BARS & PUBS specialty here, with thick clouds of scented smoke obscuring the horseplay Karmnik (D1) ul. Piwna 41, tel. 22 468 0664. Open 11:00-last guest. Complimented by soft, lazy grooves, conversation comes fuelled by a fridge filled to bursting with diverse labels from Łomża and Gniewosz. Rounding out the art-mosphere, find a tubby looking dog nosing happily under tables. Decorated with birdhouses and wobbly plastic seats, it’s further proof that Praga cool has penterated mainland Warsaw. Kwadrat (D5) ul. Poznańska 7, www.kwadrat.waw.pl. Open 12:00-last guest; Sat 18:00-last guest; closed Sun. Dwarfish in size, Kwadrat offers a magnificent selection of quirky beers from the lesser known breweries of backwater Poland. Arty in spirit, but never pretentious, it’s the neighborhood bar you wished you lived next to. Klub City (B2) al. Jana Pawła II 43A, tel. 22 636 92 46, www.klubcity.pl. Open 17:00-2:00. A newish gay venue set under the pavilions on JP2. The highlights here are the beer – Mazowieckie and Dawne – as well as a total absence of the preening fauxmosexuals of Warsaw’s more elite haunts. Find erotic art clinging to the walls, and karaoke and drag shows performed intermittently. Legends (C5) ul. Emilii Plater 25, tel. 22 622 4640.
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Open Mon-Thu 11:00-23:00, Fri 11:00-02:00, Sat 12:00-02:00, Sun 12:00-23:00. A place that just keeps growing on us; there’s a segregated smoking chamber, traditional dartboard (no stupid electronics here), Sky Sports and a menu that’s as authentically English as the Downing Street cat. In charge of it all is Graham, a seasoned ex-pat with an embassy background.
their special mix, PRL-style orangeade.
Lokal Użytkowy (D1) ul. Brzozowa 27/29, tel. 22 635 6838. Open Fri-Sat 18:30-23:30. This arty locale features swan white walls, graphic art and red, squeaky chairs from which to enjoy hard-to-find beers from CEE – Svyturys and Noteckie, for instance. It’s almost tempting to stick around for the weird events that unfold. Didgeridoo concert, anyone?
Nowy Wspaniały Świat (D2) ul. Nowy Świat 63, tel. 509 643 639. Open Sun-Thu 11:00-3:00; Fri-Sat, 11:00-5:00. A student heavy, socialist leaning hangout, where laptops and portfolios are seen as must-have accessories. Pretty vast, but usually packed with hipsters straining to listen to seminars and screenings.
Lorelei (D4) ul. Widok 8, tel. 605 066 775. Open Sun-Thu 12:00-01:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-05:00. A brill place with black and white interiors touched up with cool lighting and walls layered with comic strip pics. The real plus are the people, an approachable bunch always happy to practice their English. Meta (E4) ul. Foksal 21, tel. 22 826 4513. Open 11:00-6:00. Decorated with Brezhnev-era leftovers this commie-themed venue has everything from propaganda posters to a string of toilet rolls hanging from the wall. Blend in with the wobbly legged party monsters by mixing Żołądkowa vodka with
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Nowy Świat ‘Pavilions’ (D4) Enter from ul. Nowy Świat 26. Enjoy while you can – slated for demolition in the coming years, the pavilions represent underground Warsaw at its raffish best. A low rent maze of dark, budget bars await, including the celebrated Klaps with its vibrator beer taps.
Panorama Bar and Lounge (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott Hotel), tel.22 630 6306, www.panoramabar.pl. Open Mon-Sun 18:00-02:00. Housed on floor 40 of the Marriott Hotel, the Panorama Bar has ditched it’s crass, Dallas style, and gone for a svelte, chic look that wouldn’t be amiss in a VIP club room. A romantic must, and all the better for its dazzling views; you can almost touch the top of the Palace of Culture outside. Paparazzi (D3) ul. Mazowiecka 12, tel. 22 828 4219, www.paparazzi.com.pl. Open Mon-Thu 12:00-1:00, Fri 12:00-2:00, Sat-Sun 18:002:00. Poland’s first cocktail chain, and a market leader to this day. Find a dressed-to-
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