Warsaw Insider November 2012 #195

Battle of the Beer Bars page 22

Ania Dąbrowska page 7

Trends: Shot bars page 16

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november 11 (195)

2012

Exploring Żoliborz page 24

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NOVEMBER 2012

TOP PICKS Warsaw’s found an appetite for restaurants and evidence of that, if any was needed, is the explosion of food blogs.

Run by enthusiasts with nothing to gain, these independent portals have become mustvisit sites for local foodies. The Insider’s pick of the bunch?

See below…

NOVEMB-ARGH!

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PHOTOGRAPH BY ED WIGHT

ah! After the roaring success of Euro 2012, Poland finished summer temporarily installed as everyone’s favorite European country. It could never last, of course, and it was back to square one in October following the England football team’s visit to the capital. The original match was called off after torrential rain left the pitch unplayable, with several questions asked (growled, in some cases) just why the stadium’s state-of-the-art roof was never deployed.

The story was splashed across the front pages of Europe. In England, the press rolled out lines about Monty Python, Polish plumbers and other hilarities. In Poland, the farce was treated like a national disgrace, with the blame game descending into a ‘heads will roll’ witch hunt. Having done so much to turn outside opinion, Poland found itself standing in the corner of the room with a dunce cap on its head; a daft backwater country that can’t close a roof.

Well, (sh)it happens. Sure, it was a bit of a blunder, but you get the idea all the outrage was a little, you know, over-the-top. Euro 2012 left Poland in good shape, with reinvented train stations, some sparkly new roads and four beautiful stadiums that look great in the sun – if not the rain. That’s not a bad return. But the positive changes can’t all be attributed to the summer’s football thing.

Take Żoliborz for instance. Of course, it’s always been a green and pleasant land, but up until recently it’s been viewed as something of a non-event dormitory suburb. That’s changed emphatically, which is why the Insider has spent the last month peering into its restaurants, museums, cafes and parks. No stone has been left unturned in our specially dedicated Żoliborz issue – enjoy!

Alex Webber

awebber@valkea.com

on the cover We’ve got a view to kill this issue – taken from the top of the Glass House on Mickiewicza 34/36, this Żoliborz landmark was inspired by the modernist work of Le Corbusier and designed by architect Juliusz Żórawski. For more on the house, and what’s below, check our Żoliborz special on p. 24.

(Illustration by Michał Miszkurka)

Froblog www.froblog.pl Celebrating their fifth birthday this November the indefatigable Froblog has a bit of everything: theater, concerts, culture and arts. But be in no doubt, Froblog’s anchor is the world of food and wine. Updated regularly, find a hot rundown on Warsaw’s latest restaurants.

Restaurantica www.restaurantica.pl Online since 2009, Restaurantica has emerged as one of the top blogs in town.

A clean, easy-to-navigate design makes it one of the most user-friendly around. And mothers rejoice, a separate ‘baby menu’ section comes complete with frank ratings of Warsaw’s kid-friendly establishments.

Warsaw Foodie www.warsawfoodie.pl What happens when two of Warsaw’s best known food blogs collaborate? Answer: Warsaw Foodie. The brains behind this project are the same that can be found doing the groundwork at Restaurantica and Froblog, and the results are entirely predictable: top quality content. Added bonuses number an English language option, as well as a real magazine style – included in the layout find what’s trending on the foodie radar, seasonal news and (a great idea this), restaurants grouped into cool categories such as, “best for girl talk”.

Co Jest Granie http://cjg.gazeta.pl The lifestyle section of Gazeta Wyborzca is nonetheless the first port-of-call for many when it comes to finding the best (and worst) new restaurants. Poland’s premier food critic, Maciej Nowak, is known for his colorful style, and his scathing words can make or break a restaurant. Polish language only, but Google Translate will give you the gist.

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what’s inside

NOVEMBER 2012

24

LISTINGS

Culture

Restaurants

Cafes & Wine Bars

Nightlife

Shopping

Children

Lifestyle

07 O pener Ania Dąbrowska 08 Calendar Music, art and events around town 10 Museums Dates and shows 31 I nsider’s Pick Sowa i Przyjaciele 38 Luncheonettes

Nabo 56 Hot Find

SAM

57 Insider’s Pick

Petit Appetit 61 Insider’s Pick

Czarna.Bar 69 Insider’s Pick

Reset Point

INfront

13 News in Brief

A rainbow on fire, the world’s narrowest

house, sporting disaster and award

winning hotels 16 Trends

Return of the shot bar 18 Relics of the PRL

Sady Żoliborszkie housing estate,

the local milk bar and Solidarity graffiti

Editor-in-chief

Art Director

Editor

Editorial Intern

Publisher Advertising Manager Key Account Manager Distribution Manager

20 Architecture

Lubomirski Palace

73 Insider’s Pick

Umpa Lumpa

22 Drinks

Battle of the regional beer bars

77 Insider’s Pick

Similan

FEATURES

24 City Walk

Exploring Żoliborz 88 Why Warsaw?

DJ Donnell Knox from Kalamazoo

Alex Webber awebber@valkea.com Kevin Demaria kdemaria@valkea.com David Ingham dingham@valkea.com Karolina Kalinowska Morten Lindholm mlindholm@valkea.com Jowita Malich jmalich@valkea.com Maria Pięta mpieta@valkea.com Krzysztof Wiliński kwilinski@valkea.com

Contributors: Bartosz Bajerski Gill Boelman-Burrows Kit F. Chung Michał Miszkurka Paula Rewald Agnieszka Le Nart Ed Wight

84 Street Index 85 Classifieds 86 Warsaw Map

Subscription 12 editions of the Insider zł. 99 (inc. VAT) in Poland. Orders can be placed with amichalik@valkea.com, tel. 22 678 9912

Printed by Zakłady Graficzne TAURUS tel. 022 783-6000

VALKEA MEDIA S.A., ul. Elbląska 15/17, Warszawa, Poland; tel. (48 22) 639 8567; fax (48 22) 639 8569; e-mail: insider@warsawinsider.pl Information is accurate as of press time. We apologise for any errors, but cannot be held responsible for inaccuracies. All information ©2012 Warsaw Insider.

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

Polished Diamond

We’ve changed more than the facade Klif. Dom Mody.

Okopowa 58/72, Warsaw, www.klif.pl www.facebook.com/KlifWarszawa

Reviews: Ania Dąbrowska 7

CULTURE EVENTS 7 / MUSEUMS & GALLERIES 10

Interview: Ania Dąbrowska

And were these songs by artists that you particularly admire?

Yes, they’re actually songs from soundtracks I love. On Ania Movie it was great to finally get a chance to just be a singer and focus only on interpretation. Writing my own lyrics is tough.

With the covers on Ania Movie it was also so much easier to just sing in English… it was fantastic. I wasn’t thinking at all, I was just singing from the inside, it was an amazing feeling.

How would you describe your music for people who don’t know your work?

The music on Bawie Się Swietnie is different.

My earlier records were more positive and happy, this album is more honest and emotional, but with very strong melodies and lyrics. I just wanted to finally be a grown up.

So I think the most appropriate word would be ‘grown up pop’.

Singer-songwriter Ania Dąbrowska originally found fame on Polish TV show Idol. She talks to the Insider, about her life, musical influences, life in the capital and her latest studio release. BY DAVID INGHAM

Your new album is called Bawie Się Swietnie (I’m Having a Great Time), does that describe how you’re feeling right now?

No not exactly, it’s the opposite to be honest.

I wanted the title to be ironic, but the funny thing is people actually think that I feel great...

So what’s the theme of the album?

This record is much more personal than my previous albums. Many things have changed in my life, I’ve become a mother, I passed 30 – which is not so bad of course but you are much more aware of your age, of time passing by, of your achievements, failures and regrets.

When you are 20 you don’t ever think of such things.

A lot of the songs on this album are about time passing by, about relationships and how they change over time. When you’ve been in the same relationship for ten years it’s not so romantic anymore, it changes, so my new songs are more about that kind of feeling and the challenges in life. My earlier work was about being totally in love.

Your last album Ania Movie contained covers of artists including Curtis Mayfield, Paul Simon and a great version of Badly Drawn Boys song Silent Sigh…

Yes, I really like this song. My band and I love opening our concerts with that one. It’s a great beginning to the show.

You started out on Polish TV show Idol, is that a route that you would recommend?

I wouldn’t actually recommend it… I think it’s better to focus on making your music in a room by yourself and showing it when you are ready. The bottom line is if you’re honest people will buy it, because you’re being true to yourself.

You were born in Chełm in Eastern Poland, that must be a very different place to Warsaw?

Chełm is totally different to Warsaw. Everyone knows everyone else so when I first came to Warsaw it was quite overwhelming. But I loved being in a big city… It made me feel like I had great power and the energy to do things and achieve my dreams.

What’s your favorite place in Warsaw?

I guess it would be the Old Town. I always felt that if I could live anywhere in Warsaw it would be one of two options. One would be totally out of center, near a village with a lake and your own garden. The second would be the Old Town, because when you open your window you see a really beautiful place. I love going there in the morning for breakfast or coffee.

Ania Dąbrowska’s new album Bawie Się Swietnie is out now

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CULTURE 2 CONCERT Photek 1500m2, ul. Solec 18 British producer and DJ Photek is coming to Poland for the first time to play his classic 1997 release Modus Operandi in it’s entirety. The album marked a new era in electronic music and is ranked among other seminal records of the time including Goldie’s Timeless and New Forms by Roni Size.

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DANCE Tango Pasion De Buenos Aires Sala Kongresowa, PKiN, Pl. Defilad 1 Made up of a troop of dancers from Argentina’s best tango schools this show, which is choreographed by Hector Zaraspe, was described in a review by The Times as, “sex, on very, very, long legs.” This particular performance aims to transport the audience to the real heart of Buenos Aires, whilst showing both the good and bad sides of human nature. Tickets from zł.

90, available from ticketpro.pl

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CONCERT Gotye Torwar, ul. Łazienkowska 6A This Belgian-born Australian singer went viral with the hit song Somebody That I Used Yo Know, from the album Making Mirrors. The video for the song, which features various shots of a nude Gotye, has so far garnered 300 million hits and counting on YouTube. Those in attendance can expect the man otherwise known as Wouter “Wally” De Backer to play numerous instruments in what promises to be great live show.

Tickets from zł. 120, available from ticketpro.pl

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SHOW Stomp Sala Kongresowa, PKiN, Pl. Defilad 1 A theatrical sensation worldwide, this show, which features hunky guys making music using bin lids, brushes, and steel toe cap boots, is one of the most successful productions ever in the history of Broadway.

Tickets from zł. 90, available from eventim.pl

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CONCERT Kult Klub Stodoła, ul. Batorego 10 Living legends amongst many Poles of a slightly older vintage, Kult, who are fronted by singer and saxophonist Kazik Staszewski, have their roots in the punk movement, emerging as they did in the early 80s Warsaw music scene. Their style has since evolved to include elements of rock, ska, jazz, and reggae.

Tickets from zł. 55, available from ticketpro.pl

group are currently touring their latest release In Bloom, which reached No. 7 on the US charts.

Tickets from zł. 99, available from eventim.pl

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CONCERT Katie Melua Sala Kongresowa, PKiN, Pl. Defilad 1 If your still unsure as to how many bicycles there are in Beijing then it’s definitely worth checking out Ms Melua as she no doubt has the latest figures to hand.

The Georgian-born singer, who grew up near the Falls Road in Belfast, is famed for her soulful voice and easy listening compositions, with new release Secret Symphony continuing along the same formula. Tickets from zł.

150, available from eventim.pl

8th Warsaw Salsa Festival Gromada Airport Hotel, ul. 17 Stycznia 32 The 2012 edition of this festival will once again see participants involved in workshops with world-renowned dancers, as well as all-night salsa parties at two locations in the capital. The years’ stellar line-up includes Mambo King Eddie Torres whose dance classes are sure to be both inspiring and entertaining.

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CONCERT Beach House Klub Stodoła, ul. Batorego 10 This dream pop duo from Baltimore came to mass attention in 2010 with their third album Teen Dream achieving both critical and commercial success. The

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

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SHOW Come Together: The Beatles in Warsaw Sala Kongresowa, PKiN, Pl. Defilad 1 Organized to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fab Fours first single, this music event will see some of the Polish music scenes biggest names, including Afromental, Perfect, Lemon, Ryszard Rynkowski, De Mono, Mech and Żuki, performing interpretations of the groups many hits. Tickets from zł. 90, available from ticketpro.pl

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CONCERT

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FESTIVAL

the late Amy Winehouse among others so far in his career. His latest offering has expanded his electronic sound to include blues and orchestral compositions.

Tickets from zł. 77, available from eventim.pl

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CONCERT Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club feat. Omara Portuondo Sala Kongresowa, PKiN, Pl. Defilad 1 Although many of the original stars of the hit Buena Vista Social Club movie have now passed away, Grammy winner Omara Portunda ensures that their spirit lives on with a show that encapsulates the best of Cuban and Latin music. Tickets from zł.

100, available from ticketpro.pl

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CONCERT Fink Klub Stodoła, ul. Batorego 10 Producer, songwriter and DJ, Fink has collaborated with John Legend, Professor Green and

Seal Sala Kongresowa, PKiN, Pl. Defilad 1 Soul and R&B man Seal has been in the music business for more than two decades now, selling over 20 million albums in the process. Fans can expect to hear Killer and Kiss From a Rose among other more recent hits.

Tickets from zł. 130, available from ticketpro.pl

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CONCERT Sting: Back to Bass Atlas Arena Łódź Legendary tantric practitioner and former Police front man Sting returns to Poland this year as part of his ongoing world tour. His performance, which is to promote the 25 Years retrospective box set will contain the best of his solo and Police back catalogue, with Roxanne and Missing You set be among the hits getting the fans going. Tickets from zł. 237, available at livenation.pl

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF ARTISTS OR ORGANIZERS

EVENTS THIS MONTH

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Gossip Torwar, ul. Łazienkowska 6A Garage rock three-piece Gossip are fronted by outspoken and energetic lead signer Beth Ditto.

Currently on tour to promote new album A Joyful Noise, the band are still best known for their classic 2006 dance floor hit Standing in the Way of Control.

Tickets from zł. 110, available from eventim.pl

Muse Atlas Arena Łódź Muse have come a long way since forming in Teignmouth, Devon, back in 1994. Since then the three-piece, which comprises Matt Bellamy on vocals and guitar, Chris Wolstenholme on bass, and Dominic Howard on drums, have pretty much achieved their aim of outright world domination. The band’s sixth and most recent studio album The 2nd Law was jokingly described by Bellamy on Twitter as a “Christian gangsta rap jazz odyssey, with some ambient rebellious dubstep and face melting metal flamenco cowboy psychedelia,” but fans can rest assured it’s more of the same from the Muse boys this time around.

Papa Roach Klub Muzyczny Progresja, ul. Sylwestra Kaliskiego 15A Californian rap rockers Papa Roach emerged in the late nineties as part of the wave of US nu metal bands that came to mainstream attention around this time. The group peaked early on commercially with 2000’s Infest going multi-platinum world-wide.

Now on their sixth long play release these tattooed rockers are still sure to pack a decent punch.

CONCERT

CONCERT

CONCERT

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SHOW Chór Armii Aleksandra Pustovalova Teatr Capitol, ul. Marszałkowska 115 Born in Leningrad in 1937, conductor Aleksandra Pustovalova

won countless awards and medals during his 25 years at the helm of the Red Army choir. This performance promises to bring to life the military songs of the Soviet era with all the expected pomp and ceremony. Tickets from zł. 130, available from ticketpro.pl

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CONCERT Marillion Klub Stodoła, ul. Batorego 10 Marillion’s golden days were in the early to mid 1980s when hits such as Kayleigh and Lavender ensured the band sold records by the bucket load. Since then original lead singer Fish has departed to be replaced by H. Nowadays it’s live where the groups’ main success lies and evidence of this was back in 2008 when the band were ranked 38th in Classic Rock’s “50 Best Live Acts of All Time.”

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CULTURE MUSEUMS & GALLERIES Copernicus Science Centre ul. Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20, tel. 22 596 4100, www.kopernik.org.pl If you thought the Chopin Museum was space age then just wait till you visit this place.

Interactive, witty and surprising, Copernicus allows visitors to experience an earthquake, blast recyclable objects into space and become a mystery cracking detective. From October 2: Interactive Music Exhibition. Is it possible to see sound? To touch it? To walk on it? Apparently so – and the Copernicus Science Center can prove it! Through its new, interactive exhibition, created

by German musician and music teacher Michael Bradke, visitors can learn about the science behind the music… Ongoing until March 2013: Interactive Music Exhibition.

CSW ul. Jazdów 2, www.csw.art.pl November 6/7: Oh Noh, the premiere of new dance and visual group Universal Law of impermanence, by Kai Kołodziejczyk and Carolina Wołkowieckiej. Ongoing until

November 18: Freedom Club – paintings by Radek Szlaga.

Ongoing until November 25: Auroryt – photographic work, animations, videos and collages

by Agnieszka Polska.

The Fryderyk Chopin Museum in Warsaw Ostrogski Palace, ul. Okólnik 1, www.chopin.museum.pl Recognized as one of the most hi-tech museums in Europe, the world even, computer chip tickets allow visitors the chance to personalize the museum experience as never before.

Over 5,000 objects are present, among them his pocket watch, last piano, a lock of hair and even his death mask.

www.artmuseum.pl From November 3: “The Call of Fashion”. This project will see artists creating window displays in the capital’s clothing shops, giving new meaning to the belief that advertising is an art form. Various locations. From November 18: Accomplices.

The photographer and the artist around 1970. Comprising some of most interesting representatives of experimental art from New York, the photos on display combine to tell nine stories about the meeting between a photographer and an artist. Ongoing until December 9: “Building Warsaw: A City for Sale”.

Legia Museum ul. Łazienkowska 6, www.legia.com One for the lads. Aside from silverware affirming Legia’s status, find a vast collection of shirts, pennants and paintings (even part of an old floodlight).

Pride of place goes to Legia’s favorite son, 80’s super star Kazimierz Deyna.

National Museum Al. Jerozolimskie 3, www.mnw.art.pl Celebrating its 150th birthday, the National Museum opens for business on the Night of Museums following a thorough refit. Famed for its collection of Dutch and Flemish masters, it’s also the final word in Polish art, with all the greats represented – inc. Matejko, Witkiewicz and other such stars.

Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw ul. Pańska 3,

Warsaw Uprising Museum ul. Grzybowska 79, www.1944.pl Cope with the crowds to discover

the definitive story of the Uprising. Exhibits range from a full size replica of a Liberator plane, to a sewer beneath the cinema screen and a slice of bread preserved from 1944.

And don’t miss the ‘City of Ruins’, a five minute 3D film which takes you on an aerial journey over devastated Warsaw. Outside, check the Nazi bunker behind the office, the panoramic view tower and the original statue of Prince Poniatowski – now a ripped metal hulk. From October 3: Codename: Legelization, is an exhibition which aims to show counterfeiting techniques of the Polish Underground State during WWII. Zachęta National Art Gallery (Zachęta Narodowa Galeria Sztuki) Pl. Małachowskiego 3, www.zacheta.art.pl From November 23: The Sixth Continent – by Anna Molska.

Comprising photos, slides, drawings and video footage this new exhibition used explorers journeys to Antarctica as the starting point for a discussion on extreme relationships, irrational decisions and unnatural environments.

ESCAPE THE CITY TRAFFIC, GET ON THE OPEN ROAD AND EXPLORE POLAND WITH GREAT CAR RENTAL OFFER. Contact: +48 22 572 65 65 www.avis.pl

W_INSAIDER_05_2012_v2.indd 1 10reklama WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

2012-05-18 11:19:37

WARSAW INTERNATIONAL

Octob e Hemi r 10th, sphe re

This October over 200 people gather for the latest installment of the InterNations mixer, a networking event that’s taken Warsaw by storm.

Following on from the success of September’s fifth anniversary party, the InterNations network group convened on October 10th inside the hallowed halls of Hemisphere – the anchor bar of Warsaw’s InterContinental. Buoyed by ample supplies of Stock Vodka, entertainment came courtesy of the interactive games of Pan Geniusz as well as a lottery draw with prizes courtesy of the InterConti. Drawing professionals from home and abroad the mission of InterNations is to bring together ‘global minds’. Now an established part of Warsaw’s social and corporate circuit, their monthly meetings have become Must Do events on schedules round town.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY LeDi

For more information on forthcoming networking events, including how to become a member, check: www.internations.org

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A graduate of the prestigous Westminster College London, Botswanan born Joseph Seeletso needs little introduction.

A frequent fixture on Good Morning TVN, the celebrity chef opened Joseph’s last year, thereby achieving his ambition of having his own private space to create “heavenly combinations” of meals and wine. Set in a former warehouse, the cosmopolitan Joseph’s is the effortless epitome of ‘loft cool’, and has taken Warsaw by storm with a non-standard menu that reflects Chef Seeletso’s creativity. And it’s not just the level of Polish gastronomy that has been raised with the success of Joseph’s. Wine plays an equally key role, with sommelier Rafał Kiś on hand to aid with your wine choice.

• SUNDAY THEMED FAMILY DINNERS – UNIQUE MENU FROM DIFFERENT CUISINES OF THE WORLD CREATED BY OUR CHEF JOSEPH SEELETSO. • COOKERY CLASSES WITH JOSEPH SEELETSO • 700 WINE LABELS • WINE TASTING CLASSES WITH A QUALIFIED SOMMELIER • ON-SITE SHOP • LOYALTY PROGRAM Duchnicka 3 Street 01-796, Warszawa mob. 48 501 491 396, tel. 48 22 320 2988 duchnicka@josephwinebar.pl www.joseph.seeletso.com www.josephwinebar.pl

INFRONT ARCHITECTURE 20 / COMMUNITY 14 / CRIME 13 / HOSPITALITY 14 / NEWS 14 / SPORTS 14 / TRENDS 14

CRIME

PHOTOGRAPH KEVIN DEMARIA

Fire over the Rainbow

A much loved art installation went up in flames last month after a steaming drunk local decided to set fire to the rainbow on Warsaw’s Pl. Zbawiciela. Drinkers outside the areas fashionable bars were left gobsmacked as 29 year old Paweł P. used a lighter to ignite the nine meter high structure which consisted of over 16,000 artificial flowers. While the steel skeleton survived the ensuing inferno, damage caused by the blaze is estimated to stand at zł. 25,000.

The motive behind the mindless vandalism merely came down to the fact that the culprit was significantly the worse for wear, with police hauling Mr P. to the drunk tank for the night before formally charging him with any criminal offence the next day. The arsonist faces five years in jail if found guilty.

Reacting to the news, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute which oversaw the project said in a statement, “Whoever you are vandal, you destroyed an art installation which from the first day healed our city. You destroyed a work of art, an object that for nearly half a year put a smile on the faces of thousands of Warsaw people, visitors from all over the world, and fans … shame on you.”

Originally intended to serve as a temporary project, the rainbow became a permanent installation following a local campaign.

Insurers are expected to cover the cost, and it’s hoped the rainbow will be back to its best within the next three months. (DI) facebook.com/warsawinsider

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INFRONT

BRIEFING ED WIGHT’S NEWS BITES Oil Have Them Soccer thugs became unwitting gay icons when their photos appeared on a same-sex website. The Lech Poznań hooligans calling themselves ‘Terror Machine’ stripped for the cameras to show off their macho muscles.

But the snaps drew thousands of admiring fans on gay forum gaire.com where one admired leered: “I’d love to put some baby oil on them.”

OAP’d Off

Roof-less decision Just when you thought that the world of foot-

ball couldn’t get any more daft came the unbelievable news that Poland’s World Cup qualifier against England was called off because of rain – at a new €500 million stadium with a state-of-the-art roof. FIFA rules, and a less than water tight insurance guarantee, meant that despite a torrential deluge the roof remained open leaving fans no option but to watch as the pitch turned into a giant lake. The fiasco caused outrage, with former England manager Graham Taylor blasting the shambles as ‘pure Monty Python’. The October qualifier finally went ahead a day later, with the two sides playing out a lackluster 1-1 draw.

HOSPITALITY

World’s Best Two Warsaw hotels came out on top at the World Travel Awards last month. The Marriott Hotel triumphed as Poland’s leading business hotel, while Hotel Le Regina scooped the title of Poland’s best hotel. Elsewhere in the accommodation sector H15 are celebrating the long-awaited launch of their short stay apartments. Found on Poznańska 15, the boutique lodgings occupy a restored space famous for once serving as the inter-war Soviet Embassy – yep, that’s the old commie logo you see preserved on the façade.

COMMUNITY

Tight Squeeze Don't expect an invite to a party at Israeli writer Etger Keret's new Warsaw abode any time soon. That's because for part of the next 12 months he'll be living in the world's narrowest house, which is now open on ul. Chłodna/Żelazna. At its widest point the three storey building measures just 152cm, while at its thinnest it is just 92 cm wide.

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

Bedtime Phwoar-y Cougar Małgorzata Socha delighted fans with a series of late night readings from raunchy novel Fifty Shades of Grey. The 32-year-old MILF actress who performed her saucy 11 p.m. readings on Radio Zet said: “The text is controversial but I hope it will also be fun.” Fan Patryk Szymański said: “I can’t think of a better way to nod off.”

Swell Oiled A woman who injected her boobs with cooking oil because she couldn’t afford breast enlargement surgery was left fighting for her life in intensive care. The Lublin woman collapsed after carrying out the DIY op and now faces having both breasts surgically removed. “She's lucky she didn't die,” said a hospital spokesman.

TOP PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

SPORTS

An OAP was left fuming after handing over his savings for a handful of two pence pieces which conmen told him were rare British coins. The pensioner from Leszno who lost zł. 25,000 in the sting was first approached by one of the gang claiming he had to sell the 24 “priceless” coins to raise cash. A second conman posing as an expert then told him the collection – ordinary 2p pieces spray-painted gold – were worth zł. 1,000 each. “I gave them zł.

25,000 for coins worth less than zł. 3.

I’m gutted,” grumbled the pensioner.

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INFRONT

TRENDS

BY DAVID INGHAM

Just a Shot Away

Prevalent during communism, the last couple of years have seen a surge in the popularity of the greatest of institutions – the legendary shot bar.

S

can’t be sniffed at. Then there’s the food. In days gone by bar patrons could by law only order vodka if food was served at the same time. And although getting dishes such as herring in oil, steak tatare or white sausage, is no longer legally enforced, it is without doubt advised.

As anyone worth his salt will know, downing shots of vodka without plenty of greasy stodge in between can only end in one of two unhappy places: the bathroom or the drunk tank.

But be warned: in terms of authenticity most of these bars take the retro role seriously with staff offering grim faced service without a smile. Nowhere is this more apparent than at Meta, where the tattooed barman seems more Bond villain than friendly patron – more so given the nature of his strangely discolored right eye.

Definitely one to look out for.

Bar Warszawa ul. Miodowa 2 Między Wódka z Zakąską ul. Chmielna 13 Meta ul. Mazowiecka 11 & ul. Foksal 21 Pijalnia ul. Nowy Świat 19 Przekąski Zakąski ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13 Warszawska Pl. Zbawiciela 5

PHOTOGRAPH BY SHUTTERSTOCK

ince the fall of the one party system the capital has been on a bumpy one way collision course with the future: out with the old and in with the new became the mantra for bar owners. But as with all modernist projects there’s a limit, and in drinking terms it seems Warsaw has reached it.

Evidence of this comes no clearer than in the recent celebrated rise of the once ubiquitous shot bar. A staple during communist times, they disappeared altogether in the years after the Iron Curtain was swiped to the side.

Then along came forward thinking restaurateur Adam Gessler, opening Przekąski Zakąski, a tiny corner bar on Krakowskie Przedmieście, that’s rammed to the rafters at all hours of the day and night with customers clambering to be served by hunched, bow-tied staff.

The unqualified success of Przekąski Zakąski has seen numerous other copycats emerge: Bar Warszawa, Między Wódka z Zakąską, Meta, Pijalna and Warszawska to name but a few. As the Insider went to press, the ghastly looking Pulp Fiction looked set to join their number.

The appetite for shot bars should come as little surprise, with prices (averaging zł. 4 a drink) that really

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

INFRONT

PRL PAGE (’52-’89)

Exploring Żoliborz it soon becomes apparent there’s two sides to the district – on the one hand there’s Stary Żoliborz, an engaging combination of interwar architecture and landscaped parkland. Then, lurking beastlike to the left, is the Sady Żoliborskie residential estate. Standing in stark contrast to its bourgeois neighbor, it’s easy to write it off as a blot on the landscape. But that wasn’t always the case...

Constructed between 1959 and 1973, the housing project was planted on what prior to the war had been the timber village of Buraków. Designed by Halina Skibniewska, the development consisted of 24 blocks ranging from three to five stories, with enough apartments to accommodate 3,000 people. The first buildings to shoot up were hailed as marvels of modern architecture – Warsaw, in fact Poland, had never seen anything like it. “Everybody loved the place,” gushed one journalist at the time, “and Warsaw residents would go there together with relatives from out-of-town to show them how people were living in the capital.”

Considered the most picturesque housing scheme of the PRL era, much credit is attributed to Skibniewska who refused to bow to pressure to destroy the greenery and orchards that the area was famous for. “They thought I was just a romantic with my head in the clouds,” explained the architect, “and they ridiculed me when I insisted the trees must be left untouched as they were.” Lauded by one critic as a “fairytale… amidst flowering orchards,” it’s no surprise to find one building, Krasińskiego 34A, was declared the winner of the 1961 installment of Mr Warsaw – a commie architectural prize that ran from 1959 to 1980.

Welcome to Warsaw, a city where not all is what it seems... Take for example ul. Promyka 3 – what looks like a pair of paint splotches covering up some squiggly graffiti is actually one of the few remaining reminders of the fight against communism. Following the declaration of Martial Law in 1981, two rallying symbols more commonly linked with ’44 Uprising were painted onto this wall in protest. They remained open to view till 1988, where after they were plastered over. Uncovered six years back, this piece of recent history is now shielded with protective covering whose inscription honors the spirit of the struggle.

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

PHOTOGRAPHS FROM TOP AGENCJA FORUM, KEVIN DEMARIA, ALEX WEBBER

Building Xanadu

Open since the 1960s Bar Sady Żoliborskie (ul.

Krasińskiego 36) is the model of the classic milk bar – right down to the chrome, steel and overwhelming smells. Seen as a corrugated cabin, time has stood still in this daffodil colored Żoliborz landmark. Said to serve 200 liters of soup daily, and over 200 kilos of potatoes, it draws much more than the usual collection of grumbling grandmas and wheezing veterans – a point underlined by the proud picture of patron and TV presenter Krzysztof Ibisz.

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M305035-TablPleksa-610x610.indd 1

10-02-12 11:00

INFRONT

ARCHITECTURE

BY ALEX WEBBER

The Big Move

S

et amongst the monotonous grey blocks that make up the Żelazna Brama housing estate it’s easy to miss the Lubomirski Palace (ul. Żelazna Brama 10). Yet unlike the immediate surroundings, its history is anything but drab. Completed in 1712 for the high-rolling Radziwiłł family, it was extensively remodeled in the late 18th century, before passing through a succession of owners who utilized it for a variety of functions: during the 1830-831 November Uprising it served briefly as a field hospital, before then being transformed into a market place and apartments. At one point, a synagogue was included in the structure, reflecting the palace’s position in the heart of Jewish Warsaw.

The exciting bits mind, they’re reserved for the 20th century. Purchased by the city in 1938, the local authorities decided it was time to restore this decaying landmark to its former glory. Their timing though couldn’t have been worse, and the following year the palace was flattened by the Luftwaffe. Between 1947-1950 it was rebuilt to replicate its 18th century style, and a tablet added to a wall to commemorate a daring 1943 hit just outside on a tram full of Nazis. The weird stuff, however, was just about to start.

With the construction of the tower blocks in full swing,

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

the decision was taken to move the palace so it faced Saski Park. Yes, you read that right. On March 30th, 1970, the 8,000 ton structure was lifted onto hydraulic jacks, mounted on a support structure, then rotated round courtesy of 16 steel rails. On May 18th, 1970, it was job done, with the Lubomirski settled in a new position staring towards Marszałkowska. Differing sources contest the figure – some say it was rolled 70° degrees, others claim 78° – either way, it’s an impressive feat of engineering.

Nowadays its home to a secretive organization called the Business Centre Club, and it’s not just its positioning that has been altered. So too has the park outside. In 1985 a monument was added to commemorate the efforts of Armia Ludowa – fighting in tandem with the Soviets, this wartime troop is commonly derided as a Red Army puppet movement, and when the Iron Curtain fell, the monument followed soon after. Today the spot is marked by a statue of Tadeusz Kościuszko, an iconic figure both here and the States. Idolized in Poland for defeating the Russians at the 1794 Battle of Racławice, TK is equally celebrated in the US for, amongst other things, his role in the Battle of Saratoga, and his crusade against slavery. The monument, unveiled in 2010, is a precise duplicate of one standing in Washington D.C.

ARCHIVAL PHOTO AGENCJA FORUM

In most countries moving house means ringing a removal firm to get your stuff from A to B. In Poland, however, it means, well, moving the house…

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21

INFRONT

DRINKS The Battle of the Beer Bars

Not long ago drinkers were muzzled in their choice to the big brands.

Now there’s been an explosion of bars offering regional brews from the back ends of Poland – the Insider finds the best…

Małe Piwo

SPOTKANIE ZE SZPIEGIEM

SKETCH

SPISKOWCY ROZKOSZY

NUMBER OF BEERS 23-40

NUMBER OF BEERS 160

NUMBER OF BEERS 20-40

SIZE The barman suggests 20 sq/m but in reality it just about gets to 10 sq/m, toilet included.

SIZE 400 sq/m, spread across two floors, with the upper section acting as a club come weekend.

SIZE About 40 sq/m was the owner’s estimate, with the main seating area slightly raised from the bar.

INTERIOR A lot of expense spared here. The tables in the courtyard are plastic buckets and the bar is made of chip board.

INTERIOR This massive space is white minimalist, with some space age furnishings, walls adorned by plasma TVs and a curved bar that has to rank as one of Warsaw’s largest.

INTERIOR Antique wooden tables, dusty velvety sofas, and dimmed lighting give this place an atmosphere reminiscent of the dark little bars Kraków’s Kazimierz district is famed for.

LOCALS You’re just off pl. Zbawiciela, so no surprise to find student hipsters with a penchant for beards.

LOCALS A few real beer connoisseurs, but in the main its media types, models, business people, and young rich kids splashing other people’s money: i.e. daddy’s.

LOCALS The most mixed of the bunch. The typical array of students, is complimented by business types and girls out for coffee (try the bloody beer!).

SOUNDS Over two visits we heard improvisational jazz, reggae, French hip hop and blues.

SOUNDS Electronic. At weekends DJs control the action upstairs.

SOUNDS Alternative, with a guitar-based slant.

Joy Division’s “Unknown Pleasures” took precedent during the Insider’s visit.

BEST BEER Atak Chmielu. At 6.1 percent this American style IPA from Browar Pinta packs a very decent punch.

BEST BEER The best Polish beer is… Well, why bother when you’ve got the Belgian Blanche de Namur to go through.

BEST BEER Viwa la Wita. This fruity wheat beer slips down with ease.

OVERALL RATING There’s something addictive about this little place. But how easy will it be to get a beer once the cold weather clicks?

OVERALL RATING It doesn’t look like a real beer pub should, but it’s impossible to argue with the unprecedented range and quality of the beer.

OVERALL RATING Once settled in a dark corner it’s almost impossible to get out with all your senses intact.

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ul. Foksal 19

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

ul. Żurawia 47/49

PHOTOGRAPHS FROM LEFT, BARTOSZ BAJERSKI, COURTESY OF SPISKOWCY ROZKOSZY, KEVIN DEMARIA

ul. Marzałkowska 27/35

BY DAVID INGHAM & ALEX WEBBER

Spiskowcy Rozkoszy

KWADRAT

MAŁE PIWO

PO DRUGIEJ STRONIE LUSTRE

NUMBER OF BEERS 50

Number of Beers 50-60

Number of Beers 80+

SIZE 65 sq/m, not including a doorway used as an improvised shelter by spluttering smokers.

SIZE 25 sq/m. Narrow and small, it’s like drinking in a hip version of the submarine in Das Boot.

SIZE 100 sq/m. Inc. a secret smoking room that’s usually kept bolted.

INTERIOR A dinky two room affair Kwadrat’s trappings number springy sofas and rickety tables enclosed inside a pleasantly ramshackle space painted in dark, moody colors.

INTERIOR Basic. Design doesn’t go beyond jam jars for lights and a blackboard for snack announcements. With so many beers on offer there’s no need for gimmicks.

INTERIOR Since moving PDSL have gone for a more sanitized look, with none of the junk of the old venue. Now it’s just a dark basement with tiled floors and toilets that don’t explode.

LOCALS A friendly bunch that includes ex-pat beer nerds, students, creatives and even members of the British Language Press Club.

LOCALS Topics of conversation involve upcoming book deals, triumphant recording sessions and cancelled web projects. Tight trousers and flamboyant scarves recommended.

LOCALS Arty types in the main, though remember, you are in Praga – don’t be alarmed if a tracksuited oaf leans through the door to shout words beginning with K.

SOUNDS Usually a pleasant background mix of classic chillout, downtempo and other medicinal grooves.

SOUNDS Anything, so long as it’s weird.

SOUNDS Euro techno. “Could you turn it down a notch,” asked the Insider in a small, meek voice. “No,” came the reply.

BEST BEER Too many to choose from, though the Russian Stary Melnik and the Polish Rowing Jack labels diminish quickly for a reason.

BEST BEER A tricky question to pose. On our visit the Insider got wobbly on M3, a mint flavored rocket fuel that left us with sea legs.

BEST BEER Leżajsk – a golden lager from Poland’s deep south, the quality of this beer has been recognized at international festivals.

OVERALL RATING A long term Insider favorite, ’Drat continues to be a Warsaw standout – every street should have one.

OVERALL RATING Excellent place, but one specifically marketed at trendies and lefties – you’ll know if that’s your bag.

OVERALL RATING The best selection of regional beers in the city is offset by other considerable failings.

ul. Poznańska 7 (enter from Wilcza)

Kwadrat

ul. Oleandrów 4

ul. Jagiellońska 22

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23

CITY WALK ŻOLIBORZ

THE JOLLY GREEN GIANT

S

lipped between the blocks of Bielany, the socialist structures of Muranów and the PRL compound that is Sady Żoliborskie, Stary Żoliborz is something of a surprise. Split by tree-lined boulevards it’s a picturesque suburb, one of elegant villas and modernist housing. Hit by a café / restaurant boom it’s now become one of the most sought out areas of Warsaw, with a unique atmosphere that’s been likened to that of ‘a city within a city’.

Taking its name from the French joli bords (beautiful embankment), the history of the area goes back several centuries. Even so, it was only after Poland regained its independence in the wake of WWI that the area came to be what we now see before us. The scene of an ambitious town planning project, its distinct character is attributed both to its architecture and the artistic bent of its past and present residents – among them director Andrzej Wajda and singer Czesław Niemen. Looking better than ever following some hefty investment, it’s a pearl of a place and deserves investigation.

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

PL. WILSONA The heart and soul of Żoliborz is marked by Pl. Wilsona, a busy roundabout originally laid out in the 1920s. Named in honor of President Woodrow Wilson, a man who championed Polish independence, the centerpiece is a metro station whose smooth lines and lava lamp colors lend a space age ambiance. Completed in 2005, in 2008 it was officially recognized at a Metrorail convention as the world’s best new underground station.

More retro looking is Kino Wisła (Pl. Wilsona 2). Dating from 1959, the auditoriums were the scene of highly charged political meetings during the run up to Poland’s first post-communist free elections. For something less heated, cross the road to Park Żeromskiego. Established in 1931, entrance to this picturesque park is marked by a statue of a water carrying babe. Erected in 1937, the monument disappeared after the war and was only tracked down after the determined efforts of actress and Żoliborz resident Alina Jankowska – in recognition of her sterling work, locals have nicknamed the statue after her.

Defined by its green expanses and interwar architecture the northern district of Żoliborz is an extraordinary area – viewed through a thin November mist it’s all the more better.

BY ALEX WEBBER | PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEVIN DEMARIA

While it lacks the splendor of Saski and those bloody peacocks of Łazienki, this park is nonetheless worth wrapping up for. Once ice gathers the outdoor skate rink draws twinkle toed experts and klutzes alike, while at other times check out the red brick Fort Sokolnickiego (nowyfort.pl). A Tsarist leftover, this imperious fortification has benefited from an extensive makeover and nowadays you’ll find film screenings and art happenings held under its nifty glass roof.

COMMUNISM AND THE CLOTH Without sounding blasphemous the Insider, it must be said, isn’t the most religious of creatures. Even so, it’s hard not be impressed by the Church of St. Stanisław Kostka (ul. Hozujsa 2). Completed in 1940 it suffered 50% damage during the Uprising, and it wasn’t till the 1960s that its restoration was finished. Now, in lieu of anything else, it’s the closest Warsaw comes to a museum dedicated to the fall of communism. That’s because of its connection to Father Jerzy Popiełuszko, the local priest celebrated for his

message of peaceful protest against the one party system.

Murdered by security forces in 1984, Popiełuszko was beatified in 2010 and his church since transformed into a place of pilgrimage.

A museum in the basement relates his story with a no-punches style. A black and white film reel shows just how violent and widespread the protests became, while other rooms house numerous personal items – his Braun shaver, a Sanyo cassette player, winter socks and bobble hat. Even his family cradle is here. But things take a darker twist, and having crept past a militia baton and a pair of handcuffs visitors suddenly find themselves in a shadowy room beaming shots of his brutally beaten corpse.

Not for the faint hearted, the shock factor is high, and the gory footage is twinned with a display of the clothes he wore when he was murdered. His death sparked outrage across the world, and his funeral attracted over half a million mourners. Clips of his sendoff can be viewed in the next room, as can the crown of thorns that rested on his coffin. A sobering experience, the tour concludes with facebook.com/warsawinsider

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CITY WALK ŻOLIBORZ holes scar scores of structures, while a number of markers recall street executions and mass killings. Points of interest include an original obituary notice at Gdańska 12A, as well as a grave behind the building at Cieszkowskiego 1/3. In 1980 workmen digging up pipes outside this former wartime hospital discovered the skeletal remains of an insurgent. While his bones have since been moved to Powązki Cemetery, a symbolic grave to the unknown combatant has now been added.

What makes Żoliborz remarkable, however, are the sheer number of sights that can be passed without a second glance. These include an original manhole cover (on the corner of Krasińskiego / Popiełuszko) through which insurgents escaped, as well as former Nazi bunkers on the corner of Wojska Polskiego and Śmiała, Krajewska and one more on Wojska Polskiego close to Felińskiego.

Now resembling little more than inch high concrete slabs, they’re a forgotten remnant of the Nazi occupation.

Modernist Architecture

Park Żeromskiego

a doorway bearing an inscription of his favorite saying: “Overcome evil with good.”

Back in the daylight its worth circling the church. Opposite to Popiełuszko’s tomb, itself adorned with extravagant wreaths, is a small corner remembering Poland’s war dead, including a touching tribute to Polish child soldiers who fought in the Uprising.

THE WARSAW UPRISING When considering the 1944 Warsaw Uprising most people associate the tragedy with the Old Town in ruins; the Prudential building being shelled; or the mournful figure of The Little Insurgent. But what about Żoliborz? Unbeknownst to most it all started here. Currently housing the acclaimed Kotłownia restaurant, the former boiler house at ul. Suzina 8 is where the first shots of the rebellion were fired. While the rising had been scheduled to start at 5 p.m., August 1, 1944, on the day a group of insurgents preparing for action found themselves interrupted by a German patrol. The ensuing firefight took place at 1.30 p.m. and was the first action of the rising – today it’s remembered by a rather low-key, nay disappointing, memorial on the corner of the building.

While Żoliborz survived the organized destruction that followed the surrender, the district itself was heavily involved in the fighting. As like the rest of the capital, bullet

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

ARCHITECTURE Żoliborz can count itself lucky. While the majority of Warsaw was systematically dynamited after the failure of the Uprising, this area was overlooked. The result is one of the best preserved examples of interwar architecture in Poland. Having regained their overdue independence in 1918 (yay!), the Poles decided it was time to do something with their capital. With the population of the city center reaching critical mass, the decision was taken to expand the city in the north – wouldn’t you know it, Żoliborz was the answer.

One of the plans to come to fruition was the creation of Żoliborz Oficerski, a garden community specifically designed for the movers and shakers in the military world.

Construction began in 1922, and in the main covered the east area of Stary Żoliborz. The most high ranking officers found themselves settled on beautiful Pl. Słoneczny. Of course, other buildings have shot up in the area since, and among them are a pair of pointy-roofed chalets on Kaniowska 21. Proof that not everything built in the 70s was mental, the buildings were designed by architect (and four times Olympics fencing champion) Wojciech Zabłocki.

Today, one of them is occupied by actress and staunch Żoliborz-onian Alina Jankowska.

Yet the great thing about Żoliborz is that it was never seen as an exclusive enclave. The workers were catered for by the creation of the WSM housing estate to the east of Pl. Wilsona, and the rich patchwork of architecture was added too in the years that followed. Private modernist-styled villas sprang up left, right and center, as well as more communal minded projects. Possibly the best known of the lot is the Le Corbusier-inspired Glass House on Mickiewicza 34/36. Finished in 1939, architect Juliusz Żórawski’s masterstroke featured a cool L-shape, an underground garage and glass windows stretching all the way across its 100 meter length. Home to 112 apartments, and propped up on pillars, its glories extended upwards – in particular, to a dramatic rooftop terrace. In 1948 the authorities threw a party at the top for those attending the World Congress – included in that turnout, none other than Pablo Picasso.

THE CITADEL Although Poland’s 1831 Uprising against Russian rule ended in failure it left Tsar Nicholas I with plenty to ponder.

Determined his authority would not be challenged again the Tsar ordered the construction of an impregnable citadel to house the Russian garrison. Aside from featuring a maximum security jail, it’d also remind the Poles exactly who was the daddy. Funded by taxes gleaned off the locals, its construction saw 10,000 people displaced and over 300 villas erased from the map; in return, the Russkies gained something that was a cross between Fort Knox and the Bastille.

For the next eight decades Polish activists were held there, including patriots like Jarosław Dąbrowski, Romauld Traugutt and the future President Józef Piłsudski. In all, it’s estimated 40,000 Poles passed through the gates at one time or other.

While much of the Citadel remains a closely guarded military zone, the former prison in the tenth pavilion now fulfills the function of a chilling museum. The first section consists of declarations, decrees, notices and keys – boooooring. Find the cells upstairs though, many of which have been restored to look as authentic as possible: cold light slants in through barred windows to reveal straw mattresses and the most basic of amenities. It’s a wickedly under visited museum, and it’s not hard to feel a sinking depression as you view dark paintings depicting bearded men hunched over double as they march to Siberia.

It’s a cheerless place alright, and that’s similarly true of the exteriors. Among the exhibits are a grim looking prison wagon, and visitors can walk ‘execution route’ – the path condemned prisoners would take on their way to The Execution Gate. To this day, a section of the gallows has been preserved, albeit inside a concrete/glass post.

OUT & ABOUT One thing the Insider didn’t expect to find while patrolling the nether reaches of Żoliborz was a Viking settlement…

But that’s exactly what awaits once you penetrate the forests on the other side of the Wybrzeże Gdyńiskie highway. Found approx. 500 meters north of the Olympic center, the Jomsborg ‘village’ is quite something – the open air skansen includes huts, a tavern and loads of Viking attractions: sword fights, archery competitions and other displays of Alpha Male power. While it’s odds on to be closed for most of winter, it will be taking visitors on certain key dates, so check ahead of time at: www. wioskawikingow.pl.

No less bizarre is the chance to swim at night while music bangs out and overhead lasers light up the pool.

That chance can be taken each weekend at OSiR (ul.

Potocka 1, www.osir-zoliborz.waw.pl). Find the excitement going off each Friday and Saturday night from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. A bit more mundane, but keeping to the sporting theme, drop by the Olympic center to visit the Museum of Sport & Tourism (ul. Wybrzeże Gdyńskie 4, www. muzeumsportu.waw.pl). Occupying a gleaming glass block the museum’s 47,000 exhibits include the usual range of trophies and medals and vintage equipment. Forget the camera, bring your sneakers and steroids – should you wish, visitors are free to dash down a 50m indoor hurdle track.

STILL LIFE While it might not look as monumental as other swathes of Warsaw, Żoliborz isn’t short of monuments. Many of them,

predictably, follow a military theme, and while there’s the usual slew of Uprising related stonework there’s also so much more. Pl. Inwalidów, for example, is home to a spire topped by the wings of a hussar – its point, to remember Polish soldiers who’ve perished on foreign soil. More spectacular is the monument on Al. Wojska Polskiego.

Dedicated to the ‘blue army’, the statue of a sabre wielding cavalryman commemorates Polish-American volunteers who fought first on the Western Front in WWI, before being sent eastwards for duty in the Polish-Ukrainian War. In a fine nod to craftsmanship, even the horse’s bulging veins are shaped like the rivers of Poland.

Those of a more peaceful persuasion will appreciate the statue of Mother & Child found in Park Żołnierzy Żywiciela.

Sculpted by Auschwitz survivor Alina Szapocznikow, the piece was completed in Paris in 1950, before being shipped to Poland. Years of neglect and vandalism took their toll, however, and in recent years the work of art took on the appearance of a pair of smashed looking Fraggles.

Since subject to painstaking restoration, the pristine new look piece was returned to its rightful perch in September of this year. An award-winning artist of international repute, Szapocznikow is perhaps better known for controversial sculptures of her own tumors. We know which we prefer to view.

St. Stanisław Kostka Church

Info box It's great on foot, but exploring Żoliborz is easier by car!

• Quick pick up and drop off • A selection of new cars that will impress • For reservations call: +48 22 572 6565 • Friendly English speaking staff Locations: Warsaw Chopin Airport & Marriott Hotel, Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 facebook.com/warsawinsider

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EXPLORING ŻOLIBORZ Zaułek SmakówA

of the Olympic Center, and the panoramic views figure high on the draw. The international menu is an explosion of creativity, with dishes including duck breast served with ginger and carrot puree, caramelized pear and fig and cherry/thyme sauce.

RESTAURANTS

Atmosfera ul. Hanki Czaki 2. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-22:00. It’s official: Żoliborz has woken from her culinary slumber. While the name lacks creativity overall impressions are positive: from the contemporary red-lit interiors to the Italian influenced menu, everything combines for a recommended evening. The mussels are delicious.

Chez Belier ul. Mickiewicza 9. Open 12:00-24:00. Designed by Maciej Zień – Poland’s undisputed King of Fashion – Chez Belier looks five star with its immaculate black and white colors, crystal lights and orchids. The menu is a compact affair, and is perfect in every respect: from presentation to taste. Modern and

international, the offer numbers a fabulous tuna steak served on a bed of mango salsa.

Kotłownia ul. Suzina 8. Open 13:00-last guest. You’d never guess from the grey surrounds but Kotłownia is one of the emerging stars of Warsaw dining. Set in a disused boiler house a generous helping of wooden touches warm the split level industrial interiors, but it’s the food that steals the show. The modern Italian menu reflects the owner’s passion for Italy, as does the handpicked wine list. The convivial atmosphere makes it perfect for a long, lazy lunch.

Moonsfera ul. Wybrzeże Gdyńskie 4. Open 12:00-23:00.

You’ll find fancy-looking Moonsfera at the top

Spokojna 15 ul. Spokojna 15.

Open Sun-Thu 12:0022:00; Fri-Sat 12:0023:00. Young and fun you’ll find Spokojna in the outer reaches of Żoliborz – in a red brick, pre-war building, no less. The pizza makes it worth straying out our usual Żoliborz circle.

Zaułek Smaków ul. Felińskiego 52. Open 12:00-22:00.

Located in a pretty section of old Żoliborz, Zaułek offers a unique mixture of Hungarian, Italian and Polish cuisine and guarantees something for everyone. Making use of the freshest ingredients, it’s won itself a fiercely loyal core of return customers – for good reason, too.

Żywiciel pl. Inwalidów 10. Open daily 9:00-23:00.

A relaxed casual ambiance is enhanced by generous wood touches and evocative art.

ul. Wybrzeże Gdyńskie 4.

Open 12:00-23:00.

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

An established veteran of the Żoliborz scene the menu is as comprehensive as they come and features twelve breakfast choices alone.

Always buzzing with conversation, it’s the classic neighborhood haunt.

BARS & CAFES

Butelki Zwrotne ul. Potocka 14. Open 16:00-last guest. The prefab concrete building doesn’t give away much, but inside Żoliborz has a star in the making. Cloaked in half-light, a diverse crowd (lads watching football, myself tapping into a laptop and some girls celebrating Madzia’s birthday) gather to enjoy Europe’s lesser known beers (e.g. Biała Nic) inside an interior featuring an illuminated reindeer head and bottles hanging from the rafters.

Fawory ul. Mickiewicza 21. Open 10:00-22:00. An intimate neighborhood cafe that comes complete with mugs that announce: “Fresh Coffee Tastes Betters”. You bet it does. The smoothies and regional beers are even better though, and come served inside a white interior splashed with an awesome mural.

Kalinowe Serce ul. Krasińskiego 25. Owned by actors Maciej Zakościelny and Zbigniew Dzięgiel this cafe pays homage to PRL songstress Kalina Jędrusik. But don’t think of KS as some dusty museum stuck in the past. This smart café is adorned with stunning black and white

photography, and hosts regular concerts and arty events.

Podroznik ul. Felińskiego 37. Open 10:00-last guest.

Featuring that great Warsaw rarity that is a fireplace Podroznik has an international air that’s announced by Tibetan flags, world beers, maps, masks and big hefty travel guides. And yes, you’re likely to get in conversation with backpackers here – upstairs lies the Wilson Hostel, an eco-friendly place equipped with solar panels and those weird pod beds you find at Japanese train stations – handy if your booze intake goes over the edge.

Pracovnia ul. Popiełuszko 17. Open Sun-Thur 16:0024:00; Fri-Sat 16:00-3:00. Looking ramshackle and jumbled Pracovnia is one of the enduring legends of Żoliborz. People flock from the other side of the city to party here, and the busy event calendar is as peculiar as they come – AstroLatin Rock Night and the Jah Love Sound System Evening being recent examples.

eclectic design fuses a Scandinavian look with an eccentric spirit, while unpasteurized beers, organic teas and a locally sourced menu do the rest. It’s a winner!

Winny Przystanek ul. Mickiewicza 20. Open Tue-Fri 11:00-22:00; Sat-Mon 15:00-22:00. Found on the frontline of Żoliborz here’s the perfect wine bar – no jumped up city traders, just a chilled out crowd of locals enjoying a tipple from the impressive wall of wine. You’ll warm immediately to the condensed interiors which resound to the busy scrape of wood fittings on tiled, checkered floors. A great initiative that shows a good wine bar doesn’t have to take itself too seriously.

Spokojna 15 taste the magic!

Secret Life ul. Słowackiego 15/19. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-21:00; Sat-Sun 10:00-21:00. You might already be familiar with Secret Life of Things, a fab design store on the other end of town.

Now the same minds have expanded their offer to include this café, a delightful spot that opened in summer. The deckchairs outside may have gone but the hype lingers on: an probably the best pizza Informal atmosphere, s for prices, lazy weekend in Warsaw, friendly ends a baby - sitter at week with s, friend and ly fami to CH Arkadia) (Wola/Żoliborz, close Spokojna Street 15 15 facebook: Spokojna call: +48 507 782 652

www.spokojna15.com

wedding parties, events, fam ily ge t-to ge the rs

Opening hours – Mon-Sun 11-22 Warsaw, ul. Hanki Czaki 2 / entrance from ul. Słowackiego

call us: Jacek: +48 607 33 22 10 Marek: +48 503 154 272 visit online www.spok ojna15.com or send e-mail: jace k@spokojna15.com

book now for 2013!

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BROUGHT TO YOU BY: ENOTEKA

Josef Umathum: The Passionate Perfectionist from Burgenland

WARSAW INSIDER READERS CAN CHOOSE FROM A SELECTION OF THESE THREE OUTSTANDING WINES:

Josef “Pepi” Umathum impressed me a lot with his passion, perfectionism and his deep knowledge of vines, soils and biodynamic viticulture. by maciej bombol, owner of enoteka

B

urgenland is an Austrian wine appellation in the far east of the country by the Hungarian border. Burgenland is very famous for its outstanding sweet white wines, produced using noble rot called Botrytis – like Hungarian Tokaj or Sauternes in Bordeaux.

For the past couple of decades the dedicated winemakers of Austria have been feverishly working to bring the quality of their red wines to match that of their world-class white and dessert wines. In recent years their hard work has begun to bear fruit, and Austrian reds have started to climb the charts towards international acclaim. For many wine critics the best Austrian winemaker of red wines is Josef “Pepi” Umathum from the Neusiedlersee appellation in Burgenland.

Josef Umathum began to practice biodynamic viticulture starting with the 2005 vintage, and has since been certified by Demeter. “Lively soils and alert plants point us in the right direction,” says Josef Umathum about his attitude to wine-growing, “and give us the necessary inspiration on how to interact with them.” Therefore, the vineyards operate in the clear structure of organic agriculture, following the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner.

Josef Umathum has become the top red wine producer thanks to an extraordinarily careful and painstaking selection when it comes to planting his vineyards, a watchful control over the crop-size, and then a detailed hand harvesting and selection. The wines then ferment with indigenous yeast, and are elaborated in large wooden barrels.

The outstanding wines of Josef Umathum have received many prestigious awards. For example the Trockenbeerenauslese Scheurebe 2010 won awards this year from Decanter Wine Magazine (the International Wine Trophy as the World’s Best Sweet Wine 2012 and the Regional Wine Trophy as the Best Austrian Sweet Wine 2012) and also received a Gold Medal at the International Wine Challenge 2012.

The importer of these wines is Enoteka Polska, ul. Długa 23/25, Warsaw tel. 22 635 55 10, www.enotekapolska.pl Enoteka is one of the best restaurants in Warsaw, ranked in 8th position amid 700 venues in Warsaw

by TripAdvisor

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

Josef Umathum Auslese 2009 (a classic sweet white wine at only zł 52.50)

Josef Umathum Zweigelt 2009 (the best Austrian Zweigelt priced zł 57.75)

Josef Umathum Gelber & Roter Traminer 2011 (an aromatic and seductive Traminer at zł 67.50)

Reviews: Sowa i Przyjaciele 31 / Nabo 38 / SAM 56 / Plus:

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RESTAURANTS

AFRICAN 31 / AMERICAN & TEX-MEX 31 / ASIAN 35 / BALKAN & RUSSIAN 37 / BRITISH 37 / BURGERS 38 / CHEAP EATS 40 / FOOD SHOPS 54 / FRENCH 37 / GREEK & MIDDLE EASTERN 38 / HOME DELIVERY 36 / INDIAN 39 / INTERNATIONAL & FUSION 40 / ITALIAN 44 / JAPANESE & SUSHI 47 / JEWISH 48 / LATIN 48 / POLISH 50 / WHOLE FOODS 56

KEY

Insider’s Pick

$ zł. 30 (per main)

BOW 2011 Winner.............

Breakfast menu .............

Business meetings.......... $$$ over zł. 55 Child friendly...................

Insider writers do Delivery............................. not accept any Free wifi.............................. form of payment in Map location pg. 86 ...... (A1) return for favorable Romantic.......................... reviews.

Vegetarian friendly........... $$ zł. 30-55

AFRICAN Café Baobab (H4) ul. Francuska 31, tel. 22 617 4057. Open 10:00-23:00. Café Baobab serves Senagelese classics like thiebu djen, mafe yap and yassa ginar. It’s adapted to Polish tastes, but say the word and authentic spiciness can appear. $

Sowa & Przyjaciele ul. Gagarina 2, tel. 795 505 152, www.sowaiprzyjaciele.pl. Open 11:00-23:00.

PHOTOGRAPHS OPPOSITE PAGE COURTESY OF ENOTEKA

W

hat happened? A few years back going upmarket for Polish food meant plowing through half a goose inside an exaggerated duplicate of an aristocratic manor. Nothing wrong with that, but clearly one dimensional. Restaurants, it seemed, were entrenched in the past. But stop the press: Polish cuisine is in the midst of a dramatic transformation.

Leading the revolution are names like Robert Trzópek, not to mention Wojciech Amaro the virtuoso at Atelier. Then there’s Robert Sowa, a familiar face on TV shows and food columns: that his new venture has caused ripples isn’t a surprise.

Set in a largely forgotten stretch of Mokotów, the wilderness location is bold, as is the rest of the place: with a luxury delicatessen out in-front, a wall of wine and a generous floor plan Sowa is clearly expecting bums on seats. With warm lighting, soft colors and bare bulbs hanging from overhead cables it’s a stylistic triumph.

Here, the evening is guaranteed to start well thanks in part to a sommelier with a sixth sense and a barnstorming menu that immediately catches the attention. I didn’t need to think twice before ordering the ‘sliced foie gras aromatized with cherries and hibiscus, served with smoked duck breast, caramelized pine nuts and spicy fig chutney’. Mains picked up the pace. For me it was guinea fowl with carrot/lavender puree served with vanilla sauce.

Sounds good? Right you are. Similarly great things were happening opposite me, specifically on account of a Galician beef entrecote with truffle puree and fried bone marrow sauce.

Now there’s one problem I have with restaurants owned by celebrities, that being they’re usually on TV, not in their kitchen. With that in mind it was reassuring to find Sowa walk into the dining room to share bear hugs with a table of Spaniards. True, it would have been great if he’d checked in with us as well, but I’m not going to bitch. He’s a busy man, and I’d rather he spent his hours cooking with God than nattering to me. And yes, dessert is heaven. Don’t finish with anything other than the meringue with Cointreau cream and ginger ice cream. (AW)

La MaMa Africa (C1) ul. Andersa 23, tel. 22 226 3505, www.lamama.eu. Open Mon-Sat 11:00-last guest; Sun 13:00-24:00. The exteriors don’t go beyond some tribal paintings and exotic lamps, while parts of the menu will frighten the life out of you – baked cow back, for example, sounds like a cooked spinal cord.

Our beef/tomato stew was excellent, but the goat meat saw plenty of tactical napkin use.

And good luck with the gizzard. $$

AMERICAN & TEX-MEX Amigos American Steakhouse (B5) Al. Jerozolimskie 119, tel. 22 629 3969, www.restauracjaamigos.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-24:00; Sat-Sun 11:00-23:00.

Sometimes, all you need is a good steak to make everything okay. This is not the place to find one. Usually disappointing, occasionally catastrophic, this Wild West eatery gets nil points for style, and even fewer for service. $$ Champions Sports Bar (D5) Marriott Hotel, al. Jerozolimskie 65/79, tel. 22 630 5119, www.champions.pl. Open 11:00-23:00. Long-known on the Warsaw scene as a sports bar – ideal for large groups

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RESTAURANTS of large guys drinking large amounts of beer and watching a large-screen TV. $$ Dos Tacos (B5) Al. Jerozolimskie 123A, tel. 22 243 4618, www. dostacos.pl. Open 11:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 11:0024:00. Warsaw’s newest Tex Mex outing has been earning perfect 10s from the Insider’s who’ve visited. $ Hard Rock Cafe (C4) ul. Złota 59 (Złote Tarasy), tel. 22 222 0700, www.hardrockcafe.pl. Open 9:00-24:00.

Instantly recognizable by the giant neon guitar outside, this leviathan touts excellent burgers and a pierced staff of skater boys and rock girls. Rock’n’roll swag numbers Joplin’s blouse, Prince's guitar and Shakira’s pants. $$ Jeff’s (B8) ul. Żwirki i Wigury 32 (Pole Mokotowskie Park), tel. 22 825 1650, www.jeffs.pl.

Open 10:00-24:00. Warsaw’s best breakfast aside, head to Jeff’s for megasize portions of American classics of the

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burger-ribs variety. Find their twin branch in Galeria Mokotów, along with an identical roadhouse design of blinking neon. $ Sioux (D4) ul. Chmielna 35, tel. 22 827 8255, www.sioux.com.pl. Open 10:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-23:00. You might want to point the shotgun hanging on the wall at the chef.

Decorated with horseshoes and feather headdresses, the only reason to show up is to humor a nagging infant. Food-wise, it’s little more than a cowboy-themed version of Sphinx: mass market food for those who don’t know better. $$ Someplace Else (E5) Sheraton Hotel, ul. Prusa 2, tel. 22 450 6707, www.someplace-else.pl. Open Mon 12:00-24:00; Tue-Thur 12:00-01:00; Fri & Sat 12:00-02:00; Sun 12:00-23:00. After a summer sabbatical, SPE are back, touting a new edgy look that makes use of concrete colors and exposed pipes. The spicy, sizzlin’ Tex-Mex is fab, and added incentive provided by the rousing rock bands. $$

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

Tex Mex ul. Zwycieczów 11. Open Mon-Sat 10:0022:00; Sun 13:00-22:00. Featuring a street level take out window and a glum looking basement area, Tex Mex is an underwhelming experience where everything from the tortillas to the salsa taste like something you’d pick up in a supermarket. And, of course, there’s the obligatory dollop of Polski-style salad loaded with gherkins. $

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T.G.I. Friday’s (B3) al. Jana Pawła II 29 (Atrium Plaza), tel. 22 653 8360. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-24:00; Sat & Sun 12:00-24:00. The steaks are a miss-and-miss affair, but the burgers are always on-point inside this classic piece of stars & stripes vulgarity. $$ Warsaw Tortilla Factory (D5) ul. Wilcza 46 (entrance from ul.

Poznańska), tel. 22 621 8622, www.warsawtortillafactory.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. The habanero salsa looks and tastes like molten lava, and is just right when paired with their hefty burritos. But it’s

more than Warsaw’s premier Tex Mex joint; a firm ex-pat bastion, the barometer goes off the scale at weekends when live bands entertain a mixed bag of jiggling foreigners and hot locals. $$

ASIAN Asia Tasty (C3) pl. Żelaznej Bramy 1, tel. 22 654 6120.

Open 9:30-21:00. One of the great secrets of culinary Warsaw – for those In The Know this is the place for cheap, cheerful Asian food. Not that it looks like much, this is as basic as interiors get; leave the hot date outside while you pick-up a takeout. $ Bar Sajgon (D4) ul. Bracka 18. Open Mon-Thurs 9:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 9:00-24:00; Sun 13:00-21:00.

A cult budget eatery once found in the defunct Russian Market. Two years after the original went pop they’re back with a neat looking effort on Bracka. Decorated with palms and mint colors, this double decker restaurant gains particular approval for its pho dishes. $ Bliss Restaurant (D2) Rynek Mariensztacki, tel. 22 826 3210. ul. Twarda 42 (off Rondo ONZ), tel. 22 620 3519, www.blissrestaurant.pl. Open daily 12:00-22:00. Longevity aside, Bliss (alive since ’95) boast classically cliche interiors that make dramatic use of dragons and buddhas.

Inconsistent accuse some, though you’ll struggle to find better Chinese-style ribs. $$ Canton (B2) ul. Smocza 1, tel. 22 838 3823, www.canton.warszawa.pl. Open daily 11:0022:00. Here’s what Chinese restaurants used to look like in the days of Bruce Lee: filled with dragons and lanterns, this place is an outright assault on your sensory system. Wokking away for over a decade, it’s actually not a bad place if you want an MSG booster. The Gong Bao chicken gets approval. $$

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Cesarski Pałac (D2) ul. Senatorska 27, tel.

22 827 9707, www. cesarskipalac.com.

Open Mon-Fri 12:0023:00; Sat 12:30-23:00; Sun 12:30-22:00. A rouge looking Chinese eatery whose design even incorporates a foot bridge. The menu

is exhaustive, and the whole Peking Duck is money well spent if you’re in a group. Head downstairs to snoop around Tshingis Chan, an all-you-can-eat Mongolian grill. $$ China Garden ul. Kazachska 1, tel. 22 241 1010, www.chinagarden.pl. Open daily 12:00-22:00.

Allegedly the first Jiangsu cuisine restaurant in Warsaw, the tastes at the China Garden are indeed unique. On show here is everything from bull’s testicles boiled with soy sprouts, goose jaws and stewed bull’s penis with radish – I dare you. $$

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Du-Za Mi-Ha (D4) ul. Widok 16, tel. 22 826 1871. A compact Vietnamese joint noted for fresh, healthy nem filled with crunchy, perky fibers. The pho, on the other hand, is disappointing – according to one reader, “awful”. Prices begin at around zł. 10 and don’t go far north of zł. 20. You get what you pay for. $ Dziki Ryż (multiple locations) ul. Puławska 24b, tel. 22 848 0060, pl. Inwalidów 10, tel. 22 839 2540, ul. Wspólna 35, Tel. 22 628 1825, www.dzikiryz.pl. Open 12:00-22:00. Varied Asian cuisine with dishes from India, Thailand, China and Japan in a very charming setting. All locations of Dziki Ryż are popular and you’ll most likely need a reservation. $ Dżonka (D5) ul. Hoża 54, tel. 22 621 5015. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat & Sun 11:00-17:00. You say Thai and he says Chinese. You say somewhere graceful and he says nowhere showy. You say not too pricey and he says not too shoestring. Then sail into Dżonka. $

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Fusion Perfect (D5) ul. Wspólna 35, tel. 22 628 1825. Open 12:0024:00. If rumor is to be believed, the owner is the guy who once created the Dziki Ryż empire. The choice covers all the bases, the tastes are convincing and the restaurant looks like a typical mid-market Asian: subdued lighting and dark woods. All it needs now is a few more customers to fill out the tables. $$ Little Thai Gallery (D3) Pl. Dąbrowskiego 2/4, tel. 22 827 4410, www.littlethaigallery.pl . Open Mon-Sat 12:0022:00; Sun 13:00-21:00. High gloss violet interiors and cute elephant candle holders lend this place no shortage of style. The food can be a hit and miss affair, though the curry dishes are usually every bit as good as they

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RESTAURANTS Home Delivery Delivero www.delivero.pl Here’s the score: enter your postcode, then wait for the computer to kick into action and spit out the restaurants covered in your delivery zone. In general, the restaurants now err to the side of pizza and sushi choices. Internet ordering only, with no English language option.

Dominos Multiple locations, tel. 22 209 0000, www.dominospizza.pl. Open 10:00-23:00. They’re back! Years after shutting shop the Dominos crew return to Warsaw, and this time they’re better than ever. It’s strictly takeaway/delivery only (unless you count the stand-up table outside), but these guys get listed for what amounts to the best delivered pizza in the history of Poland.

Pizza Portal www.pizzaportal.pl Nationwide service and similar to Delivero: tap in your postcode then wait for a list of choices to crunk out of the machine. As the name suggests, pizza is the forte, though there are also a heavy selection of randoms – kebabs, sushi, pierogi. 24hr pizza delivery options also available.

Room Service tel. 22 651 9003, www.roomservice.pl.

Deliver to over fifty restaurants under their umbrella, and can also turn their hand to delivering wine, beverages and flowers.

Web and phone orders taken in English and Polish, with delivery charges tagged between zł. 13 to zł. 25. Find venues like Blue Cactus, Le Cedre, Namaste, Sense, Sushi Zushi, Tomo and The Warsaw Tortilla Factory.

Royal Menu tel. 22 244 2121, www.royalmenu.pl.

Phone and internet delivery options, plus English language website and English speaking telpehone operators. Min. order of 50zł, with delivery charges ranging from 10zł to 24zł (Warsaw outskirts). Credit cards accepted for orders of 80zł plus.

Restaurants covered by this mob inc. players such as India Curry, Na Zielnej, Osteria, Papaya and Sakana.

sound. So too the green tea ice cream. $$ Loving Hut (B2) Al. Jana Pawła II 41A, tel. 888 555 568, www.lovinghut.waw.pl. Open Mon-Sat 11:00-21:00; Sun 12:00-20:00. What looks like just another Vietnamese greasy spoon is, in fact, part of a global chain backed by a spiritual master. The reading material is creepy and cultish, but the vegan food is good if you’re that way inclined. $ Natara (B3) Al. Solidarności 129/131, tel. 666 101 500.

Open 10:00-22:00. With a few wilting orchids and some symbolic pics of Buddha this bi-level restaurant won’t be in the running for any style prizes. The food is spot-on though, and after a brief panic during which we considered ordering everything – it all sounds so good – the Insider settled for duck in wine and a classic green curry. The results were outstanding: rich, velvety flavors and complex tastes. $$

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The Oriental (E5) The Sheraton Hotel, ul. B. Prusa 2, tel. 22 450 6705. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-15:00, 18:00-23:00; Sat 18:00-23:00; Sun 12:0016:00 (brunch). Dark and elegant the wild pricing does a lot to keep The Oriental quiet.

It is, however, well worth the hefty fee with fantastic pan-Asian food that’s up there with the best – maybe even the best. Popular with Thai diplomats and hushed hotel guests, it’s an experience that’s worth the quite BEST WAWA considerable splurge. $$$ 2011 “Sunday Brunch” Winner Papaya (E4) ul. Foksal 16, tel. 22 826 1199, www.papaya.waw.pl. Open daily 12:00-24:00.

Papaya’s uncluttered, contemporary club-style space is classy with hints of luxury imparted by the strategically placed, top-notch cognac and sparkling wine. The Pan-Asian menu favors Thai and Japanese, but there’s also Chinese dim sum and Peking Duck. $$

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Pekin Duck ul. Drawska 29A, tel. 22 412 8988, www. pekinduck.pl. Open 12:00-22:00. Looks like a typical Chinese – i.e., like a 1980s New Year’s Eve ball – and the service is carnage; expect lots of miscommunication and truculent attitude. The food isn’t bad, though it’d be interesting to know how many pigs feet they actually ever sell. $$ Shabu Shabu Hot Pot

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

ul. Mokotowska 27, tel. 535 685 750.

Open 12:00-23:00. Each table has its own set of hot pots installed and once you choose your broth and extras, you are the master of your own culinary destiny. We chose some seafood and some greens and were served a dish that was not quite a pad thai, but incredibly tasty all the same. A simple meal, but satisfying nonetheless. $ Sunanta Thai Restaurant (D5) ul. Krucza 16/22, tel. 22 434 2216, www.sunanta.pl. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-23:00; Sat 13:00-23:00; Sun 13:00-21:00. Small but perfectly formed interiors and a menu that’s widely hailed by Thai devotees. The green beef curry is outstanding. $$ Suparom Thai (D6) ul. Marszałkowska 45/49, tel. 22 627 1888, www.suparomthaifood.pl. Open daily 11:00-23:00. Lovely interior with Siamese gold ornaments and gleaming dark wood.

The shrimp cakes are always worth a try. $$ Suparom Thaifood II ul. Wałbrzyska 40, tel. 22 853 3087, www.suparomthaifood.pl. Tiny, when compared to its parent on Marszałkowska, and distinctly unassuming. Suparom’s green curry is the ‘best in the world’ according to one reader, and while such a superlative begs for a challenge, none is forthcoming – not from us, anyhow. $$ Tien-Tien (C2) ul. Długa 29, tel./fax 22 635 3888.

Open daily 10:00-22:00. A stained and seedy haunt that will look immediately familiar to readers who’ve strayed before inside Warsaw’s Vietnamese joints. Some rate the food - we don’t. $ Toan Pho (D4) ul. Chmielna 5/7, tel. 888 147 307. Mon-Fri 9:30-23:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-22:00. Toan Pho’s bowls of soup with rice noodles come highly recommended; as does the chaos intrinsic to this type of casual Asian eatery.

The short menu is in Vietnamese with Polish decoding – although you can ask for an English version. $ Yummy (D5) ul. Wilcza 20. Open 10:00-22:00. The Insider’s favorite budget Asian eatery, even if the empty tables suggest dark forces at work in the kitchen. Modern and minimal, the lemon chicken is delicious and the pad thai is a sure bet. $

BALKAN & RUSSIAN Banja Luka (E8) ul. Szkolna 2/4, tel. 22 828 1060, www.banjaluka.pl. Open 12:00-24:00.

Numerous meaty dishes from Serbia and Croatia are served inside a Banja Luka, a Warsaw stalart who’ve moved with the time and... moved. The new, central location is as pleasing as the last, with lots of clunky timber and imported ceramics. $$ Babooshka (E3) ul. Oboźna 9, lok. 102, tel. 22 406 3366; ul. Krucza 41/43, tel. 22 625 1040, www.babooshka.pl. Open 10:00-22:00.

This is one of those places that you enter knowing straight away that you want more.

Try the bacon-and-tomato-scented Solanka soup and the pielmieni “Moskiewskie.”

The no-frills interiors buzz with vodka tinged high jinks. $

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Czojhona (B5) ul. Twarda 56, tel. 22 401 1303, www.czojhona.pl. Open 10:00-22:00; Sat 10:00-24:00; Sun 10:00-20:00. Specializing in Uzbek cuisine Czojhona offer an interesting menu that starts with meatball soup before leading to unfamiliar dishes such as lamb piled on top of rice, dried apricots, raisins and carrots.

Verging on the bland side, one feels they may struggle in this graveyard location. $ Gemo ul. Minska 25 (Soho Factory), tel. 22 468 1876, www.gemorestaurant.pl. Open 12:00-last

guest. At last, a Georgian restaurant without gnarled furniture and peasant fabrics. Located inside Soho Factory, Gemo has severe, industrial style accented further by steel lights and exposed pipework. The menu is modestly priced, yet includes several dishes to return for: the szaszlyk, for one. $ U Madziara (B3) ul. Chłodna 2/18, tel. 22 620 1423, www.umadziara.pl. Open 11:00-21:00.

Looking at it you wouldn’t expect much, but there’s a reason the homely U Madziara has won the applause of Maciej Nowak – Poland’s toughest food critic. That reason is Gabor, a top chef who’s happy to join customers for a drink… but only after he’s done the biz in the kitchen. The salmon tartar is a great starter, but nothing compared to his signature goulash.

Good luck finding a better deal in Warsaw. $ Varna (D6) ul. Lwowska 4, tel. 22 468 8792. Open 12:00last guest.There’s a few Bulgarian joints in town, but none that look this good; decorated with rich, ruby colors and Balkan embroidery the interiors are primed for an all-singing Balk-fest. The menu is cheap and cheerful, with the full list of hearty, homey classics.

The musaka is peerless. $

BRITISH The British Bulldog (D4) ul. Krucza 51, tel. 22 827 0020, www.bbpub. pl. Open 8:00-1:00. The pub design is

wonderful, and straight out of Midsummer Murders with its Chesterfield sofas and Cutty Sark mirrors. But it’s been a downhill disaster since they lost the original management team. What could have become Poland’s original gastro pub now serves greasy burgers and, judging by the stench at the bar, lots of food that’s way over-fried. $$ Legends (C5) ul. Emilii Plater 25, tel. 22 622 4640, www.legendsbar.pl. Open 12:00-last guest.

It’s a British pub first and foremost, but don’t forego the kitchen either. The all-day breakfast is a great way to stoke up your drinking powers, while other dishes of note inc. pies, sausages and mash and, of course, fish and chips. $$

FRENCH Bistro de Paris – Michel Moran (D3) Pl. Piłsudskiego 9, tel. 22 826 0107, www.restaurantbistrodeparis.com.

Open Mon-Sat 12:00-24:00. Bistro de Paris has always won the highest accolades from reviewers ranging from the Insider to Michelin. Here the food is exquisite, dynamic and flawless; whilst the service itself shines through all on its own. Perfect for dinner with the boss or wining and dining clients. $$ L’Arc (E8) ul. Puławska 16, tel. 503 171 682, www.larc.pl. Open 10:00-last guest. An elegant white/black eatery with elaborate

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RESTAURANTS plate presentations and crustaceans lurking in the water tank – the house specialty is lobster, and they’ve got it to a tee. $$

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Prowansja (E6) ul. Koszykowa 1, tel. 22 621 4258, www. prowansja.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 13:00-23:00. No need to go to a French cottage, the calming atmosphere and great food is right here. The dishes are imaginative, and combine the best of Mediterranean and French cuisine to create beautiful combinations and tastes. The chefs have been known to get experimental in their cooking techniques, though the renovated interiors remain pleasingly traditional. $$

Food, libation, atmosphere and joviality. We all deserve and need to nourish the body as well as the soul – and The Luncheonettes are here to help you do just that.

Nabo ul. Zakręt 8, tel. 22 842 0256. Open Mon-Fri: 8:00-21:30; Sat-Sun 9:00-21:30.

W

ere those moans of ecstasy coming from the other side of the restaurant? “Mmm, mmm…,” some fellow patrons uttered as they punctured, swirled and savored the Eggs Benedict. Highly recommended, ours arrived a few moments later and The Bruncheonettes (one needs to get to Nabo before noon for this treat!) soon joined the chorus. Two small toasted buns, topped with poached eggs and chives, adorn a delicious blue cheese sauce accompanied by fresh chopped tomatoes. Who would have thought such flavors would work so well? One very creative Dane.

Tucked literally in the middle of Sadyba’s Oficerska community, where General Piłsudski gave homes to his most senior officers in the 1920’s, Nabo is indeed a good example of its translated Danish name: neighbor. Owners Steffen and Urszula Eriksen envisioned a comfortable meeting and eating place, “where one can sip coffee, grab breakfast, enjoy dinner or stop after work for a drink.” Like Cheers in the TV sitcom, only Scandinavian style.

The décor is, we’re told, typical Danish cafe – bold open windows, simple lines, high shelves filled with books, magazines and games on the table. Moms with tots alert – with three children of their own, the Eriksens have included a superb semi-enclosed play corner, not to mention being located across a not-very-busy street from a playground and a forested park off the diminutive Lake Czerniakowski.

So what is Danish food? There’s Old Danish on the menu: meatballs and Smørrebrød, which are open face sandwiches with meat and fish in various textural configurations (read: mashed). Then there is also New Danish, or rather Scandinavian to be precise – an emerging trend towards fresh, seasonal food (no microwave oven at Nabo), food sources that are local and innovatively concocted. Steffen reckons there is commercial value to be found in strengthening direct relationships between chef, farmer and patron, and going beyond merely providing food at a reasonable price. While Nabo is not a strict locavore eatery (the rib steak, for instance, comes from Uruguay), the Scandinavian social ethos permeates the structure here, even if this philosophy accounts for some inconvenience or additional work. Steffen and Urzsula feel strongly about their community and making sure everyone is comfortable.

The famed Copenhagen mega-award winning restaurant Noma is credited with having brought Danish food through the German border. Looks like Eriksens have now successfully done the same in New Europe. Witamy! Or is that, velkommen!

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

Saint Jacques (D4) ul. Świętokrzyska 34, tel. 22 620 2531, www.saintjacques.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

Warsaw’s had a long liaison with France, yet the cuisine remains under-represented. This bistro plays the right notes with an intimate interior sprinkled with street signs and life-size black and whites of distant day Paris. $$ Willa Borówka Hotel & Restaurant (Milanówek)

ul. Królowej Jadwigi 5, tel. 22 425 3881, www.willaborowka.pl. Restaurant opens Mon 17:00-last guest; Tue-Sun 12:00- last guest. A wonderland outside of Warsaw. This beautifully-restored manor offers a wonderfully rich atmosphere and wonderful Belgian and French cuisine with delicious beers like the Blanche de Namur. $$

GREEK & MIDDLE EASTERN El Greco (B3) ul. Grzybowska 9, tel. 22 654 0458. Open 11:00-23:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-23:00. The grapevine was right – there’s a new Greek in town and it’s the best of the bunch; the souvlaki are ace and the interiors modern, intimate and a pleasant departure from the Greek caricature. Plate smashing allowed and encouraged. $$

Le Cedre (F1) Al. Solidarności 61, tel. 22 670 1166, www.lecedre. pl. Open daily 11:00-23:00. With the decadent dazzle of a bedouin tent, nights in

Le Cedre are best celebrated with blasts on a sheesha and their Friday night belly dancer.

Otherwise, just settle for the best Lebanese food in CEE; of particular note, the charcoalgrilled lamb chops. $$

get a bad name as drunk food, but in Sofra they’re unrecognizable from the garbage you buy from a hatch at four in the morning. Earning rave reviews across the board, consider Sofra as another feather in Wilcza’s cap. $

Le Cedre 84 (B3) Al. Solidarności 84, tel. 22 618 8999, www.lecedre.pl. Open 11:00-23:00.

Legendary Le Cedre have a new venture, and this one looks even better than the original over the river. Deep plum colors work well inside, and we recommend turning up with a group of friends and splitting the Baalbak (six cold starters) or Byblos (six hot starters) menu. Aside from a candid A-Z of this cuisine, it’s a great opportunity to cover the tables with fancy little plates before causing a right mess amongst you as you share and share alike. $$

Tawerna Patris Miedzeszyński 407, tel. 22 357 11 11, www.tawernapatris. pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-22:00.Looking dusty and disheveled from the outside, Tawerna surprises everyone who visits.

Decorated with white plaster walls and pics of Greek harbor towns, the seafood starters are something else. It’s impossible to judge what’s better: the mussels in tarragon or the marinated octopus. With prices this moderate, we suggest you order both. $$

Paros (D4) ul. Jasna 14/16, tel. 22 828 1067. Open 12:00-23:00. Out of all of the Warsaw’s Greek contributions Paros dazzles most, with a glitzy look that’s a complete u-turn from the typical tawerna look. Owned by the same team behind El Greco, the menu is identical, as is the quality – good to excellent. $$ Samira (C7) Al. Niepodległości 213 (behind the National Library), tel. 22 825 0961, www.samira.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00; Sun 12:00-18:00.

If you make the effort to find it, you’ll spot ambassadors, celebrities and artists scarfing down their excellent Lebanese kofta. Here you will find chickpeas, tahini paste, bulgar wheat, grape leaves, rose and orange flower water. Fresh cheese (Lebanese and Bulgarian) can be bought by weight from the deli counter. $ Santorini (Saska Kępa) ul. Egipska 7, tel. 22 672 0525, www.kregliccy.pl/santorini.php. Open daily 12:00-23:00. Forgetting the rather dubious exterior, Santorini – decorated like a Greek fishermans tavern – remains one of the top restaurants of its ethnic class. The lamb chops are fab, but for a real plate licking experience order the milfei as dessert. $$

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Sofra (C6) ul. Wilcza 71, tel. 22 628 0782. Open 8:00-last guest. The design looks great, even if it has been plagiarized off Charlotte (white brickwork, blackboard, communal table). So the surprise here is that the food is Turkish – and not just Turkish, but great Turkish! Kebabs

INDIAN Bombaj Masala (B3) Al. Jana Pawła II 23, tel. 606 688 777. Open 11:00-23:00. A definite applicant for Poland’s best looking Indian, and instantly superior to Warsaw’s more shabby curry houses. The tikka masala is love at first bite, though the spice lever on the Madras needs jacking up. $$ Buddha (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 23, tel. 22 826 3501, www.buddha.info.pl. Open daily 11:00-23:00.

The days of the Raj are recreated in Buddha, a fine-looking curry house with intricate interiors and top-drawer curries. The murgh masala jhodphur is our favorite, a bottom burning curry that appears as ‘ouch’ on the spice scale. $

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Curry House ul. Żeromskiego 81, tel. 508 870 774. We like restaurants to have a bar, not bars – but despite the Alcatraz atmosphere of this glorified cage, the lack of toilet, the absence of beer and the ludicrous waiting times, this has become the Insider’s favorite curry house!

If you want to blowtorch your face order the vindaloo, far and away the hottest curry in Poland. For softies the butter chicken is highly recommended. $

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Ganesh (D5) ul. Wilcza 50/52, tel. 22 623 0266, www.ganesh.pl. Open 12:00-24:00. Wildly inconsistent in terms of food and service. At a recent convention of the New Warsaw Curry Club the jalfrezi went untouched

WE WELCOME YOU TO BISTRO WARSZAWA FOR DELICIOUS MEALS AND LIVE CONCERTS. Old Town Square Tel. +48 (22) 635 37 69 Mob. +48 501 438 007 bistro@bistrowarszawa.pl www.bistrowarszawa.pl facebook.com/warsawinsider

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RESTAURANTS and murgh hara masala didn’t fare better.

Nonetheless, the madras was declared Warsaw’s best and the murgh makhanawala destroyed in minutes. Design-wise, the chic dark décor places it a cut above most of the competition. $$ Ganesh Express (A4) ul. Grzybowska 61, www.ganeshexpress.pl.

Open 10:30-22:30. Dinky, readymade portions aimed for a lunch-on-the-run crowd. Yes, the meals are pre-cooked, but the standard has been raised, alcohol introduced and the prices moderated. $

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Himalaya Momo (F1) ul. Ząbkowska 36. Open Mon-Thur 11:00-21:00; Fri-Sun 10:00-22:00. There’s only four tables here, so don’t linger. The size means several staples have been cut from the menu, among them naan bread – there’s no space for a tandoor over, you see. What kind of Indian restaurant forgets a tandoor oven? In this

case, a very good one. What does appear on the Tibetan / Indian menu is usually delicious. $

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India Curry (D5) ul. Żurawia 22, tel. 22 438 9350, www.indiacurry.pl. Open daily 11:00-23:00.

They’ve changed management once again, and that’s to the detriment of the restaurant. Once the corporate choice for when suits wanted it hot, the gradual decline has extended to the décor – looking dark and tired it’s a shadow (literally) of its former self. $$ Maharaja India (D6) ul. Marszałkowska 34/50, tel. 22 621 1392, www.maharaja.pl. Open daily 12:00-23:00.

A bedraggled looking old-timer set inside some showpiece Soviet concrete. Oily, unstimulating curries are the order of the day, so it’s surprising to learn the butter chicken is amongst the best in the city. $$

Cheap Eats Bar Turecki “Efes” (H4) ul. Francuska 1, tel. 22 616 2580. Open daily 10:00-20:00. So it’s a kebab shop, but when the kebabs are this good they’re well worth the listing. Either join the queue outside, or head indoors to sample the smattering of grill food and salads. $ Cheng Way (D4) ul. Chmielna 10, tel. 22 899 1626. Open 11:00-20:00. Imagine a Franco/Vietnamese translation of Subway and you have Cheng Way. Loaded with generous Asian fillings and sauces, the baguettes here are spot on. $ Okienko ul. Polna 22, tel. 603 771 483.

Open 9:00-22:00; Fri 9:00-24:00; Sat 10:00-24:00. Food through a hatch with pride of place going to fantastic Belgianstyle fries served with a comprehensive choice of sauces (top marks to the jalapeno). Large portions are zł. 10, and do just the job on post-pub munchies. $ Soul Food Bus Corner of Mazowiecka & Świętokrzyska.

Open Fri & Sat 22:00-4:00. You can’t miss this place: it’s a big red truck/bus. Their

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Mandala (C4) ul. Emilii Plater 9/11, tel. 662 019 666, www.mandalaklub.com or www.indiaexpress. pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00; Sun 13:00-21:00. Whether the Madras is Poland’s hottest curry is a moot point (we say not).

What isn’t up for debate is its popularity. Keen portions ensure you’ll be leaving with a doggy bag, and while we’ve yet to have anything outstanding, neither have we experienced anything under par. Internet ordering and delivery through their India Express catering service. $ Namaste India (D1, D5) ul. Piwna 12/14, ul. Nowogrodzka 27, tel. 22 696 3856, www.namasteindia.pl.

Open Mon-Thur 11:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 11:0004:00; Sun 12:00-22:00. If waiting times are anything to go by this is quite probably the most popular curry in town, and yes, pretty much everything they make is of gold star standard. Find the original, more modest version on Nowogrodzka, and a (very) slightly more upmarket offering in Old Town. $

* m.o is simple enough. Eleven types of burgers, and seven quesadillas, served from late until even later. Note they do move around and the open hrs are subject to change – Facebook them for their latest GPS. $

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Mr Pancake (E3) ul. Solec 50, tel. 888 021 888. Lurking amid the side streets of Powiśle, the pancakes here are brilliant and come with a heap of toppings and funny faces traced into them with icing sugar. Who cares if the staff wander around like they’ve just smoked a bong – it’s great. $ To Tu Dumpling Bar ul. Niekłańska 33, www.chinskapierogarnia.pl. Open 10:00-21:00. Set in a ropey looking pavilion To Tu excels when it comes to dim sum. The kim chi soup is pretty special as well. $ Wurst Kiosk (H4) ul. Zwycięzców 17, tel. 606 133 134.

Open 11:00-22:00; Sat 12:00-24:00; Sun 12:00-19:00. Authentic German sausages served through a hole-in-a-wall with big dabs of mustard and fresh bread. The currywurst is fabulous, and there’s also Belgian-style fries. $

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

Parivar al. Waszyngtona 75, tel. 22 393 4104. Open 11:00-22:00. The squid sizzler has the taste and texture of chewing gum, and the vindaloo is cunningly disguised as a bowl of red water with some chicken floating in it. “I get better curry on the oil rigs,” opined the Insider’s balti expert. For all of that, the biggest disappointment is Parivar’s apparent success. $ Saffron Spices (D6) Pl. Konstytucji 3, www.saffronspices.pl.

Open 11:00-23:00. Set on two floors Saffron has a menu more limited than most, though they have at least finally introduced alcohol.

The murgh makhani is fiercely inconsistent, and the chicken, in the words of one reader, ‘strange’. Nonetheless, we like it – when the chef does get it right, this place scores well. $$

INTERNATIONAL & FUSION 12 Stolików (D5) ul. Krucza 16/22, tel. 519 151 504. Open 9:0023:00. Affecting a chichi style, the look here is clean, crisp and scattered with lifestyle titles and autumn leaves. And forming the central element is the kitchen – yes, here’s a place that embraces the credos that cooking should be theater. The menu comes chalked up on a board, and while the alio olio was a little overcooked, the big guns were out for the

steak – fabulous. Definitely one to watch. $$ Bagno Food & Wine ul. Bagno 2, www.bagno2.pl. Open Mon-Fri 7:00-22:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-22:00. With its huge windows and stark style you can’t help but think Bagno would work best in summer; all it takes is a grey Warsaw day to cloak this place in gloom. Which is a shame, as the food (and wine) really work here.

Our steak was nicely done, with a flavorful mushroom sauce and thick baked potatoes on the side. $$ Bistecca ul. Branickiego 11, tel. 22 258 1243, www.bistecca.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

A warm and welcoming meat-themed restaurant, featuring one of the largest pieces of steak we’ve ever seen. But if you don’t fancy being chef for the night, stay away from the mixed grill – after a few moments of confusion we realized we were meant to finish the cooking process ourselves; a novel idea, but not what we had in mind when we went out for the evening. $$

Boathouse (G4) ul. Wał Miedzeszyński 389a, tel. 22 616 3331, www.boathouse.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 12:0022:00. For the supersize treatment head to Boathouse, a leviathan restaurant set in three acres of riverside parkland – perfect for lazy Sundays with family and friends. Freshly re-opened after a winter break, during which time Chef Luc has traveled the Mediterranean sourcing the best ingredients and snooping out new recipes. $$ Bufet Centralny (D5) ul. Żurawia 32/34, tel 523 749 160. Open 12:00-2:00; Sat 12:00-6:00; Sun 14:00-24:00.

With white tiles, an artsy carpentered bar and draftsman desk lamps hanging from the walls, Bufet certainly gets points for design.

The Hungarian fish soup is delicious, while the chocolate soufflé is airy, gooey and all things nice. But choice diminishes quickly – get there early to order the ribs. $$ Butchery & Wine (D5) ul. Żurawia 22, tel. 22 502 3118,

www.butcheryandwine.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00. A year on and this is still the restaurant everyone is talking about.

Having scooped the award for Gazeta Wyborcza’s restaurant of the year, reservations are essential. Served on wooden boards by staff in butcher’s aprons, the steaks are beyond reproach. $$

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Brasserie Warszawska ul. Górnośląska 24, www.brasseriewarszawska.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00.A posh looking bistro whose classic credentials are supported by crisp shirted staff, gleaming surfaces and chessboard colors. Kick off with a crab cocktail before getting stuck into the grill dishes. At zł. 110 the New York Steak is pricey but worth every cent. Not that that’s a surprise – Warszawska is the latest project of Daniel Pawełek, the face behind the award winning Butchery & Wine. $$

C.K. Oberża (D4) ul. Chmielna 28, tel. 22 828 4585, www.ckoberza.pl. Open Mon-Sat 11:00-24:00; Sun 12:00-24:00. A wood-looking eatery

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RESTAURANTS where towering plates of food present considerable challenge to carnivore appetites – come hungry. All the basic culinary needs are covered, while the Cesarska Deska Mięs features practically every animal to ever come out the wrong end of an abattoir. $$ Concept 13 (D4) ul. Bracka 9, tel. 22 310 7373. Open 12:0023:00. Perched on the fifth floor of the Vitkac luxury department store, Concept 13 has a look that’d be approved of by any lifestyle mag: hardwood floors, glass and plenty of open spaces. The menu is contemporary and cleverly direct, five course set lunch menus from zł. 50. Modern designer dining rarely gets better. $$$ Delikatesy Esencja (F7) ul. Marszałkowska 8, tel. 22 480 8018, www.delies.pl. Open 8:00-24:00; Fri-Sat 8:00-2:00; Sun 8:00-23:00. A long, narrow space that’s a mix of bar, restaurant and ‘culture’ cafe – only this looks better than most. No second hand collectibles here, just a cool look accented by concrete colors and overhead pipes. The menu is a creative, light bite affair with dishes like gyutataki served to a hip crowd who’ve outgrown nearby Plan B. $$ Downtown Restaurant (C4) ul. Emilii Plater 49 (InterContinental Hotel, level 2), tel. 22 328 888. Open daily for Breakfast 6:30-10:30; Mon-Fri Business Lunch 12:00-15:00, Sat Lunch 12:00-15:00, Sunday Brunch 12:30-16:00. Dinner

17:30-22:00 every Mon-Thurs. There’s now a few candidates for Warsaw’s best steak, and Downtown have certainly upped the erm, stakes, with their new menu. Appealing to the serious spender, the US Longhorn (a cool zł.

185) is utterly unforgettable. Try it with orange whiskey sauce. $$$ Flaming & Co. (E6) ul. Chopina 5, tel. 22 628 8140, www.flaming-co.com. Open 7:30-24:00.

A superb eatery seemingly styled by Ralph Lauren. Winning rave reviews across the board, find a strong international offering and even a small playground in the park that it views. $$

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GR Bistro & Restaurant (D4) ul. Szpitalna 8 (enter from Górskiego), tel.

22 828 4285, www. grbistro.pl. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-24:00; Sat 11:00-24:00; Sun 11:00-23:00. Tucked next to the Wedel chocolate palace, GR isn’t short on charm and intimacy. Step upstairs where the restaurant unfolds into an attractive area set out with leather chairs and vintage photography. With little more than four mains ever appearing on the card the menu can’t be accused of showboating; the dishes that do make it on though win universal praise – the chicken medallions come served with lime sauce and fresh figs, and the combination works excellently. $$

Grill & Co (B9) ul. Żaryna 2B (Milllennium Park, Building C), tel. 22 646 0045, www.grill-co.com.

Open 12:00-last guest. Featuring plexiglass seats and clean, dark woods this place could easily be mistaken as one of the trend dens on Mazowiecka. A top (m)eatery, the filet mignon is perfect, and served with generous sides. Prices, too, are pleasingly moderate. $$ Groole (D6) ul. Śniadeckich 8, tel. 795 633 626, www. groole.pl. Open 12:00-20:00. You’ll find potatoes served everywhere in Poland, just not in the way we like them: i.e., with a crunchy, crispy skin and lots of hot, melted goo. Groole fill that gap with jacket spuds loaded with toppings such as spicy cherry tomatoes or chicken curry. A revelation! $ Kaprys (D5) ul. Krucza 16/22, tel. 22 578 2232, www.restauracjakaprys.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. Like their service, Kaprys have had a slow start. We had a five minute wait for the menu, in spite of being the only customers.

The design looks formal and unimaginative, and the menu includes a bit of everything – it’s hard to define the cuisine. Our beef carpaccio was tasty, but sea bass – served with head, eyes et al. – was off-putting, and the potato wedges almost certainly from a bag. $$ Kultura (D2) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 22/23,

ul. Senatorska 27 tel. 22 827 97 07 www.cesarski-palac.com.pl

ORIGINAL CHINESE CUISINE

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

tel. 784 044 051. Open 11:00-23:00.

An initiative from the connecting artsy cinema. Looking slick and polished, creative effect is added by the use of colorful umbrella-style lights, while away from the frontline find the hard work done by the former chef at Dyspensa. And yes, it’s a dream team in the kitchen, with desserts and cakes fixed by those who made Café Misianka the legend it is. $$ La Rotisserie (C1) ul. Kościelna 12 (Le Régina Hotel), tel. 22 531 6000, www.leregina.com.

Open Mon-Fri 6:30-10:30, 12:00-23:00; Sat & Sun 7:00-11:00,12:00-23:00. Incorporating ‘French techniques, Polish products and Italian influences,’ chef Pawel Oszczyk has created one of the top dining rooms in Warsaw, a comfortable space that’s both intimate and plush without ever appearing over-indulgent. The the tuna tartar is a magnificent starter, and the venison faultless.

Enhancing the chef’s talents is Andrzej Strzelczyk, one of Poland’s top ranked sommeliers. $$$ Likus Concept Store (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 16/18, tel. 22 492 7409, www.likusconceptstore.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00. This former bath house is adorned by columns and handpainted glazed ceramics. A fine menu of fusion fare with an ‘artsy flair’ is guaranteed, with creative desserts to follow with. Over 300 Italian wine labels (not to mention tipples from Spain, France and Austria), as

well a selection of cigars make Concept a number one choice for that all important meal. $$$ Masz Gulasz ul. Piękna 15, tel. 22 370 2550. Open MonSat 11:00-22:00. Magda Gessler continues her campaign to takeover Warsaw with the opening of Masz Gulasz, a warm looking midmarket eatery whose menu comprises chiefly of thick stews and goulash.

Merliniego 5 (E10) Restaurant and Wine Bar, ul. Merliniego 5, tel. 22 646 0849, www.merliniego.pl. Set up like a New York bistro, Merliniego 5 is a cross between a whisky bar and steakhouse. It’s sophisticated, but not snooty and has some truly excellent steak and salad. $$ Nowa Kuźnia ul. Stanisława Kostki-Potockiego 24, tel. 794 16 019, www.nowakuznia.pl. Open 12:00last guest. Mere steps from Wilanów’s 18th Century church, this former blacksmiths passes muster with excellent steak and a cocktail list invented by Richard Winkler – former mastermind of Paparazzi and Porto Praga. The fish too is fantastic and fresh, meaning even without their clincher – the summer garden – it’s very much a destinaBEST WAWA 2011 “Kid tion to follow. $$ Friendly” Winner Opasły Tom (E4) ul. Foksal 17, tel. 22 621 1881. Open 10:0023:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-23:00. Are you in a

restaurant or inside a book shop? The mind plays tricks in Opasły, the latest venture from the Kregliccy family (Santorini, Chianti etc). Filled with hardback volumes and newspaper clippings, this trendy Foksal spot features a concise menu that includes chili shrimp. $$ Pan Ziemniak Al. Jana Pawła II 41A. Open Mon-Sat 11:0021:00. With a custom-made cast iron potato oven and a menu that changes daily it’s not hard to see the draw. There’s usually about 16 toppings chalked up on the board, and these range from norm (tuna mayo) to the unexpected (chicken curry). $

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Passe Partout (H4) ul. Zwycięzców 21, tel. 22 616 2882, www.passepartout.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-22.00. Looking like a business class waiting lounge, it’s easy to overlook Passe Partout – more so now the beautiful back garden is closed off for winter.

But you’d be a fool to do so. Unassuming it might be, but there’s something clearly very right with the kitchen. The diverse international menu has too many positives to count, though the Insider recommends the pork tenderloin: served with a blue cheese and balsamic sauce, it’s a plate licking meal. $$ Platter by Karol Okrasa (C4) InterContinental Hotel, ul. Emilii Plater 49, tel. 22 328 8734, www.platter.pl. Open 12:00-16:00,17:30-23:00. The hotel has roped in celebrity chef Karol Okrasa to

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RESTAURANTS head their revamped dining room. As a temple of nouveau Polish, the new layout isn’t a dramatic change from the previous occupant, Frida Restaurant - but the food is faultless. In particular, the herb garden salad with prawns comes immaculately groomed.

An already excellent experience has been raised to talking point level. $$$ Porto Praga (F1) ul. Stefana Okrzei 23, tel. 22 698 5001, www.portopraga.pl. Open Mon-Thur 12:00-1:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-02:00; Sun 12:0024:00. Bathed in rich, ruby shades and Art Deco swirls, PP looks classy and elegant yet never too formal. Different species of Warsaw life happily co-exist here, enjoying a revamped menu courtesy of chef Marcin Wojtczak. The cocktails are amazing as well – Bloody Mary is our standard bar-ometer, and here it passes the test with flying colors. $$$ Qchnia Artystyczna (E6) Zamek Ujazdowski, Al. Jazdów 2, tel. 22 625 7627, www.qchnia.pl.

Open 12:00-24:00. Suitably artistic eatery with imaginative dishes, lots for vegetarians, and a lovely park view from the terrace. $$ BEST WAWA 2011 “First Date” Winner R20 (F5-6) ul. Rozbrat 20, tel. 22 628 0295. Open 7:3022:00; Sat-Sun 9:00-22:00. This top-notch, casually elegant restaurant offers a concise, tantalizing selection of food with signature recipes from the head chef. Strongly recom-

mended is the mouth-watering baked duck with orange and homemade ravioli. $$ Restauracja 99 (B4) Al. Jana Pawła II 23, tel. 22 620 1999, www.restaurant99.com. Open Mon-Thurs 8:00-23:00; Fri 8:00-24:00; Sat 15:00-24:00; Sun 12:00-22:00. The feeding trough of the business class. Back sporting a futuristic look, 99 have been pleasing diners since opening in the 90’s. The good news is they’re better than ever, with a modern international menu that includes one of the finest steaks in town, and the perfect margarita. $$ SAM (E3) ul. Lipowa 7, tel. 600 806 084. Bistro, bakery, hangout. However you choose to label SAM, it’s the talk of the town. Noisy Charlotte won all the press last summer, this time round its SAM. The cooling concrete interiors buzz throughout the day, with touches like communal tables well suited to the ascetic style.

Owned by the same lot in charge of 6/12, there’s a similar commitment to good, healthy eating employed here. $$ Solec 44 (F4) ul. Solec 44, tel. 798 363 996, www.solec.waw.pl. Open Tue-Sun 12:00-last guest; Mon 16:00-last guest. The minimalist and laid-back interior comes courtesy of Martin Walli, a Swiss-Polish game freak, and kitchen guru Aleksander Baron. The casual bistro-cum-bar they built is a reflection of their passions, a place serving up a small, daily-changing menu of soul foods made from

fresh, seasonally appropriate ingredients, complimented by a massive selection of board games, cards and logic puzzles... $ Soul Kitchen ul. Noakowsiego 16, tel. 519 020 888, www. soulkitchen.pl. Open Mon-Thur 12:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 13:00-22:00.

Set over two dining rooms the design is elegantly uncluttered: raw brick and vanilla colors. The menu is concise, but involves lots of ingredients picked from the finest local producers - some of it custom-grown especially for them. This is contemporary Polish / international cuisine whose presentation is magnificent. A foodie draw. $$ Tamka 43 (E3) ul. Tamka 43, tel. 22 441 6234, www.tamka.43. pl. Open Mon-Sat 10:00-23:00. With a location looking at the Chopin Museum you may assume this place is all about boring food at tourist prices. Wrong. Chic and shiny, and with a cool glass frontage, chef Robert – a veteran of the El Bulli kitchen – does the rest with delicate dishes that could pass for art. $$ U Kucharzy (D3) ul. Ossolińskich 7, tel. 22 826 7936, www.gessler.pl. Open 12:00-24:00. Literally translated as ‘with the cooks’, you find yourself in the thick of the action here, with diners planted in the kitchen area of the former Hotel Europejski. There’s a great atmosphere of orchestrated chaos here, with food served straight from the pots. Some are calling this the best meal in Warsaw, and it’s certainly up there…. even if the BEST WAWA 2011 cocktails aren’t. $$ “Restaurant Design” Winner Villa Foksal (E4) ul. Foksal 3/5, tel. 22 827 8716, www.restauracjavillafoksal.pl. Open MonFri 12:00-last guest; Sat & Sun 13:00-last guest. The pasta is filling, and probably deserves its reputation as some of the best in Warsaw. It comes as no surprise that they are often fully-booked. Check out one of the best summer gardens in the city. $$

ITALIAN Arsenał (C2) ul. Długa 52, tel. 22 635 8377, www.restauracjaarsenal.pl. Open 10:00-23:00. It’s been years since we heard great words about Arse, and while the food

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remains fine there’s a distinct impression that their finest hour has long since passed.

A great play area for kids, it’s still not a bad option if you’re heading from Old Town with accompanying bambinos. $$ Bacio ul. Wilcza 43, tel. 22 626 83 03, www.bacio.pl.

Open Mon-Fri 12:00-23:00; Sat 13:00-23:00; Sun 13:00-22:00. Under new management the new look Bacio has been decluttered and simplified and now features a tripped down look and a menu that peaks with the duck in red wine risotto. Portions are huge, and are matched by a quality that’s seen this once ailing giant reinstalled as one of the top eats in town. $$ Bellini (D1) Rynek Starego Miasta 21, tel. 22 831 0202, www.restauracjabellini.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

Queen of cuisine Magda Gessler brings her magic to the realm of Italian cooking with this spacious, enigmatic cellar restaurant just a few doors down from U Fukiera. Brilliant pizzas, especially the signature white pizza,

with fresh mozzarella, provolone, rucola, pear slices and pine nuts. $$

*

talked-about venue. Fish is their forte, with deliveries from Italy arriving Tuesdays. $$$

Bravo Roberto (F9) ul. Sułkowicka 2/4, tel. 22 841 4010, www.bravoroberto.pl.

Open 11:00-last guest. The eye-catching (and eye-wateringly expensive) Belvedere apartment block is the base for Bravo Roberto, a beautiful restaurant whose interiors mix traditional with contemporary. The lamb tartar is the recommended starter, while for mains the seafood is notable. $$

Enoteka (C2) ul. Długa 23/25, tel. 22 635 5510, www.enotekapolska.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-24:00; Sun 14:00-22:00. The menu is updated quarterly and beefed up with the harvests of the season. The house specialises chiefly in Italian labels whose price tags range from “what a deal!” to “worth it for a celebrity splurge.” The minimalsitic rustic interior is just the right spot after a stroll in the neighboring Old Town. $$

Delizia (D5) ul. Hoża 58/60, tel. 22 622 6665, www. delizia.com.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00.

Scene of this Insider’s meal of the year, circa 2010. Unassuming at first sight, it takes seconds to notice that something is very, clearly wrong – the tables are full and the diners having fun. There’s two reasons for that, and they’re called Luca and Lorenzo. Luca is the showman and waiter supreme, while Lorenzo the culinary master behind this much

La Bufala (B4) ul. Sienna 86. Open 10:00-22:00; Sat-Sun 11:00-22:00. On the right day you’ll find the ex-pat proprietors of Warsaw’s more refined Italian eateries using this for their pizza fix. It might not look like much, but its reputation speaks for itself. $ La Tomatina (D4) ul. Krucza 47. Open Sun-Thurs 11:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-1:00. Calamitous, slapstick ser-

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RESTAURANTS vice and accusations pointing to the overuse of readymade ingredients shouldn’t detract from splendid pizzas served in a modern interiors of stark white walls and concrete floors. The spicy tiger prawn spaghetti is also great, even if the presentation looks like a student cooked it. $ Mezzo Italian Steakhouse ul. Sienkiewicza 5 (Konstancin-Jeziorna), tel.

22 756 3343. Open Sun-Thu 12:00-21:00;

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Masz Gulasz Bistro invites you to taste over 30 kinds of stews, all unique dishes from one pot. Made only from natural ingredients.

Served with groats.

Quick lunches and delightful dinners.

Flavours from different parts of the world: Seafood stew, Pork stew with sauerkraut, Mix of beans with Viennese sausages, Pork stew with chorizo sausage, Green vegetables stew, Pork meat balls in hot tomato sauce, Hungarian goulash, White beef strogonoff with vodka, Pesto, Turkey curry…

Fri-Sat 12:00-22:00. Tucked at the tip of Konstancin’s park, Mezzo’s wood-burning brick pizza oven constructed in the garden gets all the thumbs up. Also novel to the community is a chance to enjoy top-notch beef – using filet from Poland and T-bones from Irish Hereford cattle, Mezzo’s newly designed kitchen uses a lava grill to ensure excellence each time. $$ Nonsolo Pizza (A6) ul. Grójecka 28/30, tel. 22 824 1273. Open Mon-Sun 12:00-23:00. Design doesn’t figure highly here, instead the onus is on food – the salads are good, but the pizzas even better; maybe even the best in the city. Who says so? Only about a zillion Italians who order from here. $ Parmizzano’s (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott Hotel, Floor 1), tel. 22 630 6306. Open 12:0023:00. The prices are highly intimidating, but are offset by cooking that never falls below brilliant. Hotel restaurants get a bad rep, but in the formal surrounds of Parmiazzano’s diners can expect Italian food at its very best. $$$ Pomidoro (Konstancin-Jeziorna) Al. Wojska Polskiego 3, tel. 22 702 8777.

Open daily 12:00-last guest. An authentic Italian restaurant located in a renovated paper mill. Chef Ricardo whips up some of the best pizzas, pastas and steaks you’ll find in this city. Try the spaghetti alle vongole or the bistecca alla fiorentina for a real taste of Tuscany. $$ Punta Prima ul. Obrzeżna 1B, tel. 22 406 0886, www.puntaprima.com.pl. Open 11:00-last guest. A formal looking space with wood walls and important chests and cabinets.

Start with a glass of prosecco before being blown over by mains like guinea fowl with truffle puree and caramelized beetroot – even better than it sounds. $$

Ristorante San Lorenzo (B3)

Masz Gulasz, 15 Piękna St. Phone: 22 370 25 50 www.maszgulasz.com

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Al. Jana Pawła II 36, tel. 22 652 1616, www.sanlorenzo.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. Adorned with crisp, starched linen and Roman frescos this space is almost magisterial in design. The Tuscan menu is

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

flawless and well worth the rather hefty bill.

The wine bar on the ground floor features the same standards at a snip of the price, and it’s here you’ll find Italian natives cheering the Serie A football. $$$ Rusticoni Restaurant (C4) Złote Tarasy, tel. 22 222 0550, www.rusticoni. pl. Italian specialities, right in the heart of Warsaw. Choose from a wide variety of pizzas and pastas, as well as an assortment of meat and fish dishes, and a range of desserts, including home-made tiramisu. $

*

Spokojna 15 ul. Spokojna 15, tel.

507 782 652, www.spokojna15.com.

Open Sun-Thu 12:0022:00; Fri-Sat 12:0023:00. A 19th century red brick building is the home of Spokojna, a hipster style hangout that serves two ends – that of a café and that of a restaurant. On the food front the menu includes an exhaustive selection of pizza, as well as other Mediterranean bites. $ Trattoria Rucola na Miodowej ul. Miodowa 1, tel. 888 574 4357, www.trattoriarucola.pl. Open 12:00-22:00.

Firmly established in Saska, Ruccola have expanded to cover the West side.

The M.O is very much the same, with huge wall prints of verdant forest scenes, and a menu that impresses across the board – the pizza in particular gets our seal of approval. $ Venezia (E7) ul. Marszałkowska 10/16, tel. 22 622 1537, www.venezia.com.pl. Open noon-23:00.

What happens when a restaurant hits the skids? They call Magda Gessler, or more specifically her Polski version of Kitchen Nightmares. Reinvented under her guiding hand, Venezia are back with an exciting menu and an informal design that includes Venetian murals and a stone lion. Can Venezia reclaim their reputation? The grilled sirloin with chili says yes. $$ Venti Tre (E7) ul. Belwederska 23 (Hyatt Hotel), tel. 22 558 1094. Open 6:30-23:00. With good seafood – such a rarity in Warsaw – Venti Tre serves up lovely meals that would appease the finicky appetite of any fish-lover.

For cooking classes with the head chef contact the hotel. $$$

Vera Italia (Ochota) ul. Sąchocka 5, tel. 22 823 8380, www.veraitalia.pl. Open 11:30-23:00.

Where Warsaw’s Italian and other expats craving the real thing gather for Italian food.

Note that its popularity makes booking ahead a must. $$ Włoska Robota (Ochota) ul. Drawska 22 (Ochota), tel. 783 870 463.

Open Sun-Thurs 11:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 11:0023:00. Squirreled away in Park Szczęśliwicki in Ochota, the forte of the establishment is the home-made pasta. The menu is otherwise a cookie-cutter range of pizza with the usual range of toppings. If you’re after baked dough the “panuozzo” sandwiches are real winners just be prepared to wait a while. $

JAPANESE & SUSHI Art Sushi (C5) ul. Nowogrodzka 56, tel. 22 621 7720, www.artsushi.pl Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 13:00-22:00. The restaurant is charming,

modern and peaceful. The menu is strictly Japanese/Korean, but is a good starting-point for sushi first-timers. $$ Akashia (C4) Al. Jana Pawła II 61, tel. 22 636 6767; Złote Tarasy, ul. Złota 59, tel. 22 222 0333, www.akashia.pl. The glory years are over, especially if a visit to the Złote Tarasy outpost is anything to go by. We like our duck to be crispy, but this could have been blowtorched – we didn’t need chopsticks, we needed a chisel. The W.C could benefit from a lick of paint and all. $$ Besuto (E4) ul. Nowy Świat 27, tel. 22 828 0020, www.besuto.pl. Open 12:00-23:00; Sat 12:00-24:00; Sun 13:00-23:00. After years trading in one of the grubby pavilions behind Nowy Świat, Besuto have upped chopsticks and moved onto Nowy Świat itself. The sushi is as good as ever, only now so are the views.

You’d have expected the prices to climb north to reflect the change in address: they haven’t. $$

Hana Sushi (A1) al. Jana Pawła II 82 (Arkadia), www.hanasushi. pl. Dated decor of bamboo shoots and bonsai trees is made to look good by dreadful service and irritating elevator music. But it’s hard to dislike Hana – the ‘gunkan special’ is out of this world. $$ Inaba (B5) ul. Nowogrodzka 84/86, tel. 22 622 5955.

Open 12:00-23:00 (kitchen closes at 22:00).

Located in an office building, this place is surprisingly quiet. The miso soup will have you licking your bowl and the sashimi and sushi sets are perfect. It's an old-timer, but it's still up there as a real contender. $$ Izumi Sushi (D6) ul. Mokotowska 17 (pl. Zbawiciela), tel. 22 825 7950, www.izumisushi.eu.

Open 12:00-23:00 or last guest. Izumi’s décor is a mix between modern design and Japanese style, which means it’s easy on the eyes but lean enough for you to concentrate on the yummy food. Plus, it’s a major spot for celeb-spotting in the city. $$

Now accepting bookings for our New Year's Eve Gala

RISTORANTE SAN LORENZO AL. JANA PAWŁA II 36 TEL. 22 652 1616 WWW.SANLORENZO.PL

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RESTAURANTS Burgers *

Barn Burger (D4) ul. Złota 9. Now settled in newer, bigger digs, what had finished summer as Warsaw’s favorite burger has taken the foot off the gas. The offer has been increased but, so it seems, at the cost of the quality. Nonetheless, try the Muppet – served on wooden trays, it’s a messy affair loaded with salsa, jalapenos and BBQ sauce. $

*

Burger Bar (E10) ul. Puławska 74/80 (enter from Olkuska). Open Tue-Sun 12:00-20:00.

Hands down the sort of burger Thurman and Travolta would chow in Pulp Fiction. Decorative elements don’t go beyond tables and chairs (of which there aren’t many), and waiting times can drive you nuts – as can the tramps who stagger past to the nearby bottle bank. The reward is the Insider’s burger of the year: try the green chili cheeseburger for a life defining moment. $ Lokal Bistro ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 64.

Open 10:00-24:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-1:00.

Dentist colors and voluminous ceilings lend an austere but pleasant look to this Polish-style burger bar. Sit outside at the woodchip tables (oww! watch for splinters…) to enjoy burgers that incorporate Polish Red Angus, Baltic cod and mountain cheese. Our tip: order a towering double burger with red onion marmalade and homemade ketchup. Delivered on a thick wooden board it’s completely delightful – if not a little messy. By the end of the meal the table will look like you’ve just given birth. $

*

Warburger (E9) ul. Dąbrowskiego 1. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-20:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-19:00.

What looks like a former newsagent cabin is the latest contribution to local burger culture. And very welcome it is – aside from run-off-the-mill burgers, find ingredients like deer meat featuring. $

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Kaizen ul. Świetlicowa 7/9 (Konstancin), tel. 607 128 840. Open 12:00-22:00. Dark woods and orchids warm the characteristically minimal Japanese design. The traditional sushi is delicious; however they also step in uncommon directions as they cater to Western tastes, with additional sauces, innovative inclusions and elegant plate ensembles. $$ Sakana Sushi Bar (D2, A1) ul. Burakowska 5/7 tel. 22 636 0055; ul. Moliera 4/6, tel. 22 826 5958, www.sakana.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 13:00-22:00. If there was one winner in the sushi wars of the noughties, it was Sakana. Many claim it’s the best in the city, a stand that’s hard to dispute. Practice nimble chopstick moves among other aficionados while sushi rolls sail by on tiny, little boats. $$ Sushi 77 (B4) ul. Żelazna 41, tel. 22 890 1811, Al. KEN 49, ul. Polna 48, ul. Nowogrodzka 38, C.H. Skorosze, ul. Gen. F. Sławoja-Składkowskiego 4, www.sushi77.com. Open 12:00-23:00.

Not the best in town, but definitely the best deal in town. Prices have been slashed 40%, meaning you’ll get a highly acceptable sushi fix for an economy class bill. $ Sushi Club ul. Stawki 3, tel. 22 114 1414. Open 12:0023:00. A couple of dining rooms to choose from, including one found in a restorative salt cave. The lack of English on the menu may leave you bamboo-zled, but the overall quality is rewarding. We keep coming back for the salmon nigri and tuna hosomaki. $$ Sushi Zushi (D5) ul. Żurawia 6/12, tel. 22 420 3373, www.sushizushi.pl. Open Mon-Thur 12:0023:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-03:00; Sun 13:00-22:00.

The No. 1 ex-pat choice, so it seems, with a front cover crowd who could model for Elle. Survey the slicing skills of the sushi chefs from stools by the moat, and don’t shy away from their more creative inventions – find fish, fruit and cheese inside their Class A rolls. $$ Tomo (D5) ul. Krucza 16/22, tel. 22 434 2344, www.tomo.pl. Open 12:00-23:00. Excellent.

While Warsaw’s other sushi stops gather cobwebs Tomo packs out each night – that should say enough. With the maki, sushi and sashimi bobbing past on wooden platters, this place aims for fast, maximum turnover without

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

ever making the diner feel second best. $$

JEWISH Pod Samsonem (C1) ul. Freta 3/5, tel 22 832 1788, www.podsamsonem.pl. Open 10:00-23:00.

Operating since the 1950s – crazy when you think about it. This is the place for an ordinary meal in an ordinary space. The menu mixes aspects of Polish and Jewish cooking, and fails to do a good job of either. Entertainment is provided by the staff: find them frequently at war with the people they serve. $ Rambam ul. Grzybowska 4, tel. 22 243 2693, www.rambamrestaurant.pl. Open Sun-Fri 11:30-23:00. Kosher-certified, though by no means the exclusive domain of the Israeli coachloads who tour the district. A chic look with Middle Eastern accents is paired off with exotic dishes that include a lamb burger with red onion chutney and mint sauce. $$

LATIN Blue Cactus (E8) ul. Zajączkowska 11, tel. 22 851 2323, www.bluecactus.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:0023:00; Sat 9:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-22:00.

A lasting legend and something of a favorite for after-work informal drinks, though recent reconnaissance has revealed plenty of deficiencies – our burrito was tiny, and not so much over-cooked as blowtorched: if it’d been human, you’d have needed dental records to identify it. Service can be calamitous, making the 10% added to the bill the subject of hot debate. $$

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Casa Pablo (C3) ul. Grzybowska 5A, tel. 22 324 5782. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-last guest; Sun 12:00-18:00.

Set to the flank of a glinting office building, it’s easy to miss Pablo’s, a fact that explains why the previous two tenants – among them French chef Michel Moran – have failed to survive. Casa Pablo should fare better, primarily thanks to a ‘creative Spanish’ menu that includes scallops in wasabi sauce and a duck breast burger with Mahon cheese, raspberry ketchup and truffle sauce. Prices are audacious and servings small and precise; even so, we like what we see here. $$$ El Popo (C2) ul. Senatorska 27, tel. 22 827 2340. Open daily

RESTAURANTS 12:00-24:00. The food is consistently inconsistent. Great guacamole, lovely margaritas and pleasant waitstaff. But that’s about it. $$ El Toro Steakhouse ul. Wiejska 13, tel. 22 625 7698, www.eltororestaurant.com.pl. Open 12:0023:00. Decked with stone cladding, wooden supports and a mural of a Mexican desert scene, El Toro is a valuable discovery for meat loves out there. There’s seven steaks to saw through, and they reach a hefty zł. 157 for the Porterhouse. A whole lot cheaper are the delicious Louisiana Hot Wings, though for fans of the Mex part of Tex-Mex the authenticity is open to discussion. $$ Frida Nowy Świat (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 34, tel. 691 343 434. Open SunThur 11:00-24:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-02:00. They’ve sussed the design and the location, but the food is more Pol-Mex than Tex-Mex. Bland flavors and tame salsas don’t encourage return visits. $$ Ole Tapas ul. Bracka 2, tel. 519 875 767, www.ole-restaurant.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

A dual level wine bar and restaurant with a modern spirit and a Flamenco vibe. Don’t let the name fool you: while the tapas are good, it’s the steak most people come for.

Choice here includes aged Spanish beef and Kobe cow. $$

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Pico Cuadro (D2) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 81, tel. 22 826 1524, www.picocuadro.pl. Open 10:00-23:00.

When it comes to their excellent beef manager Francisco Lopez gives credit to both the Argentinean origin of his selections and the knowledgeable hand of his chef who spent twelve years cooking in Spain. But best is dessert – a divine chocolate mousse torte on a delicate cookie crust made in house.

Not too sweet, not too thick, just right!

Although not as free with foreign flavors or combinations as it could be, it remains one to watch. $$ The Mexican (E4) ul. Foksal 10a, tel. 22 826 9021, www.mexican.pl. Open Sun-Thur 11:0024:00; Fri and Sat 11:00-01:00. Style-wise this place is fab, complete with an adobe courtyard and Corona chandeliers. But the authenticity crashes into calamity with the food, which frequently appears as a mysterious gloop served with mashed cabbage.

The locals love it. $$

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POLISH Ale Gloria (E5) Pl. Trzech Krzyży 3, tel. 22 584 7080, www.alegloria.pl. Open daily 11:00-23:00.

Who said romance was dead? Here wedding white colors are fused with a strawberry motif inside this gourmet fave. Keeping patrons returning are aromatic dishes with a contemporary twist – try the duck in rose sauce. $$$ Amber Room at the Sobański Palace (E5)

Al. Ujazdowskie 13, tel. 22 523 6664, www.kprb.pl/amber. Open for lunch MonFri 12:00-15:00, dinner Mon-Fri 18:00-22:00, Sat 19:00-22:30. The Amber Room is, indeed, a bit of a treasure. Chef Robert Skubisz has excelled himself in creating a menu that injects upmarket Polish dishes with contemporary flair. Set inside a majestic mansion, the recommendation they’ve received from Michelin is justly deserved. $$$ Atelier Amaro (E6) ul. Agrykola 1, tel. 22 628 5747, www.aterlieramaro.pl. Open 12:00-15:00; 18:00-22:30. Nigel Slater recently called Atelier, “the most extraordinary meal of the trip,” and The Guardian’s gastro guru has hit the nail on the head. Find a menu of slow food enhanced by modern techniques (e.g. blasts of nitrogen), with each course interspersed with occasionally bizarre molecular interludes – you bet we didn’t expect to be served a fizzy aloe leaf. This is Poland’s finest restaurant, and a real contender for the nation’s first Michelin star. Bookings essential. $$$

*

Bazyliszek (D1) Rynek Starego Miasto 1/3, tel. 22 831 1841, www.bazyliszek.waw.pl. Open 11:00-24:00.

Some parts of Bazyliszek hark to its years as a stately, stuffy restaurant. Now though it’s more earthy, with Jurassic portions of meaty, lardy food best consumed with one liter beers. The Rynek location and festive atmosphere account for its popularity more than anything that comes from the kitchen. $ Belvedere Restaurant (F8) ul. Agrykoli 1, (entrance from ul. Parkowa), tel. 22 558 6700, www.belvedere.com.pl.

Open daily 12:00-last guest. Set in an atmospheric greenhouse, known as the ‘New Orangery’ in the Royal Łazienki Park, this landmark fine dining establishment features renditions of Polish, European and Nouvelle Cuisine, within elegant red, gold

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

BEST WAWA and black interiors. $$$ 2011 “Business Venue” Winner Biała Gęś (F8) ul. Belwederska 18A, tel. 22 840 5060, www.bialages.pl. Open 12:00-last guest.

All the props and staff of its predecessor (Tradycja Polska) are present, with the conspicuous add-on being flocks of white geese.

And indeed, goose is the big draw here – t hese guys can fix you a whole bird if you book in advance (zł. 460 for four). As can be said of all places bearing Magda Gessler’s initials, the desserts are something else. $$$ Bistro Przekąski Zakąski (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13, tel. 22 826 7936. Open daily 24hr. An eat-while-you-stand venue serving up eight złoty bites specifically designed to act as emergency stomach lining for a pre/postparty crowd of vodka sinking glamour cats. $ Bistro Warszawa (B1) ul. Jezuicka 1, tel. 22 635 3769, www.bistrowarszawa.pl. Open 12:00-24:00.

The menu cites pre-war recipe books as its influence, and on it you’ll find such dishes as goose in thyme sauce with pear and zucchini.

The interiors are strictly contemporary though, with vanilla colored furnishings, wine racks and walls papered with hundreds of theater scripts and book pages. Regular jazz performances draw crowds from across the city. $$ Chłopskie Jadło (D6) pl. Konstytucji 1, tel. 22 339 1717; ul. Wierzbowa 9/11, tel. 22 827 0351. A chain enterprise designed to mimic a peasant inn, what with all the clunky pots and rustic supplements. And if it’s farmers fare you’re after then the food isn’t bad either, with thick, lumpy servings of countryside classics. $ Delicja Polska (D6) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 45, tel. 22 826 4770, www.delicjapolska.pl.

Open daily 12:00-last guest. It’s one of those few places where the food is fabulous, service efficient and discreet and the interior reminiscent of a fairytale dining room. $$ Dom Polski (H4) ul. Francuska 11, tel. 22 616 2432, www.restauracjadompolski.pl. Open daily 12:00-last guest. Built for moments when nothing but the best will do. Prices are premium, but this piece of high society features an aristocratic temperament and fine Polish cuisine served with an elegant flourish. $$$

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B

iała Gęś is more than a restaurant – on October 17th it held a festive wine tasting to celebrate the Wine Spectator award the restaurant won on account of its magnificent wine. The event was hosted by the creator of our wine list, Tomasz Kolecki-Majewicz, a sommelier who has been voted Poland’s best multiple times over.

During the event guests were treated to outstanding world wines, among them Raventos y Blanc De Nit Cava from Spain, Errazuriz Arboleda Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile and Robert Johnson Riesling from Australia.

Found close to the Łazienki Royal Park, our building was designed by the renowned architect Martin Weinfeld.

Popular with executives and directors, the restaurant boasts a number of lavish rooms in a historic interior. We’re proud to offer excellent traditional Polish cuisine as well as an extensive list of carefully selected wine.

Biała Gęś Restaurant,ul. Belwederska 18A, Warsaw Reservation: www.bialages.pl, tel. +48 22 840 50 60

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RESTAURANTS Dyspensa (E5-6) ul. Mokotowska 39, tel. 22 629 9989, www.dyspensa.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

Back after a refit, Dyspensa now looks altogether sharper, cosmopolitan even.

There’s great people watching to be had from the raised window seating, and a menu of fine Polish fare with international accents. $$ Folk Gospoda (B3) ul. Waliców 13, tel. 22 890 1605,

Tullamore D.E.W. has a gentle nature and a playful soul…

Irishmen know how to get rid of boredom! Ireland’s green hills have given them a whiskey combining gentle nature and a playful soul.

Produced since 1829 in Tullamore, Country Offaly, the drink transports generations of whiskey lovers round the world to Ireland’s land of defiant adventure and wicked sense of humor. The perfect taste and masculine character of TULLAMORE D.E.W. is thanks to crystal clear spring water, carefully selected corns, a triple distillation process, and oak barrels previously used for maturing bourbon or sherry.

Now this original and outstanding Irish whiskey has a newly designed bottle. No matter what you are rarising your glass for, it’s important to remember, as Irishmen do, that good fun goes in tandem with a sense of humour!

SLAINTE!

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www.folkgospoda.pl. Open 12:00-midnight.

If it’s the all-singing, all-dancing village experience you’re after then consider this place. Clad in wood and rural debris the food is what you expect: bulky portions of farmyard kill. $$

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Grand Kredens (B5) Al. Jerozolimskie 111, tel. 22 629 8008, www.kredens.com.pl. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-last guest; Sat & Sun 11:00-last guest. A relic of late 90s Warsaw, consider Kredens a fallen giant. Everything here is stuck in the past – once edgy, the awkward interiors now resemble a tacky mistake. The menu is a dud as well: a jack of all trades, but master of none. Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares would have a field day. $$

Honoratka (C2) ul. Miodowa 14, tel. 22 635 0397, www.honoratka.com.pl. Open daily 12:00last guest. This place has been around since 1826 and has played host to many famous guests, including Chopin. Honoratka serves delicious traditional Polish dishes and international courses. Live music every day from 18:00. $$ Inn Under the Red Hog (B3) ul. Żelazna 68, tel. 22 850 3144, www.czerwonywieprz.pl. Open daily 12:00-24:00. Bathed in red banners and propaganda paintings the Red Hog is your one stop shop for some socialist socializing. The menu is comically split between dishes for the proletariat and those for the dignitaries: the final result though is middle-of-the-road stodge. People – us included – return for the atmosphere rather than the food. $$ MG Eat Gessler (D4) ul. Chmielna 32. Open 10:00-23:00.

Now MG is not your signature Gessler venture; lacking the OTT interiors and flamboyant prices this is a clear departure from what we’re used to. In fact, you couldn’t even call it a restaurant, more a bio café/deli. The ciabbattas are great, and the FroYo outstanding. $ Na Zielnej (C4) ul. Zielna 37, tel. 22 338 6333, www.nazielnej.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-24:00; 12:00-22:00. Earning plaudits from all corners of the press is Na Zielnej, a dining diva which sources only the finest Polish produce.

Split into a restaurant and (marginally cheaper) bistro, the menu has had foodies raving, and includes divine dishes such as pheasant’s breast. And the interiors hit the mark as well – making use of the space

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

vacated by KOM, Na Zielnej touts an edgy, engaging design of bare bricks and violet BEST WAWA 2011 flourishes. $$$ “Address to Impress” Winner Pierogarnia (D2) ul. Bednarska 28/30, tel. 22 828 0392, www.pierogarnianabednarskiej.pl. Open 11:00-21:00. A perfect place to bring a foreigner hungry for a taste of Poland.

Pierogarnia serves a whole range of sweet and savory dumplings, with plenty of vegetarian options. $ Podwale Piwna Kompania (D2) ul. Podwale 25, tel. 22 635-6314, www.podwale25.pl. Open Mon-Sat 11:00-01:00; Sun 12:00-01:00. Set through a courtyard that replicates a Mitteleuropa square, Podwale has a beer hall atmosphere that’s further exaggerated when mountain bands circulate. Food is of average standard and served in portions that are obscene – finishing the wooden platters can be seriously traumatic. Go there for the experience, if nothing else. $ Restauracja Pod Gigantami (E5) Al. Ujadowskie 24, tel. 22 629 2312, www.podgigantami.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. Despite being judged worthy of a recommendation by the scouts at Michelin, Pod Gigantami divides local opinion; it’s not just the Insider that’s found the food only satisfactory. But the wine list impresses, as do the painfully ornate turn-of-the-century interiors. $$$ Restauracja Polska “Różana” (E8) ul. Chocimska 7, tel. 22 848 1225, www.restauracjarozana.com.pl. Open 12:00last guest. It isn’t just the impressionable tourists and new-in-town expense account communities that are swept away by Różana’s charms. It features starchy white table linen, floral pieces, flickering candles and live piano solos to a posse of attentive waiters. The prices are fair and the menu is a thoughtful selection of dishes from “Old Poland.” $$ Rialto’s Restaurant (D5) ul. Wilcza 73 (Rialto Boutique Hotel), tel. 22 584 8771. Open Mon-Fri 6:30-22:30; Sat-Sun 7:00-22:30. Bathed in toffee and vanilla hues, the restaurant in this Art Deco hotel has a solid claim as one of the top meals around. The pan-seared duck breast with honey pumpkin and figs is every bit as inspired as it sounds. $$$

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RESTAURANTS Słony (D5) ul. Piękna 11, tel. 22 629 0364. Open Mon-Wed 8:00-23:00; Thu-Fri 8:00-1:00; Sat 9:00-1:00; Sun 9:00-23:00. The design is kitsch but classy, with mirrored touches and striped wallpaper set against upside down lamps and nudes of Josephine Baker. Polish canapés costing zł. 8 are stored behind glass counters here, and make for great bargain snacking – the eggplant is delicious. $ U Fukiera (D1) Rynek Starego Miasta 27 (Old Town Market Square), tel. 22 831 1013, www.ufukiera.pl.

Open 12:00-last guest. This townhouse has 500 years of history behind it, during which time bills have been settled by princes and presidents, models and musicians.

Reminiscent of a stately home, this maze of enticing alcoves wins for an extravagant menu of locally sourced game. $$$ U Szwejka (D6) pl. Konstytucji 1, tel. 22 339 1710, www. uszwejka.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-24:00; Sat 10:00-24:00; Sun 13:00-24:00. The place is

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named after a tubby fictional Czech soldier, but the grub is hearty Polish, XXXL portions at bargain prices. At zł. 15 per litre of beer, the mugs are constantly refilled to wash down the feast of sausages, ribs and pork knuckles. $$

Zapiecek Locations inc. ul. Nowy Świat 64, Al. Jerozolimskie 28, ul. Podwale 1, Freta 18, Freta 1 & Świętojańska 13, ul. Wańkowicza 1, www.zapiecek.eu.

Open 11:00-22:00. Seven Warsaw locales, with our favorite found in the vaulted passages of Świętojańska. The menu is highly traditional, with courses ‘cooked to grandma’s recipes’.

It’s for the pierogi though for which they’re famous; find approx. fifty types delivered by servers dressed like saucy country maids. $ Zwyczjana ul. Wspólna 54, tel. 507 652 596, www.zwyczjana.pl. Open 8:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-20:00.

A modern Polish eatery with a blond wood aesthetic accented with dabs of art and bowls of fruit. The food is cheap, cheerful Polish fare,

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

with daily specials posted on their website. It fills the gap if nothing else. $

SPECIALTY FOOD SHOPS Bio Bazar ul. Żelazna 51/53, tel. 22 318 8855, www.biobazar.org.pl. Open Sat 8:00-17:00.

Fruit and veg in the first warehouse, some of it imported from as far as Argentina. In the second warehouse, find organic cheese varieties from sheep and goats, as well as import brands from Italy, France and the Netherlands.

British Shop ul. Emilii Plater 8, tel. 692 240 804.

British food and beverages inc. cider, bacon, sausages, gluten free ready meals, confectionary etc. Run by the same team who once operated Fish & Chips on Koszykowa, the offer has now expanded to cover non-food items inc. Royal Wedding souvenirs, England football paraphernalia etc.

La Petite France

ul. Zwycięzców 28, tel. 22 672 9646, www.lapetitefrance.pl. Open Mon-Sat 10:3018:00. Wine and cheese as well as canned and tinned foods from France.

Le Diplomat ul. Meksykańska 6, tel. 22 616 0539.

Open Mon-Fri 10:00-19:00; Sat 10:00-15:00.

Long regarded as the best butcher in town, as well as the number one source for lamb.

Kuchnie Świata Various locations, www.kuchnieswiata.com. pl. The first stop for most ex-pats, with an offer that includes food and drinks from across the globe. The choice is vast. Internet ordering now also available.

La Fromagerie ul. Burakowska 5/7, tel. 22 465 2324, www.lafromagerie.pl. Open Mon-Thur 9:0020:00; Fri 9:00-21:00; Sat 10:00-19:00; Sun

11:30-16:00. Top quality cheeses produced by small, artisan producers from England, the major regions of France as well as several other countries. Also, grourmet specialities like Italian parma ham, Spanish chorizo, French sausages, and hard-to-find luxury brands from France, Italy, Greece and more.

Little India ul. Domaniewska 22/5, tel. 22 843 6738, www.littleindia.pl. The definitive Indian store which doesn’t look anything more than a pokey neighborhood store. They’ve got it all mind, from oils, beans, lentils and flour, not to mention ready meals, canned goods and cosmetics. Internet ordering available.

Maho al. Krakowska 240/242, tel. 22 609 1548, www. maho.com.pl. An excellent German-run Turkish restaurant that also doubles as a butcher: halal certified beef, veal, lamb and poultry.

Marks & Spencer Various locations inc. DT Wars & Sawa, ul. Marszałkowska 104/122, tel. 22 551 7553,

www.marks-and-spencer.com.pl. Visit the Marszałkowska location to take advantage of the on-site bakery, but visit early as choice diminishes the later it gets. Aside from baked goods, find an excellent frozen food section, as well as an off-license, tinned goods, ready BEST meals, confectionary and preserves.

WAWA 2011 “Gourmet Grocery” Winner Namaste India ul. Nowogrodzka 15, tel. 22 357 0939.

Open Mon-Sat 11:00-22:00; Sun 12:00-22:00.

Not just an excellent take-away, but also a small deli selling herbs and spices, ready meals, drinks and even Indian toiletries.

Ostra Kuchnia www.ostrakuchnia.pl. A superb internet shop retailing quite literally the hottest sauces known to man: brands include Blair’s, Dave’s, El Yucateco, Mad Dog, Melinda’s and many more besides. Also sell jalapenos, chili peppers, salsas and pastes. Polish-only website, but easy to navigate and superb customer service.

Papryka-Hungarian Store

Taste the Exotic!

Le Cedre 61

Al. Solidarności 61, Praga Vis a vis Bears Tel 22 670 11 66

Le Cedre 84 NEW

Al. Solidarności 84, Centrum Vis a vis Court Tel 22 618 89 99

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RESTAURANTS ul. Zwycięzców 22, tel. 22 616 0257, www.papryka-salami.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:0019:00; Sat 11:00-15:00. A Hungarian deli selling wine, meats, preserves and spices.

Piccola Italia & Mediterraneo Locations on ul. Emili Plater 47, ul. Egejska 17, Al. KEN 85. Over 1,700 products, inc. cheeses from Lombardy, coffee from Florence and Olives from Puglia. And not just Italian: find a range of foods from both Spain and France.

Polna Market ul. Polna 13, Open Mon-Fri 7:00-19:00, Sat 7:00-17:00. Known as ‘Warsaw’s Market’ during communism, this was the place to get treasured goods from the West. Find a couple of wine stores, an outstanding butcher, and a fab produce stand selling only the freshest vegetables, but at a cost.

WHOLE FOODS Bio 33 ul. Grzybowska 61, tel. 22 409 9605,

www.bio33.pl. A space age looking restaurant in the Platinum Towers complex next to the Hilton. Making use of organic products, the premise is simple: three salads, three soups, three fish dishes, three meat etc. The results are marvelous, but the prices are daft.

Zł. 26 for tomato soup!? $$

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Green Peas (D4) ul. Szpitalna 5, tel. 22 826 1985, www.greenpeas.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-20:00. Offering vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free meals, it’s a well-rounded, health conscious offer here. Low cal and low cost inside a greenish, cafeteria style space. $

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Surya (C1) ul. Wałowa 3, tel. 22 635 81 39, www. restauracja-surya.pl. Open Tue-Sat 12:0022:00. Found down in a former nuclear shelter this basement restaurant looks like a hobbit’s hideout, with lots of clunky timber doors leading down mysterious passages. Everything served is raw, and on the occasions they do use an oven it’s

Hot Find SAM Kameralny Kompleks Gastronomiczny ul. Lipowa 7, tel. 606 836 836, www.sam.info.pl. Mon-Fri 8:3022:00; Sat-Sun 10:00-21:00.

T

he test of the pudding, naturally, is in the tasting. But in the current café boom, when new operations are popping up left, right and center of the city, the staying power of a watering hole lets you single out the men from the boys. So, this spring, when the owners of the 12-year-old-and-still-rocking Café 6/12 rolled out SAM, we knew a winner in the Powisłe café-cum-bistro scene had emerged.

Physically, SAM does not bear much resemblance to its more

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

maintained under 42°C to keep all nutrients and enzymes alive. The raw pizza is better than anything you get at Domino’s, and the zucchini lasagna a brilliant surprise. Great list of smoothies, as well. $ VegeMiasto ul. Chmielna 9A, tel . 607 031 114.

Open 12:00-21:00; Sun 12:00-18:00. A giant red mural flags VegeMiasto, making it impossible to miss. Acting as flypaper for student types, the menu is a vegan, largely gluten-free affair. Even staunch meat eaters should visit for the smoothies and shakes. $ Ye Goode Foode ul. Zamiany 12, tel. 22 254 4025. Open 11:00-last guest. YGF are back, this time in an off-center location in the middle of the ’burbs. Making use of unrefined oils and organic produce these guys take their cooking seriously – even the soups are made from spring water. The menu might not be as extensive as before, but it’s not a bad shout if you’re in the hood. $$

austere and somber looking first-born: junior, for instance, gets oodles of light from the floor-to-ceiling doors. The look borrows from the commie theme; not the frumpy the-way-it-really-was design, but the glammed-up nostalgic sort. The all-white crockery also includes milk bar styled mugs. The central, communal table (complete with retro 60’s chairs) is flanked by smaller satellite tables for parties of two to four. Perky seasonal blooms and potted herbs lend a spark of freshness. And, refreshingly, the clientele are not the suited biz bunch of Café 6/12, but largely hip-minded youths.

Attractive though the place and people are, the most droolable element here is the basement bakery. Co-owner Małgorzata KusinaDoran is a fine-bread connoisseur. I suspect SAM has been designed to fulfill her dream of running a bakery after honing her skills at a bread-making course by Raymond Blanc in London. Flour is sourced from small mills to make baguettes, bagels, pita breads and sour dough loaves, plus sweet rolls with rosehip or blueberry jams.

SAM’s menu is mainly European in nature, along with a smattering of North African, Middle Eastern and Asian. Like Café 6/12, it also dishes out (free range) egg-based breakfast fares. Other edibles borrowed from 6/12 include Singapore Laksa and bagels with savory toppings. But what SAM really oozes is that spirit of serving seasonal, wholesome goodness and the fave dishes of the staff. There’s a pleasant element of discovery in picking from the current specials scribbled on the blackboard. We particularly enjoyed the well-spiced “Muslim dish with fish and chickpea” and pitta bread with broad beans. (KC)

Reviews: Petit Appetit 57 / Plus:

* 6 updates

CAFÉS & WINE BARS CAFES 57 / WINE BARS 60

KEY

Insider’s Pick

Insider writers do not accept any form of payment in return for favorable reviews.

BOW 2011 Winner.............

Breakfast menu .............

Business meetings..........

Child friendly...................

Delivery.............................

Free wifi..............................

Map location pg. 86 ...... (A1) Romantic..........................

Vegetarian friendly...........

CAFÉS 5.29 (D4) ul. Krucza 51 (corner of Widok). Open Mon-Fri 8:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-18:00. Stuffed in an area of 5.29 sq/m, here’s a candidate for Poland’s smallest café. Maybe the world’s. But there’s not just great espresso to knock back while standing, but a great oven knocking out foccacias, bagels and fresh French pastries.

Petit Appetit ul. Nowy Świat 27, tel. 22 826 44 61, www.petitappetit.pl. Open 6:30-23:00.

PHOTOGRAPH BY KAROLINA KALINOWSKA

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ou may cringe at the sole mention of Charlotte, where finding a seat is comparable to a miracle and being noticed by the waiter once you eventually do manage to grab one – even more so. Yet all these side-effects of the undisputed success story of 2011 only serve as proof that there is an ever-increasing hunger for French bistros in Warsaw. Please excuse the overt product placement, but the comparison between these two is inevitable, as the concept of Petit Appetit is essentially the same (one can even find a big communal table gracing the main space).

Petit Appetit caters to those who need their freshly baked croissant or pain au chocolat on their run to the office, but also to those who can afford to languidly pass the morning having an omelette and sipping one of Petit Appetit’s very large coffees. The choice of breads is also impressive, and can be found on a huge chalkboard overhanging the counter. As an added plus, you can savor their twelve choices of bread and baguettes with the justly famous Bon Maman jams.

Apart from mouth-watering sights and smells, its main attribute is most definitely the fact that it lacks the pretentiousness of most of Warsaw’s haunts – as well as those hipsters who use them. And while it occupies a space on one of Warsaw’s busiest thoroughfares, Nowy Świat, by some miracle when I visited it was serenely under-populated. It made a difference to have my fix of (too many!) French pastries without someone glaring at me for taking up the seat for too long.

The only thing I would hold against Petit Appetit is that it is so stereotypically French that it lacks the actual authenticity of a typical French café – the lingering impression is an overthe-top parody of what the Poles think of France. But then, those are the consequences of opening a place on Warsaw’s main tourist route. Nonetheless, the brioche is divine. (KK)

Antrakt (D3) pl. Piłsudskiego 9, tel. 22 827 6411.

Open daily 12:00-last guest. Intellectuals and playwrights gather in Antrakt, a quirky cafe that groans with antiques and artwork.

The presence of the theater next door keeps the IQ level high.

Aroma ul. Krucza 6, tel. 22 376 5475, www.aromaespressobar.pl. Open 7:00-22:00; Sat-Sun 9:00-20:00. An attractive Israeli owned spot with white painted walls and a busy café atmosphere – hissing coffee contraptions and lively sounds. The sandwiches are nice enough, but we like this place for their other offerings: cinnamon twisters, Belgian waffles and chocolate croissants.

Blikle (D3) ul. Nowy Świat 33, tel. 22 826 6619, www.blikle.pl. All-day breakfast: Mon-Sat 9:00-last guest, Sun 10:00-last guest. There’s a cultured, pre-war look to Blikle, a proud cafe with a 100 year history. Famous former clients include Charles de Gaulle who had a fondness for their donuts.

Bubbleology ul. Chmielna 26, www.bubbleology.pl.

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CAFÉS & WINE BARS Open 11:00-23:00. Looking like a 26th century version of Willy Wonka’s factory (psychedelic colors, Japanese lettering, and doors marked Top Secret), this place is no ordinary café.

But that’s down to the drinks, rather than the décor. ‘Bubble Tea’ is the beverage here, with an arsenal of fruit flavors made by zany lab coated staff.

Café 6/12 (E5) ul. Żurawia 6/12, tel. 22 622 5333, www.612.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-23:00; Sat 10:00-24:00; Sun 10:00-23:00.

Famous for dispensing complicated fruit and vegetable smoothies, 6/12 have even introduced a full diet plan: pop-by for breakfast, then grab a goodie bag packed with balanced meals and snacks for the day ahead. Being healthy has never tasted better.

Or looked better for that matter; still very much the choice haunt for the in-team.

BEST WAWA 2011 “Cafe Culture” Winner Café Galeria Sztuki (F1) ul. Ząbkowska 13, tel. 22 619 8109, www. caffee.stanowski.pl. Open 9:00-last guest; Sat-Sun 10:00-last guest. Located in a restored tenement, Sztuki is defined by raw brick, whitewashed walls and antique furniture… with price tags attached. Yes, if you like the chair you’re sitting on, feel free to buy it. The summery iced lattes are divine.

Café Lorentz Al. Jerozolimskie 3. Open Mon 10:00-20:00; Tue-Sat 10:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-21:00. Set at the front of the National Museum this place has a nice indoor area with high ceilings and minimalist decorations and a green outdoor area populated by wickers chairs and hammocks. As is the rage in Warsaw, the menu is light, natural and healthy.

Café Próżna (C3) ul. Próżna 12, tel. 22 620 3257, www.cafeprozna.pl. Open Sun-Thur 10:0023:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-24:00. Ignoring the fact that most of this street looks ready to fall down, the artsy-looking Próżna comes with a chic, ice white look, and a stack of hard-back tomes to compliment the homemade desserts. Even better at night, when soaked in the glow of dozens of candles.

Café Vincent (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 64, tel. 22 828 0115.

Open daily 6:30-24:00. A must-stop, Cafe Vincent is your ultimate French connection: a bakery, pastry shop and bistro. It offers freshly baked treats from almond croissants

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to delicate brioches.

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Chłodna 25 (B3) ul. Chłodna 25, tel. 22 620 2413, www.chlodna25.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-last guest; Sat & Sun 10:00-last guest. Once known for its battered look and antiestablishment attitude, C25 has undergone gentrification. Now, all the dreadlocks and second hand furniture are a distant memory, replaced instead by a middle class crowd and a cleaned up look. But it’s not all bad news – having lost their license at the start of the year, the beer has returned! The next question is, will the customers? With initiatives like international comedy nights and strange, cult concerts our money says yes.

Coffee Karma (D6) pl. Zbawiciela 3/5, tel. 22 875 8709, www.coffeekarma.eu. Open Mon-Fri 7:3022:00; Sat 9:00-22:00, Sun 10:00-22:00.

Order a smoothie, switch off the phone, open the book – it’s that sort of place. Concerts and art shows figure in their repertoire, as does rather good coffee. But to see Coffee Karma at her best, wait for the spring terrace.

Czuły Barbarzyńca (E3) ul. Dobra 31, tel. 22 826 3294, www.czulybarbarzynca.pl. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-22:00; Sat 10:00-23:00; Sun 12:0022:00. A very charming bookstore and café in one.

Delikatesy Bracia Gessler (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13, tel. 22 826 7936, www.gessler.pl.

Open Mon-Fri 8:00-23:00; Sat 9:00-23:00; Sun 10:00-23:00. Great sandwiches, cakes and pastries from the Gessler dynasty.

Columned, imperial interiors add a swish look to this Royal Route stalwart. Order at the street side hatch for a take-away lunch.

Dziurka od Klucza (E3) ul. Radna 22 881 8677. Open Mon-Sun 12:0021:00. Dziurka serves an ambiguous role as a bar, restaurant and cafe. Curious doors sit embedded on the wall, as if waiting to be opened by the keys that hang on the tree outside.

Flowers, plant pots and violet splashes give it a cheerful spin, while the Italian inspired menu isn’t short on creative flair.

Francuska 30 (H4) ul. Francuska 30. Open daily 8:00-22:00.

An attractive modern café in the heart of Saska Kępa with an artsy feel. A large selection of coffee drinks as well as teas, complemented by

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

a choice of pastries, muffins and simple Italian dishes at affordable prices.

Haagen Dazs (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 36, tel. 22 826 3052.

Open 10:00-20:00. The mango sorbet is out of this world, albeit served inside generic, showroom interiors.

Kafka Café (E3) ul. Oboźna 3, tel.22 826 0822, www.kawiarnia-kafka.pl. Open Mon-Fri 9:00-22:00; Sat-Sun 10:00-22:00. Floor-toceiling glass walls, retro checkered floor tiles and rows of pre-loved books lining shelves characterize this café hotspot. They serve salads, pastas and pancakes and tote plenty of “free” factors: free wi-fi, smoke-free interiors and attitude-free waitresses.

Kawiarnia Ogrody (D2) ul. Mariensztat 21A, tel. 22 826 2898, www.kawiarniaogrody.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-22:00, 9:00-22:00; Sun 11:00-20:00.

The black and white decor manages to strike a perfect balance between grungy and chic. Kawiarnia Ogrody is located on the beautiful, old-timey Mariensztat, and serves a selection of coffee drinks, shakes, snacks and pastries. Watch out, the ‘large’ coffee is actually huge!

KluboKawiarnia Towarzyska ul. Zwycięzców 49, www.klubokawiarnia.net.

Open 9:00-last guest. Urban cool penetrates Saska. With an interior modeled by John Strumiłło, this 50s pavilion has an ascetic design defined by polar white interiors.

Contrast is provided downstairs, with deep magenta walls and retro armchairs. Concerts, screenings and art happenings have launched it into local conscience.

La Vanille (D5) ul. Krucza 16/22, tel. 22 578 2233, www.lavanille.pl. Open 8:00-20:00. In much the same way Charlotte is so much more than a bakery, La Vanille is definitely more than your standard confectioners. Thick with the scent of icing sugar, it looks sharp and sleek with glossy lifestyle mags tossed on battleship grey sofas. But it’s the counter that acts as a magnetic force, and it’s here you’ll find fantastic cupcakes of all color and flavor spread out in precise military formation.

Limoni Canteri 1952 (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 52. Open 8:00-22:00. What appears as a run-of-the-mill high street cafe is anything but. The ice cream here is

sensational, with unconventional flavors that deviate from the norm – really, have you ever ordered a cone of tomato and beer flavored ice cream? Italian run, it’s a must in the summer.

Lody na Patyku (E3) ul. Lipowa 7A. Open 10:00-23:00. One of our favorite openings of the summer; selling ice lollies of every shape, size, flavor and color, this unexpected project is an initiative of the guys who run Warszawa Powiśle and Syreni Śpiew. Looking clinical and white, it’s a star of the summer.

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Loft Café (D4) ul. Złota 11, tel. 608 608 488, www.cafeloft. pl. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-22:00; Sat-Sun 11:00-22:00. Brickwork and aquariums dominate Loft, while lighting is courtesy of strings of bubbles that dangle from the ceiling. The loud and lairy design befits the neon-lit exteriors. Clearly, plenty of people like it, we’re more ambivalent.

Magiel Café ul. Stępińska 2, tel. 22 841 0016, www.magielcafe.pl. Open Mon-Sat 11:0022:00; Sun 12:00-21:00. Situated in a former laundrette, sweet looking Magiel comes crowded with rusting mangles and vintage posters advertising soaps and powders.

Featuring some delicious homemade meals inspired influenced by both the Polish and Mediterranean spirit, this place also gets noted for estoreric Polish beers, as well as a series of French wines sourced from private vineyards.

Między Nami (D4) ul. Bracka 20, www.miedzynamicafe.com, tel. 22 828 5417. Open Mon-Thur 10:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-24:00; Sun 13:00-23:00. One of Warsaw’s enduring legends, and as popular at night as it is during the day; media types love it, and you’ll find them pecking on quesadilla type snacks inside a hip, white interior.

Ministerstwo Kawy ul. Marszałkowska 27/35, tel. 512 091 840, www.ministerstwokawy.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-21:00; Sat-Sun 10:00-22:00. Were it not for the fact MK opened after voting had closed, you’d have bet your bottom zlot this would have romped home with our ‘best café’ award.

Decorated sparingly with white wall tiles and wooden floors, this newbie numbers some ace fruit drinks amongst its greater glories.

MiTo (D6) ul. Waryńskiego 28, tel. 2 629 0815, www.mito.art.pl. Open Mon-Fri 7:00-22:00;

9:00-23:00. Café, gallery, bookstore. Sure, we’ve seen that concept before, just not done in this style. Stark white backgrounds are offset by modern art, lending the place a Tate Modern feel.

Mokotowska 22 ul. Mokotowska 22, tel. 22 622 0689, www.mokotowska-22.pl. Open 7:30-22:00.

Ignoring the rather lame name (come on, get creative eh...), 22 features soft, coffeecolored chairs, zappy, innovative art and an undefeatable selection of lattes. It works on every level, and is a great alternative to braying, boasting Charlotte down the road.

Moments ul. Nowy Swiat 6/12, www.tastylife.pl. Open Mon-Thu 7:30-22:00; Fri 7:30-24:00; Sat 10:00-24:00; Sun 10:00-22:00. A prime location in the ingenious construction of a two-storey glass prism under the Financial Center’s arcades. So forget the gloomy, dusty corners of Warsaw’s cafes and immerse yourself inside a sleek space bathed in light that comes streaming through all four walls.

Moments knows many incarnations and slides with ease between cosmopolitan cafe, modern eatery and communal wine bar.

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my’o’my (D4) ul. Szpitalna 8 (enter from Górskiego), www. myomy.pl. Open Mon 11:00-22:00; Tue-Thu 10:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-24:00; Sun 10:00-21:00. Slightly rustic in design, with flower-patterned pillows, wooden panels painted white and winding stairs that lead to a charming second floor. The baked goods are courtesy of baker extraordinaire Zofia Różycka, and the rest of the food offer is pretty grand as well. Its popularity with Warsaw’s mid-20s set makes it occasionally claustrophobic.

Petit Appetit (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 27, www.petitappetit.pl. Open 6:30-23:30. Cartoon murals, brickwork and that must for the season – a communal table – all contribute to marking Petit Appetit as something of a winner. Their real success though is as a bakery: loaves, baguettes, pastries are produced to expert standard.

Piaskownica (E3) ul. Lipowa 7A. Open 9:00-last guest; Fri-Sat 11:00-last guest. During daylight it’s a coffee bar; come nightfall beer becomes the choice of the people. Popular with college kids, find announcements like ‘Tofu Attack’ chalked on the blackboards.

Prosta Historia (H4) ul. Francuska 24, tel. 505 277 660. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-22:30; Sat-Sun 10:00-22:30.

An attractive Saska café decked with pale white colors, and steel lights overhead.

Service can be frustrating, and some call the food overpriced, factors which are offset by a high street location: perfect for a spot of people watching.

Przystanek MDM ul. Waryńskiego 9/1, tel. 509 031 062. Open 7:00-24:00; Sat-Sun 9:00-24:00. A retro themed café with its feet firmly planted in the 50s – check out the gaudy PRL armchairs and the giant black and white of pl. Konstytucji.

The range of unfiltered local beers makes it that bit more than just a café.

Saint Honore (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 20/22, tel.

508 143 987, ul. Grzybowska 61 (Platinum Towers), www.saint-honore.pl.Open 8:0021:00. Accept no imitation, here’s the best bakery around. And aside from fresh baguette sandwiches, find authentically French cakes, croissants and pastries.

Same Fusy (D1) ul. Nowomiejska 10, tel. 22 635 9014, www.samefusy.pl. Open daily 11:00-23:00.

A must for café junkies. There are over 100 teas (ranging from the tame to the bizarre) to choose from.

Sklep z Kanapkami (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 11. Open MonFri 8:00-22:00; Sat-Sun 9:00-22:00. A big selection of hot and cold sandwiches served on tasty, filling ciabatta bread to eat in or take out. Also soups, salads, pierogi, fresh juices, and even muesli. The prices are very reasonable for this neck of the woods. Śniadaniownia ul. Dąbrowskiego 38, tel. 507 513 502.

Open 8:00-15:00; Sat-Sun 9:00-17:00.

A bright looking breakfast bar with pale woods and pot plants to offset any early morning trauma. The day’s breakfast sets are scrawled up on a blackboard, and usually involve a number of healthy living options to kicks start the day.

Socjal (E4) ul. Foksal 18, tel. 601 318 966. Open 9:00-4:00.

Looking raw, industrial and refreshingly ascetic, the principal feature of Socjal is the long communal table – who you end up talking to is down to the dice. There’s few

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CAFÉS & WINE BARS better places to order the Prosecco and act oh so continental.

Sto900 (E3) ul. Solec 18/20, tel. 787 696 241. Open 9:0022:00; Fri 9:00-24:00; Sat 10:00-24:00; Sun 10:00-22:00. A fabulous café/restaurant with a spontaneous design that jumbles bricks and wood with mismatched furniture. From the outside, this place looks like the entrance to a squat, so be surprised to learn it’s not just the atmosphere that’s ace. The menu changes daily, but usually involves commendable burgers (with a daring but successful addition of beetroot) alongside more unexpected dishes: e.g. eko-falafel.

Steff Cafe (F6) ul. Jazdów 1, tel. 507 286 136. Open Sun-Thurs 10:00-21:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-22:00. An intellectual looking cafe in one of the outbuildings

by Zamek Ujazdowski. A limited selection of drinks and snacks is offset by a horizontal atmosphere and an adjoining bookstore filled with arty, coffee table tomes.

Take off the Hat ul. Pańska 98, tel. 22 241 4000. Open 8:0021:00; Sat 12:00-21:00. A great name aside, Take off the Hat features sofas piled with soft toys and a clean design look that’s great for starting off the day.

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Wars i Sawa (E3) ul. Dobra 14/16. Open Mon-Thu 10:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-1:00; Sun 12:00-22:00. Creaking floorboards, unfinished plastering and piles of books set the tone to this ‘culture café’.

It’s exactly what you’d expect of Powiśle, and the sort of stop best enjoyed on your own with a pot of tea, a dog-eared novel and your tightest skinny jeans.

WINE BARS

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Ale Wino! (E5) ul. Mokotowska 48, tel. 22 628 3830. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00. Covertly stashed inside a courtyard, that Ale Wino’s neighbors include Man of the Moment, fashion tsar Robert Kupisz, announces this place as the frontline of cool. As if to qualify this, find furnishings courtesy of the celebrated design brains at Studio Rygalik. Sommelier Adrian Litkowicz has stocked the bar with wines from 16 countries, and his advice is always bang on.

Charlotte (D6) pl. Zbawiciela, tel. 22 628 4459. Open Mon-

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Fri 7:00-24:00; Sat 9:00-24:00; Sun 9:0022:00. Further proof of Zbawiciela’s rising star is Charlotte, a trendy boulangerie/wine bar. With seating spilling out underneath the colonnades outside, this was easily the hit of the summer. Pandering to the hipsters and trendies, you’d expect this sort of place BEST WAWA 2011 in Hoxton, London.

“Newcomer & People Watching” Winner Enoteka (C2) ul. Długa 23/25, tel. 22 635 5510, www.enotekapolska. pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-midnight; Sun 14:0022:00. Located just outside the Old Town, this minimalist wine bar is a great place for a date.

Wines from top European wine makers are impressive and the prices are very decent.

Esencja Smaku (D9) ul. Odolańska 10, tel. 22 845 0944, www.esencjasmaku.pl. A small bistro characterized by a casual décor and a laidback atmosphere. Includes a seasonal menu of light dishes.

Joseph’s Wine & Food ul. Duchnicka 3, tel. 22 320 2989, www.josephwinebar.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00. This newlyopened restaurant, bar and wine shop features great atmosphere and amiable staff. Don’t come here for a quick dinner. Instead, come here to drink the wine and savor the rich and inventive meals. Service is slow, but rightly so, leaving guests with just enough time to regain their appetite for seconds. Being firmly tucked away from the center in a renovated factory allows you to easily whittle away the hours.

Jung & Lecker (C5) ul. Emilii Plater 14, tel. 22 866 6749, www.prawdziwewina.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00; Sat 10:00-18:00. J&L’s new wine bar on ul. Emilii Plater 14 offers minimalist, café-style chic. The locale offers daily specials that feature two four-course menus. The shops’ wines are sourced directly from 15 wineries in Germany’s famed Pfalz, Rheinhessen, Rheingau and Mosel regions.

The summer courtyard garden is a particular standout feature.

Les Secrets de Vin ul. Walecznych 68, tel. 780 578 571, www.secretsduvin.pl. Open Sun, Tues-Thurs

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

11:00-20:30; Fri-Sat 11:00-24:00. A small enterprise run by a pair of wine lovers – one of them, a certified graduate from l’Universite du Vin. The menu comprises of tapas snacks, and they also run wine tasting classes and Mediterranean language courses.

Merliniego 5 (E10) ul. Merliniego 5, tel. 22 646 0849, www.merliniego.pl. Set up like a New York bistro, Merliniego 5 is a cross between a whisky bar and steakhouse. It’s sophisticated, but not snooty and has some truly excellent steak and salad.

Mielżyński Wine Bar (A1) ul. Burakowska 5/7, tel. 22 636 8709, www.mielzynski.pl. Open daily 9:00-24:00 (kitchen closes at 23:00). Some call it the best wine bar in Warsaw, others the best in Poland.

Either way, this place hits the right notes with a wonderfully simple gourmet menu, old and new world wines and a chic warehouse design filled to bursting with crates and boxes.

Vinoteka 13 + Wine Bar (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 16/18, tel. 22 492 7407, www.vinoteka13.pl. Open Mon-Sun 11:00-last guest. This premium wine shop and bar is tucked away in the beautiful Likus Concept Store. It sports a wide selection of fine wines from Italy, France, and Spain, along with some stronger spirits and Cuban cigars at a varied price range. Also serves a tasting menu of cheeses and deli meats.

WinKolekcja (E10) ul. Olkuska 8, tel. 22 646 8742, www.winkolekcja.pl. Open 11:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-20:00. You can’t pick your neighbors...

In WinKolekcja’s case, that means a kebab shop opposite and a bottle bank with a constant stream of street bums. But in spite of the curious location, this new wine bar/ store looks set to thrive; the wine choice is comprehensive, and the food excellent. The design has the routine look of a club class lounge area; even so, it’s a timely addition to an area not rich in options.

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Żurawina (D5) ul. Żurawia 32, tel. 696 561 652. Open 12:0024:00. Lacking in intimacy this large white room has an interior supplemented by jarring artwork and a set of swings. In the world of wine it’s vital the customer can connect with the sommelier – here it felt like we were joining the SS. The wine list is as serious as the service, and with only two wines available by the glass it’s not for the occasional wine fan.

Reviews: Czarna.Bar 61 / Plus:

* 3 updates

NIGHTLIFE

BARS & PUBS 61 / CLUBS 66 / GENTLEMAN’S CLUBS 68 / JAZZ CLUBS 68

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Insider’s Pick

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Map location pg. 86 ...... (A1) Romantic..........................

BARS & PUBS Absurd 228 ul. Puławska 228, tel. 22 252 0401. Open Tue-Sat 12:00-22:00; Sun-Mon 12:00-20:00.

Upmarket, but with an industrial twist, Absurd could yet emerge as the number one concert venue for alternative sounds. The Mokotów location makes it a gamble, but the live music is popular with creatives.

Czarna.Bar ul. Sienkiewicza 4, tel. 22 416 2467. Open 12:00-23:00; Sat 10:00-23:00; Sun 10:00-21:00.

O

ver the years Sienkiewicza and Mazowiecka have been involved in something of a power struggle, a bitter battle to emerge as King of Warsaw’s Nightlife. It was a contest Mazowiecka appeared to have won, with Sienkiewicza’s defeat seemingly defined by Organza’s decision to treacherously dessert to the other side.

But it’s not white flag time just yet for Sienkiewciza – far from it. Ironically somewhat, that’s due to the new occupants of the empty shell vacated by Organza. Creating a stir among Warsaw’s night owls is Czarna, a split-level space whose main talking point is the design – a work by acclaimed Wrocław designer Olaf Brzeski. The look doesn’t say ‘just finished’, it says ‘we haven’t even started’. Thick cables hang from walls, and specks of paint cover the grey / white surfaces – whether this is actually part of the final master plan one can only guess, either way, it certainly looks cutting edge.

It’s upstairs you’ll find most people migrating to, and I’ve got to say I like it very much.

Looking fashionably spartan and utilitarian, the area includes an L-shaped mattress thing, and a glass wall which allows you to peer in on the chef downstairs. He’s working on things like Szymon’s Hummus, Olaf’s Porridge and Jerzy’s Medusa – which, going on my limited understanding of the Polish language, is something that involves a chicken.

That’s not all on the monolingual menu. Beers from artisan breweries such as Konstancin, Amber and Kormoran are present and correct, and they’re silently served by black-clad staff who rarely break into speech. Back-up on the drinks front arrives in the shape of the cocktails, some of which are really quite good: the Bloody Mary does its simple job well, and the apple Martini is a star on its own.

As evening sets, the crowds filter in – by and large, that means young professionals in mid-metamorphosis from hipster to normal. With their conversation filling the air, and dozens of tea candles illuminating the mezzanine, there’s ample atmosphere to this womb-like space. Gaining in popularity, early signs suggest the opening of Czarna could yet mark the overdue revival of Sienkiewicza. (AW).

Bastylia (D6) ul. Mokotowska 17, tel. 22 825 0157. Open 8:00-23:00. Before Zbawiciela became The Center of the World, Bastylia was an unassuming pancake shop with a militant lesbian following. Smelling money it’s done a 180 turn and been reinvented as a champagne bar with whitewashed brickwork and mandarin sofas. For all the effort it just doesn’t feel right – and the staff get plenty of big red crosses.

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Bazar (F1) ul. Okrzei 22, tel. 508 321 264. Open 12:00-last guest. There’s Krusovice, Bernard and Staropramen on tap, and the Czech slant is lent added meat by a series of evenings held in cahoots with the Czech Cultural Centre – it’s during boozy disco nights the party spills into a shadowy cellar with light retro hints. On ground level its raw and industrial with asphalt colors and overhead pipes. You wouldn’t expect it, but the margaritas are smashing.

Beirut (D5) ul. Poznańska 12. Open 12:00-last guest.

One of the hits of 2012, Beirut has walls dusted with cult album covers, documentary film posters and some token pics of military hardware (pointing at Tel Aviv Cafe across the road). Androgynous staff deal out Lithuanian beer and Lebanese starters from behind a sandbag bar in this standout

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NIGHTLIFE café-bar.

Bierhalle (A1) Al. Jana Pawła II 82 (Arkadia). Open 11:00last guest. It’s been five years since Bierhalle tapped their first beer, and in those five years they’ve nailed the market. Fantastic Pils served in a boozy, Bavarian atmopshere, and a decent menu to iron out any hunger issues.

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Black Sheep (B2) Al. Jana Pawła II 45A (enter from Nowolipki), tel. 883 688 722. Open Mon-Thu 10:00-24:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-2:00; Sun 11:00-23:00. Tilted caps and hoodie tops are popular in Black

Eat And Drink All You Want Night Wings & Beer &...

Sheep, a strange haunt that has a dual role: a snowboarding shop by day and a bar at night.

The combination is strangely successful, even if the clashing primary colors aren’t. Find plenty of dreadlocked skater dudes nodding at DJs, as well as Warsaw’s most bizarre choice of interior lighting.

Bratnia Szatnia (C4) pl. Defilad 1, www.bratniaszatnia.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. Bar, cafe, club, concert space – it’s all those and more. Set in the Palace of Culture, this place has everything from DJs and concerts to tango classes and art happenings. No surprise then to find a crowd of hip, urban media sorts staking claim to the seating.

The British Bulldog (D4) ul. Krucza 51, tel. 22 827 0020, www.bbpub. pl. How fickle this city can be. Two months ago we were proclaiming the launch of the Bulldog as one of Warsaw’s finest moments – then, inexplicably, the ownership got shot of the manager who’d made it the success that it was. Cue outrageous service, an ex-pat boycott, and a future that looks grim.

Browar de Brasil (D5) ul. Marszałkowska 76/80, tel. 534 600 990, www.browardebrasil.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. Four house lagers served by sexy soccerettes dressed in tight Brazil tops. Featuring blood rose colors and deep, dark woods (a glass floor, even!), the interiors combine well with the copper brewing vats. The food though is amateurish, and at times inedible.

Pay once – drink and eat all you want* Live music – DJ Cost 49 PLN Every Monday (launch date: 29.10.12)

WARSAW

*Promotion details and rules are available upon request in the restaurant.

No alcohol will be served to persons under 18 years of age.

Browarmia (C3) ul. Królewska 1, tel. 22 826 5455, www.browarmia.pl. Open daily 12:00-last guest. An industrial looking microbrewery filled with mysterious pipes, valves and gauges. The summer terrace is great, making it one of the best places around for a brew with a view.

Bufet Centralny (D5) ul. Żurawia 32/34, tel. 523 749 160. Open 12:00-5:00 With its harsh lights, white tiles and collapsible tables this could pass for a school canteen – at least it would if the customers weren’t too cool for school.

There’s serious posing going on in between drinks, and you’re clearly a no-mark if you weren’t at the launch. Still in their infancy, prepare for teething problems: e.g., running out of lager.

Café Colombia (D5)

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

ul. Krucza 6/14, tel. 22 627 3770, www. colombiabar.pl. Open 8:00-23:00; Sat-Sun 11:00-23:00. Vast windows, vibrant colors and wide open spaces make it the polar opposite of the covert cocktail dens we usually like. But my God, the drinks here are special.

The Chili Manhattan Dream is outstanding, and the Espressotini to die for – and after ordering eight we nearly did. Also on the roster, a range of impressive international beers.

Cafe Kulturalna (C4) Palace of Culture, pl. Defilad 1, tel. 22 656 6281, www.kulturalna.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-last guest; Sun 15:00-last guest. The location is unbeatable and visiting the Palace late at night is an amazing, almost mystical experience.

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Champagne Bar (E6) ul. Mokotowska 43, tel. 22 625 0818. Open Tue-Sat 12:00-2:00; Sun 13:00-20:00. While it’s easy to break the bank (bottles of Krug Rose weigh in at a stonking zł. 2,100), it’s also possible to enjoy a glass of fizz for a very fair zł. 50. But the real sparkle doesn’t come from the bubbles it comes from the bar tenders – a fantastic double act who’ve mastered mixology. Complimenting their skills is a design that looks classic and elegant with chessboard tiling and crystal clear mirrors.

Chwila (B3) ul. Ogrodowa 31/35, tel. 22 401 1754.

Open 12:00-last guest; Sun 15:00-last guest.

Entered under a red, cabaret-style awning, Chwila is a reject factory space turned good.

Furry cushions, patchwork quilts and student art vie for attention alongside iron girders and industrial leftovers inside what is becoming known as one of the top alternative music venues this side of the river.

Czeska Baszta Tower 22A, Most Poniatowskiego. Open TuesThurs, Sun 16:00-23:00; Sat-Sun 16:00-24:00.

Set in one of those towers that props up Most Poniatowskiego, its surroundings look grim – at night even scary. Bathed in a yellowish glow, it’s actually warm and welcoming, and the reason for that soon becomes apparent: everyone is drunk! There’s 80 Czech beers to pick from, and they do more than enough to distract from the rattle and rumble of overhead trams and a swamp monster toilet.

Czysta Ojczysta (G1) ul. Ząbkowska 27/31. Open Mon-Fri 18:00-4:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-4:00.

Here’s a turn up for the books: a Praga bar

that doesn’t look infected. Set in a one-time vodka factory, this white-on-white haunt features little more than soothing colors, iron posts (watch them), and a whole wall of vodka. Expect the party to spill out into the courtyard, itself utilized for maverick events like bicycle polo.

Dorum Art (G1) ul. Ząbkowska 27/31, tel. 601 220 895, www. dorumart.pl. Open 10:00-last guest. Entered through a clunky set of metal doors, this space is everything you expect (iron posts, rough plaster, raw concrete) as well as a lot that you don’t. Fulfilling a joint function as an art space, interiors glitter and glow with the illuminated stained glass pieces of Katarzyna Czajka – horses heads, an elephant and a throne. It’s like waking up in a David Lynch film.

Flaming & Co. Champagne Bar (E6) ul. Mokotowska 43. Open 12:00-23:00.

Checkered floor tiles, pristine whites and classic pictures of the rich and famous announce Flaming. The guys look like Bond villains and the gals just like Bond girls, but don’t think it’s a closed shop. With glasses of Moet starting below zł. 50 it’s accessible to all.

But forget the champagne, it’s their cocktails we love. Order oysters and let the night take its course.

Huśtawka (D4) ul. Bracka 20A. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-last guest; Sat-Sun 16:00-last guest. A raw cultish hangout, popular with a non-conformist crowd who know how to party. Allegedly inspired by 80’s New York City, find this labyrinthine late-nighter in a courtyard palace.

Hydrozagadka ul. 11 Listopada 22, tel. 502 070 916, www.hydrozagadka.waw.pl. Open MonThur 18:00-1:00, Fri-Sat 18:00-5:00.Even in an area known for its dive scene Hydrozagadka stands apart as something a little different.

Competition is cutthroat in Praga, but even so this place wins the gong for most dismal interior – congrats. Looking like it’ll fall apart at any given signal, The H earns plaudits for weekends that whizz past in a blur of hedonism.

Irish Pub (C2) ul. Miodowa 3, tel. 22 826 2533, www.irishpubmiodowa.pl. Open daily 11:00-last guest. Affecting a look that only an Irish pub can escape with – strange smells and chipped wood – this boozer is perhaps more noted for its live music and

camaraderie than for anything else. There’s events practically every night, ranging from local rock acts to cool blues. If you failed the X Factor audition then do the next best thing and visit for karaoke night.

Jimmy Bradley’s (C4) Warsaw Towers (ground floor), ul. Sienna 39, tel. 22 654 6656, www.jimmybradleys.pl.

Open Mon-Fri 10:00-last guest; Sat & Sun 12:00-last guest. Ex-pat Warsaw hit meltdown earlier this year when it was announced that landlord Kevin Bradley had left the pub bearing his name. Along with the new man come plenty of promises for more music, more TVs and a more family friendly atmosphere. We don’t care if they let serial killers in, as long they keep serving Poland’s best Guinness.

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.

Klubo Kawiarnia Towarzyska ul. Zwycięzców 49, www.klubokawiarnia. net. Waiting to open as we went to press, KKT could well be the bar that brings urban cool to upmarket Saska. With an interior modeled by John Strumiłło, this 50s pavilion is set to bring hipster culture to the area with a slew of concerts, screenings and happenings lined up.

Kosmos Kosmos (D6) ul. Koszykowa 55, tel. 602 108 366. Open 11:00-last guest. A large cellar complex decorated with outlandish space murals, orange seats and lego bricks. And in the front, find a kids room complete with a slide. Warsaw’s hipster faction have already attached themselves to it, with the opening drawing a crowd of hundreds milling outside.

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.

Legends (C5)

ul. Emilii Plater 25, tel. 22 622 4640.

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.

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?

Lolek (A8) ul. Rokitnicka 20 (Pole Mokotowskie), tel.

22 825 6202, www.lolekpub.pl. Open daily 11:00-03:00. A boisterous pub with a Bavarian, bacchanal spirit and a park-centered location.

Strangers squish together on shaky benches while sausages grill over an open fire, inside this classic rough-and-ready drinkery. Catch it at its best in summer when the outdoor seating is thronged.

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.

Małe Piwo (D7) ul. Oleandrów 4. Open 17:00-last guest.

Lots of middle aged hipsters wearing Teletubby t-shirts here, but they’re easy to ignore after beer No. 5. Touting sixty regional beers, the design doesn’t evolve beyond jam jars for lights and a blackboard for prices – it doesn’t need anything else to work; similar to a backstreet New York dive, it’s got an effortless cool and a permanent buzz.

Meta na Mazowieckiej (D3) ul. Mazowiecka 16/22. Open 11:00-6:00.

Filled with Breznev-era leftovers the latest venue from the Meta brand is a larger version of the Foksal original. Posters and vinyl (even a motorbike) from the PRL years decorate the walls, with the bulk of the action taking place in the smoking room in the back.

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NIGHTLIFE Molly Malone’s (D2) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 41, tel. 693 333 954, www.mollymalone.pl.

Open 12:00-24:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-2:00.

You’re not going to miss it: standing on street level, an elderly gent in top hat and tails waves customers in. Resist. Set over two floors, ground level features a narrow wood carved bar, while upstairs find music paraphernalia, benches and, in our case, a band called Gangbang rehearsing for later. Forget the name, it’s a Polish pub for local students.

Na Lato ul. Rozbrat 44, tel. 692 280 094. The former HQ of the SLD political party now finds itself utilized as a bar. Their success though is largely due to the shaded park outside. Filled out with deckchairs, it’s come to resemble a giant, beery picnic.

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. An elegant bar that would easily pass for the VIP room of a well-to-do club. A floor 40 location makes it great for a date: the sunset views are dazzling.

Paparazzi (D3) ul. Mazowiecka 12, tel. 22 828 4219, www.paparazzi.com.pl. Open 9:00-last guest.

Engage in suicidal cocktail consumption alongside high rollers and genetic miracles.

Slick and smooth, Poland’s original cocktail chain continues to set the bar high with formidable cocktails (Pimm’s included!) and a smoking section that encompasses everything but the front door.

Pardon To Tu (C4) Pl. Grzybowski 12/16. Open 9:00-last guest.

Decorated in voluptuous Bordeaux colors, the design involves mismatching seats and tiled lampshades, and a relaxed arthouse look popular with creatives, musicians and other fringe dwellers. A big friendly dog loafing around and improvised music nights round out this Insider legend. And when they say they’re open to last guest, they really do mean it.

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Pies Czy Suka (D4) ul. Szpitalna 8A. Open 11:00-last guest.

Monochrome gun metal grey colors are offset by a fashionable crowd attired in red shoes, pink trousers and blue headphones.

This clean, concrete space is speckled with plaster moldings of reindeer heads, and excels on the cocktail front. Order from an iPad menu, before settling back for cocktails made using mad scientist, molecular techniques that involve foam, vapor, beakers and other things you’d usually find in Professor Yaffle’s lab.

Plan B (D6) ul. Wyzwolenia 18 (Pl. Zbawiciela), tel. 508 316 976. Open Mon-Sat 13:00-last guest; Sun 16:00-last guest. Plan B is a byword for everything that’s hip and happening in Warsaw. Design doesn’t even come into the equation in this grubby upstairs bar, but the free spirits can’t get enough of it.

Po Drugiej Stronie Lustra (F1) ul. Jagiellońska 22, tel. 501 048 471. Open 12:00-last guest. A collective groan was issued when their premises on Ząbkowska closed, so it’s three cheers to learn they’re back at a new address. Looking more sanitized than the shabby original, the standout feature of this dark-looking, brick-ceilinged haunt is what ranks as Warsaw’s best collection of craft beers.

Porto Praga (F1) ul. Okrzei 23, tel. 22 698 5001, www.portopraga.pl. Open Mon-Thurs 12:001:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-2:00; Sun 12:00-24:00.

Some of Poland’s finest cocktails knocked up by a crew who learned their trade in some of the world’s top bars. Looking ruby red and vaguely art deco, Porto is a one stop destination: a top restaurant and bar shaken into one.

Pochwała Niekonsekwencji ul. Grójecka 118, tel. 22 823 1898. Open 10:00-1:00. As avant-garde as they come, you’d expect this sort of place in Praga, not the heart of Ochota. Filled with dog-eared books and contemporary art you’ll find the day’s offers chalked on the blackboard; among them, gourmet beers from obscure, offbeat breweries.

Pub Lolek (B8) ul. Rokitnicka 20 (Pole Mokotowskie), entrance from Żwirki i Wigury, tel. 22 825 6202, www.lolekpub.pl. Open daily 11:00-03:00. The outdoor patio is packed in

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

the summer, with the Żywiec flowing and kiełbasa grilling, while in winter a basic timber interior fills out come weekends.

Resort (C2) ul. Bielańska 1, tel. 535 350 997. Open 12:00-last guest. One of the best designs of 2011, with pretty much all interior features made from reusable materials: seats from shopping trolleys, tables from street signs and a bar from books. Shame about the one dimensional beer choice, therefore.

Saturator (Praga) ul. 11 Listopada 22, tel. 504 353 7772, www.saturator.art.pl. Open 19:00-last guest.

Dirty and daring, nights at Saturator start off quiet before erupting into a full-on party for people of all proclivities. Definitely gives you a taste of Warsaw’s naughty side, with music coming courtesy of figures like DJ Ladyboy and Electrohell.

Sketch (E4) ul. Foksal 19, tel. 602 762 764, www.sketch. pl. Open daily 12:00-1:00; upstairs bar open Fri-Sat 20:00-1:00. Cool, sophisticated and fun. The international spread of beers is impressive, practically unbeatable in fact, and served inside edgy minimalist interiors.

SomePlace Else (E5) ul. B. Prusa 2 (Sheraton), tel. 22 450 6707.

Open Mon 12:00-24:00, Tue-Thur 12:002:00, Sat 16:00-2:00, Sun 12:00-23:00. SPE have a new cosmopolitan look that makes use of a glowing bar, Minsk grey colours and exposed piping. Certainly the hippest of the hotel gang, live music and expert cocktails make sure it draws more than the lodgers upstairs.

Spiskowcy Rozkoszy (D5) ul. Żurawia 47/49. Open Sun-Thur 15:0023:00; Fri-Sat 15:00-1:00. The intimate layout makes use of wobbly antiques, sofas covered in velvety fabrics and weird extras like a mannequin donning a Russian hat with furry, flappy ears. Nights typically involve lots of yet-to-be-famous beers (e.g. Stare Misto from Ukraine), while the lamp-lit toilet, seemingly built into a pre-war fireplace, is like stepping through the looking glass.

Spotkanie ze Szpiegiem (D6) ul. Marszałkowska 27/35. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-last guest; Sat-Sun 10:00-last guest.

You’d usually be right to avoid a place where the main decorative element is a fridge. But when that fridge is home to umpteen beers

from Poland’s best, alternative breweries you know you’re on a winner. Little more than a small, rotund room, it’s immediately likeable – it’s got the ‘artistic’ spirit of the nearby Plan B, yet none of the vomit.

over 80 types of whisky lend it a mature, affluent look. The interiors are cool and retro, much like the people. The prices, though, aren’t so much modern as they are totally futuristic – bring plastic.

Syreni Śpiew ul. Szara 10A, tel. 602 773 293, www. syrenispiew.pl. Open Sun-Thurs 17:00-1:00; Fri-Sat 17:00-4:00. Brought to you by the creators of Warszawa Powiśle you’ll find this place housed in a hideous concrete monster born in the 70s. An over 21 door policy and

Szparka (E5) Pl. Trzech Krzyży 16A, tel. 22 621 0370. Open 24hrs. A highly generic looking bar whose location and opening hours are enough to warrant it a place on any Going Out list. Recovering addicts might not appreciate the toilets – they’re decorated with fake lines of sniff.

Warsaw Tortilla Factory (D5) ul. Wilcza 46, tel. 22 621 8622. Open SunThu 12:00-24:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-03:00.

More than just a Tex Mex joint, this is the working model of the expat stronghold; they’ve got the food, the live music, a strong group of regulars and, better still, a spread of Sky Sports screens zapping in goalmouth action from across the world.

Warszawa Powiśle (E4) ul. Kruczkowskiego 3B. Open Mon-Fri 7:00last guest, Sat-Sun 10:00-last guest.Located

NIGHTLIFE in a former ticket shack, this place is all PRL concrete and peeling signage. Looking cheap and chipboard, visual diversions are limited to frayed posters promoting upcoming bands.

Instead, the eye candy comes in the form of the people.

Znajomi Znajomych (D5) ul. Wilcza 58A. Open Sun-Thurs 16:00-2:00; Fri-Sat 16:00-5:00. We’re not sure what kind of design they’ve opted for on the ground level, but either way it doesn’t work. Head upstairs instead to join the hipsters spread across a host of (smoking) rooms. It’s here Zna Zna comes into its own, with a set of chambers decorated in eclectic retro style – including one room which some would describe as a Ron Jeremy orgy room. Things get hot and sticky on their weekend club nights.

Zmysły (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 20, tel. 662 635 552. Open 10:00-22:00. A pint of Perła for zł. 6.50? We’ll have ten. Hitting that half-ground between restaurant and pub, Zmysły reminds of an upscale country pub. Dark woods, vaulted brick ceilings, candles: it’s got atmosphere in abundance. Low prices keep it popular with a studenty crowd.

CLUBS 1500m2 (F4) ul. Solec 18, tel. 22 628 8412. Open Fri-Sat 22:00-06:00. Set in a former printing factory, 1500m2 has been central to the rise of Powiśle. The industrial space has a real Berlin edge to it, and events range from weekend flea markets to teeth shattering, dusk-tilldawn electro events.

18/11 Club by Theatro (E4) ul. Foksal 18, www.theatro1811.com. Open Wed-Sat 18:00-6:00. A neon-lit basement space with smashed-glass surfaces and exotic undertones. Expect a top-dollar crowd slinking to the sounds of a bloke called Nobis.

The Bank (D3) ul. Mazowiecka 14, www.bankclub.pl.

Open Mon-Thur 18:00-24:00; Fri 18:00-06:00; Sat 22:00-6:00. With four bars spread across 1,500 meters of dance space The Bank makes an impression alright. The place is huge, though you won’t need GPS to track down the lookers.

Capitol Theatre and Club (C3) ul. Marszałkowska 115, tel. 22 826 8570, www.

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clubcapitol.pl. An extravagant dance space with sparkly chandeliers, regal staircases and a modern Moscow, over-the-top style. Mark the Hed Kandi events in your diary.

DeLite (E5) ul. Marii Konopnickiej 6, www.deliteclub.com.

Open Fri-Sat 21:00-last guest. Exposed brick pipes, raw concrete and an interesting mirror set-up in the bathrooms add to the futuristic, pretty-in-pink, spaceship interiors. Joining the top table of Warsaw’s other ‘uber klubs’ De Lite gets even better once access to the VIP room is scored.

Enklawa (D3) ul. Mazowiecka 12, tel. 22 827 3151, www.enklawa.com. Open Wed-Sat 21:004:00. Enklawa borders its glitz on kitsch but every weekend, it manages to draw in big crowds with its lineup of club and pop hits.

The dance floor is always packed, even on weekdays, and it’s a surefire winner as the top Wednesday in town.

The Eve (D3) Pl. Piłsudskiego 9 (corner of ul. Wierzbowa), tel. 22 827 5242, www.theeve.pl. Open Wed-Fri 17:00-last guest; Sat 20:00-last guest. Beauty and booty come first in The Eve, a blinged up offshoot of Platinium nearby.

A cutthroat door policy ensures plenty of egos crash and die at the door, and it’s got a Bacchanalian reputation for champagne popping high jinks. Observe them through the one way mirror in the VIP room.

Foksal XVIII ul. Foksal 18. Open Fri-Sat 10:00-4:00.

Composed using chandeliers, bricks and velvet this classy space has gone head to head with The Eve as Warsaw’s flashest venue: breathe deep and smell the money.

Cardboard animal shapes hang from the bar, adding some surreal humor to the seriously competitive air.

Jerozolima Al. Jerozolimskie 57. Set in a Gotham City tenement this former children’s hospital fills a daytime role as a ‘creative space’ for artists and architects. As evening counts down find numerous club events and music nights taking shape amid the atmospherically lit, half-derelict looking confines. Keep up to speed with what’s on through Facebook.

Klubokawiarnia (D3) ul. Czackiego 8, www.klubo.pl. Open daily 21:00-last guest. If you ignore the latent fire

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

hazard presented by this basement dive club then a Warsaw stalwart awaits. Writhing like a can of sweating worms, find a mid-20s party crowd enjoying house sounds inside a scabby looking space with flea bitten pics of Lenin & Co. Enter via a side door in the courtyard gateway and let the battle begin.

Luzztro (E4) Al. Jerozolimskie 6, www.luzztro.pl. Open Tue-Sun 23:00-last guest. Feeling naughty?

Then check Luzztro, a grim, grotty den where rules don’t apply. Embedded in folklore, this after-party legend really kicks off at around 5am, when troglodyte club creatures emerge to put the finishing touches to their saucereyed stare. Your No. 1 choice for electro and minimal, it’s the full-tilt clubbing experience.

Your head will hate you.

Opera Club (D2) Underground of Teatr Wielki, Pl. Teatralny 1, tel. 22 828 7075, www.operaclub.pl. Open Fri & Sat 22:00-last guest. A labyrinth of passageways and chambers await in Opera, a subterranean club located underneath the National Theater. Touting an exotic, far eastern look, it’s one of the best designed clubs you could imagine.

Organza ul. Mazowiecka 12, www.kluborganza.pl.

Open Wed-Sat 19:00-4:00. The layout is basic: set over two floors lit in Organza’s signature orange/black colors, there’s not much to comment in terms of design – it’s shiny and new and all things Warsaw. The crowd though likes to party and lacks the airs and arrogance of neighboring establishments.

Platinium (D3) ul. Fredry 6, tel. 22 596 4666, www.platiniumclub.pl. Open Wed-Sat 20:006:00. The place if you’re rich or beautiful – but preferably both. Large and spectacular you’ll need to be dressed to the nines to reap the rewards that lie inside: featuring the most eye candy per sq/m in Europe, you might not find Mr/Mrs Right, but you will find Mr/Mrs Right for Now. Powiększenie (F4) ul. Nowy Świat 27, tel. 503 118 088.

Open 11:00-last guest. From the same team behind Plan B; larger in size, the downstairs hosts cool international and domestic acts.

Room 13 ul. Mazowiecka 13. Open Weds-Sat 22:137:00. Archways lead from one room to the

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BAR, RESTUARANT, NIGHT CLUB 11 ZGODA STREET, WARSAW WWW.NEWORLEANS.PL INFOONEWORLEANS.PL TEL. +48 22 826 48 31

NIGHTLIFE Shot Bars Bar Warszawa ul. Miodowa 2, Tel. 504 320 497.

Open 24hrs. Creak upstairs to find a womb-like space filled out with sofas and nostalgic decorations like vintage radios, pics of old stars and black and white images of bare-breasted ladies.

Run as a side hobby by a TV producer, the opening hours meet with full approval.

next inside a design den defined by the fluffy clouds painted on the vaulted ceilings.

At times, the dance floor looks like a giant audition for X Factor, with the fallen angels on the wall looking on with feigned interest.

Space Club (A5) ul. Kolejowa 37/39, tel. 606 617 228, www.club-space.eu. Open Fri-Sat 23:006:00. A true techno club with crazy lights, a great sound system, big name DJs, and lots of room to waggle about and enjoy Ibiza flashbacks.

Meta ul. Mazowiecka 11 & ul. Foksal 21.

Open 11:00-6:00. Affecting the style of a PRL era bar, these twin venues feature a raft of keepsakes leftover from the old days – right down to chains of bog paper that commonly retailed.

Utopia (D3) ul. Kredytowa 9. Formerly of Jasna, Warsaw’s first club to bring in serious door selection is back, and this time within a throw of the main party drag. Flying under a pseudo pink banner, it’s a love or loathe venue full of A-Z list stars and their hangers on.

Między Wódką z Zakąską ul. Chmielna 13. Open 10:00-24:00.

Like most of its ilk, design never gets involved here. But that doesn’t stop one of the most diverse crowds in Warsaw gathering: on our visit, that meant Hilfiger clad preppies arm-wrestling (and winning) against the local hoods Go Tommy! The five zlot plastic glasses of Brackie get the job done, and fast.

Watch Me ul. Mazowiecka 6/8, www.watchmeclub.pl.

Open 19:00-4:00. Watch the lack of customers, more like. Seen as a glass block from the outside, Watch Me unravels into a multi-level club space, one with a sunken dance pit and a neon stripped stairwell. When the Insider visited, staff outnumbered the guests.

Pijalnia ul. Nowy Świat 19. Open 24hrs. Bowtied staff serve vodka and pickles from behind a tiled bar to a crowd that gets younger as the day gets older. In quieter times, check the newspaperd walls to read up on 1980s sports reports.

Coyote (D3) ul. Mazowiecka 6/8, www.coyotebar.eu.

Coyote Bar marks the start of the Mazowiecka, err, strip, and features a small bar in front and a just-about-larger room outback.

Stage action is tame, and doesn’t get all that much better behind the curtain.

Przekąski Zakąski/Bistro ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13, tel. 22 826 7936. Open 24 hours. Shots of vodka and plates of Polish stomach liners are dispensed inside a mirrored environment with droopy plants. It’s an after club must, with stern service guaranteed from agitated oldies dressed in tuxedos. Packed to the brim come three, four even five am.

Libido ul. Kredytowa 9, www.libidoklub.pl. It’s practically round the corner from the Zachęta Gallery, though you’ll probably enjoy the masterpieces here more. Run by the same team behind Sofia, this three floor mega club makes use of a location just up from Warsaw’s favorite upmarket party street: Mazowiecka.

Warszawska Pl. Zbawiciela 5, tel. 600 121 240. Open 24hrs. When Plan B closes the hardcore head here. Little more than a grey concrete room, this newbie is winning the war as the city’s favorite shot bar.

New Orleans ul. Zgoda 11, tel.

22 826 4831, www. neworleans.pl. Open 21:00-4:00. High rollers looking to clinch a deal in unusual surrounds should consider doing so in New Orleans: a

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GENTLEMAN’S CLUBS

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

gentleman’s club with a seriously VIP dining area. Cheaper snack and sandwich options available should you prefer to spend your money on the real reason you’re here…

Playhouse Al. Solidarności 82A, www.playhouse.com. pl. Housed in a former bomb shelter, would you believe it. Now though the talk is of bombshells, namely the 57 they’ve got on their books. Like most clubs, this place features a distinctly Slavic lineup of Poles, Russians and Ukrainians.

Sin ul. Marszałkowska 99/101, www.sinclub. com.pl. One of the biggest and best dance stables in town offers a pleasingly international line-up that demonstrates a serious recruitment drive. You won’t find a more central strip club in town.

Sofia ul. Polna 13, www.klubsofia.pl. A.k.a The Bulgarian Embassy, Sofia have rebuilt the reputation earned during their city center heyday in the naughty noughties. Sure, the atmosphere is more restrained than in their former location, but the dancers aren’t.

Sogo (E4) Al. Jerozolimskie 6, www.sogoclub.pl.

The neon lit exterior would dazzle from space.

Inside, find a vast strip club that opens up over a couple of floors. Dancers are in plentiful supply, with several resembling fallen angels.

The bouncers are less approachable and don’t tolerate monkey business – tread carefully.

JAZZ Tygmont Jazz Club (D3) ul. Mazowiecka 6/8, tel. 22 828 3409, www.tygmont.com.pl. Open daily 16:00-4:00.

For true jazz lovers, Tygmont is a breath of fresh air in a city up to its ears in terrible acoustics.

Jazzarium (D5) ul. Wilcza 50/52, tel. 601 327 634. Open Mon-Fri 8:30-last gues; Sat 18:00-last guest.

Owned by Mariusz Adamiak, Jazzarium is certainly the most serious of Warsaw’s jazz venues, with a reportoire that reflects the proprietor’s standing in the music biz. What looks like a pretty ordinary cafe, transforms the moment there’s a concert.

Reviews: Reset Point 69 / Plus:

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SHOPPING ACCESSORIES 72 / FASHION 69 / SHOPPING MALLS 72

Insider’s Pick

FASHION Ania Kuczyńska (E5) ul. Mokotowska 61. Open Mon-Fri 12:0019:00; Sat 12:00-16:00. Ania Kuczyńska is becoming well known for her highly fashionable, minimalist clothing designs.

The store also carries adorable baby clothes and various accessories.

Bizuu ul. Koszykowa 1, tel. 609 888 363, www. bizuu.pl. A gorgeous, feminine collection from two talented Polish designers – including, the must need pastels of the coming season.

Reset Point ul. Puławska 48, tel. 531 142 765, resetpoint.pl. Open Mon 15:00-20:00; Tue-Fri 12:0020:00; Sat 11:00-17:00.

F

or me the idea of going shopping holds about as much excitement as a trip to the operating theatre. Maybe it’s post-traumatic stress disorder. Even now I still have flashbacks from the painfully hot hours I spent as a child trapped inside Marks & Spencer’s ladies clothing department in the company of my mother. The horror.

Luckily for me the apprehension I felt before my latest retail excursion turned out to be completely unfounded, as tucked away on a little corner of ul. Puławska is a shop that turned out to be right up my street. With a complete treasure trove of goods, including renovated antique furniture, vinyl clocks, 70s style handle-less PRL mugs and modern art prints of legendary landmarks such as Dworzec Centralny and the Palace of Culture, what’s not to like? Neither is it retro specific, with several pieces and curios from upcoming and established domestic and international design studios – for instance, animal print cushions from By Nord and lounge furniture by Dino Zoli.

My personal favorites were a framed painting of two happy looking stags involved in a bit of a duel, with the words, “Poland a land of interesting national parks and thrilling hunting,” written below, and an amazing looking German record player that fulfills a dual role as a chest of drawers.

And while the quality of the goods is the key to Reset Point’s success, the other added bonus is the price. Although some of the furniture might blow a considerable hole in your bank balance, there’s also plenty on sale that is affordable, especially the framed art work, the majority of which is attractively priced between zł. 100 and zł. 200.

The only fault I could find was with the friendly and helpful owner, who failed to notice, that in a retail sense, I was there for the taking. As a weak willed individual I’m definitely a buy first think later kind of man, so all I needed was a gentle prod and I’d now have another deer painting on my wall. (DI)

Blind Cafe Concept Store (D6) ul. Mokotowska 63/100 (courtyard).

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00; Sun 13:0018:00. This eclectic 50’s-style place is well-stocked with unique pieces for women and cool gadgets for men. A perfect place for those who are looking for something more than a mall for a style fix.

Boudoir 26 ul. Wilcza 11, tel. 22 400 9330, www.boudoir26.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-15:00. A unique luxury lingerie boutique selling top brands like Chantal Thomass, Lou Paris, ID Sarrieri and Chantelle. The boutique offers a high quality shopping experience inside a comfortable space. Shopping by appointment also available, where you can enjoy the shopping experience with a glass of bubbly.

Chiara ul. Mokotowska 49, tel. 22 376 5489.

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-16:00.

A solid assortment of Marc Jacobs and other top international designers such as Michael Kors and Jil Sander. The current collection is a true tribute to S/S 2012 - bright colours, florals, platform heels and wedges.

Designer Secret Al. Witosa 31 (1st floor, outlet 119), CH Panorama, tel. 506 051 048, www.designersecret.pl. High end designer clothing brands at discount prices. The racks

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SHOPPING brim with women and men’s apparel from the 2008-2010 collections, with price tags that read from one third to 50% off the original price.

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Eleven* ul. Wilcza 11, tel. 794 347 928, www. be-eleven.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11.00-19.00; Sat 11.00-16.00 (shopping by appointment also available). Find clothing, accessories and jewelry from a carefully selected portfolio that combines up-and-coming international brands such as Sandwich and Joseph Ribkoff with the best of Poland’s flourishing fashion scene. And what better

way to contemplate this eclectic mix than with a glass of wine or an energizing espresso in hand?

and Nike, clothing by Risk. Made in Warsaw, and accessories by the likes of Mighty Wallet, Komono, Candy Crystal and SiS.

Follow Me ul. Okrąg 1, tel. 669 295 567. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-19:30; Sat 11:00-15:00. A superb footwear store with Italian import brands such as Mauro Leone.

Justyna Chrabelska (by appt) (E6) tel. 502 437 200, info@justynachrabelska. com, www.justynachrabelska.com. One of Warsaw’s most talented designers runs her own showroom in the center solely by appointment. With stylish, feminine dresses or funky contemporary dresses each season, this is the place to score the perfect dress, whether you’re a celebrity or just want to dress like one.

Frenchy Store ul. Wspólna 27A, tel. 500 541 473, www. frenchystore.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00; Sat 11:00-17:00. A hip and urban fashion store with sneakers from Vans, Onistuka Tiger

L’Aura (E6) ul. Mokotowska 26, tel. 22 625 1680.

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-15:00.

Warsaw has its modest share of designer boutiques, but L’Aura is the only place in the city where you can find unique pieces from the likes of Hussein Chalayan, Dries Van Noten and Veronique Branquinho.

Snobissimo ul. Mokotowska 28, tel. 22 629 8759 ul. Żurawia 2, tel. 22 628 2217 snob@snobissimo.pl, www.snobissimo.pl

Deha, Gianvito Rossi, Sona Rykiel, Les Copains, Paule Ka, Jimmy Choo, Giuseppe Zanotti, Wolford, Sergio Rossi

Likus Concept Store (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 16/18 (courtyard), tel. 22 492 7409, www.likusconceptstore.pl. The Likus Concept Store brings ultra-chic designer clothing to Warsaw. The latest collections from Diesel, D2, Ferre, Sophia Kokosalaki and J. Lindeberg are all available and presented in this stylish three-floor department store.

Loft Fashion ul. Burakowska 5/7 (2nd floor), tel. 22 636 0255, www.loft-fashion.pl. Open Mon-Fri 13:00-20:00; Sat 11:00-18:00. Everything the businessman requires: suits, shirts, shoes and cigars. Impeccable tri-lingual service in a top location. In July you can enjoy a summer clearance with 70% off.

Luxury & Liberty (Saska Kępa) Promenada Shopping Centre, ul. Ostrobramska 75C. Open Mon-Sat 10:0021:00; Sun 10:00-19:00. Once a bar, its fashion counterpart managed to come back in style with a sprawling new boutique in the Promenada shopping centre. While the location’s a bit inconvenient, the selection of quality designer gear at L&L and other shops makes it well worth the trip.

Maciej Zień Boutique ul. Mokotowska 57, tel. 22 611 7337, www.zien.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00; Sat 11:00-15:00. A flagship boutique from one of

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the stars of Polish fashion. Check Zień Home upstairs for the ultra-designer showroom.

Moliera 2 Boutique (D2) ul. Moliera 2, tel, 22 827 7099, office@ moliera2.com, www.moliera2.com. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00, Sat 11:00-16:00. Moliera 2 is the first place in Poland with collections of Valentino, Christian Louboutin, Salvatore Ferragamo, Ralph Lauren Collection, Herve Leger, Moncler Gamme Rouge and Balmain.

Pl. Trzech Krzyży 3/4 Pl. Trzech Krzyży 3/4, tel. 22 622 14 16, store@plactrzechkrzyzy.com. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-17:00. The first Ralph Lauren store in Poland, features not only the latest RL collections for men and women, but also labels like Tod’s, Moncler and Salvatore Ferragamo. Ready-to-wear clothes and accessories.

Opening hours: by appointment. Rodrigo de la Garza is an eponymous menswear label started up by an ambitious young man from Mexico who’s happened to opt for Poland as his home base. The designer’s speciality is custom-made, or bespoke suits, ideally cut and in all the styles and patterns you could possibly conjure up.

See Me Boutique ul. Mokotowska 51/53, tel. 22 629 0404. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-17:00. Major pieces from American and European designers, including Paul & Joe, as well as the Elizabeth and James line from the Olsen twins.

Snobissimo ul. Mokotowska 28, tel. 22 629 8759, www.snobissimo.pl. Top labels from design houses like Jimmy Choo, Sonia Rykiel, Les Copains, Sergio Rossi etc., etc. With shoes and accessories all provided for, it’s a onestop shop to re-boot your wardrobe.

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UEG (E5) ul. Mysia 3, http://ueg-store.com. Open Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00; Sun 12:00-18:00.

From the cut to the stitching to the colors and the fabrics (like the water-resistant tyvek) this is not the place you go to pick up an ordinary ‘pretty’ dress. Rather, this is a store

Boudoir 26

ul. Wilcza 11 00-538 Warszawa Tel: 22 400 93 30 info@boudoir26.pl www.boudoir26.pl We are open monday-friday: 11-19 saturday: 11-15

QπШ - Robert Kupisz ul. Mokotowska 48 (courtyard), tel. 690 021 787, www.robertkupisz.com. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-14:00. One of Warsaw’s hottest fashion icons, and a trip here soon explains why. The exclusive, handmade garments are a guaranteed head turner, and Kupisz’s latest collection is a tribute to Americana: think disheveled cowgirls flouncing on the prairie.

Redford and Grant (D3) Metropolitan Building, Pl. Piłsudskiego 3, tel. 22 313 2400, www.redfordandgrant.pl.

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat: 11:00-15:00.

This multibrand fashion store is the ultimate destination for designer style in Warsaw for men and women. Offers clothing and accessories from the newest collections from all the major international designers like Dior, YSL, D&G, Gucci, Miu Miu and Prada.

Reykjavik District (F4) ul. Solec 18/20, tel. 501 399 222, www.reykjavikdistrict.com. Open Tues-Fri 13:00-19:00; Sat-Sun 13:00-17:00. Chic, well-cut menswear for all occasions as designed by upcoming Icelandic native Olly Lindal.

Rodrigo de la Garza (Ochota) ul. Bema 65, suite 6; www.delagarza.it.

THE NEW EMU COLLECTION The latest collection from Australian footwear designers EMU is now in stores. Once again Emu are using signature sheepskin and Merino wool materials, alongside suede and smooth leather, with their new fall/winter styles aiming to be stylish, functional and durable.

For women the Ashby, Leeville and Dalma designs are expected to be among the hits of the season, while Valery boots, which are made from soft Australian sheepskin and feature double button detailing, are tipped to be EMU’s most popular style.

This autumn some of Emu’s best-selling ranges will also be available in ten new colors, including cobalt blue, luscious berry and bitter chocolate among many others.

Emu footwear is available at: C.H.Panorama, Al.Witosa 31, Warsaw. facebook.com/warsawinsider

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SHOPPING where each item, though simple in design, has something so artfully striking it’s a guaranteed head turner.

ACCESSORIES Batycki (various locations) ul. Zgoda 9 & ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 42/44 (Bristol Hotel), tel. 22 828 2167, www.batycki.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-18:00; Sat 10:00-16:00. Bozena Batycka’s sleek, simple handbag designs are made with italian leather. While her products are not inexpensive by Polish standards, their uniqueness combined with substantial durability make them a perenial favorite.

Church’s (E5) Pl. Trzech Krzyży 10/14, tel. 22 745 0810.

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 10:00-17:00.

A classic Englishman’s establishment stocking the world’s best dress shoes.

HOS&me ul. Mokotowska 63, www.mokotowska63.com.

Luxury jewelry and the best in the biz. In stock: high end treasures from Nialaya, Lene Bjerre Design, Ti Sento, Christensen and Dryberg/Kern.

Kate & Kate (D5) ul. Wspólna 50A/20, tel. 501 021 841, www.kateandkate.pl Open Mon-Fri 13:0019:00; Sat 10:00-14:00 This shop is so tucked

away, you’d never find it without heads up from a friend. But once you do, be prepared to enter a world of brilliant accessories.

Pracownia Czasu ul. Wiejska 14, tel. 622 12 12, www.pracowniaczasu.pl. Luxury watches from brands like Corum, Vulcain, Ulysee Nardin, Magellan and Fortis.

SHOPPING MALLS Arkadia (A1) Al. Jana Pawła II 82, www.arkadia.com.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-21:00 Blue City (A6) Al. Jerozolimskie 179, www.bluecity.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00; Sun 10:00-20:00 Galeria KEN Center/E. Leclerc (Ursynów) ul. Ciszewskiego 15. Open Mon-Thurs 9:0021:30; Fri 9:00-22:00; Sun 9:00-21:00 Galeria Mokotów (C12) ul. Wołoska 12, www.galeriamokotow.com.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-20:00

“The clothes are chic, cut well and there is a bit of everything for everyone” - WARSAW INSIDER

“It’s a good place for fashion lovers and those who like to experiment” - GAZETA WYBORCZA

“reykjavik district delights with simplicity, high end fashion and anoriginal look to the shop. It’s a really nice alternative for men” - ZWIERCIADŁO MAGAZINE

Boutique: ul. Solec 18/20 Tue- Fri 13:00-19:00 Sat-Sun 13:00-17:00 +48 505 499 669 www.reykjavikdistrict.pl

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Klif (A2) ul. Okopowa 58/72, tel. 22 531 4500, www.klif.pl. Open Mon-Sat 09:00-21:00; Sun 10:00-20:00. Warsaw’s original luxury shopping center has everything from the excellent Bomi supermarket to top boutiques that include Max Mara, Paul & Shark and Pinko. To celebrate the centers revamped look, join them on December 1st and 2nd for fashion shows, concerts and food by Magda Gessler.

Promenada (Saska Kępa) ul. Ostrobramska 75c, www.promenada.com.

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00; Sun 10:00-19:00 Vitkac Wolf Bracka Wolf Center, ul. Bracka 9, www.likusconceptstore.pl Poland’s premier address for designer tags – you won’t find more designer labels per sq/m anywhere else. Money spenders inc. Jimmy Choo, Paul Smith, Stella McCartney, Jil Sander, Gucci, Bottega, Yves Saint Laurent, etc…

Złote Tarasy (C4) ul. Złota 59, www.zlotetarasy.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 9:00-22:00; Sun 9:00-21:00 Over 200 stores, restaurants and cafes, plus the Multikino cinema and the Pure Health and Fitness Club.

Reviews: Umpa Lumpa 73 / Plus:

* 5 updates

CHILDREN ACTIVITIES 73 / CAFES 74 / EDUCATION 74 / SHOPS 76

Insider’s Pick

ACTIVITIES

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Barwy Muzyki ul. Niecała 14, www.barwymuzyki.pl.

This informal music school, with highly qualified teachers experienced in the Colour Strings program, acknowledges not every child will be a professional musician but that playing, listening and singing to music is an asset to their development. Group or individual lessons on piano, violin, guitar, cello and flute for 6-12yrs.

Copernicus Science Centre ul. Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20, www.kopernik.org.pl. A brilliant array of science-inspired attractions that prove as stimulating for parents as they are for the kids. Check out Galeria BZZZ, an area designated for children up to six. In order to keep numbers manageable, expect entry times to be staggered.

Umpa Lumpa ul. Mickiewicza 24, tel. 22 245 1909, www.umpa-lumpa.pl. Open Mon-Fri 7:00-19:00; Sat-Sun 9:00-19:00.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY GILL BOELMAN-BURROWS

I

t’s no exaggeration to say that when my daughter and I stumbled upon this chocolate shop our euphoria was comparable to that of Charlie Bucket unwrapping the fifth golden ticket! This chocolate boutique appeared at such speed one might believe a glass elevator dropped off hundreds of Oompa Loompa men just to get the job done.

But for all that it’s not the famous chocolate of Willy Wonka that is up for grabs in this tiny shop/café but that of an Austrian chocolatier, alias Zotter! Zotter prides itself on being both organic and fair-trade and one clever Pole has decided that the denizens of Warsaw need more than just the sad pick ‘n’ mix selection at Carrefour to tickle their taste buds.

Although a standard 70g bar of chocolate comes with a hefty price tag (ouch: zł. 13), take my word, you will cherish the moment of indulgence all the more as this chocolate is the bottom line in quality. You really won’t hesitate to open your purse for another bar.

And why stop at a bar! With the bleakness of winter on our coat tails what better way to rosy the cheeks than a delicious cup of hot chocolate. Choose from 16 flavors then watch as the chocolate chunks, mixed with hot milk in an umpa-lumpa shaker, melt into a velvet potion before your eyes.

Whether your preference is a high cocoa percentage or a particular countries cocoa bean, options are endless and tough; with fruity combinations, novelty chocolate CD’s, a luxury champagne filling, chocolate fondue sets and deliciously designed packaging be prepared to spend a lengthy time repeating ‘eenie meenie miney mo’ in an attempt to do the impossible – make a choice!

Seating is limited and this place has stiff competition with the likes of Kalimba café on its doorstep, but I’ve seen enough to be convinced that Umpa Lumpa has the secret ingredient to keep Warsaw enthralled. (GBB)

Fryzjerkowo ul. Foksal 12/14, www.fryzjerkowo.pl. This 100% child friendly hair salon with jungle theme interior will guarantee no tears! Whilst having their locks chopped children sit in a toy car and watch a favorite DVD. Mum can peruse the retro toys and classic books on sale. Owner speaks excellent English.

Advance booking recommended.

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Fundacja Atelier ul. Foksal 11, www.atelier.org.pl. Situated in an atmospheric 19th century building this foundation organizes affordable/flexible workshops to develop and inspire art education and creative skills (painting/drawing/ sculpture/art history) for children, young people and adults.

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HulaKula ul. Dobra 56/66, www.hulakula.com.pl. Bowling alley and soft indoor playground: heaven for kids and hell for grown-ups! Children love to climb, explore and slide into large ball pools. Parents hate the lack of daylight and fast food menu.

Little Chef Cooking classes for children age 4-16.

Groups for younger children age 4-10 and

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CHILDREN Junior Chef courses age 11-16. Kids cookand-eat healthy meals. Great fun! Classes in English, French and Polish, Mon-Sat. Visit www.littlechef.pl or call 0501 093 691 for more information.

Little Gym ul. Bruzdowa 56, tel. 22 842 0728, www.thelittlegym.

Over 300 locations worldwide, with the first one in Poland opened last November. Expect an age specific fitness curriculum, a high instructor-to-child ratio, original music and a weekly theme to engage the child’s imagination and sense of fun. Not only a great place for children, but tailored to a comfortable and relaxing stay for parents as well.

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Teatr Lalka Pl. Defilad 1 (Palace of Culture), www.teatrlalka.waw.pl. This puppet theatre stages a variation of productions suitable for children aged 3 +. Scenery, props and costume design are impressive but Polish dialogue is challenging! Losing the plot to Hansel and Gretel can happen - prepare to improvise! Tip: organize a backstage birthday party.

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Zachęta Gallery Pl. Małachowskiego 3, www.zacheta.art.pl.

Recently undergone extensive modernization but still awaiting a café, this gallery and bookshop offer a perfect introduction to modern art. Also available are weekend workshops for children and original cultural birthday

English-run preschool Authentic Montessori curriculum Unique music program Natural playground Healthy nutrition

parties guided by experienced animators in a contemporary environment.

CAFES Figa z Makiem (Saska Kępa) ul. Walecznych 64, figazmakiem.edu.pl. One of the latest and greatest addition to the growing roster of Warsaw kid cafes. Do some well selected designer kids shopping while waiting, or simply browse the books and toys section while your little ones romp in the kids room.

Kolonia (B7) ul. Łęczycka (corner of Ładysława), tel. 605 084 804, www.kolonia-ochota.pl.

Open daily 10:00-20:00. Equipped with a garden/playground, Kolonia is the most kid-friendly (and pet-friendly) place in the area, offering fresh daily specials.

Kosmos Kosmos ul. Koszykowa 55. Open 11:00-last guest; Sun 12:00-last guest. The design fuses retro with rock, while the children’s area comes with a handmade puppet theater, cardboard castle and enticing kids menu. ‘Fun workshops’ take place at noon each Saturday.

Kredkafe al. Wyzwolenia 14, tel. 22 622 1561, www.kredkafe.pl. Open daily 10:00-20:00.

The interiors look great, bright and cheerful with cute cartoon sketches and an entire playroom complete with toys, stuffed animals

ul. Piechoty Łanowej 46a

and a playhouse. There is even a mini-theater where the kids can put on puppet shows.

Bathrooms, of course, have baby-change facilities. The brainchild of two women with experience in hospitality and pedagogy, part of the idea of Kredkafe was to create a teaching space.

My Baby Café ul. Nowoursynowska 147, www.mybabycafe.pl.

A bright and airy café serving good food and great coffee at reasonable prices. Downstairs is the Holy Grail – shiny new toys, a mini kitchen for the girls, a tool bench for the boys, and a large playhouse (real doorbell and all!).

They even provide a nanny at no extra cost!

Paradise for kids and heaven for Mums.

Pompon (Wola) ul. Młynarska 13, www.pompmart.pl.

An organic menu and a gated play area equipped with slides, rope bridges and a selection of Wendy houses mark out Pompon, while the Nintendo Wii room is as popular with dads as it is with their lads.

Nowa Kuźnia (Wilanów) ul. Stanisława Kostki-Potockiego 24, www.nowakuznia.pl. Hugely child friendly, Nowa Kuźnia comes into its element each summer when the garden is turned into a giant faux beach – complete with diggers, slides and a see-saw.

Sto900 (E3) ul. Solec 18/20, tel. 787 696 241. Open 9:00-22:00; Fri 9:00-24:00; Sat 10:00-24:00; Sun 10:00-22:00. Popular with trendy families wheeling retro prams, Sto900 has a separate children’s zone with a playschool feel.

(entrance from ul. Rotmistrzowska)

tel. +48 531 599 444 www.mapletreemontessori.pl

International Schoolhouse Warsaw

Umpa Lumpa ul.Mickiewicza 24, tel. 22 245 1909, umpalumpa.pl. Open Mon-Fri 7:00-19:00; Sat-Sun 9:00-19:00. Bit part café, most part candy store. Colorfully designed, shelves here feature an array of rainbow colored lollipops, sweets and chocolate. Spoil your toddler, and yourself while you’re there.

EDUCATION PRESCHOOLS

Bilingual French – Polish Preschool “Trampoline” ul. Zakopiańska 12a (Saska Kępa) and ul. Skrzetuskiego 17 (Mokotów),mob.

502 355 919, www.trampoline.edu.pl.

This preschool has a lingual profile and offers

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bilingual teaching with French and English.

They received the European Label Certificate for innovative foreign language teaching.

The British School Early Years Centre ul. Dąbrowskiego 84 (Early Years Centre), tel.

22 646 7777; ul. Limanowskiego 15 (Primary, Secondary, IB Diploma program), tel. 22 842-3281; www.thebritishschool.pl. The British School provides special classes from the pre-nursery group – including children from preschool through secondary school.

Canadian School of Warsaw – Preschool (C11) ul. Kalatówki 24, tel. 22 898 3139, 697 979 100. The pre-school branch of the Canadian School of Warsaw provides both Polish and International 3-5 year olds with the perfect setting for their first encounters with English and French in an inquiry based classroom. Here, every task relates to real life experience and skills. For further info, English-run preschool tours and school visitsul. please callŁanowej or email: Piechoty 46a Authentic Montessori (entrance from ul. Rotmistrzowska) preschool@canadian-school.pl. curriculum Unique music program Natural playground Healthy nutrition

tel. +48 531 599 444 www.mapletreemontessori.pl

Casa dei Bambini & Toddler School (multiple locations)

Warsaw Montessori School ul. Badowska 19 (Mokotów), tel. 22 851 6893; ul. Szkolna 16 (Izabelin), tel. 22 721 8736, office@warsawmontessori.edu.pl, www.warsawmontessori.edu.pl. Warsaw Montessori and Casa dei Bambini have 3 green and harmonious locations in Mokotów and Izabelin. The school in Izabelin is set in the quiet of the Kampinos Forest just outside the city. Teachers are fully trained in early-childhood education in English according to the Montessori philosophy. Registration open to children 2 1/2 to 6 years of age.

Call to make an appointment to tour any of the 3 schools.

Ecole Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (H4) ul. Nobla 16, tel./fax: 22 616 1499, www.saintexupery.pl. Montessori curriculum in French for children aged from 2½ years old.

The English Playhouse (F12)

ul. Płyćwiańska 14a & ul. Rzodkiewki 18, tel. 22 843 9370, www.theenglishplayhouse.com. The English Playhouse functions in the quiet, green residential district of Mokotów, next to Królikarnia Park. The pre-school follows the English National Curriculum and accepts children from 12 months till six years old. Now with an additional location in Wilanów which includes a new, purpose-built pre-school building with a huge garden for children up to six years of age.

For info call Agnieszka Weston on 604 464 333 or email: office@theenglishplayhouse.com.

Happy Montessori House Warsaw Montessori Pre-school, ul. Rumiana 14, tel. 22 427 3767, mob. 697 060 504, www.hmh.com.pl.

The Happy Montessori House offers part-time and full-time places for children aged between 2.5 to 6 years, as well as toddler-focused activities (from 18 months to 3 years) centered around movement, sensorial stimulation, storytelling, singing and socialising.

Maple Tree Montessori ul. Piechoty Łanowej 46a (entrance from ul.

Rotmistrzowska), tel.

531 599 444, www.mapletreemontessori.pl.

Maple Tree Montessori is a family-run international preschool that offers an authentic Montessori curriculum supported by an Orff/ Kodály-based music syllabus. Find them located in the Wilanów district of Warsaw, in a house safely nestled into the end of a quiet street. Their program, which is designed for three to six year-olds, is devoted to the intellectual, emotional, social and physical development of children.

International Schoolhouse Warsaw

Montessori Academy for International Children ul. Królewicza Jakuba 36 (Wilanów) ul. Sadowa 4 (Konstancin), tel. 502 315 022, www.monte ssoriacademy.eu. An English-speaking pre-school (16 months to 6 years of age) with two locations. The school’s policy is to comply with Montessori standards, using the Montessori Method in English. The school’s philosophy is based on the joy of learning, which comes from discovering and furthering the individual development of each child.

Tequesta ul. Przejazd 24,

tel. 603 919 096/535 400 033, info@tequesta.pl, www.tequesta.pl. Polish and English language groups for children aged from six months to six years, as well as a wide range of extra-curricular activities.

SCHOOLS American School of Warsaw ul. Warszawska 202, Konstancin-Jeziorna, tel. 22 702 8500, fax 022 702 8500, admissions@aswarsaw.org, www.aswarsaw. org. The American School of Warsaw provides comprehensive programs and facilities based on a US system of education for ages 4 to 18.

The British School ul. Limanowskiego 15, tel. 22 842 3281, british@thebritishschool.pl, www.thebritishschool.pl. Top-ranking private school in Warsaw with comprehensive programs and facilities based on the British system of education.

The Canadian School of Warsaw – Primary School Unit ul. Bełska 7, tel. 22 646 9289, 697 970 244.

The Canadian School of Warsaw provides a continuum of IB-based education for 6-10 year olds. Highly qualified, international staff, challenging materials and a friendly atmosphere provides for an optimal setting for the highest standard of education.

Extra-curricular activities include pottery, dance, ballet, capoeira, karate, emotional intelligence, art studio and tennis. For further info, tours and school visits please call or email: secretary@canadian-school.pl.

The Canadian School of Warsaw – Middle and High School Unit ul. Olimpijska 20, tel. 697 977 600, 697 979 300.

The Middle and High unit of the Canadian School of Warsaw provides a continuum of IB-based education for 11-19 year olds. With both Canadian and Polish curricula content students are given the opportunity to choose between Polish Matura or IB Diploma exams.

International staff, cultural events and

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CHILDREN challenging student initiatives create a perfect learning and creative thinking environment.

For further info, tours and school visits please call or email: mid.high@canadian-school.pl.

Ecole Antoine de SaintExupéry (H4) Established in 1994, the Antoine de SaintExupery preschool and school provides a French curriculum for children two to eight years old (3rd year of primary school) in a welcoming family atmosphere. Highly qualified native

French-speaking teachers.

Kid’s Academy Primary & Pre-School ul. Arbuzowa 33D (Wilanów), ul. Łąkowa 38 (Konstancin), tel. 501 205 080, www.kidsacademy.com.pl. A Private English Polish School which provides an excellent early educational program for children from ages 2.5 - 5 years old and at the Primary School, from Grade 0. Combining elements of both the Polish and British curriculum, the focus is on creating a positive and vibrant learning environment. They’re also proud of their large playground and variety of healthy foods.

Lycée Français de Varsovie ul. Walecznych 4/6, tel. 22 616 5400, www.lfv.pl. French school admitting students from the age of two years old. All instruction is in French. Languages offered : Polish, English, German, Spanish, Latin. Also, a wide variety of after school activities (sport, arts, extra-curricular instruction).

Warsaw Montessori School (G7) ul. Szwoleżerów 4, tel. 22 841 3908, sylvia@warsawmontessori.edu.pl, www.warsawmontessori.edu.pl. Focuses on the Montessori curriculum with an education based on the integration of conceptual learning and real-life experiences.

SHOPS The English-speaking preschool for children from the international community

22 843 9370 784 037 808

Endo Multiple locations, www.endo.pl. Endo is the original home of quality children’s wear that embraced great design by Polish artists and accompanied it with Polish slogans. Much of the materials used are organic, hardwearing and wash well. A good address for baby basics and all closet essentials.

Mimbla ul.Mokotowska 51/53, www.cudanakiju. pl. Exclusively for kids on Warsaw’s most exclusive shopping street it’s an Aladdin’s cave of quality toys and Polish/English books. Get your gift wrapped here and both mum and child will be happy even before opening it.

Pieluszkarnia Multiple locations, www.pieluszkarnia.pl.

This small chain specializes in eco-friendly toys and clothing designed and produced in Poland. Products include the Lalanka dolly clothing collection, luxuriously soft reversible winter balaclavas and Martello blankets personalized for births etc.

Smyk Multiple stores, www.smyk.pl. Smyk is Poland’s answer to Mothercare; from bottle sterilizing kits to pencil cases, early learning toys to Disney classics and a wide range of seasonal clothing, this store will take you from childbirth to high school!

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Reviews: Similan 77 / Plus:

* 2 updates

LIFESTYLE

ACCOMODATION 77 / COMMUNITY 83 / HEALTH & BEAUTY 79 / MEDICAL 81 / TRANSPORTATION 78

ACCOMODATION

Insider’s Pick

HOTELS IN WARSAW 5-star hotels

Hilton Warsaw (B4) ul. Grzybowska 63, tel. 22 356 5555, www.hilton.com. Single and double room €95-125 (weekend), €135 (weekdays).

Excellent services and amenities in a world-class hotel and conference centre.

Holmes Place Lifestyle Club offers premium fitness facilities.

Similan ul. Wiertnicza 120, tel. 22 858 16 48, www.similan.pl. Open Tue-Sun 11:00-22:00.

W

hen I showed up at Similan, it’d been a year since I’d gotten a proper massage.

Once upon a time I couldn’t function without my twice-monthly rubdown, but suddenly life got so hectic that I couldn’t find any time for indulging in that much-needed stress reliever. And wouldn’t you know it, the stress just got worse, stiffening up my back until I could barely sit at my desk without cringing.

So I recently decided to head back to the spa and get my muscles loose and my head clear. The trouble is that when you haven’t had a proper massage in a while you start to forget how great it is. A massage isn’t just a massage, especially when you’re talking traditional Thai massage. And who would have guessed that this little place located somewhere between Sadyba and Wilanów would serve up exactly what I needed?

After getting all the logistics out of the way – paper bottoms, robes and plastic slippers, I laid back in this quaint, sweet-smelling room filled with the relaxing melodies of Thailand. I can’t really describe the massage very well because the moment my masseuse’s hands began to do their magic, I drifted away into a world of my very own, each worry dropping off like a helium balloon. She was gentle without being too gentle, her touch precise and comforting. I’d opted for one of the post-baby treatments that apparently are just as good even if you haven’t just had a baby. The treatment was relaxing, detoxifying and stimulating, meant to get the body’s circulation and metabolism going again once diet and lack of exercise have done a number on you.

I left the spa feeling a few inches taller with the constant pain in my shoulders gone.

A Thai massage is definitely the way to go when you need just a little bit of pampering to get back on track, and just the tonic for a grey Warsaw day. (AL)

Hyatt Regency Warsaw (E8) ul. Belwederska 23, tel. 22 558 1234, www.warsaw.regency@hyatt.com, www.warsaw.regency.hyatt.com. Venti Tre Italian Restaurant, Q Club Restaurant and Bar, Club Oasis Fitness Centre, indoor swimming pool, spa & massage services. Offical base of Poland’s Euro 2012 football team.

InterContinental (C4) ul. Emilii Plater 49, tel. 22 328 8888, www.warsaw.intercontinental.com. Single & double rooms: €95-155. Riverview Wellness Centre and swimming pool on top floor.

Le Meridien Bristol (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 42/44, tel. 22 551 1000, www.starwoodhotels.com. Single room: €129-159, double room: €139-169.

Fitness centre, gym, swimming pool, sauna.

Mamaison Le Régina Hotel Warsaw (C1) ul. Kościelna 12, tel.22 531 6000, www. mamaison.com. Muffle up for an evening prowl around old town, before spoiling yourself inside the desginer confines of this boutique masterpiece. Prices start from approx. €115, but it’s well worth your time browsing their ‘romantic break’ and ‘just married’ packages.

Marriott (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79, tel. 22 630 6306,

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LIFESTYLE www.warsawmarriott.com. Prices from: zł.

231 (weekends), zł. 528 (weekdays). Gym and swimming pool. Central location only 20 minutes from the airport. All rooms with panoramic view.

The Rialto Boutique Hotel (D6) ul. Wilcza 73, tel. 22 584 8700, www.hotelrialto.com.pl. Top-class boutique hotel in the centre of Warsaw. Single room: €140, double room: €170, apartment: €220.

24-hour fitness centre for guests only.

Sheraton (E5) ul. Prusa 2, www.sheraton.com/warsaw, tel. 22 450 6100. Single & double rooms: €77126. Fitness centre, aerobic studio, sauna.

Radisson Blu Centrum Hotel (C3) ul. Grzybowska 24, tel. 22 321 8888. Single & double rooms zł. 420-490 (weekend rate from zł.250). First Class Fitness Centre.

Sofitel Victoria (D3) ul. Królewska 11, tel. 22 657 8011, www.orbis.pl. Single & double rooms: €95200. Swimming pool now open to the public.

Westin (B4) Al. Jana Pawła II 21, tel. 22 450 8000, www.westin.com/warsaw. Single & double rooms: €77-126. Gym and sauna.

4-star hotels

Polonia Palace Hotel (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 45, tel. 22 318 2800, www.poloniapalace.com. Single & double rooms: €60-235. 24-hour fitness centre for hotel guests only.

Airport Hotel Okęcie ul. 17-ego Stycznia 24, tel. 22 456 8000, www.airporthotel.pl. Airport Hotel Okęcie is located 800 m from Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport. Single & double rooms: €155, €123 (weekdays). Single & double rooms: €70-80 (weekends). Jacuzzi, sauna, tennis courts, and gym.

3-star hotels

Hotel Belwederski (E8) ul. Sulkiewicza 11, tel. 22 840 4011, www.hotelbelwederski.pl. Single room: zł. 240, double room: zł. 280. On weekends 20% discount (Fri-Mon). Breakfast included.

Castle Inn (D1) Pl. Zamkowy, ul. Świętojańska 2, tel. 22 425 0100, www.castleinn.pl.

Single & double rooms (Standard castle view): zł.190-290. Deluxe apartments: zł. 279-430. Breakfast: zł. 20. Artsy boutique accomodation on the castle square. For cheaper alternative, check their downtown hostel branch, the Oki Doki

Radisson Blu (B5) pl. Zawiszy 1, tel. 22 579 1000, www.sobieski.com.pl. Single & double rooms €60-94. Gym, jacuzzi, sauna.

Golden Tulip (B5) ul. Towarowa 2, tel. 22 582 7500. Single & double rooms: Mon.-Fri. zł. 369, weekend: zł. 299, breakfast (buffet): zł. 32. Sauna, jacuzzi, fitness room.

Holiday Inn (C4) ul. Złota 48/54, tel. 22 697 3999, www.holiday-inn.com. Single room: €100 (weekend), €124 (weekdays), double room: €120 (weekend), €144 (weekdays). Gym, jacuzzi, sauna.­

Warsaw Gromada Hotel Airport ul. 17-ego Stycznia 32, tel. 22 576 4600, warszawa.airport@gromada.pl. Single & double rooms: zł. 250-420 (weekdays), single & double rooms: zł. 200-330 (weekends). Sauna, gym, free for hotel guests.

Mercure Grand Warszawa (D4) ul. Krucza 28, tel. 22 583 2100, www.orbis.pl.

Single & double rooms: €78-112.

Holiday Inn Express Warsaw Airport ul. Poleczki, www.hiexpress.com. Three minutes from the airport, the Express chapter of Holiday Inn is opening on 30 November and already accepting bookings. Check web for further details.

Courtyard by Marriott Hotel (Airport) ul. Żwirki i Wigury 1, tel. 22 650 0100, www.courtyard.com/wawcy. Single & double rooms: €135 (weekdays), €99 (weekend).

Novotel Warszawa Centrum (D5)

ul. Marszałkowska 94/98, tel. 22 596 0000, www.novotel.com, www.accorhotels.com.

Single and double rooms: zł.265-480.

Wellness centre and sauna.

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Novotel Warszawa (Airport) ul. 1-ego Sierpnia 1, tel. 22 575 6000, nov.airport@orbis.pl. Single & double

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

rooms: €120-135. Swimming pool, jacuzzi, tennis court, Finnish sauna, power plate.

APARTMENTS

InterContinental ul. Emili Plater 49, tel. 22 328 8888, www.warsaw.intercontinental.com.

Long and short stay apartments provided by the hotel of the same name. Perks included are the same as those received by hotel guests: i.e. access to the top floor pool, room service, maid service etc.

MaMaison Residence Diana ul. Chmielna 13A, tel. 22 505 9100, www.mamaison.com/diana. A beautiful city center location from the same team behind Le Regina. Short and long term stays.

P & O Apartments ul. Kasprowicza 91, tel. 22 636 8699, www.pandoapartments.com.pl.

TRANSPORTATION CAR RENTAL

Avis (C5) tel. 22 572 6565, fax 22 572 6566, Fredrick Chopin Airport, Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott Hotel), tel. 22 650 4872/3.

Reservations: tel. 801 120 010, www.avis.pl.

Hertz Rent a Car Okęcie Airport, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 1, tel. 22 650 2896; mob. 691 411 130. ul. Nowogrodzka 27 (D5), tel. 22 621 1360.

Reservations: tel. 22 500 1620, 800 143 789.

Sixt Rent a Car ul. Arabska 9, tel. 22 511 1550, 22 511 1555, fax 22 511 1556, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 1, tel. 22 650 2031, fax 022 650 2032, www.sixt.pl.

Trust Rent a Car (C12) ul. Konstruktorska 4, mob. 0602 475 355, www.trustrentacar.pl.

RELOCATION COMPANIES AGS Warsaw ul. Julianowska 37, Piaseczno, tel. 22 702-1072, fax 022 702-1077.

Besto Relocations ul. Kłobucka 8 /127, tel. 22 847 8878, mob. 514 643 286, warsaw@bestorelocations.com, www.bestorelocations.com. High-quality international relocation services to and from Poland for corporate and individual clients.

CorstJens Worldwide Movers Group ul. Nowa 23, Stara Iwiczna, tel. 22 737 7200, www.corstjens.com.

Express Relocations ul. Szyszkowa 35/37, tel. 22 878 3539, www.expressrelocations.com.

Euro Move International Movers ul. Kineskopowa 1, Piaseczno, tel. 22 716 5566, moving@euromove.pl, www.euromove.pl.

Interdean International Relocation ul. Geodetów 172, Piaseczno, tel. 22 701 7171, fax 22 701 7177, warsaw@interdean.com, www.interdean.com. With 120 relocation service centres and employs 3,150 international relocation services staff across Europe and EMEA, and over 600 alliances worldwide.

Move One Relocations tel. 22 630 8160, poland@moveoneinc.com, www.moveoneinc.com. Also immigration assistance, fine art shipping, pet transport and consulting services. Award-winning

service from a company that’s been active in the field since 1992.

HEALTH & BEAUTY SPAS & SALONS

Beauty Secret/Spa/Retreat ul. Nowowiejska 38, Józefów, tel. 22 789 2016, www.beautysecret.pl.

Located about 20 km outside of Warsaw, Beauty Secret is the place to go and recharge your batteries, relax and get pampered.

B&B Clinic ul. Grzybowska 3, tel. 22 403 65 72, www.bbclinic.pl. An array of body and beaity treatments inside pristine five star facilities.

Whether you want to slim down using the latest technologies, rejuvenate the skin or relax during a massage, there’s few better qualified. 10% for Insider readers.

Bio.Sis Nail Spa ul. Koszykowa 31, tel. 22 621 1404, www.nailspabiosis.pl. A top spot for a classic

manicure or pedicure – they also do lots of complicated things with gels and other hi-tech nail discoveries.

BodyClinic ul. Oboźna 9 lok. 104, tel. 22 826 1160, www.bodyclinic.pl. Thorough body care for everyone. From the usual options to a huge variety of massages and some very exotic treatments, BodyClinic covers all the bases.

Club Oasis Spa Hotel Hyatt, ul. Belwederska 23, Level -3, tel.

22 851 0563, www.cluboasis.pl. Not just for hotel guests, Oasis is one of the top fitness clubs and spas in Warsaw. Amazing Clarins body firming and rejuvenating treatments, facials, reflexology and wide range of massages at the beauty center round out a healthy lifestyle.

The Cutting House – Exclusive Hairdressing (E5) ul. Wiejska 20, www.cuttinghouse.pl, tel. 22 622 6362. The Cutting Salon has an elegant polish on a contemporary design and a wide

Elegant New Year's Eve dinner in La Rotisserie restaurant Unique menu Sommelier's selection Mamaison Hotel Le Regina Warsaw Kościelna 12 T: 22 531 60 00 mamaison.com

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LIFESTYLE variety of celebs, diplomats and your run-ofthe-mill fashionista dropping in for a trim or a manicure. You will not be disappointed.

Dotyk SPA ul. Biały Kamień 3, tel. 22 898 7272, www.dotykspa.pl Probably the only place in Warsaw where you’ll get a facial yoga session.

Going futher East, treat yourself to Japanese, Polynesian or Indian massage, as well as all the other more typical spa services.

Dior Institute and Dessange Beauty Salon Metropolitan Building, pl. Piłsudskiego 1,

tel. 22 331 0808, www.diorinstitut.com.

This sleek boutique offers a state-of-the-art treatment room and professional staff for all your pampering needs.

DS Instytut Al. Ujazdowskie 24, tel. 22 622 13 81, www. dsinstytut.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-20:00; Sat 8:00-16:00. Different treatments: some relaxing, some energizing, some both! The latest player on the block has set its cards on technology, packing a pretty penny into state-of-the-art machines that deliver Hollywood results.

Fabryka Próżnosci ul. Cecylii Śniegockiej 8 lok.101, tel. 22 312 1909, www.fabrykaproznosci.pl. Has a full suit of facials, massages (all the main schools are represented); competitive prices, and plenty of English-speaking therapists.

Fish Spa ul. Wilcza 11, tel. 22 414 3737, www.fishspainstytut.pl. Let 200 Garra Rufa fish do the work on your pedicure and manicure. Alternatively, enjoy more traditional (ie. less fishy) facials and body massages – all at reaonable prices in the heart of the center.

with the farce and make your hair look great.

They also provide manicures and pedicures and even throw in a decent free coffee.

Izar Repechage ul. Moliera 1, tel. 22 827 7195, www.repechage.net.pl. A gorgeous city spa which a range of treatment for the whole body.

Le Spa (E5) ul. Mokotowska 55, tel. 22 622 9428.

This little island of peace and beauty takes you light-years away from the bustle of Warsaw.

Multico Wellness & Spa ul. Bitwy pod Rokitną 1 (in Old Żoliborz), tel. 22 869 9631, www.multico.pl. A modern fitness center and gorgeous pool make this a chic place to work out and relax.

Now offers spa services and great massages.

Pearl Spa at the InterContinental (C4) ul. Emilii Plater 49, 43 floor, tel. 22 328 8643, www.pearlspa.pl. This bright and full of windows spa has an eclectic menu of “body rituals” such as the Maghreb ritual and Ayurvedic massages.

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Fiuu Fiuu Day Spa ul. Mokotowska 48, tel. 22 629 2414, www. fiuufiuu.pl. A wonderful quick fix salon that makes use of the latest Ericson products.

Hair Club Warsaw ul. Kruczkowskiego 6, tel. 22 828 0288, www.hairclubwarsaw.pl. Hair Club dispense

The Pedicure Place ul. Pokorna 2, tel. 22 241 3000, www.pedicureplace.pl. Open Mon-Fri 9:00-21:00; Fri-Sat 9:00-18:00. A luxury pedi/manicure clinic with room for 10. All the latest OPI varnishes and over 200 colors guarantee you’ll find the

ENGLISH CHURCH SERVICE - 10:30am Sunday International Community Center - Pulawska 326

Christmas Specials: A Christmas Musical Drama Sunday December 9 10:30

English Community Carol Sing

December 16 @ 18:30

+48 607 309 490 PASTORROY.ICF@GMAIL.COM WWW.ICFWARSAW.ORG

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP OF WARSAW a non-denominational church serving the international community of Warsaw

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

latest in styling and nail care.

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Similan ul. Wiertnicza 120, tel. 22 858 16 48, www. similan.pl. Open Tue-Sun 11:00-22:00. Allow the stresses of everyday city life to evaporate at Similan; the Thai massages are relaxing, detoxifying and stimulating.

Studio Jej i Jego ul. Wiertnicza 93A, tel. 22 885 0085, www.jejijego.pl. Hair and beauty treatments for men and women – inc. nail care, massage, facial and body treatments.

Sungate Beauty & Spa Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 2, tel. 22 582 9474, 517 012 880, www.spasungate.pl.

Open 10:00-24:00. A feast for all five senses, Sungate offers a wide range of massages, face and body treatments as well as a VIP room for couples.

FITNESS CLUBS

Club Oasis Fitness Centre & Spa (E8) Hotel Hyatt, ul. Belwederska 23, Level -3, tel. 22 851 0563, www.cluboasis.pl. Not just for hotel guests, Oasis is one of the top fitness clubs and spas in Warsaw, with state-of-the-art machines, great pool and Zen-like ambiance.

www.riverview.com.pl. Top-class facilities and equipment, private instructors and small classes. The view from the pool offers a glorious panoramic view of the city.

MEDICAL MEDICAL PRIVATE CLINICS

AcuMed Asian Therapies – Traditional Medicine Clinic ul. Sempołowska 3, tel. 608 355 100. www.tuina.pl. Holistic treatment of spinal, headaches, stress, pains, allergies.

Austria-Dent-Center (B4) ul. Żelazna 54, tel. 22 654 2116, www.austriadent.pl.

Centrum Pomocy Profesjonalnej (A1) Al. Jana Pawła II 80, floor 21, room 129, Babka Tower, tel. 22 637 4080; ul. Puławska 257 (floor 1, suite 71), Melody Park, tel. 22 241 2444, www.cpp.eu.

Margaret Rybak, Psy.D. ul. Lipska 27/24. US-trained doctoral level psychologist. APA member. Specialises in individual psychotherapy for adults and children. For more information: www.mrybak.waw.pl, mob. 606 518 151.

Ren Clinic Al. Gen. Władysława Sikorskiego 9A lok. 12A, tel. 22 414 2222, www.renclinic.pl. Surgical care, cosmetics, medical dermatology, aesthetic medicine and more.

Ren Clinic is a modern clinic specializing in the field of surgical care cosmetics, medical dermatology and aesthetic medicine.

Fitness Centre at the Radisson (E8) SAS Centrum Hotel, ul. Grzybowska 24, tel. 22 321 8888. Fitness club, swimming pool, sauna, gym, group classes in one of Warsaw’s best five stars. zł.100 per day.

Fitness Centre at the Sheraton Hotel (E5) ul. Prusa 2, tel. 22 450 6100, www.sheraton. com/warsaw. Fitness center, aerobic studio, sauna. Price: zł. 3,420/year.

Holmes Place Lifestyle Club at the Hilton Hotel (B4) ul. Grzybowska 63, tel. 22 630 6306, www.holmesplace.pl. Premium fitness and leisure centre that offers a wide and diverse range of activities, top quality training equipment and expert staff. Holmes Place also operates two more Energy Clubs in Galeria Mokotów and Arkadia.

RiverView Wellness Centre at the InterContinental Hotel (C4) ul. Emilii Plater 49, tel. 22 328 8640,

We offer: • Laserotherapy

• Removal of stretch marks • Shallowing acne and traumatic scars

• Wrinkle removal using a Palomar Star Lux 500 • Closing deep vassels • Laser hair removal • Endermology • Aesthetic Medicine

- Special offer AndreZadozda: - 50% for Endremolit face treatment and body treatments including an hour-long body massage al. gen. Władysława Sikorskiego 9A lok. 12A tel. 22 414 2222, www.renclinic.pl

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LIFESTYLE Well Now Dental Clinic (Wilanów) ul. St. Kostki Potockiego 2A, tel. 22 403 8800, www.wellnow.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:30-20:30, Sat 9:30-14:30.

Enel-Med Medical Centre Atrium Plaza, Al. Jana Pawła II 29; Arkadia (A1), Al. Jana Pawła II 82; Blue City, Al. Jerozolimskie 179; www.enel.pl For an appointment: tel. 22 311 7777.

dental clinic incorporates five dental offices, an operating room, two recovery rooms and a state-of-the-art diagnostic center.

Aster Med ul. Św. Bonifacego 92, tel. 22 858 0354, www.astermed.pl. Aster Med, while billing itself as a center of orthodontics and implantology, is really the full service with 14 dentists and 4 orthodontists and implant surgeons.

Medicover Center Atrium, Al. Jana Pawła II 27, ul. Inflancka 5, ul. Bitwy Warszawskiej 1920 r. 18, Eurodental ul. Domaniewska 37, ul. Puławska 278, ul. Nowowiejska 37, tel. 22 857 0088, ul. Poligonowa 3. Hotline: 19 677 or 500 900 500, www.eurodental.pl.

Medicover Hospital on Al. Rzeczypospolitej 5 Lim Medical Center in Wilanów tel. 500 900 900, Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (C5), ul. Domaniewska www.medicover.com.

41, ul. 17-ego Stycznia 49, Al. Jana Pawła II 78, tel. 22 458 7000, www.cmlim.pl.

Vertebralia ul. Postępu 6, tel. 22 449 2828, Lux Med Medical Clinics www.vertebralia.pl. A clinic specializing in ul. Racławicka 132b, ul. Chmielna 85/87; the integrated treatment of all kinds of spinal ul. Puławska 15; ul. Kopernika 30 (E4); illness. With 20 years of experience, they ul. Szernera 3; Al. Jerozolimskie 162; 24hr perform innovative treatments with state-ofhotline: 801 800 808, for mobile users: the-art equipment. tel. 22 332 2888, www.luxmed.pl.

Centrum Damiana ul. Wałbrzyska 46, ul. Foksal 3/5, al. K.E.N 103, tel. 22 566 2222, www.damian.com.pl.

Malo Clinic (C4) Rondo ONZ 1, tel. 22 335 7755, MALO CLINIC Warsaw is Central Europe's first clinicThis world class www.maloclinics.com/polska. of the world’s leader in Implantology and Dental

PRIVATE CLINICS

ARUMED Arumed Oriental Medical Center, ul. Noakowskiego 8, tel. 22 825 93 96.

The OMC doctors offer acupuncture, acupressure, herbal medicines, and medical massage for complete health.

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WARSAW

24-HOUR PHARMACIES

Al.World JanaLeader PawłainII 52/54 Implantology and 149, tel. 22 620 0818.

Al. Solidarności Dental Aesthetics ul. Wilcza 31, tel. 22 834 5804. ul. Puławska 39

Aesthetics, offering full dental care, and above all advanced dental implant surgery.

Located in a modern office complex Rondo 1 at Rondo ONZ, in the city center of Warsaw, the Clinic can be easily accessed as it is located in only 10 minutes from Central Railway Station, 30 minutes from the F. Chopin International Airport, near bus, tram stops and subway station (Świętokrzyska Station).

Entry into a secured car park in the Rondo 1 building – off Pańska street.

World Leader in Implantology and Dental Aesthetics

Services Available MALO CLINIC Warsaw provides the best specialists and the latest diagnostic equipment (including computer tomography), in the field of: Dental Surgery

Implantology WARSAW

Aesthetic Prosthetics

Conservative Dentistry Endodontics Orthodontics

MALO CLINIC Office complex Rondo 1 (+48) 22 335 77 55 Warsaw 1st floor in Building A warsaw@maloclinics.com Rondo ONZ 1 www.maloclinics.com/polska | www.maloclinics.com

MALO CLINIC Warsaw is Central Europe's first clinic of the world’s leader in Implantology and Dental Aesthetics, offering full dental care, and above all advanced dental implant surgery.

Located in a modern office complex Rondo 1 at Rondo ONZ, in the city center of Warsaw, the Clinic can be easily accessed as it is located in only 10 minutes from Central Railway Station, 30 minutes from the F. Chopin International Airport, near bus, tram stops and subway station (Świętokrzyska Station).

Entry into a secured car park in the Rondo 1 building – off Pańska street.

Services Available MALO CLINIC Warsaw provides the best specialists and the latest diagnostic equipment (including computer tomography), in the field of: Dental Surgery Implantology Aesthetic Prosthetics

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Conservative Dentistry Endodontics Orthodontics

WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

MALO CLINIC Office complex Rondo 1 (+48) 22 335 77 55 Warsaw 1st floor in Building A warsaw@maloclinics.com Rondo ONZ 1 www.maloclinics.com/polska | www.maloclinics.com

POLISH FOR FOREIGNERS Academia Polonica (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 55 loc.15, tel. 22 629 9311, www.academia-polonica.com.pl. Offering a choice of special programs such as: Polish in Business, General Polish Language, Polish for Academics and Polish for Professionals.

Akademia PFF (H4) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 67/11, tel. 792 887 350, www.pff-warsaw.com, email: academy@pff-warsaw.com. Akademia PFF offers a wide range of Polish courses for foreigners - individuals and groups.

Professional and friendly tutors with effective teaching styles.

Edu & More ul. Marszałkowska 87 lok. 81, tel. 22 622 1441, www.eduandmore.com. Business & everyday Polish. Full-time courses and innovative courses of Polish online. Experience, good location & price friendly. Students of full-time courses get online course for free.

Klub Dialogu ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13/156, tel. 664 788 994, www.klubdialogu.pl. Individual and group courses held either on-site or at the venue of your choice. Tailor-made packages inc. both intensive and weekend courses.

Lingua Polonica Lingua Polonica offers general Polish language classes, Polish for business and Polish for diplomacy. Individual learning programs are tailored to the needs of individual clients. Private and small-group classes available on a variety of levels for competitive prices. Professional, friendly and dedicated instructors. They even offer a free trial lesson for beginners.

Info: www.linguapolonica.com.pl. Email: linguapolonica@linguapolonica.com.pl.

COMMUNITY Akademia PFF (H4) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 67/11. tel. + 48 792 887 350 www.pff-warsaw.com e-mail: legal@pff-warsaw.comOffers services for foreigners coming to Poland, including obtaining residence and work permits, visas, setting up business activities as well as legal services and support for foreign investors and business entities. For more information call or write: +48 22 828 15 01; + 48 792 887 350, legal@pff-warsaw.com

International Christian Fellowship & International Community Center Interdenominational services in English (10:30am, Sunday). Facilities, programs and community activities for all ages: children, students and adults. Contact tel. 607 309 490, roy.taylor@icfwarsaw. org, www.icfwarsaw.org The Kurt Scheller Academy (D6) Offers top-standard cooking lessons.

For more information: ul. Piękna 68, tel. 22 626 8092, akademia@schelleracademy.com.pl.

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The New Warsaw Curry Club The New Warsaw Curry Club describe themselves as ‘a non-profit organization whose sole mission is to celebrate the pungent world of Warsaw curry’. Join them once a month for beers, curry and ex-pat gossip – for further details search out Facebook.

Professionals in Warsaw Hosts meetings in the city to link up professionals, those new to Warsaw, or those here for the long haul. For more info contact Andy (mob. 691 535 566) or the group page on Facebook.

Modern.edu School of Language Al. Jerozolimskie 11/19 lok.21, tel. 22 881 85 14, biuro@ modern.edu.pl, www.modern.

Taste of the Classics edu.pl. A wide range of Polish classes and customized courses at attractive prices - either A Taste of the Classics is a classical music, fine art and dinner entertainment, held in small groups or private classes. regularly in prime locations. The events Schola Polonica alternate between formal and semi-formal ul. Jaracza 3, tel. 22 625 2652, www.schola. dress and are held in English. Attendance is pl. Master Polish in a friendly atmosphere. by invitation and includes dinner and wine.

All levels catered for, with groups never going For further info: please contact Richard Berkebeyond a maximum of five people. ley: berkeley@fnok.pl or tel. 502 965 353.

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SCHOLA POLONICA

SCHOLA POLONICA offers a complete language service: Polish language tuition, translation and interpretation services.

CONVENIENCE • First lesson free • Flexible hours • Individually tailored program • Lessons in your classroom or office • Individual or group courses • All levels

CORPORATE GROUP TRAINING MANUALS, AND E- LEARNING & AUDIO-VIDEO program created by our school

POLISH FOR FOREIGNERS ul. Jaracza 3 lok. 19; 00–378, Warszawa tel. (48) 22 625 26 52 www.schola.pl office@schola.pl

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STREET INDEX 1 Sierpnia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A11 3 Maja al. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4 29 Listopada . . . . . . . . . . . . G7 Adampolska . . . . . . . . . . . . . H3 Agrykola . . . . . . . . . . . . E6, F6-7 Akacjowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C8-9 Angorska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3 Anielewicza . . . . . . . . . . .A2-B1 Armii Ludowej al. . . . .C-D7, E-F6 Asfaltowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C8-9 Asnyka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6, B6 Baboszewska . . . . . . . . . . .C10 Bacciarellego . . . . . . . . . . . . .E7 Bachmacka . . . . . . . . . . . . .C10 Baczyńskiego . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Badowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G8 Bagatela . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E7 Bagno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C4 Bajońska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Baleya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A10 Balladyny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Balonowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C10 Bałuckiego . . . . . . . . . . . .E9-10 Banacha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A8 Bandoski . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F10 Barokowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Barska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Bartoszewicza . . . . . . . . . . . . .E3 Bartoszka . . . . . . . . . . . . .G-H10 Bartycka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H7 Batorego . . . . . . . . . . . .C8, D7-8 Batumi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H12 Bednarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E2 Beethovena . . . . . . . . . . . . .G10 Belgijska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Belwederska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Bełska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C11 Berezyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G4 Biała . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B3 Białoskórnicza . . . . . . . . . .D-E2 Białostocka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Biały Kamień . . . . . . . . . . . . .B8 Bielawska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E10 Blaszana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E1 Bliska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H1-2 Bluszczańska . . . . . . . . . . . . .H8 bł.Władysława . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Bobrowiecka . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Boczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Boleść . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1 Bonifraterska . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Boryszewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Boya-Żeleńskiego . . . . . . . . .E7 Braci Pilatich . . . . . . . . . . .E9-10 Bracka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Browarna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E3 Bruna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C8 Bryły . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D12 Brzeska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G1 Brzozowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F12 Bugaj . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1 Bukietowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D11 Bukowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F12 Bukszpanowa . . . . . . . . . . . .F12 Buraczana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Burgaska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Bytnara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C11 Canaletta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Chałubińskiego . . . . . . . . . . .C5 Chełmska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Chłodna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B3 Chmielna . . . . . . . . . . .B-C5, D4 Chocimska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Chodkiewicza . . . . . . . . . . .C8-9 Chopina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E6 Ciasna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Ciepła . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Cisowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F12 Corazziego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Cybulskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Czackiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3 Czarnomorska . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Czeczota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D10 Czerniakowska . . . . . . . . .G6, F5 Czerska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Czerwijowskiego . . . . . . . . . .E6 Czeska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G4 Czubatki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C7 Daleka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Daniłowiczowska . . . . . . . . . .C2 Dantyszka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Dąbrowiecka . . . . . . . . . . . . .G4 Dąbrowskiego . . . . . . . . . .C9-10 Dąbrówki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3 Defilad pl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C4 Długa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Dmochowskiego . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Dobra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E3 Dolańskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1

Dolna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Domaniewska . . . . . . . . . . .D12 Dożynkowa . . . . . . . . . .D9, E10 Dragonów . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G7 Drużynowa . . . . . . . . . . . .D9-10 Dubois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B1 Dworkowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Dynasy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E3 Dzielna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B2 Dzika . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A1 Elektoralna . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-C3 Emilii Plater . . . . . . . . . . . . .C4-5 Esperanto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A2 Estońska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G4 Etiudy Rewolucyjnej . . . .B10-11 Fabryczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Falęcka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D9 Fałata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C8-9 Filona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D12 Filtrowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Finlandzka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G3 Fińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C7 Floriańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Flory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E7 Foksal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E4 Franciszkańska . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Francuska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Frascati . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Fredry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3 Freta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Frycza-Modrzewskiego . . . . .H1 Furmańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Gagarina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F-G8 Gallijska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3 Gałczyńskiego . . . . . . . . . . . .E4 Gamerskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Gandhiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D10 Garażowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C11 Gen. Andersa . . . . . . . .B1, C1-2 Genewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Gierymskiego . . . . . . . . . .F9-10 Gimnastyczna . . . . . . . . . . .B10 Giżyckiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E11 Glogera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Głogowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C11 Głucha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H2 Gołkowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H11 Gomulickiego . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Goszczyńskiego . . . . . . . . . .D10 Goworka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Górskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Górnickiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Górnośląska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Górska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Graniczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C3 Grażyny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Grodzka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Grottgera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Grójecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Gruzińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Grzesiuka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H10 Grzybowska . . . . . . . . . A-B4, C3 Hańczy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G10 Hipoteczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Hoene-Wrońskiego . . . . . . .F5-6 Hoffmanowej . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Hołówki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G8 Hoża . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-D5 Hrubieszowska . . . . . . . . . . .A4 Huculska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Humańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Idzikowskiego . . . . . . . . . . . .F11 Iłżecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A11-12 Imielińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F11 Inspektowa . . . . . . . . . .F12, G11 Irlandzka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3-4 Iwicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G8-9 Jagiellońska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Jaktorowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4 Jakubowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G3 Jałtańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H12 Jana Pawła II al. . . . . . .A1, B2-4 Jana Sobieskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F10, G10-11, H12 Jankowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A10 Jaracza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F3 Jasielska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A9 Jasińskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E1 Jasna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3 Jaszowiecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H11 Jaworowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F10 Jazdów . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E6 Jazgarzewska . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Jedwabnicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Jerozolimskie al. . . . .B-C5, D-F4 Jezierskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F6 Jezuicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1 Joliot Curie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D11 Joselewicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H1

Joteyki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Kacza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A3 Kalatówki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E11 Kaliska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Kamionkowska . . . . . . . . . . .H2 Kapucyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Karłowicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Karmelicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 Karolkowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4 Karowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2-3 Karwińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C10 Katowicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Kaukaska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Kawalerii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F-G6 Kazimierzowska . . . . . . . . . . .D9 Kępna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Kielecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C8-9 Kierbedzia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G10 Kijowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G1 Kilińskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Klonowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E7 Kłopotowskiego . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Kolberga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D11 Komedy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D8 Konduktorska . . . . . . .E9, F9-10 Konopnickiej . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Konstancińska . . . . . . . . .H11-12 Konstruktorska . . . . . . . . .B-C12 Konwiktorska . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Kopernika . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E4 Korczyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H11 Korzeniowskiego . . . . . . . . . .A7 Kostrzewskiego . . . . . . . . . .E10 Koszykowa . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-D6 Kościelna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Kotlarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4 Kozia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Kozłowskiej . . . . . . . . . . .G-H10 Koźla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Koźmińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Krakowskie Przedmieście . . . . . . . .D2-3 Krasickiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E11 Krasnołęcka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Kraushara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D9 Kredytowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3 Kręta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-F9 Krochmalna . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B3 Kromera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Krowia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Królewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-D3 Królowej Aldony . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Króżańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D9 Krucza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4-5 Kruczkowskiego . . . . . . . . .E3-4 Krymska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H12 Kryniczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Krzywickiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Krzywopoboczna . . . . . . . . . .D2 Ks. Poniatowskiego al. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4, G3 Ksawerów . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Książęca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Księcia Trojdena . . . . . . . . . . .A8 Kubańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Kubusia Puchatka . . . . . . . . .D4 Kwiatowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D9 Langego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C12 Lądowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F8 Lekarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Lenartowicza . . . . . . . . . . .D-E11 Lennona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E6 Leszno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A3 Leszowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C7 Lewartowskiego . . . . . . . . . . .B1 Lewicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D9 Ligocka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D9 Limanowskiego . . . . . . . . . .H11 Lindleya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B5 Lipska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3 Lipskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C10 Lisieckiego “Dziadka” al. . . .E1 Litewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E7 Lorenza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E4 Lubelska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G-H1 Lubkowska . . . . . . . . . . . . .G8-9 Ludna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4 Ludowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Lwowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D6 Łazienkowska . . . . . . . . . . .F-G6 Łęczycka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Łomnicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D8-9 Łotewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G4 Łowicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C8-9 Łucka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Łużycka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G8 Łyżwiarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Mackiewicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G1 Madalińskiego . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Magazynowa . . . . . . . . . . . .C12 Maklakiewicza . . . . . . . . . . .B11 Malawskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . .B11 Malczewskiego . . . . . . . . . .D10 Mangalia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G11 Maratońska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C10 Marcinkowskiego . . . . .F1-2, G1 Markowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G1 Marszałkowska . . . .C3-4, D4-5 Marzanny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C11 Maszyńskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Matejki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Mazowiecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3

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Meksykańska . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Melsztyńska . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E8 Melomanów . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H8 Merliniego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E10 Miączyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B11 Miechowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Miecznikowa . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Miedziana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B5 Miła . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A1-2, B1 Miłobędzka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B10 Miodowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-D2 Młocińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A1 Młynarskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Mochnackiego . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Modzelewskiego . . . . . . . . .D11 Mokotowska . . . . . . . . .D6, E5-6 Moliera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Mołdawska . . . . . . . . . . . .A9-10 Moniuszki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Morskie Oko . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Mostowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-D1 Myśliwiecka . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5-6 Na Skarpie . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E4-5 Nabielaka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F8-9 Nalewki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B1 Narbutta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Naruszewicza . . . . . . . . . .D-E11 Natolińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E6 Nehru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G8 Neseberska . . . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Niecała . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C3 Niekłańska . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3-4 Niemcewicza . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Niepodległości al. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6-8, D9-12, E12 Niska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B1 Noakowskiego . . . . . . . . . . . .D6 Nobla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Nowiniarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Nowińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H1 Nowotarska . . . . . . . . . . . . .F-G9 Nowogrodzka . . . . . . . . . . .B-D5 Nowolipie . . . . . . . . . . .A3, B2-3 Nowolipki . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B2 Nowomiejska . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1 Nowosielecka . . . . . . . . . . . . .G8 Nowowiejska . . . . . . . . . .C6, D6 Nowy Przejazd . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Nowy Świat . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E4 Nullo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Nurska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Oboźna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E3 Obrońców . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Obserwatorów . . . . . . . . . . . .F11 Oczki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C5 Odolańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E9 Odyńca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-E10 Ogrodowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B3 Okolska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E10 Okopowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A1-2 Okólnik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E4 Okrąg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4-5 Okrzei . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Oleandrów . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D7 Olesińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Olimpijska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B10 Olkuska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E10 Olszowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E1 Ondraszka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B7 Opoczyńska . . . . . . . . . . . .C8-9 Ordynacka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E4 Orężna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H12 Orla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C3-4 Orłowicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4-5 Orzechowska . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Ossolińskich . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3 Oszczepników . . . . . . . . . . .B10 Padewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-F9 Panieńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E1 Pankiewicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C5 Pańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C4 Parkingowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D5 Parkowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-F8 Paryska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Pasteura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Paszyna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A2 Pawia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B2 Pereca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Piaseczyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . .F11 Piekałkiewicza . . . . . . . . .G-H10 Piesza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Piękna . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D6, E5-6 Pilicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D10-11 Piłkarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D9-10 Piwarskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F10 Piwna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1-2 pl. Bankowy . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 pl. Defilad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C4 pl. Grzybowski . . . . . . . . . .C3-4 pl. Konstytucji . . . . . . . . . . . .D6 pl. Na Rozdrożu . . . . . . . . . . .E6 pl. Narutowicza . . . . . . . . . . .A6 pl. Piłsudskiego . . . . . . . . . . .D3 pl. Teatralny . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 pl. Trzech Krzyży . . . . . . . . . . .E5 pl. Unii Lubelskiej . . . . . . . . .E7 pl. Zawiszy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B5 pl. Zbawiciela . . . . . . . . . . . . .D6 pl. Żelaznej Bramy . . . . . . . . .C3 Platynowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B5 Płatowcowa . . . . . . . . . . . . .B10 Pługa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7

Płyćwiańska . . . . . . . . . . . . .F12 Pod Kopcem . . . . . . . . . . . .H7-8 Pod Skocznią . . . . . . . . . . . .F12 Podchorążych . . . . . . . . . . .F-G8 Podwale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1-2 Pogorzelskiego . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Polkowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Polna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D6-7, E7 Pory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G11-12 Poselska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Postępu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B12 Potockiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4 Powsińska . . . . . . . . . . . .H10-11 Poznańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D5 Praski Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E1 Promenada . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-F9 Prosta . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4-5, B4 Próżna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C3 Prusa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Pruszkowska . . . . . . . . . . . . .A9 Przechodnia . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C3 Przemysłowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F6 Przyokopowa . . . . . . . . . . . .A4-5 Przystaniowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4 Ptasia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-C3 Puławska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8-12 Pułku Baszta . . . . . . . . . . . . .C11 Pytlasińskiego . . . . . . . . . . .E-F9 Racjonalizacji . . . . . . . . . .B11-12 Racławicka . . . . . . . .A-B10, D10 Radomska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Rakowiecka . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-D8 Raperswilska . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Raszyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Ratuszowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E1 Reja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B7 Rejtana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Rektorska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D6 Rokitnicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B7-8 rondo Daszyńskiego . . . . .A4-5 rondo De Gaulle’a . . . . . . . . .E4 rondo Dmowskiego . . . . . .D4-5 rondo Jazdy Polskiej . . . . . . .D7 rondo ONZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-C4 rondo Radosława . . . . . . . . . .A1 rondo Waszyngtona . . . . . . .H3 Rostafińskich . . . . . . . . . . . . .B8 Rozbrat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5-6 Róż al. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E6 Różana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E9 Różyckiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Rudawska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Rychlińskiego . . . . . . . . . . .C-D7 Rynek Starego Miasta . . . . . .D1 Rysia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C3 Samochodowa . . . . . . . .C11-12 Sandomierska . . . . . . . . . .D-E8 Sanocka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A9 Sapieżyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Saska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3-4 Schillera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Sempołowskiej . . . . . . . . . . .E6 Senatorska . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-D2 Sewerynów . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E3 Sędziowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Sękocińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Sielecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8-9 Sienkiewicza . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Sienna . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4-5, C4 Sikorskiego al. . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Sikorskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Skaryszewska . . . . . . . . . . . . .G1 Skaryszewski Park . . . . . . . . .H3 Skłodowskiej-Curie . . . . . . . .A7 Skorupki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D5 Słoneczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Słupecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Służewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E6 Smocza . . . . . . . . . . . . .A1-2, B2 Smolna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E4 Smulikowskiego . . . . . . . . . . .F3 Sobieszyńska . . . . . . . . . .F9-10 Soczi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H12 Sokola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F3-G3 Solariego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Solec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E3 Solidarności al. . . .A3, B2-3, C2 Sozopolska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Spacerowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Spartańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B11 Spiska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B6 Sprzeczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G1-2 Srebrna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B5 Stanka al. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Stara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1 Starościńska . . . . . . . . . . . . .D8 Stawki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B1 Stępińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F8-9 Stopowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Styki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Suligowskiego . . . . . . . . . .G7-8 Sulkiewicza . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-F8 Syryńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C11 Szara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Szarotki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E10 Szczuczyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Szczygla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E4 Szkolna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3-4 Szpitalna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Szucha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E7 Śliska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-C4 Śniadeckich . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D6

Śniegockiej . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Św. A. Boboli . . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Św. Barbary . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D5 Św. Bonifacego . . . . . . . . . .H12 Św. Franciszka . . . . . . . . . . .F3-4 Świętojańska . . . . . . . . . . . .D1-2 Świętojerska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Świętokrzyska . . . . . . .C4, D3-4 Tagore’a R. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C10 Tamka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E3 Tarczyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B6 Targowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F-G1 Tatrzańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Teresińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G10 Tłomackie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Tokarzewskiego . . . . . . . . . . .D3 Towarowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4-5 Trasa Łazienkowska . . .E-F6, G5 Trasa W-Z . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Traugutta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3 Trębacka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Trybunalska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Turecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Turystyczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B10 Tuwima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Twarda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4-5 Tyniecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E10 Ujazdowskie al. . . . . . . . . . .E5-6 Urle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G11 Ursynowska . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E10 Walecznych . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Waliców . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B3-4 Wał Miedzyszyński . . .G4-5, H5 Wałowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Wandy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Warecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Warneńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Warszewickiego . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Waryńskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D7 Waszyngtona . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3 Wawelska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B7 Wąchocka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Wersalska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5-6 Węglarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Węgrzyna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G10 Widok . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Wiadukt Markiewicza . . . . . .D3 Wiejska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Wielicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E12 Wierzbickiego . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Wierzbowa . . . . . . . . . .C2, D2-3 Wiktorska . . . . . .C10, D9-10, E9 Wilanowska . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4-5 Wilcza . . . . . . . . . . .C6, D5-6, E5 Willowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Winnicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Wioślarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4 Wiśniowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D8-9 Witosa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G10-11 Włoska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9-10 Wodna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1 Wolicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H9 Wolnej Wszechnicy . . . . . . A7-8 Wolność . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A3 Wolska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4 Wołoska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C12 Woronicza . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-E11 Wronia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A3-4 Wrotkowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Wrzesińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Wspólna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D5 Wybrz. Kościuszkowskie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E2-3, F3 Wybrzeże Szczecińskie . . .E-F2 Wygodna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Wyzwolenia al. . . . . . . . . . . . .E6 Zagórna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F-G5 Zajączkowska . . . . . . . . . . .E-F8 Zakopiańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Zakrzewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Zamenhofa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 Zamojskiego . . . . . . . . . . . .F-G2 Zawrat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E11 Ząbkowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F-G1 Zbierska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Zdrojowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H12 Zgoda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Zieleniecka al. . . . . . . . . . . .G2-3 Zielna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C3 Zimorowicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Złota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-C4 Złotych Piasków . . . . . . . . . .G12 Zwierzyniecka . . . . . . . . . . . .G8 Zwycięzców . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Żelazna . . . . . . . . . . . . .A3, B3-5 Żuławskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . .B11 Żupnicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H1 Żurawia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D5 Żwirki i Wigury . . . . . . . . . .A8-11 Żytnia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A3 Żywnego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E11 Źródłowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2

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11-08-24 08:35

Żaryna Żaryna

Kulskiego Kulskiego

ChoCdhkod łyiaKłyam kieicwzaic BiaB iew Kaiem za ńień

Stadion Narodowy

WHY WARSAW? You must have felt a long way from Kalamazoo…

Well, I noticed people staring because of the color thing, but in the clubs I found people really receptive to the music – techno / house people have a bond, a common wavelength. I mean, I’ve seen proper skinheads at events but they were like, “hey, no trouble, we’re just here to party.”

Do you have a favorite club?

Lokomotiv was my favorite. That place was big, 5,000 people – the sheer numbers were impressive. But that’s closed, as has another great, La Madame. Now I’ve got to go with M25 and Luztro.

What are clubs doing wrong?

In techno culture too many of the new promoters just see it as a way of making money. They’re not artists and they don’t think like them – that’s a detriment to the scene.

How would you run a club?

I don’t believe in door selection, but at the same time you need the right people. An event can be in a shitty little room, but if you’ve got the right people then everyone else will want to go as well. And you need the right concept.

I’d change the way parties are done – there needs to be a different way. I’d love to have say house music in one room, jazz in another – then in six months change it all round again.

Where do you dream of playing?

Africa. In Warsaw, I’d love to rent a tram out here and hold a party as it travels round and round the city.

Kalamazoo native, techno DJ and record producer Donnell Knox, a.k.a. D-Knox, first visited Poland in 2002. The Insider finds out what’s happened since…

BY ALEX WEBBER

So Donnell, how’d you get out here then?

I was living in Paris at the time – it’d always been my intention to move somewhere in Europe, maybe even Japan, but never really Poland. Well, I got booked to perform in Białystok and after two years of visiting Poland I realized I could lead a better life here.

Day 1 must have been a bit of shock…

I was met at Warsaw airport and can only describe the journey up to Białystok as the ride of my life: sitting on top of the sound equipment as the guy drove at top speed, trucks coming straight at us, drivers hitting the brakes at the last moment... I just thought, what the hell am I doing here? But the party went great, and the next day I had my first experience of the famous Statoil hotdog.

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WARSAW INSIDER | NOVEMBER 2012

What’s the best party you’ve played?

A smart bar in Cleveland. I was meant to be playing with my cousin but he rang up the night before saying I’m doing it on my own. Man, I was totally unprepared but I took practically every piece of equipment from my studio and was playing unreleased tracks. It was raw and spontaneous – amazing.

Do you have a favorite part of town?

I lived in Saska Kępa for six years, and I still love it for that French, international atmosphere. Now I’m in Ursynow and you know what, I love that as well – I’ve got everything I need right there, I never need to go to a big shop. Then I remember how busy Marszałkowska felt when I first came here, it felt so alive. And I like Plan B, Lorelei and the cave bars – you know, the pavilion bars behind Nowy Świat.

What keeps you here?

A mysterious, hidden energy. I can go other places and have a great time, but there’s always something that makes me come back here – maybe it’s an evil spirit. But I like it, I’ve made Warsaw work for me: I lead the life I’d lead in Kalamazoo out here. Sure, in future I see myself living in Berlin maybe, or even Atlanta, Georgia – parts of it kinda’ reminds me of Warsaw – but I think Poland will be the place where I die.

Keep a tab on Donnell’s movements at his record labels website. For more info, click to: www.sonic-mind.com

PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

HEY MR DJ