Warsaw Insider October 2018 #266

Warsaw The Capital’s Original City Magazine Since 1996

OCTOBER 2018

266 10/2018

INDEKS 334901 ISSN:1643-1723

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Crossing That Bridge

AQUAZZURA ALEXANDRE VAUTHIE ALEXANDRE BIRMAN ALEXANDRE BIRMA BALMAIN ANYA HINDMARC BURBERRY AQUAZZUR BUSCEMI BALMA CASADEI BUSCEM CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN CASAD CULTLOUBOUT GAIA CHRISTIAN FRANCESCO RUSSO ELIE SAA GIANVITO ROSSI FRANCESCO RUSS HERVE LEGERROS GIANVITO ISABEL MARANT HERVE LEGE KENZO ISABEL MARAN MAISON MICHEL KENZ MARC JACOBS KOTU MANOLO BLAHNIK LORO PIAN MR MAISON & MRS ITALY MICH ONETEASPOON MANOLO BLAHN SELF –ONETEASPOO PORTRAIT SELF TOD’S – PORTRA TORY BURCHTOD VICTORIA BECKHAM TORY BURC ZIMMERMANN VICTORIA BECKHA YVES SALOMO

tel.: 228277099, www.Moliera2.com

editorial INFRONT

Editor-in-chief Alex Webber

6 News 10 Public Art:

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

Street Art Doping 14 Produce Majlert Farm

Publisher Morten Lindholm mlindholm@valkea.com

FEATURES

Contributors: Stuart Dowell Maria Mileńko Michał Miszkurka Ed Wight

8 Seasonal: 1 Walking Warsaw 0 Seasonal: 2 Halloween 2 City: 2 Bridges of Warsaw 8 Travel: 2 Western Poland

EAT!

39 Review:

Posypane 40 Review: Ceviche Bar 42 Review: Klub Spatif 44 Review: Zielony NiedŹwiedŹ 46 Review: Tahina

DRINK!

Advertising Manager Jowita Malich jmalich@valkea.com

S

ure, it might have taken a while, but I’ve come to the realization that I don’t half use this foreword to moan about life… and usually, the weather: too hot to work, too cold to sleep, too wet to think. And so on. There’s no excuses this month, though. Exquisite in every respect, autumn days in Poland are all about delicious caramel colors and deep scarlet sunsets. And there’s even a beauty when those golden days pass – those times of wisp thin mists and crispy, chilly nights. I’m hoping, therefore, that this issue captures a little of that magic. Lined up ahead for you, we’ve got a seasonally inspired tour around the center, an autumn jaunt to the Majlert family farm and a Halloween hitlist of the city’s creepier bits and pieces. Beyond that, we’ve explored the finer points of the bridges that cross Warsaw and taken a trip out of town for a castle like no other. Enjoy, see ya’ next month, etc.

77 Review:

Forum 78 Interview: Warsaw Beer Festival

DO!

93 Review:

DecoDialogue 94 Review: Caricature Museum 109 Guide: Essentials 110 Map 112 Insider Finds

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ey Account Manager K Agata Sicińska asicinska@valkea.com 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.

Orders can be placed through: insider@warsawinsider.pl Printed by Zakład Poligraficzny TECHGRAF Tel. (17) 225-28-69

Alex Webber insider@warsawinsider.pl

on the cover Bridges! This issue we take a deeper look at the unsung heroes that keep the city connected… (Illustration by Michał Miszkurka)

Warsaw Insider | OCTOBER 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

OCTOBER 2018

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

W E LC O M E TO PA R A D I S E !

Brimming with exotic plants and the blissful smells of the Hawaiian kitchen, Raj w Niebie is the first restaurant in Poland specializing in the cuisine of this exotic island. Featuring several dishes unique to Hawaii, find on the menu such choices as spam musubi and, of course, poke, a dish that’s conquered the world as one of the hottest culinary trends of recent times!

Composed of raw, marinated fish, find it served in a bowl full of fresh veg, fruits, aromatic spices and warm rice. Colorful, healthy and fresh, diners are guaranteed to discover new taste sensations resulting from our use of ingredients such as seafood, fish, fruit and Asian spices.

Interiors, meanwhile, bring to mind paradise, with bursts of wild vegetation combining with the illustrative art work of Kasia Łubińska. For something more minimalist, then step inside our calm and soothing blue hall. Escape the daily grind and join us in this little piece of heaven for breakfast, lunch and dinner, or maybe just an afternoon coffee or evening drink.

NIEBO / RAJ W NIEBIE

ul. Nowy Świat 21 (through the courtyard) facebook.com/niebo

facebook.com/rajwniebie

WHERE THE SKY MEETS THE EARTH!

NIEBO is a multidimensional, timeless space in the center of Warsaw that captivates all those who visit with its diversity and unique design.

Known for its crazy parties, chic bar, great restaurant, concert hall and cinema NIEBO is where the sky meets the earth! While it’s difficult to part with the summer, take heart that the beginning of autumn means the return of NIEBO party season!

Taking place on the end of September, the official inauguration will allow visitors to indulge in top class entertainment featuring the very best Polish and international DJs. Running from contemporary mixes and electronic sounds to 90s dance hits and modern club rhythms, our marble dance floor and golden bar are fully-geared to meet the needs of all hedonists!

Obviously, there’s more to NIEBO than that.

Autumn and winter will see a number of live concerts (e.g. funk project P.Unity, the hypnotic sounds of Anna Calvi, Nightmares on Wax, The Breeders, JMSN, GusGus vocalist - Högni and the enigmatic BOKKA). There will also be short films screenings, vintage fashion fairs, theater performances of Teatr XL and many more.

NEWS

An acclaimed artist has thrust himself back into the limelight with a project that has seen a dilapidated building in Warsaw’s Praga district handed a new lease of life after being clad entirely in aluminum tin foil. Found on Ząbkowska 9, the tenement dates from 1870 but has stood derelict for years. Aiming to reflect Praga’s bright future, whilst also highlighting the number of historic properties currently lying empty in the capital, Vienna-based artist Piotr Janowski spent a total of nine days creating his

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Warsaw Insider | OCTOBER 2018

latest work alongside volunteers from a local youth group.

This is not the first time Janowski has courted attention through his use of aluminum. Three years back he covered a house in Florida in the material, a move that brought scrutiny from environmentalists and interfering busybodies, and a year later he repeated the stunt by wrapping a 20-ton steam train in foil to mark the opening of the revamped Łódź Fabryczna train station.

PHOTOGRAPH KEVIN DEMARIA

FOILED AGAIN

by Wilamowski Chłodna 15 OPOLE FESTIVAL has become the IN NUMBERS talk of the town.

Trained in the world’s top Michelin starred restaurants by some of the best chefs around, Chef Arkadiusz Wilamowski has worked for Alain Ducasse at the three star Dorchester in London, at Gérald Passedat’s three star restaurant in Marseille and Pierre Gagnaire’s two star Sketch London.

The French and international menu features sophisticated technique, wholesome Polish ingredients, and an exceptional wine list. Placing an emphasis on seasonal, top quality ingredients, Wilamowski’s menu changes frequently to include such ingredients as fresh lobster – one of the chef’s favorite culinary items.

A degustation menu is available for those who wish to sample the chef’s full creativity.

CHŁODNA 15 BY WILAMOWSKI • UL. CHŁODNA 15, WARSAW • RESERVATION@CHLODNA15.PL • TEL. 730 737 644

News

THE GHETTO REMEMBERED

Plans to a create a Museum of the Warsaw Ghetto have crystalized after official permission was granted to utilize a former Jewish children’s hospital to meet this purpose. Located at ul. Śliska 61, the hospital was one of a handful of structures to survive the 1943 liquidation of the Ghetto. Well regarded among the city’s prewar Jewish community, former staff included the freedom fighter and social activist Marek Edelman, as well as the esteemed pedagogue Janusz Korczak. As things stand, the museum is slated to open in 2023.

BID DEFIANCE

Snap Chat

Residents of a small town in south western Poland found themselves on red alert after rumors swept Świebodzice that a crocodile had been spotted prowling the streets. The palaver began after a photo was posted on social media showing a baby croc basking on a pavement and quickly spread from there. With locals threatening to mobilize to form civic patrols, police swooped in to discover that the escaped tetrapod was, in actual fact, a toy left out on the street as a prank.

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Warsaw Insider | OCTOBER 2018

FROM TOP: KEVIN DEMARIA, PAP, SHUTTERSTOCK

The original sculpture on which the ‘Little Insurgent’ monument was based went under the hammer in September and was sold at auction for a figure of zł.

45,000. Created in 1946 by Jerzy Jarnuszkiewicz, the 33-centimeter figure depicts Antek, a 13-year old combatant killed in action during the first few days of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. Replicated numerous times since, the most famous reproduction can be found standing on ul. Podwale and has become one of the defining memorials to the 63-day battle. Erected in 1983, it became the first such public memorial sanctioned by the communist authorities.

Public Art

The Walls Speak Involved since its inception, Przemek Dziubłowski talks about Warsaw’s Street Art Doping festival…

How have things evolved since the early days?

Over the years many cities have ‘festival-ized’ street art, with the most radical example being the city of murals itself: Łódź.

Ourselves, we’ve decided

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Warsaw Insider | OCTOBER 2018

PHOTOGRAPHS NY MACIEJ KRÜGER

WI: How was the festival born? What was your mission?

Przemek Dziubłowski: Not much was going on in the city in terms of street art and we felt it was about time Warsaw got creative.

At the time, other cities were giving their green light to this form of expression, so we had the idea to unite the city’s street art community. Nine years ago street art was controversial yet also attracted curiosity. Unfortunately, cities, marketing firms and ad agencies have since seen the commercial potential of street art and hundreds of commercial murals have been produced. At the time though, we were just happy that the city had opened itself to street art, it was important for us to get the space and to act on it.

Taking action was the most crucial thing for us.

Public Art

There was a moment when the idea of earning money from street art was raised, but we decided against it: that’s just not our way.

against looking for private sponsorship. We want to ensure the creative freedom of our artists is fully preserved. Some of the works our artists have created have become fully part of Warsaw’s urban tissue, and having seen the works that the likes of Phlegm, Cyrce or Conor Harrington have created as part of the festival, we’re certain this is the best way to approach it.

We have attempted to hold big exhibitions with a few distinguished galleries, but they’ve always been a little suspicious of us. Instead, we’ve gone deeper and decided to organize exhibitions devoted to street art artists: last year’s Escape Rooms exhibition was a massive success, and now we’ve the New Order exhibition lined up which will present the ‘new geometry movement’ in all its glory.

What challenges have you faced?

Each year brings new

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ones! We’ve got a wish list of artists we’d love to host, and sometimes we’ve come frustratingly close to having some of the more elusive ones: classic names, new faces and street art legends. We also dream of producing an M-City monographic exhibition in the Zachęta or CSW and that’s something we’re still working on. Likewise, painting the different sides of the Palace of Culture!

Looking back, what gives you a little tingle?

The first street art exhibition we held, Come Inside, in 2011. Also, it adds a sense of importance to our work when you hear that people fight tooth and nail to protect our murals: for instance, the Phlegm mural on Mińska. There’s even a mural map now of Warsaw – it’s brilliant to view the city from above and see how many there are!

What does organizing the

Warsaw Insider | OCTOBER 2018

festival involve?

The key thing, always, is ensuring good working conditions for the artists and total creative freedom. Of course, getting the different permits from each authority also has the potential to suck up a huge amount of time.

You lot, the organizers!

What do you do day-today?

The foundation was created in 1999, and in those times all of us held ‘normal’ jobs.

I was a journalist, other colleagues were involved in marketing, finance, etc. We joined our skills together and just ended up spending more and more time on this. At the beginning it was all just a hobby, but gradually things started happening: we opened Cud Nad Wisła, while on the street art side we started focusing on the Praga district. Nowadays, we do all sorts of things: we run clubs, organize events, etc.

What can you say about the latest installment of the festival…

The artists we’ve got lined up are more acclaimed on the global market than they are here in Poland. The exhibition will reach into the roots of street art, graffiti, and jam culture, and aside from individual works, we’ll also present the results of collaborations created during the artists residency prior to the start of the exhibition. The works are full of creative energy and play on the struggle with individualism as well as the search for a common language.

This year’s festival won’t just be based around the exhibition, we’ll also have a mural by LOW BROS going up at ul. Mała 8. What’s especially cool is that first, the wall will change, then the space next to it.

Where does Poland stand in the world of street art?

Comparisons don’t make sense. What I will say, though, is that even now Poland’s big museums and galleries tend to close their door to street art: we try to open that door or, at the least, attempt to demonstrate how important this genre is.

The Street Art Doping festival will run until December 2nd, with the New Order exhibition held at Centrum Praskie Koneser. For further details, see: streetartdoping.org

Produce

From Farm To Fork

Celebrated by chefs and restaurateurs, the family-run Majlert Farm on the outskirts of Warsaw has long enjoyed a peerless reputation for the quality of its produce. Speaking to the Insider, Asia Majlert reveals the inner workings of this fab foodie secret…

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOANNA SZPAK-OSTACHOWSKA

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The farm feels… in full bloom in October: we grow lots of vegetables related to the cabbage family so our fields are full of yellow mustard flowers as well as rucola, watercress, fennel and artichoke. It’s also a great time for eggplant and pumpkins, and these forms of veg attract bees and other pollinators – the whole area feels like its buzzing and moving in some way.

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EXUMAGYM

PRODUCE MAJLERT FARM

The Queen of October… of course, that’s the pumpkin!

We love them for their color, their shape, nutritional value and, above all, their taste. It’s also a time for artichokes, and on those rare occasions that the we all gather together, it’s great to serve them over a big family dinner.

My father… loves to experiment with new vegetables.

We hear a lot of ideas – some of them pretty wacky – from visitors. Often, they’ve tasted something abroad, tried something weird in a Warsaw restaurant or remembered a taste from childhood. We’re open to hearing ideas, and if we like something then we’ll try our hand at growing it. If it goes wrong and is just too gross to eat, then we’ll turn it into a vegetable bouquet!

Our mission… is to grow food that’s healthy, honest and delicious. We look for species that are a little unusual but that can also thrive in the Polish climate: we want to eat well, so quality is something we fundamentally care about.

Our farm… isn’t just a place to buy fresh food, it’s a place

to meet people, take a walk, learn something new and exchange recipes – it’s a place to get your shoes muddy!

Being so close to Warsaw, I think our farm plays an important role in connecting people to nature.

People… are learning to appreciate nature and her seasonal cycles. We love when visitors to our farm rediscover a special taste or smell from their childhood or global travels.

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Being so close to Warsaw, I think our farm plays an important role in connecting people to nature

Myself… I completed a Sociology degree from Warsaw

University which, my father likes to joke, makes me more useful to the business. I’m not a farmer personally, so instead I oversee school trips and show people around the fields; I also help out with the outdoor dinners that my brother organizes here. I’m good at smiling, so you’ll find me wherever a friendly face is needed!

Our shop… closes in October and that’s when we invite

friends, neighbors and customers for Dzień Szabrownika: everyone can pick whichever vegetables they find in the fields and take them home for free – it’s great for the community and, from our point of view, ensures nothing goes to waste. After that, we head off to the mountains – all of us are ski instructors! It enables us to have a complete rest from the world of vegetables and allows us to return in April fully recharged.

Majlert Farm ul. Wyspiarska 45, majlert.pl

warsawinsider.pl

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SEASONAL WALKING WARSAW

Vivid amber colors, untamed nature and sites of historical heritage all await on the Insider’s autumn amble…

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• There’s a good case for remaining in Old Town and exploring atmospheric side streets such as ul. Dawna – you won’t find many finer photo opportunities than the cute blue house that arcs over this tight cobbled alley. But push on North, maybe first stopping for a soul warming herbal infusion in the Tolkien-esque cellars of Herbaciarnia Same Fusy. Through Freta, head to Fort Legionów in the depths of Park Traugutta. Best appreciated when it’s all soupy mist and soggy foliage, it’s one of those neighborhood secrets that Warsaw

PHOTOGRAPHS SHUTTERSTOCK (2)

WALK THE WALK

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There aren’t many better points to start your seasonal safari of Warsaw than Old Town: seemingly designed with autumn in mind, everything from the Royal Castle to the Barbakan walls take on a vibrant glow in the golden warmth of the October sun – nowhere will you better appreciate the rich, radiant colors than from the windows of the Museum of Warsaw. Creak up the stairs for unimpeded views of the square below.

is full of. If it’s Wednesday – and daylight – then check out the fort, a Tsarist-era construction that opens once a week to host one of the best-regarded farmers’ markets in the country.

• Onwards, and Most Gdański affords more photographic chances for those looking to score easy Facebook likes (see p. 24). Having crossed the bridge, hook right to experience the riverfront in its wildest form. Numerous pathways cut through the undergrowth, with the trail taking you through a ravishing kaleidoscope of seasonal sensations: don’t be surprised to find weasels and martens darting through the tangled trees and damp undergrowth. And again, keep the camera close to hand. Emerging from the brambles and bushes, expect to be met by the striking sight of the cinnamon colored rooftops of the Old Town across the river.

Where Ratuszowa meets Wybrzeże Helskie, turn into the 30 hectare Praski Park. With autumn in full swing, it’s a big sexy bang of caramel colors. Sprinkled around, find surprising extras such as a lonely-looking bandshell and a 13-meter tall stainless steel sculpture of a giraffe - a leftover reminder of early 80s Poland, there’s something beautifully despondent about it.

• Two of Praga’s Neo Gothic jewels stand a stone’s throw away. First, the rebuilt Cathedral of St. Florian & St. Michael.

Able to hold 10,000 worshippers, it’s distinguished for its pair of 75-meter towers that reach into the sky. A little further on, the crescent-shaped Praga Hospital is notable for its tall archways and the fact that it survived Nazi destruction only because more explosives were needed to wipe out the aforementioned cathedral.

• Most Śląsko-Dąbrowski leads you back across the water to the start point, and at this stage there’s no shame in cheating and jumping on a tram. Do so and you’ll be dispatched on the other side at the mouth of the W-Z tunnel. Follow the crowd up the city’s first escalator (still adorned with socialist reliefs and original signs warning kids against riding it repeatedly) to find yourself back to square one. It’s been a long day, so reward yourself with a big well done drink. Of your options, check into Same Krafty for a craft Polish beer, or get toasty in front of the fireplace at Bar & Books, an upmarket cocktail bar whose wood-paneled interiors are ideal for autumn.

MOST G DA Ń S K I P R AGA Z O O PA R K T R AU G U T TA

OLD TOWN

C AT H E D R A L O F S T. F LO R I A N & S T. M I C H A E L MOST Ś L Ą S KO DA B O W S K I

warsawinsider.pl

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Creepin’

IT REAL

As the clock ticks down to Halloween, immerse yourself in the spooky spirit of autumnal Warsaw…

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PHOTOGRAPH THIS PAGE SHUTTERSTOCK, OPPOSITE PAGE ED WIGHT

SEASONAL HALLOWEEN

It’s In The Cellar!

Think back to the scariest film you’ve ever seen, then imagine being in it! At Horror House (horrorhouse.pl) prepare for bloodcurdling thrills as zombies, lunatics and bloodthirsty killers pursue you around a labyrinthine basement. Disturbing and disorientating, it’s a high adrenaline, interactive experience that makes the hair stand on end.

The Other Side

Lined with blackened tenements – often containing candlelit shrines set deep inside damp, dank courtyards – the streets of Old Praga are ripe for October exploration. The brooding atmosphere is aided by occasional outbreaks of Neo Gothic architecture: of the highlights, don’t miss Pod Sowami (ul. Okrzei 26), a restored building featuring reliefs of bats, owls, dragons and griffins.

Not far off, blag entry into the battered tenement at Kłopotowskiego 38. Once exclusively occupied by Jewish residents, there’s something about the building that feels oddly disquieting. Known as ‘the emerald stairwell’, its spiraling central staircase is like something out of a dreamlike sequence in a film by Lynch.

A Walk In The Park?

Those familiar with Puławska will already know Domek Mauretański, a Moorish style tower anchored randomly to the pavement. That’s one of the few remains of the Szuster Palace, an 18th century Neo Gothic complex that once spread across Morskie Oko park. Designed

by Henryk Marconi, other surviving elements on the grounds include a mausoleum that juts eerily from a hill: in the misty moonlight, few places in Warsaw feel as creepy. And, close by, take a look at the renovated villa at Morskie Oko 5. Once home to pre-war Warsaw’s King of Furs, the balcony towards the back is reputed to be haunted by Hanka, a weeping teenage girl shot by a German sniper in 1944.

All Dressed Up…

Though gaining in popularity, Halloween parties have yet to enjoy the prominent status they have in ‘the west’.

That said, most of the cooler cocktail bars will do something special, among them you should be able to count on Ritual, 6 Cocktails and The Roots. Last year’s winner, mind you, that would have been Koko & Roy.

Dark Arts

Even now, crows still gather at dusk at the Citadel’s Gate of Execution, apparently ready to feast off the corpses that used to be left to hang in the breeze. The air around this Tsarist-era fortress / prison still feels uncomfortably gloomy, and aside from ghostly gunshots and ghoulish screams, it’s said that at nighttime practitioners of the black arts gather in the maze-like tunnels carved underground. Alternatively, find art of a different kind by visiting Galeria 40/40, an unsupervised 19th-century fort whose passageways have been given over to bizarre expressions of street art.

Get Outta’ Town!

The biggest chills lie outside of Warsaw. In Otwock, clamber around the empty shell of the former Zofiówka Jewish Psychiatrist Hospital, or head further to the Owińska Asylum outside of Poznań for Poland’s biggest scare: a derelict complex of Neo-Gothic structures, weird occurrences are all but guaranteed. Up north, and Reszel Castle has achieved such notoriety that Ghost Hunters International were inspired to visit. If you’re in luck, you too might meet Barbara Zdunk – the last European torched for witchcraft. On the other end of the country, Książ Castle’s residents include white ladies, possessed jesters, headless nobility, wandering Nazis and a British princess. The nocturnal tours organized by the castle are Scooby Doo stuff!

A Grave Affair

Carpeted in a hypnotic reddish glow, All Saints’ Day on November 1st sees cemeteries and public memorials transformed as thousands of candles cast an eerie light on the city’s tombs and graves. Visiting Powązki Cemetery – home to some of the Poland’s most illustrious figures – is a must, but so too is a visit to the lesser known graveyards. The Augsburg Protestant cemetery bristles with spectral necropolises, while the Greek Orthodox Cemetery contains the graves of 16 Soviet workers killed during the construction of the Palace of Culture: for mystifying reasons, there’s something particularly forlorn about the latter.

What Was That?

Though rebuilt from scrath following the devastation of WWII, the atmosphere of Old Town remains tough to beat. That’s especially true when its cobbled streets empty on a chill autumn night. If you’re one of the (un)lucky ones, expect to be accosted by a shrieking faceless phantom on the corner of Piwna and Świętojańska. Further down, wait around Świętojańska 2 for a possible meeting with Prince Stanisław himself. Suspected to have been murdered here in 1524, the building has been the scene of numerous unexplained phenomena: shifting furniture, pounding windows and hushed conversations conducted in ancient Latin verse. warsawinsider.pl

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CITY BRIDGES OF WARSAW

Something beginning

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with B

Bombed and burned throughout the passage of history, the Insider takes a deeper look at the bridges of Warsaw: the everyday heroes that allow the city to move from A to B‌

warsawinsider.pl

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CITY BRIDGES OF WARSAW

(above)

Attention all Instagrammers! If you’re searching for something punchy to wow your followers with, then look no further than Most Gdański. Completed in 1959, this two-level, green-painted bridge touts numerous points of interest, including a captivating spiral staircase on the lefthand side – hypnotic in quality, it’s a favorite stop-off and photo op for Just Married couples making their way from the churches of the nearby Old Town. Equally well-known is the bridge’s signature neon sign which welcomes visitors with the words ‘Miło Cię Widzieć’ (Nice to See You). Erected in 2013 as part of a public competition to find a new neon for Warsaw, it was chosen after the original winner of the contest was exposed in a cash-for-votes scandal. These though form just a part of the bridge’s appeal. Stunning to cross, the lower-level features tram tracks embedded into weathered wooden boards. Scissored in shadows cast from criss-crossing steel support pillars, the pedestrian walkways running each side promise a walk to remember – even more so come dusk when the Wisła basks in the dusky half-light of an autumn sunset.

There is, mind you, more to Gdański’s story. Composed of two parts, the rail bridge running directly next to it (which some count as a separate entity, while others argue it as part of Gdański) was opened in 1946, making it the first permanent bridge to be built following the war.

S I E K I E R KO W S K I

For decades, plans had been mooted to connect Mokotów

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with Wawer, an idea that was only eventually realized in 2002. Supported by two H-shaped pylons, Warsaw’s southernmost bridge is the only crossing in the city whose foundations don’t touch the water. Often cited as among the capital’s busiest bridges, impress your mates with this useful nugget: the 56 cables from which the bridge hangs, all 5,300 meters, are painted in a migraine shade of orange not because of a surplus of psychedelic paint, but to prevent birds from smashing into them.

P O N I AT O W S K I E G O

Embellished with turrets, pavilions and ornamental lamps, there’s no doubting the imperial majesty of the Neo Renaissance Poniatowski Bridge. Aside from its visual appeal, which has increased even more now its juxtaposed against the glimmering form of the National Stadium, it’s a bridge that earns sympathy in spades: is there really an unluckier bridge? Opened right in time for WWI, Warsaw’s third bridge was blown up by retreating Russian forces in 1915, and while the conquering Germans stitched it up, their patchwork efforts burned down a couple of years later. Rebuilt in peacetime, more drama followed when, in 1926, and with Poland on the verge of civil war, Marshal Józef Piłsudski met with President Wojciechowski on the bridge to discuss the future of the nation. No agreement was reached and a coup was swiftly launched that led to Piłsudski assuming power. World War II, and guess what?

Right… more destruction. Blown to smithereens by Nazi sappers whilst the 1944 Warsaw Uprising raged, the cross-

PHOTOGRAPHS SHUTTERSTOCK

G DA Ń S K I

ing was rebuilt in slapdash style in 1945, only for a section to come crashing once more: one person died and nine were injured.

This century has been kinder and seen determined efforts to beautify the bridge. The effects have been stunning: worthy of exploration, don’t miss the extravagant stairwells that run underneath. Nonetheless, Poniatowskiego’s reputation for bloodshed hasn’t entirely disappeared. During Euro 2012 it became the stage for running battles between Russian and Polish hooligans, while in later years a string of accidents involving cyclists have seen it dubbed Warsaw’s deadliest bridge.

Ł A Z I E N KO W S K A

Stretching eight kilometres in length, Trasa Łazienkowska was the first ‘urban expressway’ in Poland, and enthusiastically promoted as proof of the futuristic socialist vision.

“We are building a capital of our dreams and ambitions,” proclaimed one proud banner at the time. At its core sits a 423-meter bridge, which along with the rest of the road was unveiled on 22nd July, 1974, by First Secretary Edward Gierek and the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. The opening ceremony attracted a crowd of thousands and for years after the project was hailed such an engineering feat that Orbis, the state approved travel agency, included it on open top bus tours of Warsaw – most famously, Pope John Paul II crossed the bridge in 1979 in a delivery truck that had to be hastily converted into a Pope Mobile.

Despite it’s relatively young age, the bridge has not been

without its share of misfortune. In 1975, a mysterious fire broke out leading local gossips to speculate that the conflagration was the fallout from an ongoing feud between the police and security services. For older locals, there was a sense of déjà vu when, in 2015, another serious blaze took hold. One hundred and forty-four firefighters needed twelve hours to bring the conflagration under control, with dramatic footage showing stretches of tarmac melting under temperatures in excess of 100 degrees. Allegedly costing over zł. 200 million to repair, the bridge has since become one of the more user-friendly in Warsaw thanks to the 2017 addition of two bridges running underneath: one for pedestrians, the other for cyclists.

Ś R E D N I C O W Y (above)

Built specifically to serve as a railway bridge, the inter-war financial crisis meant work on Średnicowy lasted over ten years. Finally, in 1933, the first steam engine chugged across to the cheers of the masses, and three years later the line was electrified thereby making it the most advanced in the country. The Germans utilized Średnicowy to their advantage, using an artillery train to pound Powiśle during the Warsaw Uprising, before destroying it altogether later on in the struggle. Reopened in 1949, the revived version differs much from the original. Sitting five meters lower, and lacking the overhead trusses that defined the former model, the new look Średnicowy was further modified in the 1960s when a twin bridge was added to run right alongside. warsawinsider.pl

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(above)

Inaugurated in 1981, the ribbon cutting on Warsaw’s widest bridge was a huge event. Taking place at the height of the nation’s pro-democracy Solidarity protests, the communist authorities decided to appease the public by naming this crossing after Stefan ‘Grot’ Rowecki, a Polish Home Army general executed on the direct orders of Heinrich Himmler.

However, the state’s decision backfired spectacularly when members of the opposition turned the occasion into a mass anti-government demonstration. Initially intended as a suspension bridge, the country’s parlous financial state meant a more functional design was chosen.

Ś W I Ę T O K R Z YS K I

Suspended via 48 ropes from a pair of 90-meter pylons, Świętokrzyski became the capital’s first suspension bridge when it was completed in 2000. While annual statistics frequently show it to be one of the most underused bridges in terms of traffic numbers, it has found favor for other reasons. Reputedly ‘the most filmed bridge in Poland’, the slender silhouette of this 479-meter project has become

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iconic of modern Warsaw, and as such it features frequently in commercials and pop videos. Further, it’s been central to several quirky events, including a 2001 concert by Tangerine Dream and an F1 event in 2007 starring Finnish driver Heikki Kovalainen. For all that, it’s even better known for appearing in cheesy rom coms such as Tylko Mnie Kochaj and Nigdy w Życiu, a point that’s led to its railings being hijacked by love-locking couples. Let no-one tell you otherwise, this is officially Warsaw’s most romantic bridge!

S K ŁO D O W S K I E J - C U R I E

Work on Warsaw’s newest bridge was not without problems.

Dogged by financial obstacles, a scaffolding collapse as well as structural issues, the bridge was finally opened in 2012.

Costing an estimated one billion złotys, the naming of the bridge proved an equally painful process. While Warsaw’s mayor had first lobbied to name the bridge after Pope John Paul II, in the end authorities plumped instead to christen it in honor of the Nobel-winning physicist Marie SkłodowskaCurie. Largely unreceptive to the name, most locals simply refer to it as Most Północny (the Northern Bridge).

BOTTOM PHOTOGRAPHS SHUTTERSTOCK (2), OPPOSITE PAGE TOP PAP

G R O TA - R O W E C K I

LOOKING BACK SYRENY

Hard as it is to believe given Warsaw’s startling social and economic progress, as recently as 2000 the capital’s two sides were joined by a temporary bridge that had been built by the army in the space of a hundred days. With Poniatowskiego closed for renovation, Warsaw authorities took the decision to call in sappers to erect a bridge running from Tamka to Wybrzeże Szczecińskie. Working at breakneck speed, army engineers completed the assigned task in June, 1985, with the bridge – named Most Syreny – officially opened a year later. Though built as a stopgap solution, by the time that work had finished on Poniatowskiego traffic levels in Warsaw had reached such a tipping point that the bridge remained in place for another 15 years. This did not mark the Siren’s swansong: in subsequent years, elements of it were brought out of storage and used in a variety of projects across both Warsaw and Poland.

Ś L Ą S KO - DĄ B R O W S K I (right)

Built on the six surviving pillars that had, till 1944, once held the Kierbedzia Bridge, Śląsko-Dąbrowski opened in 1949 and was named to honor the miners and steelworkers from Silesia and Dąbrowa that had played such a prominent role in Warsaw’s reconstruction. A plaque on the new bridge commemorates two Polish agents that leapt to their deaths from Kierbedzia having successfully assassinated the notorious SS commander Franz Kutschera.

Linking Old Town with Praga, if the bridge itself looks a little unremarkable, then consider this – built as part of the W-Z post-war road development, the overall project is still seen as a triumph of engineering. Among other things, accomplishments included the construction of a tunnel running below the historic center, the introduction of the city’s first escalator and the shifting of an entire church!

Wheeled back 21-meters, the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Solidarności 80) found itself rolled back over the course of one evening so that the road could be widened.

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TRAVEL WESTERN POLAND

Good Vibrations Resonating with positive energy, Pałac Osowa Sień promises a break to remember…

BY ALEX WEBBER | PHOTOGRAPHS BY ED WIGHT

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B

ats, ghosts and a cobwebbed dungeon: my standard expectations of a castle hotel. Osowa Sień has none of these, and the closest I come to a fright is hearing a hideous howl that pierces the night. Murder? Actually, it’s just the photographer falling off his seat. Running outside to the scene of the commotion, I’m greeted by the sight of him being pulled to his feet by our host for the evening.

Unbeknown to us at the time, this is but the first in a series of humiliations that we’ll together endure. All that, however, lies in the future. For now, it’s our first night here, a fairy tale property in the midst of a delicate rejuvenation of the outer façade.

Set 20 kilometers due west of Leszno, the castle to which we’ve arrived took shape thanks to the concerted efforts of Anna and Eugen Von Seherr-Thoss. Having inherited the plot in the latter part of the 1800s, it was their vision that foresaw a magnificent home to replace the aging manor that had stood there before. Inspired by the great hunting castles of Germany’s past, what arose after many feats of engineering was a visual feast of turrets, towers and pointy little features.

Later passing to their nephew, Lothar Von Brandenstein, it was under his watch that Osowa Sień was utilized much to its intended purpose and served as a seat for uproarious parties throughout the roaring 20s. Life flourished.

Galvanized by local intrigues, not to mention the prevailing mood of the castle, his wife, Ruth, would retreat to the central tower to type down her thoughts. Published though Ruth was, it was their daughter, Jolanthe, that would really break big. Writing under the pseudonym of Leonie Ossowski, her acclaimed post-war books reflecting on her youth at Osowa Sień have since earned the author cult recognition.

With Germany’s borders shifted in the wake of WWII, the castle fell into the clasp of the communist authorities. Change was inevitable and none of it for the better.

Stripped of many of its original glories, Osowa Sień found itself a victim of the iconoclasm of the time. Grander architectural elements were removed and other bits torn down. The golden years, so it seemed, had been consigned to the past.

Fast forward to the 21st century. Bought as a passion project by a Dane, a gradual program of renovation was put into place. This received a further boost when new stewards entered the frame; more recently acquired by Matt and Jamie Chojnacki, a vivacious Canadian couple of, respectively, Polish and Greek descent, together the present castellans have ambitiously set about the ongoing process of reviving this jewel. Already, you get the impression of a job going well. >>>

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TRAVEL WESTERN POLAND

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A

s usual, reaching our destination has been a complex affair riddled with calamities both major and minor: missed trains, wrong tickets and general confrontation with members of the public. Yet if our spirits are low, they lift immediately on our eventual arrival. Down a curling, wooded pathway, our cab deposits us to the doors of the castle. Seen in a crisp autumn light, there’s a magical quality that instantly enchants. Perhaps sensing our relief at completing what most people would regard as a quite simple journey, we are intuitively handed craft beers by the castellan, Jamie, and when those are finished more swiftly follow. Soon, we’re ensconced on the terrace and drinking under the moonlight. Joined by Jamie, the evening passes in a gentle blur of meandering conversation.

The next day is signaled by shafts of sunlight streaming through the windows. I have slept well, enjoying the kind of dreams from which one emerges feeling bafflement and beauty. Waking, it’s in a mind frame that’s been comfortably distorted by this whirl of warmth. But rather than dissipate as the ugly challenges of life make themselves known, it’s a feeling that lingers and even grows stronger. Yes, I am staying in a castle, and yes, I really did sneak into my room via an upper floor window: I’m thrilled just to be here.

After the excesses of the previous night, there’s a need to refamiliarize myself with my room, and this I do with serious endeavor. Each named after the books and characters mentioned in the works of Ossowski, it’s in the Blumen für Magritte suite that I found myself now. Entered more conventionally by a private set of stairs leading from the basement (or, optionally and legitimately via a balcony window), it’s a charming space that channels the spirit of the author: opened as if to suggest I might have done some late night reading, one of her novels lies spread on the sofa. On the balcony, meanwhile, jazz albums are fanned out beneath a vintage vinyl record player. Satisfied with the state of my world, I soak in the bath watching cotton ball clouds drift past in the skies.

With my ablutions complete, I creak down the stairs and through the vaulted cellar. Shadowy as it is, even here positivity resounds. Allowed to hide out with the servants, it’s down in this basement that a pair of sisters destined for forced labor took refuge during wartime with the permission of the owners – of course, on hand to record the ensuing drama in one of her later works was Ossowski herself.

Emerging at ground level, I find that the photographer, too, has fared rather well (we learn, later, that the castle was built on a specially selected ‘high concentrated energy source’). Meeting over a towering heap of breakfast goodies sourced from a local farm and a host of artisans, a plan is soon hatched and we set off to explore the guts of the complex. Revealing themselves in a dazzle of dove white colors and scrubbed wooden flooring, there’s a near celestial glow to the corridors and rooms. Each chamber we enter divulges new secrets: sepia images of former owners; hunting trophies made from cuddly toys; and little bits and pieces saved over from the past. Edging down a tight stairwell, I’m suddenly reminded I’ve been here before. “Crikey, how the hell did I get down these last night?”

“You didn’t,” answers the photographer, “you fell.”

That the revival of the castle (or palace as the Poles class it) remains a work in progress only adds to the appeal.

Traversing further than intended, we find ourselves in a grand ballroom, empty in anticipation of fall festivities.

Seeing it like this, you appreciate the size, angles and forms, not to mention the care and attention that’s been vested in its renovation.

Strong as the temptation is to simply stay put and spend the rest of the day listening to the distant sounds of nature, to do so would be to overlook Wschowa. Lying three kilometers from Owowa Sień, it’s a strong candidate for the title of the greatest little town that you’ve never heard of. Offering an overload of quaintness, neither is it shy of quirky distractions. Dominated by a wedding cake of a town hall, it’s a place that unravels to betray a medley of oddities: having ticked off a Germanic era cemetery high on spooky Neo-Gothic detail, we visit a series of churches brimming with unfathomable minutiae – a relief, for instance, of a motorcycling priest. But with the weirdness soaked up, along comes the startling realization that we’ve been left high and dry. The only taxi driver for miles has finished work for the day and answers our call with a threatening ‘nie’. Hitting the nuclear option, we ring the castle and plead for their help.

This shortly arrives in the shape of Jamie and Matt – on a horse-drawn carriage. Clip-clopping back in the style of landed gentry we pause only to take in one of Wschowa’s stranger glories: a statue of a bull. Built on a plinth that, prior to the region’s Polonization, had held a monument >>> warsawinsider.pl

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of Otto von Bismarck, the hefty concrete statue was added in 1982 to honor a breeding prototype introduced to the area eight years before.

Mind you, this is not the last time we seek assistance from Jamie and Matt. With no restaurant on-site, and the photographer and I lacking in even the most rudimentary planning skills, we make the admission that we’ve hit the verge of starvation. No problem. Veterans of the Canadian version of Come Dine With Me, the couple whistle up a tiered platter of local goods cascading with local sausages and tapas, and invite us to a ceremonial dinner scheduled for the following day as part of the castle’s program of events. Dressing appropriately for the occasion, and fully recharged after a day spent lounging under whispering trees, we gather in evening dress for what transpires to be a night to remember.

Matt feels to the manor born, a natural gentleman exuding effortless charm. Jamie, meanwhile, is a force of energy, each of her stories spidering into seven directions that take a life of their own. The effect is akin to being thrust onto the set of some scintillating sitcom: madcap, manic, mindblowing. During a break in the bedlam the photographer puts it better: “like meeting with friends this is… in a castle.”

Heading outside, a fire is lit, drinks are fetched and more laughter ensues. This should be the end, but instead it’s just the beginning. On the stroke of midnight we are led by lanternlight to the village church to pay due respects to the

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‘good witch’ Julia. Born at the start of the 20th century, she overcame a variety of impairments to become a respected local herbalist whose power over animals became the subject of legend. Lighting a votive on her grave, we stop for a moment’s silence, a perfect crescent moon shining up above.

Walking back to the beckoning warm glow of the castle, we do so in a mood of quiet contemplation. Strange things happen here, I think to myself. Strange, good things.

NEED TO KNOW

From Warsaw, you’re looking at a 420 kilometer drive west that should take approx. 4 hrs 30 mins. Otherwise, get a train to Leszno via Poznań, and follow it up with a zł. 100 cab.

Pałac Osowa Sień palacosowasien.com (suites start at zł. 250 per night rising to zł. 635)

Azia Restaurants

The real Asia in Warsaw! Must be here!

We are a one of a kind Asian restaurant, in which the flavors of Thailand, China and Japan reign supreme. Chefs from the remotest Asian countries prepare dishes according to the original recipes from the highest quality ingredients.

AZIA RESTAURANTS Arkadia Shopping Mall Jana Pawła II Avenue, 82 00-175 Warsaw

In the autumn menu offer, apart from the favorite dishes constantly visiting guests, there are also several new proposals.

One of them is recommended by our chefs - Pad Thai.

Be sure to try it as soon as possible!

503 537 537 kontakt@azia.pl www.azia.pl fb.com/restauracjaAZIA instagram.com/aziarestaurants

H Par ig tn hl e ig r ht s

Totally Frank!

French foundations, New York creativity and Polish passion: that’s Frank in a nutshell! Our natural ice cream sandwich – served between two cookies – is our signature dessert and made entirely to an original recipe. Additionally, visit for individually-made, innovative cakes, fresh pastries and coffee roasted by the incomparable Warsaw Coffee Lab. Frank ul. Polna 18/20, fb.com/frankwarszawa

Pizza My Heart

At Bordo we’ve been serving Warsaw with light Mediterranean fare for 18 years. In that time we’ve developed our own Bordo style, often playing and riffing on classic pasta and pizza dishes. With a location at the very center of the city, we’ve established ourselves as the ideal spot for breakfast or lunch, not to mention dinner or evening meetings over a bottle of Italian wine. Join us soon!

Bistro Bordo ul. Chmielna 34, bordo.com.pl

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“Sample the exemplary tastes of China in the very heart of Warsaw”

- YAJIA LIN

We invite you to enjoy a splendid culinary journey through China!

Our professional team will create the perfect event for you – we were born to organize!

- communion meals - wedding parties - company meetings - conferences & workshops - events

Ul. Pańska 85 For Reservations tel. 512 671 756 22 253 30 30 panska85.com

H Par ig tn hl e ig r ht s

Longing For Lebanese Exotic new worlds unravel at Le Cedre…

O

ut of all of Warsaw’s evergreen culinary institutions, few names will feel as familiar as that of Le Cedre. Founded in the mid-90s, the original Praga-side venture continues to act as the benchmark that all Middle Eastern restaurants seek to emulate. With its success well documented, the need to expand has seen two more Le Cedre’s added in recent times: the first, where the city center borders Wola, and the second, in the heart of Warsaw’s business district.

Known as Le Cedre Lounge, the latter has already entrenched itself in local conscious on account of its enchanting but informal style, and a menu that’s been specially customized to suit the needs of the immediate catchment area. That’s meant, among other initiatives, a zł. 35 business lunch that demolishes the competition in terms of size, scope, diversity and, above all, qual-

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ity. Presenting the fresh, thrilling tastes of Lebanon, few restaurants in the vicinity can compete with Le Cedre Lounge in terms of exoticism and adventure.

Beyond this, other elements have also served to elevate Le Cedre Lounge, among them the introduction of a Rib Eye steak served with generous lashings of the world famous Relais de Paris sauce. Developed in Switzerland in the 1930s, the top secret recipe involves over 30 spices, herbs and other ingredients and has become one of gastronomy’s best guarded legends. Trying this luxurious sauce at Le Cedre Lounge, you soon understand the fanfare.

Le Cedre Lounge ul. Grzybowska 5A, lecedre.pl Also on Al. Solidarności 61 & 84

3.1 Philip Lim — Attico — Rodarte — Paul Andrew — Justine Clenquet — Nina Kastens ­— Jonathan Simkhai — D’ESTREE — ­ RIXO London

a unique shopping experience

www.lui-store.com Mokotowska 26 Warsaw

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

EAT!

PHOTOGRAPH KEVIN DEMARIA

PASTA LA VISTA, BABY!

Having spent years in the shadow of Poznańska, there’s a palpable sense of excitement surrounding the rise of neighboring Hoża. Adding to the sense of a street on the up is 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 impression 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.

Posypane ul. Hoża 43/49

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PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA

Eat! Review

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Ceviche Bar ul. Twarda 4, cevichebar.pl

LATIN LESSONS

At Ceviche Bar, unlikely tastes meet in a joyful clash of cultures…

MEET THE MAN

Less guarded than his European counterparts, there’s an openness to Argentinean chef Martin Gimenez Castro that manifests itself in his cooking: though primarily known for his groundbreaking fine dining restaurant Salto, it’s in the Ceviche Bar that his character truly escapes. More than just a side project, you get the idea of a place run as a form of self-expression. Injecting his passion and personality into the venue, this is an address that punches through the greyness of everyday Warsaw.

YOU’D NEVER GUESS…

The introduction of Japanese influences to the menu isn’t a classic case of a chef losing his marbles, rather a direct reflection of Latin American dining habits. Unlikely though it sounds, both Argentina and its neighbors have long had a thriving Japanese community; 1886 saw the first Japanese citizen officially relocate to Argentina, and in

1908 a bona fide migratory wave began as Japanese farmers began moving en masse to escape the tight economic conditions of home. Today, Argentines of Japanese descent account for around 23,000 of the population, and over the decades their gastronomic tastes and traditions have become intertwined with the Argentine palate: resulting from this, find an incredible fusion of two disparate culinary cultures.

ORDER, ORDER!

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. For Japanese influences, look to the Corvina Con Nikkei, an artful composition of strips of corvina fish and a lush Nikkei sauce that utilizes soya, ginger, garlic, chili, coriander and oyster sauce to collide in one tasty jolt. But for the star, look no further than the salmon tiraditos:

served with teriyaki and sweet potato mash, it’s a joy of satisfying sensations: sweet, dreamy, spicy, creamy.

DRINK UP…

The ‘bar’ bit in the name isn’t a deceit, it’s there for a reason. From the outset, the idea was to blur the line between restaurant and hangout, to create the kind of place in which guests were as comfortable drinking as they were eating. In itself, that’s not a new concept, the difference being that at Ceviche Bar it genuinely comes together: 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 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. warsawinsider.pl

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Eat! Review

A LIVING LEGEND

The glory years return to Klub SPATiF, a hybrid crossover of restaurant and bar…

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BY DAY…

You’re never far away from the past: entering from Mokotowska, visitors tip tap across original parquet floors, shafts of light slanting into the dark chambers from long, narrow windows. Feeling covert and surreptitious, the trail snakes 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. You’ve made it this far, so why not stick around?

Doing so means enjoying the cooking of Grzegorz Krupa.

A veteran of Plater by Okrasa, one of the city's finer eateries, his is a menu that sees Polish cuisine reinvented for the 21st century palate: tender piglet cheeks come with a curried

PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA

h

istory courses through the corridors of SPATiF; founded in the 1950s to serve as the seat of the Association of Polish Artists of Theater & Film, the onsite restaurant / bar became the meeting point of actors, authors, stars and spies. A place of intrigue and scandal, it was in SPATiF that the cream of Poland’s intelligentsia convened to party with others living on the fringes of Bohemian society. Mingling among the drunks and directors, poets and pissheads, undercover government agents would furtively record the decadent goings on. For decades, this was a living soap opera, a venue of secrets and stories and legendary misadventure. Revived under new management in 2017, SPATiF features once again on the capital’s map.

Klub Spatif Al. Ujazdowskie 45, klubspatif.pl

sauerkraut with coconut milk and cilantro, and say much for this chef’s awareness of taste. There’s marinated salmon with beetroot, as well as a vegetarian tart that belies its description: it’s a quite brilliant combination of complex little notes. And the surprise? A vegan tartar made with tomatoes and black olives.

It is, quite simply, a glorious hymn to natural tastes. By their own admission, SPATiF’s reputation is bonded to its nightlife – but with cooking like this that all stands to change.

… AND NIGHT

You like it, they do it. The events calendar is all-encompassing, presenting everything from Britpop nights and jazz evenings to funk discos and dance parties. The diversity is matched by a

crowd that covers all bases and backgrounds and an atmosphere that feels almost puzzlingly inclusive: door selection?

Forget that and dive right in. With SPATiF slotted inside a highceilinged pre-war tenement, the effect is similar to entering a house party.

But before the chaos reaches its inevitable crescendo, head earlier to soak up the atmosphere and prop up the bar.

The drinks card is not a means to an end, rather a thought-out offer inspired by Zły, author Leopold Tyrmand’s seminal work.

With each drink named after a character from the book, these concoctions are belting works worthy of their literary associations: don’t leave without ordering the Zylbersztajn, a refreshing mix of tequila, rhubarb, ginger and beetroot. warsawinsider.pl

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Eat! Review impression is of being somewhere isolated and hidden and even a little secret. Just by being here, you feel the world’s a good place.

THE FOOD

There is a fancy streak, but consider that a trimming: a nice frilly extra that simply highlights skill. The aesthetics are just the finishing touch to a menu that aims to realize the maximum potential of every ingredient. Cooperating closely with farmers, producers and everyone else along the way, it’s a kitchen that looks to pay homage to seasonal produce and regional traditions.

From the starters, peaks are scaled with Mazurian-farmed snails in a subtle white wine sauce, the earthy goodness accented by additions of perilla, pear, chamomile and young onion. For mains, a seasoned Red Angus Rib-Eye thumps down accompanied by young potatoes and a variety of pickled vegetables, while opposite, a baked pumpkin arrives in a riot of vivid color: Koryciński cheese, fried chanterelles and dogwood mousse add to the pleasure. And then dessert, a course where Zielony Niedźwiedź consistently exceed all expectations: for the Insider, a creamy wedge of cheesecake with seasonal fruit, and a slab of rich dark chocolate cake with quince, young hazelnut and pickled Jerusalem artichoke. These are eaten quickly for risk of having to share. Where dessert is concerned, words such as ‘hands off’ and ‘get your bloody own’ become common refrains.

THE GREEN LIGHT

A new chef gets the green light at Zielony Niedźwiedź…

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F

unny old place is Warsaw: one moment you’re standing amid communist concrete and boisterous traffic, the next you’re plunging down a zig-zagging pathway cut into steep, sloping parkland. At least, you are if you’re on the way to Zielony Niedźwiedź, an upmarket sanctuary in leafy Park Beyera. Just minutes from daily drudge of Jerozolimskie, it’s here that you’ll learn to breathe once again: to breathe Poland as it thrashes in the glory of its annual golden autumn.

Is this setting important? Absolutely so.

With so much importance awarded to the provenance of the product, it’s apt that the location feels spiritually aligned with the brilliance of nature: from inside chic, dark interiors, windows gaze upon feasting squirrels and tumbling foliage. With October sunlight slashing through the trees, the

THE CHEF

Associated with Zielony Niedźwiedź from the beginning, chef Wojciech Deres has left the ship to travel the world and seek new inspirations. Stepping into his shoes is Oliwia Bernardy, a chef that started out in Dortmund in an Italian family-run restaurant. Working with ingredients imported directly from Sicily it was here, she says, that she learned the value of good produce. Returning to Poland to join the country’s gastro revolution, it was under her hand that Jung Und Lecker won Gazeta Wyborcza’s coveted Knajpa Roku title in 2013, with the chef then later leaving to lead the line at the acclaimed design hotel Poziom 511. Premiering at press time, her new menu promises to perfectly slot in with the Bear’s fundamental philosophy.

PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA

Zielony Niedźwiedź ul. Smolna 4, kafezn.pl

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Eat! Review

THE GULF MORE

l

ooking at Wilcza, it helps to divide it into three sections.

You’ve got the flanks, one benefiting from its proximity to Mokotowska, the other feasting on the spillover from Koszyki and Poznańska. Then, sandwiched in between, there’s that awkward bit in the middle. From a personal point of view, that’s the section I love. Bounded by Marszałkowska on one side and Krucza on the other, it’s this area I called home during my early Warsaw years. Back then it didn’t have much to crow about aside from possibly the highest concentration of dog droppings on the whole of planet earth (and, if memory serves correctly, these ‘leftovers’ weren’t always canine), but despite that I fell for the area and its sleazy, scruffy charms.

Yet if I found the atmosphere addictive then at the start of the millennium, it’s even more so now. Though slower in its development than other stretches of the street, there’s that magic little feeling of something special in the air. First, over summer, came the opening of Relax, now comes further reinforcement of a street that’s on the rise. Run by Marta, a Pole, and Ouce, her Iraqi husband, Tahina has emerged as the Insider’s unlikely star of 2018.

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. The result all but melts-in-the-mouth. Served in a featherlight lavash, there are those that would call this a kebab, but doing so would severely undersell the good-

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Warsaw Insider | OCTOBER 2018

ness in your hand. One bite and you’re in heaven.

But there’s more, for instance Iraqi-style scrambled eggs with dates, not to mention generous tahini bowls cascading with juicy chunks of chicken and beetroot pickled turnip. Then, coffee. Following traditional Middle Eastern practice, find it heated in a pan of sand before being served in a little metal pot with a stick of candied sugar: a work of alchemy, it’s a deliciously thick drink that immediately revives – one sip and your ears start to twitch.

Demonstrating a fiendish attention to detail, Tahina is nothing if not characterized by its scrupulous specifics: making a big song and dance about its homemade this and that, other highlights arrive in the form of crispy potato chips as well as tiny pots of date and sesame paste – sweet, glorious and bursting with flavor, if you didn’t know better you’d guess this was Nutella.

In a city where eating Middle Eastern cuisine still has the feeling of a high risk game of roulette, Tahina hits the jackpot. But more so, there’s a value to this place that goes beyond the food. A place of warmth, hospitality and casual conversation, it’s an address that you feel joins the neighborhood together.

Tahina ul. Wilcza 26, fb.com/TahinaWilcza

PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA

A Middle-Eastern star shines over Wilcza…

LUXURY APARTMENTS Are you looking for sophisticated luxury? Would you like to live in the heart of Cracow next to Wawel Castle but enjoy peace and quiet? Would you like to taste traditional Polish cuisine in an elegant, modern rendition?

Well, Kanonicza 22 is the ideal place for you!

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Attractive rates for direct reservation guests!

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 48 bakeries 48 balkan 48 british 48 chinese 50 comfort food 50 desserts 51 fine dining 51 french 53 georgian 53 greek & turkish 54 indian 55 indonesian 56 international 56 italian 60 japanese & sushi 61 korean 64 latin & spanish 64 mexican 64 middle eastern 66 polish 68 scandinavian 73 seafood 73 specialty food shops 73 steak houses 74 street food 74 thai 74 ukrainian 75 vegan & wholefood 75 vietnamese 76

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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 Spotlighting ‘New American Cuisine’, the thrust here is on comfort food, albeit several steps beyond what you’d rustle up at home: the Odds & Ends (deep fried pigs tails and chicken hearts tumbled into a big bowl and served with pickled red onions and a lash of sriracha aioli) are bold, unexpected and utterly delicious.

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

bakeries Aromat That many consider this their favorite bakery says it all. French flour and an expert baker ensure brilliant results, while the lemon éclairs deserve their own Facebook page. (C4) ul. Sienna 39, fb.com/ piekarnia.aromat Café Vincent Queues build quickly as locals line up to buy baguettes, cinnamon rolls, lemon croissants and beautiful pains au chocolat. But people don’t just head in then out, a small wine list and brilliant people spying opportunities cause many to hang around. (D3) ul. Nowy Świat 64 Charlotte While the fancy crowd isn’t to everyone’s liking, the atmosphere feels truly continental: even more so in warm weather when the terrace packs out. (D6) Al. Wyzwolenia 18 (enter from pl. Zbawiciela), bistrocharlotte.com

Paul Specializing in pastries, baguettes and other baked goods, this French chain have rapidly entrenched themselves in the capital following their debut last year.

Various locations, boulangeries-paul.com Rozbrat 20 Bakery & Wine Corner Best known for fathering Butchery & Wine, Daniel Pawełek makes his mark on Powiśle with the launch of Rozbrat 20, a high-end bakery that’s worthy of the rave reviews. Breakfast here is among the best you’ll find in Warsaw. (F5) ul. Rozbrat 20, rozbrat20.com.pl

balkan Banja Luka Lots of clunky timber and imported ceramics set the scene at this eatery, a Balkan stalwart that’s known for its economical pricing structure and bulky portions. Grilled meats are prominent and the food largely reliable. (E8) ul. Szkolna 2/4, tel. 22 828 1060, banjaluka.pl

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

british Ę Rybę A couple of places have tried to emulate the taste of the British seaside, but this is the de facto codfather. Here’s a spot where the chips are golden, the fish fresh and the batter crisp and light. Now also

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 serving British breakfast, albeit at a time when most normal people will have already eaten. (E4) Al. Jana Pawła II 18, erybe.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 American-style speed eating comps. (D4) ul. Złota 9. tel. 512 157 567, barnburger.pl Beef’N’Roll If the wheels have fallen off the burger

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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EAT! Listings 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 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 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 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

desserts Deseo Burakowska Luxury desserts, pralines and tarts served inside an ivy clad building in a leafy post-industrial complex off Burakowska. The contemporary style is reflected by an interior that’s modern, pared down and richly bathed in sloping sunlight. ul. Burakowska 5/7, deseopatisserie.com

El Krepel The rather tantalizing donuts include dulce de leche with cinnamon sugar or rich, creamy donuts topped with marshmallows.

The work of Łukasz Kawaller (he of Hell’s Kitchen fame) and blogger / photographer / model Justyna Pankowska, it’s a charming, bijou space of fun, frilly style – think pretty pink seats and a wall overlaid with hundreds of rosebuds. (D6) ul. Śniadeckich 12/16

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

Lokal Dela Krem That you can now buy vegan, mojito-flavored cupcakes in Warsaw is an indication of the city’s fanatical commitment to healthy living. A roaring success, the first vegan cake shop in the country has become a local staple. (D5) ul. Hoża 27A

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 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

Lukullus Founded in 1946, Lukullus have evolved into a funky boutique cafe chain noted for quirky interiors and buzzy atmosphere. Oh, and desserts. Renouncing short cuts and low-cost ingredients, this family enterprise has earned a name for top quality desserts that see traditional favorites updated for the modern times. Various locations, MOD Warsaw has always loved donuts, but it took the arrival of MOD to elevate this humble doughy vice to new levels with a glam New York-inspired makeover. The mango topped donut is our favorite by miles. (D7) ul. Oleandrów 8 Odette The original spot for ‘fine dining desserts’, Odette’s cool interior causes attention to naturally fall on the long, sleek counter that occupies one end. It’s here that sweet creations glint like boutique little jewels.

(D4) ul. Górskiego 6/07, odette.pl Warszawski Lukier The home of hardcore food porn. Look for their signature freak shakes: towering treats cascading with calories and color.

Their sister op on Żurawia has more of the same… and ice cream! (E5) ul. Hoża 5/7

fine dining Amber Room at the Sobański Palace Set in the pre-war Pałac Sobańskich, this

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 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 warsawinsider.pl

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EAT! Listings

closely. (B3) ul. Chłodna 15, choldna15.pl

tel. 22 119 5705, eterrible.pl

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

L’enfant Terrible Looking like he’s just swaggered in from a rock concert, the unconventional style of Michał Bryś goes beyond surface detail alone. Promising maximum excitement, his imaginative menu isn’t short on daring twists and rollercoaster highs. Maverick in every sense of the word, this is a chef that pushes boundaries in a way few others would dare. Though the menu changes often, keep an eye on recurring classics such as ‘tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes’, a kickass course that presents the humble tomato in about ten different forms! (D8) ul. Sandomierska 13 (enter from Rejtana),

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

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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 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,

EAT! Listings 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 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 Chinkali Signposted by a Georgian-language shingle, there’s a real sense of pleasure about this place. More modern than your typical folksy ethnic outpost, Chinkali’s draw is indeed its chinkali: dough purses packed with meaty broth. There’s a genuine homemade quality to these slurpy bundles of joy, meaning that while they’re authentic, consistency can vary. And don’t miss out on the red bean chachapuri washed down with a mouthwash-colored tarragon lemonade. (D4) ul. Zgoda 3 Klukovka Jana Pawła’s pavilions are the unlikely location of this culinary beacon: amid the aggressive waft of its kebab shop

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 neighbors, Klukova presents itself as a warming mouse hole filled with banter, babble and rich aromas. Specializing in the foods of ‘the east’, this means a menu inspired by the tastes of Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and more. The mutton manty dumplings are great, and best appreciated with a bottle of unfiltered Lithuanian beer. (B2) Al. Jana Pawła II 45A, klukovka.pl 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

Focaccia Ristorante Modern take on Italian cuisine

by Samuele Mariani

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 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 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 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)

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

ŻEROMSKIEGO 81 508 870 774

HOŻA 54

536 443 771

KONDRATOWICZA 59 789 444 921

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EAT! Listings 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

SHEESHA , AU T H E N T I C C U I S I N E , M E E T I N G P L AC E , D R I N KS

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

Indian Taste Set within a new residential complex on the border of Żoliborz, this smart-looking labor of love presents traditional favorites alongside lesser-known choices such as mango chicken and lamb amritsari. If you’re in luck, find meals complimented with additional chili concoctions made by the chef. Pl. Niemena 1, indiantaste.pl Karma Having switched postcodes at the start of 2018, Karma’s new Mokotów address has a fresh, contemporary edge with an interior that’s chic, classy and leagues ahead of many of Warsaw’s other Indian restaurants. The food is impressive alright, with a boisterously punchy madras among the highlights.

South Indian specialties are the forte though, with Karma’s menu presenting a wide range of dosas, uttapams, idlis and parrottas. Al. Niepodległości 18, restauracjakarma.pl

dom-faraona.com, O r d y n a c k a 13

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Mandala This long-standing legend is known for its ample portions and online delivery service. Sitting down, the creamy mutton methi is a masterpiece, and the Madras recognized for its blitzing big spices.

Their latest operation, set out on Sienna, is open for Indian-style breakfast. ul.

Emilii Plater 9/11 / ul. Etiudy Rewolucyjnej

9 & ul. Sienna 87, mandalaklub.com or indiaexpress.pl Mr. India Split on two levels the design is contemporary if a little characterless: leather banquettes that leave a sweaty bum print and wood paneling. No problem though: if it looks bland then the food isn’t.

That means an incredible butter chicken that’s deep and immensely satisfying.

Then there’s the vindaloo, an experience that leaves some close to spontaneous combustion. Al. KEN 47, tel. 22 213 0689, mrindia.pl Namaste India Responsible for first bringing quality, budget Indian food to Warsaw, Namaste have grown from humble beginnings (three tables and cooking done in a cupboard-sized space behind a curtain) to evolve into a bona fide two-floored restaurant. But expansion has come at the cost of quality – our last trip was a calamity. (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 15, tel. 22 357 0939, namasteindia.pl

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 Aioli This runaway hit has taken Warsaw by storm. It’s a jaunty space with hams hanging from hooks and long communal tables that thrive with life. Aioli’s breakfasts, sandwiches, pastas and pizzas are a lesson in clean, simple pleasure: nothing out of the world, just consistently good. This and the liberal prices mean

EAT! Listings there’s no shortage of people passing in and out the doors. (D3) ul. Świętokrzyska 18, tel. 22 290 102, aioli-cantine.com 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 ownmade 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-to-month. The apparent simplicity of the food is illusory and belies the kitchen’s knack for spotting interesting combinations such 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

‘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

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. warsawinsider.pl

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EAT! Listings (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 Kieliszki Na Hożej Set on the corner of an ornate pre-war

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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 experience. (D5) ul. Hoża 41, kieliszkinahozej.pl 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

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 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. Brought to you by the same team credited for Merliniego 5, 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, mokotowska69. com Momu Dominated by meat that’s cooked using the only smoker of its kind in Poland, the menu is comforting and strangely familiar: these are flavors reminiscent of campfire nights – brawny, smoky tastes with towering Reuben sandwiches, juicy steaks, bone marrow and wooden slabs brimming with meats from MOMU’s smokehouse. Impromptu art, tweeting birds and a neo-industrial design add oomph to the busy ambiance. (C2) ul.

Wierzbowa 11, tel. 506 100 001, momu.pl Orzo Functioning until recently as Aioli by Mini, the subsequent re-brand has seen the industrial interiors enhanced by a mother lode of plant life and greenery. Other

EAT! Listings changes include the addition of orzobased dishes as well as a new motto that asserts their connection to ‘people, music, nature’. (D6) Pl. Konstytucji 5

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

Pera Inspired by their owner’s travels to New York, Dubai, Berlin and Paris, Pera looks to present a mix of Mediterranean and Asian tastes courtesy of Nestor Grajewski – he’s cooked for Scorsese, Diaz and Di Caprio, now he’s cooking for you! Al. Krakowska 248

Soul Kitchen Bistro If the previous venue was all slanted towards low-pitched business conversation then the new one is positively festive in comparison: scuffed brickwork, tall bar stools, a long communal table, etc.

The seasonal menu is a pick-and-mix of small-to-medium plates, including a halibut gravlax, whose delicate taste juxtaposes well against the rougher, earthier kick of the radish, and crayfish presented in a bird’s nest of green beans, fennel and leek. For mains, look for the braised beef. (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 18A, soulkitchen.pl

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 polishedlooking 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, pinklobster.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

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

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EAT! Listings 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

complex and intriguing. Recommended is the Croatian salad which arrives ensconced inside jumbo leaves of lettuce and cascading with mango, shrimps, goat cheese and much more besides. (D6) ul. Koszykowa 63 (Hala Koszyki), weranda.pl

feels refined and considered – the kind of place you’d impress a first date. (F4) ul.

Wioślarska 10

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 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

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

Weranda Bistro Warmly decorated with shrubbery and dangling paper decoys, Weranda’s design is thoughtful enough to be in equilibrium with the wider Koszyki setting, yet sufficiently distinct to stand apart from the crowd. Kudos, as well, to the food. Celebrated for their salads, don’t expect to be pecking on morsels of rabbit food – instead, prepare for huge, leafy affairs assembled to look

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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,

italian

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 Delizia The sheer proliferation of Italian restaurants lends an element of chance to dining out: cut through the noise by visiting Delizia, a place that’s consistently topped polls ever since it launched in 2010. Lorenzo’s cooking is upscale Italian with a contemporary twist, and

EAT! Listings comes presented by Luca, an ebullient ball of energy who patrols the floor with sparkling good humor. Top quality imported products, a dimly-lit romantic atmosphere, a tasteful design and faultless food. (D5) ul. Hoża 58/60, tel. 22 622 6665, delizia.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 La Tomatina Calamitous, slapstick service and accusations pointing to the overuse of readymade ingredients shouldn’t detract from good pizzas served in modern interiors of stark white walls and concrete floors.

Our spicy tiger prawn spaghetti was also okay, even if the presentation looked like a student had cooked it. (D5) ul. Krucza 47A, tel. 22 625 1047 latomatina.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 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 Sexy Duck Marketing themselves as a ‘craft Italian kitchen’, Sexy Duck make a song and dance about artisan this and that while never justifying their own hyperbole. Were they not so keen to tell you otherwise, you’d mistake the food as being something from a mid-market high street chain enterprise. (D6) Pl. Konstytucji 3, tel. 22 400 3737 Si From the makers of Secado comes a new downtown venture: Si, a fun Italian stop with homemade pasta, an array of pizza and a hefty choice of cocktails. Geared towards good times, a list of rotating daily offers has done a fair job of drumming up trade. (C3) ul. Marszałkowska 115 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,

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

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EAT! Listings 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

what would otherwise appear as an oversized 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

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

Gabriel de Garcia & Sakana It’s not uncommon to hear the preparation of sushi described as a form of art, but Spaniard Gabriel de Garcia takes things in a new direction with his spectacular translation of this Japanese craft. Using premium ingredients and unusual combinations (seasonal fruits and flowers figure highly), his creations are a vivid blast of color and freshness.

(D2) ul. Moliera 4/6

Fat Buddha Immense in size, there’s a confident feeling of decadent ostentation: with light kept at bay by vast mulberry-colored drapes,

Mizu Rarely does a restaurant meet with such unanimous approval, and while the name of Mizu remains unknown among the

COOKING IS OUR PASSION Though specializing in non-gluten, vegan and vegetarian dishes, at Lifemotiv even meateaters aren’t forgotten.

We also have freshlysqueezed juices, ealthy cocktails and gluten-free cakes served inside an open space with a green, pleasant terrace.

If you can’t make it to us, we’ll make it to you! We now offer home delivery and only use biodegradable packaging.

G A L L E R I A M O KOTÓ W L I F E M OT I V. C O M . P L TEL. 884 888 374

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majority, those In The Know have been crowing about it for a good couple of 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 Na Sushi Sleek, dark and dominated by a lush picture of a breathtaking waterfall, at Na Sushi a smart crowd join forces around a horseshoe-shaped bar to click chopsticks over a top pedigree menu high on enticements: eel rolls with marinated pumpkin and sriracha wrapped in torched yellowtail and lime; spicy octopus rolls; and tempura rolls with shrimp, eel, mushroom, radish, leek and mayo. Fresh,

EAT! Listings creative and expertly assembled, it’s a welcome addition to a fast-rising area. Not cheap, but then good sushi isn’t. (D6) ul. Koszykowa 54, fb.com/ nasushikoszykowa Sato Gotuje Signposted by its own splash of Manga-style 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 Sushi Zushi The mania for sushi is in recess, and that’s a good thing – the rogue operators are dead or dying off, and are survived by the best. And make no mistake, Sushi Zushi continue to be one of the No. 1 ex-pat choices. Appreciated by a stunning crowd, the rolls are often bold, creative and always astonishingly fresh.

(D5) ul. Żurawia 6/12, tel. 22 420 3373 Tomo While many of Warsaw’s other sushi

stops gather cobwebs Tomo packs out each night – that should say enough. With the maki, sushi and sashimi bobbing past on wooden platters, this place aims for fast, maximum turnover without ever making the diner feel second best. (D5) ul.

Krucza 16/22, tel. 22 434 2344, tomo.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

La Brasserie Moderne is a modern interpretation of traditional brasserie designed to bring the taste of the French art de vivre right to your table.

Discover a seasonal menu skillfully crafted by our Chef Maciej Majewski, who combined the finest culinary traditions of France with local flavors and a modern twist. Our open kitchen will complement your dining experience by making you feel you’re participating in a live culinary show. During the summer time, we also invite you to enjoy our signature dishes on an outdoor terrace.

E-mail: brasserie.moderne@sofi tel.com Tel.: +48 22 657 83 82 www.facebook.com/brasserie.moderne

Visit us Mon – Sun: 12 p.m. – 11 p.m. | 11 Królewska St | 00-065 Warsaw

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EAT! Listings 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

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 forwardthinking, 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 The Cool Cat TR A hip venue that offsets all the concrete colors with flashes of contemporary art and waterfalls of greenery that tumble over the windows. The overt hipness is reflected by a crowd that’s heavy on tattoos, piercings and odd urban style: you know you’re somewhere cool.

Food, that’s a playful spin on Korean cuisine and includes chicken wings in hot gochochung sauce or more-ish soft-shell tacos with bulgogi sauce and water greens. Blips aren’t unknown, but the missteps tend to be forgiven: you can’t help but love what they’re trying to do. (D6) ul. Marszałkowska 8 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

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Miss Kimchi Cheap and cheerful Korean street food served in a small, steamy space that’s frequently packed to the rafters. Box sets come piled high with meat, rice and veg.

The spotlight falls on the bibimbap, a satisfying mess of shredded veg, lively spices, a fried egg and beef bulgogi. This is replenishment in its truest form. (B4) ul. Żelazna 58/62, tel. 570 186 066 Onggi Positive transformations aren’t confined to Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares: after a dreadful start characterized by bland, claggy dishes, this Korean restaurant has spun a U-turn that’s left the competition reeling. The menu is daunting in size, but contains wildly interesting finds such as a streaky bacon stir fry, spicy pickled Daikon radish and lotus root simmered in soy sauce. (D2) ul. Moliera 2 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 background 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 Sora Maybe it’s not the best, but it’s certainly the best-known Korean restaurant in town. The tabletop BBQ sets are an essential order and ideal for the shared bonding experience. It all tastes even better with copious quantities of Makkoli wine. (A4) ul. Wronia 45

latin & spanish Casa Pablo “We give Spanish food a new twist,” declares chef Gonzalo de Salas, which explains why, in between pungent cheeses and acorn-fed Bellota ham, we find ourselves demolishing a variety of dishes that buck all notions of tradition: as a starter the beetroot-marinated salmon served with wasabi emulsion

is a fine example of this. With de Salas performing balletic tricks in the kitchen, Casa Pablo presents a masterful menu that ripples with adventure. (C3) ul. Grzybowska 5A, tel. 22 324 5781, casapablo.pl

Ceviche Bar Created by the Argentine chef supreme, Martin Gimenez Castro, Warsaw’s first specialist ceviche bar serves up various interpretations of this classic raw fish dish: the corvina is an explosion of peppy, citrusy tastes and leaves you in no doubt as to why ceviche is cresting in popularity around the rest of the world. Try for yourself inside a contemporary space in which the dining area merges seamlessly with a kitchen decorated with a mural of Maradona (boo!). Perfect for your weekend warm-up, a big thumbs-up goes to their Latin-inspired cocktails: the pisco sour is in a league of its own. (C4) ul. Twarda 4, cevichebar.pl 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

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

EAT! Listings 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

spot is all cacti, sombreros and jaunty little finishes. A lettuce overdose detracts from the burritos, but the Al Pastor tacos are generally seen as a force of good.

(H4) ul. Francuska 31

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

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 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

middle eastern

La Catrina Small enough to hear the Mexican chef bantering with the owners, this cheerful

Urban Burritos Super casual in style, this crowded little haunt fills with embassy workers from the US Embassy, a ringing endorsement

Dom Faraona Sitting just off Nowy Świat, this Egyptian restaurant comes soaked in the soothing scent of the sheesha. The comprehensive menu has plenty of zingy Middle Eastern small plates for starters, though really earns its stripes on account of its grill dishes: the lamb ribs are a house specialty. (E4) ul. Ordynacka 13, domfaraona.com

H A R M O N I Z E D BY C H E F G A B R I E L D E G A R C I A , D I S C O V E R W H AT H A P P E N S W H E N T H E PA S S I O N AT E TA S T E S O F S PA I N M E E T T H E M I N I M A L I S T P R E C I S I O N O F J A PA N …

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EAT! Listings

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

vibey atmosphere and casual air. (C4) ul.

Grzybowska 5A, 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

Shuk Located behind Hala Banacha in this gradually blooming district of Warsaw, SHUK’s certainly worth the tram ride if you’re not a native Ochotian. An offshoot of the acclaimed Mezze, highlights on our visit included a well-seasoned Arabic soup with lentils and spinach followed by a skillet of fried oyster mushrooms cooked with onions and served alongside harissa topped with rose petals. You’re looking at quite a special place that

Samira There was something a little seedy about Samira’s old location, but that’s all forgotten in their new digs on Powsińska. Find this great Lebanese supermarket filling a dual role as an authentic restaurant serving authentic dishes such as kafta and shawarma. ul. Powsińska 64a, tel. 22 825 3363, samira.pl

A business lunch oasis in Warsaw Center

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

www.lecedre.pl

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EAT! Listings realigns your mojo on an ashen Warsaw day. ul. Grójecka 127 Sokotra Casting a warm, steamy glow over this corner of Wilcza, Sokotra is a welldesigned nook with a rough, urban edge: telegraph poles, bare bulbs and exposed lumps of concrete. Yemeni dishes are available though it’s the Indian food that shines – the Madras is intense, pungent and suitably fiery. (D5) ul. Wilcza 27, tel. 22 270 2766, sokotra.pl

polish

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

Bar Gdański A refit has seen the plastic plants, putrid smells and that slow feeling of death replaced by a fresher look in keeping with the times. Despite this, the historic core of this milk bar has been retained including the daffodil colors and original floor tiles.

How’s the food? Cheap. That’s probably the kindest thing you can say about it. Despite that, Gdański feels like an essential part of the community. (B1) ul.

Andersa 33, fb.com/bargdanskimuranow

Ćma by Mateusz Gessler Open round-the-clock, Ćma has rescued the city’s night owls from the evil clutches of the center’s grisly kebab dens. Set against an edgy, moth-themed interior designed by guerilla artist Tomasz Górnicki, this on-trend nightspot elevates late night dining to new heights with a menu that involves modernized Polish delicacies such as sausage with horseradish emulsion, black pudding with apple and… goose stomachs. (D6) ul. Koszykowa 63, mateuszgessler.com.pl

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 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

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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, restauracjadompolski.pl 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 Jaś & Małgosia Insouciant one moment, your best friend the next, the staff at Jaś & Małgosia show the two faces of Polish service brilliantly.

Reactivated a couple of years ago, this

EAT! Listings gem has a story dating back to the 60s, and a great atmosphere primed for simple food and local drinks. (B2) Al. Jana Pawła II 57, tel. 502 033 711, klubjasimalgosia.pl 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 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 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 Podwale Piwna Kompania Prowling mountain bands generate a beer hall atmosphere, while the

courtyard garden – designed to replicate a Mitteleuropa square – is one of the best you’ll find. But the obscene portions can’t mask what is pretty poor food. Go there for the experience, if nothing else. (D2) ul.

Podwale 25, tel. 22 635 6314, podwale25.pl Prasowy Delicate diners turn their back on milk bars, yet this canteen-style phenomenon, with its history rooted in communism, has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance and a freshly found popularity with a new generation. Sure, the food is an acquired taste and best described using words like ‘basic’, ‘bland’ and ‘honest’, but Prasowy gets our vote for a cool design that’s seen the 1954 interiors sensitively updated.

(E7) ul. Marszałkowska 10/16 Restauracja Polska “Różana” The rarified atmosphere of Różana is a pleasure indeed. Close to the frontline of Mokotów / Śródmieście, you’d never guess the proximity of the center. Seated in their garden, one feels removed from the city – a fountain burbles quietly in the background, starlings hop around the trees. From the inside, one hears the distant tinkle of the house pianist. Just being here is a thrill in itself, and the food is a Polish dining extravaganza served from the top table: farmhouse duck, saddle of venison, etc. (E8) ul. Chocimska 7, tel. 22 848 1225, restauracjarozana.com.pl Schabowy Red gingham tablecloths are just about the only decorative element in this plain Jane restaurant; aesthetics don’t figure highly, and that much is clear through an approach to plating presentation that’s best described as basic. But boy, they can cook – simple but delicious, the food here is Polish home cooking at its best: great ingredients used to even greater effect.

As the name suggests, schabowy is the star, and here you’ll find it served in three different forms. ul. Obrzeżna 1, fb.com/ schabowy.warszawa Stary Dom A classic restaurant in style and history: back in the day it was a favorite haunt of jockeys and race goers from the horse track nearby. Pre-war recipes form the basis of the menu, with the team using seasonal produce and the latest technology to bring out its best. 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 ul. Puławska 104/106, tel. 22 646 4208, restauracjastarydom.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, restauracjastolica.com Talerzyki It sounds a little absurd, but Talerzyki manage the implausible by Polonizing the concept of tapas and coming up trumps. Fiercely Polish in spirit, the menu looks to revive the essence of inter-war Warsaw with its selection of classic recipes presented in scaled-down form: blood pudding with apple and cinnamon; beef tongue and horseradish; and white sausage with fermented flour sauce. It sounds glum and gory but its anything but – and the style mavens of Mokotowska appear to agree. (D6) ul.

Mokotowska 33/35 U Fukiera New arrivals looking to get a grasp of local cuisine have many options in varying price brackets. U Fukiera is definitely in the big spend category, but visitors come away with a common sense of wonderment. That’s largely due to enchanting interiors that have guests exploring twinkling chambers that unravel like a fairytale. Set in a 500-year-old townhouse, the beautiful backdrop is accompanied by a grand menu of duck, venison, veal and lamb. (D1) Rynek Starego Miasta 27 (Old Town Market Square), tel. 22 831 1013, ufukiera.pl U Szwejka Named after the fictional Czech soldier Szwejk, the food here would certainly appeal to the tubby man himself. Served in an interior bestowed with Prague street signs, the food is a hardy, meaty affair, and arrives in XXXL portions. The price to quantity ratio guarantees queues (yes, queues) that stretch out on the street every weekend – but you have to wonder why. (D6) pl. Konstytucji 1, tel. 22 339 1710, uszwejka.pl 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), mateuszgessler.com.pl

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

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EAT! Listings caramel. So far, there’s been no better launch this year. (G1) Pl. Konesera 1, muzeumpolskiejwodki.pl

scandinavian Nabo The décor is, we’re told, typical Danish cafe – bold open windows, simple lines, high shelves filled with books and games on the table. But what is Danish food? There’s Old Danish on the menu: meatballs and open face sandwiches with meat and fish in various textural configurations and then there’s New Danish: an emerging trend towards fresh, seasonal food with locally sourced and innovatively concocted ingredients. ul. Zakręt 8, tel. 22 842 0256, nabocafe.pl

seafood

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 Lokal na Rybę Open just three days a week, the limited hours have created a supply / demand situation which sees this basic-looking venue often packed out. The menu is revised on a weekly basis though never really goes beyond three starters and a couple of mains – but that’s all they need to captivate the public. In recent times, octopus goulash and smoked herring pierogi have played distinctive roles. (D9) ul. Kwiatowa 1/3/4, fb.com/lokalnarybe U Rysia Devoid of frills bar a glowing neon sign and a brooding mural of Jesus, it looks like a Polish fish restaurant should – basic but with an undercurrent of bustle that keeps the mood bright. It tastes like the real thing as well. Sourcing their catch from the freshwater lakes of northern

Poland, the offer is divided into fish that have been smoked, steamed, fried or baked. Check out the perch ‘chips’ fried in batter. (C4) ul. Marszałkowska 140 (enter from ul. Rysia), urysia.com.pl

specialty food shops Bazar Olkuska Once a sad little side street, Olkuska has evolved to become just about the worst 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, befsztyk.pl 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 The Crazy Butcher Grzegorz Kwapniewski, better known as ‘Warsaw’s celebrity butcher’, has a new store in town, that being a corner unit 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)

GREAT FOOD

SEASONED POLISH STEAKS

WONDERFUL SERVICE

Beef n’ Pepper ul. Nowogrodzka 47a tel. +48 785 025 025 mon-sat: 12.00 - 24.00 sun: 12.00 - 23.00

warsawinsider.pl

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EAT! Listings 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 Hala Gwardii Taking its cue from the market places of Lisbon and Marseilles, Hala Gwardii aims to reprise its former pre-war role as the city’s best-known food market. Designed to complement rather than compete with Hala Mirowska outside, the market is a sensory big bang with dozens of stalls specializing in everything from cheese and sausages, to rolled Thai ice cream and posh pet supplies. (C3) Pl. Mirowska 2, fb.com/halagwardii

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 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

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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 were in the offing as we went to press, so full lowdown coming 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

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, restauracjasanthai.pl 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

EAT! Listings 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, whythai.pl

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

ukrainian

vegan & wholefood

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

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: 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

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 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. (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 Lifemotiv Aiming to ‘uncover the new potential of millet, buckwheat, kale, beet and cabbage’, Lifemotiv is living proof of how far dining in shopping center food courts has advanced. Kick-off the day with a hummus wrap or an acai smoothie bowl, or check-in later for a Portobello & BBQ burger, or a zingy Mango & Chipotle salad.

Keeping in mind the rest of the world, non-vegetarians have the option to add

free range chicken to their salad, wraps or bowls of kasha. ul. Wołoska 12 (Galeria Mokotów), lifemotiv.com.pl 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 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 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 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, fb.com/ohmyphowilcza Vietnamka BEST WAWA 2017 “Casual Dining” 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

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DRINK!

PHOTOGRAPH KEVIN DEMARIA

FULL OF BEANS

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. Mostly though, it’s the coffee people talk about. Having swapped their old, pokey address off Pl. Zbawiciela for (slightly) larger surrounds on Elektoralna, the curious choice of location has done nothing to bruise Forum’s capital reputation. 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.

Forum ul. Elektoralna 11, forum.coffee

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DRINK! Review brewery that’s obsessed with a certain ingredient or see one specializing in something a bit new, but at the end of the day our own intuition is usually the best guide.

Cool job, yeah?

Coolness is in the eye of the beholder!

We work hard to make things happen, but fortunately in the last couple of years we’ve had time to party a little as well. Mostly though it’s a lot of work and a helluva’ lot of stress. Once, the venue we had booked broke the agreement three months before the festival: though we were able to snag Legia’s stadium as a replacement, we had to change the date and that added to the complications. More recently, Legia’s own match schedule meant that at one stage we thought we’d be canceling Thursday and instead hosting the festival on a Sunday – not good news for a beer fest. But all said and done, our staff get better with each and every year and that’s helped our growth. Every year means more work than before, something I didn’t realize was even remotely possible!

BREW-TIFUL TIMES

As the city counts down to the ninth edition of the Warsaw Beer Festival, the Insider talks to co-founder Paweł Leszczyński about Poland’s premier craft beer shindig.

WI: What’s changed on the Polish craft scene in the last year?

PL: The best thing that’s happened has been the widespread adoption of a new style: New England IPA. Not all that was made was good, but the idea of a juicy, misty, hoppy beer that’s not too bitter has changed again our conceptions of what beer can taste and look like.

Elsewhere, fruity beers – and not just sour fruity beers – have become more popular, and we’ve also seen far more low- and non-alcoholic beers being brewed. Finally, more barrel-aged beers have entered the market; every brewery wants them in their portfolio which isn’t a bad thing at all.

How do you decide which breweries to invite?

That’s a tricky one! The breweries we select tend to fit certain criteria: they’re independent, they create trends rather than follow the crowd, and they maintain good control over the brewing process – they dictate what the beer looks like. Sometimes, we’ll see notice a

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What excites you about the upcoming festival?

Even though the festival is held every six months, each outing sees the quality raised: Polish craft beer just keeps getting better! We’ve also got some new breweries lined up, ones with beer that even I haven’t tried yet.

Further, we’ve started cooperating with the US Embassy and as a result Sierra Nevada beer legend Steve Dresler is coming to the festival: I can’t wait to hear his insights!

What’s been your proudest moment?

I love greeting the crowd when the festival kicks-off on opening day.

Seeing so many familiar faces rooting for you is an amazing feeling. Also, I just love it when we’re crazy busy but everything is running like clockwork – it’s great being able to have the time to talk people while there’s a mad rush in the background.

Tell me a secret!

In Poland, everyone’s an expert and knows how to do your job better – talk about annoying!

Warsaw Beer Festival will run from October 25th to October 27th. One-day pass zł. 15 and three-day pass at zł. 25.

Legia’s stadium at ul. Łazienkowska 3. For further details, check: warszawskifestiwalpiwa.pl

PRESS MATERIAL

I love greeting the crowd when the festival kicks-off on opening day

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DRINK! Listings bars & pubs

BAR CRAWLS Mazowiecki Few streets encapsulate the boom and bust nature of Warsaw’s after dark scene better than Mazowiecka.

Having represented the pinnacle of the city’s social life for much of the Naughty Noughties, a dramatic lull followed. Now, it’s back and better than before! Rekindling the spirit of the glory years, find a new generation of glamor pusses and playboys wiggling their ’tings in bar-club crossovers such as Ritual and Fat Buddha.

Nowy Świat ‘Pavilions’ For the highest condensation of bars in the capital head to ‘the pavilions’, a collection of ramshackle drinking cabins, shot bars and sheesha lairs inside a tight grid of shadowy back alleys. Adding to the gentle sense of confusion comes the realization that so many bars look the same – accessed through clattery, barred doors, visitors walk into what can only be described as murk and chais. Find them through the passageway at Nowy Świat 26.

Nowogrodzka At press time Warsaw could boast 50-odd multitap bars, a phenomenal accomplishment given that figure stood at zilch back in 2011.

While the craft beer revolution has penetrated even the darkest, most philistine suburbs, it’s beating heart remains found on Nowogrodzka – no-one will bat an eyelid should you start scribbling notes about the latest double hopped seaweed gose. The presence of Nowina wine bar, the acclaimed Weles cocktail bar, not to mention a couple of clubs around the corner, add wider appeal.

Poznańska Warsaw’s south central pre-war fragment is flushed with options, with the bulk of the action centered around Poznańska. Lined up like sitting ducks are hip haunts like Beirut, Kraken, Grizzly and Ul. Even with the summer a distant memory, the amount of people that spill onto the pavement give over the feeling of an unplanned street party.

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

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ul. Jagiellońska 13

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 life-affirming gargle that sweeps through the body like an electric current – three sips and you feel like Superman. (C5) ul. Hoża 61 Bar Studio The ascetic, modern décor is intentional – both not to compete with the fine adornment of the original walls and to break through the building’s grandiose airs. It’s hard not to be overawed by the sheer gigantism of the Palace of Culture that looms above. It seamlessly slips from café during the day into its more culturally active persona in the evenings, with concerts, film screenings, plays and political discussions. (C4) Pl. Defilad 1, barstudio.pl Bar Warszawa De Luxe Leave your visit to the weekend when De Luxe unfurls into something resembling a Polish wedding disco. All the requisite characters appear in this spinning vortex of Boney M: vodka-fuelled Incredible Hulks, groping granddads, svelte students and everyone else in between.

Somehow, the formula works without a hitch. There are Poles who’d be mortified by this representation of their country, but the truth is, it’s a rip-roaring time that’s enjoyed by most. (D2) Krakowskie Przedmieście 79

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

Bierhalle Having tapped their first beer eight years back, this microbrewery has morphed into a national phenomenon with outposts across the country. All Warsaw locations have a cut/paste Bavarian atmosphere, hefty wooden fittings and waitresses dressed like mountain frauleins. The drinks themselves are formulaic and nothing special. various locations, bierhalle.pl

Bohemia You have to credit them for trying something different, but by going for a slick, corpo style Bohemia have completely missed ‘the essence of Czechia’. Filled with smooth wood and gleaming glass, it feels more boardroom than beer hall (actually, make that bored room). What goes right? The beer. Poured from a ‘tank’ system designed to maintain your beer’s freshness, it’s every bit as good as drinking straight from the tit of Pilsner’s own brew master. (B4) Al. Jana Pawła II 23, bohemiarestaurant.pl

British Bulldog In terms of aesthetic it’s the most accurate replica of an English pub you’ll find. And they get a further nod for a brilliant covered terrace that’s great in all weather. Not that you’ll find many British expats in here, they’ve been boycotting the place ever since the dismissal of the

DRINK! Listings original British manager. Judging by the poor standards of beer and food, you might want to follow their example. What could have become an expat legend is, in essence, a big wet plop of disappointment. (D4) ul. Aleje Jerozolimskie 42

feels like a pub should. Served by a stern, expressionless barman, the Guinness arrives in a mug that’s seen better days but is actually surprisingly decent.

Nothing memorable, but not the calamity you may anticipate from a Polish-run Irish pub on the fringes of Old Town. (C2)

Central Bar The beer (supplied by Bierhalle) is fine, the cocktails are getting better, and the atmosphere is cranked to max: you get the buzzy sense that you’re in the middle of something that’s captured Warsaw’s imagination – the natural focal point of Hala Koszyki, the ever-stretching Central Bar was one of the biggest hits of 2017.

ul. Miodowa 3, irishpubmiodowa.pl

Kosmos – Inne Beczki Craft beer, pizza, late nights and DJs! In a nutshell, that’s Kosmos. Attracting the kind of crowd you’d anticipate (trend aware 20/30-somethings), it’s the kind of place where a dull time is rare. (D5) ul. Poznanska 24

(D6) ul. Koszykowa 63 (Hala Koszyki)

Elephant Belgian Pub Signposted by a jolly, dancing elephant, this Belgian pub presents its cause the moment you enter – there’s twenty or so taps laid right out in front, and to the left a fridge that’s expected to top out to cover 200 beers. The design is basic – brickwork, beer kegs and varying ephemera of the brewing trade – but it doesn’t need that much more: it’s about the beer, after all. (C1) ul. Freta 19 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 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

Irish Pub Opened in 1991, it’s doubtful that the place has seen a cleaning lady since, but the general sense of murk and muck does add to the authenticity: it looks and

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Kraken Rum Bar Named after one of the ocean’s most feared mythical creatures (the scary squid from Pirates of the Caribbean), the woodclad Kraken features a wall of cymbals, heavy furniture and some interesting photography. While there’s some decent bottles of rum, there’s perhaps not enough to justify calling it a rum bar. The place rocks though. (D5) ul. Poznańska 12, fb.com/KrakenRumBar

of their cross-city move is the underlying spirit that made them so famous.

Defiantly arty in its character, the creative mood that prevails manifests itself in a quirky design that involves retro accents, refurbed armchairs, a neon of Lennon and the compelling illustrations of Izabela Wójtowicz. (D5) ul. Żurawia 47 Paradox Billing themselves as a ‘sci-fi / gamers / role play asylum’ this is a cradle of geeks, nerds and people who collect serial killer memorabilia. Decorated with plastic black crows, a map of Mordor and figurines of goblins, watch as oddly attired suspects engross themselves in ‘for hire’ games with names like Hobbit and Bewoulf. (B1) ul. Anielewicza 2, paradox-cafe.pl

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

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

Miejsce Chwila Surviving the move from their former digs is the giant mural of a weatherworn babcia, and it’s under her watery gaze that drinkers congregate to make the most of a decent fridge generously stocked with specialty beers from Poland’s more leftfield producers. Also successfully enduring the challenges

Przystań Nowa Fala If nothing else, 2018 will be remembered as the year the Wisła finally kicked-on to go more upmarket. Playing more than a bit part in all that is Przystań, a gorgeous, moored vessel with ample seating both inside and out. On the first level, order from a bar well-stocked with craft beers, world wines and funky cocktails, before heading to the open upstairs deck to join a fun, cosmopolitan crowd stretched out under the stars. (E2) Bulwar Gen. George’a Smitha Pattona

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

DRINK! Listings 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

Świetlica Long and narrow, dark and murky, it’s as raw as they come: toilets of grubby menace, a smoking room clad in spray art, broken fittings and general gloom.

Basically, it’s everything you demand from the last bar of the night – a place where you can slide into the shadows and watch the world spin around. (E7) ul. Marszałkowska 17 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

Warszawa Powiśle The prime months for this former ticket booth arrive each summer when the deckchairs outside provide ample opportunity for the city’s young and fashionable to gather in an almost carnival-like atmosphere. Once seen as the hipster Center of Power, it still maintains great popularity with whiskered, tattooed sorts. (E4) ul. Kruczkowskiego 3B, warszawapowisle.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

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complete works of Stephen King. (E7) ul.

the bagels are ok. (C4) Pl. Grzybowski

Bagatela 10

2, bistrocharlotte.pl

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

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.

WozowniaBar

cafés

Bułkę przez Bibułkę There’s a feminine style to this cafe, what with its cute, girly pastels, petite plant pots and woodsy finishes. But no matter what your gender or age, there’s something immediately sunny and positive about this place. Slow food sandwiches arrive on wooden boards, there’s pretty homemade desserts and a careful choice of wine: falling in love with it is easy. ul. Puławska 24 & ul. Zgoda 3, bulkeprzezbibulke.pl

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:

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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 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 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

DRINK! Listings Kafka Café A chessboard floor and a collection of antlers on the wall characterize Kafka, a bookstore / café whose literary collection is composed of paperbacks rescued from recycling plants. Books are purchased by their weight (zł. 10 per kilo) while the menu includes pancakes, pastas and even doggy treats for your mutt. (E3) ul. Oboźna 3, kawiarnia-kafka.pl

Kawiarnia Fabryczna A place to eavesdrop, catch-up on gmail and daydream the morning away, head to this warm den to sink inside comfy retro chairs and soak up the natural light that pours through the window. Prepared on a Nuova Simonelli machine, the coffee hails from a range of pedigree roasters such as Warsaw’s own Coffee Lab. (E3) ul. Fabryczna 28/30, kawiarniafabryczna.pl

Labour Cafe Labour Café’s door crashes open onto a busy space that sets bare raw materials of steel, wood, concrete and brick against lashings of plant life and bursts of poster art. But if the front part is all about catching up with friends and soaking up the vibe over bagels and ‘ethical’ coffee, then outback is where the serious stuff happens – discover a studiously quiet dual-level working space featuring a printer, flipcharts and plentiful light. (E4) ul. Tamka 49, labour.pl

Ministerstwo Kawy Sourcing their coffee from Koppi, an internationally acclaimed Swedish roasting house, the ministry takes no short cuts in their pursuit of excellence.

Utilizing Ethiopian, Costa Rican and Brazilian arabicas – some exclusive to Poland – barista Wojciech Rzytki has earned a reputation across Poland for his expert hand. Rave reviews are standard and appropriate. (D6) ul. Marszałkowska 27, ministerstwokawy.pl

Niezłe Ziółko Café & Deli A shrine to pure and healthy eating, this friendly café doesn’t just brew a great coffee, but bakes its own bread and produces its own yogurt. Sit in the loft to look down on shoppers scurrying to Mokotowska, and on the way out, check out ‘Grandma’s Cupboard’ in the corner: jams, spreads and olive oils are there to buy for home. (D5) ul. Krucza 17

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Odette Tearoom Taking its lead from their original dessert stop on ul. Górskiego, the sister venue peddles glorious cakes and pralines as well as a hand-picked selection of boutique teas served in a fragrant and elegant atmosphere. (C4) ul. Twarda 4

Relaks Expertly prepared, right down to the foam art, the baristas here use the finest imported machines and work only with fair trade, ‘specialty’ coffee. If you have time, the drip coffees are more than worth the wait. The crowded interiors supply a retro accent, and are enjoyed by a fashion aware, laptop-touting crowd.

(E9) ul. Puławska 48

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

Resort Originally known for their OTT recycling motif (shopping trolleys re-purposed as seats, street signs as tables...), Resort have pared the design down replacing the old junk with a cool, caramel-colored look high on wood, plants and discreet retro accents. Craft beer, eco-friendly bites, clever cocktails and quality coffee contribute to their popularity, as does a busy events program that’s big on comedy and open mic nights. (C2) ul. Bielańska 1 Same Fusy Suffused in a candle-lit glow, this 15th century cellar unwinds to reveal a charming brick room suspended in time.

Filled with gnarled wooden oddities and tree stump tables, the sweet aroma of fragrant teas helps amplify the fairy tale mood. ul. Nowomiejska 10 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 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

Wrzenie Świata Those with journalistic leanings love Wrzenie Świata. It’s definitely more Macbook than Moleskine, but this bookstore/café attracts plenty of readers (and writers) to its book-lined interior.

Buzzing like a cafe should, it packs out for slideshows and seminars. (E4) ul.

Gałczyńskiego 7

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

(D3) ul. Mazowiecka 12, enklawa.com

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

DRINK! Listings 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

Room 13 Connected by a series of inter-linking archways, rooms inside this dressy club throb at the weekends with a super sexy crowd letting loose under the vaulted ceilings. Now in their fifth year, it’s become a stalwart of the Mazowiecka scene. (D3) ul. Mazowiecka 13, room13.pl Sen Entering this top-floor joint, visitors are hit by a tidal wave of gorgeousness: wall-to-wall with George Clooney lookalikes, off-duty celebrities and catwalk glamor pusses, the carefree hedonism is like something from a film – only tonight, you’re one of the stars. Sod the bank account, you think, bring me champagne: enjoy just that on a terrace deck slung with Edison bulbs, or indoors in an area festooned with deluxe sofas and floor-to-ceiling windows that stare out onto the National Stadium opposite.

The good life doesn’t get any better. (F4) ul. Wioślarska 6

Smolna 38 Hated by the selfie mob (guests have to cover their phones with a sticker), rated by everyone else, Smolna’s nights have grown to become legend. Pete Tong, Simian Mobile Disco and Hercules & Love Affair have all played in the past, which says much for the management’s ambition. (E4) ul. Smolna 38, smolna38.com Spatif The varied music policy shines a light on a revolving schedule of sounds, pinning its attention on everything from 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.

(D5) Al. Ujazdowskie 45, klubspatif.

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, theview.pl

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 Bar Wieczorny The cocktails are serious here, with top quality spirits (Vestal, Baczewski, Woodford Reserve) used with equally big name mixes (Fentimans, Big Tom, etc.). Further, you’ll find it’s the right products in the right hands – the staff really know their game. (D8) ul. Wiśniowa 46, barwieczorny.pl Bardziej This split-level bar does a good job of capturing the essence of the area, with inventive ‘author’s cocktails’ matched against a dimly lit, ‘steam punk’ interior that’s heaving with cogs, metal hooks and enigmatic dials. The later it gets, the better it is. (E5) ul. Marszałkowska 21/25 (enter from Oleandrów)

Biała Saska’s premier cocktail spot reaches its warsawinsider.pl

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DRINK! Listings zenith each summer thanks to a leafy back garden that stands shaded by this modernist building: it’s worth visiting just to swan down the spiral stairs with a glass of something bubbly. ul. Francuska 2, fb.com/bialazjedziwypij

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 Coctail Bar Max Can you trust a cocktail bar that can’t even spell the word? In this case, yes! Max looks bright, cheerful and fully loaded for the sun, and also comes with a smoking alcove in the back stuffed with whisky and cigars. The cocktails are the main affair though, and here they’re extravagant efforts that resemble a tropical jungle in miniature form. Very popular with types that aspire to become footballers’ wives, etc. (D5) ul. Krucza 16/22, barmax.pl Column Bar Just the look of Column Bar sweeps you off your feet; there’s something breathlessly classy about it, like you’ve just entered Gatsby’s ballroom. You want to order a pyramid of champagne and dance on their piano. Behave, and order a cocktail instead. For a taste of the classics, the Column Bar is pretty peerless.

(D2) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 42/44 (Hotel Bristol)

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

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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.

it’s a venue that writes a new chapter in the 160-year story of the venerable Europejski Hotel. Luxurious while never being excessive or ostentatious, there’s a calming sense of class that feels elegant yet relaxed: expensive, yes, prohibitive, no.

Intuitive service, sophisticated drinks and an interior that feels timeless yet historic in equal measure – for the full Raffles experience, order from their choice of signature Slings. (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13 (Raffles Europejski), raffles. com/warsaw

Na Lato Once derided as a hipster haunt, the twits have moved on, replaced instead by an increasingly on-trend crowd of rich young things. The cocktails are without doubt up there with the best in Wa-wa and the basement club area has the added boon of a glassed-in smoking room. (F5) ul. Rozbrat 44, na-lato.com

Panorama Sky Bar The Marriott’s 40th floor Panorama has had a couple of incarnations: first, as a glitzy Dynasty throwback, and then, more recently, as something that could have passed for a business class airport lounge. Now it’s been reinvented once again, only this time successfully: find slick, vibrant interiors redolent of London matched up with modern cocktails and twinkling views. (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79, panoramabar.pl

Kita Koguta The staff aren’t afraid to get imaginative, and that includes serving cocktails in smoking coconut husks. Aimed at a younger crowd largely in their 20s, it’s a good-humored, lively cocktail bar that’s famed around the country for the creativity of its bartenders. Next door, visit their sister bar, Kiti. Dominated by a tall Polynesian totem, this ray of sunshine gets noted for extravagant cocktails served by game staff in zany shirts. (E5)

Podwale Bar & Books Though it doesn’t have to be winter to enjoy T Podwale Bar & Books, R C it definitely P T M helps. Seen through frosted, C windows W foggy it’s a venue that reveals ≈ W as C a place of dark, delicious colors itself ≈ and air. Occupying the kind of C rarefied C ≈ charismatic gatehouse you’d read about T ≈ in Dickens, P E position yourself in front of ≈ theLupstairs fireplace for a celebratory S cigar and a Bglass of something tall and P B lovely: the cocktails are in a class of their own and specifically customized for the season. (D2) ul. Wąski Dunaj 20, barandbooks.

ul. Krucza 6/14

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Long Bar Decked out with smooth marble, natural oak, striking art and soft tan leather,

The Roots Having recruited some of the top bartenders in Poland, The Roots have a serious

ul. Twarda 4, cosmobar.pl

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DRINK! Listings 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) ul. Wierzbowa 11

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

Woda Ognista Woda Ognista evokes the jazzy air of a Chicago, Prohibition era speakeasy with a seriously stylish interior that includes a colossal collection of vintage cocktail shakers that glint behind glass. The drinks themselves, rattled up by dapper gents in braces and flat caps, are split between house creations and reprised classics from a bygone era. Some are more successful than others, and it’s a credit to the staff that they’re willing to take comments on board and adapt their precious recipes to suit fussy tastes. (E5) ul. Wilcza 8, wodaognista.com

craft beer

friendly, earnest audience that’s all beer geeks and know-it-alls. (B5) ul. Twarda

places with six or so beers on tap. The two owners, Piotrek and Kuba, take their beer seriously, so do expect plenty of 42 (basement level), chmielarnia.waw.pl new finds as well as traditional favorites Chmielarnia Marszałkowska from stalwarts like Artezan and Pinta.

With Warsaw’s tap bars all falling over each The laidback, neighborhood atmosphere other to stock the latest tap beers, your is making it increasingly popular with options are frequently similar from bar to a tight-knit circle of ex-pat drinkers. bar – which is when a good fridge becomes (C3) ul. Grzybowska 2 (through the side important. Not only can you actually see passage), czesc.waw.pl into Chmielarnia’s, you’ll find it housing the Czeska Baszta most exciting brews trending around the globe: from the edgy Bermondsey brewer- Contained within a grotty bridge support, divey Czeska is permanently immersed ies to the Scandinavian giants. Broaden your horizons! (E7) ul. Marszałkowska 10/16, chmielarnia.waw.pl

Chmielołak Bis All the hallmarks of the quintessential neighborhood bar are here – that said, seeing they don’t even have a bar (just a line of taps and a barmaid standing in front of them), maybe calling it a bar in the traditional sense takes a jump of the imagination. Regardless, there’s something about this place that’s special: a cute wooden-decked garden aside, reasons to visit include ten taps, a snug, secret basement and a sense of something warm, neighborly and pleasingly engaging. ul. Walecznych 68A

Craft Beer Muranów Though still an area thick with beret-wearing, 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/craftbeermuranow

Artezan Pub The country has crazier breweries for sure, but does it have anyone more consistent than the lads at Artezan. Famed for their Pacific – the quintessential domestic IPA – Artezan’s flagship bar is a standard bearer not just for quality, but for Poland as a whole. (D4) ul. Moniuszki 1A Chmielarnia A subterranean multi-tap found in the depths of the fishing institute. Artisan beers rule the roost here (there’s 15 taps and stacks more beer in the fridge), a point underlined by a glass coffin of mainstream macro lager. While the bar gets loud and rackety, sweaty and sticky, that’s balanced out by a rotating beer offer that’s moderately priced plus a

Cuda Na Kiju Where it all began. Summer catches Warsaw’s original tap bar at its best, with the courtyard of the former Communist Party HQ now home to an entirely different kind of party: on occasions find food trucks and film screenings, and all other times just a massive crowd getting sloshed on 15 types of tap beer. But even outside the sweaty months Cuda is worth the visit: drink inside a modern, glass cube that’s refreshingly contemporary. (E4) ul. Nowy

10%

Świat 6/12, cudanakiju.pl

Cześć It started as a café, but now Cześć is better known as being at the forefront of the new generation of ‘quali-tap’ bars – small little warsawinsider.pl

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DRINK! Listings 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 To plug into the pounding heart of Warsaw’s craft beer scene, look no further than Nowogrodzka. Joining the ranks of the street’s multi-tap bars is Drugie Dno, a three-level space that’s been themed to evoke the look of a disused power station.

Sporting rugged brickwork and a scuffed style, the industrialized look has been amped up to the max through the use of steel girders, vintage voltage meters and toilets disguised as elevator shafts. (D5)

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

Kufle i Kapsle Interiors are balanced with the pre-war heritage of the place, and are thick with noise, clamor and the smell of spillage.

Found somewhere towards the top of the national hierarchy of craft beer bars, Kufle welcomes all, from entry level novices to note-taking beer nerds. The male to female ratio is somewhere near equal, which in itself feels pretty unique.

ul. Nowogrodzka 4

(D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 25, kufleikapsle.pl

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

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 furnishings last seen when Brezhnev was a boy. But as nice as it looks, the reason Kufle’s busy is a little more liquid: on tap, find a fluctuating choice of 12 crazy beers sourced from the kind of breweries that make Poland seem progressive. (E3) ul.

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.

There’s 12 taps in all, a decent fridge to geek over, an ace burger and beer-based ice cream – hooray! (D4) ul. Chmielna 27/31

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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 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. (D4) ul. Chmielna 7/9, fb.com/ MikkellerBarWarsaw

Piw Paw We don’t like: the sweaty toilet, strange smells nor the scrum at the bar. We do like: the 24hr opening hours, humongous fridge and 50+ taps. Seen in the light it’s a little depressing, so visit at night when Parkingowa takes on the look of an endof-term street party. (D5) ul. Żurawia 32/34 (enter from ul. Parkingowa), piwpaw.pl

Same Krafty Occupying two narrow, rugged rooms, Same Krafty have rescued Old Town from big beer brands peddling piss. Offering artisan alternatives, this intimate bar has become a magnet for those looking to explore the more subversive side of Polish brewing. (D1) ul. Nowomiejska 10, samekrafty.pl

Same Krafty Vis-à-vis You wouldn’t have thought it a year back, but reasons keep emerging to drink in the Old Town. When it comes to pubs, Same Krafty top the list, but try getting served at peak drinking time. So here’s some brilliant news: they’ve now opened another bar opposite. 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. (D1) ul.

Nowomiejska 11/13, samekrafty.pl

Warzą się Losy “Nowhere in Warsaw,” boasts the barman, “has more beer taps per square meter.”

DRINK! Listings Despite its diminutive footprint, WsL punches above its weight with eight taps turning out new generation Polish beer.

Decked out like an anechoic chamber, the combination of good beer and mouse hole dimensions mean that it doesn’t take long for conversations to crossover with the scattering of strangers at the bar. Soon enough everyone’s drinking together and toasting the night. (D7) ul.

Oleandrów 3

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

live music

Hydrozagadka Set out in the wildlands of Praga, consider Hydrozagadka as the heart of unforced cool. Known for its alternative music scene, the low-ceiling and tight, crowded nature of it generate an electrifying atmosphere where the audience and band become one. Walking a fine line between industrial and straight out decrepit, the atmosphere is second to none: drinks flow, strangers meet and music smashes out: you can feel something special happening here. ul. 11 Listopada 22, hydrozagadka.waw.pl

Klub Pogłos Arguably Warsaw’s No. 1 venue for alternative music, Pogłos checks all the requisite boxes: a divey, gritty look,

a liberal atmosphere and an army of fans willing and eager to embrace the seamier side of night. The packed program of events runs from spoken word performances and vegan BBQs, to sweaty tribute concerts celebrating The Smiths. At other times, you’ll be listening to touring Berlin-based bands, hardcore DJs or psychedelic soul from the likes of King Khan And The Shrines. If it’s weird, it’s on. ul. Burakowska 12, fb.com/klubpoglos

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

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

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DRINK! Listings Meta Chains of old bog paper, Karol Gott album covers and other Communist keepsakes litter this shot bar. But for a real blast to the past, visit their Parkingowa venue for a full-on, Polski-style retro disco. It’s hilarious. ul. Mazowiecka 11 / Foksal 21 / Parkingowa 5

Pijalnia Havoc reigns in Pijalnia, and watching all the tears and tiffs on a Friday night is something of a spectator sport. Pickles and vodka are the essential order, while reading matter is supplied via commieera sports reports that are plastered to the wall. Many locations 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

wine bars

Ale Wino!

Without doubt, peak time is the summer when drinkers congregate on a courtyard deck shielded by a sail. But winter ain’t so bad either with this covert wine bar unraveling to reveal a series of little chambers. The wine choice is comprehensive and it’s ably supported by some of the best cooking in the city: chef Sebastian Wełpa is one of Warsaw’s great, golden talents.

and anything but vain. (D2) Pl. Piłsudskiego 9, bubbles.com.pl

Dekant Wine Bar Set inside an attractive open space, the opening of Dekant is a further indication of Powiśle’s shift from hipster epicenter to upscale playground (Robert Lewandowski has been spotted here!). The list comprises over 400 wines from the most prestigious producers in the world, right the way down to tiny, little vineyards you’ve probably never heard of. If the sun is out, aim for a place on their back terrace. (E3) ul. Zajęcza 15, dekant.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

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4, nowina.waw.pl

Rusiko Wine Bar Designed to act as a casual extension of the neighboring Rusiko restaurant, 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, fb.com/winebarrusiko

Hoża You’ll probably know Hoża as the home of steak. But what is meat without wine? complementing the Argentineinspired cooking is a wine list particularly dense with reds. (D5) ul. Hoża 25a, hoza. warszawa.pl

Kieliszki Na Hożej Pointing attention towards small and 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

(E5) ul. Mokotowska 48, alewino.pl

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

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

WinKolekcja The selection of New World wines is exceptional, though classicists are also catered for via an extensive choice of Spanish, French and Italian wines.

Their highly recommended restaurant provides further reason to linger inside a design that has the routine look of a club class lounge. (E10) ul. Olkuska 7, winkolekcja.pl

Winosfera Once a pre-war cinema, now a stunning wine bar / store with one of the most impressive collections in Poland: an expense account comes in handy.

Equally notable is the ambitious fine dining menu of Jakub Adamczyk. (B3) ul.

Chłodna 31, winosfera.pl

Mielżyński Wine Bar Founded in 2004, this ivy-clad warehousestyle 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), mielzynski.pl

Winsky Winsky presents a menu of itsty, teeny plates, a maverick selection of tap wines, top notch whisky, and an interior that’s all restrained velvety opulence. And then there’s the backdrop – 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

DO!

PHOTOGRAPH KEVIN DEMARIA

IN DESIGN

Working with both large manufacturers and smaller Polish 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 to pimp up your home. So named because of the proprietor’s ambition to create a link between classic and contemporary styles, owner Katarzyna has assembled a balanced selection of items all of which are handmade from natural raw materials.

“Products of the highest quality adds a new value to life,” she says, “which is why we only focus on top quality products that treat traditional manufacturing technologies with the utmost respect; throughout the store, we’re faithful to concepts of continuity, heritage, timelessness, honesty and openness.” As evidence, splurge out on magnificent design pieces by the likes of Louis Poulsen, Lumio, Łyko, Klippan and Ton. DecoDialogue ul. Kopernika 8/18, decodialogue.pl warsawinsider.pl

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Do! Review

A RARE, OLD TIME

Down a quiet Warsaw side street, one of the world’s few caricature museums celebrates its 40th birthday…

BY STUART DOWELL

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Caricature Museum Old Town Market Square, muzeumwarszawy.pl

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aricature is considered by many to be the poor cousin of other forms of graphic art, not quite taken seriously, too much fun to be treated sincerely. It is fitting then that Warsaw’s quirky Museum of Caricature hides on the delightfully narrow ul. Kozia at number 11, behind Krakowskie Przedmieście in the Old Orangery to the rear of the Primate’s Palace. It’s a stone’s throw from the Baroque treasures of the Royal Castle and the contemporary delights of Zachęta, but it maintains a respectful distance, lurking on its back street like Cinderella waiting to be asked to the ball.

Back in 2015, The Guardian called it “one of the best museums you’ve probably never heard of”, a backhanded compliment that still sits proudly on the museum’s home page. For those of us who live in Warsaw, the recommendation is only partly accurate. In an unscientific survey carried out in the pub, the most frequent response on being asked about the museum was, “Oh yeah, I’ve heard of that, is it any good?”

Well, actually, yes it is. The museum building itself feels like a satirical cartoon. When you arrive and see it you know that something funny is going on inside. The giveaways here are the big red entrance door in the shape of a keyhole and the crazy mirror in the entrance foyer that makes you look a little funny. With cartoonish exaggeration, the place is shouting that this is a place of humor – come in and get ready for a good laugh.

To get the joke though, you have to delve deeper and view the exhibits. What’s refreshing about caricature and satirical art is that the message and the intentions of the artist are clear straight from the off. Either the joke is written out for you in the case of satire or else it is still easy to work out what is going on from the picture: a man is drowning but he doesn’t realize because he’s staring at Facebook the whole time.

A couple of practical points:

there is not much translation here; unless foreign caricature is being exhibited you will have to make do with the original Polish (jokes are often untranslatable anyway). Another thing to bear in mind is that there are no permanent exhibitions – space here is limited (perhaps the Church higher-ups didn’t eat many oranges) and the temporary exhibitions, which change every few months, usually focus either on a specific artist or theme.

What this produces is a dynamic and innovative cultural institution that has lots going on. When you’re in Old Town, it’s always worth popping in to see what’s new. Over the summer, the museum hosted prize-winning work from the Four Seasons of Caricature 2017/2018 competition, an often laugh-outloud reminder of issues from the previous year, including #metoo, the controversial felling of trees and the increase to the retirement age. The main autumn exhibition is titled, worryingly, ‘Józef Wilkoń – Hand Job’.

The museum may be small in size and tucked away out of sight, but this doesn’t prevent it from taking its message of mirth out to the people. In the summer, it took space in a pavilion on George Patton Square along the Vistula Boulevards, where alongside exhibitions it hosted drawing workshops with top caricaturist Edward Lutczyn.

The museum opened in 1978 and it is celebrating its 40th anniversary throughout the year by hosting exhibitions of work by some of the greatest caricaturists from this period. The institution was founded by the satirist Eryk Lipiński, who realized that caricature and satirical art dates very quickly, so he believed it was important to preserve as much of the work as he could. Now the collection numbers over 25,000 items. Having recently fought off an attempt to merge it into the Museum of Warsaw, the museum still stands on its own feet fulfilling its mission to bring mirth and a bit of mayhem to Warsaw’s cultural scene.

Back in 2015, The Guardian called it “one of the best museums you’ve probably never heard of”, a backhanded compliment that still sits proudly on the museum’s home page

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DO! Events abating. Anticipate piles of people descending on the Palace of Culture to try out food from the very best vegan restaurants in the country. Lectures, workshops and a market are also planned for the event.

Admission zł. 5

Family Korczak Festival

EDITOR’S PICK Warsaw Tattoo Convention 13-14 Oct @ ul. Łazienkowska 3 (Legia Stadium)

Those with a thing for ink and piercings need look no further than the sixth edition of the Warsaw Tattoo Convention – alarming and inspiring in equal measure, the latest installment is set to attract 1,000 artists from over 30 countries.

For details, see: warsawtattooconvention.com

Exhibition 2nd Avant Art Festival

1-7 Oct @ various locations Back for a second year, this art & film festival will present punk, industrial, improv/ jazz and beat sounds, as well as a film program that aims to ‘focus on a deeper, biographical analysis of several phenomena’. No, we’ve no idea either. Bands and performers include Wolf Eyes, Rob Mazurek, Gazelle Twin: Kingdom Come, and Yves Tumor.

For details, see: avantart.pl

Concert Kayah & Bregovic

5 Oct @ ul. Łazienkowska 6a (COS Towar) One of the most popular partnerships in the history of Polish music join forces once more to belt out their great-

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est hits. Collaborating since 1999, the duo have scored numerous success together, including a million-selling album and three prestigious Fryderyk awards.

Tickets @ eventim.pl

Sport Biegnij Warsaw

7 Oct, 12:00 noon @ ul. Czerniakowska The largest ‘fun run’ in Poland follows a ten kilometer route and is held in conjunction with the Maszeruję – Kibicuję walk.

In 2009 the run was voted Warsaw’s top sporting event.

For details, see: biegnijwarszawo.pl

Food & Drink Vege Festival

14 Oct @ Pl. Defilad 1 (PKiN) Warsaw’s growing infatuation with the vegetarian lifestyle shows no sign of

Warsaw Insider | OCTOBER 2018

12-19 Oct @ various locations Held in selected theaters around town, the Korczak Festival is a celebration of dramatic art specifically aimed at children and adolescents. To meet this end, a series of performances, workshops and exhibitions have been lined up to meet this end.

For details, see: korczak-festival.pl

Festival Warsaw Film Festival

12-21Oct @ various locations The WFF has evolved into one of the most prestigious festivals that Warsaw has on offer. The festival showcases the best of Polish, European and international cinema, with a mission statement to increase international awareness of Polish film and culture. Audience interaction is encouraged by way of meetings and seminars with those involved in the industry.

this notion to be considered anew.

For details, see: wwb10.artmuseum.pl

Family Garden of Light

13 Oct @ ul. Stanisława Kostki Potockiego 10/16 (Wilanów Palace & Gardens) You know winter is on its way when Wilanów’s Garden of Light opens up. Ongoing until February, visitors enter a magical world which sees the Palace’s extravagant gardens illuminated with 3D projections and thousands of pulsating diodes – the effect is dazzling!

For details, see: wilanow-palac.pl

Food & Drink Restaurant Week

17-31 Oct @ various locations For those unfamiliar with this event, the premise is straightforward: for the duration of the festival, participating restaurants will be offering three-course menus for the price of zł. 49.

Basically, it’s a great chance to try a heap of restaurants at a fraction of their usual cost. Held in cities across the country, at press time 69 Warsaw restaurant had signed-up to take part: that number should grow even further.

For details, see: restaurantweek.pl

For details, see: wff.pl

Exhibition Warsaw Under Construction

13 Oct till 11 Nov @ ul. Marszałkowska 99/101 (Cepelia) The 2018 festival exhibition looks to examine the idea of neighbourly relations within the shared urban space, where rising migration, whether for economic or political reasons, calls for

Food & Drink Żarcie Na Kółkach

20 Oct @ Pl. Konesera 2 (Centrum Praskie Koneser) Marking the official end to the food truck season, this event will bring together all the big hitters from the nation’s street food scene.

Other than food, you’d be right to expect live music, beer points and other such entertainment.

DO! Museums

POSTER 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.’

ethnomuseum.pl

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 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

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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The Heritage Interpretation Center This small venue tells the complex story of Old Town’s reconstruction: if the first section about Warsaw’s physical elimination is poignant, then the others do a fabulous job of sharing the optimism and alacrity that followed. ul.

Brzozowa 11-13, mhw.pl

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Z AC H Ę TA

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.

young owner, the museum is split into a few different sections: one devoted to state and subversive literature, and another that recreates an empty store typical of the times. Our highlight, though, is the recreation of a commie-era apartment. ul.

Tłomackie 3/5, jhi.pl

Glucha (opposite Soho Factory), adventurewarsaw.com

Katyń Museum This museum commemorates 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

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 Communist Life Lovingly assembled by its

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

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

DO! Museums

POLIN

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.

Pawiak What was once a Tsarist prison assumed a doubly sinister function under the Nazis. Some 100,000 Polish political prisoners were held here, 37,000 of which were executed on-site. Split in two sections, cells are found on one side, while on the other the full story of the invasion and occupation. ul. Dzielna

Factory), neonmuzeum.org

Palmiry National Memorial Museum An excellent multimedia exhibition set next to a cemetery holding the graves of 1,700 Poles executed in the first years of Nazi occupation.

The museum tells their forgotten story as well as that of the siege and subsequent occupation of Warsaw.

Palmiry, palmiry.mhw.pl

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,

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

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, 1944.pl

muzeumpolskiejwodki.pl

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art.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

NEON MUSEUM

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

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

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.

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 warsawinsider.pl

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DO! Education 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. Dąbrowskiego 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 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 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 Mokotów and Izabelin. The school in Izabelin is set in the quiet of the Kampinos Forest just outside the city. Teachers are fully trained in earlychildhood education in English according to the Montessori philosophy. Registration open to children 2 1/2 to 6 years of age. ul. Badowska 19 (Mokotów), 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

Casa dei Bambini Warsaw Montessori School accepting

applications for all our locations and programs: Infant & Toddler: age 15 months-2.5 years, Casa: age 2.5-6 years Contact Ela: tel. 692 099 134 office@warsawmontessori.edu.pl Elementary: age 6-9, 9-12 years Contact Sylvia: tel. 606 276 112 sylvia@warsawmontessori.edu.pl

warsaw montessori family

"Erdkinder" Middle School: age 12-15 years Montessori High School: age 15-18 years Contact Małgosia: tel. 604 137 826 malgosia@warsawmontessori.edu.pl Warszawa: Szwoleżerów 4, Badowska 19, Tatrzańska 5a, Izabelin-Hornówek: Szkolna 16

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www.wmf.edu.pl

DO! Education 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). ul. Piechoty

schools

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

You want the best for your child.

So do we.

With unique global opportunities and the highest quality learning approach, we will inspire your child to succeed.

www.thebritishschool.pl

Please email admissions@thebritishschool.pl or call (0048) 22 842 32 81 ext. 125 to arrange a tour

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DO! Education 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,

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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 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

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 & Beauty golf 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

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

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. ul.

Wołoska 12 (Galeria Mokotów), holmesplace.pl

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

104 Warsaw Insider | OCTOBER 2018

(Marriott), holmesplace.pl

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

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

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

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

DO! Health & Beauty effects who, at the same time, appreciate a sense of intimacy’. ul. Belwederska 32, 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, spa. clochee.com/spa

ouch!

Ouch!

Experts in waxing, Ouch! aim their offer at ‘busy women looking for express treatments with lasting DEPILACJA WOSKIEM

ouch.pl

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

The Pedicure Place A luxury pedi/manicure clinic with room for 10. All the latest OPI varnishes and over 200 colors guarantee you’ll find the latest in styling and nail care. ul. Pokorna 2, pedicure-place.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

Wondering if to learn Polish?

Start or resume lessons?

Is it even worth your time?

Then remember… Polish language skills are a genuine asset. Whether its to run your business, joke with friends or even to understand what everyone is saying about you, a firm grounding of Polish will help you keep your ear to the ground!

Co w trawie piszczy!

Have an ace up your sleeve!

Miej asa w rękawie!

60-minute trial kontakt@cupofpolish.com cupofpolish.com

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 BeautyLab Polska Rated as one of the biggest names in global cosmetics, the range of treatments run from anti-ageing to daily body care and essential skin care. beautylablondon.pro

di Trevi Boutique Aimed at both him and her, di Trevi present the freshest Italian footwear releases from prestigious brands such as Ballin and Loriblu. Piękna 11A, ditrevi.pl

Glamstore Widely hailed by Poland’s fashion glossies, this store sells modern furnishings with all the trimmings and colors you could ask for. They also stock kitchen and bathroom accessories, as well as touting their own jewelry line.

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.

Just Paul seeks to address the needs of the modern woman with its line in chic but casual clothing and more dazzly evening wear. ul. Mokotowska

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.

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 61

Mokotowska 26, lui-store.com

Balthazar An atelier, boutique and private tailor with several unique brands. Book your meeting by calling tel. 535 545 728.

Łukasz Jemioł Known for his sophisticated yet nonchalant designs, discover Łukasz Jemioł’s flagship store in the heart of Warsaw’s boutique quarter. Utilizing the highest quality fabrics, his contemporary apparel comes in two lines, Premium and Basic. ul. Mokotowska 26, jemiol.

ul. Narbutta 83 (entry from ul. Łowicka)

Al. Rzeczypospolitej 18/68, balthazar.pl

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.

EM Cashmere Boutique Available brands include Allude Cashmere, Annette Görtz, Studiorundholz and Sarah Pacini with 30-40% discounts on last year’s collections, and up to 70% on those of previous years. ul.

ul. Złota 59 (Złote Tarasy), hardrockcafe.pl

Szczygla 8, emcashmere.pl

Minty Dot Top quality Polish jewelry composed using gold, silver and natural stone. Contemporary in style, these are accessories that radiate class and craftsmanship while at the same time exuding a subtle sense of timeless romance. ul.

Femi Stories Aimed at the young, active woman of today, Femi Pleasure’s dynamic range of clothing is both urban and outdoorsy. ‘Unique design, quality and comfort’ are the sacred three pillars upon which their philosophy is built.

Bracka 5, mintydot.pl

ul. Browarna 4, femistories.com

Mo61 Billed as a ‘perfume laboratory’, Mo61 allows customers to create their own scents under the expert guidance of staff trained by Zygmunt Marczewski (“the best nose in Poland”!). ul. Mokotowska 61

Just Paul Exuding confident femininity, this energetic brand is characterized by its light and unobtrusive elegance and sense of effortless nonchalance. Founded in 2012 by designers Justyna and Paula,

com

106 Warsaw Insider | OCTOBER 2018

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, plactrzechkrzyzy.com

Ptasia 6 A unique ladies concept store showcasing the works of both emerging and established independent Polish fashion labels such as Eva Grygo, Confashion, Horror! Horror!, Kasia Miciak and Polanka. ul.

Ptasia 6, ptasia6.pl

QπШ - Robert Kupisz One of Warsaw’s hottest fashion icons, and a trip here soon explains why. The exclusive, handmade garments are a guaranteed head turner. ul.

Mokotowska 48/204 (courtyard), robertkupisz.com

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

pantuniestal.com

61, justpaul.pl

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

fashion

emphatically on-trend, it’s a must-visit. Koszykowa 35/40,

Pan Tu Nie Stal Polish design at its peak: fashion is prominent, but there’s also interesting bitsy things such as aprons, jam jars, notebooks and mugs – all with a defiantly Polish twist.

Eccentric, unusual and

Redford and Grant This multi-brand fashion store offers clothing and accessories from the newest collections from all the major international designers such as Dior, YSL, D&G, Gucci, Miu Miu and Prada. Metropolitan Building, Pl. Piłsudskiego 3, redfordandgrant.pl

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

Risk. Made In Warsaw Mixing modern shapes with expert tailoring, the idea was to create a look that’s both

DO! Shopping Listings comfortable yet chic. That they’ve been featured in the likes of Vogue and Elle suggests that this target has been accomplished. ul. Szpitalna 9, riskmadeinwarsaw.com

Viola Śpiechowicz Inspiring, unpretentious and highly creative, Viola Śpiechowicz reinvisions what it means to be feminine by giving classic styles a progressive edge – choose from limited pret a porter collection and exclusive haute couture creations. ul. Chopina 5B, violaspiechowicz.com

home

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.eu

Green Bells Equally inspired by Asia as the Victorian terrariums of botanist Dr. Nathaniel Bagshaw-Ward, Green Bells present miniature eco-worlds kept perfectly preserved inside ornamental glass: an ideal statement piece for house and home, your very own ‘forest in a jar’ will set you back from zł. 120 upwards. ul. Grzybowska 16/22, fb.com/greenbells

Długa Showroom Decorative plaster materials from Novacolor and porcelain from Visa Alegre (the official china of the White House and Buckingham Palace) are a couple of reasons to go here for spending. ul. Długa 8/14, dlugashowroom.pl

Le Pukka For interior inspirations take a look at Le Pukka:

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

Makutra To know and not to cook, is not to know. This store has everything a master chef seeks: from tagines to mezzalunas, it’s got the lot covered. Huge stock of cook books and kitchenware. ul.

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

Oleandrów 5, makutra.com

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

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, lata60-te.pl

Future Antiques These stylish, mid-century pieces have been refreshed using artisanal techniques to

highly original furniture and decorative pieces for the home come from the likes of Smeg, AreaDeclic, HK Living and Zuiver. ul. Solec 58/60, lepukka.pl

malls & department stores

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

Puławska 2, placunii.pl

Vitkac Wolf Bracka Poland’s first luxury department store gathers the world’s top designers under one roof. Vitkac, ul. Bracka 9, likusconceptstore.pl

Arkadia Not many Polish malls do it better. Stores inc. Mango, Lacoste, Guess, Hilfiger and Peek & Cloppenburg. Al. Jana

Złote Tarasy Over 200 stores, restaurants and cafes, plus the Multikino cinema and the Pure Jatomi Health and Fitness Club. ul. Złota 59,

Pawła II 82, arkadia.com.pl

zlotetarasy.pl

Musical Stars

RAMIN KARIMLOO (Broadway, West End)

JAKUB WOCIAL, PAULINA JANCZAK NATALIA PIOTROWSKA, MACIEJ PAWLAK Musical Director JAN STOKŁOSA

Broadway the best of

Ramin Karimloo The hottest voice from Broadway and London’s West End

a musical concert

03.12.2018 / 19:00 | Teatr Polski, Tickets at the box office and online www.bilety24.pl

General Listings 5-Star Hotels

tel. 22 255 9590, raffles.com/ warsaw

(from 10 a.m. to 11p.m.), between-us.eu

Regent Warsaw Hotel

Boutique B&B

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

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

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

Express Relocations ul. Szyszkowa 35/37, expressrelocations.com

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

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

H15 Boutique ul. Poznańska 15, tel. 22 553 8700, info@h15ab.com, h15ab.com

car rental

Sheraton

Avis

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

Radisson Blu Centrum Hotel

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

ul. Grzybowska 24, tel. 22 321 8888, radissonblu.com

Hertz Rent a Car

Hilton Warsaw

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

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

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

relocation companies AGS Warsaw

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

ul. Julianowska 37, Piaseczno, agsmovers.com

B&B

CorstJens Worldwide Movers Raffles Europejski Warsaw

Between Us Bed & Breakfast

ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13,

ul. Bracka 20, tel. 22 8285417

ul. Nowa 23, Stara Iwiczna, corstjens.com

Interdean International ul. Geodetów 172, Piaseczno, tel.

22 701 7171, interdean.com

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

w W a r s a www.city-tour.com.pl

Yellow Double-Decker Bus

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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.

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

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108 Warsaw Insider | OCTOBER 2018

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Warsaw Guide COPERNICUS SCIENCE CENTRE

in a visit The Museum of Life Under Communism: it’s tiny, but humorous, eccentric and highly informative. While you’re there, squeeze into a knackered militia wagon and take one of their commie-themed tours. Equally weird, check out a former nuclear bunker by visiting the once top secret Obiekt Alfa (obiektalfa.pl). Lastly, take a look at what’s on at Dom Spotkań z Historią, a small exhibition space that specializes in quirky photo exhibits that explore Warsaw’s past – though subject matter varies to cover differing chapters of the city’s history, the PRL era receives the lion’s share of attention.

MODERN WARSAW

THE ESSENTIALS...

Cut through the chaff and time manage your visit as effectively as possible.

THE OLD…

The Old Town, raised from the rubble after WWII, is symbolic of this ‘phoenix city’, and fully deserving of its UNESCO listed status. The Royal Castle is a maze of fancy chambers and important paintings by the likes of Rembrandt and Canaletto, while the Museum of Warsaw offers a peerless peek into the complexities of Warsaw’s story. To soak in the extravagances of Poland’s imperial years, then Łazienki Park is essential, especially during the peak of the golden autumn. Further out, visit Wilanów Palace: frequently nicknamed ‘the Polish Versailles’, the landscaped gardens are as unmissable as the former royal chambers. Finally, tap into the very essence of the Polish soul by visiting the new Vodka Museum on the right side of town.

WWII

Memories of WWII still hang heavy.

Learn about the 1944 Warsaw Uprising at The Rising Museum: it’s deservedly rated as among the most important cultural institutions in the country.

Lesser known, the Old Town’s ‘Heritage

Centre’ documents the destruction of the city, while three separate museums, Pawiak, Szucha and Katyń, cover equally somber chapters in Poland’s dark history.

JEWISH WARSAW

Though largely flattened, the former Jewish Ghetto contains numerous memorials, among them the Umschlagplatz monument marking the spot where trains departed for the gas chambers of Treblinka. The one synagogue that survived (Twarda 6) is the center of local Jewish life, while the innovative Polin museum covers all aspects of this nation’s complex and often fraught Jewish history.

Learn more in exchange for zilch by hooking up with: freewalkingtour.com

COMMUNISM

A full tour of Stalin’s Palace of Culture is a must: the basements (protected from rodents by a team of feline guardians) are wild and the viewing terrace unimpeachable. Check the more ambient side to Communism in the Neon Museum and then pencil

Wonder amid romping kids and whirring machines in the Copernicus Science Centre and after, visit the university library to explore the stunning rooftop garden – it’s like something from another cosmos. The Museum of Modern Art is a short walk away while across the water, the stateof-the-art National Stadium conducts regular tours and thrills both stadium nerds and football fans alike.

ART

Serious art lovers flock to the National Museum for its determined presentation of art through the ages. The Zachęta, the Modern Art Museum and CSW are more alternative with captivating exhibitions that excite non-conformists. That said, some of the city’s best art is found on its walls: Praga and Muranów are particularly known for their large format wall murals.

PEOPLE

The watchful shadow of Chopin, the city’s favorite son, looms large across Warsaw: the museum dedicated to his memory amazes by the breadth of its scope. If you’ve got time (and even if you haven’t), a day trip to his birthplace in Żelazowa Wola is a rewarding experience, not least in autumn months when the gardens are a riot of carrot and caramel autumnal color. Onto other local greats, the Marie Curie Museum in New Town does a splendid job of remembering the world’s most famous female science boffin. warsawinsider.pl

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10 Kulskiego

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Żaryna

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Biały K amień

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1 5 4 3 2 1

DO! Listings

LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE!

Part of a crafty ambition to realign socialist principles with consumerism, the communist government’s decision to ‘neon-ize’ the nation’s post-war cities offered a chink of light during the gloomy grind of PRL Poland; towns cloaked in blackness glimmered once more under sparkling signs assembled by some of the top craftsmen of the era. “The neons,” says Ilona Karwinska, founder of Warsaw’s Neon Museum, “seemed to offer unknown sensual experiences deprived to ordinary Poles during the darkness of the Stalin years.”

An end of sorts came with the political transformation of 1989. Seen as an unfashionable vestige of the past, the following years saw hundreds of these signs removed and scrapped. Enter Ilona Karwinska, a London-based photographer who set about salvaging these neons before they were lost forever. Under her auspice a neon museum was born, with the venue quickly assuming cult status among a new generation of hip urbanistas: over half a century after they first fired the public’s imagination, Cold War signs were once more lauded for their aesthetic virtues. Now, those who’ve dreamed of owning their own piece of the PRL have the opportunity to do so: available from the Neon Muzeum (neonmuzeum.org), as well as cool stores such as Bęc Zmiana (beczmiana. pl), a range of coasters featuring some of the country’s better known neons have been created using Karwinska’s own photos.

112 Warsaw Insider | OCTOBER 2018

PHOTOGRAPH KEVIN DEMARIA

Jazz up your table with the coolest coasters in town…