Warsaw Insider August 2013 # 204

Saska Kępa Street Food

Wild Side of the Wisłą

page 26

Warsaw

page 16

Praga’s Factories page 20

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AUGUST 2013

THE EXODUS

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ugust, I must admit, is my favorite month in Warsaw.

While other cities such as Gdańsk and Kraków strain, stifle and suffocate under the effects of saturation tourism, Warsaw swings the other way – August is exodus month, a time when the locals flood the airport and train stations and depart en masse. They leave behind a capital that temporarily transforms into a ghost town; walk down Marszałkowska on a Sunday afternoon and you may be moved to question who pressed the pause button. The sensation of a deserted capital is disquieting, with the city appearing almost desolate and dreamlike. At times, you might think you are in Europe’s loneliest city.

But all this is just an illusory trick. If, on the surface, it appears as a capital in lockdown, the reality is anything but. The Wisła teems with unlikely ‘beach’ life, while the old town – celebrating its 60th birthday this summer – throngs out and makes her annual buck from misguided tourists. Nightlife peaks, with streets like Mazowiecka and Foksal engulfed by playboys and playgirls in their baubles and finery. Culturally, too, Warsaw thrives – not least, thanks to events such as the Singer Jewish Festival. But that’s not the only date for the calendar…

There’s not a teaspoon of Polish blood in my veins (unless you count several pints of vodka), but that doesn’t stop me from feeling an intense pride in the city I live in come August 1st. At 5 p.m., when the streets stop and the sirens wail, it’s hard not to feel profoundly moved as the city pauses to commemorate the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. To feel such a solidarity with a city – especially one you don’t hail from – is rare. I don’t exaggerate when I say it’s one of the highlights of the Warsaw year, a view I know is not mine alone. At a stroke I’m reminded what an extraordinary city this really is.

As always, we welcome all feedback and comments. Enjoy this issue, and the August ahead. Cheers!

Alex Webber awebber@valkea.com

THE ONLINE INSIDER

Officially recognized as Poland’s premier English-language magazine, the Insider is delighted to announce the launch of its new look website. Designed to reflect the nature of a dynamic and energizing capital, the Online Insider sails you through one of Europe’s most exciting cities. In a fast evolving city, the Online Insider opens the door to Warsaw’s secrets, stories and latest scoops. Don’t let Warsaw leave you behind: • Full restaurant, nightlife, café and shopping listings • In-depth picks, past and present • Features

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This issue we take a walk on the right side, training our sights on eastern Warsaw. Aside from checking out the Wisła and the factories of Praga, we’ve got a whistle stop journey around Saska Kępa, hunting out her treasures and glories – like, for instance, this cool house inter-war house that’s on our cover. (Illustration by Michał Miszkurka)

WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

• Calendar • City Search • Blog • Newsletter blasts

PHOTOGRAPH BY ED WIGHT

on the cover

moncler ralph lauren salvatore ferragamo tod’s

what’s inside

AUGUST 2013

LISTINGS

Culture

Restaurants

Cafes & Wine Bars

Nightlife

Shopping

Children

Lifestyle

07 Opener Interview: Ilona Karwińska 08 Calendar Music, art and events around town 10 Museums

Listings and

Insider’s Pick 29 Insider’s Pick Der Elefant 42 Insider’s Pick

Zwyczajna 52 Luncheonettes

Blue Cactus

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INfront

13 News in Brief

Happy birthday to the Old Town,

Prasowy reopens, a kosher commotion

and nationwide news bites 28 Warsaw Foodie

The latest from the blog frontline

FEATURES

16 Wild Wisła

The inside story behind Warsaw’s

untamed riverside

Editor-in-chief

Art Director

Publisher Advertising Manager Key Account Manager Key Account Manager Distribution Manager

22 Neighborhood Prowl

An insider’s look at the hidden secret

secrets of Saska Kępa 26 Neighborhood Dining

The street food scene of Saska Kępa

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 Agnieszka Kuczyńska akuczynska@valkea.com Krzysztof Wiliński kwilinski@valkea.com

Contributors: Gill Boelman-Burrows Iza Depczyk Jo Harper Karolina Kalinowska Agnieszka Le Nart Michał Miszkurka Paula Rewald Ed Wight

63 Insider’s Pick

Haka 69 Insider’s Pick

Louis Vuitton

20 Factories of Praga

Once abandoned industrial

giants fulfill a new role

80 Why Warsaw?

Natural healer Michael Higgins

59 Insider’s Pick

Brooklyn Wine

& Bread

73 Insider’s Pick

Żurawina 79 Insider’s Pick

Yoga Republic 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 | AUGUST 2013

Interview: Ilona Karwińska of the Neon Muzeum 7

CULTURE EVENTS 8 / MUSEUMS 10

Interview: Ilona Karwińska

Neon Never Died London-based Ilona

Karwińska is a British/Polish fine art photographer whose work has featured in numerous international titles. She is also the driving force behind Warsaw’s acclaimed Neon Muzeum. She talks to the Insider about her celebrated project.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARTA BLAZEJOWSKA

Where did the love affair with neon begin?

Although my partner David Hill (a graphic designer) first drew my attention to Warsaw’s neon signs, his immediate interest came from a deep creative interest in neon advertising, typography and architecture.

My own personal fascination stemmed not only from their photogenic nature, but as decaying objects that in some way reflect the transience of the human experience and what we leave behind.

It’s said the Berlin neon in the museum is your favorite?

Berlin was the first neon sign to be photographed for my documentation project.

Arriving to photograph the sign I noticed it had been removed and learned it was to be

destroyed. I made contact with the owners and fortunately saved it from destruction.

The letters were in very poor condition and needed urgent renovation so I took the sign to Reklama: it turned out to be the same company that originally made it in the 70s.

The men at Reklama were amazed to see it again and shared their memories with me – the whole episode was quite serendipitous.

What problems do you hit when ‘hunting for neon’?

Old neon signs are getting much harder to find and acquire. So many have been destroyed – even since the beginning of my documentation project. Often the owners are impossible to contact or businesses close and the signs are scrapped without warning.

On a lighter note, since the formation of the Neon Muzeum, more and more people are making enquiries on our behalf, or alerting us to a neon that may be at risk. Without our supporters – the general public – we would lose so many more design icons.

Warsaw is losing not just neons but other cultural ‘heirlooms’. Is this through greed?

Ignorance? Or something else?

How can a neon sign that was designed for a particular shop or building remain, when the shop no longer exists or the building has changed owners and needs modernizing?

Although it is sad that there have been many controversies involving the loss of architectural and neon landmarks, I personally feel that the urban landscape is always in flux: modernization and change is unavoidable in this context.

Neons tend to be associated with advertising, capitalism, etc. How did they fit into the socialist vision of PRL Poland?

The socialist authorities saw ‘neonization’ as an important cultural contribution. Although it wasn’t intended as advertising in the modern sense, it was used by the socialists as a way of reconciling socialism with consumerism in the post-war period.

Any thoughts on the neon of now?

I’m not that interested in modern neon, only the fascinating and creatively unique neon designs of the PRL period. However, there is a small but growing renaissance of this particular PRL neon design style emerging around Poland. Young entrepreneurs behind small cafe’s and boutiques are now favoring this style.

Do you have any favorites that still actually stand in Warsaw?

One of my favourite neons is the Syrenka mermaid on ul. Grójecka – once a library, we have renovated and saved her in-situ for posterity.

For more on Ilona and her work visit: www.ilonakarwinska.com. The Neon Muzeum can be found at: ul. Mińska 25 (Soho Factory), www.neonmuzeum.org

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CULTURE times, locations see: www.filmowastolica.pl

Through August

MARKET

Film Capital of the Summer, 8th edition Various locations What better way to take advantage of the balmy summer evenings than with an outdoor cinema sceening? In its eighth year running, screenings are dotted all over Warsaw and span most film genres. Many films are in English and are therefore only subtitled in Polish, rather than dubbed. Entry is free. For films,

Ecopicnic Miasto Cypel, ul. Zaruskiego (Cypel Czerniakowski) If you can find the way, the lovely peninsula on the Vistula that was turned into a summer hangout last year now hosts something more than an organic market every Saturday. Apart from the usual fruit & veg expect cooking on the grass and, every two weeks, a Starbucks giftcard in exchange for your electronic waste!

CINEMA

Insider Pick

31 August

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CINEMA

Summer Cinema, 3rd Edition Discovery Park, Copernicus Science Centre A great selection of documentary films screened on every Friday of the month at 21:00.

A must-see is the awardwinning Sundance Film Festival documentary Detropia (2nd Aug). Entry is free but space is limited. For films check: www. kopernik.org.pl

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9-10

FESTIVAL

Santana Dolina Charlotty, Słupsk The rock legend that needs no introduction. The pioneer of Latin American music and rock himself comes to Poland with his band to heat up the already smoldering summer even more. Tickets from zł. 250 from ticketpro.pl

CONCERT

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Enrico Pieranunzi Trio XIX International Open Air Jazz Festival Old Town Square One of the most celebrated Italian jazz artists. With over 70 albums and parternships with the likes of Chet Baker, this one is not to miss. Expect some enchanting Italian film music too. Entry is free.

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CONCERT Mocha Klub Barometr, ul. Smolna 40 What separates this trio from the countless others is the three girls’ search for perfect melodies, their talent and their ability to transport the audience into their magical realm of emotions, harmonies and pleasant melodies.

Entry zł. 10.

WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

pl. Małachowskiego 3 A guided tour, especially prepared in English, around one of the exhbitions on at the time at Zachęta, starting at 5 p.m. Choose from Peter Land’s Naked, Katarzyna Krakowiak’s The Rise and Fall of Air and Christian Hutzinger’s W/W. Tour included in the price of the ticket. For more information visit: www.zacheta.art.pl/en/

Coke Live Music Festival Lotnisko – Museum Lotnictwa, Kraków Fans from all over Poland and surrounds are bound to hit Kraków as Florence & The Machine grace the Polish stage for the first time. Get in on the hype and catch the great Regina Spektor and Franz Ferdinand as well. Tickets from zł. 155 from Altershop or Ticketpro outlets.

CONCERT

ColourFun5km ugust 31st sees the first edition of ColorFun5km.

What’s it all about? The clue is in the name: expect a five kilometer run that starts and finishes round about the National Stadium. The emphasis though isn’t on winning, but on fun, with runners (and walkers) pelted with colored powders on route – expect to get messy, so best leave the designer togs at home. Anticipated to attract thousands of people, the route takes in the streets of Warsaw, before crossing back to the National Stadium where participants will find a Red Bull Tour Bus with DJs playing music, a line-up of the best street food trucks and a wealth of other attractions... “What counts is great fun and a massive cloud of colors,” say the organizers, so bargain on a run like no other – one that involves singing, dancing, prancing and music. For details and registration check: www.colorfun.pl

Through till Aug 23

6, 13, 20, 27 TOUR

The exhibitions of Zachęta in English Zachęta – National Gallery of Art

CONCERT Jorge Pardo Trio XIX International Open Air Jazz Festival Old Town Square Another one that should not be missed. This time the star hails from Spain and has performed alongside Paco De Lucia and Chick Corea and recently won the French Jazz Academy award for best European musician.

Entry is free.

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CONCERT Trivium Klub Progresja, ul. Kaliskiego 15A For a band that grew up on a diet of Testament, Metallica and Iron Maiden, it’s to be expected that this concert will be 110% metal. Over a million albums sold, world tours and thousands of fans, their success owes to their musical ability. Tickets from zł. 80.

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CONCERT

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF ARTISTS OR ORGANIZERS

EVENTS THIS MONTH

Bad Religion Stodoła, ul. Batorego 10 Bad Religion return to Poland for the third time, this time to promote their latest album, True North. If not for the large following they have in PL, they wouldn’t have even played here this summer. See for yourself why they wanted them here. Tickets from zł. 79 from ticketpro.pl and eventim.pl.

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CONCERT Bester Quartet XIX International Open Air Jazz Festival Old Town Square A synthesis of classical, jazz, avant-garde and contemporary sounds, this Polish quartet has been an international phenomenon having collaborated with the likes of John Zorn and Frank London. Entry is free.

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CONCERT Męskie Granie (Sounds for Men)

Fort Bema A rich cross-section of the contemporary Polish music scene, featuring both legendary (you can’t miss Nosowska) and up-and-coming artists. This festival spans seven cities and has been growing in size each year, becoming somewhat of a staple of the Polish summer.

Tickets zł. 70 from ebilet.com.

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TOUR Varsovian District Tour – Koło and Młynów Start at 15:00, corner of al.

Solidarności and ul. Młynarska Whether you know some Polish or not, this tour, from a whole series, is worth tagging along to for its historical pitstops and the possibility of seeing the hidden mermaid of Picasso (yes, he’s stationed in Warsaw too!). Free.

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CONCERT Roger Waters National Stadium, Al. Poniatowskiego 1 The National Stadium really is

getting one star after another.

In August, it’s time for Roger Waters, the bassist, lyricist and co-lead vocalist of Pink Floyd.

He comes to PL as part of the ticket-sale topping The Wall Live tour, with performances tailored to massive venues for the full immersion experience. Tickets from zł. 198 from livenation.pl.

Mime Festival brings the best of the world’s mime artists to show you just how much can be conveyed with no words at all. A must see, especially the Bodecker & Neander Company finale. Tickets from zł. 18 from ticketonline.pl and eBilet.pl.

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Singer’s Warsaw Jewish Culture Festival, 10th Edition Various locations A Warsaw favorite and now in it’s tenth year running, this week-long celebration of Jewish culture and Jewish Warsaw promises to be bigger and better than ever before. Events are too numerous to mention, but include screenings, concerts, tours, discussions and workshops. While not as well-known as Kraków’s Jewish Festival, it’s rapidly earning increased global recognition – proof of which comes courtesy of some of the names on the program. Free entry to most events. Check for details: festiwalsingera.pl

CONCERT Jason Mraz Palladium, ul. Złota 9 Who hasn’t heard the absolutely endearing I’m Yours? The darling boy that topped the billboard charts for 76 weeks with that one comes to Warsaw for the first time to promote his fourth, and just as beautiful, album. Tickets from zł. 105 from ticketpro.pl and eBilet.pl.

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FESTIVAL XIII International Mime Art Festival Teatr na Woli, ul. Kasprzaka 22 Some wait for this tour de force all year. For the 13th year, the

24-1st Sept FESTIVAL

Warsaw Uprising

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ugust 1 sees the 69th anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising, a heroic 63 day revolt against the occupying Nazi regime. The battle claimed the lives of 250,000 people, and also signaled the wholesale destruction of the city. By the time Soviet forces entered Warsaw on January 17, 1945, the city lay under 20 million cubic meters of rubble. Unsurprisingly the memory of the Uprising lingers heavily, and its outbreak is solemnly marked each year with a minutes silence at 5 p.m. – that’s to remember W-Hour, the moment the rebellion began. It’s a deeply poignant moment, and one that went viral in 2012 with the release of YouTube vide titled ‘There is a City’. Ceremonies will be held across the city, with Powązki Military Cemetery, the Uprising Museum and the Uprising Monument on Długa awarded particular prominence. Later in the evening, head to pl.

Zamkowy to listen to patriotic songs of the era as performed by songstress Weronika Grozdew.

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CULTURE Car Museum ul. Warszawska 21 (Otrębusy), tel. 22 758 5067, www.muzuemmotorzyacji.com.pl.

Approx. 300 vehicles all jumbled together like a broken jigsaw.

Highlights include the ’79 Pope Mobile, Stalin’s limo and cars used to ferry Marilyn and Elvis.

Other bits and pieces inc. vintage motors, a double-decker bus and a US tractor from 1895. Mapped out with little rhyme or reason, it’s a hoarder’s heaven, with extra

castle the center hosts artists from all over the world (Annie Leibovitz, Wilhelm Sasnal, Andy Warhol). The on-site bookshop Copernicus Science Centre is of particular interest for artists ul. Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20, and intellectuals. Ongoing until tel. 22 596 4100, www.kopernik. August 18: Sharon Lockhart. org.pl. Interactive, witty and Milena, Milena. One of the surprising, Copernicus allows visi- dominant figures on the American tors to experience an earthquake, art scene, this exhibition presents blast recyclable objects into the film and photographic work space and become a mystery of this influential artist. Ongoing until August 18: Olaf Brzeski. cracking detective.

Samolub [Egoist]. A retrospective exhibition of this fascinating artist CSW ul. Jazdów 2, www.csw.art.pl. encompassing sculpture, film and Situated in a baroque-style drawing. Ongoing until Sept 8: Together/Apart. Various artists explore the relationship between the individual and the wider society. oddities numbering WWII debris, a 7TP tank, a red English phone box and a plane...

Media Patronage

7 & 8 August Two Nights with Peter Brotzmann

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egarded as one of the biggest stars of the ‘European free jazz scene’, German-born Peter Brotzmann has collaborated on over 100 albums since the immense success of his 1968 album Machine Gun. Known for his rough timbre and fast paced style, the legendary Brotzmann will be appearing for two nights at Pardon To Tu, a venue recognized as one of the top spaces for alternative sounds. Performing alongside him on the first night will be Jerzy Mazzoll, Mike Majowski, Paweł Szpura and Ray Dickaty. On the second night he’ll be joined

by Mikołaj Trzaska, Rudi Marshall and Macio Moretti.

Pardon To Tu Pl. Grzybowski 12/16, tel. 513 191 641, www.pardontotu.pl

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WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

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. Ongoing until November 17: I Will Be Photographing it in Colour.

The Beginning of the 20th Century in Stanisław Wilhelm Lilpop’s Three-Dimensional Photographs. An exhibition of 180 photographs shot between 1908 and 1930, some of them using 3D techniques.

Historical Museum of Warsaw Rynek Starego Miasta 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.

Preludes of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews ul. Anielewicza 6.

Slated to open in full in the

first half of 2014, this hugely impressive museum is already luring streams of onlookers eager to preview the temporary exhibits housed in the opening halls.

Ongoing until September 30: Letters to afar. A video installation

by Péter Forgács composed of film clips from Jewish immigrants’ visits to their hometowns in Poland in the 20s and 30s.

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.

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.

Legia Museum ul. Łazienkowska 6, www.legia.com.

Aside from silverware affirming Legia’s status, find a vast collection of shirts, pennants and paintings (even part of an old floodlight). Pride of place goes to Legia’s favorite son, 80’s super star Kazimierz Deyna.

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

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ORGANIZERS OR ARTISTS

MUSEUMS & GALLERIES

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

Museum of Technology Palace of Culture, pl. Defilad 1, www.muzeum-techniki.waw.pl.

The very opposite of the new-fangled Copernicus Centre, here’s a place that embraces the old way of doing things. On show an eccentric – occasionally ludicrous – collection of junk that ranges from 8-bit computers to a German ‘Enigma’ machine.

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 until September 1: Mark Rothko. The first monographic exhibition of the works of Rothko held in Central / Eastern Europe.

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 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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Ongoing until August 31: A biannual nationwide retrospective of the contemporary Polish poster.

Railway Museum ul. Towarowa 1, www.muzkol.pl.

Inside the museum contains an unimaginative formula of train models (including one charmingly outdated model displaying a crash!), uniforms and paintings depicting Polish rail travel through the passage of time. Outside it’s a different story – find an amazing collection of locomotives, including armored vehicles and Comrade Bierut’s luxury saloon car.

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

Libera. Ongoing until August 4: Freelancer. Explores the condition of the artist as a freelancer. Ongoing until August 18: Peter Land.

Naked. Works in various mediums of one of the most prominent contemporary Dutch artists. Until August 18: The Rise and Fall of Air. The second installment of Katarzyna Krakowiak’s architechtural triptych. Ongoing until November 30: Christian Hutzinger’s W/W. Installation combining painting and architecture, exhumed exhibits and plenty of background info dealing with the siege and subsequent occupation of Warsaw.

Media Patronage

Mark Ro

Paintings from the National Gallery o in Washington

7 / 06 – 1 / 09 / 2

The National Museum in Warsaw,

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

Gift of The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc. 1986.43 Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, Was

Ongoing Mark Rothko Paintings from the National Gallery of Art in Washington

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unning through summer the National Museum in Warsaw will host an exhibition of Mark Rothko – the first time that works by Rothko will be exhibited in Poland. A key player in the New York School, this master of 20th century art is best known for his large abstract color-field paintings. Described as a ‘dark master’ and ‘the Rembrandt of this time’, the show touches on all his artistic periods: his early realist pieces, the surrealism of the late ’30s and early ’40s, and abstract multiforms through to his iconic color-field paintings. Supplementing the show, an installation by Nicolas Grospierre brings to life Rothko’s birthplace.

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

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INFRONT ARCHITECTURE 14 / FOOD 14 / LOCAL 13 / NEWS 14 / POLITICS 14

LOCAL

Phoenix from the Flames PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

The end of July brought with it celebrations in the old town to mark the 60th anniversary of its remarkable renaissance. Damaged heavily in the ’44 Uprising, and then obliterated afterwards as part of Nazi plans to erase the city from the face of the earth, its reconstruction and subsequent inclusion on the World Heritage List have served as a true tribute to the city’s indefatigable spirit.

Resembling a smoking stack of bricks when it was finally liberated, the decision to rebuild Warsaw’s old town was not taken lightly and was undertaken at tremendous cost. While the first stage of reconstruction was initiated in 1945, and completed on July 22nd, 1953, work was to continue for several years to come: the Royal Castle, for instance, was only ready for the public in 1984. Aiding the engineers and architects were the canvases of Bernardo Bellotto, an 18th century court painter whose works were used as blueprints for the rebuilding. Known for creatively embellishing his paintings, the decision to imitate Bellotto’s fanciful paintings was controversial, with many criticizing his image of Warsaw as a ‘falsification of history.’ Nonetheless, the end result has borne a magnificent open air museum that is representative of ‘the phoenix city’.

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INFRONT

BRIEFING ED WIGHT’S NEWS BITES Cop Off

A Legend Returns

Prasowy (Marszałkowska 10/16), a milk bar whose story dates back to 1954, has reopened following a sensitive refit that’s preserved much of her original details.

Closed in 2011, urban activists had feared the closure was another sign of Warsaw’s increasing homogenization. But after months of protests the site has reopened to reprise its original role as a classic budget eatery.

POLITICS

Kosher Commotion

Michael Schudrich, Poland’s chief rabbi, has threatened to resign after a motion to lift Poland’s ban on ritual slaughter was rejected.

“I cannot image how I am to continue as chief rabbi in a country where the rights of Jews are not complete,” railed Schudrich. The bid was rejected on the grounds of animal cruelty concerns. In light of the failed motion, a prominent Jewish group, the European Jewish Association, has also called for Schudrich to resign, citing him as responsible for the mess: “He told us everything was under control until it was too late to do anything,” said one source.

ARCHITECTURE

Reaching for the Skies

July saw plans for Q22 unveiled, a 155 meter skyscraper to be built on the ashes of the demolished Mercure Hotel. Featuring 50,000 sq/m of office space the zł. 500 million project, designed ‘to reflect a clear and perfect crystal’, is the result of a cooperation between the architectural brains at Kuryłowicz & Associates and Buro Happold Polska. Completion is slated for Q1 2016.

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WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

TASTES RAT-EN A man was flown to hospital after eating rat poison during a vodka drinking binge. The 22-year-old had become confused during the drinking session with his brother at their summer home in Nisko, and mistook the poison for cucumbers. But after three tablespoons of the stuff they realized his mistake and phoned the emergency services. A police spokesman said: “One of the men phoned up in a panic shouting his brother had eaten rat poison. ”A hospital spokesman said he was lucky to be alive.

MONK-Y BUSINESS A monk is facing eight years in jail for sexual assault following allegations he had sex with a drunk woman without her consent. Andrzej W., of Św. Mikołaja church in Gdańsk was arrested after the woman told police he had picked her up on the street on his motorbike, taken her to a bar and then a hotel where he allegedly raped her. The monk has been suspended from duties and is being held on remand.

TOP TWO PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEVIN DEMARIA, BOTTOM COURTESY OF

FOOD

Traffic cops in Bydgoszcz are under investigation after being photographed with a hooker who said she “serviced” them. The 25-year-old roadside vice girl who was photographed dressed in police uniform and sitting in the officers’ patrol car, told reporters: “The policemen drove up to me and we went into the forest where I performed the service. We then had a cigarette in their car and they let me wear a uniform.” Police spokesman Monika Chłebicz said: “We are investigating the claims and if it turns out to be true the officers could face criminal charges.”

THE RIGHT SIDE WILD WISŁA

A NATURAL EDGE

Warsaw is often seen as an insecure city, casting eyes on others and playing the copycat. Yet in the form of the untamed Wisła it has something truly unique to be proud of. BY JO HARPER | PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEVIN DEMARIA

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THE RIGHT SIDE WILD WISŁA

A

s apocryphal stories go this one reveals a lot about Warsaw, its river and personality. An American visitor to Warsaw’s mayor Hanna GronkiewiczWaltz, it goes, asks how much the city had spent on creating the effect of a wild right river bank along the Wisła in Warsaw. “It’s awesome landscaping,” he allegedly said.

“Must have cost an arm and a leg.”

He wasn’t really to know, of course. It is very rare, after all, to have a wild river bank running through a capital city.

Where development in New York, London and Tokyo may have been driven by commercial property prices with public spaces under threat, now often trying to look eco-friendly, 2-million strong Warsaw has had such a wild space right on its doorstep, by default, design and neglect.

The Wisła is a wild river with limited regulation and limited apparent ‘use’. “When you look at the river now, you are struck by how empty she is,” says Warsaw tour guide Jan Darasz. “The odd pleasure cruiser or icebreaker and a brave sculler or coxless four. That’s it.” It has several sandy beaches, which are used intensively during the summer days and on the outskirts, you even find a nudist beach.

Twas Ever Thus

“The Wisła has been a barrier separating Warsaw and Praga, some say Europe and Asia,” says Darasz. “There was only one permanent bridge in the 17th century and that collapsed during a severe winter. Thereafter there were temporary pontoon structures until the mid-19th century,” he adds.

“The Wisła, gradually from the 18th century, and dramati-

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cally from the late 19th century, shifted eastwards, creating the area of Powiśle. The islands and inlets on the left side were regulated by Dutch settlers in Saska Kępa, while the authorities tried to exploit the Wisła commercially by building Praga Żerański and Czerniaków ports on the left bank.”

Development after the war was due to communist neglect.

“They just continued the pre-war plans for boulevards and grand communications, for example the Wisłostrada.”

Where There’s Brass There’s Muck

The Wisła has also been the main city sewer. The right-bank escarpment had magnificent gardens reaching down to the river’s edge but was used to push waste into the stream.

“Powiśle later became a huge shanty town-cum-rubbishtip in the 19th century. Little wonder that trendy Warsaw gradually turned its nose and back,” says Darasz. After the War, any attempt at revitalization seemed to be checked by increasing pollution upstream and the Włocławek sluice put paid to any river traffic which could ply the length of the river. The ports and the tourists faded away, victims of central planning. In 2006 though, the mayor promised to clean up the Wisła and eliminate the problem of raw sewage being dumped. Today Warsaw treats all its waste water and the Czajka sewage treatment plant is the largest environmental project in Europe to date, with funding from the EU.

A Great Comeback

The left-bank has been designated for culture with boulevards, cycle lanes and trendy cafes over a tunneled Wisłostrada, while the right- bank with its beaches and woods and wildlife will be the nature part. “This echoes the

calls from the 1930s about turning back to the river and is a welcome development if it happens,” Darasz says, “but we shouldn’t hold our breath.” The Copernicus Science Centre is a mark of a changing Warsaw, a modern interactive educational center sat on the banks of the Wisła. “Our center is looking forward, it’s about progress, change and learning.

Education is the key to the new Warsaw, and the emerging Poland,” says Robert Firmhofer, the center’s director.

A private sector example across the river is the Sauna project. Mateusz Adamczyk, a spokesperson for Budcud, which is building the Sauna development on the Praga side of the river says the Wisła is changing. “In Warsaw you have two different riverbanks, one which is wild and allows jogging, walking, sun-bathing, and the other is much closer to the city so is way more urban. That separation should be maintained, because then you can use the river in both ways, experiencing the wild or just hanging out in a cool spot. Sauna is both a cool spot but positioned in the wilderness.” Alas, the zł. 2 million Sauna project is currently on hold for financial reasons, a status shared by the ambitious Port Praski development.

Artists have also been drawn here. The Transformations Art Festival by the Wisła in 2009, organized by the Impact Foundation, was an attempt to reintroduce the river to the city. Elżbieta Jurkowska, Project Coordinator at the Impact Foundation, says the aim has been to bring tourists and the local community to the river banks and awaken their interest for cultural events held in abandoned public spaces.

Environmental Concerns

“The green oasis on the Praga side is home to about 80

species of bird,” Aleksander Buczyński of environmentalist NGO Zielone Mazowsze says. Green areas occupy 28% of the city and the banks of the Wisła are inhabited by weasel and marten. Other wild animals in the Warsaw area include elk, deer, bobcats, beavers, otters and mink.

Funds from the European Life+ initiative help protect the bird habitat in the Central Wisła Valley. This goes hand in hand with ambitious plans to open up the river for the city.

But Buczyński is worried that the planned upgrade of the road that runs alongside the Praga bank of the river will exacerbate an existing disconnect between locals and river.

“Upgrading Wybrzeże Helskie will cut several thousand people who live within walking distance of the river off from it, degrade conditions for cycling along the river and increase the noise,” he says. “The road reconstruction should be an opportunity to improve the accessibility of the river bank, not to repeat the mistakes done on the left bank. Flood damage is just an excuse for building this road without a proper environmental impact assessment.”

Getting Around

On a perhaps more prosaic level, the water tram, or Wars, journeys up and down river showcasing the ‘wild’ Warsaw on the east bank of the Wisła. The ship pulls out from Czerniakowski Cypel and carries 150 passengers on 90-minute cruises a few times a day. In 2005 Warsaw came up with its Vision 2020 plan, which was essentially: left bank culture, right bank nature. Today the Praga bank comes under Nature 2000 as a protected habitat. “This seems to be the continuing strategy,” says Darasz. “Whether or not it will continue is another story, what with all that juicy land going spare.” facebook.com/warsawinsider

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An Industrial Revolution

Formerly left to rot, the disused factory spaces of Warsaw’s right side have been largely responsible for Warsaw’s cultural rejuvenation. BY ALEX WEBBER

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PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

THE RIGHT SIDE FACTORIES

T

en years back something very strange happened: Warsaw’s Praga district, hitherto regarded as a decrepit badland of bums and booze hounds, found its mojo.

Through a combination of circumstance, Praga was catapulted to cool: an on-edge bar scene took off, while artists and designers flocked to budget units in once derelict spaces.

The foreign travel press lapped it up, drawing far-fetched comparisons to post-wall Berlin. As of now, some of the start-ups have thrived, some have died, while others just about survive. And in all of this, Praga’s factories have played a starring role in the areas oscillating fortunes.

FABRYKA TRZCINY

ul. Otwocka 14, www.fabrykatrzciny.pl Back when foreign journalists were gushing about Praga’s revival, one place was consistently cited as evidence of the districts rebirth: Fabryka Trzciny. Finished in 1916, the core of the building functioned as a marmalade factory and canning center, before being turned over to the rubber industry – for a while Pepegi sneakers, a cult must-have item during communism, were produced here. Following years of neglect, it was on the initiative of composer and producer Wojciech Trzciński that the building was turned into an ‘arts center’. Launched to much fanfare in 2003, that its opening roughly coincided with the creation of cult bars like W Oparach Absurdu was taken as a surefire sign of Praga’s resurrection.

But, to an extent, the bullish optimism was misplaced.

Over time new districts found favor: places like Powiśle were equally gritty and low-rent but better connected to the city center. The artistic flight began. On Fabryka’s part, they themselves found a secondary HQ, in the shape of Skwer on Krakowskie Przedmieście 60A. With the lion’s share of events once held in Trzciny siphoned off to Skwer, this factory has once more slipped back into the shadows. But do keep an eye on the calendar, because those events that are held in Fabryka Trzciny are very special indeed.

KONESER

ul. Ząbkowska 27/31, www.koneser.eu Entered via a set of spooky neo-Gothic gates, the red brick Koneser complex was built in 1897, and for years housed Warsaw’s premier vodka distillery. Originally, part of its MO was specifically to keep the 120,000 Tsarist troops stationed in Warsaw supplied with their daily vodka allowance – but with German troops advancing on Warsaw, in October 1915 the decision was taken to pour ten million liters of vodka into the street outside to prevent the Hun from getting at it.

It’s not recorded what happened next, but it sounds like the locals might have had one helluva’ street party.

Vodka production finally ceased this century, and since then Koneser’s future has been something of a hot

“ Walking around, you ask yourself if you’ve happened on a nuclear fallout” potato. Currently home to a few artsy workshops (e.g. the Bocheńska Galery), the principal reason for visiting lies in the existence of two noteworthy bars: CzystaOjczysta (open hours: erratic) offer a remarkable array of vodka, while next door sits Sen Pszczoły. The latter is a place like no other – grungey, dark and industrial, décor elements involve steel-frame bunk beds, upturned crates and a dentist’s chair. After a night partying here, your head will never be the same again. But it’s not just about brain damage techno, look out for a varied schedule that includes such happenings as quirky Sunday flea markets.

Yet even with these distractions, swathes of Koneser lie empty, abandoned or wrapped under scaffolding; walking around, you ask yourself if you’ve happened on a nuclear fallout. But enjoy the ominous Bladerunner scenes while you can. Under the guidance of BBI Development, the long term plan is to turn Koneser into a mixed-use center comprising of luxury loft-style apartments, Class A offices, retail offerings not to mention social and cultural opportunities. Work, seemingly, has progressed at a snail’s pace, though press releases insist the completion of the project should be realized in 2016.

SOHO FACTORY

ul. Mińska 25, www.sohofactory.pl There’s a feeling Praga has missed the boat, what with the artistic migration to Powiśle and beyond. But that’s not the whole picture, and it’d be remiss to suggest Praga’s ship has sailed. Proof, if any is needed, comes in the form of Soho Factory, a ‘creative community’ inspired by New York’s Soho.

Under communism the factory workshops churned out nifty OSA scooters, today they’re on the map for different reasons.

Spread over an eight hectare space, find offices housing architects, think tanks and media companies. Peppered between them there’s the Neon Museum, a fabulous graveyard of communist signage; there’s Magazyn Praga, an edgy store that’s long been at the forefront of Polish home design; tour operators Adventure Warsaw also keep their HQ here, and their office is a peculiar museum of retro scrap. Foreigners, too, have chosen to settle here, among them the Italian-run Akademia Kulinarna Whirlpool. A luxury kitchen aside, they’ll be looking to utilize their vast space by welcoming the Le Targ urban food market to their warehouse anytime soon.

But part of the joy related to visiting Soho Factory lies in simply wandering around at a sedated pace. I mean, why not put a swing in your summer and spend the afternoon reading a book while swaying in a hammock. Afterwards, weaving past all the sculptures and installations, visit Warszawa Wschodnia: not the train station, but the 24hr restaurant run

by Matteusz Gessler. It’s here local big shots gather after work, poring over plans for the weird Rebel One tower being constructed nearby. Alternatively, head to Gemo near the entrance for modern interpretations of Georgian food. facebook.com/warsawinsider

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THE RIGHT SIDE SASKA KĘPA WALK

1. Resembling a red / white wicker basket, the 58,000 capacity National Stadium occupies the former site of the communist era Stadion Dziesięciolecia: a relic of days yore can be found in the shape of the Socialist Realist ‘Relay’ statue out front. Priced at a half a billion euros, the new stadium was opened last year, right in the nick of time for Euro 2012. Tours are conducted daily (details on: stadionnarodowy.org.pl), though for the best view board the hot air balloon stationed right by (stacjabalon.pl).

2. Explore the scrubland between Wał Miedzeszyński and the Wisła and you might come across several things: couples panting in the bushes and homeless hobos hunched over bottles. You might, also, discover the traces of a series of communist era outdoor swimming pools. While the pools have recently been filled in, their outline remains visible, as does a weed-eaten water slide.

Neighborhood Prowl

Scenic, snooty and sophisticated, Saska Kępa is all these and more. With the sun in full swing, take time to investigate its secrets and stories. BY ALEX WEBBER | PHOTOS BY ED WIGHT

3. Perhaps the best example of Saska’s modernist architecture can be viewed at Obrońcow 10. Realized in 1930, its signature feature is a round skylight positioned over a top floor terrace.

4. Saska’s interwar architecture borders the magnificent. Katowicka 7A was designed by Bohdan Lachert for his father. Lachert, who would later achieve cult status for creating the Muranów estate, lived next door in a building clearly inspired by the style of Le Corbusier.

5. The intricate patchwork nature of SK is evidenced by the Prus high school on Zwycięczów 7/9. Neighbored by functionalist villas from the inter bellum, this early 50s building is riddled with intricate brickwork. A bust of the school’s patron, author Bolesław Prus, keeps a watchful eye outside.

6. Unveiled in 1947, the Plon (Yield) sculpture was designed by Jerzy Jarnuszkiewcz, one of the most influential Polish sculptors of the 20th century. Left to rack and ruin in the decades that followed, 2011 saw this Socialist Realist masterpiece restored to its original glory.

7. Built pre-war, then expanded in the 80s, the neo-Gothic tower at Bajońska 6 is one of Saska’s true anomalies. Weirder still is the fact this urban fortress isn’t the home of a nutty scientist or a wicked dominatrix, but actually a garage.

8. The author of 2,000 songs and an equally prolific playwright and poet, Agnieszka Osiecka is something a local heroine. A plaque on Dąbrowiecka 25 signposts her former home, while a life size statue of this Saska saint sits at Francuska 11. In the 60s she was briefly married to Wojciech Frykowski, a playboy actor who was later murdered by Charles Manson’s cronies in the Helter Skelter killings.

9. Peer through the mesh fence at Obronców 28/30 to spot the sculptures of acclaimed local artist Mateusz Sikora. But that’s not the sole artistic association the property has. A plaque, unveiled by the Spanish royal family in 1989, commemorates Picasso’s fleeting residence here in 1949 – back when this was HQ of the Warsaw Artists Association.

10. Assuming a shimmery golden glow come sunset, the Church of St. Andrew of Bobola impresses with blingy interiors inspired by the showy sacral art of the medieval years. Construction of the church began in 1938 and finished only slightly behind schedule in 1956.

11. While the heroics of the Home Army were brushed under the

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THE RIGHT SIDE WILD WISŁA carpet during the PRL years, the actions of the communist backed People’s Guard were celebrated widely. A tablet on Saska 91 recalls the 1942 assassination of three Gestapo agents by the People’s Guard, and is framed by groovy Soviet-style stars.

12. Find one of the great oddities of SK on Saska 99: a tree clad in multicolored knitwear! The story behind it is ambiguous; but one thing is for certain, it’s the hottest tree in Warsaw.

13. Saska under communism was a heady mix of intellectual dissenters and top brass apparatchiks. Władysław Gomułka, Poland’s hardline leader through the sixties, lived on the top floor of the anonymous looking building on Sakska 109.

14. Designed by Marek Leykam, one of the eminent architects of the time, the tower at Waszyngtona 2B is often considered one of the great architectural achievements of 60s Poland. Originally fully clad in glass, the wheel balanced on top of the building is a nod to the fairground that once stood in fin-de-siecle Saska.

15. A great example of the bombastic Socialist Realist style, the Monument of Gratitude to the Soviet Army may have had its hammer and sickles chipped away, but it’s still yet to be properly accepted by the local populace: in 2010 one admirer peppered it with gunfire.

16. Founded in 1905, Skaryszewski is one of the great parks of Poland, and sprinkled with points of interest: for instance, a cosmic-looking shrine modeled on a space rocket, and a boulder commemorating an RAF plane shot down here during WWII. At the entrance, note the memorial to the victims of the 9/11 attacks. The black granite work name checks the six Poles known to have died.

17. Found on Walecznych 37, this wooden chalet is believed to be the oldest house in the district. Thought to date from 1880, it’s a fleeting glimpse of what Saska must have looked like in the 19th century.

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THE RIGHT SIDE STREET FOOD

Efes

The Saska Street Scene

Pretty little Saska is best known for its leafy side streets and luxury residences. Paradoxically, this millionaire’s row is the unlikely polestar of the capital’s street food scene.

ul. Francuska 1 Warsaw kebab shops play a dangerous game, with whimsical add-ons such as beetroot, carrots, pigeons and cats. Efes get it right however, consistently turning out what’s been recognized as Warsaw’s top kebab for over a generation.

Prosta Historia

Wurst Kiosk

ul. Zwycięzców 17

Climb a step and peer through a hatch before ordering genuine German sausages from a friendly geezer shaded from view. Whoever he is, trust the Sausage King of Warsaw to serve you the best wurst in town.

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ul. Francuska 24 Street food it’s not, but Prosta Historia should be noted and applauded for their roll call of pimped-up, dirrrrty burgers. Always good for local celeb spotting, take a seat under the awning and order choices like the Bollywood burger.

Tex Mex

ul. Zwycięzców 11 In an area fizzing with cheap on-the-hoof options, Tex Mex is one to avoid. Experience leads one to suspect the overuse of off-the-shelf ingredients, and with the opening of Spoco Loco one has to question the long term survival of this Plan Z option.

Spoco Loco

ul. Francuska 8

Grab burritos, burgers, tacos and more, and get them topped with sauces that range from harmless to harmful. In a city scared of spice, the No. 7 sauce will leave you scrambling on all fours with your hair standing straight. Ouch!

Fenicja

ul. Francuska 31 The ‘other’ kebab in Saska has a lot to live up to what with the stiff competition from Efes down the road. Yet while it doesn’t quite hit those heights, Fenicja have achieved a cult following of their own. If nothing else, you won’t have a problem with queue bargers.

To Tu Dumpling Bar

ul. Niekłańska 33

A shabby looking shack cabin, To Tu offer what are seriously considered some of the best – if not the best – dim sum in town.

Magic-ked up by a Manchurian exile, the experience isn’t unlike being in a sweaty back street haunt in Asia. Brilliant!

Renesans

ul. Francuska 33

Ignore the spinning chickens that rotate on a spit, and bypass the mediocre pizza restaurant to the side. Instead, join the line and order paper plates of chips doused in extra hot mayo.

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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

Right Bank Dining

Warsaw’s latest fad has seen the popularization of the food truck. These include burgers at Dobra Buła, Pasta Mobile, Pizza z Żuka, Jakie Taco, Rico’s Tacos and Po Pierożku. Fittingly, most remain extremely mobile, so search them out on Facebook for their latest GPS.

Casa Krike

Bemowo’s infant dining scene is enriched with the launch of Casa Krike, a Spanish/ Mediterranean inspired spot that promises, according to the owners, ‘a personal touch of originality’. An outdoor garden should prove popular with families, while the menu includes tapas, soups, paellas as well as a dedicated children’s menu.

Moo!

Opened in the theater quarter next to the long-established Pędząct Królik, MuuMuu continue Warsaw’s new-found taste for cows. And here the beef is taken seriously, with detailed descriptions accompanying the six steaks: among them Rib Eye, Bavette and bison. Also featuring burgers and New Zealand lamb, the experience is rounded out by dozens of wines available by the glass or from zł. 90 to zł. 720 per bottle.

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Go Green

Occupying a green space in the park by Ujazdowski Castle, Instalacje Art Bistro (ul.

Jazdów) is a scenic garden venue which makes the most of the summer: hammocks stretch under trees while canvas canopies lend shade to diners. The evolving menu includes lunch offers, burgers, sandwiches, bruschetta and breakfast in both light and heavier versions.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF WARSAW FOODIE, EXCEPT TOP LEFT BY KEVIN DEMARIA

Meals on Wheels

The intimate Wootwórnia (ul. Królowej Aldony 5) features a spontaneous menu whose principal consistency is an adherence to the motto of the owners: ‘eat well’. Offering a full urban chillout experience, perhaps the most celebrated element of this notable venue comes in the shape of the homemade pies and jarred jams and preserves.

Reviews: Der Elefant 29 / Zwyczajna 42 / Blue Cactus 52 /Plus:

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RESTAURANTS

AFRICAN 29 / AMERICAN 29 / ASIAN 32 / BALKAN & RUSSIAN 34 / BRITISH 35 / BURGERS 35 / CHEAP EATS 37 / COOKING SCHOOLS 58 / FOOD SHOPS 56 / FRENCH 37 / GERMAN 38 /GREEK 38 / INDIAN 38 / INTERNATIONAL & FUSION 40 / ITALIAN 46 / JAPANESE & SUSHI 48 / JEWISH 50 / LATIN 50 / MIDDLE EASTERN 51 / POLISH 52 / SCANDINAVIAN 56 / WHOLE FOODS 58

KEY

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. 86 ...... (A1) return for favorable Romantic.......................... reviews.

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

AFRICAN Café Baobab (H4) ul. Francuska 31, tel. 22 617 4057.

Open 10:00-23:00. Café Baobab serves Senagelese classics like thiebu djen, mafe yap and yassa ginar. It’s adapted to Polish tastes, but say the word and authentic spiciness can appear. $

Der Elefant Pl. Bankowy 1, tel. 22 890 0010, www.derelefant.pl. Open 11:00-24:00.

W

PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

hen I first came to Warsaw, this was a place of faded vintage, a rattan clad den filled with balding business bods in shiny suits with big lapels. If the food wasn’t good (and it frequently wasn’t), you’d at least get a real sense of Warsaw. You’d leave invariably feeling happy and warm. It had its faults, but for some reason I liked it. The beneficiary of a quite astonishing overhaul, first reaction on entering the new Elefant involves deep breaths and words like ‘gosh’. They must have spent millions. MILLIONS. No longer a dark, seedy space, Elefant occupies several floors – there’s lots of gingham, black / white tiling and cast iron; a children’s area goes the whole hog and includes a ball pit, while a gleaming inner courtyard proves the icing on the cake.

In spite of its size, finding a table is not always easy. The place throngs out, with the crowd attracted by a culinary strategy devised by a six year old boy. Really, it’s so diverse you get the idea they stopped five strangers at random and asked them what they like: Mediterranean mezze, Tom Yum soup, pierogi, chicken wings, burgerzzz, etc. Scattergun menus such as this annoy me. So do staff who give you a great big spiel. Neither do I like their Visa policy (they don’t), nor the fact you can’t smoke in the courtyard – I’ve just about accepted not being able to smoke inside, to be now told I can’t outside presses my I’m Very Mad Button.

So, is there anything I like? Yes! Initial suspicions of such a varied menu are largely unfounded. The chopped steak is highly decent, so too the ginger lemon chicken. As a dessert the Pavlova is immense in size and even better in taste. Prices, meanwhile, remain moderate and pander perfectly to family budgets. I didn’t want to like Der Elefant, but I ended up doing so. In fact, I loved it. Not in the way I love Atelier Amaro, but in the same way I love an unexpected tax rebate: it’s both pleasant and heartening. It didn’t blow my head, and it didn’t blow my mind. But it did blow my expectations. Most importantly, I know I’ll return, and in a city saturated with good options, that’s a pretty positive sign. (AW)

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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. Sprayed with racist graffiti over summer, it was heartening to see the local community rally round in support of the owners. As for food, that’s an authentic rundown of dishes that include baked cow back and gizzard. Unfortunately, it’s just not to our taste: the goat stew felt like one big mistake. Judging by the repeat custom, not everyone shares our view. $$

AMERICAN 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

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RESTAURANTS skater boys and rock girls and a menu that is, if nothing else, completely reliable. Peruse rock’n’roll swag that includes Joplin’s blouse, Prince’s guitar and Shakira’s pants. $$

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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 supersize portions from the ribs and wings class.

Portions might be big, but don’t anticipate any further thrills with regards to the food. $

Sioux (D4) ul. Chmielna 35, tel. 22 827 8255, www.sioux.com.pl. Open 10:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-23:00. You might want to point the shotgun hanging on the wall at the chef.

Decorated with horseshoes and feather headdresses, the only reason to show up is to humor a nagging infant. Food-wise, it’s little more than a cowboy-themed version of Sphinx: mass market food for those who don’t know better. $$ Someplace Else (E5) Sheraton Hotel, ul. Prusa 2, tel. 22 450 6707, www.someplace-else.pl. Open Mon 12:00-24:00; Tue-Thur 12:00-01:00; Fri & Sat 12:00-02:00; Sun 12:00-23:00. Favoring a stark concrete look, SPE were once a legend of 90s/00s Warsaw. Things have tamed down since that ex-pat heyday, but this remains a noteworthy choice for live MOR rock and zippy Tex Mex food. $$ T.G.I. Friday’s (B3) al. Jana Pawła II 29, 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. $$

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. tel. 22 620 3519, www.blissrestaurant.pl.

Open daily 12:00-22:00. Longevity aside, Bliss (alive since ’95) boast classically cliche

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interiors that make dramatic use of dragons and buddhas. Inconsistent accuse some, though you’ll struggle to find better Chinesestyle 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 12:00-23:00; 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 12:00-22:00.

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

WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

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

Open 10:00-22:00. With a few wilting orchids and some symbolic pics of Buddha this bi-level restaurant won’t be in the running for any style prizes. The food is spot-on though, and after a brief panic during which we considered ordering everything – it all sounds so good – the Insider settled for duck in wine and a classic green curry. The results were outstanding: rich, velvety flavors and complex tastes. $$ 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 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. $$ Papaya ul. Foksal 16, tel. 22 826 1199, www.papaya. waw.pl. Open 12:00-24:00. A place of precise lines and slick finishes, Papaya have softened the interiors a little, giving the aesthetics a less rigid look. The menu is a considerable success and includes sushi, kobe beef and a much talked about Peking duck. Our advice, however, is to check out Poland’s only teppanyaki grill – thank us after. $$ 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

Brought to you by: Pierrogeria

Power to the Pierogi

Considered as something of a national dish, the humble dumpling gets a modern makeover in Pierrogeria.

P

ierogi: the pride of the Polish pantry… Pervasive in their presence, no other dish features so heavily on local menus. Even so, the search for the perfect pierogi can lead only to one door: and you’ll find that particular portal on pl. Konstytucji. Busy throughout the day, Pierrogerria has a warm bustle and a comforting clatter: a babble of tongues and accents infuse the air, all to the reassuring sound of kitchen commotion. There’s an honesty and hospitality that’s immediately apparent.

But beyond the good humor that hangs in the ambiance, Pierrogeria is noted for its pierogi. Hand-cut in an open kitchen, there’s an emphasis on nature: everything is homemade using natural ingredients and the freshest produce.

The dumplings come in a number of varieties, both boiled or baked or even roasted with cheese sauce. The fillings are equally diverse – of course, traditional pierogi are well represented, with fillings such as cabbage and mushroom, or cottage cheese and onion. What Pierrogeria achieve is elevating such standard, staple menu items to a class of their own. Good luck finding better.

Neither are Pierrogeria afraid to think outside the box.

Offering a modern slant on a traditional food, more experi

mental fillers include salmon/spinach/ricotta, or banana/ chocolate, not forgetting pepperoni sausage/mozzarella/ tomatoes. A broader view of Polish food is provided by way of other national delicacies: soups and a number of pancakes that incorporate both classic and unconventional ingredients: from wild blueberries to chicken curry with red beans and paprika. Daily lunch deals (12-4 p.m.) and chef’s specials increase the offer further, with substantial servings of Polish kitchen classics.

But where would this taste of Poland be without beverages? Find them in the form of regional beers, ecological Polish wine not to mention freshly pressed juice cocktails and fruit-laden compotes. You could enjoy them inside, though for a real ‘sense of place’ re-locate yourself to a terrace that spills onto Pl. Konstytucji. As central Warsaw grinds past, it’s hard not to congratulate yourself on this very fine find – that it’s all so affordable adds to the sensation of a very good deal.

Pierrogeria Pl. Konstytucji 2, www.pierrogeria.eu. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-22:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-22:00.

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RESTAURANTS Year’s Eve ball – and the service is carnage; expect lots of miscommunication and truculent attitude. The food isn’t bad, though it’d be interesting to know how many pigs feet they actually ever sell. $$ Shabu Shabu Hot Pot ul. Mokotowska 27, tel. 535 685 750.

Open 12:00-23:00. Each table has its own set of hot pots installed and once you choose your broth and extras, you are the master of your own culinary destiny. We chose some seafood and some greens and were served a dish that was not quite a pad thai, but incredibly tasty all the same. A simple meal,

but satisfying nonetheless. $ 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.” $ Spring Roll (D4) ul. Szpitalna 3, tel. 519 828 788. Open 11:00-23:00. Baleful ballads and twangy cover versions of Bryan Bloody Adams set the mood in this eatery. The signature dish – spring rolls – don’t go beyond six out of ten, so what hope the rest of the menu? The teriyaki chicken should be renamed teriyaki chicken giblets, and comes with the addition of the worst ingredient ever devised: steamed cauliflower. Ergh. Suddenly, all those empty seats make sense. $ 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. $$

Welcome to our little corner of Italy! delizia is the place where we express our passion...

-Luca & Lorenzo delizia Ristorante Italiano ul. Hoza 58/60 (entry from ul. Poznańska), Warsaw RESERVATION: info@delizia.com.pl, tel. 22 622 66 65 Mon-Sat noon to 10 p.m. (or last guest)

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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. $$ Suparom Thaifood II ul. Wałbrzyska 40, tel. 22 853 3087, www. suparomthaifood.pl. Tiny, when compared to its parent on Marszałkowska, and distinctly unassuming. Suparom’s green curry is the ‘best in the world’ according to one reader, and while such a superlative begs for a challenge, none is forthcoming – not from us, anyhow. $$

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Thai Thai (C2) Pl. Teatralny 3, tel. 601 818 283. Open 12:00-23:00. Sanad Changpuen, a man widely credited with popularizing Thai food in Poland, returns to Warsaw with predictable results: the food is a hit. And what a space this acclaimed chef has been blessed with: gold vaulted ceilings lend a muted glow to a largely black-on-black space; from the walls,

WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

serene looking Buddha’s peer on diners down below. At once, the soothing interiors ease guests into a state of inner peace while Sanad does the rest. $$ 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 12:00-1:00. 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 times 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 12:00last guest. At last, a Georgian restaurant

without gnarled furniture and peasant fabrics.

Located inside Soho Factory, Gemo has a 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. $ 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

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. $$

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 by the stench at the bar, lots of food that’s way over-fried. $$ Legends (C5) ul. Emilii Plater 25, tel. 22 622 4640,

BURGERS

Barn Burger (D4) ul. Złota 9. 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. $

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Bistro & Burger Bar (H4) ul. Francuska 45, tel. 666 396 967. Open 11:00-22:00. What should you expect from a place that can’t even be bothered thinking about a name? Not much, is the answer.

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 Warsaw has great burger bars, but also a few chancers that have been foisted upon us on the back of the craze. At best, you’d call it average. When paired with disinterested service you have the makings of pretty glum time. Don’t let them get away with it. $

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Bobby Burger (D5) ul. Żurawia 32/34, bobbyburger.pl. Open Mon-Thu 11:00-1:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-4:00; Sun 12:00-24:00. Inescapably popular, but why?

Maybe we’ve only visited on off days, because this Insider has yet to understand what the fuss is about. Compared to WarBurger it’s a bottom-feeder. $ 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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city saturated with meat and bun options it takes something special to standout. “I’d go all the time if I lived above,” said our Insider, “but I don’t.” If you do, then the Cowboy is above-average. $

Burger Kitchen (D4) ul. Widok 8, tel. 22 464 8284, www.burgerkitchen.pl. Open Mon-Thu 7:30-23:00; Fri 7:30-1:00; Sat 9:00-1:00; Sun 9:00-20:00. And they keep coming – it appears the burger trend hasn’t even crested, and that’s not a problem so long as the new crop are as good as this.

Chef Tomasz Wóżniak excels himself with the jalapeno bacon burger, a real contender for our Munch of the Month. $ 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). Unfortunately, the steak part of the menu just isn’t there yet.

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Ćwierćfunciak (C1) ul. Andersa 30, tel. 606 989 580. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00; Sun 13:00-21:00.

Muranów natives, so long starved of decent options, have reason to celebrate – at last the burger trend has reached them. And it’s been an encouraging start for these lot: find spicy habanero burgers and beers from Pinta and AleBrowar – how can you possibly not like it. $ Hmm Burger (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 10, tel. 22 629 0565, www.hmmburger.pl. Open 10:00-last guest; Sat-Sun 12:00-last guest. With a name like Hmm Burger you expect something a little humdrum. It’s actually far from it, but in a

Lokal Bistro ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 64. Open 10:00-24:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-1:00. Dentist colors and voluminous ceilings lend an austere but pleasant look to this Polish-style burger bar.

Sit outside at the woodchip tables (oww! watch for splinters…) to enjoy burgers that incorporate Polish Red Angus, Baltic cod and mountain cheese. Our tip: order a towering double burger with red onion marmalade and homemade ketchup. It’s completely delightful – if not a little messy. By the end of the meal the table will look like you’ve just given birth. $ Warburger (E9) ul. Dąbrowskiego 1. Open Mon-Fri 12:0020:00; 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. Lengthy waiting times are softened by tremendous burgers, even if the crowd isn’t to everybody’s taste: you can almost smell the air of unjustified self-satisfaction. They also serve fish and chips, which the chef describes as ‘Australian-style, not British’.

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 | AUGUST 2013

CHEAP EATS Bar Turecki “Efes” (H4) ul. Francuska 1, tel. 22 616 2580. Open daily 10:00-20:00. So it’s a kebab shop, but when the kebabs are this good they’re well worth the listing. Either join the queue outside, or head indoors to sample the smattering of grill food and salads. $ Fabryka Frytek ul. Złota 3, www.fabrykafrytek.pl.

Open Mon-Thu 10:00-24:00; Fri-Sat 10:002:00; 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 come served with an equally comprehensive range of dips and sauces. $ Friterie (D5) ul. Hoża 42, tel. 794 158 813. Open Sun-Thu 9:00-24:00; Fri-Sat 9:00-2:00. Served in paper cones, the Belgian-style chips come with that inimitable double-fried crunch and a range of sauces that merit experimentation: try the ‘Andaluse’. $ 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. $

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

Open Fri & Sat 22:00-4:00. You can’t miss this place: it’s a big red truck/bus. Their m.o is simple enough. Eleven types of burgers, and seven quesadillas, served from late until even later. Note they do move around and the open hrs are subject to change – Facebook them for their latest GPS. $ To Tu Dumpling Bar ul. Niekłańska 33, www.chinskapierogarnia.pl.

Open 10:00-21:00. Set in a ropey looking pavilion To Tu excels when it comes to dim sum. The kim chi soup is pretty special as well. $ Wurst Kiosk (H4) ul. Zwycięzców 17, tel. 606 133 134.

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

FRENCH

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. $

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. $$$

Okienko ul. Polna 22, tel. 603 771 483.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Credit cards accepted for orders of 80zł plus. Restaurants covered by this mob inc. players such as Rain by India Curry, Osteria, Papaya and Sakana.

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Open 10:00-last guest. Looking elegant with its black/white floors and subtle decorations bills at L’Arc can become big number affairs – especially if you hanker for seafood. 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. $$

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Le Connaisseur (D4) ul. Ordyńacka 13, tel. 504 080 047. Open 12:00-last guest. Flamboyant Art Deco interiors sit well with a menu created by Luc Dernaucourt. A bona fide Warsaw legend (you probably know him from the Boathouse), the Frenchman exceeds all expectations with dishes such as pigeon breast and lobster tail.

We can’t wait to give you our in-depth report next issue. $$$

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Pari Pari (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 31, tel. 22 628 2402, www. paripari.pl. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-21:30; Fri 10:00-1:00; Sat 13:00-1:00. Also in Złote Tarasy. After an identity crisis that saw them serving up a bit of everything, chef Adam Kowalczyk has steadied the ship and returned to a more deliberately French menu. The bistro menu is very much a burgers and baguettes job, though the main menu find plenty of fish, not to say both lamb and rabbit cooked using sous vide methods. The interiors can be considered a little ritzy and in your face. $$

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. $

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. $$ 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 spaces 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 that the 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. $

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GREEK

Chmielarnia (B4) ul. Twarda 42 (basement level), www.chmielarnia.waw.pl. Open Mon-Thu 11:00-24:00; Fri 11:00-2:00; Sat 12:00-2:00; Sun 12:00-24:00. Not only does Chmielarnia house some of the world’s best beers (see Nightlife), but also – as the shrine by the door may suggest – a very good restaurant. Sure, you’re eating in a dark and loud beer cellar (to us that’s a bonus), but the Nepalese chef Ram knows what he’s doing. And aside from Indian and Nepalese staples, there’s a menu tailor-made for the beer swiggers. $

Paros (D4) ul. Jasna 14/16, tel. 22 828 1067. Open

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WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

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 has been known to provoke spontaneous combustion. The other dishes are equally superb, and with this quality on show it’s easy to overlook the primary design and lunar location. Now also in Ursynów at Al. KEN 47. $ 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.

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. $ 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 13:0021:00. Keen, supersize portions and an efficient home delivery service (indiaexpress.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 really worth checking. $ 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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Parivar al. Waszyngtona 75, tel. 22 393 4104. Open 11:00-22:00. The squid sizzler has the taste and texture of that chewing gum you found stuck under the bus seat, while the vindaloo is cunningly disguised as a bowl of red water with some chicken floating about. “I get better curry on the oil rigs,” opined the Insider’s official balti boy. For all of that, the biggest disappointment is Parivar’s apparent success. $

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RESTAURANTS *

Rain by India Curry ul. Żurawia 22, tel. 22 438 9350. Ray Bridgeford – the man who created Sense – has waved his magic wand and reinvented what was the ailing India Curry. It’s not just the fresh contemporary interiors that have changed, but also the menu. Prices have been slashed, and modern ‘funky twist’ Asian dishes have been introduced amongst the Indian staples.

So far so good, with our curry expert rating the starters as the best he’s had in ANY Indian restaurant.

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. $$

Saffron Spices (D6) Pl. Konstytucji 3, www.saffronspices.pl. Open 11:00-23:00. Set on two floors Saffron has a menu more limited than most, though they have at least finally introduced alcohol. The murgh makhani is fiercely inconsistent, and the chicken, in the words of one reader, ‘strange’.

Nonetheless, we like it – when the chef does get it right, this place scores well. $$

Akademia ul. Różana 2, tel. 22 828 99 11. Open 12:00-24:00. 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. $$

INTERNATIONAL & FUSION 4/Czwarte ul. Piaseczynska 71, tel. 22 100 3139, www.4czwarte.pl. Open daily 8:00-23:00. 4/ Czwarte 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.

Chef Kinga Araucz brings a fresh eye to food in Warsaw, and her modern menu combines well with the pleasantly congenial atmosphere and sharp interior. $$

A Nóż ul. Różana 30, tel. 608 386 388. Open 9:0023:00. ‘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.

Paired with a cool, typically Warsaw interior (white, white, white), the owners have a real success story on their hands. $ Bistecca ul. Branickiego 11, tel. 22 258 1243,

www.lecedre.pl ~ opposite to the ZOO ~ Al. Solidarności 61 . 22 670 11 66 lecedre@lecedre.pl

The Best Original Hommous in Town ~ opposite to the court ~ Al. Solidarności 84 . 22 61 88 999 lecedre84@lecedre.pl since 1997

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www.bistecca.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

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

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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 parkland – perfect for lazy summer Sunday’s with family and friends. The menu is Mediterranean in style with strong hints of Italian, though how they fare having lost their French chef Luc remains to be seen. $$ Brasserie Warszawska ul. Górnośląska 24, www.brasseriewarszawska. pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00. A posh looking bistro whose credentials are supported by crisp shirted staff, gleaming surfaces and zinc mirrors. The menu changes daily, and on the Insider’s visit included outstanding Fine de Claire oysters on a bed of fennel. The English influence of an owner who once managed The Grill at London’s Dorchester Hotel, shines through on Friday when dishes like fish & chips are served. $$$ Bufet Centralny (D5)

ul. Żurawia 32/34, tel 523 749 160. Open 12:00-2:00; Sat 12:00-6:00; Sun 14:00-24:00.

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

The Hungarian fish soup is delicious, while the chocolate soufflé is airy, gooey and all things nice. But choice diminishes quickly – get there early to order the ribs. $$ Butchery & Wine (D5) ul. Żurawia 22, tel. 22 502 3118, www. butcheryandwine.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:0022:00. The most talked about restaurant of 2011 shows no sign of waning. Served on wooden boards by staff in butchers aprons, the steaks are beyond reproach, and commonly considered the best in the city. In the evening, reservations remain recommended. $$

By The Way Bottega Kulinarna ul. Lipowa 7a, tel. 22 692 7239, www.bytheway.com. pl. Open 12:00-22:00.

Everything here looks

fantastic – the pared down interiors with their concrete greys and houndstooth touches, and the food. Oh yes, the food. There’s about five mains to hover on, the highlight being the duck breast. The meringue dessert is heaven, as well. $$ Concept 13 (D4) ul. Bracka 9, tel. 22 310 7373. Open 12:0023:00. Perched on the fifth floor of the Vitkac luxury department store, Concept 13 has a look that’d be approved of by any lifestyle mag: hardwood floors, glass and plenty of open spaces. The menu is contemporary and cleverly direct: five course set lunch menus from zł. 50. Modern designer dining BEST WAWA 2012 rarely gets better. $$$ “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. $$$ Duchnicka Wine & Food ul. Duchnicka 3, tel. 22 320 2989, duchnickawinebar.com. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00. Filling the boots of outgoing chef Joseph Seeletso is Michał Budnik, a rising star with a bright future ahead. The thrilling menu includes cappuccino soup, and a totally triumphant T-Bone. $$ Flaming & Co. (E6) ul. Chopina 5, tel. 22 628 8140, www. flaming-co.com. Open 7:30-24:00. A superb eatery seemingly styled by Ralph Lauren.

Winning rave reviews across the board, find a strong international offering and even a small playground in the park that it views. $$

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RESTAURANTS 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. $$ Hoża by Mondovino ul. Hoża 25A, tel. 603 778 275. Open 12:0022:00 (or last guest). 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.

Having a chef who runs his own meat shop is a blessing, with the meat here coming out absolute trumps. $$ Jasna 24 ul. Jasna 24, tel. 22 447 24 41, www.jasna24. pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-23:00; Sat 12:00-24:00; Sun 12:00-20:00. Slick, modern and loungey in look, Jasna 24 has a creative menu that include the use of deliciously unexpected combinations. Roll up on Wednesday’s if you prefer your dinner served with a slice of live music. $$

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

Zwyczajna ul. Wspólna 54, tel. 507 652 596, www.zwyczajna.pl. Open Mon-Sat 8:00-20:00; Sunday 10:00-20:00.

I

n Polish, the word zwyczajna means ‘basic’ or ‘everyday’. And while the décor of this place is hardly run-of-the-mill with its toned-down, country-style elegance, it’s definitely not one of those spots that puts on airs. Which, ironically enough, isn’t so easy to find in Warsaw, with its snooty waiters and stuffy ambiances lurking at every corner. Zwyczajna is perfectly blasé. Located on one of Warsaw’s most happening streets of the moment, Poznańska, and just two blocks away from the whole Beirut-Kraken action, it’s got a more low-key vibe. You’d call it a subtly chic place to enjoy a real quality breakfast or lunch, or a drink and a few nibbles in the evening.

It’s a cozy little place, although the summer garden is a pretty nice touch in warmer weather. I used to live just down the block so I would stop by on a regular basis with some girlfriends over coffee and scrambled eggs to gossip about what went on at the latest

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Friday-night shindigs. Breakfast is served every day (zł. 9-16), with a glorious selection of homey desserts that can even rival that of Smaki Warszawy next door. In fact, given the recent makeover Smaki got in recent months, it’s seems that Zwyczajna may have been proving itself a worthy rival. The beef tartar is a definite winner – fresh and well-seasoned (zł. 18), as are the selection of pierogies (zł. 19). The best though is the daily lunch special, which can range from anything from a schnitzel to grilled cod, plus soup and dessert to boot (zł. 20).

They have a great selection of coffees, fresh-squeezed juices, wines (even a selection of Polish wines) and respectable beers from the Konstancin brewery, plus a traditional menu of classic cocktails at doable prices (zł. 13-17). There’s just really something wholesome and hearty about this place, which makes it easy to let the hours drift by. Which is a dangerous thing when there’s a whole row of utterly delectable cheesecakes and apple pies to damn your willpower. In the end, I just give up because there really isn’t anything better than a well-done dessert to make a day complete. (AMG)

PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

“ You’d call it a subtly chic place to enjoy a real quality breakfast or lunch, or a drink and a few nibbles in the evening”

most theatrical waiter – someone, give him a TV show. $$$ BEST WAWA 2012 “Hotel Restaurant” Winner 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 you – the cooking here demands attention.

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

RISTORANTE SAN LORENZO

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

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Nowa Kuźnia ul. Kostki Potockiego 24, tel. 794 126 019, www.nowakuznia.pl. Open 12:00-last guest.

A mere step from Wilanów’s 18th century church, this onetime blacksmith passes muster for excellent steaks and fresh salads practically plucked from a garden. The summer terrace is magical, and the place even touts a faux beach complete with diggers and slides for the kids. But beware

AL. JANA PAWŁA II 36

the mosquitoes. $$ Opasły Tom (E4) ul. Foksal 17, tel. 22 621 1881. Open 10:0023:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-23:00. Are you inside a bookshop or a restaurant? The mind plays tricks in Opasły. But chef Agata Wojda puts any questions to rest, with outstanding dishes that use fresh, local ingredients – the tasting menu is a must, and proof of Wojda’s increasing rank amongst Warsaw’s best chefs. $$ Passe Partout (H4) ul. Zwycięzców 21, tel. 22 616 2882, 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. 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. The back garden is a secret summer treat. $$

TEL. 22 652 1616 WWW.SANLORENZO.PL facebook.com/warsawinsider

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RESTAURANTS 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, 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. $$ Restauracja 99 (B4) Al. Jana Pawła II 23, tel. 22 620 1999, www. restaurant99.com. Open Mon-Thurs 8:0023:00; Fri 8:00-24:00; Sat 15:00-24:00; Sun 12:00-22:00. Sporting a futuristic look, 99 is an enduring veteran of the CBD circuit. No longer the top dog for business wining / dining, it nonetheless remains a very safe choice for perfect steaks and loaded margaritas. $$ Rozbrat 20 (F5) ul. Rozbrat 20, tel. 22 628 0295, www. rozbrat20.pl. Open Mon-Thu 7:30-23:00; Fri 7:30-last guest; Sat 9:00-last guest; Sun 9:00-22:00. Everything a restaurant should be – modern, but not too excessive, as well as traditional at the same time. Elegance emanates from everything and class glints off the silver champagne bowl and tasteful crockery. The menu is a contemporary, international affair, much like the crowd who appreciate it. $$ SAM (E3) ul. Lipowa 7, tel. 600 806 084. Bistro, bakery,

ul. Domaniewska 17/19 Mon-Sun: 12.00-21.00 phone: 22 847 16 63 mobile: 506 813 300

www.ousushi.pl

Ou Sushi is a magical place where the culinary tradition of the east meets the fantasy and modernity of the west. The secret to our success is our constant quest for perfection.

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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 (D5) 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 SwissPolish 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 (D6) 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. $$ Stółdzielnia (D9) ul. Kazimierzowska 22, tel. 22 845 00 67, www. stoldzielnia.pl. Open 13:00-22:00. A complete anomaly Stółdzielnia looks more like one of those one-day pop-up restaurants: unfinished looking, with odd-shaped tables and stark, sterile colors. But keep an open mind because the food scores big points. The pizza, pasta and seafood dishes incorporate imported Italian ingredients, and come close to blowing your mind. Wow. $$

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: BISTRO TOSCANA

A Taste of Tuscany

Set in Saska Kępa, Bistro Toscana offers a harmonious neighborhood atmosphere and home-style Italian cooking.

a

project of passion, Bistro Toscana is an intensely personal experience, an experience that’s reflected by the proprietor’s enthusiasm. “My mother first created this restaurant ten years ago or so,” says Ania Netzel, the spiritual guardian of this neighborhood haunt. “She’d traveled extensively around Tuscany and had always dreamed of opening a small family restaurant like those she had visited.” That dream became reality with the opening of Bistro Toscana.

Run as a family business, ownership eventually passed into the hands of Ania. “My mother retired, but hey, the show must go. Since then we’ve evolved the kitchen a bit, changed the style a little.” What hasn’t changed are the base philosophies. “We use natural ingredients, no preservatives or additives – we also use as many imported Italian ingredients as possible,” says Ania.

It’s for this reason Bistro Toscana have built up a loyal and steady following of repeat customers. The menu bursts with fresh, seasonal offers, and while highlights are numerous – among them grilled sirloin steak, oven baked bruschetta and fresh fish – few can outshine the penne romano: served with wild mushrooms, spinach and light cream sauce with parsley and gran padano cheese. To conclude, the homemade tiramisu has a fan club of its own.

Lunch deals feature heavily, with daily offers at affordable prices. Sitting under the shadow of the awning, it’s easy to see how Toscana have established themselves as something of a community favorite. Children, too, are not overlooked, and are catered for by way of their own menu, not to mention silencers such as coloring books and crayons. But as day turns to night, appreciate the relaxed familiarity of Toscana with a glass of Prosecco while basking on the terrace.

Bistro Toscana ul. Zwycięzców 28, tel. 22 672 9967, www.bistrotoscana.pl. Open Mon-Fri 10:30-22:00;Sat-Sun 11:00-22:00.

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RESTAURANTS 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. While Robert Trzópek has left the kitchen, he’s been ably replaced by Rafał Hreczaniuk – his menu pitches modern techniques against traditional – primarily root ingredients. It’s 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. To leave a restaurant fortified is to be expected; to leave delighted is the mark of quality. With a clever L-shaped interior, a natural terrace and a gleaming white ceramic kitchen it looks good, but it’s the food that earns the plaudits.

Dominik Moskalenko, the executive chef who cut his teeth on Amber Room has been a central part of this creation from the beginning and the fruits of his labor are mouth-watering.

Fish sit prominently on his menu and account for an astonishing 60% of sales. And rightly so:

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they’re phenomenal. $$

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Winosfera (B3) ul. Chłodna 31, tel. 22 526 2500, www.winosfera.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:0023:00. There have been many reasons to get excited this year, and one of them has been the success of Winosfera. You may think wine is the main talking point here, but actually, it’s the chef: Jakub Admaczyk, an upcoming star who studied his trade in Michelin mainstay The Square. His menu is scintillating: ordering the beef tenderloin is a must, as is the rhubarb parfait. You’ll be happy to pay the heavy handed prices. $$$

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. $$ Bistro Toscana ul. Zwycięzców 28, tel. 22 672 9967, www.bistrotoscana.pl. Open Mon-Fri 10:30-22:00; Sat-Sun 11:00-22:00. A classic neighborhood Italian with a friendly air and the standard rundown of items: spaghetti, penne, gnocchi etc. That all contributes to building a healthy set of repeat customers. $$ 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. $ La Tomatina (D4) ul. Krucza 47. Open Sun-Thurs 11:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-1:00. Calamitous, slapstick service and accusations pointing to the overuse of readymade ingredients shouldn’t detract from splendid pizzas served in a modern interiors of stark white walls and concrete floors. The spicy tiger prawn spaghetti is also great, even if the presentation looks like a student cooked it. $ 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. $ 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. $$ 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

ul. Nowy Świat 49, tel. 22 465 83 20 www.dawnesmaki.pl

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RESTAURANTS designed kitchen uses a lava grill to ensure excellence each time. $$

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Nonsolo pizza (A6) ul. Grójecka 28/30, tel. 22 824 1273.

Open Mon-Sun 12:00-23:00. Basic but modern looking: can be described as ‘cutprice cosmopolitan’. The kitchen takes Stage Center, and a stage it is – amateur theatrics are sometimes part of the bill.

A staggering choice of pizzas await (we counted 48, but might have got it wrong), and while they’re pretty decent it’s a while since Nonsolo was talked about as being Warsaw’s best pie. $

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

The prices are highly intimidating, but are offset by cooking that never falls below brilliant. Hotel restaurants get a bad rep, but in the formal surrounds of Parmiazzano’s diners can expect Italian food at its very best. $$$ Ristorante San Lorenzo (B3)

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. $$$ Superiore ul. Piękna 28/34, tel. 506 404 059, www. superiorewinebar.pl. Mon-Sun 12:00-10:00. A hybrid wine shop, deli and restaurant, with an owner who prefers to think about the enjoyment of your dining experience rather than his cash till. The veal pasta is the bestselling dish here for very good reason. $$

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Sorbo Serpico (E5) ul. Wilcza 8, tel. 604 131 721. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-23:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-23:00. Heavy interiors clotted with figurines and flowers hark back to the restaurant’s previous incarnation as Bacio Angelo. The menu though has had an update, and contains a decent bruschetta starter, and a wonderful steak in green pepper sauce. More changes are promised, making this one to keep an eye on. $$

JASNA 24 was created for all those who don’t only appreciate excellent food, refined drinks and elegant spaces, but also a dash of flavor from the world of art and culture. We have live music every Wednesday, a comfortable atmosphere, magnificent cocktails and a modern, contemporary menu.

Restaurant: Mon-Fri 11:00-23:00; Sat 12:00-24:00; Sun 12:00-20:00 Drink Bar: Fri-Sat 17:00-last guest ul. Jasna 24 tel. 22 447 24 41 restauracja@jasna24.pl, www.jasna24.pl

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Trattoria Rucola na Miodowej (D2)) 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. $

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Vapiano Al. Jerozolimskie 63 & ul. Taśmowa 7, www. vapiano.de/pl. Here’s one chain brand that is worth the hype. Featuring a chic look rounded out with Ferrari red colors, the thin crust pizza earns its spurs, and the pasta combinations are great. $$

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. $$ Inaba (B5) ul. Nowogrodzka 84/86, tel. 22 622 5955, www.inaba.pl. Open 12:00-23:00 (kitchen closes at 22:00). Located in an office building, this place is surprisingly quiet. The miso soup will have you licking your bowl and the sashimi and sushi sets are perfect. It's an old-timer, but it's still up there as a real contender. $$ 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. $$ Ou Sushi ul. Domaniewska 17/19, tel. 22 847 16 63, www.ousushi.pl. Open 12:00-21:00. There can never be enough sushi in Warsaw, not least when it’s this good. The temaki rolls are outstanding. $$ 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 Club (B1) ul. Stawki 3, tel. 22 114 1414. Open 12:0023:00. A couple of dining rooms to choose from, including one found in a restorative salt cave. The lack of English on the menu may leave you bamboo-zled, but the overall quality

is rewarding. We return for the salmon nigri and tuna hosomaki. $$ 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. $$ Tekeda

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RESTAURANTS ul. Freta 18, tel. 600 351 818, www. sushitekeda.pl. Open 12:00-22:00. In an area plagued by tourist rip-offs, Tekeda get it right with a good balance of sushi and wok dishes. The grilled maki is particularly pleasing. $$ Tomo (D5) ul. Krucza 16/22, tel. 22 434 2344, www.tomo.pl. Open 12:00-23:00. Excellent.

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

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

Operating since the 1950s – crazy when you think about it. This is the place for an ordinary meal in an ordinary space. The menu mixes aspects of Polish and Jewish cooking, and fails to do a good job of either.

Entertainment is provided by the staff: find them frequently at war with the people they serve. $

LATIN & MEXICAN 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. $$ 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. $$ Ole Tapas (E5) ul. Bracka 2, tel. 519 875 767, www.ole-restaurant.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

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

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

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Spoco Loco ul. Sarmacka 10, tel. 887 447 447, www.spocoloco.pl. Open 11:00-21:00. Also ul. Francuska 8. Open 12:00-22:00. It’s getting competitive in the Tex Mex sector, thanks in part to the rise

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

ORIGINAL CHINESE CUISINE

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of Spoco Loco. Salsas are graded from 1-7, and wannabe’ hotheads should test themselves against the No. 7: rated as The Hottest Sauce in Warsaw, it’ll leave plumes of smoke billowing from your bottom. Huge servings and liberal prices ensure you get plenty of bang for your buck, though don’t expect the full restaurant experience. $ Tex Mex (H4) ul. Zwycieczów 11. Open Mon-Sat 10:0022:00; Sun 13:00-22:00. Featuring a street level take out window and a glum looking basement, Tex Mex is a crushing experience where everything from the tortillas to the salsa taste like something you’d pick up in a supermarket. And, yay Gods, there’s the obligatory dollop of Polski-style salad loaded with gherkins. $ The Mexican (D1) ul. Podwale 29, tel. 22 635 3232, www.mexican.pl. Everything Mexican food shouldn’t be. There’s zero zing, and no matter what you order anticipate mysterious gloop with lots of mashed cabbage. It’s all such a

shame, because with its burbling fountain and courtyard location The Mexican looks like it could be the real deal. Find their latest imposter hawking for custom on Zgoda 6. $$ Warsaw Tortilla Factory (D5) ul. Wilcza 46 (entrance from ul. Poznańska), tel. 22 621 8622, www.warsawtortillafactory.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. Hefty portions, freshly made tortillas and salsas that will rattle your brain are the core principles here. But don’t think of WTF as a mere restaurant. This ex-pat haven has it all, from live sports, bands and a party atmosphere that drags long into the night. $$

MIDDLE EASTERN

www.lecedre.pl. Open daily 11:00-23:00. With the decadent dazzle of a bedouin tent, nights in Le Cedre are best celebrated with blasts on a sheesha and their Friday night belly dancer.

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

Le Cedre (F1) Al. Solidarności 61, tel. 22 670 1166,

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.

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RESTAURANTS 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

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.

Insider Pick Blue Cactus ul. Zajączkowska 11, tel. 22 851 2323, www.bluecactus.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 08:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-22:00.

O

le! This iconic Mexican restaurant is surging from its long slumber and, like a practiced cowboy, is proving that it still has a few tricks wrapped up in its lasso. In its heyday, Blue Cactus was the place to be. Well positioned at the base of Park Morskie Oko, it has, for 17 years, been a boisterous site of family dining, corporate mixers and at times, raucous clubbing. But the blue lady slipped a bit, the paint faded, the food went flat and those margaritas seemed

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to lose their tequila.

Enter Executive Chef Patrick Hanna. Hailing from California (where they really know their guajillo from their poblano chilies) the global nomad has taken to this southwestern U.S. styled eatery like... well, a cowboy to his saddle. He arrived four months ago, assessed the kitchen first, and set about bringing to life his mantra of “staying true to identity.” Combining the barbequing techniques of the southern states with the humble but potent tastes of northern Mexico, the new Blue Cactus highlights some of the cuisine’s natural strengths.

Polish-produced Angus beef, a rarity here, is featured on the a la carte menu. A reasonably fix-priced lunch menu of meats from the outdoor grill includes an American-style coleslaw which is perked up with lots of fresh lime and cilantro, and a couple squares of five-star cornbread (Chef Hanna combines three different types of cornmeal to get just the right texture). There is also an impressive rotating selection of several different homemade sausages that are smoked in-house and charred on the grill. The rose-colored chorizo sausage is a red pepper lover’s delight.

A Mexican meal is incomplete without two components: margaritas and tortillas. The Blue Cactus margarita is 100% fresh – limes, tequila, triple sec and a little sugar. The corn tortillas (20,000 of them ordered per month) come fresh from a little old lady in Kraków – really! Fashioned into chips in the kitchen, they are perfect complements for the homemade guacamole and salsas. While Americans who are used to complimentary chips and salsa back home might balk at having to pay, the treat of tasting the fresh dips made in an avocado-challenged country is worth the złotys. Whether you are homesick for some good grub or looking for a bit of culinary adventure, grab that Stetson hat and head on over. We reckon you can’t do much better.

meaty, lardy food best consumed with one liter beers. The Rynek location and festive atmosphere account for its popularity more than anything that comes from the kitchen. $ Belvedere Restaurant (F8) ul. Agrykoli 1, (entrance from ul. Parkowa), tel. 22 558 6700, www.belvedere.com.pl.

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

desserts are something else. $$$ Bistro Warszawa (B1) ul. Jezuicka 1, tel. 22 635 3769, www.bistrowarszawa.pl. Open 12:00-24:00.

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

The interiors are strictly contemporary though, with vanilla colored furnishings, wine racks and walls papered with hundreds of theater scripts and book pages. Regular jazz performances draw crowds from across the city. $$

Chłopskie Jadło (D6) pl. Konstytucji 1, tel. 22 339 1717; ul. Wierzbowa 9/11, tel. 22 827 0351.

Biała Gęś (F8) ul. Belwederska 18A, tel. 22 840 5060, A chain enterprise designed to mimic a www.bialages.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. peasant inn, what with all the clunky pots All the props and staff of its predecessor and rustic supplements. And if it’s farmers (Tradycja Polska) are present, with the confare you’re after then the food isn’t bad either, spicuous add-on being flocks of white geese. with thick, lumpy servings of countryside And indeed, goose is the big draw here – these classics. $ guys can fix you a whole bird if you book in advance (zł. 460 for four). As can be said of all Dawne Smaki (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 49, tel. 22 465 83 20, www. places bearing Magda Gessler’s initials, the

dawnesmaki.pl. Open Sun-Thurs 12:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-1:00. At last, a proper restaurant on Nowy Świat! The interiors hark to the past, while the back garden promises an oasis-like experience. Chef Michał Bajerski, formerly of Regina Hotel, wraps it up nicely with a fantastic menu that modernizes traditional Polish recipes. The deer steak is highly recommended. $$ Delicja Polska (D6) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 45, tel. 22 826 4770, www.delicjapolska.pl.

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

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RESTAURANTS *

Folk Gospoda (B3) ul. Waliców 13, tel. 22 890 1605, www.folkgospoda.pl. Open 12:00-midnight.

Clad in heavy wood furniture, it’s akin to happening on a log mountain cabin. Quaint, cute and charming, Folk Gospoda trades sophistication and other Warsaw values in exchange for a hearty style that recalls village life. The menu, presented by waiters dressed like Zakopane tinkers, is a sturdy affair and promises all the dishes expected of a traditional banquet. Mains are a manly affair (solid, meaty and served in generous portions), while the chłodnik is, says one Polish associate, “the best I’ve ever had”. $$ Inn Under the Red Hog (B3) ul. Żelazna 68, tel. 22 850 3144, www.czerwonywieprz.pl. Open daily 12:0024:00. 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

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and Lennox Lewis have. The menu is comically split between dishes for the proletariat and for dignitaries, and is an experience in itself. $$ Kameralna (E4) 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. $ Kuchnia Funkcjonalna (G3) 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

WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

lighting, giving the restaurant a warm, summer glow. $$

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Pierrogeria (D6) Pl. Konstytucji 2, tel. 22 743 7644, www.pierrogeria.eu. Open 11:00-23:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-23:00. A jolly, busy restaurant that sees it all: from busloads of tourists, to locals who recognize this as the great deal it is. Pierogi are the forte, obviously, though the emphasis on fresh and natural ingredients extends all the way down to the drinks: there’s even Polish ecological wine. $ Podwale Piwna Kompania (D2) ul. Podwale 25, tel. 22 635-6314, www.podwale25.pl. Open Mon-Sat 11:00-01:00; Sun 12:00-01:00. Set through a courtyard that replicates a Mitteleuropa square, Podwale has a beer hall atmosphere that’s further exaggerated when mountain bands circulate. Food is of average standard and served in portions that are obscene – finishing the wooden platters can be seriously traumatic. Go there for the experience, if nothing else. $

Restauracja Pod Gigantami (E5) Al. Ujadowskie 24, tel. 22 629 2312, www.podgigantami.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. Despite being judged worthy of a recommendation by the scouts at Michelin, Pod Gigantami divides local opinion; it’s not just the Insider that’s found the food only satisfactory. But the wine list impresses, as do the painfully ornate turn-of-the-century interiors. $$$

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

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:

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

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

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

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RESTAURANTS not quality) ratio guarantees queues (yes, queues) that stretch out on the street every weekend. $$

innovatively concocted ingredients.

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

SPECIALTY FOOD SHOPS 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

African Shop ul. Andersa 27, tel. 507 247 292, www. afroeuro.eu. Beans, beverages, flour and soup thickeners. Hair products and cosmetics also available, and they promise to be bringing in Abyssinian coffee in the near future as well. ‘’Excellent,’’ gushes one Zimbabwean connection.

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.

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.

Krakowski Kredens Various locations across town, check their website for details: www.krakowskikredens. pl. Jams, syrups, honey and preserves, as well as fantastic hams and kiełbasa from the Galicia region.

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

La Fromagerie ul. Burakowska 5/7, tel. 22 465 2324, www.lafromagerie.pl. Open Mon-Thur 9:0020:00; Fri 9:00-21:00; Sat 10:00-19:00; Sun 11:30-16:00. Top quality cheeses produced by small, artisan producers from England, the major regions of France as well as several other

“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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countries. Also, grourmet specialities like Italian parma ham, Spanish chorizo, French sausages, and hard-to-find luxury brands from France, Italy, Greece and more.

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

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

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

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

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.

meals, drinks and even Indian toiletries.

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.

Nowy Targ in Nowy Teatr ul. Madalińskiego 10/16. Open Sat 9:0015:00. 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.

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!

Namaste India ul. Nowogrodzka 15, tel. 22 357 0939.

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

Not just an excellent take-away, but also a small deli selling herbs and spices, ready

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

Papryka-Hungarian Store ul. Zwycięzców 22, tel. 22 616 0257,

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 www.papryka-salami.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:0019:00; Sat 11:00-15:00. A Hungarian deli selling wine, meats, preserves and spices.

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

BEST WAWA 2012 “Gourmet Grocery” Winner Polna Market ul. Polna 13, Open Mon-Fri 7:00-19:00, Sat 7:00-17:00. Known as ‘Warsaw’s Market’ during communism, this was the place to get treasured goods from the West. Find a couple of wine stores, an outstanding butcher, and a fab produce stand selling only the freshest vegetables, but at a cost.

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 Veg Deli ul. Radna 14, tel. 516 188 136. Open 12:0022:00. Rarely has rabbit food been so enticing.

Delicious soups, bagels, dals, salads and suchlike are made with only the freshest local ingredients. $ 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 skill levels.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: RESTAURACJA CAPRI

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here was a time when dining in shopping centers meant a choice between burgers or chicken. But Warsaw has evolved, not just in her shopping habits but her dining habits as well – it’s no longer good enough to offer shoppers sub-standard junk and processed cardboard food. Evidence of this is found in the growing number of bona fide restaurants that have opened in malls… restaurants like Capri.

Set on the top floor of the labyrinthine Promenada, the family-run Capri has come to be regarded as a genuine destination restaurant. Long and narrow, the bijou sense of intimacy prompts diners to immediately forget the shopping mall background. But for this little piece of Italy to come alive one must first sample the menu: family diners are certain to be impressed by the pizzas, though for more tender trysts peruse antipasti like beef carpaccio, before picking from homemade pastas and spaghetti, or sophisticated mains like our tender lamb chops. For afters, the house tiramisu will melt the hardest of hearts, and is all the better when paired with a nightcap chosen from a list of Southern Italian wines. Using the freshest of ingredients is a cornerstone of our philosophy, and is one of the reasons we’ve earned our reputation. And the other reasons? You’ll need to see for yourself.

Restauracja Capri ul. Ostrabramska 75C (Promenada), tel. 22 611 3737, www.restauracjacapri.pl. Open Mon-Sat 11:00-22:00; Sun 11:00-20:00

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“ But for this little piece of Italy to come alive one must first sample the menu”

Reviews: Brooklyn Bakery & Wine 59 / Plus:

* 4 updates

CAFÉS & WINE BARS CAFES 59 / WINE BARS 62

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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. 86 ...... (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.

Brooklyn Bakery & Wine ul. Żurawia 32/34, tel. 508 800 787. Open Mon-Thu 7:30-22:00; Fri-Sat 7:30-7:00; Sun 10:00-22:00.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY KAROLINA KALINOWSKA

he part of Żurawia behind Novotel has become a hub for successful establishments, beginning with Bufet Centralny and Butchery & Wine to the recent additions of Bobby Burger and Mono Bar’s newest reincarnation. So what, asks just about everyone who stumbles across it, is this caricature of a restaurant doing here? Over these past two years Varsovians have become spoilt for choice when it comes to places to dine and drink at.

Places like this, aesthetically and gastronomically displeasing, no longer impress the cosmopolitan Varsovian who more likely than not has been in the Big Apple more than once and will sense within two seconds that the only relation to Brooklyn here is in the name.

My first thought upon entering was, sadly, that I’d accidentally teleported to a corner of rural Poland or moved back in time to early 00s Warsaw, at best… I wish I were being harsh here. But the bruschetta, ordered as the safest choice, had more garlic than even a garliclover would tolerate, and came prepared on a soggy white “baguette”, meant to be homebaked but instead with the tell-tale imprints of a supermarket acquired offender: sure it was original, but also foul-tasting in its composition of garlic, grated mozzarella and chili powder… and the garlic even got into the lemonade. Following this was a cheesecake. I’d hoped, at the very least, this creation would justify the ‘bakery’ in the name. Not a chance.

It too was supermarket bought and as artificial as they get, smothered in chocolate sauce of the 2 złoty gofry variety.

Many questions remain regarding Brooklyn, but mainly how on Earth they have gotten reviews such as, “Best place to eat in town!” And why Magda Gessler has not done a Culinary Revolution (aired on TVN) here yet. If you dare to go there despite everything, may it only be for the curiosity that is the interior design – do not venture anywhere near the food. (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.

Bułkę przez Bibułkę ul. Puławska 24, www.bulkeprzezbibulke. pl. Open 8:00-22:00; Sat 9:00-22:00; Sun 9:00-16:00. 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 or age, there’s something immediately sunny and positive

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CAFÉS & WINE BARS about this place. Slow food sandwiches arrive on wooden boards, there’s pretty homemade desserts and a careful choice of wine: falling in love with it is easy.

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

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

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

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

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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 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.

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Francuska 30 (H4) ul. Francuska 30. Open daily 8:00-22:00. An attractive modern cafe whose primary talking point is the terrace: a colorful affair shaded by dozens of umbrellas dangling from above.

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.

WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

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Koszyki (D6) ul. Koszykowa 63. Open Tue-Fri 10:00-20:00; Sat 9:00-20:00; Sun 9:00-17:00. Not just Warsaw’s best urban market, but also a very decent café. Set in the ceramic tiled entrance of Hala Koszyki, there’s some fabulous food squiggled on the blackboard, and that definitely includes the boeuf bourgignon.

Find a raw juice stand and fruit and fish stalls in the sunny yard/ruin behind.

Kubek w Kubek Café ul. Grażyny 16, tel. 796 207 488, www. kubekwkubek.com. Open Mon-Fri 9:3020:00; Sat-Sun 9:30-17:00. The philosophy of the place is simple and Scandinavian, i.e., high quality products, a concise menu and an understated interior. 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.

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.

Limoni Canteri 1952 ul. Dąbrowskiego 1. Open 8:00-22:00.

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.

Magiel Café ul. Stępińska 2, tel. 22 841 0016, www.magielcafe.pl. Open Mon-Sat 11:00-22:00; 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.

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.

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

Looking raw, industrial and refreshingly ascetic, the principal feature of Socjal is the long communal table – who you end up talking to is down to the dice. There’s few better places to order the Prosecco and act oh so continental.

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.

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.

Sto900 (E3) ul. Solec 18/20, tel. 787 696 241.

Open 9:00-22:00; Fri 9:00-24:00; Sat 10:0024:00; Sun 10:00-22:00. A fabulous café/ restaurant with a spontaneous design that jumbles bricks and wood with mismatched

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

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

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

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.

HARD ROCK CAFE WARSAW IS NOW SERVING BREAKFASTS

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

Informal looking with its clean white finishes and stripped wood floors, it’s an ideal spot for a lazy weekend – and with the garden furniture back out, few places in Warsaw feel so naturally continental. The food, it needs to be said, is very good indeed, with hefty steaks, multiple burgers and some fine desserts.

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.

Relaks ul. Puławska 48. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-21:00; Sat 10:00-19:00; Sun 10:00-18:00. Delete Starbucks from memory: if you take your coffee seriously, then no-one does it better 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 heavy retro accent.

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.

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

Now the same minds have expanded their offer to include this café, a delightful spot that opened in summer. The deckchairs outside may have gone but the hype lingers on: an eclectic design marries a Scandinavian look to an eccentric spirit, while unpasteurized beers, organic teas and a locally sourced menu do the rest. It’s a winner!

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CAFÉS & WINE BARS 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.

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 room stage area to the Chłodna Comedy Club.

Wars i Sawa (E3) ul. Dobra 14/16. Open Mon-Thu 10:0022:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-1:00; Sun 12:00-22:00.

Creaking floorboards, unfinished plastering and piles of books set the tone to this ‘culture café’. It’s exactly what you’d expect of Powiśle, and the sort of stop best enjoyed on your own with a pot of tea, a dog-eared novel and your tightest skinny jeans.

WINE BARS

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Ale Wino! (E5) ul. Mokotowska 48, tel. 22 628 3830.

Open Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00. Covertly stashed inside a courtyard, that Ale Wino’s! neighbors include fashion Tsar Robert Kupisz announce this place as the frontline of cool – as if to qualify this, find furnishings 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. In summer, there’s two further reasons to visit: a quiet terrace shaded by a sail, and gazpacho like we’ve never had before.

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

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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.

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 Enoteka (C2) ul. Długa 23/25, tel. 22 635 5510, www.enotekapolska.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-midnight; Sun 14:00-22:00. Located just outside the Old Town, this minimalist wine bar is a great place for a date. Wines from top European wine makers are impressive and the prices are very decent.

Hoża by Mondovino ul. Hoża 25, tel. 603 778 275. Open a matter of hours before we hit the printers, so we’ve no report yet other than we’ve been told to expect big, big things from this café-resto-bar hybrid. So we hear, there’s an expert Argentinean chef at the helm – we can’t wait to see what he does with the grill.

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.

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

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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). Retaining a fiercely loyal customer base, some argue it’s the best wine bar in Warsaw, others that it’s the best in Poland. Combining old and new world wines this pared-down warehouse is filled to bursting with crates and boxes, thought the best aspect is the verdant green square it’s centered around. Sitting outside, you ask yourself, “Am I really in Warsaw?”

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

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

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

Winny Przystanek ul. Mickiewicza 20, tel. 789 321 333.

Open Tue-Fri 11:00-22:00; Sat-Mon 15:0022:00. Found on the frontline of Żoliborz here’s the perfect wine bar – no jumped up city traders, just a chilled out crowd of locals enjoying a tipple from the impressive wall of wine. You’ll warm immediately to the condensed interiors which resound to the busy scrape of wood fittings on tiled, checkered floors. A great initiative that shows a good wine bar doesn’t have to take itself too seriously.

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.

Reviews: Haka 63 / Plus:

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NIGHTLIFE

BARS & PUBS 63 / CLUBS 67 / GENTLEMAN’S CLUBS 68 / JAZZ CLUBS 68 / OUTDOOR BARS 68 / SHOT BARS 66

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Insider’s Pick

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

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

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Map location pg. 86 ...... (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.

Haka ul. Bracka 20. Open 10:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-1:00; Sun 12:00-22:00.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ED WIGHT

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he big buzz in July found itself on Bracka, a street which most residents associate with the ‘see and be scene’ at Między Nami. In operation since Warsaw grew out of shorts, Między Nami have dictated the pace of this promenade for years, doing an efficient job of bulldozing any competition that opened nearby. That though, that stands to change.

Occupying a smallish space of 30 meters or so, Haka doesn’t sound like a natural challenger to Między Nami’s title, but a challenger it is. Composed using sparing means, interiors consist of exposed brickwork and metal bits and bobs. Intimate in size and nature, you can easily picture it as a warming winter bolt hole. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves – thanks to their terrace, they effectively double their size, providing a sun kissed option for the sweaty month ahead.

Haka’s early success though is not attributed to the fine weather. The reasons are deeper than that, and rest with three people: Kevin, the rugged Irish gent who formerly ran Bradley’s. Then there’s Kasia, a self-confessed wine buff whose previous form includes heading Cenzura. Finally, there’s Shane, a bubbly Kiwi in command of the kitchen. In Haka’s case, these three different skill sets have been utilized to maximum effect.

This is not some miniature version of Bradley’s – you won’t find drunken heffalumps scrumming over sport. What you will find is a positively international experience that aims its guns at a crowd infinitely more sensible and sedate. Drinks are by way of draught Perła and tap Prosecco, reflecting the more urbane style that’s been embraced by the owners. Food, meanwhile, is not an afterthought – on the contrary, Shane has created a global menu that involves ‘sharing plates’, burgers, wraps and salads. And this is not the grey affair it might usually sound: on the contrary, find such fineries as tandoori chicken wraps, watermelon feta salad and chicken wings with chili butter – it’s cooking of a style and standard you’d find in London’s Soho. Haka is not an easy place to define. Is it a bar? A restaurant? Something else?

The truth will never be known – it’s a bit of everything: a breakfast hangout, a working lunch, an after-work drink and a Saturday session. Most importantly, it’s really rather good. (AW)

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.

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Black Sheep (B2) Al. Jana Pawła II 45A (enter from Nowolipki), tel. 883 688 722. Open Mon-Thu 10:0024:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-2:00; Sun 11:00-23:00. A dazzle of vivid, vibrant colors announce Black Sheep, a three floor fortress that serves a dual purpose: that of a bar and a snowboard shop. By in large the two functions are kept segregated, but chances remain high that you’ll be drinking with Polski-style skater girls and hoodie-topped surf dudes.

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 around, and consider instead the heinous

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NIGHTLIFE 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.

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Cuda Na Kiju (E4) ul. Nowy Świat 6/12, tel. 662 006 106. Open 9:00-last guest. Warsaw’s multi-tap revolution started here! Marketed at normal people – not just hipsters, for a change – this sleek space comes drenched in sunlight that comes slanting through the four glass walls. Could it be too basic? No – anything else would detract from the main attraction: the beer.

About 15 taps dispense regional brews, cult indy productions as well as quirky imports from Czech, Belgium and beyond.

Czarna.Bar ul. Sienkiewicza 4, tel. 22 416 2467. Open 12:00-23:00; Sat 10:00-23:00; Sun 10:0021:00. 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

in the biggest

GET FREE BEER

Chmielarnia (B4) ul. Twarda 42 (basement level), www.chmielarnia.waw.pl. Open Mon-Thu 11:00-24:00; Fri 11:00-2:00; Sat 12:00-2:00; Sun 12:00-24:00.

A subterranean space that can get loud and rackety, sweaty and sticky. Featuring a ‘tomb’ of mainstream beers, Chmielarnia may look a little basic, but it’s definitely the real deal.

A peerless selection of craft beer sees 40 lagers rotated on 15 taps, and even more rare finds in the fridge: among them BrewDog, Lindemanns, and of course a comprehensive choice of experimental Polish brews.

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Coctail Bar Max (E5) ul. Krucza 16/22, www.barmax.pl. With its light wood touches and fruity montages Max looks bright, cheerful and fully loaded for summer. The cocktails are often extravagant affairs that resemble a tropical jungle in condensed form.

multi tap in Warsaw

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

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WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

Tues-Thurs, 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 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.

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Kufle i Kapsle (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 25, tel. 22 127 7218.

Open 16:00-24:00. Ten tap and two pump beers offer a magnificent spread of daily changing beers, and the good news continues with the choice in the fridge: there’s 120 beers down there, so gamble on a rather jolly summer. Interiors are balanced with the pre-war heritage of the building, though are likely to work better once the sun packs up for the year. There is a ventilation system, it’s just pretty dire – arrive early to snag a terrace spot.

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.

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.

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.

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OSP Saka Kępa ul. Walecznych 74. Open 14:30-last guest.

A little on the small side, the interior features several bits of Fireman Sam detritus: helmets, goggles, a uniform and some toy fire trucks (it’s in a fully functioning fire station!). A decent beer selection cools down neighborhood drinkers, not to mention decent bites which include a refreshing melon chłodnik.

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.

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Paradox (B1) ul. Anielewicza 2, www.paradox-cafe.pl. Open Sun-Thu 10:00-24:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-2:00. Billing themselves as a ‘sci-fi / gamers / role play asylum’ this is a cradle of geeks, nerds and people who collect serial killer memorabilia.

Decorated with plastic black crows, a map of Mordor and figurines of goblins, watch as oddly attired suspects engross themselves in ‘for hire’ games with names like Hobbit and Bewoulf.

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.

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NIGHTLIFE 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.

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) 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.

Rain by India Curry ul. Żurawia 22, tel. 22 438 9350. What was a standard Indian restaurant has been reinvented as both a slick ‘modern Indian’ eatery and… a bar! There’s Perła on tap, but the real point is made by the cocktails. They’re concocted by Konrad (ex Porto Praga), a mixologist supreme: with Warsaw on heat, try the watermelon Martini or the house drink –

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.

Meta ul. Mazowiecka 11 & ul. Foksal 21. Open 11:00-6:00. Affecting the style of a PRL era bar, these twin venues feature a raft of keepsakes leftover from the old days – right down to chains of bog paper that commonly retailed.

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

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the day gets older. In quieter times, check the newspaperd walls to read up on 1980s sports reports.

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, and it is a good spot to watch the latest rainbow fire.

WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

Frozen Rain. With this guy making the drinks, you won’t stop at one.

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Someplace Else (E5) Sheraton Hotel, ul. Prusa 2, tel. 22 450 6710, warszawa.someplace-else.pl. Open Mon-Thu 12:00-1:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-2:00; Sun 12:00-24:00. The flagship bar of the Sheraton is familiar ground to most ex-pats. With a look that says urban/industrial, it’s one of the more unique hotel bars out there, a point underlined by a live music schedule that’s still considered one of the best there is.

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 8:00last 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. 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 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 of Scotland, Ireland and Japan.

BEST 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.

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

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 21:00-4:00.

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.

The Eve (D3) Pl. Piłsudskiego 9 (corner of ul. Wierzbowa), tel. 22 827 5242, www.theeve.pl. Open Wed-Fri 17:00-last guest; Sat 20:00-last guest. Beauty and booty come first in The Eve, a blinged up offshoot of Platinium nearby. A cutthroat door policy ensures plenty of egos crash and die at the door, and it’s got a Bacchanalian reputation for champagne popping high jinks. Observe them through the one way mirror in the VIP room.

Foksal XVIII ul. Foksal 18. Open Fri-Sat 10:00-4:00. Composed using chandeliers, bricks and velvet this classy space has gone head to head with The Eve as Warsaw’s flashest venue: breathe deep and smell the money.

Warsaw’s Best Craft Beer Bar!

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.

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 20:00-6:00. The place if you’re rich or beautiful – but preferably both.

Large and spectacular you’ll need to be dressed to the nines to reap the rewards that lie inside: featuring the most eye candy per sq/m in Europe, you might not find Mr/Mrs Right, but BEST you will find Mr/Mrs Right for Now. WAWA 2012 “Rich & Pretty Club” Winner

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Sen Pszczoły (G1) ul. Ząbkowska 27/31, www.senpszczoly.pl.

Open Tue-Wed 18:00-2:00; Thu-Sat 18:005:00; Sun 18:00-2:00. A dive club of legend.

With the original turned to ashes (literally, it

A mecca for beer enthusiasts with over 40 top Polish and international breweries represented and rotated on up to 16 beer taps.

These include: Pinta, Rodenbach, Tucher, St. Austell, Ale Browar, Haust, Jan Olbracht and many more.

And we’re not just about beer but quality food!

Order gourmet Thai and Nepalese dishes cooked by our Nepalese chef!

CHMIELARNIA MULTI-TAP

UL. TWARDA 42 (BASEMENT LEVEL) WWW.CHMIELARNIA.WAW.PL

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NIGHTLIFE burnt down earlier in the year), the owners could have been forgiven for calling it a day.

They haven’t. Instead they’ve reopened in Koneser, and unleashed Warsaw’s most surreal interior in the process: amid the heavy industrial background expect bunk bed frames, a dentist’s chair and no shortage of neon painted weirdness. Concerts are a mixed bag, and range from didgeridoo performances to inter-war songs to full-on techno that rattles the ribcage.

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.

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

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.

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.

a campsite and flea market. Visit late on a weekend to find the marquees and open-air 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.

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.

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.

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 Temat Rzeka (G3) benches while sausages grill over an open Under Poniatowskiego Bridge. Open fire, inside this classic rough-and-ready drinkery. Catch it at its best in summer when Sun-Tue 11:00-1:00; Wed 11:00-2:00; Thu 11:00-3:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-5:00. Making its the outdoor seating is thronged. debut this summer, Temat have emerged Miasto Cypel as Warsaw’s favorite summer home. ul. Zaruskiego 6, miastocypel.eu. Open Appearing as a pimped-up cargo container, Mon-Thur 16:00-24:00; Fri 16:00-6:00; this beach bar complex has a busy schedSat 12:00-6:00; Sun 12:00-24:00. Located ule that involves DJ performances and in a forest clearing near the banks of the film nights. It can feel saturated, but that Wisła, this creative community includes doesn’t stop anyone.

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WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

friendship taking place behind the curtain.

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.

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.

Jazzarium (D5) ul. Wilcza 50/52, tel. 601 327 634. Open Mon-Fri 8:30-last gues; Sat 18:00-last guest.

Owned by Mariusz Adamiak, Jazzarium is certainly the most serious of Warsaw’s jazz venues, with a reportoire that reflects the proprietor’s standing in the music biz. What looks like a pretty ordinary cafe, transforms the moment there’s a concert.

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.

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ACCESSORIES 71 / FASHION 69 / HOME DECOR 72 / SHOPPING MALLS 72

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Louis Vuitton ul. Bracka 9 (Vitkac Department Store), tel. 22 450 3000, www.louisvuitton.com.

Open Mon-Sat 11:00-21:00; Sun 11:00-18:00.

PHOTOGRAPH LOUIS VUITTON PRESS MATERIAL

EAGLE

t last, the famous LV monogrammed bags, wallets, suitcases and shoes have made their way to Poland. If you’ve been around Al. Jerozolimskie over the past month, you would have noticed that the upscale, ultra elegant Vitkac department store has become home to the Louis Vuitton shop (the huge LV bag installation as an extension of the mall’s entrance should have been a not-so subtle giveaway).

The two-storey boutique offers everything from the all-time-classics, to the newest designs. As each of the items is displayed in its own personal space, with its own spotlight, along with a team of security guards who carefully survey every customer’s move, the impression of being in a museum lingers heavily. And that’s not the only “artistic” connection. To celebrate the opening, Louis Vuitton commissioned a young upcoming Polish artist, Wojciech Pus, to conceive a unique art project in its shop windows. The installation, entitled Paparazzi, will be on display until mid-August and will then be housed at Warsaw’s Museum of Modern Art. This is the first Louis Vuitton shop in Poland, which signals, according to Robert Eggs, President of Louis Vuitton for Northern Europe, that “the Polish client is increasingly ready to invest in luxury products.” Eggs himself was present at the launch last month.

Apparently, at the beginning of the 20th century, renowned Polish pianist and politician Ignacy Jan Paderewski, as well as the blue-blooded Lubomirski and Czartoryski families, were all loyal clients of the brand – now you can be too, provided you are ready to shell out at least €500 (the base price for a bag). Prices go north from there, all the way up to €19,000 for the most expensive python, ostrich or crocodile leather goods. And don’t expect a late summer sale bargain: Louis Vuitton prides itself as a place with no bargains, or sales. Ever. So it might, unfortunately, be a while before my piggy bank collects enough quarters for one of those bad boys. (ID)

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.

Bizuu ul. Koszykowa 1, tel. 609 888 363, www.bizuu. pl. A gorgeous, feminine collection from two talented Polish designers – including, the must need pastels of the coming season.

Chiara ul. Mokotowska 49, tel. 22 376 5489.

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-16:00.

A solid assortment of Marc Jacobs and other top international designers such as Michael Kors and Jil Sander. The current collection is a true tribute to S/S 2012 - bright colours, florals, platform heels and wedges.

Designer Secret Al. Witosa 31 (1st floor, outlet 119), CH Panorama, tel. 506 051 048, www.designersecret.pl. High end designer clothing brands at discount prices. The racks brim with women and men’s apparel from the 2008-2010 collections, with price tags that read from one third to 50% off the original price.

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SHOPPING Eleven* ul. Wilcza 11, tel. 794 347 928, www.be-eleven.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11.00-19.00; Sat 11.00-16.00 (shopping by appointment also available). Find clothing, accessories and jewelry from a carefully selected portfolio that combines up-and-coming international brands such as Sandwich and Joseph Ribkoff with the best of Poland’s flourishing fashion scene.

And what better way to contemplate this eclectic mix than with a glass of wine or an energizing espresso in hand?

Follow Me ul. Okrąg 1, tel. 669 295 567. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-19:30; Sat 11:00-15:00. A superb footwear store with Italian import brands such as Mauro Leone.

Frank A (E6) ul. Natolińska 3. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 12:00-15:00. The interior is painfully chic and the clothing effortlessly elegant with a minimalist edge. Stocks major brands that you can’t find anywhere else in Warsaw, from handbags from Pauric Sweeney, perfectly fashioned tees from American Vintage and ballet flats from Bloch.

Gosia Baczyńska (Praga) ul. Floriańska 6, tel. 516 133 507, www.gosiabaczynska.com.pl. This elegant boutique on the other side of the river features gorgeous, unique designer pieces.

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, 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.

L’Aura (E6) ul. Mokotowska 26, tel. 22 625 1680.

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

Warsaw has its modest share of designer boutiques, but L’Aura is the only place in the city where you can find unique pieces from the likes of Hussein Chalayan, Dries Van

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Noten and Veronique Branquinho.

ing. Check out their online store.

Likus Concept Store (D3) Vitkac, ul. Bracka 9, 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.

Pinko (D4) ul. Bracka 2, tel. 22 628 5048; Promenada shopping centre, www.pinko.it. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-20:00; Sat 11:00-18:00. Straight from Italy, this exclusive shop offers an array of chic day wear and eye-catching casual and evening clothes.

Loft Fashion ul. Burakowska 5/7 (2nd floor), tel. 22 636 0255, www.loft-fashion.pl. Open Mon-Fri 13:00-20:00; Sat 11:00-18:00. Everything the businessman requires: suits, shirts, shoes and cigars. Impeccable tri-lingual service in a top location. In July you can enjoy a summer clearance with 70% off.

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.

Marks & Spencer (D4) DT Wars & Sawa, ul. Marszałkowska 104/122, tel. 22 551 7553, www.marks-and-spencer. com.pl. Open: Mon-Sat 9:00-21:00; Sun 10:00-20:00. The popular British brand’s new Warsaw store sells menswear, womenswear and children’s clothing, as well as various beauty products, groceries, wines and spirits.

This is its newest and largest store in Poland to date.

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.

Muji (A1) Arkadia Mall (lok 23 A), Al. Jana Pawła II 82, tel. 22 356 1039, www.muji.com.pl. Open Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-21:00.

Having first opened its doors in 1983, in Japan, Muji still retains its simple aesthetic and ethos of marrying functionality with sophistication, with products ranging from furniture, kitchenware, stationary and cloth-

WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

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.

Premiere (A2) Klif shopping Centre, ul. Okopowa 58/72, tel. 22 531 4710. The boutique continues the Versace connection with a special “Versace Corner” nestled in the company of the last pieces from the Calvin Klein Collection and VJC Versace.

QπШ - Robert Kupisz ul. Mokotowska 48 (courtyard), tel. 690 021 787, www.robertkupisz.com. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-14:00.

One of Warsaw’s hottest fashion icons, and a trip here soon explains why. The exclusive, handmade garments are a guaranteed head turner, and Kupisz’s latest collection is a tribute to Americana: think disheveled cowgirls flouncing on the prairie.

Redford and Grant (D3) Metropolitan Building, Pl. Piłsudskiego 3, tel. 22 313 2400, www.redfordandgrant.pl.

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

This multibrand fashion store is the ultimate destination for designer style in Warsaw for men and women. Offers clothing and accessories from the newest collections from all the major international designers like Dior, YSL, D&G, Gucci, Miu Miu and Prada.

Reykjavik District (F4) ul. Solec 18/20, tel. 501 399 222, www.reykjavikdistrict.com. Open Tues-Fri 13:00-19:00; Sat-Sun 13:00-17:00. Chic, wellcut menswear for all occasions as designed by upcoming Icelandic native Olly Lindal.

RS1 (E6) ul. Koszykowa 1, www.rs-store.pl. Open

Mon-Fri 13:00-20:00; Sat 12:00-17:00. RS1 is the continuation of the Guerilla Store concept founded by Robert Serek. This is the place to go for fashion-forward items from Comme Des Garcons, Junya Watanabe, sunglasses

by Linda Farrow for Raf Simons and Bernhard Wilhelm, as well as cool trainers from designer Puma collections.

Sabotage (A1) ul. Burakowska 5/7, tel. 22 887 1056.

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00; Sat 11:00-15:00.

Those in-the-know know Sabotage as one of the places to buy funky deconstructed denim and sportswear pieces. Here you’ll find a wide array of unique clothes, hats, belts and handbags in a variety of fabrics and styles that hail straight from New York, London and Tokyo.

Schumacher (E6) ul. Mokotowska 45, tel. 22 621 9950.

This boutique sells über-chic clothing from the Schumacher line in a pristine, minimalist setting and comfortable fitting and lounge area 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.

Teresa Rosati (Sadyba) tel. 609 433-343, www.teresarosati.com.pl, email: teresarosati@op.pl. Elegant cocktail dresses, gowns for special occasions and beautiful fabrics from one of Poland’s best-known designers. Ready-to-wear and custom-made services at discreet location in Sadyba by appointment.

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.

Chiara (Saska Kępa) Promenada Shopping Centre, ul. Ostrobramska 75C, tel. 22 611 3814. You’d never expect it but this chic little shop stocks the best shoes and bags in the city – stock up on the latest collections from Michael Kors, Celine, Stuart Weitzman, Ralph Lauren and Mulberry.

Church’s (E5) Pl. Trzech Krzyży 10/14, tel. 22 745 0810.

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 10:00-17:00.

A classic Englishman’s establishment stocking the world’s best dress shoes.

Dada (Praga) ul. Ząbkowska 38, tel. 602 173 717, www.galeriadada.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00–19:00; Sat 11:00-15:00. It’s a bit hard to define exactly what Dada sells – (from jewellery to lamps, tunics and kitchen appliances) – but one thing is for sure: you won’t find any of it anywhere else.

Elf Joy by Kasia Kucharska (by appt) tel. 792 793 729, www.elfjoy.com. Kasia Kucharska travels all over the world to find stones that she turns into brilliant hand-made pieces of semi-precious stones, including amethyst, tourmaline and garnett. Available by special order.

Frey Wille (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 37, tel. 22 827 5503, www.frey-wille.com. Open Mon-Fri 10:0019:00; Sat 10:00-17:00. You may not find a diamond ring here, but this is certainly the place to go to if you’re looking for jewellery that will spice up your outfits with a brilliant splash of colour. These Vienna-based jewellers work almost entirely in enamels made by mixing finely-ground glass and minerals.

Furla (E5) Galeria Mokotów, ul. Wołoska 12, tel. 22 541

3896, www.furla.com. Open Mon-Sat 10:0022:00; Sun 10:00-21:00. The highly-coveted handbag label’s flagship store in Warsaw features all the latest styles from Milan.

Glamstore (C9) ul. Narbutta 83 (entry from ul. Łowicka), tel. 22 403 2300. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-15:00. Widely hailed by Poland’s fashion glossies, this store sells modern furnishings with all the trimmings and colours you could ask for. They also stock kitchen and bathroom accessories, as well as touting their own jewelery line.

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.

Impossible Project ul. Mysia 3. The Polaroid comes back to life in Impossible Project, a place with refurbished original cameras as well as new film formula.

Kate & Kate (D5) ul. Wspólna 50A/20, tel. 501 021 841, www.kateandkate.pl Open Mon-Fri 13:0019:00; Sat 10:00-14:00 This shop is so tucked away, you’d never find it without heads up from a friend. But once you do, be prepared to enter a world of brilliant accessories.

Lewanowicz Cafe & Boutique Pl. Grzybowski 10, tel. 22 650 0590, www. lewanowicz.com. Lewanowicz’s original house collection of precious and semiprecious stones is supplemented by several other designer ranges, including the Ayalabr line from Israel.

Lilou ul. Mokotowska 63, www.lilou.pl.

Modular jewelry made simple, and a must for all Warsaw fashionista.

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.

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SHOPPING Take a Nap ul. Mysia 3. This two floor shop is full of bedtime accessories like comfy sheets, pillows, comforters and blankets, plus fun bits of furniture that merge the modern with a country living twist. Downstairs there’s a broader selection of bed frames, couches and mattresses.

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.

HOME DECOR 3F Studio (B2) ul. Nowolipki 28b, tel. 22 651 5644, www.3fstudio.com.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:0019:00; Sat 11:00-15:00. Offers furnishings and lighting from top contemporary Italian brands like BB Italia, Moroso, Living Divani, Desalto and Artemide. The in-house design team creates custom interiors for clients.

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A&A Bath ul. Chmielna 12, tel. 883 310 201 / 883 311 030. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-14:00. Inspired by their travels, and appalled at the lack of bath stores in Warsaw, two best friends decided to put their design and business skills to the test and launch A&A Bath. Featuring a New England summer cabin aesthetic, many of the products are designed by the owners, even so you’ll find imports from Denmark and Sweden as well.

Apteka Sztuki (E6) Al. Wyzwolenia 3/5, tel. 22 622 0421.

Open Tues-Sat 11:00-18:00; Sun 11:00-17:00.

Apteka Sztuki is an art gallery that features collections by up-and-coming contemporary artists, preferring promising unknowns to big names. The exhibits, which rotate on a monthly basis, include a variety of media created by artists from all over Europe (although the focus is on Poland).

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Bo Concept (A1) ul. Młocińska 5/7, tel. 22 636 7770.

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00; Sat 11:00-18:00; Sun 11:00-16:00. Lovely, clean lines make this one of the best places to invest in good furniture and statement accessories for the home.

Coqlila ul. Lentza 20 (Wilanów), tel. 22 651 6884,www.coqlila.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:0019:00; Sat 10:00-16:00.Home products with a marked provincial French style. Among the offer are fabrics, fragrances, furniture and kitchenware. ego&eco (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 35, tel. 22 826 2512. www. egoeco.eu. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 12:00-17:00. Stocks everything from uniquehandmade jewellery to pure linen hand towels, traditional honey and organic soaps.

Combines style with an eco-philosophy.

Galeria 2 Deco (D6) ul. Wilcza 71, tel. 22 621 2420, www.2deco.pl. A small yet concise collection of brilliant home furnishings that combine the classic with contemporary at fair prices.

Special orders and consulting also available.

Mokotowska 71 (E5) ul. Mokotowska 71, tel. 22 629 0511, www.mokotowska71.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:0019:00; Sat 11:00-16:00. Offering creations by Belgian and French designers, this shop just screams elegance, beauty and style.

MOOMO ul. Marynarska 15, NEW CITY building (Mokotów), tel. 22 360 4389, www.moomo.pl.

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00; Sat 11:00-15:00.Fun furniture styles and innovative products. There are products from designers Joseph Joseph as well as a range of prestigious Scandinavian nd European brands, among whose number are Marimeko, Muuto, Kähler, Normann Copenhagen and Design House Stockholm.

Numero Uno (C3) ul. Grzybowska 4, tel. 22 620 0049, www.numerouno.pl. Exclusive furniture and fittings with brands including Poggenpohl, Presotto Italia, Calia Italia, EGO zeroventiquattro, Masiero, Bang & Olufsen and Porsche.

Red Onion (A1) ul. Burakowska 5/7, tel. 22 817 1339; ul. Szpitalna 8, tel. 22826 0008. Open Mon-Sat 9:00-20:00; Sun 9:00-18:00. www.redonion.pl.

WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

Their new internet shopping site makes it even easier to indulge, whatever your budget.

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 KEN Center/E. Leclerc (Ursynów) ul. Ciszewskiego 15. Open Mon-Thurs 9:0021:30; Fri 9:00-22:00; Sun 9:00-21:00 Galeria Mokotów (C12) ul. Wołoska 12, www.galeriamokotow.com.pl.

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

Targówek (Praga) ul. Głębocka 15, www.chtargowek.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00; Sun 10:00-20:00 Vitkac Wolf Bracka Vitkac, 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…

Wola Park (Wola) ul. Górczewska 124, tel. 22 533-4000, www.wolapark.com.

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00; Sun 10:00-20:00 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: Żurawina 73 / Plus:

* 3 updates

CHILDREN ACTIVITIES 73 / CAFES 74 / EDUCATION 76 / SHOPS 78

Insider’s Pick

ACTIVITIES Barwy Muzyki ul. Niecała 14, www.barwymuzyki.pl.

This informal music school, with highly qualified teachers experienced in the Colour Strings program, acknowledges not every child will be a professional musician but that playing, listening and singing to music is an asset to their development.

Group or individual lessons on piano, violin, guitar, cello and flute for 6-12yrs.

Copernicus Science Centre ul. Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20, www.kopernik.org.pl. A brilliant array of science-inspired attractions that prove as stimulating for parents as they are for the kids. Check out Galeria BZZZ, an area designated for children up to six. In order to keep numbers manageable, expect entry times to be staggered.

Żurawina ul. Żurawia 32/34, tel. 22 521 0666. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-24:00; Sun 12:00-18:00.

PHOTOGRAPH BY GILL BOELMAN-BURROWS

D

uring one of Warsaw’s tropical afternoon storms we made a run for cover and ended up in Żurawina. I have to admit I had already heard about this place; a chic, hip evening hangout for the trendy crowd with good food that was affordable, tasty and fresh.

But what I didn’t know was, despite its plush American Hampton’s style interior (crisply starched white table linen, modern art, etc.) Żurawina willingly caters for the ‘still wanting to be cool’ mummy and daddy with children in tow!

Unfortunately, the luxurious terrace, sprawled out royally over the street, with lazy couches and scattered cushions, was off limits due to the excess of water falling from the sky, so we headed indoors and took a comfy corner close to the swings – yes folks, swings in the middle of the restaurant for all ages!

It didn’t take long for my meat loving husband to spot the well-priced Rib-Eye steak (zł. 58) on the menu and to recall a conversation with the butcher at Polna Market about an agreement to supply this restaurant with good quality beef cuts. I chose the daily special ‘tuna risotto’. Although there was no children’s menu, the kitchen offer half portions or, for zł. 10, homemade potato fries with chicken strips (a big thumbs up from us all).

As is typical of my daughter, she saw the food appear and on cue needed the bathroom…

We trotted off down the glass staircase and found the neat little WC’s. One even complete with a changing table: I secretly wondered what happenings that changing table was privy to on late Saturday nights! As we exited the WC I took a peek around the corner and came face to face with a young girl sitting alone yet surrounded by toys, books and games. This was the well-kept secret children’s play area with a child minder who is available every weekend 12 to 4 p.m. It was right at that moment Żurawina went to the top of my family lunchtime list, and that was before I’d even taken my first mouthful of the food. Needless to say, we wiped our platters clean, waited with our wines and juice for the deluge to cease, and agreed unanimously that Żurawina should be at the top of every hip families lunching list. (GBB)

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.

Cukier Lukier ul. Emilii Plater 10, tel. 605 660 005. Open: 11:00-13:00, 15:00-17:00. Confectionary making courses and displays that attract kids of ALL ages.

Fryzjerkowo ul. Foksal 12/14, www.fryzjerkowo.pl. This 100% child friendly hair salon with jungle theme interior will guarantee no tears!

Whilst having their locks chopped children sit in a toy car and watch a favorite DVD. Mum can peruse the retro toys and classic books on sale. Owner speaks excellent English. Advance booking recommended.

Fundacja Atelier ul. Foksal 11, www.atelier.org.pl. Situated

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CHILDREN in an atmospheric 19th century building this foundation organizes affordable/flexible workshops to develop and inspire art education and creative skills (painting/drawing/ sculpture/art history) for children, young people and adults.

HulaKula ul. Dobra 56/66, www.hulakula.com.pl.

Bowling alley and soft indoor playground: heaven for kids and hell for grown-ups!

Children love to climb, explore and slide into large ball pools. Parents hate the lack of daylight and fast food menu.

Little Chef Cooking classes for children age 4-16. Groups for younger children age 4-10 and Junior Chef courses age 11-16. Kids cook-and-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.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.

Manufatura Cukierow ul. Tamka 49, www.manufaktura-cukierkow. pl. Sweet making courses in a confectionary factory! Lessons are conducted in Polish,

though enthusiasm is more important than a mastery of the language.

Mums & Tots www.mumsandtots.com. A volunteer group for mums (and dads) of all nationalities – coffee mornings, play groups, art and music classes and nights out for parents; the list is endless. For more details, as well as their newsletter and schedule check their web.

Patataj ul. Krótka 9, www.patataj.com.

Patataj offer riding lessons and pony trekking in a scenic location 25 mins from Warsaw.

Polish is the mother tongue here, but actions speak louder than words where riding is concerned. Finish the day in the karczma.

Teatr Guliwer ul. Różana 16, www.teatrguliwer.waw.pl.

Well worth a visit, even for non-Polish speakers. An exciting colorful premises with creative costumes make this the choice place to introduce the kids to theater.

Teatr Lalka Pl. Defilad 1 (Palace of Culture), www.teatrlalka. waw.pl. This puppet theatre stages a variation of productions suitable for children aged 3 +.

Scenery, props and costume design are impressive but Polish dialogue is challenging!

Losing the plot to Hansel and Gretel can happen - prepare to improvise! Tip: organize a backstage birthday party.

Tramwaj Wodny

Casa dei Bambini Warsaw Montessori School accepting applications for all our locations and programs: Toddler: age 1,5-2,5 Casa: age 2,5 - 6 Elementary: age 6-9,9-12

Contact Ela: tel. 692 099 134, office@warsawmontessori.edu.pl .

Szwolezerów 4, Warszawa; Badowska 19, Warszawa; Szkolna 16, Izabelin.

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www.zegluga-stoleczna.pl. One of the few boats to be seen on the river chugs up and down the Wisła from May onwards. The crew, dressed in pirate-like stripes, are even happy to let the children have a tug on the wheel.

Warsaw Zoo ul. Ratuszowa 1/3, www.zoo.waw.pl. The hippopotami now have an indoor and outdoor pool, the gorillas a new pavilion, and the arrival of a shark means it now has an ‘aquarium’. This year though, all eyes are on three tiger cubs born in Feb. Wilanów Golf Driving Range/Ekberg Golf Academy ul. Vogla 19, www.golfparkspoland.pl. Keen golfers (all ages) can perfect their swing at this friendly, well equipped driving range, whilst beginners can opt for professional individual lessons or beginner group programs in English or Polish. There is a weekly junior hour (5-15yrs), ladies hour and fun mini-golf course.

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

Figa z Makiem (Saska Kępa) ul. Walecznych 64, figazmakiem.edu.pl. One of the latest and greatest addition to the growing roster of Warsaw kid cafes. Do some well selected designer kids shopping while waiting, or simply browse the books and toys section while your little ones romp in the kids room.

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.

Kalimba ul. Mierosławskiego 19, www.kalimba.pl.

Kalimba café caters to Warsaw’s boho-chic community. Relax with long latte’s or nibble healthy snacks whilst kids climb a spiral staircase to the indoor tree house, role-play in the kitchen area or join creative workshops.

The shop, with original handmade toys is tempting, but it’s the pick’n’mix candy that’s unavoidable!

Kolonia (B7) ul. Łęczycka (corner of Ładysława), tel. 605 084 804, www.kolonia-ochota.pl.

Open daily 10:00-20:00. Equipped with a garden/playground, Kolonia is the most kid-friendly (and pet-friendly) place in the area, offering fresh daily specials.

Kosmos Kosmos ul. Koszykowa 55. Open 11:00-last guest; Sun 12:00-last guest. The design fuses retro with rock, while the children’s area comes with a handmade puppet theater, cardboard castle and enticing kids menu. ‘Fun workshops’ take place at noon each Saturday.

Kredkafe al. Wyzwolenia 14, tel. 22 622 1561, www.kredkafe.pl. Open daily 10:00-20:00.

The interiors look great, bright and cheerful with cute cartoon sketches and an entire playroom complete with toys, stuffed animals and a playhouse. There is even a mini-theater where the kids can put on puppet shows.

Bathrooms, of course, have baby-change facilities. The brainchild of two women with experience in hospitality and pedagogy, part of the idea of Kredkafe was to create a teaching space.

My Baby Café ul. Nowoursynowska 147, www.mybabycafe.pl.

A bright and airy café serving good food and great coffee at reasonable prices. Downstairs is the Holy Grail – shiny new toys, a mini kitchen for the girls, a tool bench for the boys, and a large playhouse (real doorbell and all!).

They even provide a nanny at no extra cost!

Paradise for kids and heaven for Mums.

Nabo ul. Zakręt 8, tel. 22 842 0256. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-21:00; Sat-Sun 9:00-21:30. The latest hotspot on the family map, Nabo is run by a Danish couple, and its light and minimalist

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interior – designed by those who created R20 – lends itself to every occasion. But aside from its tasty and seasonal dishes, it’s the children’s corner that is causing the biggest commotion.

Nowa Kuźnia (Wilanów) ul. Stanisława Kostki-Potockiego 24, www.nowakuznia.pl. Hugely child friendly, Nowa Kuźnia comes into its element each summer when the garden is turned into a giant faux beach – complete with diggers, slides and a see-saw.

Peek-a-boo ul. Karola Chodkiewicza 7, tel. 22 370 21 71. Open Mon-Fri 9:00-19:00; Sat-Sun 10:00-20:00. 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?

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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CHILDREN 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.

EDUCATION PRESCHOOLS

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.

(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.

* American School of Warsaw ul. Warszawska 202 (Konstancin-Jeziorna), tel. 22 702 85 00, www.aswarsaw.org.

ASW provides an American-styled educational program to students aged 4 and 5. The curriculum offers a rich, meaningful and balanced educational experience through age-appropriate activities. For further information and/or to visit our school, contact: admissions@aswarsaw.org or 22 702 85 00.

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

The Canadian School of Warsaw – Primary School Unit ul. Bełska 7, tel. 22 646 92 89, 697 970 244, 697 959 199, secretary@canadian-school. pl, www.canadian-school.pl. The Canadian School of Warsaw offers a bilingual environment based on the IB and Polish system of education for 6 to 16 year olds with an individual approach to each student. The Canadian School provides outstanding educational opportunities within a homely atmosphere and delivers the highest standards of learning, enabling students to fulfill their full potential.

Casa dei Bambini & Toddler School

Ecole Antoine de Saint-Exupéry ul. Nobla 16, tel./fax: 22 616 1499, www.saint-exupery.pl. Montessori curriculum in French for children aged from 2½ years old.

The English Playhouse (F12) ul. Płyćwiańska 14a & ul. Rzodkiewki 18, tel. 22 843 9370, www.theenglishplayhouse.com. The English Playhouse functions in the quiet, green residential district of Mokotów, next to Królikarnia Park. The pre-school follows the English National Curriculum and accepts children from 12 months till six years old. Now with an additional location in Wilanów which includes a new, purpose-built pre-school building with a huge garden for children up to six years of age.

For info call Agnieszka Weston on 604 464 333 or email: office@theenglishplayhouse.com.

HAPPY HOME Childcare ul. Okrężna 23, Konstancin-Jeziorna, tel. 22 717 5513, www.happyhomechildcare.eu. Ideal childcare facility for children aged 16 months to 5 years. “Happy Home is Your Home” is their motto, aiming to combine a family atmosphere with education, promote the harmonious development of children through play and getting to know themselves and the world.

Happy Montessori House Warsaw Montessori Pre-school, ul. Rumiana 14, tel. 22 427 3767, mob. 697 060 504, www.hmh.com.pl. The

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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.

La Fontaine Polish-French Pre-School ul. Rolna 177, Mokotów, tel.22 843 4241 & ul. Pogonowskiego 19, Żoliborz, tel. 502 051 360, www.lafontaineprzedszkole.pl.

This preschool has a Polish-French profile and offers bilingual teaching.

Mama Marta’s Toddlers Centre Mama Marta’s Toddlers Centre is an English-speaking play and learn group in Old Mokotów, dedicated to infants 16 months to 3 years of age. It offers a gentle introduction to nursery education. Contact: marta. cross@neostrada.pl, mob. 607 704 396.

Międzynarodowa Szkoła Podstawowa Argonaut ul. Radarowa 6, tel. 504 509 504, www.argonaut.edu.pl. This elementary school

is open for children of all nationalities and backgrounds. It places a focus on learning English as well as additional languages, and has an attractive list of available extracurricular activities.

Montessori Academy for International Children ul. Królewicza Jakuba 36 (Wilanów) ul. Sadowa 4 (Konstancin), tel. 502 315 022, www.monte ssoriacademy.eu. An Englishspeaking pre-school (16 months to 6 years of age) with two locations. The school’s policy is to comply with Montessori standards, using the Montessori Method in English.

The school’s philosophy is based on the joy of learning, which comes from discovering and furthering the individual development of each child.

Tequesta ul. Przejazd 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

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CHILDREN (Konstancin-Jeziorna), tel. 22 702 85 00, www. aswarsaw.org. ASW is a premier collegepreparatory international school that offers a PK-12 curriculum, including the IB Diploma Program in Grades 11 and 12. Students are inspired and challenged every day by experienced and dedicated teachers, who provide enriching learning opportunities in a world class facility. For further information and/or to visit our school contact: admissions@aswarsaw.org or 22 702 85 00.

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.

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The Canadian School of Warsaw – Preschool School Unit ul. Kalatówki 24, tel. 22 898 31 39, 697 979 100, 600 247 878, preschool@canadian-school.pl, www.canadian-school.pl. The Canadian School of Warsaw offers a bilingual environment based on the IB and Polish system of education for 3 to 5 year olds with an individual approach to each child aimed at enabling them to acquire the skills and competencies to ask questions and seek satisfying answers.

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The Canadian School of Warsaw – Middle and High School Unit ul. Olimpijska 11, tel. 600 247 655, 696 485 400,mid.high@canadian-school. pl, www.canadian-school.pl. The Canadian School of Warsaw offers a bilingual environment based on the IB and Polish system of education for 6 to 16 year olds with an individual approach to each student. The Canadian School provides outstanding educational opportunities within a homely atmosphere and delivers the highest standards of learning, enabling students to fulfill their full potential.

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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.

International American School ul. Dembego 18, tel. 22 649 1440, 649 1442 or 603 952 955, www.ias.edu.pl, email: secretary@ias.edu.pl. The International American School of Warsaw provides pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade education based on a dual diploma system for IB and Polish curricula. Accredited by the Polish Ministry of Education, Northwest Association of Accredited Schools and IB Organization.

International European School ul. Wiertnicza 75, tel. 22 842 4448, ies@ies-warsaw.pl. In operation since 2002 the International European School teaches the Polish National Curriculum in English language to both primary and mid-school level.

Kid’s Academy Primary & Pre-School ul. Arbuzowa 33D (Wilanów), ul. Łąkowa 38 (Konstancin), tel. 501 205 080, www.kidsacademy.com.pl. A Private English - Polish School which provides an excellent early educational program for children from ages 2.5 - 5 years old and at the Primary School, from Grade 0. Combining elements of both the Polish and British curriculum, the focus is on creating a positive and vibrant learning environment. They’re also proud of their large playground and variety of healthy foods.

Lycée Français de Varsovie ul. Walecznych 4/6, tel. 22 616 5400, www.lfv.pl. French school admitting students from the age of two years old. All instruction is in French. Languages offered : Polish, English, German, Spanish, Latin. Also, a wide variety of after school activities (sport, arts, extracurricular instruction).

WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

Warsaw Montessori School (G7) ul. Szwoleżerów 4, tel. 22 841 3908, sylvia@ warsawmontessori.edu.pl, www.warsawmontessori.edu.pl. Focuses on the Montessori curriculum with an education based on the integration of conceptual learning and real-life experiences.

SHOPS 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.

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.

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.

Mimbla ul.Mokotowska 51/53, www.cudanakiju. pl. Exclusively for kids on Warsaw’s most exclusive shopping street it’s an Aladdin’s cave of quality toys and Polish/English books. Get your gift wrapped here and both mum and child will be happy even before opening it.

Pieluszkarnia Multiple locations, www.pieluszkarnia.pl.

This small chain specializes in eco-friendly toys and clothing designed and produced in Poland. Products include the Lalanka dolly clothing collection, luxuriously soft reversible winter balaclavas and Martello blankets personalized for births etc.

Smyk Multiple stores, www.smyk.pl. Smyk is Poland’s answer to Mothercare; from bottle sterilizing kits to pencil cases, early learning toys to Disney classics and a wide range of seasonal clothing, this store will take you from childbirth to high school!

Reviews: Yoga Republic 79 / Plus:

* 1 update

LIFESTYLE

ACCOMODATION 79 / COMMUNITY 82 / HEALTH & BEAUTY 81 / MEDICAL 82 / POLISH FOR FOREIGNERS 82 / TRANSPORTATION 80

ACCOMODATION

Insider’s Pick

HOTELS IN WARSAW 5-star hotels H15 Boutique Apartments (D5) ul. Poznańska 15, tel. 22 553 8700, www.h15boutiqueapartments.com.

Hilton Warsaw (B4) ul. Grzybowska 63, tel. 22 356 5555, www.hilton.com.

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

Yoga Republic ul. Śniadeckich 18 lok. 1, tel. 790 805 853, www.yogarepublic.pl. Open Mon-Fri 6:3010:45, 17:00-last class; Sat-Sun 9:00-last class.

I’

d taken one of the free survey classes at Yoga Republic about a year back and already knew it was the sort of place I was into – clean and tidy with a dash of bohemian style.

Located in a charismatic, high-ceilinged prewar building in the center, it’s spacious and airy: even on a 28 degree afternoon in summer. I showed up in my now trademark breathless rush and immediately ordered up a month’s membership - I was going the whole hog, for real this time. They took one look at my dazed, very pregnant state and asked me when the last time I worked out was. I warily admitted it had been months, but that I had been ‘very active’ in the meantime. As expected, the ladies at the desk were super nice, with a hint of dubiousness. They asked me to be very careful and to stop the moment I felt any discomfort: I promised to take it slow and we convened in a pleasant, spacious room with wooden floors and soft, ambient music barely audible in the background.

Over the next hour we gently stretched and shifted into a reasonable number of relatively straightforward positions. That said, the fact that I’d been doing yoga as a non-pregnant lady on a somewhat regular basis over the past ten years meant the basics were still coded in my limbs and breathing. I was astonished to find myself more or less as limber as I’d ever been.

In fact, pregnancy does loosen up your joints so you have to be careful not to ‘overstretch’.

Otherwise, it’s an amazing way to de-stress and to get the pelvis (sorry, guys) revved up for the birthing process by encouraging it to expand and get more flexible.

Yoga Republic offers classes for pregnant women (called Chandra) four times a week, in addition to a full schedule of four other types of yoga to suit experience and expectations (Mysore, Ashtanga, Vinyasa and Beginner’s). There’s a load of yoga studios around the city, but this one combines the old school with the new, plus a nice dash of homey, prewar charm and a touch of the east. (AMG)

InterContinental (C4) ul. Emilii Plater 49, tel. 22 328 8888, www.warsaw.intercontinental.com.

Le Meridien Bristol (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 42/44, tel. 22 551 1000, www.starwoodhotels.com.

Mamaison Le Régina Hotel Warsaw (C1) ul. Kościelna 12, tel.22 531 6000, www.mamaison.com.

Marriott (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79, tel. 22 630 6306, www.warsawmarriott.com.

The Rialto Boutique Hotel (D6) ul. Wilcza 73, tel. 22 584 8700, www.hotelrialto.com.pl.

Sheraton (E5) ul. Prusa 2, www.sheraton.com/warsaw, tel. 22 450 6100.

Radisson Blu Centrum Hotel (C3) ul. Grzybowska 24, tel. 22 321 8888.

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LIFESTYLE www.poloniapalace.com.

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

3-star hotels

Hotel Belwederski (E8) ul. Sulkiewicza 11, tel. 22 840 4011, www.hotelbelwederski.pl.

ul. Emili Plater 49, tel. 22 328 8888, www.warsaw.intercontinental.com.

Long and short stay apartments provided by the hotel of the same name. Perks included are the same as those received by hotel guests: i.e. access to the top floor pool, room service, maid service etc.

Westin (B4) Al. Jana Pawła II 21, tel. 22 450 8000, www.westin.com/warsaw.

Castle Inn (D1) Pl. Zamkowy, ul. Świętojańska 2, tel. 22 425 0100, www.castleinn.pl.

4-star hotels

Golden Tulip (B5) ul. Towarowa 2, tel. 22 582 7500.

MaMaison Residence Diana ul. Chmielna 13A, tel. 22 505 9100, www.mamaison.com/diana. A beautiful city center location from the same team behind Le Regina. Short and long term stays.

Warsaw Gromada Hotel Airport ul. 17-ego Stycznia 32, tel. 22 576 4600, warszawa.airport@gromada.pl.

P & O Apartments ul. Kasprowicza 91, tel. 22 636 8699, www.pandoapartments.com.pl.

Holiday Inn Express Warsaw Airport ul. Poleczki, www.hiexpress.com.

Top One Apartments ul. Graniczna 4, tel. 608 205 769, www.topnoclegwarszawa.pl.

Airport Hotel Okęcie ul. 17-ego Stycznia 24, tel. 22 456 8000, www.airporthotel.pl.

Radisson Blu (B5) pl. Zawiszy 1, tel. 22 579 1000, www.sobieski.com.pl.

Mecure (C4) ul. Złota 48/54, tel. 22 697 3999, www.holiday-inn.com.

Mercure Grand Warszawa (D4) ul. Krucza 28, tel. 22 583 2100, www.orbis.pl.

Courtyard by Marriott Hotel (Airport) ul. Żwirki i Wigury 1, tel. 22 650 0100, www.courtyard.com/wawcy.

Novotel Warszawa Centrum (D5) ul. Marszałkowska 94/98, tel. 22 596 0000, www.novotel.com, www.accorhotels.com.

Polonia Palace Hotel (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 45, tel. 22 318 2800,

Hotel Reytan (E8) ul. T. Rejtana 6, tel. 22 201 6400, www.reytan.pl.

Novotel Warszawa (Airport) ul. 1-ego Sierpnia 1, tel. 22 575 6000, nov.airport@orbis.pl.

APARTMENTS

Central Apart ul. Łucka 2/4/6 m.45, tel. 22 357 0975, www.wawahotele.pl. Apartments for one to four people in locations across town. Prices from zł. 190.

InterContinental

TRANSPORTATION CAR RENTAL

Avis (C5) tel. 22 572 6565, fax 22 572 6566, Fredrick Chopin Airport, Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott Hotel), tel. 22 650 4872/3.

Reservations: tel. 801 120 010, www.avis.pl.

Hertz Rent a Car Okęcie Airport, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 1, tel. 22 650 2896; mob. 691 411 130. ul. Nowogrodzka 27 (D5), tel. 22 621 1360.

Reservations: tel. 22 500 1620, 800 143 789.

Sixt Rent a Car ul. Arabska 9, tel. 22 511 1550, 22 511 1555, fax 22 511 1556, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 1, tel. 22 650 2031, fax 022 650 2032, www.sixt.pl.

Trust Rent a Car (C12) ul. Konstruktorska 4, mob. 0602 475 355, www.trustrentacar.pl.

RELOCATION COMPANIES AGS Warsaw ul. Julianowska 37, Piaseczno, tel. 22 702-1072, fax 022 702-1077.

Besto Relocations ul. Kłobucka 8 /127, tel. 22 847 8878, mob. 514 643 286, warsaw@bestorelocations.com, www.bestorelocations.com. High-quality international relocation services to and from Poland for corporate and individual clients.

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CorstJens Worldwide Movers Group ul. Nowa 23, Stara Iwiczna, tel. 22 737 7200, www.corstjens.com.

Crown Relocations ul. Krucza 16/22, tel. 22 894 5929 or 22 578 2093, www.crownrelo.com.

DuX Consulting Agency ul. Panieńska 9/17, tel. 22 670 4280, www.duxconsulting.com.pl.

Express Relocations ul. Szyszkowa 35/37, tel. 22 878 3539, www.expressrelocations.com.

Euro Move International Movers ul. Kineskopowa 1, Piaseczno, tel. 22 716 5566, moving@euromove.pl, www.euromove.pl.

Interdean International Relocation ul. Geodetów 172, Piaseczno, tel. 22 701 7171, fax 22 701 7177, warsaw@interdean.com, www.interdean.com. With 120 relocation service centres and employs 3,150 international relocation services staff across Europe and EMEA, and over 600 alliances worldwide.

Move One Relocations tel. 22 630 8160, poland@moveonerelo.com, www.moveonerelo.com. Also immigration assistance, fine art shipping, pet transport and consulting services.

TAXIS

Bayer tel. 22 19697 City Taxi tel. 22 19459 Ele Taxi tel. 22 811 11 11 Glob Taxi tel. 22 19668 Grosik Taxi tel. 22 6464646 tel. 22 677 7777 Merc Sawa tel. 22 644 4444 Super Taxi tel. 22 19622 Volfra tel. 22 19625 Wawa tel. 22 19644

HEALTH & BEAUTY FITNESS

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.

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

Haircology ul. Rozbrat 44A, tel. 669 780 669, www.haircology.pl. An upmarket ecologically minded hairdresser that eschews such things as synthetic fragrances, silicon and preservatives.

Hair a Porter ul. Belwederska 23 (Hyatt Hotel, level -1), tel. 22 558 1555. Open Mon-Fri 9:00-20:00; Sat 9:00-17:00. A staunch favorite of the ex-pat crowd, Hair a Porter offer the ultimate hair experience utilizing expert staff and top-quality products.

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.

THE BEST IS SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T KNOW EXISTED HAIRCOLOGY

The Ecological Hair Salon ul. Rozbrat 44A tel. 669 780 669 www.haircology.pl

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LIFESTYLE 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.

WARSAW

Malo Clinic (C4) MALO ONZ CLINIC is Central first clinic Rondo 1, Warsaw tel. 22 335 7755,Europe's www.maloclinof the world’s leader in Implantology and Dental ics.com/polska.

This dental clinic Aesthetics, offering full world dental class care, and above all advanced dental implant surgery. incorporates five dental offices, an operating Located in a modern office complex Rondo 1 at Rondo ONZ, in the city centerand of Warsaw, the Clinic room, two recovery rooms a state-of-thebe easily accessed as it is located in only 10 artcan diagnostic center. minutes from Central Railway Station, 30 minutes from the F. Chopin International Airport, near bus, tram stops and subway station (Świętokrzyska Station).

Entry into a secured car park in the Rondo 1 building – off Pańska street.

*

packages inc. both intensive and weekend courses.

COMMUNITY Amnesty International ul. Piękna 66a, apartment no. 2, 1st floor; tel/ fax: 22 827 6000; e-mail: amnesty@amnesty. org.pl. Donations can be made to Zachodni WBK S.A. 6 O/Gdańsk 85 1090Leader 1098 0000 World in 0000 0959 0181. Implantology and Dental Aesthetics Art Friends’ Society For info, contact Justyna Napiórkowska: e-mail: justyna@napiorkowska.pl, mob. 603 378 567.

Blanc Lys (Wola) ul. Księcia Janusza 23, tel. 508 162 810, www.blanc-lys.com. The first self-service laundromat in Warsaw, open daily 08:0020:00. Free wi-fi.

Melitus ul. Słowackiego 12, tel. 22 883 7438, mob.

603 060 621, biuro@melitus.pl, www.melitus.

Services Available CLINIC Warsaw provides the best specialists and pl.MALO Specializing in dermatology, surgery, the latest diagnostic equipment (including computer tomography),endocrinology, in the field of: The English-Speaking Expatriate phlebology, gynecology and Business Owners in Poland Association internal medicine. The clinic isDentistry equipped MALO CLINIC Office complex Rondo 1 (+48) 22 335 77 55 Conservative Dental Surgery 1st floor in Building A warsaw@maloclinics.com Endodontics Implantology This non-profit with the latest and most innovative medical Warsaw Rondo ONZ 1association serves a niche Aesthetic Prosthetics Orthodontics www.maloclinics.com www.maloclinics.com/polska group of expatriates within the framework equipment and of “expat CEOs helping expat CEOs without employs several renowned clinicians. business competition getting in-between.”

For further information, please contact Richard POLISH FOR FOREIGNERS Whipple (Founder), tel. 504 346 406. |

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

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European Social Democrats in Poland Contact Tim Clapham at tel. 22 624 0470, timclapham@poczta.onet.pl or Jean-Yves Leconte at mob. 0604 960 555, jy.leconte@

WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

assemblee-afe.fr.

The Ex-Animo Foundation An organization that helps care for young cancer patients at the Children’s Memorial Health Institute - the largest children’s oncology center in Poland. www.exanimo.pl.

Expats-in-Poland.com Forum, news, free legal advice, extensive information and services for foreigners including immigration, work permits, driving licences, renting and buying properties, healthcare, education and more. For more information: www.expats-in-poland.com.

Food Banks All thirty food banks operating in Poland deliver food aid to those in need – as many as 5 million people. To donate food or get involved go to www.bankizywnosci.pl.

Fundacja Dziecięca Fantazja Poland’s own “Make-A-Wish Foundation” focus to “light up the lives” of terminally-ill children in Poland by making their fondest wishes and dreams come true. More info at: email: info@f-df.pl, www.f-df.pl.

Fundacja Świętego Mikołaja ul. Przesmyckiego 40, Piaseczno, tel. 22 825 0390. The St. Nicholas Foundation has been contributing funds to needy children and families for over ten years. To support the foundation, wire funds to Volkswagen Bank Polska S.A. 64 2130 0004 2001 0299 9993 0001 (KRS 0000126602). www.mikolaj.org.pl

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 AUGUST d e r : 0 1 2013 – 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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A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE INSIDE A NATURE RESERVE. Do you dream of complete silence, with only the wind whistling in the trees? Or a lazy Sunday spent under the stars?

This is your unique chance to own such a place. Set inside the Kampinowski National Park, but only 19km from the center of Warsaw, this could be your great escape.

For further info: tel. 607 399 085, per@hansen.pl, www.dom-w-kampinosie.com

Tel: +48 22 702 10 72

facebook.com/warsawinsider

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Stadion Narodowy

Żaryna Żaryna

Kulskiego Kulskiego

ChoCdhkod łyiaKłyam kieicwzaic BiaB iew Kaiem za ńień

WHY WARSAW? door and that he would hand down his knowledge.

I was, he said, a natural born healer, so rather than teaching me how to be a healer, he taught me how to take care of myself as a healer. For seven years I was grandfather’s – that’s how I called him – fire keeper in his sweat lodge.

He taught me the four sacred teachings of caring, sharing, kindness and truth.

So how did you end up in Poland?

When I finished my stint in the sweat lodge I wanted to spread my wings. Well, a friend of mine had been living in Poland since ’91 and invited me over. I’ve been visiting regularly ever since and have built up a close circle of friends. I can never be rich healing, but I can travel!

Tell us about the process…

People approach me and protocol asks for tobacco and a gift – the only thing not accepted is alcohol. From my side, I need to feel they believe in me as a healer. The prayer ceremony typically lasts a minute or so, but I need about a week to prepare for it. I have to be clear and focused, as it’s vital you say the right thing during the ceremony.

Humility and respect are also key. I don’t pray to the creator, but to the ancestors of the grandfathers. My prayer is then retained in the tobacco and after I’ll usually go to a park and then bury it in the ground.

Part Canadian, part native Indian, Michael Higgins, or Rainbow Thunderbird to use his Indian name, is a natural born healer whose global travels frequently bring him to Warsaw. The Insider finds out more.

You’re a healer! How did that start?

At college I took a BA in history, but I was like Van Wilder and it took me years to finish. I enjoyed that instant freedom too much. After studies I struggled for work, then one day in 2001 I had this amazing vision dream in which I was told by Cree Indians I would meet a medicine man and live off the land. Well, within months I met a Cree Indian, a sun dancer. Back in 1980 a group of elders had told him to expect me to knock on his

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WARSAW INSIDER | AUGUST 2013

Skeptics might think it all sounds a little crazy...

I’m used to it, you learn to take it with a grain of salt.

I respect modern medicine, but you have to recognize this is who I am and how I was born. After years of resisting and rebelling against it I embraced healing and it’s turned into a good fit. I never asked to be a healer, I wanted to be a rock star!

What reaction do you get out here?

I was taught I’d never be accepted in my own country, and I actually get more respect in Poland than I do in Canada.

Polish people are very spiritual and they respect the idea of a born healer. I’ve never had to advertise my services and it’s all been through word of mouth. I’ve found it a great country to work in.

What’s Warsaw’s best secret?

It’s churches. I walk into them and instantly feel I’m on holy ground. I’m happy to just sit and listen to the services – you see people of all ages, of course, mainly older ladies, but you can just feel the love and kindness in their hearts.

You visit churches in other countries and the doors aren’t even open!

PHOTOGRAPH BY ED WIGHT

LAY YOUR HANDS ON ME

Sounds easy!

All sickness is the result of disharmony, an imbalance between mental, spiritual, emotional and physical wellbeing.

My gift is to balance those bodies. I take the sickness, or rather the cause of the sickness, into my body, after which I’m rendered sick for several days. Every healing is different, but usually you’re looking at 4-9 days to expel it, sometimes a moon cycle. Of the 400 healings I’ve been involved in, maybe 50-60 times I felt like I was going to die afterwards.

The only time I’ve refused a healing was to a depressive; from experience, you don’t want to be feeling suicidal for days. How do I recover? Sleep, sleep, sleep!

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

Kofi Brand WarszaWska palarnia kaWy sOHO FaCTOry ul. Mińska 25 03-808 WarszaWa Tel. 22 465 81 52 WWW.kOFibrand.pl