place, a stone throw from the railway station. A small place with really nice furnishings. Looks like a pirate tavern, but is still too small. Good selection of Polish craft, I must admit they literally get every good beer that is available.
dobrychmiel.pl: Jankego 184
The staff have a lot of knowledge about good craft beer. A wealth of styles and countries. Perfect customer approach. Prices of some beers slightly more expensive. Highly recommend the best place in Katowice to buy a variety of interesting beer to test.
Chorzów
About 30 minuets tram joury out of the city you can get to Chorzów were there are 2 (3?) brewpubs so well worth the adventure: Chorzow is the capital of the county in the Silesian Voivodeship, often called the Holy Sepulchres’ village, from the name of the Order of Holy Sepulchre, who used to rule the settlement. The history of Chorzow is connected with the development of mining, steel and chemical industries. Today the city remains an important economic centre of the Upper Silesia, although almost solely small and medium commercial enterprises operate here. The city is also famous for holding numerous cultural and sport events. Chorzow is known for some of its popular attractions, which include: LEGENDIA Silesian Amusement Park, Silesia Park,Silesian Zoological Garden.
Browar Przystań, aleja Klonowa 4, Chorzów
Open: Tues - Sun 12.00 - 21.00
A modern brewpub, scenicly located on a lake close, a delightful venue with superb view over the lake and park with soft jazz playing in the background. A modern chic interieur. Good food though very pricey You have to pay cash only and no English menu. Good service. Super beers though, so it's a place only for the compulsive ticker. It'll be especially lovely in summer, with the beer garden right over the water.
Minibrowar Reden, Jana III Sobieskiego 17, Chorzów
Open: Mon - Sat 16.00 - 21.00 Sun 14.00 - 20.00
A small cellar brewpub, located in the city center with a cozy interior made of wood and brickstone. The 300 litre brewkit is promenent and you can tell its used regualy. 6 taps on the bar plus a few bottles, the Beers are very interesting and tasty. They have 8 tables and hight seating option either. Good classic rock and pop music. If you want to enjoy local atmosphere this is the right place for you. Note: Cash Only.
F.H.U. Mężyk, Ul. Skladowa 28, Chorzów
Open: ?
Very little is know about this brewery at present? They have 5 beers at present but all seem to be contract brewed?
Rebel Garden Cafe, Promenada, rondo Ziętka 7, Chorzów
Open:
Located in Park Śląski. Unfortunately, there is not much to offer for a seasoned beergeek? They serve nice meal for a very resnable price. A great outside area with vintage couches and super cute creatures paintings in the walls. Great atmosphere and staff, good music, good beers.
I hope you found my guide to the brewpubs and bars in Katowice & Chorzów useful?
Now you just need to get yourself out there and start the beer adventure for yourself!
Go grab a locally brewed pint (or 2) and support your local brewers!