EATING OUT >> Oregano (Białołęka Dworska) ul. Bohaterów 14, tel. 22 425 5964, www.oregano-restauracja.pl. Open Mon-Thurs & Sun 12:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-23:00. Just about 25 minutes drive from the center, this lovely villa houses a cozy Italian restaurant with a menu that’s traditional but also very creative, put together by award-winning chef Anna Martynowska. Highly recommended for a weekend brunch/dinner jaunt. $$ Parmizzano’s (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott Hotel, Floor 1), tel. 22 630 6306. Open 12:00-23:00. The prices are highly intimidating, but are offset by cooking that never falls below brilliant. Hotel restaurants get a bad rep, but in the formal surrounds of Parmiazzano’s diners can expect Italian food at its very best. $$$ Pepperoni (Żoliborz) ul. Krasińskiego 10, tel. 022 839 6961. Open 11:00-23:00. Colourful and stylish pizza parlour with 43 varieties of pizza to choose from, and a selection of pastas, soups and salads. $$ Piccola Italia (Ochota) ul. 1 Sierpnia 46, www.piccolaitalia.pl, tel. 22 846 8737. Open 12:00-23:00. The wood-fired oven brings out some of the best pizza in town, especially for fans of the vegetariana. $ Pizzeria na Barskiej (C6) ul. Barska 37, tel. 22 822 2750. Open daily 12:00-22:00. We’re told that this restaurant serves the best pizza in the city. Check it out and decide for yourself. A wide selection of huge pizzas ensure the return of many patrons. $ Pizzeria na Nowolipkach (B2) ul. Nowolipki 15, tel. 22 498 8877, www.nanowolipkach.pl. Open Mon-Thurs 11:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-23:00; Sun 13:00-22:00. A back street haunt that earns its stripes for excellent pizza – but better ring your order, with staff this sour it pays to keep contact minimal. $ Poezja (E5) ul. Książęca 6, tel. 22 622 6762, www.poezja.waw.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:0023:00; Sun 14:00-22:00. The Italian influence is evident in the extravagant menu and a lovely wine list. Try the garlic cream soup with snails as a starter and get the ink with shrimp as a main. $$ Pomidoro (Konstancin-Jeziorna) Al. Wojska Polskiego 3, tel. 22 702 8777.
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Open daily 12:00-last guest. An authentic Italian restaurant located in a renovated paper mill. Chef Ricardo whips up some of the best pizzas, pastas and steaks you’ll find in this city. Try the spaghetti alle vongole or the bistecca alla fiorentina for a real taste of Tuscany. $$
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Punta Prima ul. Obrzeżna 1B, tel. 22 406 0886, www.puntaprima.com.pl. Open 11:00-last guest. A formal looking space with wood walls and important chests and cabinets. Start with a glass of prosecco before being blown over by mains like guinea fowl with truffle puree and caramelized beetroot – even better than it sounds. $$
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standards at a snip of the price, and it’s here you’ll find Italian natives cheering the Serie A football. $$$ Roma (multiple locations) ul. Grottgera 2 (ul.Belwederska 17), ul. Jasna 24, tel. 22 826 7676, www.restauracjaroma.pl. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-23:00; Sat 13:00-23:00; Sun 14:0021:00. Good food and charming Italianthemed décor – wine bottles and grapevines strewn about this intimate restaurant. Feast on a meaty Boscaiola or Carbonara. A bit kitsch but the prices are good and the staff are sweet. $$
Quattro Canti Trattoria (Wilanów) ul. Syta 120, tel. 509 644 559, www.quattrocanti.pl. Open daily 12:00-22:00. Brave the nondescript entrance to enjoy tasty Italian classics in a simple trattoria setting. Try the Mafioso pizza, the vitello tonato main and gorgonzola spinach on the side. $
Roma Bukieteria (E5) ul. Mokotowska 49, tel. 22 621 0311, www.restauracjaroma.pl. Open Mon-Sat 11:00-23:00; Sun 11:00-21:00. If you’re looking for a spot of Mediterranean romance, this is the place. Warm shades of terracotta, wooden interiors and rose petals are the perfect place for a romantic dinner with a special someone. $$
Rimini Pizza (Ursynów) ul. Roentgena 1 (corner of ul. Pileckiego), tel. 22 641 9544, www.rimini.pl. Open 12:00-22:00. The pizzas are made in full view, and they are near-perfect: Italian-style crust, delightful tomato sauce, fresh toppings and just the right amount of cheese. $
Rusticoni Restaurant (C4) Złote Tarasy, tel. 22 222 0550, www.rusticoni. pl. Italian specialities, right in the heart of Warsaw. Choose from a wide variety of pizzas and pastas, as well as an assortment of meat and fish dishes, and a range of desserts, including home-made tiramisu. $
Ristorante Balgera (E8) ul. Rejtana 14, tel 022 849 5674, www.balgera.pl.Open 12:00-last guest. Enjoy succulent and hearty Italian pastas and steaks, sip rich Cabernet Sauvignon and treat your taste buds to a slice of decadent Tiramisu. $$$
Sapori d’Italia (Ursynów) ul. Dembego 10 lok. U5, tel. 888 231 030, www.sapori-ditalia.pl. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-22:00. Recommended dishes include the tuna salad, a vibrant mix of tuna fish, salad, green olives and tomatoes enlivened by a creamy dill sauce and the deliciously tender Dourade fish. The food is well-worth the trip out to this slightly remote restaurant. $$
Ristorante Il Sole (B3) Al. Jana Pawła II 27, tel. 22 653 6484, www.ilsole.com.pl. Open 11:00-24:00. Cut-price lunch deals draw in suited crowds from the offices upstairs, while modern, cosmopolitan interiors further stroke the corporate feel. The food won’t win prizes – neither will the servers – but it’s not a bad haunt if you’re working locally. $$ Ristorante San Lorenzo (B3) Al. Jana Pawła II 36, tel. 22 652 1616, www.sanlorenzo.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. Adorned with crisp, starched linen and Roman frescos this space is almost magisterial in design. The Tuscan menu is flawless and well worth the rather hefty bill. The wine bar on the ground floor features the same
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Trattoria Rucola (H4) ul. Francuska 6, tel. 22 616 1259, www.trattoriarucola.pl. Open 12:00-22:00. Serving classic Italian favorites including pizza, pasta and risotto, this restaurant has something for everyone. The Saska Kępa locals already love this place, so reservations are recommended. Trattoria Rucola na Miodowej ul. Miodowa 1, tel. 888 574 4357, www.trattoriarucola.pl. Open 12:00-22:00. Firmly established in Saska, Ruccola have expanded to cover the West side. The M.O is very much the same, with huge wall prints