Warsaw Insider December 2018 #268

Warsaw The Capital’s Original City Magazine Since 1996

DECEMBER 2018

268 12/2018

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AQUAZZURA ALEXANDRE BIRMAN BALMAIN BURBERRY BUSCEMI CASADEI CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN CULT GAIA FRANCESCO RUSSO GIANVITO ROSSI HERVE LEGER ISABEL MARANT KENZO MAISON MICHEL MARC JACOBS MANOLO BLAHNIK MR & MRS ITALY ONETEASPOON SELF – PORTRAIT TOD’S TORY BURCH VICTORIA BECKHAM ZIMMERMANN

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editorial INFRONT

Editor-in-chief Alex Webber

7 Take a Number 8 News 10 City:

insider@warsawinsider.pl Art Director Kevin Demaria insider@warsawinsider.pl

Neon 14 Public Art: Tytus Brzozowski 14 Photography: Ada Zielińska

Publisher Morten Lindholm mlindholm@valkea.com Contributors: Stuart Dowell Maria Mileńko Michał Miszkurka Ed Wight

FEATURES

0 Essential Warsaw: 2 Christmas

Advertising Manager Jowita Malich jmalich@valkea.com

ey Account Manager K Agata Sicińska asicinska@valkea.com

EAT!

43 Review:

Rico 44 Review: Stolica 46 Review: Zoni 48 Review: Restauracja Warszawska 50 Review: Opasły Tom

DRINK!

DECEMBER 2018

W

ell, that was quick. Time moves fast in Warsaw with 2018 whizzing past in a frenetic blur of political upheaval and weird, wacky stories: remember, for instance, this summer’s hunt for the six-meter python slithering round the river? Back in the realm of the norm, this issue, we bring you the story behind the image that’s come to define Poland’s raucous Independence celebrations last month, discover Praga’s latest landmark mural, get dazzled by the center’s revived murals, and head north for a break up in Jaczno. And, of course, it’s Christmas! Getting into the spirit of the month, we’ve whistled up a hitlist of the twenty-five things you can’t not do – and yep, that does mean going native and enduring Home Alone. Enjoy the holidays and have a Happy New Year…

79 Review:

Croccante 80 Craft Beer

ey Account Manager K Joanna Chmielewska jchmielewska@valkea.com ey Account Manager K Karolina Zielonka kzielonka@valkea.com Distribution Manager Krzysztof Wiliński kwilinski@valkea.com Subscription 12 editions of the Insider zł. 99 (inc. VAT) in Poland.

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DO!

93 Last Chance:

Alex Webber insider@warsawinsider.pl

on the cover ‘Tis the season to be jolly! This month, our cover is brought to you in association with our partners at Atrium Promenada – see p. 4 for their Christmas message! (Illustration by Michał Miszkurka)

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Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

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 ©2018 Warsaw Insider.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ED WIGHT

Museum of Life Under Communism 94 Review: Jaczno Lodge 110 Map 112 Looking Back

BURBERRY CANADA GOOSE CASADEI CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN MEN FAY GIANVITO ROSSI KENZO MONCLER MR & MRS ITALY ONETEASPOON RALPH LAUREN TOD’S TORY BURCH VALENTINO BURBERRY CHILDREN DSQUARED2 KIDS KENZO KIDS MONCLER KIDS

Pl. Trzech Krzyzy 3/4 tel.: +48 226221416, www.PlacTrzechKrzyzy.com

AT R I U M P R O M E N A DA F O R A TA S T E F U L W I N T E R

The next stage of intensive work related to the upgrade of the Atrium Group’s flagship shopping center has been completed, resulting in an impressive brand new food court area and the unveiling of the Fountain Alley. Opened to much acclaim on October 17th, the latter is living up to its title as one of the most prestigious alleys in Warsaw. Evoking images of the best known fashion high streets of Paris, Milan, London and New York, find here an array of iconic clothing stores that are celebrated the world over.

INTERI ORS The interiors have been meticulously designed to feature top-quality finishes and a flawless attention to detail. An abundance of light is ensured by a glazed ceiling, great crystal chandeliers and transparent balustrades.

The sense of luxury is enhanced by a spacious gallery with six-meter high double shopfronts presenting a range of flagship fashion stores.

THE FOUNTAIN ALLEY The central point of the Fountain Alley is a majestic twelve-meter tall fountain.

By integrating sound, water and lighting effects, it creates an unforgettable ambience and periodically performs impressive multimedia shows.

MAIN GALLERY The extended and remodeled main gallery has given Atrium Promenada the opportunity to unveil 44 new stores and 20 new brands. Introducing the most recent concepts, as well as the first Polish launches of several international brands, stores include Imperial, Elisabetta Francchi, Pinko, Weekend by Max Mara, Marella, ZARA and Massimo Dutti. In addition, E-obuwie have launched their first Warsaw flagship, while national debuts have been handed to Thun and New Balance Metropolitan Concept.

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Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

DESIGN The modern interior design features a unique, eclectic style with a truly urban atmosphere. Thanks to its innovative architectural concept and interior décor, the new space seamlessly combines the retro chic of the elegant, historic French bistros with the boho atmosphere of the low-key New York diner.

REPUBLIC OF FLAVORS Find numerous popular restaurant concepts that perfectly complement each other with their range of contrasting global tastes. The Republic of Flavours brings together in one space a variety of food outlets such as Salad Story, Bon Apetito, Klooski Bistro Bar, Thai Wok, Berlin Döner Kebap, North Fish, McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut Express and Starbucks.

ILLUMINATION This year, the winter illuminations of Atrium Promenada pay tribute to The Journey story. Holiday decorations consist of 200,000 LEDs and colorful, festive elements that will take guests to very heart of the land of winter joy!

WINTER JOY In Atrium Promenada, your trip to the land of winter joy features a luminous zeppelin set on shiny clouds and stars, the largest light balloon in Poland, Santa’s colorful sleigh and motorbike, a locomotive with carriages for kids, and a giant Christmas present!

Through December, guests will also be able to visit a Chocolate Factory, help build a LEGO Christmas tree, peruse a Christmas Market and make sweets in a Lollipop Factory.

Brought to you by

Address: ul. Ostrobramska 75c Tel: +48 22 611 39 52 www.warszawa.promenada.com @AtriumPromenada @atrium_promenada

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number take a

PRUDENTIAL IN NUMBERS

2

Million bricks

Used in its construction

2,000 Tons

The amount of concrete originally used

1,500 Tons

The amount of steel first used

1,000 Artillery rounds

The number of German shells that slammed into Prudential during the Warsaw Uprising

1936 The year…

Poland’s first TV transmitter was mounted on the roof

1933 The year…

The building was first completed.

66

Meters Tall

PRESS MATERIAL

A height that, at the time, made it Europe’s second tallest tower

51

Meters

The height of Warsaw’s next tallest building at the time of Prudential’s completion

TOWERING GLORY: PRUDENTIAL RETURNS One of Warsaw’s few Art Deco architectural marvels reopened in mid-November, some fifteen years after shutting its doors to the public. Covering 16-storeys in all, the skyscraper was Poland’s tallest pre-war building and viewed by many as a message to the rest of Europe that this was a country of the future. First built to house offices for Prudential’s Polish operation, as well as lavish apartments on the higher floors, it was from here that the nation’s first TV broadcasts were transmitted. Seized by Home Army insurgents on the first day of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, its capture sent morale soaring: “When the Polish flag was hoisted from it,” wrote historian Alexandra Richie, “people left their homes just to look at it, crying and laughing and spontaneously singing the national anthem.” Pounded relentlessly

by German forces, it survived all the Nazis could throw at it, including a 2-ton round from the dreaded Karl-Gerat mortar. In the post-war years the original architect, Marcin Weinfeld, was recruited to restore the building, albeit in a Socialist Realist style that deviated from his original plans. Functioning for the next few decades as a gloomy state-run hotel, its latest incarnation has seen it resurrected as the luxury Hotel Warszawa courtesy of Likus, a family-run hotel and restaurant group famed for their sensitive restoration of historic properties. warsawinsider.pl

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News Times Are Changing Two of Warsaw’s biggest attractions are set to be revamped after announcing plans for tweaks and improvements. In the case of the capital’s Rising Museum, a new entrance and temporary exhibition space will be added by Nizio Design, the Praga-based firm credited with the museum’s original design.

Even more ambitious, however, will be a zł. 65 million project to add an educational and research facility next to the Copernicus Science Center down in Powiśle. A completion date of 2021 has been tentatively given to the 6,000 sq/m structure.

ON A ROLL

Warsaw has joined the Lime scooter revolution, with the Californian start-up debuting in the Polish capital in the middle of Autumn. Reaching speeds of 25 km/hr, the electric scooters have found favor for being cheap, fun and convenient, with users downloading an app to unlock them, and then being able to ditch them where and when they want. Fast gaining in popularity, Lime’s initial foray into Warsaw is expected to be followed by an even bigger nationwide campaign in the coming year.

Warsaw’s new mayor, Rafał Traszkowski, has added to the controversy surrounding a new monument to the late President Lech Kaczyński (killed in the 2010 Smolensk air crash) after calling it ‘exceptionally ugly’ and railing at the ruling PiS government for pushing through its installment on Pl. Piłsudskiego. “Though I have no problem with Warsaw having such a monument,” said Traszkowski, “I disagree with the falsification of history and the claim that Kaczyński was the greatest Polish statesman since Marshal Piłsudski.” Unveiled in November, the erection of Kaczyński has served to only further highlight the bitter acrimony between Poland’s governing populist party and the capital’s more liberal leadership.

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Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: KEVIN DEMARIA (2), PRESS MATERIAL

Monumental Battle

City

Glow All The Way

Warsaw’s love of neon shows no sign of abating with three more landmark signs added within months of each other…

WEDEL

Revealed in 1926 after being commissioned in 1926 by Jan Wedel – the heir of the Wedel chocolate empire – the neon sign crowning the firm’s flagship store on Szpitalna 8 was the work of Italian artist Leonetto Capiello. Often regarded as ‘the father of modern advertising’, Cappiello’s design featured a boy on a zebra carrying chocolate bars on his back. Said to symbolize happiness and joy, and consisting of 61 separate neon tubes, the 1.2 ton neon was finally restored to full function in mid-November after breaking down several years back.

CEDET

Designed and produced in East Germany as ‘an expression of gratitude’ after the Germans were given use of the first floor to sell their consumer goods, the original serpentine neon that once adorned the CeDeT building was lost in a suspicious blaze that roared through the building in 1975.

Now it’s back, with an identical, 4.5 ton replica built in close cooperation with the city’s Monument Conservation Office.

If many were distrustful of Immobel’s pledge to restore the CeDeT building back to its one-time glory, then it appears they were wrong to be so.

Forming one of the cornerstones of the post-war MDM redevelopment, the suitably named MDM Hotel was a showpiece of 50s Socialist Realist architecture and key to the utopian vision that the area was to embody. Purposefully built to a height that would obstruct the sight of the church on Zbawiciela, it was from the hotel’s windows that visiting dignitaries could enjoy the best views of the commie parades that would march past on May Day. Though no neon announcing the hotel ever crowned the roof, last year saw the addition of a sign modeled on those that typified the era in which Konstytucji was built. Ongoing work has seen this neon further embellished in the last couple of months, making it one of the most recognizable symbols of the south central district.

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Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA

MDM

Past & Present

In Praga, artist Tytus Brzozowski has left his own unique tribute to Polish independence…

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Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

N

o other artist currently active in Poland has demonstrated the same ability to captivate the public in quite the same manner as Tytus Brzozowski.

But though primarily known for his surreal, Warsawinspired watercolors, the last few months have seen the artist expand his portfolio in a most literal sense. Having recently super-sized one project to feature on the side of a Wola skyscraper, November saw Brzozowski return to the limelight with a second large

format wall mural, this time situated in the vicinity of Rondo Wiatraczna on the city’s right flank.

Found on Grochowska 215, the mural was commissioned as part of the country’s Independence Day celebrations, with the artist riffing on a variety of themes honoring historic events related to those times. “The painting,” says Brzozowski, “shows characteristic elements of the Praga Południe district and scenes linked to the centenary of Polish independence.

Among the strollers pictured you can make out Marshal Józef Piłsudski examining modern Warsaw, while close by you’ll see a tram so typical of the terminal at Wiatraczna – the tram’s number, 24, is in itself meaningful as this was the first connection running to the district of Gocławek. The backdrop, meanwhile, is also relevant: Poniatowski Bridge was a trigger for the dynamic development of this part of the city, and also played an important role in the history of Poland’s Second Republic – after all, it was here where the failed negotiations between Piłsudski and President Wojciechowski were held and where the 1926 May Coup subsequently started.”

Of the other landmarks, the piece features the soaring spires of the interwar church on Pl. Szembeka towering over the rolling greenery of Skaryszewski Park, as well as the state-of-theart National Stadium, an arena that Brzozowski points out has been vital to the regeneration of Praga Południe’s image. Simultaneously, the work is lent added impact with the inclusion of signature flights of fancy so associated with the artist: a Space Invader, unexplained dice and numerous individuals floating through the sky with the aid of red-and-white umbrellas.

For more on the artist and his work, see: t-b.pl

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

Public Art

Photography Paulina sitting on the bed. Then, using a similar perspective, I photographed the scenes taking place outside on the street below. After I’d done that I merged the photographs to form a single image.

The Bigger Picture

Ada Zielińska’s iconic image depicting Warsaw’s fiery Independence Day celebrations has found itself lauded as an instant classic. Now, the visual artist reveals the story behind the shot…

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WI: What planning went into creating the Independence Day image?

Ada Zielińska: I had the idea for the shoot a couple of weeks before Independence Day and started exploring the possibilities of photographing from the Novotel Centrum the week before. I visited the hotel several times, checking the view from all of the floors before opting for room 919 on the ninth floor. Fortunately, I was able to rent the room for a few hours rather than paying for the entire night. As for the image itself, that’s actually a combination of two shots. First, I photographed my friend

You must have been buzzing during the shoot?

I was terribly excited. As soon as we got into the room I began rearranging the furniture and removing the curtains and pictures on the walls.

We were ready within fifteen minutes and had to wait for the flares to begin burning. I was pacing the room in anticipation and running up and down to the ground floor to gauge the atmosphere among the crowd. Paulina really helped keep the mood light!

The image went viral within moments of being published – were you surprised by the reaction?

When a third editor called me on Sunday evening I realized things had got a little out of control! I often question whether I should share something on

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

What was the inspiration behind your photo?

The idea came about after Paulina and I were discussing the work of the photographer Jeff Wall. We had talked about three specific images of his, In Front Of A Nightclub, Flooded Grave and A View From An Apartment. In the latter, the artist rented an apartment overlooking a harbor, hired a model to move in with her things, and then stuck around observing with his camera. When the right moment came along, he took the shot. I wanted to do something similar with Independence Day, only to enlarge the perspective and show the historical aspect. I also thought a lot about Thomas Hoepker’s picture taken in New York on 9/11 showing a group of people relaxing by the waterfront while the World Trade Center burned in the background. With my image, I really wanted to play on contrasts: it seems like our November 11th celebrations always end in mayhem and chaos, so I wanted to show the contrast between the comfortable safety of the room and the uncontrollable seething mass of people down below.

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Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

"Independence Day" by Ada Zielińska

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Photography

I’m also greatly inspired by accidents, car and plane crashes and natural disasters... social media, and in this case I never came close to hesitating – my intuition proved right! I’m even really happy there’s been people saying they hate it and making internet memes based on the picture – I think it’s great that people found the time to do these things because of it.

You’ve gone viral before, specifically with your image of the Czarny Protest demonstration a couple of years back. In some ways, this ability to capture troubled times in such a beautiful way is reminiscent of Chris Niedenthal’s iconic photographs from 80s Poland: both seem to catch a unique and confused time in Poland’s history. To you, what does it mean to be Polish in this day and age?

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Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

First, I’m honored to be compared to Chris Niedenthal, I don’t really know what to say to that! In terms of modern Poland, everybody realizes that this is now a divided country. Personally, I was brought up by my father to consider all views, to read about both sides and then draw my own independent conclusions. I read as much as I can about the political situation and listen to other peoples opinions, but it’s not my intention to actively engage in politics through my work.

How would you describe your artistic style?

I’m interested in developing my conceptual photography – it’s so rewarding when an image such as Independence Day comes out as planned.

Who and what inspires you in your work?

As mentioned before, I love the work of Jeff Wall and Thomas Hoepker, while others I look up to include Andreas Gursky and Wolfgang Tillmans. I’m also greatly inspired by accidents, car and plane crashes and natural disasters. Destruction fascinates me and I’ve shot lots of images involving burning cars that I’ve set fire to. The juxtaposition of the unbridled against the familiar is, in my opinion, what creates a story and I want to show that in my pictures.

For more on Ada and her work, see: adazielinska.com

ESSENTIAL WARSAW CHRISTMAS

Bright Lights, Big City With Warsaw’s Christmas countdown fully underway, the Insider presents all you need to know to survive and thrive during the month of December…

DON’T CARP ON

YOU’RE NOT ALONE!

DRINK & BE MERRY

SPRUCE UP

First-timers beware!

Expecting a Christmas feast featuring turkey and trimmings? Get real. Out in Poland, it’s the carp that’s the king of the traditional festive meal. In the not so distant past, it was common to find the filthy bottom feeder kept alive in a bathtub in the lead up to Xmas (to filter out the mud and slime), before being finished off with a mallet by the head of the house. Good carp is a rare find, but find it you will at the Forteca market.

One of the deeper mysteries of Poland is this country’s emotional attachment to the film Home Alone (or, to lend it its Polish title, Kevin W Samu Domu). Traditionally shown on Polsat, when the station pulled it from their schedule in 2010 it was an act so outrageous as to cause headline news.

“Polsat Have Killed Christmas,” shouted one irate paper. Forty-six thousand Facebook users agreed, and the company’s executives quickly backed down.

When the frost is so sharp that it cuts through your pants, there’s nothing more consoling than a steamy mulled wine. Sweet, sticky and scalding hot, it’s the stuff from the outdoor Christmas markets that really shouts Christmas.

For something fixed with a bit more TLC, then try the more upscale food halls of Koszyki and Gwardii, or retreat to a café such as the Old Town’s Same Fusy: the Tolkien-esque setting is special in itself.

Christmas without a tree is like a world without air.

Pointless and unsustainable. Fret not, if your early December search has been fruitless then that’s because Poles don’t start buying till around the middle of the month – make your buy from one of the shady entrepreneurs that set up each year on random street corners. God knows where they get their goods, but purchasing from these guys has the illicit thrill of committing a criminal act.

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Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

HEN PECKED?

I H AT E I T !

FUR ALL

SHOW TIME!

Drawing competitors from as far as India and China, Warsaw’s annual ‘Most Beautiful Hen In The World’ competition has long been viewed as one of the greatest kura-osities of Christmas in Poland. Weighing up to seven kilos, anticipate a day of admiring good looking birds with generous chests.

Where? When? SGGW uni on the 8th and 9th.

Don’t let an unwanted present be the source of despair.

Instead, head to Klub Komiedowy (Nowowiejska 1) on December 26th to find a covert basement market in which you’ll be able to trade all the crappy presents you received fromthe in-laws.

Starting at 8 p.m., tickets (zł. 25) are best bought in advance. A night of stand-up is also in the pipeline.

Despite the relative pawcity of decent pet shops in town, our furry friends are in for a treat this December thanks to an upcoming spate of animal fairs. Top of the bunch is Hala Gwardii with a cat and dog fair to be held on December 8 and 9.

Tailing it will be the Łapa Targ dog market in Mysia 3 the following week. Be Santa Paws this Xmas!

The Moscow City Ballet will perform Swan Lake on December 14th and The Nutcracker the following day. Tickets will sell out, and could represent one of the wiser investments of the yuletide period – buy them from zł. 149 at eventim.pl.

Gaelforce Dance (upwards of zł. 145 from eventim.pl) promise an equally memorable evening. >>>

Out of Town: Poznan PHOTOGRAPHS SHUTTERSTOCK

For the 13th year on the trot, Poznań’s Old Town Square will play host to an international ice sculpture festival set to attract artists from as far afield as the States, Malaysia and the Philippines. Sculptors will set to work on December 8th, with the fruits of their labor judged the following day. Can’t make it down that weekend? Their complex ‘ice creatures’ will be on display until they melt. Anything else? While there, check out the thriving food scene in the Jeżyce district or the bar and cafes that line cutesy Żydowska.

On the sightseeing front, don’t miss the Croissant Museum: it’s rollicking family entertainment in its purest form.

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ESSENTIAL WARSAW CHRISTMAS

L I G H T FA N TA S T I C To some, the suggestion of visiting Wilanów is as crazy as going to Mars.

But even if you’re one of those who balks at heading to the city limits, make time for the Royal Garden of Light outside Wilanów Palace. Lit by in excess of 300,000 pulsating diodes, lose yourself in a sea of thematic areas whilst tunes

by Tchaikovsky and Vivaldi tinkle in the background. It’s beguiling, bewitching and even a little bewildering.

WALK ON ICE For the masses, the National Stadium (zimowynarodowy. pl) will once more become the rink of choice when it comes to winter skating.

Transforming itself into a winter wonderland of 5,000 sq/m of ice, features include an ice hill, evening ‘ice discos’, bumper cars and a polar bar for winter warmers. More intimacy is ensured at Pl. Europejski, while the Old Town’s Rynek should again be the spot favored by lovebirds circling the twinkling mermaid statue.

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THE GIG IS UP On the international front, Warsaw’s gig calendar is strangely dry this December. No problem, get with the locals to singalong to classic acts such as the folkrock heroes of the Golec uOrkiestra (Tear Roma: 18 Dec), Kayah, a.k.a. the Polish Madonna (PKiN: 9 Dec) or the iconic songstress Ania Dąbrowska (Torwar: 5 Dec).

Not cool enough? Then join the post-hipster generation to listen to Lena Romul and the Underground Sound of Slavic Jazz (Hydrozagadka: Dec 9).

BE GOOD OUT THERE Expat charity initiatives are numerous in number, though few have gathered steam in much the same way as Smile Warsaw. With

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

the simple aim of feeding the homeless, poor and less fortunate’, this non-religious organization meets outside the Palace of Culture each Sunday to help those on the margins of society. If you can’t join them on the frontline, then clothes and financial donations are always appreciated – check their Facebook for details (fb.com/smilewarsaw.org).

OH, TREEMENDOUS December 8th has been revealed as the date Warsaw will officially flick the switch on its festive lights, with the biggest crowds set to descend on Pl. Zamkowy to watch the button being pushed to illuminate the capital’s tallest tree. Though no time has yet been set, rumors suggest you’ll need to get there by 4

Clockwise from top left: find everything you never needed at the Old Town’s festive market; lend your Christmas sparkle on the Royal Route; fix eggnog like a pro at Bar & Books. to watch the magic moment.

Warning: you will not be alone. Previous ceremonies have drawn audiences that have exceeded tens of thousands.

LIGHTS, CAMERA… ACTION! Were they to be laid out one-by-one, Warsaw’s illuminations would stretch to Vienna. Delivered by 60 trucks, and assembled by a crew of 50 workers, over 4.5 million LED lights are set to give the city a >>>

CIDER

Relentless in its pace, you’d have had to have been living under a rock not to notice the craft beer revolution that’s taken the country by storm. Local to Warsaw and its surrounds, breweries of note include Artezan, Beer Lab, Maryensztadt, Palatum and Monsters, while further afield Zakładowy, Golem and Stu Mostów have continued to impress with their variety and adventure. Visit any of Warsaw’s fifty-plus tap bars (ontap.pl) and pick through their fridges, or else track down specialist stores such as Piwomaniak or Piwna Gwardia – you’ll be staggered by the choice and staggering when you leave.

As the EU’s largest apple producer, it’s fitting that Poland is finally finding its thirst for cider. True, much of it is fizzy, apple-scented piss, but there’s some that genuinely competes with the best in Europe. Smykan, Manufaktura, Kwaśne Jabłko and Chylicizki are firm favorites though finding them can be tricky. Best bet? Visit Jabeerwocky and ask what’s in the fridge.

PHOTOGRAPH THIS PAGE: KEVIN DEMARIA, OPPOSITE PAGE TOP SHUTTERSTOCK (2), BOTTOM LEFT PODWALE BAR AND BOOKS

CRAFT BEER

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ESSENTIAL WARSAW CHRISTMAS

NALEWKI Lend a color to your Christmas with a bottle of nalewki. These matured fruit liquors, usually presented in decorative bottles, are the very definition of old world Poland.

Commonly available in traditional stores such as Krakowski Kredens (krakowskikredens.pl), for something memorable then visit Szambelan in Kraków: reminiscent of Dumbledore’s study, it’s just about the most fantastical store you’ll ever get to visit – and if Kraków’s a step too far, then order online from szambelan.pl.

It’s been a big year for vodka: not only did we see the opening of the Museum of Polish Vodka making the foreign press, but also the drink itself continuing its domestic rehabilitation. No longer seen as merely a meandering step towards drunkenness, a number of producers are showing it’s a drink to be sipped and appreciated rather than downed in one at the end of a night. The smallbatch, terroir-inspired Vestal brand is regarded as the best in the world for a reason (buy online at wine-express.pl), while other niche and upmarket brands such as J.A. Baczewski and Chopin Rye have continued to make significant inroads into the market. Find both on propaganda24h.pl.

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Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

PHOTOGRAPH THIS PAGE: KEVIN DEMARIA, OPPOSITE PAGE TOP COURTESY OF TARGI RZECZY ŁADNYCH

VODKA

Left: you’ve seen the rest, now browse the best at Warsaw’s seasonal design fairs (shown Targi Rzeczy Ładnych).

JOIN THE MASS(ES) On the subject of religion, slip into one of Warsaw’s churches to celebrate midnight mass on the evening of December > > >

Out of Town: Toruń big, heavy dose of seasonal sparkle. The Royal Route, running from the Old Town all the way down to Wilanów Palace, promises the best show, though do also check the ‘tunnels of light’ earmarked for Freta and Agrykola.

CORNER THE MARKET Even if it doesn’t quite compete with the magical Christmas markets of Mitteleuropa, there’s much to recommend about Warsaw’s own effort. Curling around the Old Town walls between the Barbakan and Pl. Zamkowy, it’s here you need to head to browse tacky Xmas merch such as thickknit jumpers, spooky dolls, country carvings and wooly gloves. Over 60 wooden cabins will be lined up, each selling much the same stuff.

Save your visit for when the snow first tumbles.

CLOSED FOR XMAS One of the big stories of 2018 was the introduction of a nonsensical partial ban on Sunday trading by the

incumbent government.

Byzantine in its complexity, it’s not been the calamity most people forecast, but it has been a pain in the neck.

In December, expect to find chain stores and shopping centers shut on December 9; private operations, markets, etc. will be allowed to carry on as normal should they so wish.

GAME TIME There’s no better time than Christmas to gather friends around a board and spend the night drinking and cheating over complex games that no-one knows the rules to. Nerdy and nutty, the grungy looking Paradox Café dubs itself a Sci-Fi & Fantasy Asylum and has zillions of table-top games to rent from the bar. Forget Monopoly and go for bonkers new wave games with names such as Pandemic, Letters from Whitechapel and Sheriff Of Nottingham.

ALL DOWNHILL The second the snow begins falling, count on the locals

heading to the basement to haul out their sleds and prized toboggans – if you’re desperate, then the nearest breakfast tray will do.

Everyone has their favorite hill on which to engage in high speed capers, with the Old Town’s Podzamcze the most traditional hit. In Mokotów, Morskie Oko and Królikarnia are guaranteed to get crowds, as are Wola’s Park Sowiński and Park Moczydło.

P L AY YO U R CARDS RIGHT One of the big seasonal annoyances many foreigners comment on is the seeming shortage of decent Christmas cards to pick from. Hit up one of the big high street retailers and you’ll likely come away with an unwanted sack of religious-themed cards that even the most zealous Catholic would hesitate to send. Fun, cool and quirky, Rzeczownik (rzeczownik. com) are here to save your bacon. Elsewhere, try the pop-up design fairs that will take place around town.

Getting Christmassy means getting gingerbread – nowhere does it better than Toruń, a mediaeval town that’s been producing the stuff since the 13th century: so good is it, it’s said to be one of the biggest things Chopin missed about Poland during his exile abroad. Learn how to make it the traditional way in the Gingerbread Museum, and after soak up the spirit of the Middle Ages by visiting the Museum of Legends. Though (good) food and drink options remain scant, who can’t fail to enjoy a town featuring a leaning tower, a statue of a donkey and a creepy military bunker. Meanwhile, the pristine nature of the Old Town makes for a super scenic setting for the Christmas Market.

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ESSENTIAL WARSAW CHRISTMAS

Buy The Book

Looking for a fireside read or a last minute stocking filler? These Poland-related titles could be just the novel idea you’ve been searching for…

Clockwise from top: Girls On Canvas: an anthology of thirty divergent essays, each inspired by a Pola Dwurnik painting.

Warszawa Gutta: Błażej Pindor explores the work of Romauld Gutt, an architect that shaped Warsaw into a modernist city.

Warsaw On Air: aerial photographer Maciej Margas presents stunning images of Warsaw from above. Look for the follow-up book, Poland On Air, coming soon for Christmas.

Coffee Spots Polska: essentials for coffeeologists, this bi-lingual tome reviews the Polish cafes that every coffee fiend needs to visit.

A-Z: beautifully haunting imagery of Poland accompanies this entertaining and abstract German-Polish visual dictionary.

Polish Jazz Recordings & Beyond: attention jazz lovers. This comprehensive heavyweight bible gives the detailed story behind over 1,700 jazz recordings.

POW: presented in Polish and English, and accompanied by beautiful graphics, POW brings you the story of sixty Powiśle landmarks – some ugly, others exquisite, all intriguing.

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Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

(Available at: sklep.beczmiana.pl; radiotelewizja.org; warsawgiftshop.com; bookoff.pl; supersalon.org)

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ESSENTIAL WARSAW CHRISTMAS

SHOP TILL YOU DROP Urgh: remember when Warsaw went all hipster?

Fortunately, there were some pleasing side effects not least the widespread

availability of good beer and pulled pork. Of the other miscellaneous fringe benefits, add also the brilliant design fairs held before Xmas. For the most part, find something cool and ‘design-y’ going on most weekends at Dom Towarowy Bracia Jabłkowscy (Bracka 25); furthermore, don’t miss the Slow Weekend on December 8th and 9th nor the Fair of Beautiful Things (Targi Rzeczy Ładnych) at the start of the month.

Google them for deets.

S H O OT T H AT SELFIE Plac Europejski’s neon ‘Kocham Warszawe’ sign has become the city’s

default selfie spot, and it feels all the more special come Christmas when a small market opens up around. Feel free to clamber on it and pull daft poses with your head through the heart – it’s almost the law to do so. Vying for second spot in the selfie stakes is the ‘I Tree Warsaw’ sign which usually finds itself either at the mouth of Nowy Świat or lurking around up on Krakowskie Przedmieście.

CHEERS!

When you’ve had enough of the crowds, head to lesservisited corners such as New Town or Mariensztat: both share much the same quaint charm of Old Town, only none of the waves of human traffic. Likewise, the revamped boulevard lining the left side of the Wisła promises a quiet, soothing walk along the icy river.

For something a little more escapist, get all Dr. Zhivago

Even the most devoted fan of mulled wine will reach a point when enough is enough. On the drinks front, check into Bar & Books on December 18th to attend a workshop in which you’ll learn how to fix the perfect eggnog (twelve seats only, so book ahead!). After, retire with your creation in front of their fireplace: no other bar in Warsaw feels quite so December.

December 6th will see Kraków’s Rynek transformed into a scrum of tourists and TV crews (actually, isn’t it always?), with huge crowds descending to view the 76th installment of the Christmas crib competition. If it sounds a bit dullsville, you’ll be agog at the time and skill vested in them. Yep, and you’ll get a chance to buy your own in the magical Xmas market that functions around it. Elsewhere, do your eating and partying in the former Jewish district of Kazimierz or in the former Tytano tobacco factory. Do also head across the water to upcoming Podgórze: MOCAK, the country’s best art museum, awaits, as does the much-hyped Schindler Factory.

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by going for a horse-drawn carriage ride around the forests of Kampinos: type kulig kampinos into Google and away you go.

THE QUIET ONES

Out of Town: Kraków

Clockwise from top: trip down the light fantastic and head down Agrykola’s ‘tunnel of light’; get yer’ skates on at the Old Town winter rink.

PHOTOGRAPHS THIS PAGE SHUTTERSTOCK

24th. Even flinty-hearted atheists and agnostics leave looking thrilled at the pomp and splendor.

Highly ceremonial, there’s no better time to appreciate the importance of faith in this staunchly Catholic country. For something more lighthearted, Jewish readers are invited to attend the Chanukah house party hosted by the JCC (fb.com/ JCCWarszawa) on December 8th.

H Par ig t SH hl ne OP ig r h PI NG ts

Have A Macaron Little Christmas!

Dainty and delicious, no-one does macarons quite like Melody – if you’re searching for something sweet and memorable, like our remarkable macaron tree, then drop us a line or bounce us an email! To all you macaron lovers out there, we’d like to wish you a fantastic time this Christmas from all of us at Melody!

Melody Al. Jana Pawła II 43A (unit 25), ul. Koszykowa 63 (Hala Koszyki) and ul. Francuska 48, tel. 509 912 282, kontakt@melody.pl, melody.pl

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a unique shopping experience 3.1 Philip Lim — Rodarte — Paul Andrew — Justine Clenquet Nina Kastens — ­ Jonathan Simkhai — D’ESTREE — ­ RIXO London

www.lui-store.com Mokotowska 26 Warsaw

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Dreamy Creamy

The exotic cosmetic brand that’s left its mark on Poland…

CREATED IN 2015 by Zofia Pinchinat-Witucka, a Haitian-Pole whose life goal has been to bring the two countries closer. Her company, Creamy, is founded on four pillars: environmental awareness, a commitment to quality raw materials, expert knowledge and customized skincare formulas. Offering a wide range of vegan oils and creams which are based on a deeply nourishing Haitian elixir known as Moringa Oil, Creamy’s natural cosmetics have quickly earned a name for their anti-aging qualities. Beyond discovering cosmetics, visit our atelier to indulge yourself in our spa and enjoy diverse Haitian treatments that will leave your skin thoroughly rejuvenated.

MORINGA OIL Found at the foot of the Himalayas in Northern India, but also in Haiti, The Moringa tree has long been celebrated for the deeply nourishing and cleansing oils extracted from it. Golden in color and with a pleasantly nutty aroma, it is rich in components that are biocompatible with our skin. Though largely unknown in Poland, its popularity across the world is soaring with Moringa not just being used as a standalone product but also to emphasize the effects of other cosmetics: just adding a few drops is enough to boost the benefits of a mask countering dry, mature or sensitive skin.

Ideal also for dry hair and massages, Moringa oil is quickly becoming a game-changer in the world of beauty and cosmetics.

THE BRAND Creamy’s cosmetics are vegan and crueltyfree; furthermore they do not contain any synthetic dyes nor fragrances, petroleum components, sulphates or silicones. Utilizing high-quality oils, extracts and vitamins without fillers, these cosmetics offer complete excellence. Special attention is also paid to the packaging, with our products packed in returnable, photo protective, zero-waste black and white glass bottles and jars.

Creamy’s cosmetics are mostly based on oils, including Moringa, hemp, marula, andiroba, cacay, argan, as well as hydrolates from lavender, rose, neroli along with other raw materials. But if you are confused by the technicalities and terminology, then place your trust in Creamy’s experts – they will help with the selection of personalized cosmetics based on a one-on-one consultation at the atelier situated on Chmielna Street, Warsaw. Online shoppers, meanwhile, can use the ‘skin test’ which will let you discover perfectly tailored cosmetics within a matter of minutes. Creamy SPA also offers original Haitian facial massage based on Creamy's vegan cosmetics.

Creamy Atelier & SPA ul. Chmielna 6, creamy.pl

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Nature-based rituals for your face,body and mind

ul. Nowolipki 13, Warszawa | mobile +48 506 373 763 | www.spa.clochee.com Opening hours: Monday - Friday: 10:00-19:00 | Saturdays: 10:00-15:00

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Earrings by Lui X Kopi, zł. 190

Ivy earrings by Justine Clenquet, zł. 360

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Can’t figure what to get for Christmas? Then we have the answer!

For women that appreciate quality and timeless looks then a visit to the Lui Store won’t disappoint.

Unique in every sense, our concept store is packed with items sourced by owner and designer Luiza Kubis, among them bags, jewelry and accessories. Directed at all age groups, the diversity of our offer will satisfy all: if a Philip Lim bag seems too extravagant for your mum, then how about one from D’Estree. And once you’ve stocked up on gifts, spoil yourself and grab a new look for Christmas dinner – this year, be unique!

Lui Store ul. Mokotowska 26, lui-store.com

Bag by D'Estreee, zł. 4,890

Necklace by Justine Clenquet, zł. 490

Blue polly pop by Charlotte Simone, zł. 950

The Most Fashionable Gifts… Only At Lui Store!

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Earrings by Nina Kastens, zł. 750

Drew bracelet by Nina Kastens, zł. 1,200

Glasses by Emmanuelle Khanh, zł.1,600

Pendant by Anna + Nina, zł. 169

Earrings by Justine Clenquet, zł. 580

Golf by 3.1 Phillip Lim, zł. 2,200

H Par ig t SH hl ne OP ig r h PI NG ts

A Brand For The Future

Famous for their use of raw materials, Mokosh is the Polish brand that everyone’s talking about…

Known for its beautifully intense aromas, at Mokosh we’ve made rapid inroads to be present in the best spas, salons and hotels. Closely associated with wellness philosophy, our brand communicates a fair trade, ethical message and an eco-friendly approach whilst keeping a close eye on trends in design and art. Our goals are focused and aimed at creating a solid national business with international penetration.

We began production using one component formulas, and over time we’ve introduced cosmetics caring for all parts of the skin and face all of which contain Polish oils made, for instance, using primrose, wheat germs and carrot roots – that alone guarantees our products are never boring! The quality of our brand is well-known, with Mokosh winning numerous awards such as In Style Best Beauty Buys 2017 & 2018 and Qltowy Kosmetyk 2018.

For the ideal gift this Christmas, take a look at our full range at: mokosh.pl

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Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

Eyebrows On Top!

Overlooked in the past, the power of a beautiful set of eyebrows have finally become apparent: when perfectly done, eyebrows can work wonders!

For the last few seasons, eyebrow styling has become big news with boldly stylized eyebrows coming to the fore. This year, though, we’ve seen people step more towards naturally looking, minimal brows: and it’s not just the shape that counts, but also their texture, thickness, form and depth. But brow styling isn’t just the most significant component of a woman’s makeup, but also the most difficult to master – which is why our five expert steps have come to be regarded as essential!

Step 1 DIAGNOSIS Our stylist first assesses your brows, shapes them to match your facial lines, the color of your hair and complexion.

Step 2 MAPPING Having taken into consideration the shape of your eyes and the roundness of your face, the stylist will make an image of the brows that are perfect for you.

Step 3 THREADING Your eyebrows will be carefully shaped using a reliable traditional Hindi method of brow styling.

Step 4 DYEING The stylist will select a suitable color for your brows and dyes them, with the effect lasting about 4 weeks Step 5 MAKE-UP Your eyebrows will need a final touch: our All About Eyebrow Pencil will highlight the natural look of your brows.

Do you fancy amazing brows?

Then keep this as our own little secret!

Eyebar Al. Jana Pawła II 22 / ul. Inflancka 4b / ul. Postępu 14, Warsaw, tel. +48 22 101 72 71 Bring a voucher and get -30% off your first visit to eyebar.pl

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Just Like Italy!

Americano, espresso macchiato, flat white or cafe cortado? Thanks to its oneTouch Function, your EQ6 plus from Siemens can serve the indulgence of your choice at the press of a button. The ceramDrive, a ceramic grinder, adapts to each bean variety and always grinds the perfect quantity to heighten the aroma. Different coffees require the espresso shot to be heated at a different temperature to achieve the perfect result. The sensoFlow, an intelligent heater, does this automatically, providing delicious beverages again and again: before you know it, your home will feel like an Italian restaurant!

Siemens siemens-home.bsh-group.com

NEWSFLASH! See in the New Year at Stixx where we’ll have a DJ and live music to keep you entertained, a 5-course menu and an open bar open throughout the night. Dress code: black tie. Tickets: zł. 599 (or zł. 399 late entrance valid after 22:30). For details, see: stixx.pl

Art From The Heart

Urban Nature is a concept store with Polish fashion, art and design at the core of our offer. Created in Żoliborz Artystyczny, the brand’s identity is the result of an intensely personal search for harmony in everyday life by its owner and founder Agniezka Dawid. Dealing with big names and front page artists, we also promote smaller artisans and creatives, with the uniqueness of our collection showcased by our linens, organic cottons, handmade ceramics, wooden art, vegan soy candles and natural stone jewelry.

Urban Nature ul. Kaliny Jędrusik 9, urbannature.pl

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Terroir Matters We believe that Islay whisky should have an authenticity derived from where it is distilled, and where it is matured‌ from the philosophies of those who distill it: a sense of place, of terroir that speaks of the land, the barley and water from which it was made, and of the human soul that gave it life.

Bruichladdich Classic Laddie is the work of our Master Distiller Adam Hannet, and his proposal summons the classic, floral and elegant style of our distillery inside a characteristic

turquoise bottle. The only major distiller to bottle spirit on the island itself, Bruichladdich never adds color or chill filters, retaining the vital, natural oils, which give the spirit its complex flavor profile and unctuous mouth feel.

With a reputation for producing cult single malts that challenge the malt convention, Bruichladdich produces three different brands – Bruichladdich, always unpeated; Port Charlotte, heavily peated; and Octomore, the most heavily peated spirit in the world.

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Sp Par ot tne lig r EA ht T

IN THE PINK

The Pink Lobster strikes gold

A

warded the title of Chef of the Year in the 2015 edition of Poland’s 100 Best Restaurants, the Pink Lobster’s chef / owner Jarek Walczyk has long been seen as one of the more familiar faces on Poland’s gastronomic circuit. Taking charge of his own restaurant for the first time, his is a triumphant venture that’s managed to demystify and de-formalize fine dining through a well-honed concept that feels clear and thought out.

IN FRONT

Żurawia isn’t short on swank, so Pink Lobster slots in naturally with an interior that bristles with palm fronds and marble fixtures set underneath

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soaring ceilings strung with dozens of spotlights. Looking dapper and dashing, the aesthetic is signed off nicely with bursts of lobster pink color to add some punch to the palette. Upmarket but never overbearing, it’s a style that feel firmly in line with Walczyk’s overall vision of what his restaurant should be.

O N T H E P L AT E

From the opening shot, expect nothing but well-executed sophistication from a kitchen brigade that’s both capable and light in touch. An amuse bouche of marinated duck with buckwheat grain popcorn is a delightful introduction to their proficiency, while starters pick up the baton: marinated in beetroot and served in a

raspberry sauce, there’s much to recommend about their spin on herring.

Next, bring on the lobster, or more specifically, the lobster pierogi. Something of a house specialty, this delicate dish is an elegant precursor to a main that gives center stage to the duck.

Accompanied by a pistachio and celery mousse, this is food of subtle, clever flavors. Finally, there’s a reminder to the importance of dessert. Meringue, ice cream and a thick plum sauce are the key components to a dish that leaves diners leaning back in a state of postprandial bliss.

Pink Lobster ul. Żurawia 6/12, pinklobster.pl

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GURU REDEFINES

MODERN INDIAN CUISINE

Our focus from the start has been to create modern Indian dishes and drinks, served in a relaxed space. We combine local seasonal ingredients with the authentic flavors, aromas and spices of India and the orient.

Widok 8, Warszawa www.gururestauracja.pl facebook.com/gururestauracja TEL. 22 857 0604

EAT!

PHOTOGRAPH KEVIN DEMARIA

MURANÓW’S MEXICAN CRAVE?

Muranów needs all the restaurants it can get, so the opening of Rico is long overdue. Spread on two floors, it’s got a design you’d describe as ‘jolly’ with plenty of bright sunny colors and cartoonish murals of chilis and vihuelas: basic, bright but also confident and fun. More concerning is a menu that returns to the 90s with an ABC choice of standard Tex-Mex. At a time when restaurants are reaching out for brave, daring recipes and adventurous salsas, it all has the feeling of being a little prosaic. Perhaps it is, but that doesn’t stop Rico from being an enjoyable experience that adds oomph to the neighborhood. There is no reinvention going on here, no reimagining of what Mexican can mean (or even Tex, for that matter): yet you know what, that’s called ‘who cares’. If your burrito is good then so is your mood: in that respect, Rico gets it right.

Rico Al. Jana Pawła II 61 warsawinsider.pl

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Eat! Review

Stolica proves there’s more to Old Town than meets the eye…

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Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA

A CAPITAL IDEA

Stolica ul. Szeroki Dunaj 1/3, restauracjastolica.com

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ew areas in the capital have a higher density of restaurants than the Old Town, but quantity is no guarantee of quality. Far from it. In a district top-heavy with belowpar options aimed at onetime guests, Stolica stands out as one of the proud few venues that’s truly worth the visit.

Evoking the spirit of the inter-war epoch, diners creak through a heavy wooden door before entering an elegant space decorated with paintings of Warsaw’s past. As bow-tied waiters glide as if in tune with the classical sounds, there is a sense of being enveloped in a private little world that’s been lost to history.

Set on the scenic corner of one of the Old Town’s lesser known squares, Stolica is an enjoyably nostalgic ride through bygone times. Fittingly, this atmosphere is reflected by a menu that celebrates the tastes of classic Poland with no quarter given. For starters, keep winter at bay with a rich mushroom and crayfish soup typical of Mazuria, or else opt for the chef’s signature tartar: made using deer, and accompanied with the requisite sprinkling of marinated pickles and red onion jam, it’s a vibrant dish that feels representative of a nation. Plant a Polish flag on it and it could easily fulfill an ambassadorial role.

Mains are big both in size and in taste. Cooked with nothing less than complete competence and confidence, the lamb shank could fall of the bone with a shake of the wrist. Served on a bed of pillowy horseradish puree, this is food exactly as it should be: warming and delicious. But picking out a star dish isn’t easy work. The pork tenderloin, with a pumpkin rubbing and pinches of fried kale, reveals much about this kitchen’s commitment to quality product.

To cook classic dishes that are iconic of the country is no easy feat: there are traps to be avoided. Many choose to over elaborate in their push to impress; others, to simplify and deconstruct in a manner that loses the very meaning of the dish. Here, in Stolica, such hazards are side-stepped. Retaining the very essence of the traditional Polish kitchen, think of this as a restaurant that eschews silly fads to candidly stick to what all restaurants should do: that is, to feed its guests with quality food. It’s a philosophy others would do well to follow.

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EAT! Listings

Poland’s original maverick chef talks about resurrecting the past at his restaurant Zoni…

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PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA

ENTER THE BARON

Zoni Pl. Konesera 1, zoni.today

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t’s a fact of life that everybody loves a rebel chef: in the case of Aleskander Baron, though, his credentials go beyond a hardliving past that saw the man behind Zoni first kicked out of art school before finding his calling in the kitchens of Scotland.

Channeling his character into a style of cooking committed to exploring the realms of the unknown, his is a philosophy defined by an appreciation of terroir, locality, seasons and product. Further, it is an approach driven by this chef’s respect for Poland’s past. At a time when others are looking to reinvent the wheel with crazy fads and silly techniques, Baron buckles the formbook by seeking inspiration by digging in the past.

“To understand Polish cuisine,” says Baron, “you have to understand Polish history. If ever I’m making a presentation about Polish food culture, one of the first things I do is stick up one of those graphic visualizations that show the changes to our borders: from the times this nation stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea, to those years that Poland completely vanished – twice!”

This varied history, claims Baron, has endowed the country with a rich culinary heritage that many are unaware of. “Our cuisine,” says the chef, “is incredibly multicultural, and it’s not difficult to find influences from the Muslims, Tartars and so on in our kitchen. Poles think that dishes like gołąbki and placki ziemniaczane are theirs, but the reality is that these came from the Ashkenazi Jews.”

For Baron, delving into Poland’s gastronomic background has become an all-consuming passion, with his research involving the analysis of countless books and manuscripts as well as ongoing cooperation with Professor Jarosław Dumanowski of the National Museum in Wilanów. Not all discoveries, however, have been the result of devoted study. “For example, one time my girlfriend was reading a book set in 1920s California,” says Baron, “and one of the characters had a celeriac drink – we decided to recreate it for a bit of fun, only to learn that it had originally been invented by a Jew from Warsaw: the lesson, you have to keep your eyes and ears open all of the time!”

Given a choice, admits Baron, it’s far more distant times that really turn the switch. “The Middle Ages and, of course, Renaissance and Baroque times are

what really fascinate me,” says the chef.

“Back then, they were doing completely crazy stuff: as a host, it was practically obligatory you surprised your guests, so you’d often find live animals walking the tables or weird things such as gunpowder in the chicken!”

Good reading though they make, Baron stresses that it would be remiss to solely focus on the eating habits of the rich and mighty. “The peasants living in the countryside,” he says, “they’re the ones that really got creative – they had to. They were the people utilizing every part of an animal or developing ways of cooking so they’d never grow bored of the same old thing.”

In many respects, the world has come full circle, with respect for both land and product attaining increased importance in our daily eating habits. Yet while more restaurants adopt such thinking, it’s in Zoni that the menu goes the extra yard.

“The first thing on our tasting menu,” says Baron, “that’s something we call Troposz – or Dead Man’s Cheese.”

Thought to date back several hundred years, the grisly sounding dish was

once a popular Polish delicacy though no recipe is known to have survived. “All we know,” continues Baron, “is that our forefathers would wrap cream in cloth and then bury it to remove the milk and enhance the taste.”

With so few facts at hand, Baron and his brigade have been forced into taking experimental steps in their recreation of this dish. “Since June we’ve been developing our own techniques,” he says, “peat, because of its high acidity, is preferred as it really boosts the taste.

We’ve left it underground for period of a few days to a few month, and so far everything’s really worked.”

The attention given over to this dish reveals much about Zoni and its underlying aims. “We want people to open their minds and experience new things,” says Baron, “while at the same time learning more about the value, realness and quality of product.” Served with a smidgen of Praga honey, as well as herbs such as linden, sage and nettle, it’s a stunning little opener that’s daring and adventurous and the very embodiment of all that Baron stands for. warsawinsider.pl

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EAT! Listings

BOLD AMBITIONS

PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA

The flagship restaurant of Hotel Warszawa stakes its claim as the ‘newcomer of the year’…

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Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

Restauracja Warszawska Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 9, warszawa.hotel.com.pl

THE FOOD

Even before you begin, you’re spoiled by a bundle of freebies – the bread, baked onsite, is a fabulous, but it’s the other bits and pieces that really set the pace: a marinated cherry the color of ruby; a thick hoisin sauce that has you licking the bowl; or a small splash of bouillon to stave off the winter.

Of the plates, standouts on this Insider’s visits have included spicy pork dumplings in a vibrant essence of paprika. The star dish, mind you, that’s the schnitzel – so golden is its shell that if you left it in a cave you suspect it’d gleam like treasure. For dessert, the homemade, soft serve ice cream is a swirling thick mass of cold, creamy pleasure; in all visits, we’ve ordered nothing else and don’t plan on changing. From start to finish it’s utterly exceptional.

THE COST

Unbelievable. When the bill arrives, the natural instinct is to check what they’ve forgotten – it can’t be this low, surely? Yes it can be. Drinks excluded, a satisfying meal shouldn’t come to more than a hundred a head.

WHAT NEXT? THE PLACE

Enter via an unmarked side entrance built with Bond villains in mind, or through a marble-clad lobby featuring a glass-capped atrium. From there, descend to the basement of the Hotel Warszawa and take a moment to draw breath. Wow. Humongous in size, the vast spaces and lack of natural light never feel an issue. Loaded with slick finishes and polished raw materials, it’s a place that elicits a little gasp of awe. Adding emphasis to that, the giant original supports that this prewar skyscraper were built upon have been left exposed to underline the pioneering grandeur of this historic address.

THE CHEF

Dariusz Barański is best known

for leading the kitchen at Concept 13, the swish restaurant found on top of the Vitkac department store.

Tipped by the nation’s culinary godfather, Wojciech Amaro, as the next Pole to win a Michelin star, his gastronomic style was shaped at blue ribbon venues such as La Gavroche, Claridge’s and Sketch. Respected by his peers, and lauded by foodies, few chefs in Poland command such respect.

THE MENU

A basic sheet of paper divided into ‘snacks’, ‘plates’, ‘sides’ and ‘desserts’.

Call us old fashioned, but we just prefer to know a starter from a main.

As an evolving work, find bits and pieces added or subtracted on any given day.

This is but the beginning. A sixth floor restaurant angled more towards fine diners is set to open in the near future, with its party piece being a wraparound terrace. No more details exist at press time, but you can make a small wager it’ll be a meal to remember.

THE VERDICT

On the face of it, it all looks so simple.

But it can’t be, for if it was as easy as it seemed then everyone else would be doing it as well. They’re not, because they can’t. Already, the Insider’s tally of visits tots up to four and that figure will double by the end of the year. Bashed by over a thousand German shells during WWII, this is a building that has stood the test of time; eating here, it’s with the certainty that the restaurant will as well. warsawinsider.pl

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Eat! Review

GREAT EXPECTATIONS A Warsaw legend reappears on the radar…

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f the first half of Warsaw’s gastro year was slow and ponderous, then the second has seen the action amped up to the point of over-heating. A string of heavyweight openings have come in quick succession, with Opasły Tom the latest of note. Only, hang on a moment, they’re not actually open. Officially launching at an unspecified date in December, the return of one of Warsaw’s great institutions is set to ensure the capital finishes the year with a flourish.

Already, expectations are great; regarded as the domain of choice among the city’s bloggers and influencers, the original on Foksal was for years a dominant force on the foodie map: for some, if you didn’t know it then you weren’t worth knowing. When it closed, it felt like tragedy had struck. Now they’re back, with the last few weeks utilized for semi-secret sittings announced via Facebook.

The excitement, you can tell, is palpable.

Visiting one such evening, the ground floor – all swanky lighting and navy blue seating – is packed, so it’s downstairs we head to an intimate space more reminiscent of Foksal: here, it’s about muted colors and reassuring shadow.

As for food, that’s handled by Flavia Borawska and Maria Przybyszewska. Both have rising reputations and you soon see why. Characterized by its balanced, nuanced flavors and thoughtful combinations, the prototype menu sees a medley of dishes you demand to eat again: pumpkin and curd dumplings served in a cheese sauce; celery root with a bean and apple paste; and a perfectly cooked cod with a butter white wine sauce. Missteps happen (a wild boar that’s cooked slightly over), but these are forgiven as there’s so much to admire: not least, a dessert of poppy seed cream served in a sparkly almond tuile. When the bill comes (seven-course tasting menu: zł. 169), it’s paid safe in the knowledge of a night well spent.

Pre-openings are about learning: ironing out wrongs, getting things right and finding a rhythm for the future to come. Already, Opasły Tom are on the way. Service is clockwork and accomplished, the cooking confident and cultivated, the concept clear and the ambiance correct. Be certain, good things will happen here – roll on December…

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PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA

Opasły Tom ul. Wierzbowa 9, fb.com/OpaslyTom

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EAT! Listings By in large, you can expect to pay between zł. 20-35 for starters, and zł.

35-70 for mains. Expect those prices to double in the case of the city’s fine dining venues. Those wishing to cut costs should seek out the weekday business lunch deals now offered by most restaurants. When tipping, 10-20% is considered polite though be aware of automatic service charges in some venues.

american 52 bakeries 52 balkan 52 chinese 52 comfort food 52 fine dining 54 french 56 georgian 56 greek & turkish 56 indian 56 indonesian 59 international 59 italian 63 japanese & sushi 64 korean 65 latin & spanish 66 mexican 67 middle eastern 68 polish 68 scandinavian 73 seafood 74 specialty food shops 74 steak houses 74 street food 75 thai 75 ukrainian 76 vegan & wholefood 76 vietnamese 78

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american Hard Rock Café Instantly recognizable by the giant neon guitar outside, Hard Rock has a pierced staff of 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. (C4) ul. Złota 59 (Złote Tarasy), tel. 22 222 0700, hardrockcafe.pl Koko & Roy The work of an American / Polish husband and wife, Koko & Roy feels fun, innovative and pleasingly casual – a bit like visiting friends who really know how to cook. Take it all in inside a brill interior that’s all Sputnik lights, intriguing artwork and mustard-toned finishes. (D5) ul. Wilcza 43

balkan Na Bałkany This newbie modernizes the Balkan experience in a manner Warsaw’s yet to see: raw, industrial aesthetics meet head on with a menu that adds a delicate finesse to a cuisine better known for its heavy, rustic style. The addition of a light, sophisticated hand has not, however, been to the detriment of taste. Of the favorites, the swordfish steak, lamb goulash and beef plejskavica sell particularly well.

It feels all the more complete with a rakija or three. Full review soon. (D6) ul.

Koszykowa 47 (entry from ul. Koszykowa 53), tel. 22 118 38 38, nabalkany.pl

chinese

Pańska 85 Ample in size, the interiors speak of money well spent. This is especially true because despite the luxury trimmings Pańska looks good without ever losing its dignity. With their kitchen staff headhunted from across China, the food

sets a standard that has yet to be seen in any Chinese restaurant in Warsaw: there’s delicate salmon rolls wrapped in mango; dim sum that are pouches of pure goodness; and Sichuan-style pork that’s a blaze of sizzle and spice. The Beijing Duck, carved and served table-side, is the highlight. (B4) ul. Pańska 85, panska85.com Regina Bar Taking their inspiration from New York’s Little Italy and Chinatown, the menu at Regina is the very definition of ethnic comfort food: won-ton dumplings, ribs in sticky hoisin sauce and the best-selling General Tso chicken – famed for its healing properties, it’s one of the best hangover remedies around. On the Italian front, leopard-spotted pizzas land are presented with wheel-bladed knives in a kooky, retro interior featuring a dangling chandelier and the tallest mirror in Poland (possibly). (E6) ul. Koszykowa 1, fb.com/Reginabar To Tu Dumpling Bar 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. And that’s a good thing! ul. Niekłańska 33, chinskapierogarnia.pl

comfort food Barn Burger Considered one of the founding fathers of Warsaw’s burger culture, Barn Burger have withstood the test of time and emerged as the yardstick all others are judged against. Prepped using freshly ground Charolais beef, choices include the jalapeno-laid Muppet and the outrageous Bypass (400g of beef with quadruple cheese and bacon). If you want to go down in legend, enter one of their Americanstyle speed eating comps. (D4) ul. Złota 9. tel. 512 157 567, barnburger.pl Beef’N’Roll If the wheels have fallen off the burger craze then no-one told Beef’N’Roll.

Originating as a food truck, their success has been such that a fixed venue was required. Everything about the food

PERA RESTAURANT CORDIALLY INVITES YOU TO A CULINARY FEAST OF FLAVORS. Having cooked for the likes of Martin Scorsese, Leonardo Di Caprio, Cameron Diaz and Matt Damon, chef Nestor Grojewski is recognized as a true master of Italian cooking. Combining modernity with perfection whilst also preserving the traditional character of Italian cuisine, no other chef does it quite like Nestor!

Al. Krakowsa 248, tel. 575 468 685 instagram.com/perarestauracja facebook.com/perarestauracja

EAT! Listings and drink suggests quality is the main consideration. (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 36, tel.

531 707 070, beefnroll.pl Kura Buffalo Wings Looking to revise and rehabilitate the reputation of fried chicken, this cult spot has cool staff, a busy buzz and a tasty selection of strips, wings and homemade sauces: look on it as KFC for the millennial generation. (B2) ul. Nowolipki 15, fb.com/restauracjakura Okienko When the chips are down and you’re looking for emergency nourishment, then join the queue outside Okienko: serving Belgian-style frites in paper cones, this street-side hatch is a true window of life.

The roster of sauces, written up in marker pen on the wall tiles, are often superb.

(D7) ul. Polna 22 Pogromcy Meatów Yearn no more for the elusive flavor of the backyard BBQ. Specializing in grilled meat, find exactly just that loaded into artisan buns alongside locally grown greens. The sense of homespun quality makes this the kind of comfort food that Warsaw has been missing for years. (E6) ul. Koszykowa 1, tel. 505 703 508 Warburger While Warsaw has lost its appetite for burgers, you wouldn’t necessarily tell

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by popping in WarBurger. Set inside a diminutive cabin, join the scrum for jazzed-up burgers that use slow-food ingredients. If not the best, they’re most certainly up there. (E9) ul. Dąbrowskiego 1, warburger.pl

reared or grown at the Atelier farm. One for any bucket list (gastronomic or not), there are occasions when dining here can feel like an out-of-body experience.

(E6) ul. Agrykola 1, tel. 22 628 5747, atelieramaro.pl

fine dining

Belvedere Łazienki Królewskie Set in an imperial age glass orangery, it’s festooned with intricate latticework and botanical exotica. The updated interiors are the work of acclaimed set designer Boris Kudlicka, and lend a fresh, contemporary tone that goes hand in hand with the menu. But behind the gels and emulsions and pretty little swirls, this is cooking of substantial depth; it’s cooking that takes you to the very soul of Polish nature. (F6) ul. Agrykoli 1, tel. 22 558 6701, belvedere.com.pl

Amber Room at the Sobański Palace Set in the pre-war Pałac Sobańskich, this pristine manor house is everything you expect: hushed, lavish, cultured and classy. The food fits the backdrop: devised by Robert Skubisz, the contemporary menu draws spontaneous outbreaks of collective joy. Maze-like in its layout, there’s enough nooks and secret rooms to make Amber Room the ideal address for expense account meetings.(E6) Al. Ujazdowskie 13, tel. 22 523 6664, amberroom.pl Atelier Amaro If Wojciech Amaro’s eponymous restaurant isn’t the most famous in the country, then it’s certainly the most important.

Awarded Poland’s first Michelin star in 2013, it’s a venue that continues to set the pace in terms of innovation. Changing weekly, his ‘calendar of nature’ seeks to present forgotten ingredients such as little-known berries, herbs and flowers against meats and other ingredients

Chłodna 15 by Wilamowski Gone are the Alice in Wonderland decorations of the previous tenant, La Maison, replaced instead by a muted charcoal look that’s reassuringly refined – for the time you’re here, you forget you’re on the ground floor of a 70s tower block. Aiding the amnesia is the classic French cooking of Arkadiusz Wilamowski: small and mercurial in its content, the daily-changing menu is a work of preposterous detail – no sauce takes less than a day to make. So the rumors go, Michelin are watching closely.

(B3) ul. Chłodna 15, choldna15.pl

EAT! Listings Europejski Grill Straight off the bat you know they mean business. Having headhunted Benat Alonso (Executive Chef) and Witek Iwański (Head Chef, and the winner of the Insider’s very own ‘One To Watch’ award in 2017), the flagship restaurant of the Raffles Europejski has cut no corners in their bid to become one of Poland’s top restaurants. A seriously swish interior is matched by a menu that features Antonius caviar, beef sirloin aged for 70-days, and a couple of ‘revisited classics’ from the Europejski’s past: among them, veal schnitzel a la Holstein. Full review soon: and yep, we can’t wait to get there. (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13, raffles.com/warsaw N31 Been there, done it all. That’s Robert Sowa, a national treasure widely hailed for modernizing Poland’s gastronomic sector back in the country’s culinary dark days. A common sight on TV, the

chef’s public profile has meant there’s no shortage of bums on seats in his flagship restaurant, but this is more than a chef trading on his past. A chic city center bubble beloved by business types, the food is first class with Sowa’s international travels reflected by surprises such as flawless tuna partnered with kabayaki sauce, yuzu, wasabi dressing and turnip salad. The flavor combinations are exceptional. (D5) ul.

Nowogrodzka 31, n31restaurant.pl

Nolita BEST WAWA 2017 “Fine Dining” For many diners, there is no bigger night out than one that begins and ends in this enclave of class. Dashing in its monochrome colors and muted gunmetal shades, Nolita is where Warsaw heads

to live the life of the 1%. Lacking the magic tricks of some, the ‘show factor’ might be subdued but the tastes definitely aren’t. Who to credit? Two words: Jacek Grochowina. Cooking with poise and focus, his menu is a marriage of the classic and creative, with core ingredients given unexpected lifts with cunning turns and inspired little twists: maybe some yuzu with the tartare or konbu with the eel. (D5) ul. Wilcza 46, tel.

22 292 0424, nolita.pl Platter by Karol Okrasa It’s a fact that Okrasa’s appearances in the kitchen are fleeting and rare, but that’s done nothing to hurt this restaurant’s prestige. Head chef Łukasz Pielak has proved to be a lethal assassin, executing the ideas of his mentor with accuracy and passion. The cooking is detailed, balanced and elegant, with the highlight of our visit being deer in plum sauce. A thing of imperial, velvety richness it’s a dish that turns up the

The Pink Lobster is enthusiastically visited by connoisseurs of the good things in life: find top range produce given the fine dining treatment courtesy of chef and co-owner Jarek Walczyk (President of the Chef’s Club Foundation and the brand ambassador for 92, ZT Kruszwica, and Bursztyn cheese).

UL. ŻURAWIA 6/12, PINKLOBSTER.PL MOB: +48 572 672 772 RESERVATIONS: KONTAKT@PINKLOBSTER.PL

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EAT! Listings volume on a memorable experience. (C4) ul. Emilii Plater 49 (Hotel InterContinental Warsaw), warsaw.intercontinental.com Salto Any Best of Warsaw list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Salto. The baby of Martin Gimenez Castro, the chef’s South American influences shine on an a la carte menu that includes corvina ceviche with orange and spices and dry aged steaks worth crossing town for. Mind you, the real riches are on the tasting menu, a six-dish volley of riveting tastes.

The inventiveness peaks with elaborate desserts such as cream of roses, marinated lychee ice cream, coconut and beetroot paper. (D5) ul. Wilcza 73 (enter from Emilii Plater), tel. 22 584 8771, saltorestauracja.pl Senses Diners are best advised to leave logic outside. Inspired by the idea of ‘note-bynote’ cooking, Italian-born chef Andrea Camastra isolates and extracts molecules from ingredients to obtain the purest flavors before matching them up with unlikely partners. What unfolds is a dazzling show of near illusory brilliance; the technical proficiency of the kitchen is exceptional and makes the WTF prices easier to swallow. Wrap-up the evening with a pungent, edible cigar. (C2) ul.

Bielańska 12, tel. 22 331 9697, sensesrestaurant.pl Signature If you thought hotel restaurants were the mundane realm of business travelers then you haven’t visited Signature.

The design incorporates architectural elements from the times this functioned as the Soviet Embassy, Oswald chairs and photos of Marilyn shot by Milton Greene. Then, along comes the food, a sophisticated pan-European event with occasional Polish accents. Dessert, especially the mille-feuille, should not be missed. (D5) ul. Poznańska 15, tel. 22 55 38755, signaturerestaurant.pl

french Bistro la Cocotte With access through a shadowy courtyard, the sensation you’re stepping

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inside a little secret is a pleasure in itself.

Presenting itself in a riot of red and white gingham Cocotte feels warm and intimate, a factor aided by a small open kitchen and the atmosphere of home. The menu, chalked up on the blackboard, is a flexible affair that makes use of the ingredients at hand, and is divided into a smattering of light bites, desserts and plat du jour. (D6) ul. Mokotowska 12, tel. 664 906 000

L’Arc 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. Pick from numerous types of oysters or delve into the fish tank for the lobster of your choosing. The catchment area extends beyond the borders of Mokotów, not just because of their ‘fresh from France’ seafood, but because of classic dishes such as Mulard duck and Burgundy snails.

(E8) ul. Puławska 16, larc.pl

georgian Rioni Warsaw’s foodies like talking of ‘cursed locations’, and they don’t get more hexed than Mokotowska 17. But despite its history of failed ventures, Rioni feel better placed than most to break the jinx. Set in a curving brick room lit by dangling overhead bulbs, join a young-ish crowd for juicy Georgian dumplings oozing with meat and herbs, hearty soups and big, doughy wheels of cheese-filled chaczapuri. (D6) ul. Mokotowska 17 (enter from Pl. Zbawiciela), rioni.pl Rusiko To the uninitiated, Georgian food is representative of the heart, spirit and passion of its people; it’s a cuisine that values the concept of the feast: wine, laughter and song find themselves elevated to roles of primary importance. A food of life, spice and whole-hearted tastes, consider Rusiko as the best ambassador there is for this surprisingly diverse kitchen. Note: closed Monday. (E5) Al. Ujazdowskie 22, tel.

22 629 0628, rusiko.pl

greek & turkish Anatolia Looking dark and moody, Anatolia adds a veneer of sophistication to the traditional Turkish dining experience; presentation, you can tell, is important, but so too is the general sense of replicating the standards of home. Meat finds itself treated with reverence, and that holds especially true when it comes to steak and lamb. (D6) Pl. Konstytucji 2, anatolia-waw.pl Maho Maho feels like it’s located at the end of the earth – but its distance deters no-one, least of all its army of hardcore followers. Why are they there? The answer is a Turkish grill that takes you right to the heart of this glorious cuisine.

Highly recommended is the Iskender kebab: layers of juicy doner meat served with scoops of fresh tomato sauce and fresh, thin pide bread straight from the wood-fired oven. While you’re there, you may as well stock up on imported goodies from their adjoining store. Al. Krakowska 240/242, maho.com.pl Santorini Santorini looks scuffed and tired but there’s a bonhomie present that instantly engages. The kitchen attaches no value to things like presentation, preferring instead to simply treat diners to piles of grilled and skewered food that consistently tastes right. ul. Egipska 7, tel. 22 672 0525, kregliccy.pl/santorini/ Sofra A highly respected Turkish eatery with a wondrous beef mussaka and a wholly admirable lineup of other ethnic dishes: the lamb shashlik has never failed us.

Pleasingly informal, this neighborhood redoubt feels cheerfully unforced, and it becomes an easy place to hang around in.

(C6) ul. Wilcza 71, tel. 731 847 731

indian Bollywood Lounge Known for their raucous dusk-till-dawn parties, there is another less hedonistic

EAT! Listings roll filled by Bollywood: that of a restaurant. The menu is an uncomplicated, classic affair that’s an ideal primer for the party ahead. (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 58, tel. 22 827 0283, bollywoodlounge.pl Bombaj Masala Not just the best looking of Warsaw’s Indian restaurants, Bombaj Masala also has some of the best cooking. With so many restaurants reliant on one ‘master pot’ for their curry, this classy venue feels unique in delivering a variety of rich, intense tastes. The vindaloo is a special standout, with big, punchy flavors that leave you tingling long after you leave.

(B3) Al. Jana Pawła II 23, tel. 606 688 777, bombajmasala.pl Curry House Ask for something extra hot in Curry House and by Suresh that’s what you’ll get. Yet at Curry House there is more to sing about than just Poland’s highest

voltage vindaloo. The curries are rich and sumptuous and consistently cited as among the best in the city. If in doubt, the chicken tikka masala is a fail-safe request. ul. Żeromskiego 81 & ul. Hoża 54, curry-house.pl

Curry Leaf The post-industrial style is diluted by the number of Indian trinkets hanging off the vents and pipes. Owned by the same crew behind the lauded Curry House, you’d be completely correct to assume consistency and excellence. ul. Conrada 5, curryleaf.pl

Guru Moving into the space vacated by the

lamentable BrewDog pub, Guru joins the city’s (very) shortlist of higher end Indians.

The menu is a union of local, seasonal ingredients (organic this, farmyard that) and imported spices, coming together to blast the competition out of the water.

From the openers, the chili chicken fry stands out as a dish that’s all snap and crackle, while of the mains the tikka masala is a exceptional in taste. Plus points for Indian-themed cocktails that really hit the mark. Already, some are pegging it as potentially the best Indian to ever operate in Poland. (D4) ul. Widok 8, gururestauracja.pl House of Curry Heat seekers can ‘enjoy’ a genuine deathby-fire experience at House of Curry, though far milder curries are available for more sensitive palettes – either way, the experience is fantastic, and good news for those stuck out in the depths of Józefów. ul. Patriotów 11 A, house-of-curry.pl

Finest Authentic Indian Cuisine in Locations Around Warsaw WWW.CURRY-HOUSE.PL

ŻEROMSKIEGO 81 508 870 774

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HOŻA 54

536 443 771

KONDRATOWICZA 59 789 444 921

EAT! Listings indonesian Warung Jakarta The menu has a street food edge and is divided into steps wherein diners first pick out their choice of protein, then their rice, before concluding with any vegetables add-ons (e.g. pak choy, green beans or water spinach). While most Warsaw restaurants have a special lunch scheme going on, Warung’s is one that actually warrants a further look: find truly great off-menu dishes that are highly accessible to all levels of income. (D6) ul.

Piękna 28/34

international Ale Wino Dip through an archway to discover

Ale Wino, a beautiful wine bar whose menu has been well tailored to the season. Tweaked for the season is the pork belly, a Złotnicka pig adorned with apple sugar snap peas and celery mousse – gorgeous. As for the wine, put your faith in the sommelier, Oliver.

(F5) ul. Mokotowska 48, tel. 22 628 3830, alewino.pl Bazar Kocha Designed to evoke the spirit of a farmers’ market, the woodsy interior is filled with stall-style units neatly stacked with jars and pots. Yet these are not decorative decoys, but part of a thoughtful grocery offer aimed at showcasing Kocha’s own-made produce. Above all though, this is a restaurant whose menu is strongly influenced by concepts of ‘terroir’. The giant leg of lamb falls off the bone and is a dish to recommend and remember for several months to come.

(D6) ul. Mokotowska 33, bazarkocha.pl

Bez Tytułu Gosh. Co-owned by the Kasia Michalski Gallery to the flank, the restaurant feels like a natural extension: find contemporary art and photography set against raw brickwork while pendant bulbs cast a soft light down. Onto the important stuff, and Erwan Debono’s menu makes much of his native French background as well as Poland’s own rich access to produce.

The results come together in a way that’s nuanced and subtle. (D5) ul. Poznańska 16, beztytulu.com Bibenda The menu declares Bibenda to be ‘a celebration of food, drink and togetherness’, and that’s precisely what it is.

Augmenting the warm, busy interiors are a thoughtful selection of craft beers and a concise menu that varies from month-tomonth. The apparent simplicity of the food is illusory and belies the kitchen’s knack for spotting interesting combinations such

Focaccia Ristorante Experience the magical time with us tel.: +48 22 829 69 69 ul. Senatorska 13/15, Warsaw/Old Town restauracja@focaccia.pl, fb.com/restauracjafocaccia www.focaccia.pl

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EAT! Listings as goose with pumpkin puree, cranberry / red wine jam and chili caramelized beetroot. (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 10, tel. 502 770 303, bibenda.pl Brasserie Warszawska Looking for classic cuisine with no daft flights of fancy? Here you have it. At a time when everyone wants to be Ferran Adrià, Brasserie has both a menu and interior that you can understand: panfried foie gras; elegant beef Rossini; and sinful apple tarte tatin, all served inside posh interiors of zinc-plated mirrors and chessboard floors. Their Michelin Bib Gourmand is a source of pride, but it’s the number of repeat clients that are the ultimate paean to the skills of the chef.

(E5) ul. Górnośląska 24, tel. 22 628 9423, brasseriewarszawska.pl Bubbles Occupying a small, square room, it’s intimate and relaxed: a place busy with blackboards and bottles, crates and clutter. It radiates warmth and honesty.

The food is exquisite, and includes big, meaty snails farmed in Mazury, and their signature dish: Swiss-style raclette.

Presented on a wooden chopping board, this cheese dish is classic melty goodness, and served alongside a pile of potatoes, onions marinated with caramel and candied pumpkin. Considering the place doubles as a champagne bar the prices are remarkably moderate. (D2) Pl.

Piłsudskiego 9, tel. 512 540 913, bubbles. com.pl Concept 13 You’d expect a rooftop meal at Poland’s ultimate luxury department store to cost the earth, but that’s not the case.

The zł. 50 lunch deal allows Joe Public to enjoy the considerable skills of Dariusz Barański. That he manages to create different pieces of art each and every afternoon is a testament to his talent. (D4) ul. Bracka 9, tel. 22 310 7373, likusrestauracje.pl Der Elefant This leviathan restaurant unravels in a maze of wrought iron and monochrome tiles – beautiful to look at (it was created

by Oscar-winning set designer Allan Starski), it’s caused a stir for more than just this alone. Where once the menu looked like it was devised by throwing darts at a cookbook, the focus has now been narrowed. While some of the dishes are strictly middling, the filet mignon (zł. 69) is one of the best meat deals in town in terms of quality / price / consistency. (C3) Pl. Bankowy 1, tel. 22 890 0010, derelefant.com Dom Here’s the very epitome of casual dining: set on the ground floor of a suburban house, the warm corners and garden views give Dom a real sense of homey

charm. In line with all that is a menu that celebrates simple, honest cooking.

Everyone who visits ends up loving the place. ul. Mierosławskiego 12, tel. 509 165 712 Drukarnia Wrapped inside an ugly 1950s facade, this former printing house unravels to expose a sensational interior high on retro pieces: jagged-shaped stone floor tiles, a red neon and stern Socialist era statuettes lend a heavy PRL accent, though the big statement at Drukarnia is supplied courtesy of the architecture itself. Tall windows, high ceilings and a peculiar spiral staircase that disappears into nowhere collude to lend Drukarnia a sense of light, space and depth.

The food: limited choice of European standards cooked with competence. If you’re in the area, worth a look ul. Mińska 65, drukarnianapradze.pl Dyletanci Filled with crisp, modern citizens that radiate confidence, Dyletanci introduces itself as a bistro set with green banquettes and Tom Dixon lamps. The wine selection is among the best in the nation, while the cooking has been left to Rafał Hreczaniuk, a workaholic chef with outrageous talent. His zander fillet thrills with every bite. (F5) ul. Rozbrat 44A, dyletanci.pl Fest Port Czerniakowski Bring out the clichés: at Fest quality rules over quantity. Food-wise, there’s not much to choose from, but it’s doubtful you’ll find better ribs for a few hundred miles. Cooked outdoors on a beast of a smoker, these are glorious things of atavistic joy. Improving the mood yet further is the backdrop, a timber cabin in a wooded part of Warsaw. There’s nowhere else like it.

(G6) ul. Zaruskiego 8

A MODERN BISTRO IN WARSAW'S MURANÓW Jana Pawła II 45a, lok. 38, Tel: 666 043 043 kromkibistro.pl fb.com/kromkibistro

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Kieliszki Na Hożej Set on the corner of an ornate pre-war building, Kieliszki casts a warm, beckoning glow on the street outside – resisting its charms is entirely impossible. The cooking is just as seductive and sees Polish mainstays such as dumplings, tartare and herring given a 21st century update. Superb wines, all of which are available by the glass, round out the

EAT! Listings experience. (D5) ul. Hoża 41, tel. 22 404 2109, kieliszkinahozej.pl

Kromki Better known for kebab stores and booze outlets, this section of JPII does at times chuck up the occasional surprise: Kromki, for one. The menu is a Jack-of-all-trades, with pizza and burgers rubbing shoulders against pierogi, steak and sharing plates. Yet despite the randomness of the choices and the curious location, there’s something here that really strikes the right note. Expect tastes that work inside a informal, casual space that’s fast taking off as a local secret. Al. Jana Pawła II 45A

La Brasserie Modern The interior of Didier Gomez whispers intimacy, yet it also embraces notions of space and light. The casual elegance that emanates from the design is accented by warm colors, low banquettes and glinting mirrors. The menu fits seamlessly with the surrounds: a fresh, modern look at French cuisine, but one that values clarity and simplicity. (D3) ul. Królewska 11, tel.

22 657 8332, sofitel-victoria-warsaw.com

Lente There’s a valid reason for the optimism swirling around Hoża, not least the launch of venues such as Lente.

Revamping Mediterranean cuisine for the 21st century diner, this casual spot feels suitably bright and sunny.

Featuring Gregory Bell in the kitchen, food here shines a spotlight on tapas and sharing plates and has thus far met with widespread approval. Full report soon! (D5) ul. Hoża 43/49, tel. 513 422 908, fb.com/ lentewarsaw

Loft Color, that’s what Loft has. It’s everywhere – from the design, which is all bubble shaped lights and splashy, bright cushions, to the drinks: extravagant cocktails that possibly glow in the dark. The menu is full of playful experimentation, something reflected by a seasonal menu that has, in the past, presented such choices as chicken with strawberries. (D4) ul. Złota 11, tel. 668 016 964, restauracjaloft.pl Mech Nestled close to the mouth of Francuska, Mech has gradually evolved to become one of the area’s main muster points: and you can see why. Few menus in the district cover quite so many bases. From breakfasts and burgers through to salads and pasta, you get the sense of a place that aims to keep everyone happy. (H4) ul.

Francuska 45, restauracjamech.pl MOD Where odd couplings are concerned, MOD takes the biscuit: hip donut store by day, at night it morphs into a cool restaurant whose card veers between steaming bowls of ramen and inventive modern dishes that harness the chef’s classic French training (think: beef cheeks with gremolata, tahini mash, veal jus and caramelized sprouts). It’s crazy popular with creative types touting man buns and t-shirts that threaten: “I Shoot Hipsters”. (D6) ul. Oleandrów 8, fb.com/ MODOleandrow8 Mokolove A clear U-turn from the chef’s recent fine dining background (formerly the sous at Nolita, should you ask), there’s something welcoming and warm about this Mokotów venture. Already, you feel a familiarity in the air, not to mention a care and attention towards both produce and punters. The menu, meanwhile, speaks for the need of comfort with its offer of pizza, pastas and seasonal dishes such as pumpkin soup.

Already, a favorite with local families looking for something comfortable and casual. (E9) ul. Różana 14, fb.com/RestauracjaMokolove warsawinsider.pl

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EAT! Listings Mokotowska 69 Set inside a rotunda at the tail end of the street, it’s a place that exudes elegance and class. Most of all, however, it’s a restaurant to be enjoyed. Mokotowska’s appreciation of steak has been lifted from their elder sister. Yet the virtues of this restaurant extend beyond steak alone: the Insider enjoyed a volley of greats – creamy breaded calf brains, sophisticated smoked eel, and Mazurian crayfish served in a deep, joyous sauce of rowan berry and brandy. (E5) ul. Mokotowska 69 Pink Lobster The door clatters shut to divulge a narrow space of tall palm fronds and marble finishes underneath soaring ceilings that seem to stretch on forever. Bursts of flamingo pink colors lend a dapper sense of dazzle to this polished-looking venue. Food is an upscale work that, in spite of the Lobster’s name, awards equal importance to land and sea. Beautifully plated, dishes that the Insider fell for inc. sea bass ceviche, an exquisite exhibition of complex tastes set down in a slash of green on a plate that could pass for a work of sculpture. Immaculate roe deer and a series of extravagant desserts also won praise. (D5) ul. Żurawia 6/12

Plato BEST WAWA 2017 “Neo Bistro” Conceived as a ‘smart casual’ restaurant, it’s a reasonably compact space with a modern style and incandescent bulbs hanging from a complex cat’s cradle of interweaving wires: classy but nothing too flashy or flamboyant. Then there’s the menu, a strange work that sees Spanish influences brushing shoulders next to Polish and Asian. It sounds silly and preposterous but my God it works. December saw us wowed by beef tartar cut from Polish Hereford, an aromatic oriental broth, and a refined halibut encircled with sage pesto, redcurrants and fresh almonds.

Stunning. ul. Klimczaka 1 (Royal Wilanow), restauracjaplato.pl Rozbrat 20 There’s a few places that offer catch-all solutions, but in Rozbrat’s case they execute them as well: from dawn, find some of the best baked goods within the city limits; at night, a diverse range of exciting wines; and then there’s an affordable tasting menu that gives fine dining venues real pause for thought. If there’s a weak link, then no-one’s yet to find it. (F5) ul. Rozbrat 20, rozbrat20.com.pl

Stixx It’s easy to distrust a menu with such international diversity, but the kitchen crew really make it come together: the Indian section is particularly outstanding. Then there’s the design, a balance between slick corporate and sexy cosmopolitan: with the Warsaw Spire towering above it outside, it’s the kind of address to take any new arrival who still thinks of Poland as being backward. (A4) Pl. Europejski 4A, tel. 22 340 4040, stixx.pl Strefa If there’s a dining room in heaven, then it probably looks like Strefa – only marginally less white. Pure and pristine, the swan-like elegance of the interior whispers dignity and decorum.

Immaculate and refined, it’s a soothing atelier with a rarefied air. Mostly though, it’s the food that people talk about. Citing Nordic cuisine as his primary influence, the chef has honed a menu of note which, on our November visit, included a deep and soothing mushroom soup that brought to mind Poland’s dark autumn forest. The tastes are clear and true and say much for a chef that has his brain switched on. (C3) ul. Próżna 9, tel. 22 255 0850, restauracjastrefa.pl Supperlardo Run as a side project by Mąka i Woda (quite literally – it’s right next door), it’s a stylish-looking spot that’s fresh, contemporary and even a little edgy: for evidence, refer to a mural designed by Swansky, a local big gun on the street art scene. As for the menu, that’s a riotously meaty romp that involves wood-fired hams, sandwiches composed of pork belly pastrami and salt-cured meats from Puławska and Mangalica pigs. With orders taken at the counter, it’s a place that lifts the canteen concept to new, unseen heights. (D4) ul. Chmielna 13A, fb.com/Supperlardo Warszawski Sznyt Warsaw’s historic center is rightly glorified for many reasons – its restaurants, however, are not one of them. In fact, there’s probably nowhere in the city with a higher concentration of sub-par efforts. Aiming to redress the balance are Sznyt, an ambitious venue with swank interiors overlooking the Royal Castle, and a kitchen staff headhunted from

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EAT! Listings blue ribbon venues such as Salto and Amaro. Set over two floors (one focused on Polish cuisine, the other on ‘international’), the pride of the house is afforded to the wood-fired grill. (D2) ul. Senatorska 2, warszawskisznyt.pl White One The changing face of Koszykowa street is almost embodied by White One – where once stood a disintegrating tenement stands a revamped building with a super swanky ground floor restaurant. Ideal for those nights you want to make an impression, interiors are well-spaced, smart and modern but never too intimidating. The pared-down menu is fully reflective of contemporary dining trends: innovations include a 5-course vegan tasting menu, as well as a 7-course menu entirely dependent on the whims of the chef – you won’t know what’s in store till it lands on the table! Full review soon.

(D6) ul. Koszykowa 47, whiteone.pl Winsky Opened in November, Winsky have made a blistering start to life with early points scored for their selection of edgy ‘tap wines’ and menu of small plates – though mainly Polish in spirit, there’s enough international twists and turns to keep things varied. The design, with its deep sofas and riverside views, feels refined and considered – the kind of place you’d impress a first date. (F4) ul. Wioślarska 10

italian Altro Locale Set in a quiet section of Old Mokotów, it’s little wonder the plaudits haven’t ceased.

Owned by chef Andrea Carillo, authentic, homespun tastes vie for attention inside a charming space that’s chic and modern but never spartan. You can tell Carillo has invested his heart and soul in this venture, and the result is an ever-changing menu featuring lamb chops, sirloin, and sea bream done the Italian way – don’t think you’ll be getting any pizza here!

Fittingly, its reputation is now extending beyond the district’s natural border. (E8) ul. Willowa 9 Ave Pizza The argument over who serves Warsaw’s

best pizza goes right to the wire, but there’s no doubting that Ave Pizza are up there on the leaderboard. Set across a sparse, metropolitan area, this fashionable L-shaped joint comes endorsed by the capital’s notoriously picky Italian community. Order the pillowy calzone and you’ll soon learn why. (E3) ul. Topiel 12, tel.

22 828 8507, avepizza.pl Bordo Offering a breakfast menu from 9 onwards, Bordo starts busy and finishes even busier. Find simple but accurately reproduced Italian recipes and wood-fired pizza ovens that are expertly manned.

(D4) ul. Chimelna 34, bordo.com.pl Dziurka od Klucza An enchanting locale in which enigmatic, lavender-painted doors sit embedded into the walls, as if waiting to be magically opened by the mysterious keys that hang from the numerous interior details. Set with empty picture frames and cotton ball lights, interiors just don’t get any cuter. As for food, the concise, daily-changing menu is centered around homemade pasta – pride of place is given to the black colored pasta served with seafood. (E3) ul. Radna 13, tel. 500 150 494, dziurkaodklucza.com.pl Focaccia The Insider’s visit went something like this: wrist-thick octopus with an arc of yellow mousse, conversation stopping beef tenderloin alongside a glistening pool of madeira sauce and then an orange ice cream with caramel and ginger that soon merged into a big gooey brew of chocolatey mess. The only surprise is there’s no Italian in the kitchen – it appears they don’t need one. This is seriously talented cooking inside an interior that fresh and light and reflective of the food. (D2) ul. Senatorska 13/15, tel. 22 829 6969, focaccia.pl Mąka i Woda Purists applaud an approach that uses a custom-made oven from Naples and imported ingredients such as 00 Caputo flour and DOP certified San Marzano tomatoes. Scrupulously authentic, it’s no wonder that it’s packed to the gunnels every night of the week – even their Facebook page warns of 20-minute waiting times for a table alone. (D4) ul.

Chmielna 13A, tel. 22 505 91 87 warsawinsider.pl

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EAT! Listings Otto Pompieri If you judge pizzerias on choice then Otto Pompieri’s modest count of eleven pizzas doesn’t promise much – but then it arrives. At zł. 21 for 42 centimeters, the margherita offers the best value per sq/cm than anything out here, while the artichoke pizza reveals itself in an orgy of melty virtue. The retro Little Italy look is rounded out by a cooking brigade that engage in banter and bravado while spinning dough in the air: it feels and tastes ideal. (C3) Pl. Bankowy 1, fb.com/ otto.pompieri Posypane A casual restaurant with handmade pasta made fresh on the day and a choice that includes ravioli with chorizo and shrimp, bucatini Bolognese with seasoned beef and rosemary, and a creamy mushroom pappardelle. Then, adding to the sense of being somewhere young, fun and a little bit hip, is an edgy design featuring a wall of kitchen implements, hanging ropes and exposed concrete. In an area already rife with niche eateries aimed at the modern day Varsovian, Posypane feels like a satisfying addition. (D5) ul.

Hoża 43/49 Prosciutteria Powiśle Allegedly the shortest menu in the city, and with just three items to choose from, we’ve no reason to dispute that. Offering a trio of cold cut boards of differing

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size, find piles of the best Italian hams and cheese served alongside an offer of thirty plus Italian wines. Quality is outstanding, and the pre-war interiors warm, intimate and ideal for winter. Bring friends or someone special: they won’t be disappointed. (F4) ul. Solec 85 Tutti Santi With a kitchen team trained by champion pizzaiola Valerio Valle you’d be right to expect something a few steps beyond your standard high street pizza. Cooked in a woodfired Valoriani oven, the attention to detail is something else: sauce from Pelati tomatoes, Milano salami and Farina Le 5 Stagioni flour. (C3) ul.

Królewska 18, tuttisanti.pl

japanese Arigator This Japanese-style noodle joint whisks you to the narrow, steamy back alleys of late night Tokyo. Clad in corrugated iron and dark, weathered wooden slats, it’s got that buzzing sense of chaos that feels familiar from the films. And the food, gosh, they get that right as well.

From a tiny menu order up dainty pork dumplings, braised kakuni bacon or deep-fried tofu before hitting up a feisty bowl of ramen emanating life-affirming goodness. A complex tangle of interlacing

flavors, it’s the sort of dish you’d happily queue up for: and yes, people do. (D6) ul.

Piękna 54 Benihana Fire, flash, show and sizzle: the Benihana experience merges cooking with cabaret with diners sat ringside around teppanyaki grills. These cooking stations are the stage for the Benihana crew to demonstrate their riveting range of nifty knifework and daredevil antics. Outside of the realm of the grill, the sushi also strikes the right note. (C4) ul. Twarda 2/4, benihanapoland.com Fat Buddha Immense in size, there’s a confident feeling of decadent ostentation: with light kept at bay by vast mulberry-colored drapes, what would otherwise appear as an over-sized hall feels intimate and sensual, dark and delicious. Japanese in spirit, the menu pitches a refined selection of exceptional dishes – elaborate dragon rolls; delicate gyoza; and beef tataki that’s lightly seared and thinly sliced. It’s all perfect. (D3) ul. Mazowiecka 2/4, tel. 690 030 558 Mizu Rarely does a restaurant meet with such unanimous approval, and while the name of Mizu remains unknown among the majority, those In The Know have been crowing about it for a good couple of

EAT! Listings years. Irresistible, immaculate and imaginative, this is sushi the likes of which the capital has never seen before – there’s a magic here that makes the knees go wobbly. Touting a modern-minimal look, the off-center location in a former factory since requisitioned by ad agencies adds to the sensation of dining somewhere a little under-the-radar: to eat here is to visit one of Warsaw’s great whispered secrets. ul. Duchnicka 3, mizusushi.pl Sakana Sushi & Sticks It’s not uncommon to hear the preparation of sushi described as a form of art, and in Sakana that’s exactly what it is.

Using premium ingredients and unusual combinations, their creations are a vivid blast of color and freshness. (D2) ul.

Moliera 4/6, tel. 22 826 59 58, sakana.pl Sato Gotuje Signposted by its own splash of Mangastyle art adorning the exterior wall, this Commie era pavilion feels small and squashed and assembled on a budget.

Who cares? No-one. An exciting departure from the norm – no sushi here – the menu is a selection of bitey Japanese street food such as grilled mackerel fillet with shavings of grated radish. Prices and quality ensure you don’t stop until you’ve gobbled your way through much of the menu. ul. Pawińskiego 24 Shoku Most places that claim to serve fusion do so because of an identity crisis. At Shoku, though, the mix and match approach when it comes to Asia (if it’s tasty, stick it on the menu!) feels rational and put together. Never short of custom, locals gather inside a bright, contemporary space to slurp down bowls of ramen, share shoku bowls or click chopsticks over small plates of dim sum and wonton.

Come summer, the scene ramps up a notch with diners flocking to a prim garden area that’s billiard green in color.

(A4) ul. Karolkowa 30, shoku.pl Uki Uki How much do the locals appreciate Warsaw’s original udon bar? Enough to queue outside the door? That’s right. Dining is a close quarters experience here, but is done so without complaint: that electric pasta maker turns out noodles of such chewy goodness that everyone leaves

beaming. (D5) ul. Krucza 23/31, tel. 728 827 705, ukiuki.pl Wabu Sushi becomes a heaven’s gate spiritual experience in Wabu with the evening passing in a blur of beautiful compositions, of silky slithers of fish crowned with expert pinches of this, and little brush strokes of that. That’s all elevated even further by deliciously upscale interiors befitting of the Spire location. (A4) Pl. Europejski 2 (Warsaw Spire), wabu.pl Yatta Ramen Scruffy, frayed and busy, Yatta is the living embodiment of the street food vibe. The ideal outlet for such an outlet, step inside a rackety interior to join other hip creatures Instagramming the only jiro ramen to be found in Warsaw. Once you’re done doing that, kick back to slurp over big, steamy bowl of spicy miso ramen. Already crazy popular, the onset of Warsaw’s annual winter chill looks set to give their takings another extra boost. (E3) ul. Bartoszewicza 3

korean The Cool Cat Proving something other than just a faddish flash in the fire, The Cool Cat has caught the zeitgeist by the horns and come to represent the hip Powiśle style; casual and convivial and absent of aloofness, it’s a place in which all life seems to gather for a taste of good times. Refusing to take themselves too seriously, the angle is fun and forward-thinking, something that’s evidenced by way of an occasionally wacky menu of Americanized Asian food: the K-Fries (a big messy mass of kimchi, chips, bulgogi beef) are spot on. (F4) ul.

Solec 38, tel. 787 698 700 Koreanka A courtyard cubbyhole that’s scuffed, informal and fashionably ramshackle.

Such has been the stir created by it, diners arrive in the knowledge that they’ll be scavenging a table and eating what little might be leftover from another sell-out day. Yet here’s the point of contention: is it really all that’s cracked up? The kimchi is exemplary, but not everything works so well. Though raved about by Warsaw’s Instagrammers, we were left disenchanted

UL. PRÓŻNA 10 TEL: 577 607 775 restauracjasanthai.pl warsawinsider.pl

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EAT! Listings by the shallow, empty tastes of the bulgogi. (D6) ul. Koszykowa 59 KoreaTown Rest Here, the ubiquitous KFC (Korean fried chicken) is all crunch and crackle and the bulgogi tender, juicy and the right side of sweet; accompanying them, an assortment of bitey dishes heaving with chilli flecked kimchi, daikon radish and pickled bits and bobs. All very good, but nothing compared to the bossam, braised pork belly scooped up by hand inside glistening perilla leaves: it’s a dish that soothes, gratifies and leaves diners looking every bit as pleased as the pipe-smoking tiger that gazes from the wall. (E9) ul. Olesińska 2, fb.com/KoreaTownRest Powidoki Set in the cool white cube that is the Museum of Modern Art, you’d think that Powidoki’s riverfront location would make it a highly seasonal destination. Not so.

Though the menu’s brief and the back-

ground highly casual, the Korean choices feel more sophisticated and complex than anywhere else, a point that serves to keep business brisk. Served in a turmeric tomato sauce, the pork dumplings are an almost compulsory order. (E2) ul.

Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 22 Yache Korea Though primarily known as the capital of Warsaw’s craft beer scene, Nowogrodzka is beginning to demonstrate that she’s more than just a one-trick pony.

Helping the food angle is this newbie, a steamy little venue that’s all clatter and commotion. Design barely goes beyond a wall of potted plants, but with a place of this size all you need is four people and presto, you’ve got an atmosphere. On the food front, the crispy chicken embraces the seoul (ha!) like comfort food at its best, and the bulgogi the best we’ve had this year – not bad going seeing there’s not a Korean in the kitchen. (D5) ul.

Nowogrodzka 25

latin & spanish

Ceviche Bar With chef Martin Gimenez Castro injecting his passion and personality into the venue, this is an address that punches through the greyness of everyday Warsaw. Ceviche – raw fish marinated in citrus juices and cilantro – is the default order, with the Atun one of the best sellers: chunks of tuna given a rich zing with the addition of chili, lime and roasted coriander. The Japanese influence on South America’s dining habits isn’t forgotten either, with must-haves including the the salmon tiraditos: served with teriyaki and sweet potato mash, it’s a joy of satisfying sensations: sweet, dreamy, spicy, creamy.

(C4) ul. Twarda 4, cevichebar.pl

CHRISTMA AS BRUNCH AT SOFITEL WARSAW VICTORIA

CHR RISTMAS IS MAGNIFIQUE

On the first day of Christmas, we invite you to brunch filled with holiday season flavors.

Delicious buffets and a charming family ambience are waiting for you and your loved ones at the Kitchen Gallery restaurant.

The Christmas brunch is served at the Kitchen Gallery restaurant on December 25th, from 12.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.

PRICE PER PERSON: with wine and beerVAT package PLN PLN 225 250 - with alcohol package, included Kids upfrom to 6 free of years chargeold Children 2 to 12 Kids fromreceive 6-12 PLN VAT included 50%110, discount RESERVATIONS: Kitchen Gallery, tel.: 22 657 82 62, e-mail: kitchen.gallery@sofitel.com

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EAT! Listings El Botellon A smart locale whose concrete shell is colored with strings of peppers and splashes of art: pleasant in a familiar kind of New Warsaw sense. Much more special is a menu that features snacky tapas sets, sexy canapes, Latin themed cocktails and – something to get you counting down till summer – the Botellon ice pop sticking out of a glass of wine.

Coherent, consistent and well-thought out, it’s an operation that slots in smoothly with modern Powiśle. (F4) ul.

Solec 18, elbotellon.pl Tapas Gastrobar The popular practice is to order so many plates and bottles that the table becomes a Magic Eye of kaleidoscope patterns.

A great place for sharing and general interaction, the ambiance and quality belies the corporate anonymity of the location. Though the gazapcho is first class it’s bettered by the patatas bravos: fried potatoes in a ballsy tomato sauce.

(A4) ul. Grzybowska 63, tel. 22 251 1310

mexican Dos Tacos Who doesn’t like asking for something that’s ‘under the counter’. In the case of Dos Tacos, doing so means inquiring about their range of ‘salsa clandestinas’: extra hot sauces designed for reckless thrill-seekers. But the true secret weapon at Dos Tacos is Isabel Balderas, a Mexican chef that has mastered the bright, bold tastes of her native country. This cuisine has enjoyed a breakout year in Warsaw, but while the millennials clamor over new food trucks and funky little start-ups, Dos Tacos is a timely reminder that the old guard sometimes know best. (D4) ul.

Jasna 22, tel. 22 243 4618, dostacos.pl Gringo Bar A Mexican wave is upon us, and high

time too. After years of suffering frozen ingredients, timid flavors and daft Mariachi music to persuade us it’s all authentic, a raft of new cut-price eateries are showing the rest how it’s done.

Cooked and folded by fist bumping lads in back-to-front caps and baggy t-shirts, the food at Gringo is fiery, fresh and full of zing. There are detractors who claim this is a Polonized version of this cuisine, but the informal Gringo remains one of the market leaders. (E9) ul. Odolańska 15, tel. 22 848 9523, gringobar.pl La Sirena You don’t even have to think twice when asked to name the best Mexican in the capital. Inspired by the ultra-violent films of Danny Trejo, the hardcore interior heaves with machetes, holy shrines, skulls and wire mesh; but if La Sirena looks fab, it tastes even better.

Introducing a new dimension to Warsaw’s parched Mexican landscape, highlights inc. poblano peppers stuffed

Flavours of Warsaw - traditional Polish cuisine with a distinctive modern touch. Everything is made from fresh seasonal ingredients.

Enjoy, among many others, zander sausage served with blanched broad bean and peas.

Or try our mouth watering veal dumplings in broth of dried mashrooms and truffle oil.

Or perhaps you have a taste for duck breast with bean puree with French potatoes and marinated strawberries.

To finish off delight in our home made pastries.

Restaurant and Pastry +48 22 621 82 68 Żurawia str. 47/48, Warsaw Pastry and Cafe +48 608 046 406 Felińskiego str. 52, Warsaw www.smakiwarszawy.com

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EAT! Listings with pork/beef, peach, apple and apricots, as well as a ‘near death’ salsa that’s finally living up to its name. (D5) ul. Piękna 54, tel. 690 085 054 Urban Burritos Super casual in style, this crowded little haunt fills with embassy workers from the US Embassy, a ringing endorsement if ever there were. Offering fillings of pork, beef, chicken and Portobello mushrooms, well-constructed wraps come served with salsas that sing with gusto. (D6) ul. Piękna 22, urbanburritos.pl

middle eastern

Le Cedre 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. (E1) Al. Solidarności 61, tel. 22 670 1166, lecedre.pl

Le Cedre 84 Le Cedre just keep on getting it right. Authenticity is key in this chainlette (well, there’s another across the river), as you’ll discover when talking to Tony, the Lebanese owner. To see the diversity of this cuisine, order the balbaak (six cold starters) or the byblos (six hot). And food aside, it’s the atmosphere that carries them that extra yard: the whole philosophy of this cuisine is to share and share alike, making it a uniquely engaging experience when dining with friends. (B3) Al. Solidarności 84, tel. 22 618 8999, lecedre.pl

Le Cedre Lounge Furnished in voluptuous Middle Eastern style, the latest subsidiary of the Le Cedre empire bursts with fancy sheesha pipes, extravagant rugs and shimmery satin drapes. It’s a look that’s fun, familiar, intimate and warm. Less encyclopedic than that of its two sister ventures, Le Cedre Lounge has a slimmer menu that introduces several new tastes to fans of Lebanese cuisine. Helplessly

more-ish, it’s food that’s in line with the vibey atmosphere and casual air. (C4) ul.

Grzybowska 5A, lecedre.pl Maghreb Featuring the casual air of good times, head to Maghreb for vibrant Moroccan classics such as merguez sausages and tajine dishes served in traditional earthenware vessels. With the first chills of winter lapping at the door, it’s a restaurant that provides solace and reassurance. ul. Burakowska 9, maghreb.pl Tahina Small and lively, it’s a spot that brings together authentic Middle Eastern tastes with no quarter given: beef, for instance, is marinated for two days before being slow-cooked for 36-hours. Served in a featherlight lavash, there are those that would call this a kebab, but doing so would severely undersell the goodness in your hand. Demonstrating a fiendish attention to detail, Tahina is nothing if not characterized by its scrupulous specifics: look out for Iraqi-style scrambled eggs with dates, not to mention generous tahini bowls cascading with juicy chunks of chicken, and traditional coffee heated in a pan of sand. (C5) ul. Wilcza 26, fb.com/ TahinaWilcza

polish Belvedere Łazienki Królewskie Set in an imperial age glass orangery, it’s festooned with intricate latticework and botanical exotica. The updated interiors are the work of acclaimed set designer Boris Kudlicka, and lend a fresh, contemporary tone that goes hand in hand with the menu. But behind the gels and emulsions and pretty little swirls, this is cooking of substantial depth; it’s cooking that takes you to the very soul of Polish nature. (F8) ul. Agrykoli 1, tel. 22 558 6701, belvedere.com.pl Bez Gwiazdek BEST WAWA 2017 “Modern Polish” BEST WAWA 2017 “Chef” While Bez Gwiazdek rejects the core principles of fine dining, don’t for one minute expect anything less than food that whispers refined sophistication. Focusing each month on a different region of the

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EAT! Listings country, Robert Trzópek’s tasting menu takes diners to the very heart of the Polish soul and does so via tastes that betray his fine dining background: delicate and precise, it’s the polar opposite of the standard Polski feast. Just when you thought you had worked out the nation’s cuisine, along comes Robert Trzópek to rewrite the rules. (E3) ul. Wiślana 8, bezgwiazdek.com.pl Bistro Pod Sowami Talk of Praga’s revival feels a bit more serious now that Bistro Pod Sowami has opened. From the outside, this corner tenement is a study in neo-gothic indulgence. On the inside, the muted elegance is perfectly partnered by the cooking of Damian Wajda. His cooking presents pre-war dishes as seen through a colorful, modern lens. (F1) ul. Okrzei 26, fb.com/bistropodsowami Czerwony Wieprz An amusing restaurant that looks back at communism through a rose-tinted lens.

Under the glowering gaze of commie tyrants, staff dressed like obedient members of the party’s Youth League deliver hefty dishes from a cheeky menu that is in itself a collector’s item. (B3) ul. Żelazna 68, tel. 22 850 3144, czerwonywieprz.pl Delicja Polska Looking stately (pink bows, gilt touches and immaculate linen) but never stuffy, Delicja have a modern Polish menu that includes sous-vide salmon marinated in beetroot leaves, then topped with horseradish foam and dill emulsion. Brilliant.

But then so was everything else we tried, including the exquisite seasoned roast beef. (D6) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 64, tel. 22 826 4770, delicjapolska.pl Dom Polski Almost like it was designed for the manor born, Dom Polski has the rarefied atmosphere of a country retreat: bow-tied staff who click their heels, decorative antiques and a menu that’s a sumptuous anthology of posh Polish cooking. When you need to give visitors a sense of classic Warsaw, Dom Polski is the first out of the hat. (H4) ul. Francuska 11, tel. 22 616 2432 Dom Polski Belwederska Accessed via curling pathways and bursting shrubs this restaurant conjures

images of an aristocrat’s manor. The air of privilege matches a menu that’s rich in fanciful classics such as their signature goose. Elegant and exquisite, consider it your default choice for a taste of true Poland. (F8) ul. Belwederska 18A, tel. 22 840 5060, restauracjadompolski.pl Elixir by Dom Wódki There are some who call the food here 'deconstructed Polish'. In actuality, 'reconstructed' would be closer to the mark. The chef has taken local classics and redrafted the recipes with the swoosh of a contemporary pen. The outcome is a pleasure from start to finish: a life affirming żurek, a tartar that could fulfill ambassadorial duties for Poland, and a handsome beef tenderloin sprinkled with crispy potato shavings.

Thoughtful pairings with lesser-known, boutique vodkas add another dimension that serves to complete this pleasing, patriotic adventure. (C2) ul. Wierzbowa 9/11, domwodki.pl Folk Gospoda If you missed the last train to Zakopane, then a night in Folk Gospoda is the next best thing. Kitted out like a typical tavern in the Tatras, it’s a good-humored celebration of mountain-slope traditions: heaps of meat and lard with plenty of vodka and song in between. (B3) ul. Waliców 13, tel. 22 890 1605, folkgospoda.pl

Gospoda Kwiaty Polskie Bursting with flowers and rural touches, entering Gospoda isn’t unlike clambering inside an old granny’s attic. Cheerful in look and style, the rustic energy extends to enthusiastic portions of Polish classics.

(D1) ul. Wąski Dunaj 4/6/8, gospodakwiatypolskie.pl

䴀漀搀攀爀渀 䌀䠀䤀一䔀匀䔀 爀攀猀琀愀甀爀愀渀琀 ☀ 䌀伀䌀䬀吀䄀䤀䰀 䈀䄀刀 椀渀猀瀀椀爀攀搀 䌀栀椀渀攀猀攀 稀漀搀椀愀挀 猀椀最渀猀 刀攀猀琀愀甀爀愀挀樀愀 䴀䄀伀 甀氀⸀ 䴀愀爀猀稀愀䈁欀漀眀猀欀愀 㘀㈀ 瀀栀漀渀攀㨀 ⬀㐀㠀 㜀㤀㘀 ㈀㘀㈀ 㘀㈀㤀 眀眀眀⸀爀攀猀琀愀甀爀愀挀樀愀洀愀漀⸀瀀氀

Kieliszki na Próżnej You’ll find Kieliszki na Próżnej, the latest restaurant to mark the rehabilitation of Próżna, so named after the 1,116 wineglasses that hang tantalizingly over the bar. As an anchor feature the suspended glassware is arresting and equaled only by a long stretch of wall art doodled by Mariusz Tarkawian. The food matches up to the interiors, with a modern Polish warsawinsider.pl

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Traditional Polish Cuisine,

Ĺťurek

(traditional sour rye soup)

Golonka

(roast pork knuckle)

Placki Ziemniaczane

(potato pancake with gulash)

We serve Polish dishes on hot pans and sizzling cast iron and are winners of many culinary competitions Hand making our own pierogi since 1913 Pierogi Truskawkowe Strawberry dumplings

but don’t miss the pierogi OUR LOCATIONS IN WARSAW U L . K R A KO W S K I E P R Z E D M I E Ś C I E 5 5 | T E L . 2 2 6 9 2 7 2 0 4 U L . N O W Y Ś W I AT 6 4 | T E L . 2 2 6 9 2 4 1 3 5 AL. JEROZOLIMSKIE 28 | TEL. 22 826 7484 U L . F R E TA 1 | T E L . 2 2 8 3 1 6 1 9 0 UL. ŚWIĘTOJAŃSKA 13 | TEL. 22 635 6109 U L . F R E TA 1 8 | T E L . 2 2 6 3 5 7 9 5 9

EAT! Listings menu that – on our visit – involved a thick, brilliantly spreadable foie gras pate, a thick slab of brawn and a delicate piece of moist Baltic cod. It’s pure seasonal comfort. (C3) ul. Próżna 12, tel. 501 764 674, kieliszkinaproznej.pl Klub Spatif Tip tap through the dark chambers into a bright dining room decorated with eggshell lights and vibrant greenery; from the photos on the walls, famous past guests smile down in approval. Though better known as a bar-club crossover, in daylight hours find a surprisingly brilliant menu featuring modern Polish tastes: tender piglet cheeks with curried sauerkraut, coconut milk and cilantro; marinated salmon with beetroot; and a vegan tartar made with tomatoes and black olives. It is, quite simply, a glorious hymn to natural tastes. (E5) Al. Ujazdowskie 45, klubspatif.pl LAS This rail-side communist pavilion has

been transformed courtesy of a thorough makeover featuring a jungle of plants, low, muted lighting and the addition of smart charcoal colors and revamped retro fittings. As for food, then familiarize yourself with Anna Klajmon. Having made her bones at Grunt i Woda, her farm-to-fork philosophy has followed her here. Cooking with an air of freedom, there’s a natural goodness to her menu that belies the modest pricing. Highly seasonal, on our visit that meant gorgeous oxtail pierogi with peanut butter and hazelnut sauce. Don’t mix the ‘local cocktails’, either. (F4) ul. Solec 44, fb.com/ las.warszawa Mała Polana Smaków Few chefs have done more to rehabilitate Poland’s culinary reputation than Andrzej Polan – a crusader for seasonal tastes and regional produce, his is a menu that gives mundane sounding ingredients new impetus: you’ve had herring before, just not like this. Hell, even the humble

dumpling is given an overdue makeover.

Looking warm and woodsy, this super small restaurant has emerged to become a major figure on the national restaurant scene. (F9) ul. Belwederska 13/44, tel. 22 400 8048, polanasmakow.pl

Stolica Set in one of Old Town’s smaller, lesser-known squares, Stolica charms with its pre-war, slightly formal ambiance: pristine white tablecloths and spotless mirrors combine with classic Warsaw tunes to generate a storybook atmosphere straight from the pages of Tuwim and Gombrowicz. Food-wise, you’re looking at typically local dishes such as venison marinated in bison grass vodka.

(D1) ul. Szeroki Dunaj 1/3, tel. 604 598 764 restauracjastolica.com

Jana Moliera 4/6 22 826 5958 moliera@sakana.pl www. sakana.pl

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EAT! Listings Warszawski Sen By Mateusz Gessler A quite stunning restaurant dominated by dark geometric patterns and the installations and ideas of guerilla artist Tomasz Górnicki. Once you’ve caught your breath and snapped off a few pics for your Instagram, settle in for a menu that gives Polish ingredients a highly contemporary treatment. If you thought Hala Koszyki was buzzing, then this edgy space is perhaps its biggest buzz of all. ul. Koszykowa 63 (Hala Koszyki),

Zapiecek 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.

Locations inc. ul. Nowy Świat 64, Al. Jerozolimskie 28, Freta 18, Freta 1 & Świętojańska 13, tel. 22 635 61 09, & ul.

Wańkowicza 1, zapiecek.eu Zielony Niedźwiedź A sanctuary of elegant fancy, it’s a place of long, dark shadows and discreet decorative touches: From the outset, you’re made to feel that good things will happen, and this they do. Certified by Poland’s fledgling slow food movement, the menu gives star billing to the suppliers that keep the pantry full; but the truth is these aren’t the only heroes.

Taking the reins in June, new chef Oliwia Bernady has grown in stature and skill preparing a daily tinkered menu that opens your eyes to the real tastes of Poland. (E4) ul. Smolna 4, tel. 795 794 784, kafezn.pl Zoni Housed in a former vodka distillery, the immense interior reveals cast iron kilns,

flooring made from recovered vodka barrels and numerous post-industrial pieces that have been lovingly restored.

But the real talking point in Aleksander Baron, a chef nationally known for his devotion to local ingredients and little-known techniques. We loved the tomato assiette, not to mention a T-bone heavier than an artillery round. Aged in such a way as to allow aspergillus mushrooms to grow into the meat, it’s a glorious piece of cooking that makes the heart roar. And dessert? A chilled sphere of calf brain mousse the incorporates vanilla, brown butter and caramel. So far, there’s been no better launch this year. (G1) Pl. Konesera 1, tel. 22 355 30 01, muzeumpolskiejwodki.pl

scandinavian Nabo The décor is, we’re told, typical Danish

Wishing Everyone a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

www.lecedre.pl

Le Cedre Lounge

Grzybowska 5A, Tel 22 299 7299

Le Cedre 61

(opposite the zoo) Al. Solidarności 61, Praga, Tel 22 670 1166

Le Cedre 84

(opposite the court) Al. Solidarności 84, Tel 22 618 8999

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EAT! Listings 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 with locally sourced and innovatively concocted ingredients. ul. Zakręt 8, tel. 22 842 0256, nabocafe.pl

seafood

kept secret in Warsaw. Home to the city’s top eco-market, trips here end with shopping bags filled with French cheeses, Italian hams, Hungarian sausages and fresh fruit and veg. (E10) ul. Olkuska 12 Befsztyk The Prokopowicz family has come a long way since launching Befsztyk in 1994. Top restaurants, celebs and ex-pats are listed as clients, and all agree that this operation is indisputably ‘top of the chops’. Find steaks seasoned for three weeks, glutenfree smoked meats, Merino lamb, BBQ kits and so much more. Home delivery, internet ordering and English-speaking staff round out this legend. many locations,

specialty food shops

BioBazar With its previous home in Wola undergoing a substantial redevelopment, the BioBazar has moved to Mokotów. At the forefront of Poland’s food revolution, it’s a place that shines a light on ecologically certified goods and produce. Fresh fish, cheese, eggs, bread, cured sausages, honey... on it goes. Comprehensive in its pitch, everything you need to pursue a bright, happy life is here on this spot. ul.

Wołoska 3, biobazar.com.pl (B4) ul. Żelazna 51/53, biobazar.org.pl

Bazar Olkuska Once a sad little side street, Olkuska has evolved to become just about the worst

The Crazy Butcher Grzegorz Kwapniewski, better known as ‘Warsaw’s celebrity butcher’, has a new store in town, that being a corner unit

L’Arc French in style, seafood dominates the menu of L’Arc with the lobster and oysters a particular standout. Enjoy it inside a classic interior that feels assuredly upscale. (E8) ul. Puławska 16, larc.pl

in Hala Koszyki. Named by chefs across town as their principal source of meat, Kwapniewski’s offer includes Polish Red Angus, long-seasoned, marbled beef, not to mention veal, lamb, poultry and cured meats from small scale producers. ul.

Koszykowa 63 (Hala Koszyki) Dobrze Co-op The Dobrze Food Co-op aims to ‘widen access to healthy, seasonal food’ while also supporting sustainable agriculture.

Founded in summer, 2014, the project collaborates with over 20 farms and local businesses and sells fresh vegetables and fruit alongside cereals, dried goods and other bits and pieces. ul. Wilcza 29A & ul. Andersa 27, dobrze.waw.pl Forteca Kregliccy Spot the stars of Warsaw’s restaurant scene perusing the stalls at this weekly farmers’ market. Held each Wednesday, look for Pan Ziółko, Poland’s first celebrity farmer (!), Portobello’s from the country’s only organic mushroom farm and the magical yogurts from Mleczna Droga Manufaktura Serów. ul. Zakroczymska 12, kregliccy.eu/forteca Kram A supermarket worth your time. Putting small scale producers to the fore, find veggies courtesy of the Majlert farm and grocer Pan Ziołko, daily deliveries from the Mąka i Woda bakery, dairy courtesy of Mleczna Droga, and several cult Polish brands such as Concept Stu Mostów. Craft beers, bio wines, and softs from the likes of Fentimans and Galvanina complete the quite extraordinary lineup. ul. Duchnicka 3, facebook.com/kram.nativeingredients

steak houses

Beef n’ Pepper Beef N’ Pepper presents itself in a buzzy urban flash of violet blue lighting, slick banquette seating and open kitchen action. Straight away, you get the feeling of being in a place that’s alive and active, a feeling that’s affirmed by a busy backlit bar from behind which black-shirted staff

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EAT! Listings fling sunny cocktails for the after-work crowd. Of course, it’s the food angle that takes precedence, and at Beef N’ Pepper that translates to a decent choice of surf’n’turf. Highlights include thumping T-bones and a 60-day aged Argentinean top loin. (C5) ul. Nowogrodzka 47A, tel. 785 025 025, beefandpepper.pl Butchery & Wine The Sarf London-born Bertha oven has revolutionized the way steak is cooked, retaining moisture in a way no-one thought possible. Expect robust pieces of animal full of big, brawny tastes, but there’s so much more than just meat: starters involve a sea bass ceviche that pings with citrusy flavor not to mention more-ish pork crackling that pop like fire bangers in the mouth. A place of energy and ambition, it’s a great mix of both new and classic. Bookings advised. (D5) ul. Żurawia 22, tel. 22 502 3118, butcheryandwine.pl Ed Red Warszawa You can tell they’re serious about their meat just by looking at the starters: big, juicy marrow bones, mountain oysters, blood sausage and calf’s brain. The steaks are the calling card though, and here you’ll find them dry aged and consumed with the aid of hunting knives. The desserts seem a lumpy afterthought, but they get enough right elsewhere (even decent craft beer at the bar) to keep that little more than a mild annoyance. (B3) Pl. Mirowski 1, edred.pl Hoża Wine and steak: it sounds simple, but Hoża have taken two simple pleasures to another level. It’s an ebullient space with service right out of charm school, and a kitchen team with a real knowledge of cows. A red-blooded affair, the menu is a steak sensation and well paired with a handpicked wine list. (D5) ul. Hoża 25A, tel. 603 778 275, hoza.warszawa.pl Merliniego A classic looking steakhouse that swirls in shadow, brickwork and elegant touches, it’s a place to immerse yourself in an atmosphere that’s all surreptitious conversation and distant clinking glasses.

The steaks are out-of-this world, with USDA prime beef from New York’s legendary Ottomanelli & Sons and Scottish

beef from London’s Smithfield Market. On our last visit we splurged on the Grade 9+ wagyu ‘kobe’ rib-eye and found ourselves eating the steak of a lifetime. Simply amazing. (E10) ul. Merlineiego 5

street food Hala Gwardii Housed in a red brick hall dating from the Tsarist era, Gwardii opens up as a sensory big bang of smell, taste, sight and sound. Framed by a market on one side, and food units on the other, it’s a catch-all social solution that shines the spotlight on independent vendors offering various cuisines Warsaw ain’t seen before. In terms of tenants, big changes have happened – and continue to happen.

Bye to Keboom, Melt, and countless other editorial faves, hello to the superb Gorilla Coffee. Of the new additions, we’ve been told Ye Ye Mex will be entering anytime soon. (C3) Pl. Mirowska 2, halagwardii.pl Hala Koszyki Nirvana for the aspirational classes, careful surgery has preserved the heritage of this early 20th century marketplace and juxtaposed it against the urban tapestry of modern Warsaw. Appealing to everyone from foodies and families to Instagram scenesters, its success has sparked a nationwide wave of doubles and duplicates. But despite their best efforts, none come close to feeling quite so global. Not ones to stand still, May saw the addition of a narrow indoor avenue towards the back flanked on each side by busy street food stalls retailing all from vegan kebabs to super duper Korean noodles. (D6) ul.

Koszykowa 63, koszyki.com

‘Simplicity, elegance and atmosphere’

Cafe • Wine Bar • Restaurant • Whisky Bar • Wine Cellar ul. Hoża 25A, tel. 515 037 001 www.hoza.warszawa.pl www.facebook.com/hoza25 Open 12:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-21:00

thai

San Thai Informal, airy surrounds; fair price points; and a menu that covers enough bases while never becoming overwhelming.

Surprisingly great cocktails add to the impression that this street is taking off as something of a scene. (C3) ul. Próżna 10 warsawinsider.pl

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EAT! Listings Thai Thai A visual feast of ink black colors and shimmering deities this is by far the most formal of Warsaw’s Thai options – and also the best. Peaks include a grilled beef salad full of citrusy twists, lively flavors and vibrant colors, and sundried pork neck that’s all manly crunch and nose-clearing sauce. And then there’s the tuna tartar, a dish zinging with fresh hits of coriander, mint, lime and chili. There’s no point in complimenting the chef, he’s heard it all before. (C2) Pl. Teatralny 3, tel.

601 818 283, thaithai.pl Thaisty The most successful business model pioneered in recent years? That’s the work of Thaisty, a bright, cheerful spot with a ‘street style’ and moderate prices – queues, at times, stretch out the door.

Vivid colors and a busy open kitchen lend the place a happy buzz that lasts through the day, yet despite this many have voiced concerns that Thaisty’s runaway success has come at a cost to the overall quality.

Even so, the BBQ skewers remain a good order. (C2) Pl. Bankowy 4, tel. 730 000 024, thaisty.pl Why Thai A calming, almost holistic interior sets the tone for a meal dominated by the rich and aromatic tastes of Thailand. For a lively, spicy start begin with a mango and cashew salad, before moving forward and

onto their celebrated curries. Imported chefs keep the flavors authentic, with the pad Thai being something of a house favorite. (E5) ul. Wiejska 13, tel. 22 625 7698

ukrainian Kanapa This swish villa is a thoughtful essay in understated elegance: antique and classy, yet with enough eclectic touches to that add that little sense of home. The food fits the backdrop with cooking that feels adventurous in style yet traditional in its taste. The borscht, presented in a huge, hollowed out cabbage, incorporates cooked beetroot, stewed pears and plums, chunks of meat and a wallop of sour cream – these rich and raucous flavors are offset by highly sophisticated alternatives such as blobs of pike caviar and oyster cream on a delicate, crispy fish skin. (E8) ul. Narbutta 10, fb.com/kanapa. restauracja

vegan & wholefood 30 Koszyków In light of the lavish, local vegan choice, critics could call the menu at 30

Koszyków a little mundane – hummus peaked three years ago, didn’t it? Yet while the concept might not feel new, the execution does. From a limited set of choices, Koszyków’s fast expanding customer base enjoy a range of kick-ass hummus recipes that have acquired a serious following: the beetroot is highly recommended. (D6) ul. Koszykowa 30 Edamame Vegan Sushi Sushi without its star ingredient sounds ridiculous, but this vegan sushi joint manages to out-manoeuver its traditional competitors by replacing below-par fish with fresh, vegetarian produce: sugar snap peas, radish, carrots, asparagus, etc. The results are both magical and addictive, and leave you wondering if vegan sushi stands to be Warsaw’s next trend. (D5) ul. Wilcza 11, edamame.pl Eden Housed inside (and outside!) a modernist villa, Eden is by far the most exciting vegan launch for some time. Eat in a secluded courtyard garden complete with its own greenhouse, or indoors in a super cool space that feels arty and avant garde but also laidback and homey.

Handled by Michał Gniłka (he’s cooked for Keanu Reeves!), the food front involves grilled corn and avocado ceviche, ‘DIY’ grilled oyster mushroom tacos, and Malaysian-style laksa with sea buckthorn.

As for drinks, choose from third wave coffees, organic wines and a whole host of inventive house drinks. So far, everyone agrees that it’s a place to treasure. (G3) ul.

Jakubowska 16, edenbistro.pl Falafelove Cramped, sweaty and uncomfortable, Falafelove’s customers choose to overlook the aesthetic shortcomings for one very special reason: this is falafel that sets a new benchmark. Recommended is the spicy wrap, comprising of ‘red falafel’, humus, harissa, sundried tomatoes and tahini. If there’s space, join the others on the terrace outside. (C2) ul. Senatorska 40 Falla Both pricing and location combine to keep this venue blocked solid with a muddled mass of students from the uni nearby.

Looking simple, maybe even spartan, crowds flock to this corner unit for recipes inspired by the Middle East and Asia:

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EAT! Listings huge wraps tightly packed with pungent kimchi; generous pans brimming with shakshouka; and an array of hummus in unfamiliar forms – chipotle, coriander, carrot and more. (E3) ul. Oboźna 9 Krowarzywa Tatts, hats and plaid shirts aplenty in Krowarzywa: a survivor of the hipster era, for many it’s the epitome of Warsaw’s vegan scene. The burgers set a benchmark that all but a few fail to surpass. (D5) ul.

Marszałkowska 27/35, tel. 881 777 894 ul.

Hoża 29/31, krowarzywa.pl ul. Hoża 29/31, Kuchnia Konfliktu First came a food truck, then a cargo container. Now, Kuchnia Konfliktu have a legit address they can finally call home.

First founded to provide work for refugees fleeing conflict zones, this social project has won acclaim not just for social initiative, but more importantly its food. With employees hailing from the likes of Iran, Afghanistan, Chechnya and Iraq, prepare to dive deep into the exotic. Full review next issue. (D5) ul. Wilcza 60 Leonardo Verde Geometric patterns, plant arrangements and the large format illustrative artwork of Dominique A. Faryno decorate Leonardo Verde, an upmarket – but inexpensive – Italian joint. Pizza

is the forte – order the ‘hot romantic’, a combo featuring chili, avocado and tabasco. (D5) ul. Poznańska 13, fb.com/ leonardo.verde.restaurant Lokal Vegan Bistro Aside from a small menu consisting of more standard vegan offers, Lokal keep Homer Simpson characters in mind with regular guest slots for street food that’s given a full vegan makeover. Offhand, that’s meant vegan kebabs, cheesesteaks, burgers and zapiekanka, all of which have been pretty damn good. (D5) ul. Krucza 23/31, 517 615 122 Momencik Steamy, tight and sweaty, this pokey subterranean cavern has one key thing going for it: burritos that outrank the majority of ‘proper Mexicans’ in town. The salsas, too, are magnificent (ooh, pineapple), arguably the best in the city. (D5) ul. Poznańska 16 Tel Aviv “People shouldn’t be excluded from high standards just because they’ve chosen the vegan path,” says Malka Kafka, the owner of Tel Aviv. As such, find a plantbased menu that gives the tastes of Israel a fancy schmancy style – so fancy that Depeche Mode ate here last summer! (D5) ul. Poznanska 11, restauracjatelaviv.pl Vegan Ramen Shop Co-joining two fads is always a risky

IDEA

business – just ask Loco Mexicana. All of a sudden, the focus doesn’t fall on just getting one thing right, but two. But despite this double-headed challenge Vegan Ramen have struck gold on account of their complex bowls of restorative goodness: their fan base extends way beyond the boundaries of Saska Kępa. Enjoy in a cool interior filled with cute Japanese props on dozens of ‘levitating shelves’.

(G3) ul. Finlandzka 12A Veg Deli An entrance beset with candles, plant pots and seasonal veg charms people in, and they tend to stay on to dine on creative vegetarian options that nearly always hit the spot. The tacos are a bit of a disappointment, but the quinoa burger is fabulous, and the homemade Russian pierogi an absolute highlight. Even committed meat eaters recognize there’s something special going on here. (E3) ul.

Radna 14 Wegeneracja Warsaw’s vegan revolution is spreading outwards, and with places like Weganeracja waving the manner there’s no reason why it’ll stop there. Hits include towering beetroot burgers, chili sin carne and possibly the only zucchini bigos in the city. The desserts are of particular note, with recent highlights numbering a chocolate cream tart with avocado. ul.

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EAT! Listings Youmiko Vegan Sushi Exceptional in every respect, Youmiko’s tasting menu is one of the undisputed highlights of what’s become known as the vegan square mile. “Our aim,” declares their manifesto, “is to mix traditional Japanese approaches with Polish creativity and surprise you with new textures and flavors.” Mission accomplished. (D5) ul. Hoża 62, youmiko.vg

vietnamese Oh My Pho A busy, family-run joint, OMP’s specific claim to fame is what many are terming the best and most authentic pho in the ward. Steamy and aromatic, this is pho as it should be: full of big herby thwacks, ribboning noodles, and soft strips of meat in a clear, restorative stock. Often cited as being the ‘soul of the nation’, just a few noisy slurps are all that’s needed to corroborate the life-affirming goodness of this beautiful broth... (D5) ul. Wilcza 32,

Toan Pho 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. (D4) ul. Chmielna 5/7 Ukim Though not as high profile as Warsaw’s other gastro streets, Chłodna’s emergence has been no less spectacular. But fine dining and fancy wine bars aside, it’s actually the more standard venues that make the area feel so vibrant. Take Ukim, a cheerful joint decorated with steel Tolix chairs and blooming palms. Covering vast tracts of Asia, the menu feels enjoyable and authentic in equal measure: start with duck and mango spring rolls before moving onto mains such as sticky chicken in tamarind sauce. (B3) ul. Chłodna 2/18 Vietnamka BEST WAWA 2017 “Casual Dining” Divey but lively, diners step down into

Sweet Gift Sets MOD Donuts Order on www.moddonuts.com

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Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

Vietnamka to find a shouty little lair of mint green walls and wobbly wooden tables. Infused with a gentle sense of chaos (drinks after mains, mains before starters), there’s a certain charm at work that feels authentic and convincing. As for the food, you suspect that’ll be ’nam good when TV chef Kurt Scheller wonders in for a take-out. And boy, yes it is. Squiggled onto a crumpled sheet of paper, menu items include giant bowls of warming pho, steamed goat with lemongrass and more-ish spring rolls. Exceptional in every respect, the cooking here sails Warsaw’s Asian scene into uncharted waters. (D5) ul.

Poznańska 7, fb.com/VietnamkaPoznanska Viet Street Food Bistro What started out as a roaming food truck has settled down into life as a legitimate restaurant. Widely looked upon as the source of some of the best Vietnamese chow this city’s ever seen, the small menu contains steaming bowls of pho and banh mi baguettes loaded with meat and greens: both are brill. (H4) ul. Królowej Aldony 5/2, fb.com/vietstreetfoodpl

DRINK!

PHOTOGRAPH KEVIN DEMARIA

HITTING THE SWEET SPOT

The wait is finally over: five years after God created cronuts, Warsaw finally has its own. Sure, a couple of places have already tried, but none have quite nailed it in the same way as Croccante. Specializing in this American-born croissant / donut hybrid, it’s impossible to walk away from this spot without a sugar-stained chin and a groaning belt creaking under pressure. Resistance is futile: surrender to made-on-site creations such as the Philadelphia (strawberry sauce, white chocolate and cheesecake cream) or the Tropicana (mango & passionfruit cream, a shiny mango coating and Malibu with coconut milk), before forever slipping into a pleasing food coma inside a smart interior of glinting gold colors and soft velvet fabrics.

Croccante ul. Ĺťurawia 1A, fb.com/CroccanteZurawia warsawinsider.pl

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DRINK! Craft Beer

Paweł Leszczyński, the co-founder of the Warsaw Beer Festival, provides his take on the craft beer year…

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PHOTOGRAPH ED WIGHT

DON’T WORRY, BE HOPPY

WI: From a craft beer perspective, what are your thoughts on 2018?

PL: Diversity is something we’ve always fought for in this industry, and you’re really starting to see that. On the pub side, you’ve got fifty plus craft beer bars to choose from in Warsaw alone, and sometimes as many as three or four beer-related events happening each day. With that, I’ve recently understood one thing, that we’ve become accustomed in Poland to seeing new things every day – we love being able to say that Poland produces 1,700 different beers each year, and as a country we’ve now got tremendous expectations that most other nations don’t. Whether or not that’s a good thing is hard to say!

What have been the breakthrough trends of 2018 and what do you expect in 2019?

New England IPA, sour beers, barrel-aged beers, lowalcohol beers: everyone is looking to include these in their portfolio. As for the future, it’s almost impossible to say. At the end of each beer festival we sit down and try to analyze what’s happening in the beer world but things change so fast that our long-term predictions are nearly always revised.

Looking back, what’s stopped you in your tracks this year?

Actually, there haven’t been that many moments this year that have made me go ‘woah’, but then you’ve got to remember that the journey towards a better beer culture is a long one – you shouldn’t expect spectacular things to happen all the time. That said, what’s really impressed me is that for the first time ever I’m meeting young people who’ve never even tried one of the big commercial beers.

All they’ve ever known and drank is craft from the start – how amazing is that? That’s the future!

What changes have noticed within the industry?

We’re starting to see two types of craft brewery emerge: the well-organized larger ones with great facilities, modern marketing, and all that jazz, and then, on the other hand, smaller ones with only one or two people listed on the payroll. These are the ones that excite me. They’re the ones where you’ve got one guy working 16-hours a day, committing his life to the craft beer cause. In that regard, I’ve got so much respect for the likes of Ziemia Obiecana, Browca, De Facto, Cztery Ściany and Palatum. You’re not just getting great beer when you buy from them, but supporting friends that are doing something special.

What’s Poland’s position in the world of craft brewing?

We had Steve Dresler (editor’s note: the beer prophet that turned Sierra Nevada into one of the world’s most revered craft breweries) booked as our star guest at the Warsaw Beer Festival and I think he summed it up best: “right now,” he said, “Poles are finding inspiration from what’s happening in the States, but it won’t be long till the States is looking to you.” Things are happening here. Polish brewers are learning, inventing and creating their own

Things are happening here.

Polish brewers are learning, inventing and creating their own ways of brewing

ways of brewing. At the same time, they’re also involving and evolving a lot of traditional techniques which other countries aren’t.

And Warsaw, where does the city stand in terms of craft beer?

A friend of mine said once, if you want to see how a city can grow, then Warsaw is the place. He’s right. Going back a few years we didn’t have many interesting pubs, the café scene was lacking and the restaurants weren’t great. Now look at us. People are going out every night and there’s been this wonderful synergy in our food and drinks scene. When you talk about craft beer in particular, from a consumer point of view more and more people are understanding what it’s all about. They’re looking for different experiences, and that’s put an onus on pubs to hire and retain good beer managers that know what they’re doing. As such, it’s important pubs treat their beer managers well and pay them accordingly. On top of that, I think we can say that craft beer bars have grown to become ‘normal pubs’. They’re no longer just for beer geeks or places to visit for one-off occasions.

What’s your New Year’s message to the drinkers of Warsaw?

People always want more. Having the best beer isn’t enough anymore. Drinkers have been so spoiled by the rapid changes that if you give them a brilliant beer right now they’ll still want something better the very next day.

We’ve developed this strange culture in which we’re always wanting something extra, and because of that many people aren’t living for the moment. So there you go, that’s my message: just kick back and enjoy the present!

Surely you’re the hangover expert – how do I get rid of mine come New Year’s Day? Painkillers or paracetamol when you’ve still got alcohol in your bloodstream isn’t just stupid, but dangerous. Coffee is also a bad idea, because it not only dehydrates but contains acetaldehyde. That said, I resort to it all the time!

Being a little profound, I think we’ve got to recognize that hangovers are just part of the tapestry of life – learn to accept them! warsawinsider.pl

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DRINK! Listings bars & pubs The Alchemist A small place with a big bag of tricks: upscale pub grub from Brit chef Ed Shellard, fancy cocktails, and a self-serve wall of beer from a choice of global brewers.

Poland’s still getting used to the idea of ‘a pint after work’, but in The Alchemist the idea of a post-office drink just seems so right. (D3) Pl. Piłsudskiego 3, thealchemist.pl Bar Pacyfik From Day 1 there was something that felt special about this place, and that feeling has only swelled with the progress of time. With a retro-kitsch interior delivered straight from the age of Scarface (candy floss pink, ocean blue), it’s a bar that’s dark and divey, raw and real. More than just a spot for the cool kids, there’s an inclusive atmosphere that feels positively international. As for drinks, the habanero / salsa infused Bloody Maria is a lifeaffirming gargle that sweeps through the body like an electric current – three sips and you feel like Superman. (C5) ul. Hoża 61 Beirut They’ve smashed a wall through though that’s still not enough to accommodate the crowd. Adorned with detritus inspired by the Lebanese conflict (ammox boxes, sandbags and… a bomb), by day find media types posturing by their Macs. At night, the air of cool dissolves into a wild, happy whirl of international voices. (D5) ul. Poznańska 12, beirut.com.pl

Gram A paean to the days of jazz and prohibition, this stylish cocktail bar doesn’t cut corners when it comes to quality. Serving author’s compositions inspired by the bars trending Stateside, this decadentlooking bar has the telltale signs of a legend in the making – full report next month. (D6) ul. Koszykowa 49A, fb.com/ BackRoomWarsaw (D6) ul. Marszałkowska 45/49

Grizzly Gin Bar More prone than ever to global trends, news that the international gin revival has hit Warsaw comes as no real bombshell.

The style in Grizzly is dark and hip with the design largely limited to moody lighting, some witty murals and a bank of

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outdated TV sets given an artistic twist; the smoking room is great for accidental meetings with curious characters while the occasional gigs really pack a punch – it’s fast becoming the latest and loudest night in the area. (D5) ul. Wilcza 46 Hard Rock Cafe Full throttle cocktails, lively staff and a classic rock soundtrack: the energy of HRC is hard to find fault with. And on the rare occasion there is a lull in the night, use the opportunity to sniff around memorabilia that includes a black leather number once worn by Madonna. (C5) ul. Złota 59 (Złote Tarasy), hardrockcafe.pl

Legends Over the years Legends has earned a legendary status amongst the expats and Anglophiles. Their cause is helped by touches such as a proper darts board, Sky Sports and a traditional menu that’s as authentically English as the Downing Street cat. Presiding over it all is Graham, a seasoned expat and Everton nut. (C5) ul. Emilii Plater 25, legendsbar.pl

Między Nami With 18 years of service under their belt you may think of Między Nami as being an antiquated has-been. Not so. Haunted by a mix of media types and local characters, this hip white piece of post-commie Warsaw has an enduring, almost timeless appeal. (D4) ul. Bracka 20, miedzynamicafe. com

Plan B Plan B 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. (D6) ul. Wyzwolenia 18 (Pl. Zbawiciela), planb.pl

Sheesha Lounge Providing you don’t mind sharing the weekend with some of the most gloriously gorgeous people in the city, then a trip to Sheesha ticks all the boxes. Presenting itself in a whirl of action, the exotic, clubby atmosphere hits fever pitch come the midnight hour. Earlier, soak up the atmosphere with a scented hookah while lounging under eastern lights. (D5) Al. Jerozolimskie 33, sheesha.pl

Stixx It takes a moment to allow the sheer magnitude of Stixx sink in. Having adjusted to the wow factor of the interior – which can best be described as cosmopolitan-industrial – most retreat to the long, all weather deck which in itself is quite something: the aesthetics are such that a cocktail party on an oligarch’s yacht comes to mind.

There aren’t many better places for a drink when the roof is rolled back and the stars twinkle above. (A4) Pl. Europejski 4A, tel. 22 340 4040, stixx.pl

W Oparach Absurdu Hidden under Persian rugs, velvety drapes and reclaimed antiques, some still refer to it as The Spider Bar in reference to the giant tarantula that once hung from the wall. There’s an air of louche 60s living here, and it gets weirder when bands with names like the Bum Bum Orchestra enter to play trumpets amongst vodka-tipping guests.

(F1) ul. Ząbkowska 6, oparyabsurdu.pl

Worek Kości A celebration of both the burlesque and bizarre, Worek Kości is the bar Edgar Allan Poe would create were he raised from the dead. A lively evening hangout with ad-libbed cocktails and an unconventional program of events, you’re as likely to visit during an open-mic night as you are a discussion on Silesian serial killers. This fascination with the morbid and macabre manifests itself by way of a quirky design featuring hundreds of skulls and book shelves lined with the complete works of Stephen King. (E7) ul.

Bagatela 10

Wozownia Founded by the same people that once ran the original ‘ruin’ bar at Hala Koszyki (back when it was a decrepit pile of wobbly, black stonework), the idea is simple: find a courtyard decked out with flowering plants and crates of herbs, an open-air grill specializing in vegetables, and a 200-year-old carriage house inside which lies the bar. While the beer front is (currently) limited to boring old Pilsner, cocktails are a different matter entirely, and incorporate sprigs of lavender and rosemary to maximum effect. Then there’s the Prosecco, arguably the cheapest glass of bubbles

DRINK! Listings that you’ll find in the city. Pl. Trzech Krzyży 16, fb.com/WozowniaBar

cafés

Być Może It’s all about artisan bread and breakfast in the industrial looking Być Może. It’s taken the concept of Charlotte (groan, there’s even a communal table), and improved it with excellent breads and a crowd that’s a little less pleased with itself. (E7) ul. Bagatela 14, bycmoze.com.pl Charlotte Menora If the air is smug and self-satisfied, there’s a good reason for that: Charlotte have come to embody modern urban Poland: energetic, ambitious and ferociously trend conscious. And to think, some look at it as a mere bakery.

Occupying a long space, the latest outpost of this café chain doesn’t overlook the area’s Jewish heritage, with the menu featuring several Jewish delicacies: the bagels are ok. (C4) Pl. Grzybowski 2, bistrocharlotte.pl

Coffeedesk Looking flawless in her pearl white colors, Coffeedesk is a place that does it right.

Brewed by expert coffeeologists, the humble cup of Joe becomes an object of adoration. Populated round-the-clock by head-phoned freelancers and digital nomads tapping into their Macs, it’s a light, bright spot with a dynamic style and a keen sense of sexy. (D5 ul. Wilcza 42, fb. com/coffeedeskwilcza

Cophi So small you get the idea you could fit Cophi into the palm of your hand, yet no other place in Warsaw is more devoted to sourcing the best coffees in the world. (D5) ul. Hoża 58/60

Dobro & Dobro Cafe Measuring just six square meters (record attendance: 12 customers!), the tiniest cafe in Poland has grown into a cult stopoff for people looking to do something wacky. If you’re into karma, then buy a suspended coffee – order a coffee in advance for a stranger, write a personal message and then hang the cup from a string. (E8) ul. Puławska 11, fb.com/dobrocafe

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FatWhite_CoffeeBar Attached to a super cool barber shop (tatts, beards, crazy whiskers) Fat White have a beauty of an interior: swan white with walls graced by bookshelves and contemporary art that references Muranów’s past. Coffee comes from Kofi Brand, while sandwiches are made by personal chef / co-owner Filip (that’s his Scooby Doo van outside!). (C1) ul. Andersa 6 Forum Born with Instagram in mind, Forum has it all: super cool Afro-haired staff, a fashionably frayed interior, and a devoted client base that’s all about out-sized headphones and razor-thin laptops.

Changing weekly, the big pull is a menu of specialty coffees from acclaimed roasters such as Five Elephant and The Coffee Collective fixed up by Poland’s AeroPress and Brewers Cup champion. (C3) ul.

Elektoralna 11

Lapidarium It’s high time that the Old Town Square had a café worth visiting, but would have thought that it would be a museum providing such? Run under the aegis of the Museum of Warsaw, visitors choose from rustic meals prepped locally by Gospoda Kwiaty Polskie, regional beers, Polish wine from Mierzęcin Palace and tea courtesy of Harney & Sons. Enjoy these in minimalistic vaulted interiors or in a soothingly calm courtyard garden stacked with gargoyles and other historic elements. (D1) Rynek Starego Miasto 40, lapidariumcafe.com

Krem A chic city center hangout with all the swanky, urban elegance of the 8th arrondisement. Opened by the same team behind Monsieur Leon, find their latest little baby decorated with monochrome tiles, marble-topped tables, and retro-styled mirrors. A place of hip sophistication and laid-back vibe, the menu is built around French cheeseboards, raclette and super sexy baguettes. (D6) ul. Śniadeckich 18

Relax Na Wilczej Characterized by structured simplicity, it’s a venue that maximizes space and light. Never overly complex, clean lines of

DRINK! Listings vision are interrupted only by a scattering of coffee tomes and a statement mural

by Mariusz Tarkawian. Calm and intuitive, it’s an interior that feels both effective and efficient. And as for the coffee: one sip and you’re hooked. Order the silky smooth nitro. (D5) ul. Wilcza 17 Stor Buying their coffee from revered roasters such as Berlin’s Bonanza and Stockholm’s Drop Coffee, Stor have grown to become a giant presence on Warsaw’s café map. Visitors bask in natural light

TRY OUR BUBBLE-WAFLLES WITH HOME MADE ARTISAN GELATO. Nowogrodzka 15 Al. Jana Pawła II 43/25 Francuska 48 Hala Koszyki tel. 509 912 282 www.melody.pl

amid outbreaks of greenery and quirky design touches: time runs away here and before you know it hours have passed. ul. Tamka 33, fb.com/storcafe

clubs Luztro Don’t sit down, you won’t know what you might catch. Dark and generally filthy, Warsaw’s most (in)famous club only gets going around about three. As the hours click towards daybreak, the scenes of depravity are like something from Sodom and Gomorrah. Enjoyed by zombies that quite definitely don’t have to be up for work anytime in the next 48 hrs, it’s not just the full-on techno that will leave the brain rattling – it’s the craziest night in Poland! (E4) Al. Jerozolimskie 6, luztro.pl N58 The latest entry on Warsaw’s club circuit have issued a manifesto promising deep vocal house, r’n’b, mash-ups and theme nights centered around Afro Beats / trap / twerk and hip hop. (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 58 No Comment A secret world for those In The Know, find No Comment in a seedy-looking tower under Poniatowski Bridge. Clad in decadent, blue velvety surfaces, this tiny bi-level club feels redolent of an afterhours Parisian members club: everyone seems to know each other, and after a bottle of bubbles you will as well. (F4) Al. 3 Maja 16/18A, Most Poniatowskiego

Ritual Looking dark and sensual, this two-level space unwraps before you like some elaborate adventure. Candles flicker, atmosphere crackles – moving towards the bar, slinky, sultry club creatures of unfathomable beauty prowl past with drinks poised in hand. Heating up gradually as the night progresses, Ritual moves organically from being a voluptuous bar to a spicy club as the night ebbs towards its heady conclusion. (D3) ul. Mazowiecka 12, ritualwarsaw.com

Spatif The varied music policy shines a light on a revolving schedule of sounds, pinning its attention on everything from

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jazz and soul to Britpop and electro.

Spread across a series of chambers decorated with vintage fittings, parquet floors and wood-paneled walls, Spatif’s main success lies in replicating that fun, spontaneous feel of a house party that’s spiraled out of control: no matter their individual back story, everyone gets on (and occasionally gets off). Just about the most unpretentious club night you’ll find, this labyrinthine pre-war tenement feels fun, diverse and never up its own arse.

The View Occupying the upper levels of a skyscraper, The View is a place of bubbles and beauties and all things glam. A world class venue, past crowd pullers include Bob Sinclair and David Morales. In summer, the glam and the gorgeous won’t be seen anywhere but the open air rooftop deck: it’s pure NYC. (C4) ul. Twarda 18

cocktails 6 Cocktails If 6 Cocktails has the feeling of hanging around someone’s flat that’s because, actually, you are. This posh Mokotowska apartment has been re-adapted as an exclusive bar frequented by leggy models and society figures: the parties are nuts!

Unmarked from street level, to enjoy the inventive cocktails message them on FB and await your invite. (E5) ul. Mokotowska 57 Back Room A paean to the days of jazz and prohibition, this stylish cocktail bar doesn’t cut corners when it comes to quality. Serving author’s compositions inspired by the bars trending Stateside, this decadentlooking bar has the telltale signs of a legend in the making – full report next month. (D6) ul. Koszykowa 49A, fb.com/ BackRoomWarsaw

Ceviche Bar The ‘bar’ bit in the name isn’t a deceit, it’s there for a reason: here, the design, DJs and drinks work seamlessly to generate an ambiance that’s buzzy, energetic and something of a scene. Yet though the cocktails have long been celebrated, the ante’s been upped by a new ‘Nikkei’ card that combines Peruvian and Japanese techniques and ingredients. Of the

DRINK! Listings standouts, none earn higher praise than the Matero, a mix of Japanese yuzu citruses and Pisco infused with Yerba Mate. You won’t stop at one. (C4) ul. Twarda

cocktails are in a class of their own and specifically customized for the season.

4, cevichebar.pl

The Roots Having recruited some of the top bartenders in Poland, The Roots have a serious artillery on which to rely. So committed is this haunt, its walls are graced by a vast collection of cocktail memorabilia: antique jiggers, shakers, coolers, not to mention an original signed copy of the world’s first cocktail handbook (published: 1862!). (C2)

Charlie Crowd: glam & vampy. The venue: equally so. Occupying the first floor of a pre-war tenement, there’s a magic here that summons the age of F. Scott Fitzgerald – Gatsby would love it. The ace in the pack is a ‘subconscious menu’ from which clients order mystery cocktails based on their scent. (E6) ul. Mokotowska 39 Cosmo Bar Though they’ve made a big noise about embracing a variety of initiatives aimed at maximizing sustainability, Tomek Roehr’s Cosmo Bar project, is more than a one-trick pony. Beyond the novelty factor is a scrupulous attention to detail that manifests itself in impeccable cocktails based around Polish produce – rowanberry, sea buckthorn and suchlike. Occupying a plush, little corner of the Cosmopolitan Tower, this is luxury with a conscience. ul. Twarda 4, cosmobar.pl

(D2) ul. Wąski Dunaj 20, barandbooks.pl

ul. Wierzbowa 11

the new generation of ‘quali-tap’ bars – small little places with six or so beers on tap. The two owners, Piotrek and Kuba, take their beer seriously, so do expect plenty of new finds as well as traditional favorites from stalwarts like Artezan and Pinta. The laidback, neighborhood atmosphere is making it increasingly popular with a tight-knit circle of ex-pat drinkers. (C3) ul. Grzybowska 2 (through the side passage), czesc.waw.pl

Czeska Baszta Contained within a grotty bridge support,

Warmut Set in the Commie era No Man’s Land between Zbawiciela and Konstytucji, it’s become one of the hottest nights in town. This vermouth-inspired cocktail bar features classic and house creations, and a spectacular design involving street art, greenery and mirrored walls. But the piece de resistance? Those are the scale models of local landmarks that hang from the ceiling. Instagram them now before everyone else does. And don’t forget to head up the stairs to their cool little sister, Gram (see Bars). (D6) ul. Marszałkowska 45/49

El Koktel It’s bars like this that lend Warsaw’s cocktail scene weight and substance. Set within the historic stamping ground of the pre-war Wedel dynasty, rely on this place to pour out scintillating cocktails to a dolled-up crowd of local players. Adjusted for the season, the menu features global modern classics and local creations such as God Save The Quince. With the weather getting parky, pay heed to warm concoctions such as Hot Marzipan Rum served with spiced syrups and marzipan butter. (D4) ul. Górskiego 9

Podwale Bar & Books Though it doesn’t have to be winter to enjoy T Podwale Bar & Books, it definitely helps.

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Weles Named after the Slavic god of the underworld, everything about Weles evokes the spirit of indulgence: a zinc 1920s ceiling imported from the States, a crystal chandelier and a wooden bar carved from a British carousel. A work of refined craftsmanship, the cocktails stand out as the most sophisticated in the city.

(D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 11, welesbar.pl

craft beer Craft Beer Muranów Though still an area thick with beretwearing, dachshund-walking oldies, Muranów is fast catching up with the rest of Warsaw. Taking care of the craft beer angle is this newbie, a bi-level bar with warm tones and 16 taps of beery goodness. ul. Andersa 23, fb.com/craftbeer-

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Cześć It started as a café, but now Cześć is better known as being at the forefront of

Wąski Dunaj 20, 00-256 Warsaw

Tel.: +48 225.599.199

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DRINK! Listings divey Czeska is permanently immersed in a foggy, yellow glow. Boisterous but extremely friendly, there’s a reason for all the man hugs and back slaps: everyone’s smashed! The frothy pints of lager are sourced from the owner’s favorite small town breweries, and the fridge kept stocked courtesy of his own cross-border forays. (E4) Tower 22A, Most Poniatowskiego, czeskabaszta.pl

Drugie Dno The natural start (or finish) point of any Nowogrodzka pub crawl, head to The Double D for a space that conjures to mind a disused power station: sporting rugged brickwork and a scuffed style, the neo-industrial look is ramped up with the liberal use of steel girders, vintage voltage meters and toilets disguised as elevator shafts. Sixteen taps to drink through, many of them offering extreme drinking solutions from Europe’s most radical breweries. Looks great, tastes great, a factor that ensure a male-to-

female ratio that feels roughly equal. (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 4

Drugie Dno Ochota Choice is thinner than the original (just eight taps), but there’s something here that really seems to work. Set over two floors, there’s a warmth and atmosphere that radiates throughout. An interesting design inspired by the original is matched with decent pizzas and a location down a leafy side street that’s gradually getting noticed for its neighborhood scene. (A6) ul. Tarczyńska 5/9

Eufemia Even in a country that prides itself on deceptive addresses, Eufemia outdoes them all by suggesting gig-goers head to Krakowskie Przedmieście. Actually, you need ul. Traugutta, and from there to search out the salmon pink palace that’s entered via Niżyńskiego. Obvious, huh? Slipped down some narrow steps, Eufemia unwraps into a series of side

rooms furbished in simple style with occasional flourishes provided by the local art school. Drinks come from 12 taps squirting out Polish craft beer, while food is a welcome affair involving pulled pork burgers, pastrami and even vegan curry.

(D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 5

Goraczka Zlota Get down with the locals at Gorączka Złota, a steamy pub with a rowdy atmosphere. Touting the dimensions of a cabin boy’s quarters, this pungent, pokey den is one of the oldest bars in town.

Despite carrying many epic beers from Poland’s rebel brewers, there’s nothing faddish about GZ and it’s this sense of normalcy that lends it its enduring appeal.

(D5) ul. Wilcza 29, goraczka-zlota.com.pl

Hoppiness You’re in good hands here – opened under the patronage of the Pracownia brewery, this small-scale operation goes beyond merely offering the beers of its sponsor.

A F R E N C H R E V E L AT I O N REDOLENT OF A PARISIEN COURTYARD BAKERY, YOU’LL SMELL THE AROMA OF OUR FRESHLY BAKED BREAD FROM DAWN. OPEN THROUGH THE DAY, WE’RE DELIGHTED TO SERVE OUR FAMOUS BREAKFASTS, TRADITIONAL PASTRIES NOT TO MENTION A SELECTION OF WINES FOR YOUR DINNER. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU.

Być Może

ul. Bagatela 14

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DRINK! Listings There’s 12 taps in all, a decent fridge to geek over, an ace burger and beer-based ice cream – hooray! (D4) ul. Chmielna

radical when you look down in the fridge.

(D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 25

27/31, hoppiness.ontap.pl

Kufle i Kapsle Powiśle Doing it in a way that feels shabby, gritty but yet totally cool, this is a bar that riffs on themes of industrial and retro to maximum effect. Ground floor: a small bar area with a secret strip of seating snaking back behind; upstairs, the kind of retro furnishings last seen when Brezhnev was wearing shorts. On tap, find a fluctuating choice of 12 crazy beers sourced from the kind of breweries that make Poland seem progressive. When you’re done, prove your allegiance to KiK by visiting their third venue in Żoliborz.

Jabeerwocky Steeped in multinational drunken babble, the super sociable Jabbers is famed for its innovative beer selection and convivial atmosphere. Mark it down as an absolute must-visit, especially if you’re a fan of stout and cider. (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 12, taproom.pl

Kufle i Kapsle Found somewhere round the top of Warsaw’s hierarchy of craft beer bars, Kufle welcomes all, from entry level novices taking their first steps in the beery world to note-taking nerds conducting research for their blogs. Interiors are respectful of the building’s pre-war heritage and are thick with noise, clamor and the reassuring smell of spillage. The edgy beer selection becomes is even more

(E3) ul. Solec 46A

Małe Piwo Oleandrów’s reawakening began on this very spot! Opened six years back, MP preempted the craft beer trend to become one of Warsaw’s first places for something better than a pint of Piss-kie.

Looking wholly unfinished and fashionably distressed, it’s got that New York dive vibe down to a tee – you imagine The Strokes rolling in right after band practice.

(D7) ul. Oleandrów 4

Maryensztadt Craft Beer It’s a mixed crowd of locals and tourists that gather in Maryensztadt, a large bar whose 12 taps showcase the highs (and occasional lows) produced by the brewery that gives this pub its name. Set across a series of cavernous chambers inside an attractive Old Town property, its not just beer buffs that it appeals to: sourcing their ingredients from small-scale farmsteads, the kitchen wing of Maryensztadt does a convincing job of representing the tastier side of regional Poland. (D1) ul.

Szeroki Dunaj 11

Mikkeller Bar Warsaw Light and bright the sparsity of the interior is a surprise: a classic case of less is more, here the punchline is given to the

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DRINK! Listings beer. That means twenty taps firing out a revolving roster of kickass beers that, thus far, have included lambic-style ‘SpontanPear’ and yuzu flavored Berliner weisse. It’s an utter geek-gasm for beer nerds. Prices for the Danish stuff start in the early 20s and soar upwards to reach eye-watering levels – in return, you’re getting brilliant beer that breaks brewing boundaries. For cheapskates, Polish options kick-off at approx. 13 PLN. (D4) ul.

Chmielna 7/9, fb.com/MikkellerBarWarsaw

Same Krafty Squashed into two narrow, rugged rooms decorated with benches and rough plaster walls, Same Krafty have rescued Old Town from big beer brands peddling piss. Offering artisan alternatives, this intimate bar lures daring tourists looking to explore the more subversive side of Polish brewing. Sustenance comes by way of big wheels of pizza that are surprisingly good. (D1) ul. Nowomiejska 10 Same Krafty Vis-à-vis When it comes to pubs, Same Krafty tops any Old Town hit list, but try getting served at peak drinking time. No problem, head five meters opposite to Bar No. 2.

Pass under a dragon’s head before stepping into a supremely friendly room with ten taps, a strong bottle line-up and an atmospheric side chamber. You will find tourists, but locals are often the majority, a telling indicator that says much for their approval rating. (D1) ul. Nowomiejska 11/13

for gentlemen Playhouse Housed in a former subterranean bomb shelter, the talk now is of bombshells: namely the 57 stunners they’ve got listed on their books. Inspired by high class joints in London and Vegas, it’s a refined choice with a no-pressure atmosphere and door staff that don’t look like they’re going to kick your head in. (B3) Al. Solidarności 82A, playhouse.pl

vodka Dom Wódki Those expecting Dom Wódki to be a standard mucky shot bar are in for a surprise.

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Sparkling with over 250 artisanal vodkas, find them incorporated into inspirational drinks mixed by Tomasz Małek, a world champion flair bartender. More than just show, the tastes are incredible. (C2) ul.

Wierzbowa 9/11, domwodki.pl

WuWu Open round-the-clock, this 24-hour bar is the place in which to enjoy a prodigious choice of vodka inside a chic, dimly-lit environment that resounds to the singalong hits of communist Poland.

Serving classic drinking bites (sour cream and herring, beef tartar, etc.) and an array of expertly fixed cocktails, it’s a spot that promises to become the place to be for a higher class of night owl. If this is gentrification, we’re all for it. (G1) Pl. Konesera 1

medium-sized European producers (Italian, in particular), sommelier Paweł Demianiuk has composed a wine list that’s interesting, smart but also comprehensible. Named in a nod to the 1,116 glasses that hang above the bar (we didn’t count, so don’t shoot the messenger), all wines are available by the glass. ul. Hoża 41, kieliszkinahozej.pl Mielżyński Wine Bar Founded in 2004, this ivy-clad warehouse-style enterprise lit the touch paper for Poland’s wine revolution.

Emanating casual city cool, it’s still the yardstick against which all others are measured. It’s a default choice for first dates, and if things go well then walk amid the shelves and pick something for later. (A1) ul. Burakowska 5/7 (also on Czerska 12)

wine bars

Bubbles Such is the style of Bubbles it feels like Valentine’s all year round: high on intimacy, it’s a charming ensemble of rickety crates and deep, dark colors.

But the clincher, that’s the prodigious selection of champagne. Now while you’d usually expect a champagne bar to be filled with footballers wives and berks with fake tans, Bubbles feels inclusive, convivial and anything but vain. (D2) Pl. Piłsudskiego 9, bubbles.com.pl

Dyletanci Filled with immaculate, modern citizens that drive beamers and jeeps, everyone here looks pretty pleased with themselves – and after a drink, so will you.

Aside from the sensational cooking of Rafał Hreczaniuk, join the good lookers for an exceptional wine list that includes a hefty offer from Poland (inc. wines from the proprietor’s own label, Dom Bliskowice). (F5) ul. Rozbrat 44, dyletanci.pl Hoża You’ll probably know Hoża as the home of steak. But what is meat without wine? complementing the Argentine-inspired cooking is a wine list particularly dense with reds. (D5) ul. Hoża 25a, hoza.warszawa.pl Kieliszki Na Hożej Pointing attention towards small and

Nowina The striking interior that catches the eye from across the street – restored pre-war tiling, glinting surfaces, a world map rendered from corks and an engaging reddish glow all do their bit to lend Nowina the kind of atmosphere that’s missing in most local wine bars.

Add to that an exciting international menu and a selection of over 400 wines and you have an absolute winner. ul.

Nowogrodzka 4, nowina.waw.pl

Rusiko Wine Bar This wine bar showcases Warsaw’s biggest selection of Georgian wine inside an interior that feels intimate, jazzy and highly atmospheric. Elaborate rugs, deep rouge in color, hang from tall sapphire walls, while impossibly high ceilings do much to generate a swirl of soft, muffled sound. A place of good mood and organic hospitality, it’s no surprise to learn that the bitey menu is an ample reflection of Rusiko’s award-winning reputation. (E5) Al. Ujazdowskie 22

Winsky Teeny plates, a maverick selection of tap wines, top notch whisky, and an interior that’s all restrained velvety opulence.

Nestled on the ground floor of The Tides development, windows face out onto the inky black waters of the river and the sparkling stadium just beyond. (F4) ul.

Wioślarska 10

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DO! LAST CHANCE Museum of Life Under Communism

PHOTOGRAPH ED WIGHT

GOING, GOING...

Regarded as one of Warsaw’s best kept little secrets, news has broken that the Museum of Life Under Communism is to close on, rather aptly, December 13th: the anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law. Housed in a greasy, backstreet industrial space, this remarkable labor of love has, over the years, come to be seen as one of the city’s great treasures, with its bizarre horde of everyday oddities ranging from Soviet era games and cosmetics to vintage radios and dogeared propaganda materials – the definition of weird and wonderful, it’s imminent closure can be viewed as a kick in the crackers for this side of town. But this is no time for tears: Praga’s loss is the center’s gain, with the museum’s proprietor promising to reopen on Pl. Konstytucji at some stage in January. Coming soon, we’re told to expect a floor plan three times the size of the original, new exhibits, a 50s-style café and a viewing point looking right over the center.

In the meantime, don’t miss the chance to enjoy the prototype for one final time.

Museum of Life Under Communism ul. Mińska 22 (enter from Głucha), czarprl.pl

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Do! Getaway

CALL OF THE WILD

For winter, head to the untamed depths of Jaczno for a break to remember…

BY ALEX WEBBER | PHOTOS BY ED WIGHT

GETTING THERE

Jaczno sits approximately 315 kilometers south east of Warsaw, with drive time taking a little less than 4 hours. Reaching it without your own ride is a challenge but not impossible. The nearest town of note is Suwałki: a couple of trains make the journey daily in around 4 and a bit hours. From there, Jaczno is 25 clicks in an Uber / cab / hijacked vehicle.

LODGINGS

Set on the banks of a deep blue lake that freezes in winter, rooms are set in a couple of timber-hewn lodges wedged close to the water by a dense bank of woodland.

Adding to the sense of escape is a design that gives attention to heavy

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stone walls and chunky wooden fittings: squint, and you could be in a village built by hobbits. Here lies the definition of hygge.

FOOD & DRINK

Food, perhaps, isn’t what it should be. Despite the presence of numerous certificates from foodie bibles such as Gault & Millau, the underlying suspicion is that this is an area in which they could improve. Okay, it’s solid enough, but it soon feels one note when you catch them repeating the same cold cuts for dinner as they served for breakfast. Deliverance comes in the form of their weekend ognisko, an open-air grill that sees heaps of meaty fodder cooked over flames.

Mingling with other guests over

piping hot mugs of mulled wine, this is the exact face of Poland you came here to see. It goes without saying, booze of many types is readily available, though more fussy drinkers should be advised to bring their own: no-one minds, and you really don’t want to miss out on a fireside evening session with complete, random strangers.

UPPERS

Being here is spiritually fortifying: there’s the air, the ambiance and the calls of the wild – yes, that really was a wolf you heard howl in the night. All this conspires to lend an extra secret something to this magic little bubble. Explaining it is hard, but there’s an energy that courses through the place that

Jaczno Lodge ul. Jaczne 3 (Jeleniewo), jaczno.pl, rooms from zł. 220 per night

leaves you on a high.

DOWNERS

There are many boxes that Jaczno ticks, but also some it doesn’t: the lack of a single sofa you’d actually want to sit on is a glaring oversight, while the presence of a ping pong table in one of the fireplace lounges becomes a blazing irritant when children are involved – come on, give the kids a separate room and throw away the key!

planning on a deeper exploration of the woods and countryside, then a pair of boots you don’t mind getting muddy are a valuable addition to your rugged, rural look. And unless you fancy going cold turkey, smokers should plan on bringing a sleeve of their favorite ciggies.

VERDICT

TO DO

Some couples, you guess, are simply here to reproduce because there really isn’t all that much else to do other than drink, read, sleep, walk, and then sleep a bit more before repeating the cycle till the time comes to leave. But if that sounds a bit, well, dull, then it isn’t.

This is a place in which to switch the mind and body to a permanent state of chill. During the day, grab a bike to explore the dipping country lanes and dark forest paths or ask at reception about a horse carriage or sleigh ride. With the possibility of finishing with a bonfire, prices begin at around zł.

80 per head. Of the other facilities, a wood-fired Russian banya is also available for hire.

Being here is spiritually fortifying: there’s the air, the ambiance and the calls of the wild...

The Insider’s had a right old year planting its flag around the corners of Poland. Of the highlights, there’s been a Tsarist-inspired train carriage, an aristocratic palace and a two-and-a-half grand suite in which Benedict Cumberbatch once slept. Make no mistake, while more rudimentary, Jaczno stands shoulder to shoulder with all of the aforementioned. Yes, there are shortcomings, but they pale into irrelevance in the wider scheme of things. The atmosphere is such that nothing else matters. Leaving is a wrench. “Can we stay one more night,” is a common refrain.

FURTHER AFIELD

For the nature lover, national parks abound. For the historian, the area is dotted with the remnants of Stalin’s Molotov Line, while the pair of viaducts in Stańczyki are considered one of the great engineering marvels of inter-war Central Europe. If you save your visit for warmer months, you’ll even have the chance to bungee jump off them and into the jaws of oblivion – one, two, three, Geronimo!

BRING…

Think books, boardgames and other forms of old fashioned entertainment. Clothes-wise, a reindeer jumper and some silly monster slippers won’t look out of place: make yourself at home – everyone else does. Bear in mind, if you’re

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DO! Events Show Gaelforce Dance

2 Dec @ Torwar, ul. Łazienkowska 6 Known as the Ferrari of Irish dance, Gaelforce arrive in Warsaw with a reputation as the best know Irish dance company in the world.

Tickets from zł. 145 @ ebilet.pl

EDITOR’S PICK Watch Docs 6-13 Dec @ various venues

This acclaimed human rights film festival presents more than sixty films from around the world with screenings accompanied

by Q&As with filmmakers, debates, lectures and workshops.

Among the special events that are planned, Dieudo Hamadi is scheduled to receive this year’s Marek Nowicki Prize awarded to documentary filmmakers for exceptional achievements in human rights cinema.

For info, see: watchdocs.pl

Cars Barbórka

1 Dec @ ul. Karowa You know it’s December when the Barbórka hits town: going strong since 1972, this cult car race sees vehicles rally around curly ul. Karowa. The race will be accompanied by numerous events and stalls to keep fans entertained.

For details, see: barborka.pl

Fair Dom Towarowy

various events @ ul. Bracka 25 Throughout the month, especially during weekends, find the numerous floors of this building given over to dozens upon dozens of stalls trading in gifts both great and small. Heaven for browsers, the wide-reaching offer runs from books and art to clothing and design pieces.

It’s impossible to come away empty-handed.

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Design Targi Rzeczy Ladnych

1-2 Dec @ Pl. Konesera 2, Centrum Koneser Specializing in ‘beautiful objects’, this market lives up to the hyperbole with fantastic pieces from on-therise brands and designers.

Furniture, poster art, textiles, ceramics, books and toys: this has the lot.

For further details, see: targirzeczyladnych.pl

Food & Drink Monsters Birthday

1 Dec @ ul. Nowomiejska 10, Same Krafty For many, they’ve been the best thing to happen to craft beer for yonks! Join the lads from Browar Monsters to see what the fuss has been all about: expect a few debut beers and beer geeks aplenty!

For further details, see: fb.com/ browarmonsters

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

Music Give Peace A Chance

8 Dec @ ul. Lennona Each year sees Polish fans of the Beatles gather on ul. Lennona to mark the anniversary of John Lennon’s death with an evening of song.

For details, see: fb.com/ UlicaJohnaLennona

Design Slow Weekend

8-9 December @ ul.

Mińska 65 Dubbed ‘the slowest fair this winter’, find the best of Polish fashion and design presented inside a post-industrial complex in the heart of Praga Południe. Placing an emphasis on creativity, over 300 niche brands will gather to offer original designs, clothing, eco cosmetics and accessories.

For further details, see: slowweekend.pl

Film Splat Horror Film Festival

5-9 Dec @ Kinoteka, Pl. Defilad 1 Poland’s only horror film festival will open with a screening of Wind and hen reel out a number of films over the following days, among them: Pyewacket, The Wolf House, Killing God, Hex and Suspiria.

For details, see: splatfilmfest.com

Food & Drink Breakfast Market Relaunch!

8 Dec @ Elektryczna 2, Elektrownia Powiśle From here on in, Warsaw’s cult breakfast market will be operating primarily in the flash confines of the former Powiśle power plant. Running each Saturday and Sunday, anticipate numerous food vendors, regional produce and assorted entertainment – full report soon!

For details, see: targsniadaniowy.pl

Design Oriental Christmas Bazaar

8 Dec @ Museum of Asia & Pacific, ul. Solec 24 Running from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. over 40 exhibitors are expected to present an offer ranging from costumes and cosmetics to accessories and artwork. If last year is anything to go by, this diverse event will see stalls hawking goods from India, Indonesia, Japan, China and umpteen countries ending with ‘stan’.

Pets International Cat Show

15-16 Dec @ ul. Maciusia 5 Warsaw’s biggest cat show with have all sorts of breeds on display, as well as bits and pieces of feline paraphernalia.

For further info, see: pzf.pl

Cncert New Year’s Eve

31 Dec @ National Stadium While further details remained a mystery at press time, Poland’s biggest free party will doubtlessly wheel out numerous national musical heroes, and quite possibly even some international ones as well. Expect tens of thousands to attend.

DO! Exhibition

SHOUTING: POLAND!

Coinciding with celebrations marking the centenary of Polish independence, an exhibition at the National Museum in Warsaw captures the artistic depictions of this historic episode…

PHOTOGRAPH PIOTR LIGIER

H

ow was Poland’s path to independence perceived by artists? The exhibition Shouting: Poland! Independence 1918 confronts artistic representations of historical and political events of the first two decades of the 20th century with the transformations of Polish art on the threshold of reborn statehood. Selected works from the NMW collection are accompanied by photographs and prints by contemporary artists, Piotr Uklański and Przemysław Trust Truściński, which enter into dialogue with subjects of war, independence and national art.

The exhibition presents works created in the early 20th century, shedding light on the nonobvious and painful process of regaining independence. The exhibition’s curator wanted to approximate the emotions felt by people who had witnessed those events, and yet arrive at a different image to the stereotype shaped over the last decades.

“In the collective Polish imagination, the image of the Great War and the independence that followed is vague and blurred,” says Piotr Rypson, the acting director the National Museum in Warsaw. “We wanted to bring it closer to our viewers through the many fine works from that time held at the National Museum in Warsaw.”

The exhibition is composed of ten parts divided by their chronology and subject matter. The historical narrative opens with the years 1905–7 and the Great War – and ends with the events related to the struggle for the borders of the reborn Polish Republic, the appointment of the Constitutional Assembly and the election of Gabriel Narutowicz as president.

Preparations for the exhibition revealed a number of important works that have not been exhibited in nearly a century. These include sculptures showing Józef Piłsudski, works documenting the fate of civilians during the Great War, such as Jan Rembowski’s Refugees from 1915, as well as a graphic series by Abel Pann and Wilhelm Wachtel on loan from the Jewish Historical Institute. On display are also the forgotten visions by painter Stanisław Fabijański showing the dramatic aspects of war and photographs by Jan Neuman. The exhibition also presents one of the very few Polish paintings created in the Futurist vein: Charge by Jerzy Hulewicz.

Further, subjects related to Poland’s independence have been juxtaposed with new artistic trends that underwent dynamic development in the first decades of the 20th century.

The end of World War I meant an increased interest in a na-

Zdzisław Jasiński (1863–1932) Allegory of the 1920 Victory 1920, oil on canvas

tional art that would combine modernity and local, identityshaping elements. Apart from works by artists associated with avant-garde groups, such as Bunt and the Formists, the exhibition presents works by Ukrainian artists from the Lviv milieu and Jewish avant-garde artists active in Łódź, Warsaw and other Polish cities.

Shouting: Poland! Independence 1918 Ongoing till 17 March 2019 The National Museum in Warsaw, Al. Jerozolimskie 3, www.mnw.art.pl. warsawinsider.pl

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DO! Museum Listings

NEON MUSEUM

Copernicus Science Centre Featuring hundreds of interactive exhibitions, it’s a place that allows young and old alike to blast objects into space, experience an earthquake or steer exploratory robots. ul.

Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20, kopernik.org.pl

CSW Situated in a baroque-style castle the center hosts artists from all over the world.

The on-site bookshop is of particular interest for artists and intellectuals. ul. Jazdów 2, csw.art.pl

Dom Spotkań z Historią The History Meeting House wins points for small but frequently excellent exhibitions that cover topics such as ‘rebuilding Warsaw’ and ‘Socialist Realist architecture.’ ul. Karowa 20, dsh.waw.pl

Ethnographic Museum Considerably revamped to meet the demands and attention-spans of the 21st century sightseer, the Ethnographic Museum is a visual pleasure that showcases colorful costumes, fabrics and ceramics from Poland and beyond. ul. Kredytowa 1,

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Fotoplastikon Thought to date from 1905, Warsaw’s Fotoplastikon generates 3D perspectives from a set of 2D images: visitors peer through an eyepiece and are taken on a trip around the world while music from days yore parps away in the background. Al. Jerozolimskie

Z AC H Ę TA

the murder of 21,000 Polish officers by the Soviets in the spring of 1940. Beyond its quite staggering architectural merit, the museum has done a stunning job of collecting and presenting artifacts relating to the slaughter. ul.

Jeziorańskiego 4, muzeumkatynskie.pl

51, fotoplastikonwarszawski.pl

Fryderyk Chopin Museum The 18th century Ostrogski Palace is the perfect foil for the ultra-modern content of this multi-sensory space. The personal items are enchanting, but the big victory here is the museum’s ability to suck visitors right back into the times of Chopin through the use of interactive sights and sounds. ul. Okólnik 1, chopin.museum

Jewish Historical Institute Officially opened in 1947 the Jewish Historical Institute was created to serve as an archive of Jewish culture in Warsaw. It contains artwork, historical artifacts and important documents from the city’s rich Jewish past. ul.

Tłomackie 3/5, jhi.pl

Katyń Museum This museum commemorates

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Musuem Reopened after a significant re-haul, this museum celebrates the groundbreaking scientist that discovered polonium. The Curie-osities include lab equipment, her trademark black dress and even her nail file. ul. Freta 16, en.muzeum-msc.pl

Museum of Warsaw Over 8,000 objects detail the story of Warsaw, and these include peculiar souvenirs, scale models, old postcards and recovered works of art.

Cohesive and comprehensive yet never too overwhelming, the trail climaxes with vertiginous views of the Rynek below. Unmissable.

Rynek Starego Miasta 28-42, muzeumwarszawy.pl

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

Museum of Praga The Praga Museum tells the story of the area with such charm and simplicity that it manages to leave an unlikely impression that’s as punchy as that of the big institutions.

Star billing goes to a restored Jewish prayer room and the Flying Carpet: an exhibit festooned with various trinkets and treasures once available for purchase from local pavement traders. ul. Targowa 50/52, muzeumwarszawy.pl

The Neon Museum Filled with salvaged signage, this museum houses several dozen neons that once lit up the capital. The emphasis is firmly on the PRL era, a time when the nation’s best graphic designers were nutty for neon. ul. Mińska 25 (Soho Factory), neonmuzeum.org

Palmiry National Memorial Museum An excellent multimedia

DO! Museum Listings 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 as well as that of the siege and subsequent occupation of Warsaw. Palmiry, palmiry.mhw.pl

Polin Composed of eight galleries, each covers a different stage of local Jewish history, from the middle ages to the present day. Highlights of this museum include a staggeringly beautiful replica of the ceiling of Gwoździec synagogue, and a ‘remake’ of a typical inter-war Jewish Warsaw street. Named the European Museum of the Year in 2016. ul. Anielewicza 6, polin.pl Polish Vodka Museum Documenting the nation’s

600-year-old love affair with the tipple, visits kick-off in earnest with displays that trace the origins of the drink, its early beginnings as a medicinal supplement, and its gradual acceptance into mainstream society. Highlights include a motherlode of vintage bottles and an interactive chamber in which visitors can test their alcohol knowledge, learn about salutation customs and strap-on goggles to see the disorienting effects of overconsumption. Pl. Konesera 1, muzeumpolskiejwodki.pl

The Royal Castle in Warsaw Highlights include the lavishly restored 18th century royal apartments with 22 paintings

by Canaletto, the Senators’ Chamber in which the Constitution of the Third of May was signed, the biggest

collection of oriental rugs in Europe and two remarkable Rembrandt paintings. Pl. Zamkowy 4, zamek-krolewski.pl

The Warsaw Amber Museum Part of Bursztynek, a dedicated amber shop, has been turned into a curious museum detailing the history of amber. Rynek Starego Miasta 4/6, bursztynek.co

Warsaw Rising Museum Cope with the crowds to discover the definitive story of the 1944 Uprising in town.

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

And don’t miss the ‘City of Ruins’, a five minute 3D film which takes you on an aerial journey over devastated Warsaw. ul. Grzybowska 79,

Wola Museum What was once a dreary old place has been rebooted as a smart communityminded museum and one of the most forward-thinking institutions in the capital.

Bringing the wider area of Wola alive, find engaging content that’s creatively presented: posters, family memorabilia and various media relating to the area. ul.

Srebrna 12, mhw.pl

Zachęta National Art Gallery Regarded as one of Poland’s most prestigious galleries, the Zachęta has a busy program of temporary exhibitions that frequently showcase some of the biggest names in domestic and international contemporary art. Pl. Małachowskiego 3, zacheta.art.pl

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DO! Education Listings preschools

Ignacego Krasickiego 53, tel. 697 979 100, canadian-school.pl

American School of Warsaw American School of Warsaw provides a rich, meaningful and balanced educational experience through age-appropriate activities to students aged 3 to 5. For further information and/or to visit our school, contact:admissions@aswarsaw.org or 22 ul. Warszawska

The British School Early Years Centre The British School provides EYFS classes from Pre-nursery (age 30 months) to Reception (5 years old). Children develop quickly and their Early Years practitioners aim to do all they can to help your child have the best possible start in life and become a lifelong learner. ul. Dฤ browskiego 84

202 (Konstancin-Jeziorna), tel. 22 702 85 00, aswarsaw.org

(Early Years Centre), tel. 22 646 7777 , thebritishschool.pl

The British Primary School of Wilanรณw Following the National Curriculum of England and Wales, this is the first School in Poland subject to the inspection of the UK Independent School Inspectorate. Pupils receive British and, upon request, Polish reports/ diplomas. The school follows a closed admissions policy and limits enrollment of one nationality to below 50% of each class starting from Year 1. ul. Hlonda 12, bsww.pl

The Canadian School of Warsaw Preschool Welcoming students from the ages of 2.5 to 6 years old, currently 45% of their admissions are international students. The dedicated, IB-trained teachers deliver an innovative program (PYP) in English designed for modern world needs. The program offers a combination of Literacy, Maths, Social Studies, Science, Physical Education, Art, Music & Rhythmics, French and Polish classes. ul.

Casa dei Bambini & Toddler School (multiple locations) Warsaw Montessori School Warsaw Montessori and Casa dei Bambini have three green and harmonious locations in Mokotรณw 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. ul. Badowska 19 (Mokotรณw), tel. 22 851 6893; ul. Szkolna 16 (Izabelin), tel. 22 721 8736, mob.

692 099 134, warsawmontessori. edu.pl

International School of Warsaw The ISW offers education for children aged from 3 to 18-years-old. The school campus is set amid picturesque countryside near

Piaseczno and provides a holistic education that combines a high quality curriculum based on the International Baccalaureate program with extra scholarly activities such as outdoor classes, robotics or STEAM. Lessons are conducted in English or French as the main language.

The ISW is the only school in Poland accredited by the European Union. ul. Mazowiecka 43, www.isw.edu.pl

International Trilingual School of Warsaw Established in 1994, the Trilingual School of Warsaw offers nursery, primary and pre-school education with a French and international curriculum for children aged from one to twelve. The fillimmersion trilingual setting allows for the choice between English, Polish, Spanish / Chinese, or English, Polish, French. Teachers are highly qualified native speakers from the US, France, Spain and China. ul. Nobla 16, tel. 501 036 637, ul. Karowa 14/16, tel. 503 072

www.wmf.edu.pl

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DO! Education Listings 119, ul. Królowej Aldony 23/25, tel. 533 321 084, 3languages.pl/ saint-exupery.pl

The English Playhouse The English Playhouse functions in two green and quiet residential districts of Mokotów and Wilanów.

The pre-school follows the English National Curriculum and accepts children from 12 months up till six-years-old.

For more info or to arrange a tour call Justyna Nowak on tel. 784 037 808 or email: jnowak@theenglishplayhouse. com ul. Pływiańska 14a, tel. 22 843 9370, tep.edu.pl

Happy Montessori House The Happy Montessori House offers part-time and full-time

places for children aged between 2 to 6 years, as well as toddler-focused activities (from 18 months to 3 years) centered around movement, sensorial stimulation, storytelling, singing and socializing.

Warsaw Montessori Pre-school, ul. Rumiana 14, tel. 22 423 50 75, mob. 697 060 504, hmh.com.pl

Maple Tree Montessori Maple Tree Montessori is a family-run, international preschool that offers an authentic Montessori curriculum supported by a Music & Art program, with a natural playground and a strong focus on an ecological & healthy lifestyle. They have two classes: a toddler group

(15 to 30 months) and a casa class (2.5 to 6 years).

schools

ul. Piechoty Łanowej 46A (entrance from Rotmistrzowska/ Petyhorska),tel. 531 599 444, mapletreemontessori.pl

Montessori Academy for International Children An English-speaking preschool (16 months to 6 years of age) with two locations. The school’s policy is to comply with Montessori standards, using the Montessori Method in English. The school’s philosophy is based on the joy of learning, which comes from discovering and furthering the individual development of each child. ul. Królewicza Jakuba 36 (Wilanów), ul. Sadowa 4 (Konstancin), Open 8:00-16:45, tel. 502 315 022, montessoriacademy.eu

American School of Warsaw ASW is a premier college-preparatory 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 contact: admissions@aswarsaw.org or 22 702 85 00. ul. Warszawska 202 (Konstancin-Jeziorna), tel. 22 702 85 00, aswarsaw.org

Primary, Secondary & IB

Open Day

Thursday 14 February 2019 th

9:00-11:00am | 1:00-3:00pm

To register visit our website or email: openday@thebritishschool.pl

www.thebritishschool.pl warsawinsider.pl

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DO! Education Listings The British Primary School of Wilanów Following the National Curriculum of England and Wales, this is the first School in Poland subject to the inspection of the UK Independent School Inspectorate. Pupils receive British and, upon request, Polish reports/diplomas.

The school follows a closed admissions policy and limits enrollment of one nationality to below 50% of each class starting from Year 1. ul. Hlonda 12, bsww.pl

The British School Premium international school established in 1992 by Nord

Anglia Education. The curriculum is designed to provide the highest academic quality of education. They follow the English National Curriculum, adapted to the needs of their international student community: from Primary through to the Secondary Key Stages to the IGCSE examinations and a well-established International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program. ul. Limanowskiego 15,

caring for local flora and fauna as well as domesticated animals, taking charge of the younger children and much more. “Adolescence Program” activities, integrated with academic studies, help students discover their inner strength to meet life’s real challenges. ul. Badowska 19 (Mokotów), tel. 22 851 6893; ul. Szkolna 16 (Izabelin), tel. 22 721 8736, mob. 692 099 134, warsawmontessori.edu.pl

tel. 22 842 3281, thebritishschool.pl

Casa dei Bambini & Toddler School (multiple locations) Warsaw Montessori School Guided by trained specialists, students will be responsible for managing their household, operating small businesses,

102 Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

The Canadian School of Warsaw International Elementary and Middle School Located on two campuses in the Mokotów this is the only authorized IB School with PYP programs taught in English and Polish. French is taught

as a third language. Offers a wide range of extra activities, a summer school, and employs a full time psychologist. Provision is made for additional Polish and English support.

International staff, cultural events and challenging student initiatives create the perfect learning environment. ul. Bełska 7, tel. 692 411 573 / 885 420 044, secretary@canadianschool.pl or secretary.olimpijska@ canadian-school.pl

The English Primary The English Primary is designed specifically for children in the primary education ages, just as children experience in England but in an

DO! Education Listings in Poland accredited by the European Union. ul. Mazowiecka

international community.

Pupils are taken through the key learning stages so that they can achieve to the best of their ability through a fun learning experience. The Core Curriculum subjects include English, Phonics, Science, Mathematics, French, PE and Swimming, Music, Personal, Social and Health Education.

43, isw.edu.pl

qualified staff are committed to delivering only the highest standards of education. ul.

Stępińska 13, tel. 22 852 06 08, maturamiedzynarodowa.pl

ul. Rzodkiewki 18, tel. 784 037 808, tep.edu.pl

International School of Warsaw The International School of Warsaw offers education for children from 3 to 18-years old. ISW provides a holistic education that combines a high quality international curriculum based on the International Baccalaureate with extra scholarly activities such as outdoor classes, robotics or STEAM. Lessons are conducted in English or French as main a language.

Additionally, students can choose foreign language classes in Polish, Spanish, German, Chinese, Russian, or French. ISW is the only school

International Trilingual School of Warsaw Established in 1994, the Trilingual School of Warsaw offers nursery, primary and pre-school education with a French and international curriculum for children aged from one to twelve. The fillimmersion trilingual setting allows for the choice between English, Polish, Spanish / Chinese, or English, Polish, French. Teachers are highly qualified native speakers from the US, France, Spain and China. ul. Nobla 16, tel. 501 036 637, ul. Karowa 14/16, tel. 503 072 119, ul. Królowej Aldony 23/25, tel. 533 321 084, 3languages.pl/ saint-exupery.pl

Monnet International School Located in Mokotów, the Monnett is the only school in Poland that implements the International Baccalaureate Program from kindergarten level all the way through to secondary school. The fully-

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

Szwoleżerów 4, tel. 22 841 3908, warsawmontessori.edu.pl

Willy Brandt Schule Warschau One of the city’s best renowned schools offers a kindergarten as well as primary and secondary education conducted to a German curriculum. Św. Urszuli Ledóchowskiej 3, wbs.pl

adult learning Cup of Polish Personalized Polish classes adapted to meet your needs.

Also home/company visits and online courses. For a free 60-minute trial email: kontakt@cupofpolish.com cupofpolish.com, tel. 508 700 508

Edu & More Polish Language School incorporating modern teaching methods and reasonable prices. Intensive & regular Polish courses for beginners.

Business & everyday Polish. ul.

Nowogrodzka 44 / 7

Frog Acclaimed language school aimed at all levels of competency. Flexible schedules and a history of working with foreigners make it one of the ‘go to’ choices for new arrivals wanting to polish their Polish. ul. Mazowiecka 12/24, frog.org.pl

Klub Dialogu Programs for foreigners living in Poland: a variety of courses aimed at every level. Using over ten years of experience, the leaning process becomes an adventure at Klub Dialogu. ul. Ordynacka 13/5, klubdialogu.pl

Together School With locations in both Kraków and Warsaw, Together have seven years of experience teaching Polish and English for everyday life, business and general communication.

Mariensztat 8

monnet international school

PADDINGTON BEAR KINDERGARTEN

IB World School no 001483

on's ngt LUB i d Pad EN'S C EN LDR CHI OW OP N

Education for a better world

Belwederska 6a, Warsaw

www.maturamiedzynarodowa.pl/przedszkole warsawinsider.pl

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DO! Health Listings golf

Wesołych Świąt!

Polish School for Foreigners

kontakt@cupofpolish.com cupofpolish.com tel. +48 508 700 508

Centrum Golf Fulfill the dream of playing at Pebble Beach or Torrey Pines by booking a tee-time on one of Centrum Golf’s HD golf simulators. Added benefits include instant analysis and data to improve your game. ul.

Burakowska 15, centrumgolf.pl

First Warsaw Golf & Country Club Features a par 72, 18-hole championships golf course, all year driving range, luxurious club house and a stunning environment replete with gliding swans and bouncing bunnies! The final hole, set on an island, attracts golfers from across Poland and beyond. ul. Golfowa (Jabłonna), firstwarsawgolf.com Golf Parks Poland 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.

Located in Wilanów. ul. Vogla 19, golfparkspoland.pl

104 Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

gyms

Exuma Gym Warsaw’s latest luxury gym features equipment by Life Fitness and Hammer Strength, a wellness zone, private parking and stunning views of the National Stadium across the river. ul. Wioślarska 10, exumagym.com

Gravitan Set in Janki and Targówek, Gravitan features state-of-theart equipment, group classes and numerous specialists ranging from trainers and physios to beauticians and dieticians. Pl. Szwedzki 3 & ul.

Malborska 39, gravitan.pl

Holmes Place Energy High standard equipment, personal training and group classes. Six month membership available for approx. zł.

200 per month, though prices are subject to change. Al. Jana Pawła II 82 (C.H. Arkadia), ul.

Wołoska 12 (Galeria Mokotów), holmesplace.pl

DO! Health Listings Holmes Place Premium Three ‘premium locations’, with the Hilton and Regent branches housing a 25-meter pool. Sauna and steam room facilities are available in all all three, as are a varied timetable of classes plus personal training. ul. Belwederska 23 (Regent Hotel), ul. Grzybowska 63 (Hilton), Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott), holmesplace.pl

Little Gym Targeted at children, expect an age specific fitness curriculum, a high instructorto-child ratio, original music and a weekly theme to engage the child’s imagination and sense of fun. ul. Bruzdowa 56, thelittlegym.pl

McFit A 2,000 sq/m studio that utilizes the latest technology as well as ‘cyber training’ programs. Open 24/7, with membership from zł. 89 per month. ul. Świętokrzyska 3 (corner of Nowy Świat), mcfit.com

Quantum Fitness A place of quiet, understated luxury, equipment is state-ofthe-art and complemented

by expert trainers at the peak of their game. This is the full 24-carat gym experience. ul.

Piękna 15, quantumpiekna.pl

RiverView Wellness Centre 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 and is almost worth the membership fee alone.

Annual prices begin from around zł. 4,000. ul. Emilii Plater 49 (InterContinental), riverview. com.pl

hair & beauty Bartek Janusz Salon The staff here takes a nononsense approach to cutting hair – it goes along with the minimalist chic interiors of the place. ul. Mokotowska 19 / ul.

Wilcza 72, bartekjanusz.pl

BodyClinic Thorough body care for everyone. From the usual options to a huge variety of massages and some very exotic treatments, BodyClinic covers all the bases. ul. Oboźna 9 lok. 104, bodyclinic.pl

Dotyk SPA Probably the only place in Warsaw where you’ll get a facial yoga session. Going further east, treat yourself to Japanese, Polynesian or Indian massage. ul. Biały Kamień 3, tel.

22 898 7272, dotykspa.pl

ouch!

DEPILACJA WOSKIEM

Ouch!

Experts in waxing, Ouch! aim their offer at ‘busy women looking for express treatments with lasting effects who, at the same time, appreciate a sense of intimacy’. ul. Belwederska 32, ouch.pl

Effectownia Hair Design Fully up-to-speed with the latest international trends, Effectownia’s English-speaking stylists promise passion and only top-notch cosmetics.

The coffee is great as well! ul.

Narbutta 83/u7, tel. 22 370 24 57, effectownia.pl

spas & salons Clochee Natural, organic cosmetic brand that’s been dubbed a ‘pro-health project for your body and soul’. Using only certified ingredients, Clochee’s beauty products bring you closer to nature. Newlylaunched, their flagship store also houses a top-notch spa facilities. ul. Nowolipki 13

PARDON MY FRENCH

manicure pedicure

Pardon My French Manicure and pedicure treatments with high quality lacquers and an awareness of global trends: if you need an endorsement, Paul McCartney visited when he was in Poland! ul. Belwederska 32; Bonifraterska 8; ul. Mokotowska 56, ul. Wilcza 3 pardonmyfrench.pl

Retro Day Spa Royally indulgent interiors hark back to a different century, though the treatments are all hi-tech and include packages for pregnant women among the variety of beauty offers. Al. Ujazdowskie 18/11, retrodayspa.pl

Hello Learn Polish with the best teachers in the biggest school i n Wa r s a w.

warsawinsider.pl

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DO! Shopping Listings accessories Hard Rock Cafe No wardrobe is complete without the iconic Hard Rock t-shirt! Find the Warsawstamped version available here, along with other extras for the all American look. ul. Złota 59 (Złote Tarasy), hardrockcafe.pl

Jeju Already a favorite of Poland’s style bibles, this Kraków-born operation enters the Warsaw market to present a wide range of top notch natural Polish cosmetics in a beautiful pink store that screams ‘girl gang’. ul. Mokotowska 71 Schubert Rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches produced using the finest Baltic amber. Or for a unique gift, how about an amber chess set or an amber cigarette lighter? ul.

Piwna 12/14, ul. Piwna 26, ul. Świętojańska 11, worldofamber.pl

fashion Ania Kuczyńska Ania Kuczyńska is becoming well known for her highly fashionable, minimalist clothing designs. The store also carries adorable baby clothes and various accessories. ul.

Mokotowska 61

Lui Store Elegant female fashion store with brands including Attico, Rixo London, 3.1 Philip Lim, Les Coyottes de Paris, Jonathan Simkhai, as well as lesser-known names making their first in-roads into the world of high fashion. ul.

Mokotowska 26, lui-store.co

Moliera 2 Boutique Brands: Alexnadre Birman, Alexandre Vauthier, Aquazzura, Balmain, Beach Bunny, Burberry, Buscemi, Casadei, Christian Louboutin, Cult Gaia, Francesco Russo, Gianvito Rossi, Golden Goose, Herve Leger, Isabel Marant, Kenzo, Maison Michel, Marc Jacobs, Manolo Blahnik, Moncler, OneTeaspoon, Self-Portrait, Tod’s, Tory Burch, Victoria Beckham, Yves Salomon, Zimmermann. ul. Moliera 2, moliera2.com

using artisanal techniques to return items to their fullest aesthetic potential. Though much of the furniture is sourced from France, Italy and the Czech Republic, it’s the Danish bits and pieces that really stand out. ul. Poznańska 3/14, futureantiques.

Lata 60-te Specializing in expertly refreshed furniture from the PRL era, it’s become a favorite of design mavens looking to trick out their home with a pre-loved retro statement piece. ul. 11 Listopada 54,

malls & department stores Arkadia Not many Polish malls do it better. Stores inc. Mango, Lacoste, Guess, Hilfiger and Peek & Cloppenburg. Al. Jana Pawła II 82, arkadia.com.pl

Galeria Mokotów Stores inc. Calvin Klein, Hollister, Hugo Boss, New Balance, Royal Collection and Timberland. ul. Wołoska 12,

lata60-te.pl

galeriamokotow.com.pl

Pl. Trzech Krzyży 3/4 Brands: Beach Bunny, Buscemi, Canada Goose, Casadei, Christian Louboutin Men, Dsquared2, Fay, Gianvito Rossi, Hogan, Kenzo, Moncler, Mr & Mrs Italy, OTS, Ralph Lauren, Tod’s, Tom Ford, Tory Burch, Valentino, Yves Salomon. Pl. Trzech Krzyży 3/4,

Nap Bedtime accessories are the bread and butter here, but there’s also several bits for the kitchen as well: coffee makers

by Tom Dixon, posh pans from Baumalu, arty saltshakers from Menu and tableware from Muubs. ul. Mysia 3

Galeria Północna Białołęka’s first major shopping center includes Poland’s first outpost of Hamley’s. Part of the ‘fourth generation of shopping centers’, add-ons include a rooftop garden and some of the best kid’s facilities on Poland’s retail map. ul.

plactrzechkrzyzy.com

Porcelanowa Award-winning, contemporary Polish porcelain produced by cult, internationally recognized brands such as Aoomi and Fenek. ul. Kredytowa 2,

Reykjavik District Chic, well-cut menswear for all occasions as designed by upcoming Icelandic native Olly Lindal. ul. Burakowska 15,

Światowida 17, galeriapolnocna.pl

porcelanowa.com

Klif House of Fashion Warsaw’s original luxury shopping center has a line-up of top boutiques that include Max Mara, Paul & Shark and Pinko. ul. Okopowa 58/72, klif.pl

reykjavikdistrict.com

home DecoDialogue Working with both large manufacturers and smaller European design studios, DecoDialogue present a carefully sourced collection of furniture, textiles glassware and ceramics inside a beautifully outfitted space brimming with both statement pieces and more discreet little luxuries. ul. Kopernika 8/18, decodialogue.pl

Future Antiques These stylish, mid-century pieces have been refreshed

106 Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

Scandinavian Living Representing upcoming Swedish, Danish and Finnish designers as well as several truly iconic names, Scandinavian Living presents such finds as tablecloths from Lazy Linen, ceramics by Bloomingville, and fun tableware from Muminki. ul. Wiertnicza 155, scandinavianliving.pl

SH Studio Art, interior design and furniture are married together inside a tiny store stacked with beautiful antique and retro pieces that have been refurbished and redesigned to lend them a contemporary edge. ul. Wilcza 44, s-h-studio.pl

Plac Unii One of Warsaw’s latest mall counts Armani Jeans, Liu-Jo and Pandora amongst its upmarket tenants. ul. Puławska 2, placunii.pl

Mysia 3 Set in Poland’s former censorship office, the line-up includes Scandinavian fashion in Cos, shoes from My Paris, unconventional fashion from Nenukko and more. ul. Mysia 3 Złote Tarasy Over 200 stores, restaurants and cafes, plus the Multikino cinema and the Pure Jatomi Health and Fitness Club. ul.

Złota 59, zlotetarasy.pl

General Listings 5-Star Hotels

tel. 22 255 9590, raffles.com/ warsaw

Bellotto ul. Senatorska 13/15, tel. 22 829 6444, hotelbellotto.pl

Hampton by Hilton ul. Wspólna 72, tel. 22 317 2700, hamptoninn3.hilton.com

Regent Warsaw Hotel ul. Belwederska 23, tel. 22 558 1234, regent-warsaw.com

Bristol Hotel

The Rialto Boutique Hotel

ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 42/44, tel. 22 551 1000, hotelbristolwarsaw.pl

ul. Wilcza 73, tel. 22 584 8700, rialto.pl

Avis Radisson Blu Sobieski pl. Zawiszy 1, tel. 22 579 1000, sobieski.com.pl

ul. Poznańska 15, tel. 22 553 8700, info@h15ab.com, h15ab.com

ul. Prusa 2, tel. 22 450 6100, sheraton.pl

ul. Złota 48/54, tel. 22 697 3999, mercure.com

Hilton Warsaw

InterContinental

Sofitel Warsaw Victoria

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

ul. Królewska 11, tel. 22 657 8011, sofitel-victoria-warsaw.com

Mamaison Le Régina Hotel

Westin

ul. Kościelna 12, tel. 22 531 6000, mamaison.com

Al. Jana Pawła II 21, tel. 22 450 8000, westin.pl

Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79, tel. 22 630 6306, warsawmarriott.com

Raffles Europejski Warsaw ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13,

ul. Krucza 28, tel. 22 583 2100, mercure.com

Courtyard by Marriott Hotel (Airport) ul. Żwirki i Wigury 1, tel. 22 650 0100, warszawacourtyard.pl

ul. Grzybowska 63, tel. 22 356 5555 / 800 44 11 482, hilton.com

Marriott

Mercure Grand Warszawa

Radisson Blu Centrum Hotel ul. Grzybowska 24, tel. 22 321 8888, radissonblu.com

Novotel Warszawa Centrum ul. Marszałkowska 94/98, tel.

22 596 0000, novotel.com, accorhotels.com

Polonia Palace Hotel Al. Jerozolimskie 45, tel. 22 318 2800, poloniapalace.com

4-Star Hotels

Warsaw Plaza Hotel

Airport Hotel Okęcie

ul. Łączyny 5, tel. 885 886 100, warsawplazahotel.pl

ul. 17-ego Stycznia 24, tel. 22 456 8000, airporthotel.com.pl

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

www.city-tour.com.pl

MaMaison Residence Diana

Yellow Double-Decker Bus

Invites you to experience a panoramic tour of tourist attractions of the capital of Poland, Warsaw, in a relaxing and comfortable way.

ul. Chmielna 13A, tel. 22 505 9100, mamaison.com/diana

Traveling over the course of approximately 1,5 hour, a double-decker bus will take you past many beautiful and interesting places of Warsaw, such as its interesting districts, palaces and churches, monuments and museums, parks and historical cemeteries, as well as the Jewish historical sites.

B&B

A GPS 12 language audio-guide, will give explanations and accompany you to make your ride a more adventurous, exciting and an unforgettable one.

Excellent Hop on Hop off and one trip service operates every day all year round.

Between Us Bed & Breakfast 5% DISCOUNT with this ad

108 Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018

ul. Bracka 20, tel. 22 8285417 (from 10 a.m. to 11p.m.), betweenus.eu

Boutique B&B

Line approved by municipal authorities.

www.city-tour.com.pl

+48 500 033 414

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

relocation companies AGS Warsaw ul. Julianowska 37, Piaseczno, agsmovers.com

CorstJens Worldwide Movers ul. Nowa 23, Stara Iwiczna, corstjens.com

Euro Move International Movers ul. Kineskopowa 1, euromove.pl

apartments InterContinental

w W a r s a

Fredrick Chopin Airport, tel. 22 650 4872, Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott Hotel), tel. 22 575 6583, avis.pl

Mecure Warszawa Centrum

Sheraton H15 Boutique

car rental

ul. Smolna 14/6, tel. 22 829 4800, bedandbreakfast.pl

Move One Relocations Also immigration assistance, fine art shipping, pet transport and consulting services. Check their website for more details. ul. Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79, tel. 22 630 8160, moveonerelo.com

Relo Planet International, domestic and office removals, corporate and individual relocations, fine art shipping, storage, insurance, as well as a full range of assistance services (immigration, etc.). ul. Batalinou Platerówek 3, reloplanet.com

Enjoy the hospitality and tastes of the Bosphorus in Poland’s most authentic Turkish restaurant Pl. Konstytucji 2, tel. 883 444 441, anatolia.pl

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DO! Listings

LOOKING AHEAD

Bye-bye 2018, roll on 2019 – but where’s Warsaw heading?

• Looking around Wola is a crane in the neck: having cemented itself as the city’s business district, that reputation will grow stronger still as work continues apace on, among other things, the former brewery complex, the Norblin factory, not to mention the EUs tallest skyscraper. Though none of the aforementioned will be completed in the forthcoming year, the message is clear: here lies the future.

• Though dogged by scandal towards the end of her reign, Hanna Gronkiewicz Waltz left office in December with her head held high: accomplishing more than any other mayor in recent memory, her legacy includes the redevelopment of the riverfront, the opening of a second metro line and the blossoming of Warsaw into a thriving European powerhouse. Her successor, Rafał Traszkowski, has a lot to live up to with the opposition’s daggers being sharpened as we speak.

• Already a red letter day for Warsaw, August 1st looks set to become the city’s largest ever commemoration of the 1944 Uprising. Presumably the last major anniversary involving actual combatants, expect the city to pull out the stops as it remembers the doomed armed struggle that reshaped the history of this nation and left the capital a sea of burning brick.

• Rarely out of the news, the ongoing saga of what future holds for Pl. Defilad continues to suck the energy of all those who live here. As officials butt heads and argue, Warsaw’s most enviable slice of real estate cake continues to fester as a windblown tundra. Some progress in 2019 would be well-received news.

SHUTTERSTOCK

• Praga has seen false dawns before: remember when we all spent the 00s talking it up as ‘the New Berlin’.

Well, that didn’t end well, did it. Now though, there’s

a feeling things are different this time round. Heavy investment from both private and public sectors has handed this former bandit district a new lease of life, and the mood has never been more optimistic. The question is, where lies the balance between regeneration and gentrification: this coming year should give some early answers…

112 Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2018