Warsaw Insider June 2013 # 202

Mokotów Special

Adopting a Dog

page 18-25

Warsaw

Best Outdoor Bars page 26

Moving?

page 64

June 06 price zł.10 INDEKS 334901 ISSN:1643-1723

(202)

2013

(VAT 8% included)

to our readers

JUNE 2013

DON’T BE AN OUTSIDER

Follow us on facebook for the latest city news and odds and ends.

Warsaw’s kinks and quirks are revealed at: facebook.com/warsawinsider

SUMMER IN THE CITY

S

ummer? Really?? After the winter to end all winters, and a spring that lasted five hours, we’re seasonally confused. But, it appears, we’ve definitely entered the best bit of the year – let joy be unconfined! But what is Warsaw ‘on heat’? To me the capital in the summer is defined by its sights, sounds and smells – skimpy, scanty clothes, café terraces and the fragrant scent of the 180 bus. But summer is also about exploration. Having hibernated for six months, sheltering from what can only be described as a big slut of a blizzard, the upturn in the weather means meandering to places that are usually off my map.

I’m a city center guy, and if the weather isn’t onside then there’s no chance you’ll find me breaching boundaries and exiting my comfort zone. But with Mr Sun smiling, there’s no better time to hit the streets and check out the city. It’s for that reason we’ve broadened our horizons and dedicated this issue to the suburb of Mokotów. Ever since I’ve been here, it’s always been an enviable postcode, but that’s about all. Lately, however, Mokotów has matured, emerging as an on-trend district teaming with life. With that in mind, we’ve stalked the streets and snuck behind corners to unravel both its secrets and its soul – its vintage stores and leafy parks, its edgy eateries and trendy cafes. Enjoy Mokotów, and enjoy the issue.

Of course, as always, check out the latest hot city news on our Facebook (facebook.com/warsawinsider), and don’t forget to sign up for our end-of-week newsletter for more news and views and little snips of gossip (newsletter@ warsawinsider.pl).

Alex Webber awebber@valkea.com

Warsaw legend Czarny Roman goes pink

Warsaw’s gone green – cult eco market at Hala Koszyki

World on his shoulders – architectural detail, Wilcza

on the cover Next stop Mokotów! This month’s cover comes from the perspective of a pigeon perched on the tram stop by Pole Mokotowskie. For more on this engaging part of town, flick to pages 18-25.

(Illustration by Michał Miszkurka)

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WARSAW INSIDER | JUNE 2013

The two faces of Próżna street

moncler ralph lauren salvatore ferragamo tod’s

what’s inside

JUNE 2013

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LISTINGS

Culture

Restaurants

Cafes & Wine Bars

Nightlife

Shopping

24 To Do

Activites around Mokotów: from the

photo market to the race track

Children

25 Architecture

The changing face of Pl. Unii Lubelskiej

Lifestyle

07 Opener Interview: Agnieszka Tatasiuk of Królikarnia 08 Calendar Music, art and events around town 10 Museums

Listings and

Insider’s Pick 29 Insider’s Pick Hoża by Mondovino 46 Insider’s Pick

4/Czwarte

Cosmo Golem in Pole Mokotowskie

INfront

13 News in Brief

Naked protest axed; maniac on the

loose in Wawel; soldier bear

remembered; the Iron Gates of Warsaw 28 Warsaw Foodie

The latest from the blog frontline

FEATURES

16 Parks

A closer look at the green of south

Warsaw 18 Interview

Giulio Canteri of Limoni 19 The Get

A selection of quirky stores in Mokotów

Editor-in-chief

Art Director

Publisher Advertising Manager Key Account Manager Key Account Manager Distribution Manager

20 Neighborhood Prowl

12 things to watch for around the

streets of Mokotów 22 Wine and Dine

Mokotów’s upcoming cafes and

restaurants

26 Pets

Dog adoption in Warsaw 80 Why Warsaw?

Soren Rodian

Alex Webber awebber@valkea.com Kevin Demaria kdemaria@valkea.com Morten Lindholm mlindholm@valkea.com Jowita Malich jmalich@valkea.com Agata Torańska atoranska@valkea.com Justyna Gagacka jgagacka@valkea.com Krzysztof Wiliński kwilinski@valkea.com

Contributors: Gill Boelman-Burrows Kit F. Chung Iza Depczyk Karolina Kalinowska Agnieszka Le Nart Michał Miszkurka Paula Rewald Ed Wight

53 Insider’s Pick

Kubek w Kubek 57 Insider’s Pick

Cuda na Kiju 65 Insider’s Pick

Perpetuum Mobile

Vintage 67 Insider’s Pick

Formy Kolory 73 Insider’s Pick

Bryza Resort & Spa 76 Street Index 77 Classifieds 78 Warsaw Map

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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 ©2013 Warsaw Insider.

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WARSAW INSIDER | JUNE 2013

Reviews: Interview: Agnieszka Tatasiuk 7

CULTURE EVENTS 7 / MUSEUMS 10

Interview: Agnieszka Tatasiuk

light by contrasting them with contemporary sculpture. One of the artists whose works we showed was Iza Tarasewicz. Clinamen is a continuation of this cooperation. The sculptures are of simple shape and made of simple materials, but there is something about them that catches the viewer’s attention.

What criteria do you use when deciding which works and which artist you will exhibit?

When I plan a project, I try to assess the resources and the potential of the venue, and how it can be used to bring out the assets of the works shown in the exhibitions. First of all we work with people who like to allude to history, because that fits with the aristocratic background of this venue. Secondly, of course we work with artists whose creations fit the sculpture category. Sure sculpture is now a passé description of the works which we display here, but we perceive it in a contemporary manner. Our exhibitions include social, installation and spatial art, but at the end of the day it must all connect to sculpture.

ART TALK To coincide with our Mokotów issue, the PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ORGANIZERS OR ARTISTS

Insider pops into Królikarnia to speak with curator Agnieszka Tatasiuk about the local art scene. BY IZA DEPCZYK WI: What makes Królikarnia stand out in comparison to Warsaw’s other art institutions?

AT: All art institutions define themselves by their collections, or the team of people who work at that particular institution. Unlike other Warsaw art institutions, we are mainly all about sculpture. We have the National Museum’s whole sculpture collection, which covers from the 17th century up until the 21st century, as well as our own collection of sculpture. The big attribute here is our location: the park surrounding the palace is so idyllic

and peaceful. Because of this, we have a lot of people who wander in during their Sunday walks, and this gives us the opportunity to not only show art to the art lover, but to all Varsovians, tourists, and random passers-by.

Tell us a bit about your current exhibition Clinamen? Why did you choose to show the works of Iza Tarasewicz?

We started working with Iza during the SKONTRUM project in which we aimed to show old pieces from our collection in a new

How is Polish contemporary art in comparison to that coming out of the rest of Europe?

I think Poland’s ‘critical art’, which surfaced during the 90s as a revolt against the social and political situation in Poland, was the first wave of Polish art that made an impact internationally. These days I think that the artist, and art in general, has globalized and it’s hard to pick out traits or trends according to geography. Even this exhibition is international in its background: it’s been created in partnership with the Polish-German Cooperation Foundation, the curator of this particularly exhibition is from California, and Iza herself is going to Brazil after, then Berlin…

But of course, a person’s cultural background all adds to the depth of the artist’s work.

What do you think differentiates an art piece from an ordinary object?

That’s a question that I sometimes ask myself. There is no definitive answer. But to me an art piece is something at which you look at and you can feel and sense its power. Art is something that has the power to change us, even if it’s just a little bit.

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CULTURE 1&2 FILM

Warszawskie Kino Koncertowe Saski Park Head to Saski Park at 9.45 p.m. to watch classic silent films accompanied by live music courtesy of Ritmodelia and Adam Świtała. For further details, check Filmowa Stolica on Facebook. Entry is free.

FESTIVAL Ursynalia SGGW Campus, ul. Nowoursynowska 166 Dubbed ‘Europe’s largest stu-

dent festival’, headline acts this time round include Motorhead, Him and (gulp) ZZ Top. Tickets for students and normal civvies available from: ticketpro.pl

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CONCERT Lana del Rey Torwar, ul. Łazienkowska 6A The American-born songbird and “self-styled gangsta’ Nancy Sinatra” plays Torwar as part of a European tour that comes hot on the heels of a Brit Award triumph (Best International Female Solo Artist), and the success of Young and Beautiful – her acclaimed contribution to The Great Gatsby.

Tickets from: eventim.pl

Media Patronage

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FESTIVAL 23rd International Festival of Sacral Music Various locations International and domestic names perform classical concerts inside Warsaw’s most ornate churches: among them, St. Anne’s and the Military Cathedral. Those scheduled to star include soprano Olga Pasiecznik, organist Giampaolo Di Rosa and the Apulia Baroque Trio. Entry is free. For further info, check: www.kapitula.org

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FESTIVAL Impact Fest Lotnisko Bemowo Following on from its success last year, Impact Fest returns with a line-up that includes serious noise on Day 1: Rammstein, Slayer, Korn and Behemoth are all booked to play. Lose the earplugs for Day 2, when Thirty Seconds to Mars, Paramore and Stereophonics all enter the fray.

One day tickets (from zł. 209) and two day tickets (from zł. 330) are available from: livenation.pl

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CONCERT

Tuwim for Adults June 12 & 13 Teatr Roma, ul. Nowogrodzka 49

J

ulian Tuwim is quite literally a legend in Poland. The foremost poet of Polish modernism, he was a man of many faces and the show ‘Tuwim for Adults’ reveals many of them. The audience is sure to recognize several of the songs, as he was a favorite lyricist of Poland’s top composers. But he was also a joker, and his sense of humor shines in this musical, as of course does Tuwim, the lyrical poet without peers.

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WARSAW INSIDER | JUNE 2013

Hugh Laurie PKiN, Salsa Kongresowa, pl.

Defilad 1 Better known for his landmark roles in Blackadder and House, English funnyman Hugh Laurie is no one-trick pony: an award winning comedian, best-selling author and rather nifty blues man, the magnificent Laurie lands in Poland to play tunes from his Didn’t It Rain album.

Tickets from zł. 180, available at: eventim.pl

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CONCERT A$AP Rocky Palladium, ul. Złota 9 Harlem bad boy rapper A$AP hits Warsaw (not literally, we

hope), to spit out numbers from his LONG.LIVE.ASAP album.

Nominated in 2012 as ‘US Artist About to go Global’ at the MTV Europe Music Awards, he’s one to watch.

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FESTIVAL Saska Kępa Day ul. Francuska & surrounds From 10 a.m find locals gathering in Park Jordanowski, before migrating to Francuska in the afternoon to celebrate all things Saska Kępa: exhibitions, concerts, sightseeing walks, dance displays and street stalls are all included in the program.

Consider this one for the family.

For details, look for ‘Święto Saskiej Kępy 2013’ on Facebook.

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CONCERT Bonobo Palladium, ul. Złota 9 Regarded as a ‘downtempo pioneer’ and famed for his complex basslines, British-born Bonobo – real name Simon Green – plays this cult hangout as part of a promotional tour for his 2013 album release The North Borders. Tickets from zł.

125, available at: eventim.pl

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FAMILY EVENT Science Picnic National Stadium, ul. Poniatowskiego 1 Apparently, the largest science-related open-air event in Europe! Expect scores of interactive displays and hands-on experiments as presented by dozens of international research units and cultural institutions. For more info, check: www.pikniknaukowy.eu

PARADE Equality Parade Conservative attitudes, and past attempts to ban the march

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF ARTISTS OR ORGANIZERS

EVENTS THIS MONTH

altogether, have done little to damage the momentum of the annual equality parade. Full of color and fanfare (and banging club sounds) details of the route had yet to be released at press time. Check their web closer to the time: paradarownosci.eu

were formed in Lower Manhattan, and have become a fixture on the alternative international festival circuit. Tickets from zł. 90, available at: eventim.pl

20 onwards FESTIVAL

Katie Melua PKiN, Salsa Kongresowa, pl. Defilad 1 Georgian-born Melua visits Warsaw again, and once more you can anticipate another sellout concert. Lauded for her soulful voice and easy-listening style, the British-raised cracker is expected to perform her best-selling hits as well as material from Secret Symphony, her 2012 album.

Mozart Festival Various locations The 23rd Warsaw Mozart Festival kicks off with a premiere of Cosi Fan Tutte at the Warsaw Chamber Opera, before concluding on 21st July at Wilanów Palace.

Sandwiched in between, find daily performances by the Warsaw Chamber Opera in a medley of locations that include the Royal Castle, the Church of the Holy Cross and Łazienki. For ticket details and further info, check: operakameralna.pl

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Gogol Bordello Stodoła, ul. Batorego 10 Loosely defined as ‘gypsy punk’ you’re right to expect something off the wall from this mob.

Comprised of Ukrainian / Russian immigrants (not to mention an Ethiopian, Ecuadorean and a Chinese Scotsman), the band

Wianki nad Wisła Park Podzamcze (Multimedia Fountains) Celebrate midsummer at the fountain park, with concerts and a dazzling firework display all planned. The program was still under wraps as we went to press, though if last year is anything to

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CONCERT

CONCERT

EVENT

go by, expect huge crowds and a host of Polish pop stars.

CONCERT Paul McCartney National Stadium, ul. Poniatowskiego 1 Performing as part of his global Out There tour, this is Paul McCartney’s first appearance in Poland, and is expected to be a sellout. The set list features scores of Beatles hits, interspersed with some more recent material. Tickets from zł.

162, available at: eventim.pl

PARTY Summer Beach Party Warsaw Tortilla Factory, ul. Wilcza 46 Mark mid-summer in style with a beach-themed, tropical extravaganza at the Tortilla Factory. In store there’s dancing girls, drink promos, live music and much more besides – expect a late, late finish.

22 & 29

CONCERT Jazz in the Old Town Old Town Square Running each Saturday throughout the summer, the 19th edition of Jazz in the Old Town

will bring together a number of international artists to perform for free in the Rynek.

Check for latest info at: www.jazznastarowce.pl

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FASHION Warsaw Fashion Street ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście Fashion, art and music combine at the ninth edition of this open-air event on Warsaw’s Royal Route. Set to attract a staggering 150,000 onlookers over the course of the day, swing by at noon to be there for the start.

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FESTIVAL 21st Street Art Festival Various locations Once more, find the festival showcasing abstract, often hilarious, street theater plays courtesy of troupes from the Czech Republic, Russia, Belarus, France and Poland.

The festival aims to integrate art within the everyday landscape of the city, and as such events take place in parks, subway passageways, squares and other public spaces. For more info, check: www.sztukaulicy.pl.

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CULTURE MUSEUMS & GALLERIES Copernicus Science Centre ul. Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20, tel. 22 596 4100, www. kopernik.org.pl. Interactive, witty and surprising, Copernicus allows visitors to experience an earthquake, blast recyclable objects into space and become a mystery cracking detective.

CSW ul. Jazdów 2, www.csw.art. pl. Situated in a baroque-style castle the center hosts artists from all over the world (Annie Leibovitz, Wilhelm Sasnal, Andy Warhol). The on-site bookshop is of particular interest for artists and intellectuals. Ongoing until June 9: Mikołaj Smoczyński.

What Outsiders Can Tell Us About Reality. This retrospective explores his work from the 1980s

and 1990s and highlights his multifaceted creativity, emphasizing the intimate relationship between different types of artistic expression. Ongoing until August 18: Sharon Lockhart. Milena, Milena. One of the dominant figures on the American art scene, this exhibition presents the film and photographic work of this influential artist.

28/42, www.mhw.pl. The granddaddy of Warsaw museums is over the worst of a lengthy refit and gradually reopening bit by bit. The ground floor cinema is a must – playing a 20 minute film titled We Will Remember, it details the powerful story behind the destruction of Warsaw.

Dom Spotkań z Historią ul. Karowa 20, www.dsh.waw.pl.

The History Meeting House wins points for frequently excellent exhibitions that cover topics such as ‘rebuilding Warsaw’ and ‘Socialist Realist architecture.’

It won’t take longer than twenty minutes to peruse whatever exhibition is on, but it’s still a very worthwhile diversion.

The Fryderyk Chopin Museum in Warsaw Ostrogski Palace, ul. Okólnik 1, chopin.museum. 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 Chopin’s pocket watch, last piano, a lock of hair and even his death mask.

Historical Museum of Warsaw Rynek Starego Miasta

Królikarnia ul. Puławska 113A,

www.krolikarnia.mnw.art.pl.

Fine art galore inside an elegant suburban palace. The young curator has decided to show some forgotten treasures from the rich archives of the National Museum. The gallery also hosts more contemporary works, such as those by Nicolas Grospierre and Agnieszka Polska. Ongoing until August 13: Clinamen, an exhibition of sculptures by Iza Tarasewicz.

Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw ul. Pańska 3, www.artmuseum.pl.

The very first museum of modern art in Warsaw, still fighting for a proper location, bravely manages to provide visitors with a display of contemporary art, including works of Alina Sapocznikow, Zbigniew Libera, Paweł Althamer, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Miroslaw Bałka, Katarzyna Kozyra and

Mark Rothko Paintings from the National Gallery of Art in Washington

7 / 06 – 1 / 09 / 2013 The National Museum in Warsaw, Aleje Jerozolimskie 3

Untitled, 1953 mixed media on canvas, 195 × 172.1 cm National Gallery of Art, Washington.

Gift of The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc. 1986.43.135 Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, Washington

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WARSAW INSIDER | JUNE 2013

Artur Żmijewski. Ongoing until January 6: In the Heart of the Country. The first comprehensive presentation of the museum’s international collection of art.

project brings together the neon lights that once illuminated the city. Among the collection are 35 landmark signs, many of which date from the 60s and 70s.

National Museum Al. Jerozolimskie 3, www.mnw.art.pl.

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. Ongoing from June 6: Mark Rothko. The first monographic exhibition of the works of Rothko held in Central / Eastern Europe.

Palmiry National Memorial Museum Palmiry, www.palmiry.mhw.pl.

An excellent multimedia exhibition set next to a cemetery holding the graves of 1,700 Poles executed in the first years of Nazi occupation. The museum tells their forgotten story, with archival video footage complimented by exhumed exhibits and plenty of background info dealing with the siege and subsequent occupation of Warsaw.

The Neon Museum ul. Mińska 25 (Soho Factory), www.neonmuzeum.org.

A complete departure from the stuff museums in Poland are famed for, this long awaited

Pawiak ul. Dzielna 24/26. What was once a Tsarist prison assumed a doubly sinister function under the Nazis.

Some 100,000 Polish political

prisoners were held here, 37,000 of which were executed on-site.

Split in two sections, cells are found on one side, while on the other the full story of the invasion and occupation.

Poster Museum in Wilanów ul. St. Kostki Potockiego 10/16, www.postermuseum.pl. With a collection that touches the 55,000 mark, here’s the biggest poster museum in the world – and also the original. Art spans the period from 1892 till 2002, and while the majority is Polish orientated works on display also include those by Dali and Warhol.

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.

Zachęta National Art Gallery Pl. Małachowskiego 3, www.zacheta.art.pl.

Featuring in the collection are works by Toulouse-Lautrec, Cezanne, Ernst and Picasso, as well as luminaries of the Polish art scene such as Tadeusz Kantor, Alina Szapocznikow, Katarzyna Kozyra and Zbigniew Libera.

Ongoing until June 2: Death and the Maiden. A retrospective of artist Aneta Grzeszykowska’s work including films, photographs and original paintings.

Christian Jankowski: Heavy-weight History The exhibition is open everyday (except Mondays): 12 – 7 p.m., Fridays until 9 p.m.

Centre for Contemporary Art, Ujazdowski Castle, ul. Jazdów 2, Warszawa

Casting Jesus, 2011 © Luise Müller-Hofstede Courtesy: Proyectos Monclova, Mexico City; Klosterfelde, Berlin; and Lisson Gallery, London

8th June – 25th August 2013

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INFRONT CRIME 14 / COMMUNITY 14 / LOCAL 13 / NEWS 14 / REGIONAL 14

LOCAL

F**K FOR FOREST PROTEST AXED

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALEX WEBBER

Plac Zbawiciela ground to a halt on May 8th as crowds of photographers and curious voyeurs gathered to witness a nude action called by the F**k For Forest campaign group. Founded in 2004, FFF claim to be an “erotic, non-profit ecological organization” who aim to save the environment and raise money for their cause through their own brand of weird eco-porn. But while the oddball group were once famously awarded a grant by the Norwegian government, Polish authorities proved less cooperative.

Strict nudity laws ensured a heavy police presence on Zbawiciela as cops braced themselves for a love-in under the square’s famous rainbow. As the clock ticked down to the publicized 4 p.m. start time, law enforcement officials were joined by dozens of photographers, as well as outraged conservatives looking to disrupt the event. Journalist and catholic activist Tomasz Terlikowski had branded FFF “a group of perverts”, and his words struck a sympathetic cord with anti-porn campaigner Jan Bodakowski, who stole the show with a placard linking pornography with pedophilia.

Possibly deterred by all the kerfuffle, not to mention a band of Legia lunatics gathering in the shadows, the original protest never materialized, leading the conservatives to proclaim victory. Cynics though have suggested the whole thing was a clever ruse by FFF to manipulate the right into giving them free publicity. And so it seems… whereas most Warsaw natives had never have heard of FFF before, guess what, they do now.

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INFRONT

BRIEFING BEAR-ER OF ARMS

CRIME

BAD HEIR DAY

Staying in Kraków, and news that Wojtek the Soldier Bear is to get his own statue has been welcomed widely.

Wojtek, a Syrian bear, became a mascot for the 22nd Transport Company in General Anders’ WWII Army, helping Polish troops load ammo, not to mention entertaining them with Jack the Lad antics such as drinking vodka and snacking on cigs. “Polish history is very often tragic,” said Norman Davies, “but this is a natural, friendly way into a gripping historical subject.”

Tragedy was averted in Kraków after a man identified as Grzegorz S. tried to drive his car into Wawel Castle before jumping out and threatening tourists with an axe. “Wawel is my home, I don’t want strangers here,” he is alleged to have shouted before speeding off in his car. Quick thinking cops thwarted his getaway by firing two shots, and the man is now undergoing psychiatric evaluation.

It’s understood the maniac had previously claimed to be King Sobieski.

ED WIGHT’S NEWS BITES MUCH A BOOT ABOUT NOTHING A Warsaw man who smeared ketchup over the back of his BMW and left hair from a wig sticking out of the boot to make people think he had a dead body inside was fined zł. 200 after being stopped by police. The 39-year-old was apprehended after motorists swamped police with calls when they spotted him driving through Białobrzeska with the black wig flapping out of the back of his beamer. A police spokesman said: “He told officers it was a joke and then showed them the wig and ketchup. He was fined and given a caution.”

PIC-NICKED An angry husband was arrested for blowing up his house when his wife and children went on a picnic without him. The 69-year-old from Chechło Drugie lit a fire in his basement before throwing two gas cylinders on top and blowing the place to smithereens after reading a note explaining the rest of the family had gone without him. He was taken to hospital after failing to escape the blast and was arrested for vandalism.

SOCK SHOCK

COMMUNITY

CENTER REBORN

A competition has been launched to find ways of beautifying the Żelazna Brama estate in the center of Warsaw and making it more user-friendly for tenants. Consisting of nineteen 16-floor buildings, the communist housing project dominates the capital and has been subject to frequent criticism. Now though, a competition run by Europan aims to improve living standards by creating a clear architectural strategy and balance between the new build springing up around.

For more, check www.europan.com.pl.

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WARSAW INSIDER | JUNE 2013

Solidarity hero Lech Wałęsa was hauled in front of fashion police: for wearing white socks and sandals. The 69-year-old Nobel Prize winner was visiting locals in Tczew when he committed the fashion crime. One trend observer said: “He may well have led us out of the darkness of communism, but someone should show him the light when it comes to fashion.

Socks and sandals? Really?"

PHOTOGRAPHS FROM TOP: SHUTTERSTOCK., WIKICOMMONS, KEVIN DEMARIA

REGIONAL

MOKOTÓW PARKS

THE GLORIOUS GREEN While everyone’s heard about the splendor of Saski and the damned peacocks of Łazienki, it’s easy to forget Warsaw’s other green spaces – not least the parks of Mokotów. BY ALEX WEBBER

Pole Mokotowskie

Occupying an area of 68.5 hectares, on first glance Pole Mokotowskie is a bit of a plain Jane. As it transpires though, there’s more to this stretch of parkland than meets the eye. Prior to WWII Warsaw’s original airport stood here, as did a horse track, and it frequently found itself used for military exercises and parades; its history is remembered by way of numerous monuments, including one dedicated to the cavalrymen that once trained here. Not all its landmarks are gravely serious – check, for instance, the statue of Lokat, a happy Golden Retriever. Then there’s

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WARSAW INSIDER | JUNE 2013

CosmoGolem, an unexpected wooden statue of an alienlike beast. Unveiled in 2009, kids are encouraged to write down their wishes before climbing up some steps and posting them inside him. Why? No idea.

Pole Mokotowskie is certainly something of “the peoples’ park”. Noted for its distinct lack of ‘Keep Off the Grass’ signs, anything goes (quite literally, judging by some of the grunting noises coming from the bushes).

Roller-bladers, speed walkers and cyclists all appreciate the wide lanes, and a recent addition to the landscape has been the ‘Ryszard Kapuściński trail’. Named in honor of Po-

Królikarnia

A real favorite, not least because it’s seemingly run by a cool hippie uncle. “It is allowed to read books, fly kites and hug the sculptures,” or so declares the signage at the front. And yeah, there’s plenty of sculptures and art to share the love with. Some make sense, others don’t. All, however, have a rather interesting back story – for instance, one plaque informs that Antoine Cierplikowski, the subject of one such sculpture, used to sleep in a crystal coffin.

The center piece of the park is an 18th century palace built for Augustus II who, according to some sources, used it as “little more than a high class brothel”. Destroyed in the war, it was rebuilt in 1965. Head round the back for sweeping views of Lower Mokotów.

Dreszera

Opened one year prior to WWII, the park was devastated during the Uprising – trees were uprooted for firewood, and the grounds utilized as a cemetery.

Since revitalized the park is planned around a central axis and includes a distinctive memorial to local Uprising combatants, and a brilliant café – that’s Zielnik, and its elegant canopies are complimented by friendly staff and excellent food.

Small but perfectly formed, other pluses number inter-changing poster exhibits on the gates, open air jazz on summer weekends and a fussball table that must have stood there for 40 years. Be advised, the sign on the gate expressly forbids explosives, trumpets, watering the plants and jumping on the flowers.

Morskie Oko

land’s only officially sanctioned foreign correspondent during communism, the trail follows the route this best-selling author used to take on his walks. On the way, find quotes from his books as well as examples of his photography.

It’s also one of the few public spaces in Warsaw that doesn’t frown on barbecues, though you’ve got to ask why bother doing the work yourself. Raucous drinks in Lolek go down particularly well with some of their grilled animal, and other social options include Lebanese eats in Samira, sort of American food in Jeff's, not to mention club nights and chillout sessions in FonoBar.

Those passing Puławska might be familiar with Domek Mauretański, the Moorish-style tower that appears randomly on the pavement. That’s one of the few remains of the Szuster Palace, an eighteenth century neoGothic complex that leads to Morskie Oko park.

Designed by Henryk Marconi, surviving elements on the grounds include a mausoleum that juts eerily from a hill. Poland’s bloody past also looms heavily here, and three markers commemorate separate Uprising-related tragedies – not least the mass execution of local children. Set on a steep slope, Morskie Oko features three lakes, one of which is used for fishing. Local lore asserts a Soviet tank sits at the bottom of one lake. facebook.com/warsawinsider

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MOKOTÓW INTERVIEW/SHOPPING

We hear you have a Polish connection in the family tree?

My whole family is Italian but we do have a pre-war connection to the country. In the region I’m from – the Venice area – you used to get lots of Italians traveling in the summer to make and sell gelato: places like Belgium, Germany, Czech, Austria and Poland. Well my grandmother’s cousin moved to Poland, to Łódź. When WWII broke out he shut the business and moved back to Italy – of course, after the war it was impossible to restart the business in Poland because of the political changes that took place.

How did you get into the ice cream biz?

My grandmother and grandfather had a homestead in Italy and they made their own gelatos there, as well as cheese and other produce. But none of their children were interested in continuing this legacy. As a young boy though I spent a lot of time with my grandparents, watching them as they made the ice creams and the cheeses.

Then, as my grandparents grew old, my granddad would ask me round to clean out the attic. One day whilst doing so I found all my grandmother’s old gelato recipes – that’s how I got into ice cream making!

Summer is not summer without the customary ice cream queue spilling on the pavement. But why settle for second best? Mokotów’s Limoni Canteri is top of the pile in the local ice stakes, and the Insider speaks to the clever clogs behind it:Giulio Canteri

The level of rent aside, what attracted you to Mokotów?

Mokotów is a district where these kinds of niche products, like authentic Italian pizza or gelato, are definitely more appreciated because the population is more affluent. Also, because Mokotów has become such an up-and-coming district: two or three years ago there wasn’t much going on around here, but recently there’s been all these restaurants, shops and boutiques popping up all over the place.

You specialize in weird flavors, what’s your best seller?

Two years ago I was making vegetable ice-cream, last year it was with spices and herbs, and this year we are concentrating on other new flavors. Our best sellers are the basil with lemon, as well as the carrot, beetroot and ginger.

BY IZA DEPCZYK Limoni Canteri 1952 ul. Dąbrowskiego 1, tel. 789 176 730. Open Sun-Thu 8:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 8:00-24:00

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PHOTOGRAPH THIS PAGE BY KEVIN DEMARIA

THE ICE CREAM MAN COMETH

So where does Poland figure in all of this?

In 2008, when the economic crisis hit Italy, I decided to move to Poland and gradually build up my own business by setting up a restaurant with Italian pasta, and pizza, but most importantly, gelato. At first I opened on Nowy Świat, but had to shut that last year because the rent was too steep. That’s how Limoni in Mokotów came into being.

The Get To some, Mokotów is just a

dormitory ’burb. But for those In The Know, it’s so much more – a treasure trove of quirky private stores that are utterly unique.

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Reset

ul. Puławska 48, resetpoint.pl

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An outstanding home design shop with plenty of retro kitsch balanced out by works from upcoming local creatives. Endlessly fun and eccentric, you could easily spend thousands reinventing your home.

Muppet Shop

ul. Kazimerzowska 43 (enter from Różana), www.muppetshop.pl You’ll pay premium, but so what – this is quite possibly the most adorable toddler shop in the city. Prams, furniture, toys, clothing, furniture and goodness knows a whole lot more. Internet ordering also available.

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Vintage Store ul. Dąbrowskiego 40, vintagestore. moonfruit.com

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Secret Life (of Things)

ul. Dąbrowskiego 15A, www.secretlife.pl Just about everything you’d imagine looking cute in the corner of your flat: bio-friendly scents, cosmetics, hand-made trinkets and housewares, arts and crafts, rustic furnishings and detox teas.

Yep, all you need when setting up home.

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Świteź

ul. Wikotrska 6 How deceptive – from the outside, this looks like a shabby, slum shop.

But wait, inside is what many recognize as being Warsaw’s top fishmonger. There’s nothing Pan Karol can’t get hold of, which is why he’s the fish guy of choice for many top restaurants.

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Retro rules in Vintage Store, a place heaving with PRL accents: lamps, sofas, crockery, artwork, etc. Less glam and cutting edge than Reset, it’s also a good deal more affordable making it the hipster choice for junky-but-cool home decoration.

Plumbike

ul. Puławska 67/69, www.plumbike.eu More of a bike boutique than a standard old bike store. Assembled by hand by the Plumbike team, the models here are beautiful, and range from choppers to cruisers in eye-catching colors. You’ll be the talk of the town.

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MOKOTÓW WALK

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Neighborhood Prowl

With Warsaw in bloom, few districts can compete with Mokotów for a spot of urban exploration. But what should you peel your eyes for? Here’s 12 of the best…

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1 HOUSE OF PLATES (Belgijska 9) Why settle for stone cladding when you can render walls out of crockery instead? Residents of Etiudy Rewolucyjnej 9 have gone one step better: they’ve used toilet parts.

2 TOLL HOUSES (pl. Unii Lubelskie) Unveiled in 1818, the two toll houses on pl. Uni were designed by the same chap behind the Belvedere. In future, you’ll find The Sue Ryder Museum opening here.

3 GRAFFITI (corner of Ligocka / Króżańska) Find a swastika hanging on a gallows – resistance graffiti daubed by local scouts and preserved from 1942.

4 CHOWAŃCZAKA VILLA (Morskie Oko 5) Now being restored after years lying derelict, the back balcony is famously haunted by a girl killed by a stray bullet during the ’44 Uprising. 5 KAMIENICA WEDLA (Puławska 28) Built in 1936, this corner

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WARSAW INSIDER | JUNE 2013

apartment block is a superb example of the functionalist style, and riddled with period reliefs and details.

6 ANDREW BOBOLA CHURCH (Rakowiecka 61) A great example of 80s sacral architecture, this church looks like it's going to blast into space. The stained glass is magnificent from the inside.

7 JAN MATEJKO (Puławska 59) Painter and Lennon lookalike Jan Matejko stands over Stańczyk, a court jester immortalized in his work. 8 STARS & STRIPES (Idzikowskiego 34) The American ambassador’s residence is a glam 50s Neo Colonial throwback.

Did commie bad guy General Jaruzelski ever pop round for tea? He lived round the corner at Ikara 5... 9 HOUSE OF SCARABS (Puławska 101) Completed in 1934 for the former Vice President of Warsaw, this derelict hulk is adorned with quirky Egyptian symbols. Its future remains in doubt after a decision granting its historical status was revoked. 10 LUCKY LIONS (Puławska 17) The two lions are the only remnant of what stood before – the cult PRL-era Kino Moskwa. It’s said you’ll hear them roar if a virgin walks past. 11 SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS (Niepodległości 162) Designed in the 20s and realized in the 50s, the 224 glass panels of this pyramid are lit up at night with dazzling results.

12 DOM MAURETAŃSKI (Puławska 55) One of the few surviving elements of the Moorish-styled Szuster Palace. Some say Louis XVIII once stayed here.

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MOKOTÓW FOOD & DRINK

Wine & Dine In years past going for a

meal in Mokotów meant bow-tied waiters and National Gallery-inspired, imperial interiors. But the pendulum has swung, with the district now embracing new trends and tastes. Here’s who to watch…

Stółdzielnia

ul. Kazimierzowska 22 A complete anomaly Stółdzielnia looks more like one of those one-day pop-up restaurants: unfinished looking, with odd-shaped tables and stark, sterile colors. But keep an open mind because the food scores big points. The pizza, pasta and seafood dishes incorporate imported Italian ingredients, and come close to blowing your mind. Wow.

A Nóż

ul. Różana 30, anoz.pl ‘A Jack of all trades, master of none,’ you might think.

You’d be wrong. Burgers, pastas, Asian-inspired salads, and pizzas are represented, and while some dishes require fine-tuning, the overall impression is positive and optimistic.

Paired with a cool, typically Warsaw interior (white, white, white), the owners have a real success story on their hands.

Akademia

ul. Różana 2, restauracjaakademia.pl The most high profile launch of 2013, with whole sections of street blocked off to keep the beautiful people from being molested by the public. But while the prevailing attitude is snooty, chef Grzegorz Nowakowski has done an excellent job on an artfully simple menu that fits seamlessly with the white-on-white interiors.

Café Relaks

ul. Puławska 48

Traveling across the city for a coffee sounds preposterous, but in the case of Relaks many people to do just that – this is the best cup of Joe in recent history.

The ‘specialty’ coffees are something else, with the baristas employing everything from space-age machines to flamboyant foam art in the quest for perfection. The interiors are one big 60s trip, and typically enjoyed by an avant garde crowd.

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Bułkę przez Bibułkę

ul. Puławska 24, www.bulkeprzezbibulke.pl There’s definitely a feminine style to this cafe, what with its cute, girly pastels, petite plant pots and woodsy finishes. But no matter what your gender , there’s something immediately sunny and positive about this place.

Slow food sandwiches, pretty homemade desserts and a careful choice of wine: falling in love with it is easy.

Warburger

ul. Dąbrowskiego 1, www.warburger.pl Some dissenters bemoan the queues, but press the protestors further and they’ll confess they’d happily wait overnight. Warsaw’s best burgers are fired out from a tiny hut-like space, with base ingredients including Angus beef, boar, deer and mackerel. Nowhere in Warsaw does burgers better, and that’s a fact.

L’Arc

ul. Puławska 16, www.larc.pl Looking elegant with its black/white floors and subtle decorations bills at L’Arc can become big number affairs . No-one complains, however. Pick from five types of oysters, or delve into the fish tank for the lobster of your choosing. An excellent venue, and one whose catchment area extends beyond the borders of Mokotów.

WinKolekcja

ul. Olkuska 7, www.winkolekcja.pl

PHOTO BY IGNACY MATUSZEWSKI

Despite the name, it’s hard to say what takes priority here, the wine or the food – both are magnificent. WinKolekcja’s modern international menu has lent Mokotów a new culinary clout that it’s lacked for so long. On the wine front: trust the sommelier – he knows best.

Śniadaniwonia

ul. Dąbrowskiego 38

Limoni Canteri 1952

ul. Dąbrowskiego 1

Appearing as a wooden cabin in an overgrown park (someone, clear it up please), Limoni get noted for Italian gelato that’s too good for words – join the line for tastes like cherry, plum and redcurrant, or go edgy and experimental with flavors such as salmon, tomato or basil.

Not long back you’d have found Warsaw taking its breakfast advice from Gordon Gekko (it’s for wimps…). Well, no more. Filling the gap is this bright breakfast bar, a fun spot with a bright, light, living room look. Consider ‘fresh, natural, healthy’ keywords here, making it a good place to realign your morning mojo.

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MOKOTÓW ACTIVITIES/ARCHITECTURE

To Do It’s not just the restaurants and back street shops

that engage the Mokotów visitor. Hidden around this vast urban expanse find a smattering of activities to nourish body and mind.

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Uprising Hill ul. Bartycka

Stub out the cigarettes, put on a sweat band, then puff your way up Warsaw’s longest stairwell to reach the peak of Kopiec Powstania Warszawskiego. Built on top of rubble leftover from the Warsaw Uprising, this man-made mound rises 31 meters in the air, with climbers rewarded by stonking views of the city below.

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Służewiec Race Track

Photo Market

ul. Puławska 266, www.torsluzewiec.pl

ul. Batorego 10 (Stodoła Club), www.gieldafoto.eu

The art deco Służewiec track is a hilarious day out not just for grizzled punters, but also newcomers who just want to chill in a deckchair.

Entry prices are among the cheapest in Europe, meaning a small little flutter never goes amiss.

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Kino Iluzjon ul. Narbutta 50A, en.fn.org.pl

Specializing in the cult films of the past, it’s the lunar opposite to the popcorn experience of the modern multiplex.

Opened in 1949, its rotund façade has recently been revamped – better yet, the unexploded WWII bombs found underneath are now gone and all.

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Hardcore enthusiasts descend on Stodoła each Sunday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to rummage and clatter through photography gear at this unique market. Ignore the smell of stale lager and student parties to enjoy this venerable institution, and sort through oodles of gear: from battered antiques to the latest technology.

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Teatr Guliwer

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Mozaika

u. Różana 16, www.teatrguliwer.pl

ul. Puławska 53, www.restauracjamozaika.pl

Warsaw’s primary children’s theater offers a busy schedule of productions, and while performances are in Polish, it’s usually easy enough to narrate your way through them. For the kids, its pure entertainment, for adults, it’s a chance to conquer phobias of theater in a foreign language.

You don’t need a DeLorean to travel back in time...

Announced by a dazzle of pink neon, Mozaika is a classic communist restaurant whose red marble interiors come alive on weekends when disco lights are wheeled out for 60s/70s dance nights. The resultant scene sees plenty of fly moves pulled by the smattering of golden oldies.

WARSAW INSIDER | JUNE 2013

Out with the Old

Mokotów’s rapid transformation is best represented by pl. Unii – where once stood a communist carbuncle, now emerges a gleaming skyscraper that’s landed from the future. BY ALEX WEBBER Opened on June 6, 1962, the bow-shaped structure was deemed so experimental it won an honorary nod at the 1965 Sao Paolo Biennale. Mobbed by thousands on its launch, the crowds came as no surprise: Poland had never seen anything like it. Retailing lemons, bananas and Van Houten cocoa, SuperSam offered Varsovians an exotic taste of the Western world. Yet as iconic as SuperSam was, the fall of communism signaled its end. By the turn of the millennium it was condemned by safety officers and the wrecking crew moved in in 2006.

PHOTOGRAPH TOP BY FORUM AGENCJA, BOTTOM BY KEVIN DEMARIA

PREPARING FOR LAUNCH THIS YEAR, the half a billion złoty mixed-use development is anchored around a 90 meter skyscraper, and was designed by the late Stefan Kuryłowicz.

But then again, this patch of real estate has always been special. Kuryłowicz’s design was subtly influenced by what was originally going to stand here – back in the 30’s the plot was earmarked to become the Polish Radio City, with a 20 floor skyscraper its centerpiece. The outbreak of war put the freeze on those plans, and instead the area became home to SuperSam, Poland’s biggest supermarket.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

ADOPTING A PET

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How I Found Lisa

Every other person in Warsaw has a pet – certainly judging by the barking chorus that marks the start of each day. Why not join them? BY AGNIESZKA LENART

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oung or old, hip or square, this city seems to be filled with dog lovers of all walks of life. Most couples I know have at least one cat, some of them more, challenging Bardot for the title of champ kitty hoarder. As chance would have it, I can’t stand cats and I apologize to all who may be offended by my feline-phobic approach to life. I just can’t stand them. Dogs, on the other hand, can do no wrong in my book. I love dogs in every shape and form, but the cuddlier the better.

The dogs around Warsaw are a mixed bag of tricks, for sure. You’ve got these droopy-eyed bloodhounds strolling alongside chattering yorkies and giant Alsatians.

Then there are the mutts, which are the true lords of this democratic town. These whimsical specimens of genetic wizardry prove that a poodle and a beagle are actually more compatible than they seem or that a dash of dachshund gives any pooch a quirky charm. Everyone will tell you that mutts are actually the pick of the litter, and that only sissies go out of their way to get their paws on a pure breed. Mutts are the way to go in this city, especially when it means giving an abandoned dog a real home.

I’d been thinking about welcoming a furry friend into my home for a while. I live alone (at least I did at time of writing…), the rather solitary, feckless existence of a single thirtysomething urban female. What always held me back from taking the plunge was the idea that I was perhaps too selfish to properly care for another creature, that I would have to say goodbye to partying till dawn and yachting along the Italian coast. I consulted my therapist, expecting she might help dissuade me from this capricious plan, but instead she urged me on, saying that sharing my life with a furry little beast may prepare me for a life with another, larger sort of furry beast – yes, a boyfriend. A greater sense of routine and attachment would perhaps help me to hone the skills that would shape me into a better partner if one day the right sort of bloke crosses my path (and she was right).

My mother dismissed all this as a load of baloney and said it was one of the worst ideas she’d ever heard.

And of course, being the sort of girl who rarely listens to her mother, I promptly launched my adoption plan. I’d heard about some dog shelters outside of Warsaw, truly gruesome places where dogs are packed into cages and made to spend even the worst winters outdoors. I’d first been to one of these places – Paluch (www.paluch.org. pl) – last winter with my young niece, who’d saved up all her allowance for a month to buy a huge pack of dog food and brought it over, along with some old blankets. That gesture of kindness really touched me and when I saw all those dogs who needed a home, it was impossible not to consider the option. Actually, the dogs are rather well cared for, given that there are hundreds and hundreds of them, all in desperate need of some doting. There’s a full staff of volunteers who make sure they’re all fed and walked on a regular basis… and they don’t put any dogs down unless it’s absolutely necessary because of a health or harm risk. But

the sound of incessant barking and the smell can weaken the knees of even the most hard of hearts.

After giving the matter a proper think over several months, I was finally ready to take on the responsibility of welcoming a dog into my home – I headed back to Paluch.

Trying to pick one dog out of hundreds is an impossible task – really, you wish you had the power to save them all, but it’s important to focus on finding that one special dog that will be your best friend for many years to come. After a half an hour of marveling at all the different types, I saw Lisa. She stared at me with these round black eyes, her ears pointing straight up, her pink tongue flopping out of her mouth and her croissant-shaped tail shyly wagging.

The color of a toasted almond ice cream bar, Lisa was (and still is) one of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever seen. I located a staff member and asked to take her for a “test drive” of sorts. She pulled and pulled on the leash, practically knocking me off my feet, but they assured me she would calm down once she got into the routine of daily walks.

She was wary, but friendly, her eyes gazing at me in wonder and disbelief. And as we headed back to the shelter grounds, I realized I couldn’t leave this place without taking her along. I named her Lisa right on the spot, taking my cue from that pointy snout and pointy ears that make her look just like a wild little fox – in Polish, lis.

I admit, I was a bit faint with anxiety as I signed off on all the adoption papers, but I knew I’d made a decision and I would have to stick to it no matter what. Each dog that gets selected for adoption gets a thorough check-up from the on-site vet before getting the green light to go home.

They’ve all been given their shots and most of them have been spayed/neutered. Lisa hadn’t been neutered, but they set up an appointment for the operation at no cost, which is no picnic, but assures that neither you or your dog will become the unwilling guardians of a pack of pups. It’s best to have the dog neutered before you get him home or to find a local vet because the experience of bringing Lisa back to the shelter for the operation was stressful for the both of us. But within a week she was bounding around, getting to know me, my apartment, the neighborhood and all those funky new smells. And no matter how tough it is sometimes to get up early in the morning for that long walk to the park, it’s a great way to get moving – and the kisses and cuddles are so worth it.

POLE MOKOTOWSKIE

There’s numerous dog-friendly parks in Waw, among them Skaryszewski and Szymanskiego. But none are more friendly than Pole Mokotowskie – as if to underline that, there’s even a statue of a dog here, unveiled in 2004 to celebrate World Animal Day. Modeled on a Golden Retriever called Lokat, it’s one happy looking chap: much like the ones you find here engaging in organized group walks, or the flying collies who perform here each September in the Dog Chow Disc Cup.

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FOODIE NEWS A collaboration between two of Warsaw’s best known restaurant blogs (restaurantica.pl and froblog.pl), Warsaw Foodie has emerged as the No. 1 site for local food related stories. Featuring all the latest from the foodie frontline, the bilingual Warsaw Foodie promises the hottest news on what’s trending on the restaurant radar. For more info, check: www.warsawfoodie.pl/en

TALK OF THE TOWN

Late Night

Launched by the owners of Aioli, MOMU.gastrobar (ul. Wierzbowa 11) introduce tapas-style portions of seafood, hot dogs and several more dishes besides. Prepared by Australian chef Michael Gay, order four or six options from a choice of ten. Lengthy opening hours are the big boon here, with MOMU operating till 2 a.m.

Market News

Burgers & More

Warsaw’s fixation with food markets has grows with the opening of Targ Śniadaniowy – set in Żoliborz in the stretch of parkland on al. Wojska Polskiego, this open-air market touts fantastic cheese and meat, as well as a special picnic area where you can eat the products purchased.

A playground for children is also planned and should be in place by the time you read this.

Warsaw’s burger trend gets a new twist thanks to Bydło I Powidło (ul. Kolejowa 47). Set inside a good looking glass box, the offer extends beyond just burgers and caters for lovers of Argentinean beef – pick from rib-eye, New York, tenderloin and T-bone steaks. Also on offer are New York-style bagels and sandwiches.

Part of their promise is a garden which should be open by press time.

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WARSAW INSIDER | JUNE 2013

Causing a storm around town are Zapiexy Luxusowe (ul. Widok 19), a bar dedicated to the Polish phenomena of zapiekanki. Here, find them topped with sausage, Greek olives and feta cheese, bacon and sheep’s cheese and much more besides.

Laughs

The Chłodna comedy club have a new address following the closure of their birthplace on Chłodna 25. Now operating in Ukryte Miasto on Noakowskiego 16, swing by for cabarets, shows, stand-up and the occasional burlesque performance.

On the Move

Keep an eye out for the ‘bike café’ – a mobile espresso machine on wheels!

The coffee on offer is organic and of Spanish origin - for their latest GPS check: facebook.com/IlikeBikeCafe

TALK OF THE TOWN PHOTOGRAPHS FROM TOP ZAPIEXY LUXUSOWE, BIKE CAFE FACEBOOK, ALL OTHER COURTESY OF WARSAW FOODIE

Zapiekanki!

Reviews: Hoża by Mondovino 29 / 4/Czwarte 46 / Plus:

* 14 updates

RESTAURANTS

AFRICAN 29 / AMERICAN & TEX-MEX 29 / ASIAN 32 / BALKAN & RUSSIAN 35 / BRITISH 36 / CHEAP EATS 36 / COOKING SCHOOLS 52 / FOOD SHOPS 52 / FRENCH 38 / GERMAN 38 /GREEK 38 / INDIAN 37 / INTERNATIONAL & FUSION 39 / ITALIAN 43 / JAPANESE & SUSHI 45 / JEWISH 47 / LATIN 47 / MIDDLE EASTERN 48 / POLISH 49 / SCANDINAVIAN 51 / WHOLE FOODS 52

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Insider’s Pick

$ zł. 30 (per main)

BOW 2012 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. 78 ...... (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. $

Hoża by Mondovino ul. Hoża 25A, tel. 515 037 001. Open 12:00-22:00 (or last guest).

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PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

or about a month or so my wife and I were wondering what was going to open in this space on Hoża: a posh nightclub? Maybe a cigar bar? The black painted exterior gave little away. So when news broke that the chef was the owner of Martin’s Good Meat in Mokotów (a place with aspirations to become Warsaw’s top butcher’s) we moved quickly to be amongst the first to check it out.

Stepping inside, the place feels dark, which is a refreshingly unorthodox sensation in Warsaw – really, when was the last time you saw a new restaurant that wasn’t decorated in the same bright white colors and bleach wood fittings. In a town of plagiarized, copycat interiors, the warmth and originality of Hoża was instantly appreciated.

Settled into our seats, we decided to take advantage of the seasonal asparagus offerings on the lunch menu. We did take appetizers from the main menu to start though.

I chose a thoughtfully prepared portabella mushroom with bufala mozzarella. Set on delicately grilled zucchini slices, and then crowned with a drizzle of balsamic glaze, I was impressed straight away. My wife opted for salmon and shrimp ceviche, with her ear-toear smile revealing what she thought of it.

The arrival of our two mains caused some confusion – the roast beef I ordered transpired to be a sirloin. But I wasn’t complaining. Having a chef who runs his own meat shop is a blessing. Besides knowing how to pick the best meat for his patrons, he respects the meat immensely, knowing not to overcook it. This was, let it be said, meat of divine provenance. And while I wouldn’t want to sell the asparagus short (it was beautifully cooked), the clincher on this dish was the accompanying béarnaise sauce, which my wife detected had a slight taste of coconut. While my taste buds are not as fine-tuned to pick up on such details, I have no problem going back again until they are. (KD)

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. With dishes like baked cow back and gizzard on the menu the authenticity can’t be questioned, though the tastes certainly can. Maybe our tastes aren’t adventurous enough, but the goat stew felt like one big mistake. But judging by the regular custom, not everyone shares our view. $$

AMERICAN & TEX-MEX 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 of large guys drinking large amounts of beer and watching a large-screen TV. $$ 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, Hard Rock has the pierced staff of skater boys and rock girls and a menu that is, if nothing else, completely reliable. Peruse

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RESTAURANTS rock’n’roll swag that includes 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. Head to Jeff’s for megasize portions of American classics of the 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

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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. Now favoring a concrete, industrial look, SPE have lost the Sky Sports and rousing rock acts that once made them such a legend of 90s/00s Warsaw. Nonetheless the Tex Mex renditions remain both reliable and good, though now they’re enjoyed more by hotel guests than repeat visit ex-pats. $$ Spoco Loco ul. Sarmacka 10, tel. 887 447 447, www.spocoloco.pl. Open 12:00-22:00.

The food won’t amaze, but the salsas surely will. Graded from 1-7, the No. 7 comes with a health warning! Hotheads should check their facebook for news on chili-eating events. $ 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 12:00last guest. Hefty portions, freshly made tortillas and salsas that will rattle your brain are the core principles here. But don’t think of WTF as a mere restaurant. This ex-pat haven has it all, from live sports, bands and a party atmosphere that drags long into the night. $$

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

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 tinted Chinese restaurant whose design even incorporates a footbridge. Widely acclaimed, the exhaustive menu combines Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine to serve a variety of dishes to an elegant backdrop. The Dim Sum are something else. $$ China Garden ul. Kazachska 1, tel. 22 241 1010, www.chinagarden.pl. Open daily 12:0022:00. Allegedly the first Jiangsu cuisine restaurant in Warsaw, the tastes at the China Garden are indeed unique. On show here is everything from bull’s testicles boiled with soy sprouts, goose jaws and stewed bull’s penis with radish – I dare you. $$ Co To To Je ul. Nugat 7, tel. 882 188 302, www.cototoje. pl. Open 12:00-23:00. Signaling the latest twist in Warsaw’s diversification is this place – a restaurant specializing in bugs! Not for the squeamish, dishes here include silkworm skewers, mealworm larvae camembert, and crickets with duck and raspberry sauce. What

could possibly go wrong? $$ Du-Za Mi-Ha (D4) ul. Widok 16, tel. 22 826 1871. A compact Vietnamese joint noted for fresh, healthy nem filled with crunchy, perky fibers. The pho, on the other hand, is disappointing – according to one reader, “awful”. Prices begin at around zł. 10 and don’t go far north of zł. 20. You get what you pay for. $ InAzia ul. B. Prusa 2 (Sheraton Hotel), tel. 22 450 6705. Open Mon-Sat 17:00-23:00. The Sheraton has a rich history of serving some of Warsaw’s best Asian food, with chef Marcin Sasin creating a menu that draws on influences as diverse as Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese. Popular with Thai diplomats and hushed hotel guests, the experience is worth the quite considerable splurge. $$$ Natara (B3) Al. Solidarności 129/131, tel. 666 101 500.

Open 10:00-22:00. With a few wilting orchids

Cafe • Wine Bar • Restaurant • Whisky Bar • Wine Cellar

Chef Martin presents steak & seafood Choose from our personal selection of fine wine The New Address for Wine Lovers & Epicureans! ul. Hoża 25A, tel. 515 037 001 hoza@mondovino.pl Open 12:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-21:00

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RESTAURANTS 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. $$ Natara Old Town ul. Szeroki Dunaj 13. Open 11:00-23:00. Set inside the Old Town walls, the setting is magical – from the outside. Inside, it’s all dowdy brown and plastic plants. Service, if you can

teppanyaki grill – thank us after. $$

call it that, teases patience to the max, but the food is fantastic. Everything we’ve tried on the menu goes right, not least the fiery red curry duck. Highly recommended. $$

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. $$

Papaya ul. Foksal 16, tel. 22 826 1199, www.papaya. waw.pl. Open 12:00-24:00. A place of precise lines and slick finishes, Papaya have softened the interiors a little, giving the aesthetics a less rigid look. The menu is a considerable success and includes sushi, kobe beef and a much talked about Peking duck. Our advice, however, is to check out Poland’s only

Shabu Shabu Hot Pot ul. Mokotowska 27, tel. 535 685 750.

www.lecedre.pl

30% OFF

Family Lunch Buffet

Animations for Kids Sunday at 84 Lebanese cuisine

~ vis a vis bears ~ Al. Solidarności 61 . 22 670 11 66 lecedre@lecedre.pl

for all dishes all day Monday at 61 & 84

since 1997

Summer Garden at 61 & 84

~ vis a vis court ~ NEW Al. Solidarności 84 . 22 61 88 999 lecedre84@lecedre.pl

AUTHENTIC GERMAN & BAVARIAN CUISINE ul. Mokotowska 69 00-530 Warszawa tel. 022 628 73 84 www.adlerrestauracja.pl

We also offer catering and organize special events From Mon-Fri: lunch 19PLN

Be our guest!

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WARSAW INSIDER | JUNE 2013

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. $ Silk & Spicy (D5) ul. Żurawia 16/20, tel. 22 629 7012. Open 12:00-last guest. If you don’t benchmark Silk & Spicy against what you’d eat in Asia (and you really shouldn’t), then you might enjoy it.

“The curry was on taste-wise,” said our disappointed graphic, “but the cream cheese didn’t work in the sushi and the kmichi-style salad served at the beginning was very pedestrian for such a place.” $ 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. $$ Suparom Thaifood II ul. Wałbrzyska 40, tel. 22 853 3087, www. suparomthaifood.pl. Tiny, when compared to its parent on Marszałkowska, and distinctly unassuming. Suparom’s green curry is the ‘best in the world’ according to one reader, and while such a superlative begs for a challenge, none is forthcoming – not from us, anyhow. $$ 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. $ Why Thai ul. Wiejska 13, tel. 22 625 7698, www.whythai. pl. Open Sun-Thu 12:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 12:001:00. A fresh attractive look, an authentic chef and a menu that doesn’t waffle on for pages and pages. But there’s something missing

here, with the flavors not quite hitting the levels one expects. $$ 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.

Looking intimate and woodsy Babooshka serves up dollops of simple Russian food to a budget conscious crowd. The bacon and tomato scented solyanka soup is a thick broth best suited for Warsaw’s long, windy nights. $ 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. $ Montenegro ul. Natolińska 3, tel. 885 787 887. Open 11:00-24:00; Sun 12:00-23:00. The two levels are covered in soothing whites, and the interiors suggest a makeover conducted with little budget but plenty of taste. Servings are immense, leaving diners no room to explore other courses, and while the cevapcici (handrolled mince) are decent, they’re no superior to anything you might get in a reputable kebab store – but the reaction from Warsaw’s food blogs suggests we may have visited on a bad day. Beware: clanking construction work next door make earplugs a must. $

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RESTAURANTS by the stench at the bar, lots of food that’s way over-fried. $$

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. $

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

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WARSAW INSIDER | JUNE 2013

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. $$

CHEAP EATS

Barn Burger (D4) ul. Złota 9. www.barnburger.pl. Now settled in newer, bigger digs, what had finished last 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. Take extra napkins! $

Brooklyn Burgers & Wings ul. Nowy Świat 36, tel. 22 270 2144.

Open 12:00-23:00; Sat 12:00-24:00. Warsaw’s love affair with burgers gets stronger with the opening of Brooklyn. With the best location of the lot, and a young American chef doing the biz in the kitchen, this is not just another copycat. Homemade sauces, wings, ribs, strips and beer (inc. Sam Adams!), make this so much more than just another burger joint. $ 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 burgers though are a different class. $

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Bydło i Powidło ul. Kolejowa 47. Open 13:00-22:00; Sun 13:0021:00. Set in a modern glass prism, here’s a

place that’s realized you can’t get away with just serving burgers anymore (though here, they’re very good indeed). The steak menu is on-par, and the rib-eye a must.

Warburger (E9) ul. Dąbrowskiego 1. Open Mon-Fri 12:0020:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-19:00. Forget Year of the Dragon, 2012 was Year of the Burger – or more specifically, Year of the WarBurger. Edging the competition, this diminutive little cabin wins eulogies across the board for base-level prices, super friendly service and pimped up burgers that use gourmet ingredients. $

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Queen Burger ul. Hoża 1. Much like Bydło i Powidło, the lads at Queen have cottoned that to survive the burger wars one must broaden the offer.

Which is why British ex-pats are waiting to see how their fish & chips will turn out. Opening anytime soon – we’ll be the first one there.

Fabryka Frytek ul. Złota 3, www.fabrykafrytek.pl.

Open Mon-Thu 10:00-24:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-

2:00; Sun 11:00-22:00. Giant portions of Belgian fries (up to 600g!), waffles, wedges and whatever else you can make out of a potato served come served with an equally comprehensive range of dips and sauces. $ 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! $ Meat Love ul. Hoża 62, tel. 500 149 210, www.meatlove.pl. Open Mon-Thu 10:0022:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-21:00.

An eco-minded sandwich stop, this intimate basement has a smart wooden look and friendly staff notable for their daring body art. The home-baked baguettes are the star, and come with a range of organic ingredients complimented with thick cuts of top quality

animal. Roast beef, pulled pork and porchetta are just a few of your options. $ 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). $ 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. $

ORIGINAL CHINESE CUISINE

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RESTAURANTS FRENCH

GREEK

Chez Belier ul. Mickiewicza 9, tel. 22 400 22 11. Open 12:00-24:00. Designed by Maciej Zień – Poland’s undisputed King of Fashion – Chez Belier looks five star with its immaculate blend of 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. $$$

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. $$

L’Arc (E8) ul. Puławska 16, tel. 503 171 682, www.larc.pl.

Open 10:00-last guest. See page 22 in our Mokotów section. $$

GERMAN

Adler ul. Mokotowska 69, tel. 22 628 73 84, www.adlerrestauracja. pl. Open 10:00-23:30; Sat-Sun 13:00-23:30.

Set in a rustic rotunda, this veteran favorite packs in reassuringly caloric portions of pork knuckles, schnitzel and dumplings – all of a sudden, you understand why Helmut Kohl looks so large. Foaming beers served

by Bavarian country maids complete the authenticity. $

Santorini (Saska Kępa) ul. Egipska 7, tel. 22 672 0525, www.kregliccy. pl/santorini.php. Open daily 12:00-23:00.

Looking dubious from the outside, Santorini has several surprises inside. Styled like a fisherman’s tavern, the lamb chops are in a class of their own, though leave room for the milfei dessert. $$ Sofra (C6) ul. Wilcza 71, tel. 22 628 0782. Open 8:00-last guest. The design looks great, even if it plagiarizes Charlotte a touch (white brickwork, blackboard, communal table), and it even has the same chattery buzz. So the surprise here is the food is Turkish, and not just any Turkish, but excellent Turkish! The lamb and beef in tomato sauce is already part of the Insider diet, and the moussaka not far behind. But forget the word diet when it comes to dessert – the cherry chocolate cake is outstanding, but a menace to the beltline. $

INDIAN

Bombaj Masala (B3) Al. Jana Pawła II 23, tel. 606 688 777.

Open 11:00-23:00. With wide space and slick finishes Bombaj Masala takes its inspiration from the gleaming district, not (like most its competitors) from Santa’s Grotto. The food polarizes opinion, though most agree the prices don’t reflect the quality, and spices won’t scorch. $$ 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. $ Curry House ul. Żeromskiego 81, tel. 508 870 774.

It’s through happy little tears the Insider declares Curry House as the overall victor in the local curry wars. The eye-watering vindaloo stands apart as Warsaw’s most macho curry, and the others don’t disappoint either. With this quality on show, it’s easy to ignore the primary design, drawn out waiting times and lunar location. $ 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 and murgh hara masala didn’t fare better.

“Casual fine dining in the heart of Warsaw” ul. Wilcza 46, tel. 22 292 0424, www.nolita.pl. For reservations: rezerwacja@nolita.pl Open Mon-Fri 12:00-15:30, 18:00-22:30; Sat 13:00-23:00

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Panto

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

In recent times inconsistencies have plagued what was a premier experience: but that stands to change! Closed for renovation, we’re promised a new look venue that will marry top food with a loungey vibe. Watch this space. $$ 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. $$ 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. Keen, supersize portions and an efficient home delivery service (indiaexperss. pl) have made this lot something of a bookmark. Not dissimilar from the curries you may have survived on as a student, Mandala are cheap, efficient and much more besides. $ 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. $

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Rain by India Curry

Panto

ul. Żurawia 22, tel. 22 438 9350. Opening anytime soon, what had been a listing restaurant is set to be reinvented courtesy of Ray Bridgeford’s magic wand. The man who created Sense – the ex-pat legend of noughties Warsaw – has promised revamped interiors and a menu inspired by modern Indian cooking. We can’t wait.

INTERNATIONAL & FUSION 12 Stolików (D5) ul. Krucza 16/22, tel. 519 151 504. Open 9:00-23:00. Affecting a boutique style, the look here is clean, crisp and scattered with lifestyle titles. And forming the central element is the kitchen – yes, here’s a place that promotes cooking as a form of theater.

The menu is chalked on a board, and while alio olio was overcooked, the big guns came out for the steak: a very decent piece of meat. Enjoyable enough, though nothing particularly memorable. $$ Akademia ul. Różana 2, tel. 22 828 99 11. Open 12:00-24:00. See page 22 in our Mokotów section.$$ A Nóż ul. Różana 30, tel. 608 386 388. Open 9:00-23:00. See page 22 in our Mokotów section. $ 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)

Our tapas bar in Mokotów is famed across the city, and operates in conjunction with our delicatessen. We directly import Spanish ham, especially jamon serrano, jamon iberico as well as many different varieties of chorizo. Also, you’ll find a comprehensive choice of Spanish olives, sherry, ingredients for paella, preserves, guindilla pepper, piquillo, fish and other seafood. We specialize in original and elegant catering as well, with tapas being the forte.

All this is also available for order on our website: http://delikatesy.carmona.pl ul. K. Chodkiewicza 3, tel. 22 414 19 19, www.carmona.pl

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RESTAURANTS ul. Żurawia 22, tel. 22 502 3118, www.butcheryandwine.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00. The most talked about restaurant of 2011 shows no sign of waning.

Served on wooden boards by staff in butchers aprons, the steaks are beyond reproach, and commonly considered the best in the city. In the evening, reservations remain recommended. $$ Brasserie Warszawska ul. Górnośląska 24, www.brasseriewarszawska.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00.A posh looking bistro whose credentials are

supported by crisp shirted staff, gleaming surfaces and zinc mirrors. The menu changes daily, and on the Insider’s visit included outstanding Fine de Claire oysters on a bed of fennel. The English influence of an owner who once managed The Grill at London’s Dorchester Hotel, shines through on Friday when dishes like fish & chips are served. $$$ 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

Authentic Mexican food, great margaritas, tequila and a hot atmosphere!

Made using the best ingredients, nobody does Mexican food better!

Bienvenidos Amigos!!!

Al. Jerozolimskie 123A (Millennium Plaza), tel. 22 243 4618, www.dostacos.pl www.facebook.com/DosTacos.MexicanGrill

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

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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 BEST WAWA 2012 rarely gets better. $$$ “Restaurant for a Business Meeting” Winner, “Restaurant Design” Winner 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. $$$ Duchnicka Wine & Food ul. Duchnicka 3, tel. 22 320 2989, duchnickawinebar.com. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00.

Filling the boots of outgoing chef Joseph Seeletso is Michał Budnik, a rising star with a bright future ahead. The thrilling menu includes cappuccino soup, and a totally triumphant T-Bone. $$

you – the cooking here demands attention.

Specializing in eco-minded slow food produce, the ever-rotating menu is fresh, natural and packed with taste. $$

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Momu.Gastrobar ul. Wierzbowa 11, tel. 506 10001. Open 9:002:00. Tapas-style portions of experimentallooking food arrives in little glass jars (meat and fish skewers, Eton mess), or else on paper plates a la the jalapeno hot dog. Pay zł. 40 for a choice of six itsy pots served in a wire-framed basket. But while it looks good, the Insider found it all very hit and miss… we could be alone on this – we’ve heard good

things since, suggesting we visited on an off day. $ Moonsfera ul. Wybrzeże Gdyńskie 4. Open 12:00-23:00.

You’ll find fancy-looking Moonsfera at the top 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.

Nolita ul. Wilcza 46, tel. 22 292 0424, www.nolita.

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. $$ 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. $$ 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. That the head chef, Paweł Oszczyk, came within a whisker of pipping Wojciech Amaro in the Best Chef category of our 2012 awards says a lot. And he’s not the only star on the pay roll: there’s also Andrzej Strzelczyk, Poland’s top ranked sommelier. Mixing ‘French techniques, Polish products and Italian influences’, Oszczyk’s menu is built for superlatives. The venison is magnificent, and on our visit came served by Poland’s most theatrical waiter – someone, give him a BEST WAWA 2012 “Hotel TV show. $$$ Restaurant” Winner

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Magiel Café ul. Stępińska 2, tel. 22 841 0016. Open Tue-Sun 12:00-last guest. Set with gingham tablecloths, antiques and launderette detritus, Magiel is as charming as they come.

But don’t let the café part of the name fool

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

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RESTAURANTS pl. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-15:30, 18:00-22:30; Sat 13:00-23:00. A swank center restaurant anchored on the skills of Jacek Grochowina – a young talent who honed his skills at the London Ritz. Looking chic and high end, we enjoyed Tournedos Rossini: a victorious dish comprised of dainty pink meat, black truffles, foie gras and pureed potatoes served in a cast iron pot. Heaven. And order the sorbet.

Dusted with a secret cosmic ingredient, first taste gives an intense fizzy sensation that’s utterly unexpected. One of the top dining rooms in Poland. $$$ Opasły Tom (E4) ul. Foksal 17, tel. 22 621 1881. Open 10:0023:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-23:00. Are you inside a bookshop or a restaurant? The mind plays tricks in Opasły. But chef Agata Wojda puts any questions to rest, with outstanding dishes that use fresh, local ingredients – the tasting menu is a must, and proof of Wojda’s increasing rank amongst Warsaw’s best chefs. $$ Passe Partout (H4) ul. Zwycięzców 21, tel. 22 616 2882,

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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. $$ Platter by Karol Okrasa (C4) InterContinental Hotel, ul. Emilii Plater 49, tel. 22 328 8734, www.platter.pl. Open 12:00-16:00,17:30-23:00. The hotel has roped in celebrity chef Karol Okrasa to head their revamped dining room. As a temple of nouveau Polish, the new layout isn’t a dramatic change from the previous occupant, Frida Restaurant - but the food is faultless. In particular, the herb garden salad with prawns comes immaculately groomed. An already excellent experience has been raised to talking point level. $$$

Po Prostu Zachęta (D3) pl. Małachowskiego 3, tel. 22 556 96 77. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-20:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-20:00.

Sophisticated yet cozy, Darek Ryniec’s restaurant is set on the lower level of the Zachęta, and despite the grand vaulted ceiling offers substantial privacy with tables nestled beside major columns. The set lunch menu emphasizes Polish, while offering a main menu that’s definitely trendy European: the dishes will be licked clean.

Porto Praga (F1) ul. Stefana Okrzei 23, tel. 22 698 5001, www.portopraga.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:0023:00. Maturing from the murky concept of restobar, Porto Praga have entered a new stage of life: that of a fine dining establishment. The chef’s philosophy is to maintain the natural flavor of ingredients, and the slow food angle is emphasized by magnificent lamb

from Połoniny region. PP are equally proud of their seafood, so visit on Thursday / Friday when their ‘fish market’ menu introduces the likes of monkfish, John Dory and strawberry grouper. $$ 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. $$ 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. Sporting a futuristic look, 99 is an enduring veteran of the CBD circuit.

No longer the top dog for business wining / dining, it nonetheless remains a very safe choice for perfect steaks and loaded margaritas. $$ SAM (E3) ul. Lipowa 7, tel. 600 806 084. Bistro, bakery, hangout. However you choose to label SAM, it’s the talk of the town. Noisy Charlotte won all the press last summer, this time round its SAM. The cooling concrete interiors buzz throughout the day, with touches like communal tables well suited to the ascetic style. Owned by the same lot in charge of 6/12, there’s a similar commitment to good, healthy eating employed here. $$ Signature ul. Poznańska 15, tel. 22 55 38755, www. signaturerestaurant.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

With cutlery from Eternum, original Marilyn photos shot by Milton Greene, columns and reliefs from the days this was the Soviet Embassy and 1950s Oswald chairs, it sure looks the part. The menu is contemporary but never flamboyant, with our meal including tuna tataki for starter and a pink duck breast for main. Both were excellent, and exactly what one expects from Poland’s top hotel. $$ 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 12:0022:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 13:00-22:00.

While intended to look chic and high-design, the interiors come across as a little IKEA in the flesh. But who cares? Chef Andrzej Polań has masterminded a beautiful, modern menu whose highlights include baked goose with gooseberry sauce. The back garden really is a garden, complete with grass and tooting musical neighbors – check it out. $$ Tamka 43 (E3) ul. Tamka 43, tel. 22 441 6234, www.tamka.43. pl. Open Mon-Sat 10:00-23:00. There is an inspiration here which causes guests to linger over their meal, explore it and wonder at it. Food isn’t the background; it is the centerpiece. Chef Robert Trzópek learnt his trade under Ferran Adria, and his menu pitches modern techniques against traditional – primarily root – ingredients. Amazing. $$

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Taste Wilanów ul. Kazachzska 1, tel. 400 1122, www.taste. pl. Open 11:30-22:00; Sat-Sun 9:00-22:00.

It’s easy to witter about how good Taste is, and yes, it really is. Aided by a star studded launch, it’s been happy days for TW ever since. Elegantly simplistic with its black colors and open kitchen, the menu here incorporates sous-vide meats and fresh natural produce. But the biggest pull? A contemporary take on the traditional Sunday roast (guess which day you need to turn up to try that…). $$

ITALIAN 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 stripped 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. $$

ul. Rozbrat 20 00-447 Warszawa tel: +48 (22) 628 02 95 www.rozbrat20.pl

Bacio Angelo (E5) ul. Wilcza 8, tel. 22 622 4454, www.bacio.

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RESTAURANTS pl. Open Sun-Thur 10:00-last guest; Fri & Sat 11:00-last guest. With a charming folklore interior, the candlelight will lead you into a world of sweet romance. The delicate antipasti and Italian merlot will certainly ease you into good conversation. $$ Delizia (D5) ul. Hoża 58/60, tel. 22 622 6665, www.delizia.com.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:0022:00. The reasons for Delizia’s success are twofold: Luca and Lorenzo. Luca’s the front man, a charismatic chap and natural showman. In his hands, you’ll feel like a star.

Then there’s Lorenzo, the chef out the back.

Between the pair of them they’ve turned this tiny little venue into Warsaw’s most convincing Italian enterprise. Top quality imported products, a dimly-lit romantic atmosphere, tasteful interiors and brilliant food: what more do you need? $$ 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. $$ Kotłownia ul. Suzina 8, tel. 22 833 23 27. Open 13:00last guest. You’d never guess from the grey surrounds but Kotłownia is one of the emerging stars of Warsaw dining. Set in a historic disused boiler house (the Warsaw Uprising started right outside!) a generous helping of wooden touches warm the split level industrial interiors, but it’s the food that steals the show. The modern Italian menu reflects the owner’s passion for Italy, as does the handpicked wine list. The convivial atmosphere makes it perfect for a long, lazy lunch. $$ La Bufala (B4) ul. Sienna 86. Open 10:00-23:00; 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. $ L’Olivo (B4) ul. Żelazna 59A, tel. 784 442 240. Open Mon-Sat 10:00-22:30; Sun 13:00-22:00. The menu is cheaper and less extravagant, but the level of passion is equal – from the makers of Delizia comes L’Olivo, an informal looking spot with fantastic pizzas using the same quality, import products and a range of other authentic choices. The affogato is not to be missed. $ Mąka i Woda ul. Chmielna 13A, tel. 22 505 91 87. Open 17:00-22:00. Stop press! Here’s one more candidate for Warsaw’s best pizza. Made using Stefano Ferrara Napoli ovens, and top quality ingredients (Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Caputo flour, etc.), expect to be hearing a lot about MiW in the coming months.

Great stuff, with a good line in homemade pastas and sides also featuring. $

Karpielówka Restaurant

Our name comes from an area in Zakopane, and in our restaurant you can feel the air and the atmosphere of the Tatra Mountains.

With our original highlander décor and the climate of an outlaw’s cottage, it’s the perfect place to dine on traditional dishes including our specials: dumplings, knuckle baked with onion, dishes with oscypek cheese and much more.

We can organize wedding dinners, conferences and banquets, as well as picnics with BBQ and bonfire. Check our lunch menu, our delivery service and catering options. ul. Indiry Gandhi 11, tel. 22 644 85 10 | Imielin Metro Station, close to Multikino; City Hall Ursynów; 5 minute walk towards St. Thomas the Apostle Church | Open 12:00-last guest. | Reservations: +48 22-644-85-10 or karpielowka@home.pl www.karpielowka.com.pl | Check our Facebook page

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Mamma Marietta (C10) ul. Wołoska 74A, tel. 22 880 0071. Open 12:00-22:00. Famed in ex-pat circles, head chef Andrea (formerly of Da Aldo) has created a bright bijou eatery that’s openly regarded as one of the finest and most authentic Italian experiences in Poland. The seafood has a particularly stellar reputation, as does the smattering of Sicilian dishes. $$

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. $$$

Mezzo Italian Steakhouse ul. Sienkiewicza 5 (Konstancin-Jeziorna), tel.

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

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 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. $$$

Ristorante San Lorenzo (B3)

Parmizzano’s (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott Hotel, Floor 1), tel. 22 630 6306. Open 12:00-23:00.

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. $ Venti-tre (E7) ul. Belwederska 23 (Hyatt Hotel), tel. 22 558 1094. Open 6:30-23:00. The high class confines of the Hyatt are the home of Venti Tre, a contemporary restaurant with an open kitchen, and a Mediterranean inspired menu constructed using carefully sourced ingredients from local suppliers. The results are outstanding. $$$

JAPANESE & SUSHI 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. $$

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RESTAURANTS Inaba (B5) ul. Nowogrodzka 84/86, tel. 22 622 5955, www.inaba.pl. 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. $$

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. $$

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Sushi Marina-Mokotów ul. Warowna 1, tel. 493 0302. Open 12:0022:00. Since its heyday in the 00s sushi has been in decline in Warsaw – well, no-one told Marina-Mokotów, and it’s a good job as well.

Completely creative in its offer, this isn’t just another Wa-wa sushi joint. Elaborate rolls are built with forensic precision using the freshest

of ingredients. In a place like this, it’s easy to fall in love with sushi all over again. $$ 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

Insider Pick 4/Czwarte ul. Piaseczyńska 71, tel. 22 100 3139, www.4czwarte.pl.

Open daily 8:00-23:00.

H

ot off the presses – and off the courts – this is a clever new restaurant worthy of an incursion into the domain of the fit, even if you can’t tell your racket from your raclette, opening just in time for the summer season.

4/Czwarte (“Four/fourths”) sits smack in the middle of Warszawianka’s 29 tennis courts. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it can be rather motivating to eat and drink to the plop of the tennis balls and

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voiced exhalation of young would-be tennis champs. The Luncheonettes were inspired enough to skip dessert (but just this time!).

Chef Kinga Araucz brings a fresh eye to food in Warsaw. The set menu for luncheon (a la carte also available) is very reasonably priced at zł. 19 – a choice of main (salad, meat or pasta) plus a daily soup.

Our pork cutlet was not too large with a handful of pan-fried potatoes and a fresh, crisp cupful of salad. It was a perfect lunch size, all tasty, artfully seasoned, not overwhelming and (thank you) not too salty. The pasta du jour, in a light cream sauce, was the same – just what the nutritionist would have ordered. Drinking water came disguised as a table centerpiece in a carafe stuffed with mint and slices of lemon, lime, and orange. It tasted as good as it looked.

Co-owners Jakub Fijałkowski and Paweł Gałązka have been collaborating in sports-themed business ventures for the past nine years. After dabbling in everything from public relations to sports equipment retail to hosting sporting events, this first foray into a ‘sports kitchen’ seems to be the logical next step. Four large windows open up a smallish eatery fitted with comfortable tables of four upholstered in four different colors of the most modern palette. There is plenty of room to grow, with a terrace for the summer months and a view on covered courts for the winter. Jakub describes their philosophy as “keeping order with a light touch,” which might explain the pleasant, congenial atmosphere.

Light and bright, the name 4/Czwarte is an attempt to capture the essence of this adventure in cuisine. Good cooking + sharp interior + smooth jazz background music + good people behind the counter = a place to return to over and over again. And yes, we’re definitely coming back for another match.

PHOTOGRAPH BY BARTOSZ BAJERSKI

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.

LATIN

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

Aioli (D3) ul. Świętokrzyska 18, tel. 22 290 1020, www.aioli-cantine.com. Open 9:00-last guest.

A jaunty Mediterranean space with hanging meats and long communal tables, Aioli has a decent offer of sandwiches, breakfasts, pastas and burgers. The mango-turkey burger is worth your consideration. $$ 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 real veteran, the Blue Cactus has taken some knocks recently: our last visit was a calamity. But aware of the decline top brass have moved fast to put out the fire. Word on the street reckons a new Californian chef has put it back firmly on track – we’ll be back anytime soon. $$

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, Casa Pablo touts an interesting design composed of tartan colors, upturned wine crates and a mirror that we’re told is over a century old.

But if you think that’s interesting, then take a look at the menu. Modeled round the ‘creative Spanish’ movement, dishes include scallop carpaccio with foie gras, and a duck breast burger with Mahon cheese, raspberry ketchup and truffle sauce. Servings are small and precise, but even so, we like what we see. $$

should say enough. With the maki, sushi and with exotic dishes that include a lamb burger sashimi bobbing past on wooden platters, this with red onion chutney and mint sauce. $$ place aims for fast, maximum turnover without ever making the diner feel second best. $$

Carmona ul. K. Chodkiewicza 3, tel. 22 414 19 19, www. carmona.pl. Open 11:00-22:00. Set in an increasingly happening section of new money Mokotów, find the daily tapas chalked up on a

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RESTAURANTS blackboard inside a modern interior featuring top-to-bottom windows and industrial touches hanging overhead. They’ve got the tapas down to a tee. $$ Dos Tacos (B5) Al. Jerozolimskie 123A, tel. 22 243 4618, www.dostacos.pl. Open 11:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-24:00. Adorned with Aztec murals and cartoonish finishes, cheerful Dos Tacos belies its office block location. With an increasing amount of American custom, some have even gone as far as to call it Warsaw’s best Mexican.

Either way, the burritos are grand and the

sauces peerless: beginners should order the salsa set, a great mix that ranges from tasty to volcanic. $ El Popo (C2) ul. Senatorska 27, tel. 22 827 2340.

Open daily 12:00-24:00. The food is consistently inconsistent. Great guacamole, lovely margaritas and pleasant waitstaff. But that’s about it. $$ The Mexican (D1) ul. Podwale 29, tel. 22 635 3232, www.mexican.pl. With its babbling fountain

The only restaurant offering both fusion cuisine and a terrace – found on the roof of the Olympic Center.

Our gourmet standard food is created by Jarek Uściński using the best ingredients available, not generic suppliers.

and courtyard location The Mexican looks great. It’s a shame the same enthusiasm can’t be applied to the food. No matter what your order, anticipate mysterious gloop and lots of mashed cabbage. $$ 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. $$ 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 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. $$

MIDDLE EASTERN ul.Wybrzeże Gdyńskie 4 (Centrum Olimpijskie) tel. 22 560 3733 ask@moonsfera.pl www.moonsfera.pl Open 12:00-23:00

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 charcoal-grilled lamb chops. $$

Delicious food inspired by classic French cuisine, mixed with international tastes and based on original Polish ingredients. All our food is served with excellent wine!

Open Tuesday-Sunday from 12:00 ul. Stępińska 2, Warszawa

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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. $$ Sokotra (D5) ul. Wilcza 27, tel. 22 270 2766. Open Mon-Fri 9:00-22:00; Sat 11:00-22:00; Sun 11:00-21:00.

Just what you didn’t expect – a restaurant specializing in the food of Yemen. Featuring lots of spicy meat dishes, and a few Indian-style offerings as well, here’s a fantastic spot that arouses curiosity and taste buds alike. The interiors are snug and pleasant, and not short on surprises – e.g. a concrete telephone pole adorned with potted plants. $$

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 Mon-Fri 12:0022:00; Sat 12:00-22:30; Sun 12:00-20:00.

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. The recipient of Poland’s first Michelin star, Atelier has no rival – this is the best restaurant in the country, bar none. Find a tasting menu of slow food enhanced by modern techniques (e.g. blasts of nitrogen), with courses interspersed by occasionally bizarre molecular interludes (aloe leaves, twigs, etc.). Don’t miss the bespoke vodka menu, either. It’s an extraordinary dining experience, and one which confirms the growing cult of chef Wojciech Amaro.

BEST Reservations mandatory. $$$ WAWA 2012 “Contemporary Polish” Winner, New Restaurant” Winner, “Best Chef” Winner 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. $

The new place on the map of Warsaw The new place on the map of Warsaw

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 and black interiors. $$$ 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 – these 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. $$$ 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. $$ Dom Polski (H4) ul. Francuska 11, tel. 22 616 2432, www.restauracjadompolski.pl. Open daily 12:00-last guest. Built for moments when nothing but the best will do. Prices are premium, but this piece of high society features an aristocratic temperament and fine Polish cuisine served with an elegant flourish. $$$

Bistro Piękna ul. Piękna 20 00-549 Warszawa Tel. +48 22 627 41 51 piekna@jazzone.pl www.jazzone.pl

Bistro Piękna ul. Piękna 20 00-549 Warszawa Tel. +48 22 627 41 51 piekna@jazzone.pl, www.jazzone.pl

Folk Gospoda (B3) ul. Waliców 13, tel. 22 890 1605,

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

The seminal Polish village experience is recreated in Folk Gospoda, a simple, rustic restaurant who put a stress on using locally sourced produce and homemade condiments like bread and preserves. Clad in wood and farmyard debris, the menu is a hefty collection of pierogi, game and macho meaty fare. Look no further if you want authentic, big hearted food the way it’s served up in the mountains and down in the villages. $$ Inn Under the Red Hog (B3) ul. Żelazna 68, tel. 22 850 3144,

www.czerwonywieprz.pl. Open daily 12:00-24:00. Recently voted as one of the 25 most interesting restaurants in the world!

And we’re not surprised – bathed in red banners and propaganda paintings, the Red Hog is your one stop shop for some socialist socializing: while Marx and Co. never actually ate here (as their menu claims), lads like Bruce Willis and Lennox Lewis have. The menu is comically split between dishes for the proletariat and for dignitaries, and is an experience in itself. $$

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Kameralna

We guarantee a truly authentic experience, serving home-grown traditional dishes with a genuine Italian feel...

-Luca & Lorenzo

ul. Żelazna 59, Warsaw info@lolivo.pl, tel. 784 614 672 Mon-Sat noon to 10 p.m.; Sun 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. (or last guest)

An Exceptional Butcher shop!!!

100% fresh Polish Angus, Hereford and Limousine beef Quality lamb and veal Seasoned steak: New York, rib-eye, T-bone, filet mignon...

We look forward to seeing you!

Oś. Marina Mokotów ul. Przejazd 4 (next to the bank) Mon-Fri 10:00-19:00; Sat 9:00-14:00 For telephone orders: 797 866 131

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ul. Foksal 11, tel. 887 878 731. Open 12:0024:00. You want to like Kameralna, and the Insider certainly does – as a brewery. As a restaurant, however, it simply doesn’t work.

Stodgy food, small portions, plain tastes: but what do you expect from a restaurant inspired by 50s / 60s commie-era Poland.

Karpielówka ul. Indiry Gandhi 11, tel. 22 644 85 10. Open 12:00-last guest. Reminiscent of a mountain karczma this restaurant prides itself on a thorough offer of simple, traditional food inside lively cabin-style interiors. The hefty portions are best twinned with lashings of icy vodka.$$ Kuchnia Funkcjonalna ul. Jakubowska 16 (enter from ul. Estońska), tel. 512 893 898. Open 11:00-23:00. Snuck inside one of Saska’s definitive modernist buildings, the opening of Kuchnia has made slow food accessible to all wallets. Venison from the Bieszczady Mountains, dairy products from Jersey cattle milk, and the use of goose fat instead of butter are just a few noteworthy characteristics; the frequently changing menu reflects the commitment to nature. The ascetic design is softened by a cast-iron stove and moody lighting, giving the restaurant a warm, spring glow. $$ 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 Polska “Różana” (E8) ul. Chocimska 7, tel. 22 848 1225, www.restauracjarozana.com.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. Touting a refined, baronial setting, Rożana has starchy white linen, floral pieces and flickering candles, giving off plenty of classic charm in the best possible taste. With indulgent mains such as farmhouse duck with apple and cranberry, or saddle of venison with homemade pickle, this is a Polish dining extravaganza served

from the top table. $$ BEST WAWA 2012 “Polish with Style” Winner 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 Kucharzy (D3) ul. Ossolińskich 7, tel. 22 826 7936, www.gessler.pl. Open 12:00-24:00. You’re in the thick of the action here, with dining conducted in the former kitchen of the historic Hotel Europejski – once the most luxurious hotel in the Tsarist Empire. The atmosphere is one of orchestrated chaos, and the chefs love a bit of showmanship: expect Ramsay-style tantrums sometimes inches from your face. The steak tartar is rated across town,

though standards have slipped considerably BEST WAWA 2012 in recent times. $$ “Welcome to Poland” Winner U Szwejka (D6) pl. Konstytucji 1, tel. 22 339 1710, www.uszwejka.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-24:00; Sat 10:00-24:00; Sun 13:00-24:00. Named after fictional Czech soldier Szwejk, the food here would certainly appear to the tubby man himself. Bestowed with Prague street signs, the food is a hardy, meaty affair, and arrives in XXXL portions. The price to quantity (Note: not quality) ratio guarantees queues (yes, queues) that stretch out on the street every weekend. $$

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. $

SCANDINAVIAN Nabo ul. Zakręt 8, tel. 22 842 0256.

Open Mon-Fri: 8:00-21:30; Sat-Sun 9:0021:30. The décor is, we’re told, typical Danish cafe – bold open windows, simple lines, high shelves filled with books and games on the table. But what is Danish food? There’s Old Danish on the menu: meatballs and open face sandwiches with meat and fish in various textural configurations and then there’s New Danish: an emerging trend towards fresh, seasonal food (no microwave oven at Nabo), with locally sourced and innovatively concocted ingredients. Fantastic.

BEST WAWA 2012 “Most Kid Friendly $$ Restaurant” Winner

POLISH DELICACIES: - Home-made bread - Polish style duck from the oven - Polish fish - Polish seasoned beef steaks ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 45 00-071 Warszawa tel. 22 826 47 70 info@delicjapolska.pl www.delicjapolska.pl

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RESTAURANTS 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.

Food & Joy ul. Nowy Świat 7, www.foodandjoy.eu. Open Mon-Sat 9:00-20:00; Sun 10:00-17:00. A new, upmarket deli chain from the same team behind Krakowski Kredens and Alma.

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Hala Koszyki ul. Koszykowa 63. Open Tue-Fri 10:00-20:00; Sat 9:00-20:00; Sun 9:00-17:00. This charming neo-Gothic pile of bricks hosts one of the quaintest little bazaars Warsaw’s ever seen. On the ground floor, there’s a fantastic butcher’s and fruit out back. Upstairs, cold cuts, Greek seafood, cheese, a juice bar and Warsaw’s best cakes. Repeat after me: Warsaw’s best cakes.

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.

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 meals, confectionary and preserves.

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Martin’s Good Meat ul. Przejazd 4, tel. 797 866 131. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-19:00; Sat 9:00-14:00. Angus, Hereford and Limousine beef, not to mention lamb, veal and seasoned steaks. A candidate for Warsaw’s best butchery, no less!

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Nowy Targ in Nowy Teatr ul. Madalińskiego 10/16. Open Sat 9:00-15:00.

Since the beginning of April Nowy Targ has been gathering local, small-scale producers, some organically certified, in a huge industrial building in the middle of Mokotów. Nowy Targ offers a plethora of things: from regional products such as oscypek and smoked meats to ready-to-eat fare (coffee, cakes, roasted sausages, green smoothie concoctions) to candles made from organic soy wax.

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.

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.

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.

BEST WAWA 2012 “Gourmet Grocery” Winner

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Polna Market ul. Polna 13, Open Mon-Fri 7:00-19:00, Sat

Le Targ ul. Królowej Aldony 5 and various locations.

Open Thu 11:00-20:00; Sat 10:00-18:00 (but check for updates). Find here a rather random array of products: stands display traditional meats, goat’s cheeses, unconventional preserves (also found at Nowy Targ), Greek products, vegan ingredients… it all still seems a bit like a work in progress. The initiative is noble, however.

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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.

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Targ Śniadaniowy al. Wojska Polskiego. Open Sat 8:00-14:00.

The idea is a bit different as it is out in the open air, on the grass, so good weather is a must. Part healthy food market, part breakfast picnic, part educational space, part chance to get your two wheeler fixed but above all, an idyllic way to spend a Saturday morning in a beautiful part of town.

WHOLE FOODS 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. $

COOKING SCHOOLS Cook Up Studio ul. Racławicka 99 (Fort Mokotów), tel. 22 212 89 76, www.cookup.pl. Workshops in a gorgeous cooking studio located in a redbrick fortress. Themes from March included Swedish cooking (led by the Swedish Embassy chef), knife skills and soup, with lessons culminating in eating all that hard work.

Joseph’s Culinary Studio ul. Duchnicka 3, www.jospehseeletso.pl.

A familiar face from the TV, Botswanan born chef Joseph Seeletso marks a new chapter of his career with the launch of his own culinary academy. Tailor-made courses for individuals and groups are held in a custom-designed kitchen, and include cookery classes, wine tasting, dinner and the chance to learn a stack of secrets from the man himself.

Scheller Academy ul. Międzynarodowa 68, tel. 22 626 80 92, www.schelleracademy.pl. Instantly recognizable by his beret and whiskers, Swiss-born Kurt Scheller invites guests to his Saska Kępa kitchen for lessons aimed at all levels of competency.

Reviews: Kubek w Kubek Café 53 / Plus:

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CAFÉS & WINE BARS CAFES 53 / WINE BARS 56

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Insider’s Pick

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

BOW 2012 Winner...........

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

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

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

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

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

Map location pg. 78 ...... (A1) Romantic..........................

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

CAFÉS Aroma ul. Krucza 6, tel. 22 376 5475, www.aromaespressobar.pl. Open 7:0022:00; 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.

Kubek w Kubek Café ul. Grażyny 16, tel. 796 207 488, www.kubekwkubek.com. Open Mon-Fri 9:30-20:00; Sat-Sun 9:30-17:00.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY KAROLINA KALINOWSKA

magine this: three women, all young mothers, leave their unfulfilling corporate lives for a life of fulfillment as proud owners of a cute café in Stary Mokotów. Such was the birth of Kubek w Kubek. “Everything happens for a reason,” reads one of the many such paintings on the wall, no doubt alluding to the owners’ new life path: and we sure are glad it did. The philosophy of the place is simple and Scandinavian, declares their site – i.e., high quality products, a concise menu and an understated interior. Of course, you might easily dismiss it as just another copy of a copy of a café that did it right and so all others followed suit. But the girls have fun; they improvise and create the place by listening to customer suggestions and satisfying customer requests. Thanks to this they now offer sandwiches, to go as well, with coffee, and an incredible meringue torte in various versions, which the owners say will become the place’s trademark. The sweets are delivered straight from the oven of Dagmara (of zpiekarnika.blogspot.com fame) and Zofia, whose tarts you might recognize from other Warsaw hangouts. The coffee is roasted just for them, it’s an Arabica blend that’s so good, the owners vow never to ruin its richness with syrups or decaffeinating. If that’s not your thing though, some Kusmi tea from one of the many colourful tins on the shelf is a must.

With summer here, the smoothies should prove a hit as well. The little ones are also most welcome here and Kubek provides a play area, seats etc. for their smaller visitors. When the Insider paid Kubek a visit there were talks of a summer garden outside so stop by to see if the three girls kept their promise. And as if there weren’t enough reasons to visit already, Kubek participates in the caffè sospeso (Kawa Zawieszona) initiative. (KK)

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.

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

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CAFÉS & WINE BARS 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.

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 to delicate brioches.

Christian’s Bakerhouse ul. Książęca 6, tel. 22 628 6345. Open Mon-Fri 7:00-22:00; Sat-Sun 9:00-23:00. A top quality bakery/café/restaurant owned by celebrity chef Krystian Zalejski. Fixed up in rustic style, the ever changing menu round at Christian’s is mostly filled with Italian staples – but with a twist. Think pappardelle with roasted duck slices and rosemary.

Croque Madame (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 41, tel. 793 794 318. Open 8:00-22:00. A French-themed charmer with rough, white painted brickwork, distressed wooden furniture and lots of eccentric bric-a-brac to keep an eye out for. Dealing out fresh baguettes and pastries, the whole boulangerie/café concept is excellently executed.

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

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WARSAW INSIDER | JUNE 2013

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.

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.

Green Caffe Nero Many locations inc. Pl. Konstytucji 1, www. greencaffenero.pl. The British Nero chain have hooked up with the Green Coffee phenomena, with Green Caffe Nero the result of the unlikely fusion. Expect quality Italian blends, and fresh made-on-the-day food across the city.

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.

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.

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La Lush ul. Senatorska 24. Open Mon-Fri 6:00-18:00; Sat-Sun 9:00-18:00. Lovely bread-based fare, homemade marmalades and coffee beans roasted just for them: La Lush is already something of a favorite. It closes early by Warsaw’s standards, but the times prove quite sufficient considering the menu 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.

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 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.

Mam Ochotę ul. Grójecka 75, tel. 22 667 8280, mamochote.blogspot.com. Open 9:00-24:00. A hip haven in an upcoming area this café gets cool concerts and other such events. And unlike most cafés in its genre, you don’t get the impression you’ll catch fleas from the seats.

Attractive light woods and guest artwork keep this place looking fresh and fun.

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. 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.

Om Nom Nom ul. Lipowa 7A. Open 10:00-23:00. Looking clean, clinical but strangely warming, Om Nom Nom specialize in their own ice cream lollies: all in cutesy designs and dipped in crunchy colorful toppings. The beer is just as good, with independent Polish brewers well represented.

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.

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.

Prosta Historia (H4) Now the same minds have expanded their ul. Francuska 24, tel. 505 277 660. Open offer to include this café, a delightful spot that Mon-Fri 12:00-22:30; Sat-Sun 10:00-22:30. opened in summer. The deckchairs outside Informal looking with its clean white finishes may have gone but the hype lingers on: an and stripped wood floors, it’s an ideal spot for eclectic design marries a Scandinavian look to a lazy weekend – and with the garden furniture an eccentric spirit, while unpasteurized beers, back out, few places in Warsaw feel so naturally organic teas and a locally sourced menu do continental. The food, it needs to be said, is the rest. It’s a winner! very good indeed, with hefty steaks, multiple burgers and some fine desserts.

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

Looking raw, industrial and refreshingly Relaks ascetic, the principal feature of Socjal is ul. Puławska 48. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-21:00; the long communal table – who you end up Sat 10:00-19:00; Sun 10:00-18:00. Delete talking to is down to the dice. There’s few Starbucks from memory: if you take your better places to order the Prosecco and act oh coffee seriously, then no-one does it better so continental. than this lot. Using a number of brewing methods, the baristas here are top of their trade, doing their stuff in a cool interior with a Sto900 (E3) ul. Solec 18/20, tel. 787 696 241. heavy retro accent.

Open 9:00-22:00; Fri 9:00-24:00; Sat 10:0024:00; Sun 10:00-22:00. A fabulous café/ Secret Life restaurant with a spontaneous design that ul. Słowackiego 15/19. Open Mon-Fri

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CAFÉS & WINE BARS 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.

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Ukryte Miasto ul. Noakowskiego 16, tel. 270 2388. Open 10:30-22:00. This smart, modern looking bookshop/cafe would do well no matter, considering its next-to-polytechnic courtyard location. But it’s done even better since opening its back

HARD ROCK CAFE WARSAW IS NOW SERVING BREAKFASTS

room stage area to the Chłodna Comedy Club.

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 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 fashion Tsar Robert Kupisz announce this place as the frontline of cool – as if to qualify this, find furnishing by the celebrated design brains at Studio Rygalik. Stocked with wines from 16 countries, place your trust in sommelier Adrian Litkowicz for a taste of something special.

Cabernet ul. Woronicza 31, tel. 22 115 13 04, www.cabernet.net.pl. Open Mon-Thu 12:0022:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-18:00.

Warsaw’s appetite for the grape shows no sign of abating. The latest wine bar to hit the market has a warehouse look, a strong menu – with surprisingly modest prices – and a drinks selection of approximately 150 wines: most of which are available by the glass.

Charlotte (D6) pl. Zbawiciela, tel. 22 628 4459. Open MonFri 7:00-24:00; Sat 9:00-24:00; Sun 9:00-22:00. It matters not if you’re easily traumatized by the catwalk parade that is Charlotte. Open from seven on weekdays, it’s the place for a morning croissant. And if you’re armed with the latest Mac technology, all the better – join the other posers at the communal table. Located on Warsaw’s most happening roundabout, there’s no better place to indulge a hangover with a spot of eavesdropping than inside this boulangerie/wine bar.

WITH ANY BREAKFAST GET YOUR AMERICAN COFFEE FOR FREE! DRINK ALL YOU WANT!

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Duchnicka Wine & Food Tucked away off center in a renovated factory, Duchnicka functions as a wine store, restaurant and an emphatically good wine bar – so good, in fact, it was the runaway winner in our annual awards. There’s over 700 wines to pick

from, and you won’t go wrong placing faith in the sommelier, Rafał Kiś. BEST WAWA 2012 “Wine Bar” Winner 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 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.

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.

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.

Winosfera (B3) ul. Chłodna 29/31. Lending a lift to a sad stretch of Chłodna is Winosfera, a huge wine bar with all the requisite crates and industrial fittings – there’s even a cinema. The upside is true fine dining, and a flawless wine selection.

Opened in Feb, it’s already become a much used Insider hangout. Żurawina (D5) ul. Żurawia 32, tel. 696 561 652. Open 12:0024:00. Lacking in intimacy, this large white room gets criticized for its jarring artwork and staffing blips – in the world of wine it’s important the customer can connect to the staff: here, we felt like we were joining the SS. But both food and wine score highly, and they’ve already won a staunchly loyal following. Get your week off to a galloping start and visit on ‘Jazz Monday’s’. You’ll be joining the most beautiful people in the city.

Reviews: Cuda Na Kiju 57 / Plus:

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BARS & PUBS 57 / CLUBS 62 / GENTLEMAN’S CLUBS 64 / JAZZ CLUBS 64 / OUTDOOR BARS 64 / SHOT BARS 60

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Insider’s Pick

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

BOW 2012 Winner...........

Food Served....................

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

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Map location pg. 78 ...... (A1) Romantic..........................

BARS & PUBS 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.

Cuda Na Kiju ul. Nowy Świat 6/12, tel. 662 006 106. Open 9:00-last guest.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALEX WEBBER

W

arsaw’s always had decent bars, what isn’t hasn’t had is decent beer – how many places have looked the part only to ruin it all by offering lowest-common-denominator pints of pee. Well, there is good news. In the last couple of years tastes have shifted away from Żywiec and other forms of mass-market poison, and embraced the obscure and the artisan. Unfortunately, this transition hasn’t been entirely without fault – while these bars offering new wave beers are to be saluted, their clientele should not be. It’s in these places hipsterdom has flourished, along with all of its daft and awkward fashions.

So, hail Cuda Na Kiju – a beer bar marketed at normal people, not those who consider MC Hammer trousers as an acceptable item of clothing. Set in the former communist HQ, the bar is slotted inside a glass prism hidden amid solid, socialist era arcades. It’s a sleek space, one drenched in sunlight that comes slanting through the four glass walls. Could it be too basic? No. Anything more would detract from the star exhibit: the beer. There’s about 15 or so on tap, and you’ll find them scribbled up in lipstick on the wall behind the bar. And what a roll-call it is: there’s Belgian beers (Metisse, Troll, Bush), there’s regional brews (Rześkie, Raciborski, Kormoran), and then there’s contributions from the cult indy producers who’ve hit Poland for six (Pinta, AleBrowar, etc.). It’s a belting line-up, and it’s made all the better by the fact these beers are not from a bottle… they’re on tap!

Granted, their launch has by no means been seamless. As we went to press it was cash payments only. The toilet was a work in progress. And table service was non-existent.

Indeed, Cuda have chosen to operate a queuing system, which is a bad call. Why? Because, everyone knows the natives are incapable of forming orderly lines. Expect chaos, even more so as the night draws on and the beer takes effect. Even so, this bar works, and it works well.

Prices are healthy, and the crowd pleasingly balanced – sitting in the echoing courtyard, we counted a table of Spaniards, a girls night out, after-work bods, some Legia-looking lumps and a beer geek with a dog: it felt vibrant, it felt right. Put simply, this is as good as it gets. (AW)

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

As hip as ever, Beirut has walls dusted with cult album covers, documentary posters and witty graffiti inspired by Banksy. Busy in the day, and absolutely packed at night, order unconventional beers (Noteckie, English ale, Erdinger) from androgynous staff standing behind a sandbag bar decorated with silver hand grenades and a model tank.

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 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.

The British Bulldog (D4) ul. Krucza 51, tel. 22 827 0020, www.bbpub.pl. How fickle this city can be.

The big fail of 2012. Forget that it’s the most accurate replica of a traditional British pub

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NIGHTLIFE around, and consider instead the heinous service, fried aromas and a deserved ex-pat boycott traced to the dismissal of the original British manager.

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. An artsy carpentered bar, white wall tiles and trendy draftsman desk lamps lend the severe looking Bufet Centralny no shortage of style, and instinct suggests it’ll continue to serve as one of Warsaw’s more happening bars for some time to come. But the service and customers do think highly of themselves, points outsiders might find obnoxious.

Café Colombia (D5) 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.

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.

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Coctail Bar Max ul. Krucza 16/22, www.barmax.pl. With its light wood touches and fruity montages Max looks bright, cheerful and fully loaded for summer. Already successfully established in the north, we’ll be back soon to see if their cocktails meet the hype.

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

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21:00. The look doesn’t say ‘just finished’, it says ‘haven’t even started’. Cables hang from walls, and specks of paint cover the grey / white surfaces – whether this is actually part of the final design one can only guess. It’s upstairs you’ll find most people moving to, and we like it very much. Looking fashionably spartan, the area includes an L-shaped mattress thing, and a glass wall which allows you to peer in on the chef downstairs.

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.

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.

BEST WAWA 2012 “Cocktails” Winner 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. Rudderless since the departure of the original landlord, Kevin, this former ex-pat bastion is looking increasingly haggard and past its sell-by date. Tales of walkouts, staff sackings and customer boycotts have swirled thick and fast. There are Guinness taps, and there is a Sky dish, but the people who know how to operate either

have long left the building.

Kameralna ul. Foksal 11, tel. 887 878 731. Open 12:00-24:00. With a militia truck outside, and interiors that feature cutlery by Społem and 70s newspapers on the walls, you’d be right to think we’ve got another venue that celebrates the past. Looking vast and comfortingly cluttered, Kameralna is both a restaurant and a nightspot – brewing their own beer, the house lagers elevate it above the competition.

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.

Kraken Rum Bar ul. Poznańska 12. Open 12:00-4:00. Named after one of the ocean’s most feared mythical creatures (the scary squid from Pirates of the Caribbean), the woodsy Kraken features a wall of cymbals, heavy furniture and some interesting photography. While there’s some decent bottles of rum, there’s perhaps not enough to justify calling it a rum bar. The house beer rocks though.

Kwadrat (D5) ul. Poznańska 7, www.kwadrat.waw.pl.

Open 12:00-last guest; Sat 18:00-last guest; closed Sun. Chilled out and downtempo, owners Zosia and Michał have created a legend out of this dinky two room affair.

There’s too many beers to recommend, though the Rowing Jack diminishes quickly for a reason.

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.

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Leniviec ul. Poznańska 7, www.leniviec.pl. Open Mon-Thu 7:30-24:00; Fri 7:30-2:00; Sat

9:00-2:00; Sun 9:00-24:00. Once known as a café, Leniviec still fulfill that role during daylight. However, it’s their reinvention as a cocktail bar that’s got Warsaw talking, with very superb mixology skills completing a laidback look.

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

Tight trousers and flamboyant scarves are recommended in this hipster mecca, as is a triumphant drinks choice that numbers short of sixty regional beers. Design doesn’t go beyond jam jars for lights and a messy blackboard, but that’s all this place needs to work. Similar backstreet New York dive it’s got an effortless cool and our beer of the year: the minty flavor/raspberry hint M3.

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Mały Wojtek (D4) ul. Bracka 20. Open 10:00-4:00. Named after a neighbor who persistently makes noise complaints, Mały Wojtek is one of Warsaw’s great little secrets. And little it certainly is. Swing by at night when this chilled-out courtyard bar hits its stride.

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 brothel colors, the design involves mismatched seats, tilted lampshades and a relaxed arthouse look popular with creatives and other fringe dwellers. The live talent ranges from moody quartets to jazzy chanteuses, while a perfect marriage of late hours and great bottled beers helps along the enthusiastic crowd of latter day beatniks.

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.

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Plan B (D6) ul. Wyzwolenia 18 (Pl. Zbawiciela), tel. 508 316 976. Open Mon-Sat 13:00-last guest; Sun 16:00-last guest. Bottled then packaged in Plan B (pl. Zbawiciela) is the very essence of dive Warsaw. Weekends pass by in a raucous blur, with the party spilling out under the colonnades outside – it helps to look like a DJ, but in truth everyone is welcome. The hangover from this shabby, grubby bar is traumatic.

Po Drugiej Stronie Lustra (F1)

Shot Bars *

Afera na Szpitalnej ul. Szpitalna 3, tel. 509 777 797. Open 10:00-2:00; Fri-Sat 24hrs. Looking light and bright this place appeals to more than just hardened alcoholics – a point proved by spot-on food home cooked by the owner’s mum. It’s young, fun and lively in swagger.

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.

Bistro Relaks (D4) ul. Złota 6, tel. 508 566 824.

Open Sun-Thu 14:00-1:00; Fri-Sat 14:004:00. Retro style murals, some commie neon and staff in bow ties lend a distinct PRL edge to this shot bar, something enjoyed by a predominantly early 20s crowd.

Głębokie Gardło (D2) ul. Bednarska 28. Open 16:00-5:00.

Deep Throat reinvents the shot bar experience, thanks largely to a design that looks like it may have involved a professional. Using crisp blue and white colors, this vaulted chamber looks even better once the club crowd start emerging for post-party shots.

Meta ul. Mazowiecka 11 & ul. Foksal 21. Open 11:00-6:00. Affecting the style of a PRL

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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.

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Rain by India Curry ul. Żurawia 22, tel. 22 438 9350. Waiting to open at press time, we’re expecting big things

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.

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.

Pijalnia ul. Nowy Świat 19. Open 24hrs. Bow-tied 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.

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Przekąski Zakąski/Bistro ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13, tel. 22 826 7936. Open 24 hours. Warsaw’s original shot bar dispenses vodkas, beer and stuff you really shouldn’t eat in a mirrored environment with drooping plants. The stern, tuxedoed service makes you wonder why this battered-looking gloomhole remains so popular.

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.

from Rain –ex-pat legend and host supreme Ray Bridgeford (formerly of Sense) is in charge, and he’s promising a combination of modern Indian food, a loungey vibe and cutting edge interiors. And with Ray at the helm, it goes without saying that cocktails will play a part.

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. The most global choice of beer in Warsaw, with international prices to match. The white minimalist interiors get busy with a cool crowd of urban sophisticates.

Spiskowcy Rozkoszy (D5) ul. Żurawia 47/49. Open Mon-Thur 16:0024:00; Fri-Sat 16:00-1:00; Sun 16:00-23:00.

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, 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.

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Świetlica ul. Marszalkowska 17. Open 12:00-last guest.

Described by one Insider as a ‘Bukowski bar’, this dark dive features dusty, yellowing comics and wobbly lampshades amid all the raw brickwork and battleship colors. Once your eyes accustom to the (lack of) light, you’ll note other details: random outbreaks of origami, a set of DJ decks lumped in a corner (find the music schedule tipp-ex’ed on the window), and a decent selection of Czech origin beers.

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. Housed in a 70s monster this two floor bar maintains its element of

NIGHTLIFE retro chic while at the same time providing a genuinely unique drinking experience. Aimed at a more mature, affluent crowd than their sister bar (Warszawa PKP Powiśle), the standout factor is a whisky menu divided up into regions BEST of Scotland, Ireland and Japan.

WAWA 2012 “New Bar” Winner Warsaw Tortilla Factory (D5) ul. Wilcza 46, tel. 22 621 8622. Open Sun-Thu 12:00-24:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-03:00. 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.

The prime months for this former ticket-booth are in summer when the deck chairs outside provide ample opportunity for the city’s young to gather in an almost carnival-like atmosphere. Seen as the hipster Center of Power, a collective bout of outrage saved them from council threatened closure earlier in the year.

Not just a bar, they’re now filling a dual role as Warsaw’s one billionth burger joint.

Warszawska Pijalnia Whisky (D4) ul. Zgoda 6, tel. 22 553 61 00, www.pijalniawhisky.pl. Open Mon -Sun 12:0022:00. With no old oak cabinets or portraits of Cambridge scholars it’s not the charismatic whisky bar one expects. Come to terms with this and you’ll be pleased to find excellent whisky – mostly from the Speyside Spey Distillery – inside dimly-lit pragmatic interiors.

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.

Powiśle. The industrial space has a real Berlin edge to it, and events range from weekend flea markets to teeth shattering, dusk-till-dawn electro events.

Basen ul. Konopnickiej 6, tel. 696 058 944, www.artbasen.pl. Open Fri-Sat 21:00-6:00.

Get this, you’ll be doing your dance steps in what was formerly Warsaw’s first public swimming pool. Featuring a line-up of live bands and some of the top electronic acts around, this is definitely one to add to the watch list.

Capitol Theatre and Club (C3) ul. Marszałkowska 115, tel. 22 826 8570, www.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 for a night to remember.

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. Forget internet dating, Enklawa is the best pick-up joint around – a classic kitschy, glitzy disco, it draws in huge crowds with a simple lineup of pop and dance hits. Still regarded as the best Wednesday night in Warsaw, it’s the place for singletons looking for a one night confidence boost.

CLUBS

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.

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

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

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The Eve as Warsaw’s flashest venue: breathe deep and smell the money.

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.

Lemon (D4) ul. Sienkiewicza 6, tel. 22 829 5544, www. cafelemon.pl. A commercial dance basement that’s more beer than Belvedere. Hardly hedonistic, but usually a good mix of people – some who’ve made the effort, others who haven’t. While the club isn’t round-the-clock, the upstairs bar is, and as such find plenty of early morning casualties looking utterly zonked inside a chilled out, lemon yellow interior.

Luzztro (E4) Al. Jerozolimskie 6, www.luztro.pl.

Open Tue-Sun 23:00-last guest. Feeling naughty? Luztro enjoys a nefarious reputation as something of a dodgy den of illicit pharmaceuticals and libertine behavior. Looking grim and grotty, this after party legend gets going at about 4 a.m. when troglodyte club creatures emerge to put the final touches to their zonked out stare. For the full tilt, teeth rattling electro experience it’s pretty hard to beat.

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.

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.

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

WELCOME TO THE EXCLUSIVE COYOTE NIGHT CLUB You can find everything you want, and what you never dreamed of...

Deepest dreams stand in front of you at your fingertips. www.coyotenightclub.pl ul. Mazowiecka 6/8 mob.: 505 469 056 kontakt@coyotenightclub.pl

NIGHTLIFE 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 BEST WAWA 2012 “Rich & Pretty for Now. Club” Winner Sztuki & Sztuczki ul. Szpitalna 8A, tel. 22 468 00 00, www.sztukisztucki.pl. Open Mon-Tue 13:00-22:00; Wed-Thu 13:00-2:00; Fri-Sat 13:00-4:00. Ducking into a basement, the look is pure Kraków cool: covert corners and vaulted brick ceilings. Already established as one the top spots for alternative live music, find a high voltage atmosphere and a drinks list that’s lauded and applauded: Baczewski vodka to Svyturys beer.

Utopia (D3) ul. Kredytowa 9. Formerly of Jasna, Warsaw’s

Outdoor Bars *

Cud nad Wisłą (E2) ul. Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie, tel. 533 649 561, www.cudnadwisla.pl.

Open 10:00-last guest. What summer drinking should be about. Deckchairs and cushions abound in this riverside spot, and it excels at night when twinkly lights reflect off the inky black waters.

The live music does its bit to ensure it’s never a quiet night.

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La Playa ul. Wybrzeże Helskie 1/5, www.laplaya.pl.

Mix-up surf inspired cocktails, lager in plastic glasses, a volleyball net, lounge chairs and some spontaneous samba, and you get the most unexpected beach party you’d ever imagine. If you’re feeling particularly daring, go skinny dipping in the murky, muddy Wisła.

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Lolek 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.

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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.

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

Open 19:00-4:00. Seen as a glowing glass block from the outside, Watch Me unravels into a multi-level club space: one with a sunken dance zone and a neon stripped stairwell.

GENTLEMAN’S CLUBS 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 then a larger room with more intimate acts of friendship taking place behind the curtain.

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Miasto Cypel ul. Zaruskiego 6, miastocypel.eu. Open Mon-Thur 16:00-24:00; Fri 16:00-6:00; Sat 12:00-6:00; Sun 12:00-24:00. Located in a forest clearing near the banks of the Wisła, this creative community includes a campsite and flea market. Visit late on a weekend to find the marquees and openair stages jumping to diverse sounds enjoyed by a varied crowd. Greeting sunrise here can be an ethereal experience, though a tolerance to mosquitoes and other hungry critters is required.

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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.

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Plac Zabaw ul. Myśliwiecka 9 (Park Agrykola). Open 12:00-4:00. Owned by the same dudes behind Plan B, the name translates as ‘Playground’. With a low-key, open air set-up in the wooded bit under Trasa Łazienkowska, from an aesthetic point there’s little to write home about. Even so, with summer in song you’ll find it rocking into the wee, early hours.

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 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 Club 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.

JAZZ Bistro na Pięknej ul. Piękna 20, tel. 22 627 4151, www.jazzone.pl. Open Mon-Fri 9:00-24:00; Sat-Sun 11:00-24:00. A slick looking jazz spot that’s seen the benefit of a recent overhaul. Valued additions include a less austere style and what at times might feel like Warsaw’s only fireplace. Popular with a smart city crowd, keep an eye out for their live acts.

Nu ul. Żurawia 6/12, tel. 22 621 8989. Open 10:00-24:00. For something a little educated take a date to Nu, a high-ceilinged effort with slick urban dashes and regular piano. The Żurawia location marks it out as a popular spot for a high-end crowd.

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.

Reviews: Perpetuum Mobile Vintage 65 / Plus:

SHOPPING

* 2 updates

ACCESSORIES 66 / FASHION 65 / SHOPPING MALLS 66

FASHION

Perpetuum Mobile Vintage ul. Dąbrowskiego 18, tel. 604 912 795. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-18:00; Sat 11:00-14:00.

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LOGO WITHOUT AE.COM

LOGO WITH AE.COM

LOCKUP WITHOUT AE.COM

LOCKUP WITH AE.COM

Insider’s Web Pick

PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

EAGLE

ucked away on a quiet street corner, this little jewel could be easily missed. As you may have noticed, Warsaw already has its fill of second-hand shops and thrift stores.

Unfortunately, most of these stores are not the vintage, Paris kind. Most. Not this one. This one here offers vintage and discounted products of brands like Max Mara, Michael Kors, Dior, Chanel, Hermes, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent (and the list goes on).

The store itself is quite ordinary, no atmosphere of exclusivity, or snobbishness, while the interior I would say falls more on the unappealing side (the walls are painted yellow, purple and green).

But if you search long enough you can find some truly magnificent pieces. I for one found a beautiful dark, green Isabel Marant dress, which normally goes for around $1,500; here it was on sale for zł. 700. Bargain is what I call that! And all because the piece is last season’s design and was worn once by the previous owner (“Often they’re a Polish actress, singer or celebrity,” the store’s owner adds proudly). Now, if you are more of a picky shopper, and interested only in a specific brand, the shop’s owner will also be glad to help out. Oh, and she is a fashion veteran herself – while living in Paris for over 15 years, she assisted on Lanvin and Yves Saint Laurent fashion shows!

In general most clothes are in very good shape. There are also bags, shoes, sunglasses and accessories. Also, the prices are by no means final, and a bit of haggling and negotiation are more than welcome. Only one word of warning – not often, but on occasion, you can spot a fake. So either study the items (especially the bags) closely, or just pick a fake that looks like the real thing! (ID)

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American Eagle Outfitters Al. Jana Pawła II 82 (C. H. Arkadia), tel. 665 625 639, ul. Wołoska 12 (Galeria Mokotów), tel. 665 625 718, facebook. com/AmericanEaglePoland. Open MonSat10:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-21:00. American Eagle brings you high-quality, on-trend clothing and accessories inspired by a denim heritage that truly expresses individual style.

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.

Boudoir 26 ul. Wilcza 11, tel. 22 400 9330, www.boudoir26.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:0019:00; 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.

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Hot Herring Lifestyle Concept Store Al. Wyzwolenia 3/5, tel. 22 270 2945. A spacious loft-like interior is home to a selection of nice fashion, shoes and accessories from Europe, Japan and the US. What the brands have in common is attention-to-detail, craftsmanship and top fabrics. Whether it’s a pair of selvedge jeans or a super fine silk dress, this is the place for timeless style.

Joanna Klimas (B2) ul. Nowolipki 2, tel. 22 831 0292,

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SHOPPING www.joannaklimas.com. Open Mon-Fri 9:0020:00. One of Poland’s top fashion designers runs this boutique/showroom. Choose from the latest collections or have a dress custom made for a particular occasion.

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.

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 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.

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.

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, wellcut menswear for all occasions as designed by upcoming Icelandic native Olly Lindal.

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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.

ACCESSORIES Bagatt (E6) ul. Mokotowska 28, tel. 22 621 9144.

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-15:00.

Bagatt features Italian-made footwear. A savvy alternative to the upmarket brands up the street on Pl. Trzech Krzyży.

Bath & Body Works ul. Złota 59 (Złote Tarasy), ul. Wołoska 12 (Galeria Mokotów). The famed American brand signals its arrival to Europe with the launch of their Warsaw branch. Now fans of the brand can experience first-hand luxurious fragrant body care, hand and home collections. Customers can discover sophisticated fragrances, test shower gels and soaps at the sink area, and try everything from body lotions to home fragrances.

Batycki (various locations) 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.

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.

Secret Life (of Things) ul. Polna 18/20, tel. 22 412 4811, www.secretlife.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-15:00. An ‘eco lifestyle concept store’ full of bio-friendly scents, cosmetics, hand-made trinkets and housewares, rustic furnishings and detox teas. And it’s the multi-colored tins that greet you at the door, all of them crying out ‘drink me’. Check the prestigious porcelain by Kristoff, stock up on Madara cosmetics, or snap up a pair of handmade shoes.

Victoria’s Secret Beauty & Accessories ul. Złota 59 (Złote Tarasy), ul. Wołoska 12 (Galeria Mokotów). An assortment of Victoria’s Secret Beauty products including fun and flirty fragrances, such as Bombshell, as well as the scented VS Fantasies body care range. For that glam girl-on-the go, expect to find a wide range of Victoria’s Secret branded bags, luggage, passport covers and small leather goods to cosmetic bags, bangles and key fobs.

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 Galeria Mokotów (C12) ul. Wołoska 12, www.galeriamokotow.com.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-20:00 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.

Mysia 3 ul. Mysia 3. Open Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00; Sun 12:00-18:00. Hip and high-end department store with units such as NYCity (DKNY, Donna Karan), Berries & Co. (Ice Watch, Triwa, Ike Milano), UEG, My Paris and Take a Nap selling great pieces from both established and upcoming designers.

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: Formy Kolory 67 / Plus:

* 2 updates

CHILDREN ACTIVITIES 67 / CAFES 68 / EDUCATION 68 / SHOPS 71

Insider’s Pick

ACTIVITIES 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.

Colourstrings Music School (Barwy Muzyki) ul. Niecała 14, tel. 22 188 1827, www. barwymuzyki.pl. The philosophy is simple: add fun to learning and create an environment where music, singing and instruments are accepted as part of the daily lifestyle.

Following music sheets transformed into colorful characters, children are encouraged to experiment with instruments and song as they would with their toys.

Formy Kolory ul. Hoża 19, tel. 22 891 2522, www.formykolory.pl. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-20:00; Sat-Sun 11:00-19:00.

PHOTOGRAPH BY GILL BOELMAN-BURROWS

I

f you want to chill out and simultaneously be productive then why not test your creative skills at Formy Kolory - I promise you’ll not regret it. Until now I had never been a fan of organized ceramic pot painting, but this place takes the whole idea of creating your very own masterpiece to a totally new level. Forget 1990’s flowery decoupage tissue box covers and think 2013 juicy bright felt iPhone covers...

At Formy Kolory not only can you choose from endless rows of ceramic plates, bowls, cruet sets and animal ornaments to paint but you can stitch your own felt badges etc., design jewelry, indulge yourself with personally made soap or create your very own candle. Children can even design and make their own affordable birthday cake for an event elsewhere.

It’s oodles of fun packed into a spacious, bright and colorful premises in the city center and… the personnel speak impeccable English. Essential if, like us, you wish to produce the most beautiful candle in the world for Father’s Day (June 23rd)! But with so much productivity on offer I recommend taking a seat, enjoying a coffee or fresh juice whilst letting your child familiarize themselves with the rainbow of tactile materials and nose-tickling fragrances. My tip: unless you have deep pockets, it is wise to scan the price lists above each activity and agree a budget beforehand. In their eyes bigger and more sparkly is always better but the more accessories added the heftier the price. That said, a small candle with several extras is a reasonable zł. 29 and a bracelet, zł. 25. The look on their face when realizing their labor has formed a finished product remains a priceless moment for every parent.

What I found refreshing about Formy Kolory is that they have chosen to focus solely on their dream of helping us create, rather than adding a play area and organic kitchen to boost the turnover. Whether passing by on a whim, reserving for a birthday party, mothers meeting or business event, here everything is possible. The creation of a unique product will give great satisfaction and is guaranteed to be the perfect gift. (GBB)

Little Chef Cooking classes for children age 4-16.

Groups for younger children age 4-10 and 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.

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!

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CHILDREN Tip: organize a backstage birthday party.

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 parties guided by experienced animators in a contemporary environment.

CAFES Fiku Miku ul. Zwycięzców 32, www.fikumikucafe.pl.

This small, jolly cafe is dedicated to children.

The focus is on films and creative workshops.

Designer Polish toys are on sale alongside a healthy menu, and fresh cake selection.

Check FB for updates as this café closes for private birthday parties.

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.

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 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.

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Peek-a-boo ul. Karola Chodkiewicza 7, tel. 22 370 21 71.

Open Mon-Fri 9:00-19:00; Sat-Sun 10:0020:00. The pale palette and plush velvet upholstered furniture might not be the first choice of fabrics around sticky, chocolaty

paws but every mummy needs a bit of luxury from time-to-time. The café divides its limited square meters evenly between parent and child expectations, creating space to relax, eat and play in: however, the gigantic doll’s house does suggest Barbie got the best deal.

Pompon (Wola) ul. Młynarska 13, www.pompmart.pl.

There’s more than an organic menu to recommend about Pompom. Explore forest-to-city play environments equipped with slides, rope bridges and a selection of Wendy houses, or join the dad’s and lads in the Nintendo / Wii room. How long, you may ask, will it be till parents start turning up here without the kids just to wallow in the color?

Umpa Lumpa ul.Mickiewicza 24, tel. 22 245 1909, www.umpa-lumpa.pl. Open Mon-Fri 7:0019:00; 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.

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Join us!

English spoken all day Field Trips Special Visitors Art Cooking Gardening Animals, Nature and more!

Accepting applications for the children from 2,5 - 5 and 6-12.

www.warsawmontessori.edu.pl

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Location: Casa dei Bambini (behind Sielecka 52, Warsaw) For the reservation please contact: office@warsawmontessori.edu.pl tel. 692 099 134

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 bilingual teaching with French and English.

They received the European Label Certificate for innovative foreign language teaching.

The British School Early Years Centre ul. Dabrowskiego 84 (Early Years Centre), tel. 22 646 7777, british@thebritishschool. pl, www.thebritishschool.pl. The British School provides special classes from pre-nursery aged 2 ½ (30 months) to 6 years old. Children at the Early Years Centre move on to our Primary and Secondary schools at Limanowskiego 15.

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, tours and school visits please call or email: preschool@canadian-school.pl.

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.

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.

The English Playhouse (F12) ul. Płyćwiańska 14a & ul. Rzodkiewki 18, tel. 22

Happy Montessori House Warsaw Montessori Pre-school,

Meridian International Schools provide a comprehensive and outstanding education based on the Polish-British system, and IB in high school.

Meridian International Schools

Elementary, middle and high school in Warsaw, and kindergarten and elementary level in Łódź. ul. Wawelska, 66/74, Ochota tel: 22 822 1575, infoprimary@meridian.edu.pl, www.meridian.edu.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, mob. 692 099 134, 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 earlychildhood 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.

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CHILDREN 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.

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Kidzcorner - International Preschool & Kindergarten ul. Ukryta 4 (Marina Mokotów), tel.

501 050 622, ul. Domaniewska 34A (Mokotów), tel. 508 527 201, ul. Naprzełaj 5A (Choszczówka), tel. 697 202 509, www. kidzcorner.pl. The Kidzcorner schools follow a bilingual program, which ultimately prepares children (aged 2-6) for the continuation of their education at international primary schools.

The curriculum places strong emphasis on learning through exploration and enquiry, development of music and language skills and on building an awareness of important cultural and environmental issues. All members of the teaching staff are native speakers.

Maple Tree Montessori ul. Piechoty Łanowej 46a (entrance from Rotmistrzowska/Petyhorska), tel. 531 599 444, www.mapletreemontessori.pl. Maple

Tree Montessori is a family-run, international preschool that offers an authentic Montessori curriculum supported by a music and art program. Find them located in the Wilanów district of Warsaw, in a house safely nestled into the end of a quiet street. The program, which is designed for 1½ to 6 year-olds, is devoted to the intellectual, emotional, social and physical development of children.

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 preschool (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 2, 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.

Trilingual Pre-school and Nursery “Three Languages” Center ul.Karowa 14/16 lok 6 (3-5 year olds);

ul. Cicha 5 lok 1 (1-2 year olds), www.3languages.pl. Open 7:30-18:30. The only trilingual pre-school and nursery teaching English, Spanish and Polish through total language immersion. All educators are native speaker pre-school teachers. The comprehensive curriculum follows American, Spanish and Polish curriculum standards. The pre-school was awarded European Language Label in 2012.

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 providing outstanding education based on the British system.

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

Alumni Event at The British School, Warsaw celebrates 20 years of British Education in Poland On 29 June 2013, The British School, Warsaw will host its first ever Alumni Event, to provide the opportunity for anyone that has ever been a student, teacher/employee or parent here to come, share memories and celebrate our first 20 years providing British Education in Poland.

The one-day event will include a nostalgic walk down memory lane, a presentation from the current Principal Dr Terry Creissen OBE and the Founder of the School, Mrs Iwona Thomas MBE. There will be plenty of opportunities to catch up with familiar faces from your past. We will continue to celebrate into the night with food and entertainment to share memories and create new ones.

For more information contact us now alumni@thebritishschool.pl

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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 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 Saint-Exupéry (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.

the Montessori curriculum with an education based on the integration of conceptual learning and real-life experiences.

SHOPS 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.

Bimbus ul. Wilcza 69, www.bimbus.com.pl. Accessories, clothes, furniture and toys for parents who pamper their child with nothing but the best. Brands include Tartine et Chocolat, Quax, Woodwork and Theophile & Patachou. The products are adorable.

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, extracurricular instruction).

Lullaby Multiple locations, www.lullaby.pl. Jam packed with funky design and quirky gifts for your little ones. However, the exquisite clothing and designer labels do come with a hefty price tag.

Warsaw Montessori School (G7) ul. Szwoleżerów 4, tel. 22 841 3908, sylvia@ warsawmontessori.edu.pl, www.warsawmontessori.edu.pl. Focuses on

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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.

The American School of Warsaw

Anniversary Gala Hilton Hotel 28.09.2013 19:00

A fun-filled evening of food, drinks, live entertainment, dancing, special guests, silent auction and various Visit www.aswarsaw.org to reserve tickets or to get more details on corporate sponsorship opportunities. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the ASW Act now to secure a premium corporate package for this highly anticipated event!

Celebrating 60 years of Excellence in Education

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PARMIZZANO’S – LITTLE ITALY IN WARSAW 45-minutowy lunch od poniedzia³ku do pi¹tku w godzinach 12:00-15:00 2 dania w cenie 55 PLN, 3 dania w cenie 65 PLN. Codziennie nowe menu.

45-minute lunch from Monday to Friday 12:00 AM-3:00 PM 2 courses at 55 PLN, 3 courses at 65 PLN. New menu everyday.

WARSAW MARRIOTT HOTEL Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 00-697 Warszawa Rezerwacje/Reservations: +48 22 630 5096 www.warsawmarriott.com, www.warsawmarriott.pl

Reviews: Bryza Resort & Spa 73 / Plus:

* 1 update

LIFESTYLE

ACCOMODATION 73 / COMMUNITY 75 / HEALTH & BEAUTY 74 / MEDICAL 75 / POLISH FOR FOREIGNERS 75

ACCOMODATION

Insider’s Pick

HOTELS IN WARSAW 5-star hotels H15 Boutique Apartments (D5) ul. Poznańska 15, tel. 22 553 8700, www.h15boutiqueapartments.com. Luxury short and long-term stay accommodation inside stunning Italian furnished apartments in the city center.

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.

Bryza Resort & Spa ul. Międzymorze 2 (Jurata), tel. 58 675 5100, www.bryza.pl

T

he hotel itself is the stuff of legends, launched in 1935 with the opening of the famed Café-Cassino, which hosted high society looking to sunbathe on the snow-white strip of beach and cavort in the evenings on the raucous dance floor. Today the Bryza Hotel stands on this very site, having undergone a wealth of changes over the years – but always aspiring to entertain the very crème de la crème of society – Polish or otherwise. I’d been to the hotel as a child, awed by how that tiny strip of land called Hel could pack so much summertime pleasure, with sea waves on one side and the calm bay on the other.

But my absolute favorite part of this place is the spa. It’s nestled subtly into the beachside part of the resort, almost hidden away: I had no idea it was there until it was time for my spa appointment. The first breathtaking moment is afforded by the pool – a serene bit of blue set off by floor-to-ceiling windows that give a view of the beach on one end, and a view of the pine woods through the rest. The romantic canopy day beds are just the place to unwind with a book after a good swim. In the evening it gets even more romantic, with candles adding that extra something.

There’s also a whole menu of state-of-the-art rejuvenating and beautifying treatments that you’d find at any major big-city spa. Instead, I opted for straight relaxation: an Orient spa treatment, performed by two Balinese ladies who used their elbows as much as their hands. I was putty in their hands as they kneaded every inch of me, including a full 40 minutes devoted to my feet. Ninety minutes later I was still loathe to leave, but was offered a chance to enjoy some tea in one of their relaxation rooms – complete with heated lounges and views of the pristine sky. It makes the impossible somewhat possible, at least for a quarter of an hour or so until it’s time to see what the kids are up to and head off to dinner in what must be one of the most elegant dining halls this side of the Baltic. (AL)

Hyatt Regency Warsaw (E8) ul. Belwederska 23, tel. 22 558 1234, www.warsaw.regency@hyatt.com, www.warsaw.regency.hyatt.com.

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.

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LIFESTYLE Marriott (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79, tel. 22 630 6306, 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 center of Warsaw. Known nationalwide for its Art Deco style. 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 Center.

orbis.pl. Single & double rooms: €95-200.

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.

HEALTH & BEAUTY FITNESS

Sofitel Victoria (D3) ul. Królewska 11, tel. 22 657 8011, www.

Holmes Place Premier ul. Grzybowska 63 (Hilton), al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott), www.holmesplace.pl.

Those who use it claim the Hilton branch is the best gym in Poland. Set on two floors, highlights include a 25 meter pool, sauna and steam room and a spacious gym packed with the most modern equipment.

Also on-site, a varied timetable of classes, excellent personal trainers and a Green Coffee relaxation area. Their latest outpost in the Marriott also has a pool and has been updated accordingly to fit the HP quality check. For prices enquire direct.

Pure Platinum (C4) ul. Złota 59 (Złote Tarasy), level 3, www. purepoland.com. The Pure gym offers treadmills, cross trainers, bikes and rowing machines equipped with screens, as well as sauna and personal training. Updated prices were yet to be released at press time, though shouldn’t go much beyond zł. 200 per month.

RiverView Wellness Centre (C4) ul. Emilii Plater 49 (InterContinental), www. riverview.com.pl. Top-class facilities and equipment, private instructors and small classes. The view from the highest pool in Europe offers a glorious panorama of the city. Annual prices from zł. 4,200 (access from Mon-Fri 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.), zł. 5,760 (all times), and zł. 8,350 for Diamond Membership (includes two personal training sessions per month, a complimentary weekend at the InterContinental, restaurant discounts, etc.).

SPAS & SALONS

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 variety of celebs, diplomats and your run-ofthe-mill fashionista dropping in for a trim or a manicure. You will not be disappointed.

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Pardon My French ul. Belwederska 32, www.pardonmyfrench. pl. Open Mon-Fri 9:00-20:00; Sat 9:00-17:00.

This spacious nail salon has an IndonesianCuban vibe with its lily-white walls, gauze curtains and splashes of tropical print. And if the interior design doesn’t move you, the treatments will, what with their magnificent mani/pedi options.

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.

Yonelle - Zwolińska Beauty Institute ul. Gen. Zajączka 9A, tel. 22 331 39 05 (Salon), 22 330 90 35 (Medispa), www.yonelle.pl.

Yonelle offers absolutely everything I can imagine a woman would need to stay fit at all stages of life: there’s a spa here, a salon, a medical spa that offers some of those more techno-savvy “rejuvenating” treatments, fitness classes and even baby bonding classes.

MEDICAL MEDICAL PRIVATE CLINICS

Lux Med Medical Clinics ul. Racławicka 132b, ul. Chmielna 85/87;

ul. Puławska 15; ul. Kopernika 30 (E4); ul. Szernera 3; Al. Jerozolimskie 162; 24hr hotline: 801 800 808, for mobile users: tel. 22 332 2888, www.luxmed.pl.

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.

World Leader in

Implantology and Dental Aesthetics

WARSAW

MALO CLINIC Warsaw is Central Europe's first clinic Malo Clinic (C4) of the world’s leader in Implantology and Dental Aesthetics, offering full dental care, and above all Rondo 1, tel.

22 335 7755, www.maloclinadvancedONZ dental implant surgery.

Located in a modern office complex Rondo 1 at ics.com/polska.

This worldtheclass dental clinic Rondo ONZ, in the city center of Warsaw, Clinic can be easily accessed as it is located in only 10 minutes from Central five Railwaydental Station, 30 minutes from an operating incorporates offices, the F. Chopin International Airport, near bus, tram stops and subway station (Świętokrzyska Station). room, two recovery rooms and a state-of-theEntry into a secured car park in the Rondo 1 building – Pańska street. artoff diagnostic center.

Services Available MALO CLINIC Warsaw provides the best specialists and the latest diagnostic equipment (including computer

tomography), in the Center field of: Medicover Conservative Dentistry Dental Surgery Atrium, Al. Jana Pawła II 27, ul. Inflancka 5, Endodontics Implantology Prosthetics Orthodontics ul.Aesthetic Bitwy Warszawskiej 1920 r. 18, ul. Domaniewska 37, ul. Puławska 278, ul. Poligonowa 3. Hotline: 19 677 or 500 900 500, Medicover Hospital on Al. Rzeczypospolitej 5 in Wilanów tel. 500 900 900,

Klub Dialogu Tel. 664 788 994, www.klubdialogu.pl.

Individual and group courses held either onsite or at the venue of your choice. Tailor-made packages inc. both intensive and weekend courses.

Schola Polonica ul. Jaracza 3, tel. 22 625 2652, www.schola.pl.

Master Polish in a friendly atmosphere. All levels catered for, with groups never going beyond a maximum of five people.

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

Therapy Warsaw ul. Filtrowa 69/13, tel. 601 532 319, www.therapywarsaw.com. English-speaking therapy for couples and individuals dealing with relationships, eating disorders, trauma, stress and much more besides.

POLISH FOR FOREIGNERS Akademia PFF (H4) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 67/11,

COMMUNITY Expatriates PFF (H4) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 67/11. tel. + 48 792 887 350www.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.co

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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

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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

Wa r sINSIDER a w I n s|i JUNE d e r : 2013 0 1 – 3 1 M a r ch 2 0 1 1 WARSAW

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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Stadion Narodowy

Żaryna Żaryna

Kulskiego Kulskiego

ChoCdhkod łyiaKłyam kieicwzaic BiaB iew Kaiem za ńień

WHY WARSAW? in Poland, but I find Poles tend to like us - we’re a fairly easygoing people, we’re known for liberal thinking, while our management style is engaging; we like to place trust in people, which in some cases has provided opportunities for the Poles. And like them, we hugely enjoy our beer and food. Of course, it helps that we’ve never tried to invade them!

Back in Denmark, how is Poland perceived?

I think in the last four or five years a lot of Danes have changed their views on Poland. They’ve seen it’s a serious player on the European market. They’ve seen Poles don’t come over to steal bikes and cars, rather that they’re hardworking people, entrepreneurs.

And any personal observations?

Poles are very friendly, very comfortable with foreigners.

Even if you can’t speak the language fluently, it gets you a long way if you try. What else? I visited Olsztyn when Poland was still communist and one thing I’ve noticed since is that Poles are never happy with the leadership they have. Unlike Scandinavia, or other more politically mature countries, there’s a short term mentality that focuses too much on the quick win. If something doesn’t work today they want to change it tomorrow – it’s like English football!

You live in Mokotów, what’s your take on it?

Old Mokotów has so much character, what with the old and the new buildings. You’ve got the local butcher’s, the baker’s, Warsaw’s best burger – Warburger – and lots of greenery. Even with the occasional drunk on the corner, it still feels safe. And central – one tube stop and you’re in the center.

Dane Soren Rodian has had a long association with Poland, first through the banking sector and now as Head of Office & Industrial Investments at Cushman & Wakefield. The Insider joins him to talk about life and living in the Polish capital.

Soren, you’ve been here 10 years. Shoot!

Well, no, my first posting to Poland was actually in 1992 – in those days you had the Marriott Hotel, and McDonald’s and IKEA had just opened, but that was about it. There was practically no outdoor terraces, nor cold beers. It was such a limited offer we visited student bars in those days. It was a less sophisticated city and much more simple. Disregarding the business opportunities, I’d rather live in the Warsaw of today.

The Danes don’t have the biggest representation here…

I’d guess there’s probably 200 Danes living

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WARSAW INSIDER | JUNE 2013

You’ve lived in Copehagen, Zurich, London. Great cities, all of them. How does Warsaw compare?

Well, London’s a proper metropolis, so when I first came here I missed that and it still applies today – while Warsaw’s offer is much bigger now, you still end up going to the same five or six places. I also missed other things, like the pub life, the bookshops, being able to pop into a newsagent, and the museums. In the case of Zurich, I loved the easy access to nature, to the mountains. That’s difficult in Warsaw – it’s easier to get to Berlin than the Tatra Mountains or the coast. In summer you can feel locked into here. But it was an easy decision to return. It’s an easy and comfortable lifestyle here.

What’s the perfect day out here?

I’d start in Stary Mokotów, by having breakfast at Bułkę przez Bibułkę, then spend a couple of hours sun-tanning at H20 Buddha Beach on the Wisła. Light lunch would be at Charlotte, and that’d slip into spending most of the afternoon there sipping white wine or bubbly – at sensible prices! For pre-evening drinks, then it’d be Pies Czy Suka followed by the best steak in town at Butchery & Wine.

And for after?

Maybe an after dinner walk up to Cava on Nowy Świat, with a cocktail – possibly a cigar – watching Warsaw life, followed by Regeneracja – it’s a low-key local place, with few ex-pats and no wannabes. For a more fancy party, then Basen. That’s a bloody good day, even if I say so myself!

PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

GREAT DANE

2013 CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE WINNER

PORTO PRAGA

Global Food & Wine

Trip Advisor has recognized Porto Praga with a 2013 Certificate of Excellence. As such, we’d like to thank all of our guests in the last year – we look forward to seeing you again. ul.Stefana Okrzei 23,03-715 Warszawa, Tel. 22 698 50 10, fax 22 698 50 34 www.portopraga.pl Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00