Warsaw Insider November 2018 #267

Warsaw The Capital’s Original City Magazine Since 1996

NOVEMBER 2018

267 11/2018

INDEKS 334901 ISSN:1643-1723

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THROUGH THE MISTS OF TIME

Celebrating 100 years of Warsaw food & drinks scene

AQUAZZURA ALEXANDRE VAUTH ALEXANDRE BIRMAN ALEXANDRE BIRM BALMAIN ANYA HINDMAR BURBERRY AQUAZZU BUSCEMI BALM CASADEI BUSC CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN CASA CULTLOUBOU GAIA CHRISTIAN FRANCESCO RUSSO ELIE SA GIANVITO ROSSI FRANCESCO RUS HERVE LEGERRO GIANVITO ISABEL MARANT HERVE LEG KENZO ISABEL MARA MAISON MICHEL KEN MARC JACOBS KO MANOLO BLAHNIK LORO PIA MR MAISON & MRS ITALY MIC ONETEASPOON MANOLO BLAH SELF –ONETEASPO PORTRAIT SELF TOD’S – PORTR TORY BURCHTO VICTORIA BECKHAM TORY BUR ZIMMERMANN VICTORIA BECKH YVES SALOM

tel.: 228277099, www.Moliera2.com

editorial INFRONT

Editor-in-chief Alex Webber

4 Take a Number 6 News:

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

Independence Day 8 Architecture: PRL Then & Now 14 Politics: Local Elections

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

FEATURES

7 City History: 1 100 Years of Food & Drink 8 Travel: 2 Eastern Poland

Advertising Manager Jowita Malich jmalich@valkea.com ey Account Manager K Agata Sicińska asicinska@valkea.com

EAT!

39 Review:

Yache Korean 40 Review: Kram 42 Review: Mokolove

DRINK!

73 Review:

Nowa Fala 74 Review: Craft Beer 7 6 Review: Warmut/Gram

NOVEMBER 2018

I

t would be appropriate, this month, to begin with a song: to be specific, sto lat, the celebratory anthem sung at all birthdays.

And in this case, never have the words felt so fitting. November 11th is a red letter day for Poland, with the country due to come to a standstill to pop the champagne to mark one hundred years of the nation’s independence: not bad going considering the unwelcome attention she’s sometimes received from her neighbors. In honor of the occasion, we’ve buried ourselves in historical archives to generate a one hundred year history of the capital’s food and drink scene. Elsewhere, we’ve looked at the city’s old commie buildings facing regeneration, trekked out to Białowieża, and stopped in for a match at Polonia Warszawa. And if that’s not enough, we’ve even squeezed a historic monkey into this issue. As for Poland itself – cheers for everything, and enjoy your special day!

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

DO!

Rzeczownik 92 Football: Polonia Warszawa 109 Guide: Essentials 110 Map 112 Insider Finds

Alex Webber insider@warsawinsider.pl

on the cover This month’s cover celebrates our anchor story: Warsaw’s food and drink scene over the last hundred years. See p. 17.

(Illustration by Michał Miszkurka)

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Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 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

91 Review:

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

number take a

6,000

The number of trees to be planted in the city over the course of November…

SHUTTERSTOCK

A spate of tree-mendous initiatives have been launched as Warsaw bids to green up its general public image. With 24,000 trees planted last year, a new campaign has been launched this autumn to boost their number with a further 6,000 to be added before winter hits full throttle – as things stand, statistics released by City Hall have disclosed that in all 300,000 trees have been planted in the capital since 2007. Beyond this, local officials have moved fast to ensure that the approaching winter won’t necessarily mean gloom. In select locations across the city, transparent poles usually used for advertising purposes have been unveiled to reveal ivy, ferns and decorative moss.

“Our city gardeners have decided to use more unusual ways to present nature,” announced Warsaw’s Vice President, Michał Olszewski. “Now, instead of adverts residents will see gardens.”

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Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

Business Lunch Enjoy your day break with a three course lunch menu at Europejski Grill in the heart of Warsaw.

Monday to Friday 12 pm – 3 pm 3 course menu – 65 PLN Reservation: + 48 22 255 95 95 europejskigrill@raffles.com @europejskigrill #europejskigrill Raffles Europejski Warsaw Krakowskie PrzedmieÊcie 13, 00-071 Warsaw, Poland raffles.com/warsaw

Independence Day News Phoenix From The Flames?

PEAK PRACTICE

Four hundred Poles have made for the Himalayas, among them acclaimed mountaineers, an international windsurfer and a 400-meter runner, so as to celebrate Independence whilst also commemorating the Polish and international climbers that have perished while attempting to scale the world’s highest peak. The Poles will be joined by locals with both teams aiming to reach the base camp below Everest.

Set In Stone Songs of Praise

Having already sung the Polish national anthem with 20 expats and the former mayor, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, Indian expat Razvi Hussaini plans to go a step further this year by raising 100 foreigners to sing the nation’s song alongside a select band of Polish VIPs. Slated to take place on Independence Day, those interested in taking part need look no further than Facebook for details: look for Razvi Events or Respect Polska.

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Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

A pre-war sculpture of Poland’s de-facto inter-war leader, Józef Piłsudski, has gone on show at Warsaw’s Kordegarda Gallery after being found festering and forgotten in the basement of the National Museum.

Designed by the Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović, it was to serve as a prototype for a 25-meter tall bronze statue that was to stand in front of a 50-meter granite triumphal arch. But it was not to be: just weeks after Meštrović’s smaller-scale model was put on public display in the National Museum, Poland was invaded by Nazi Germany and the statue hidden away.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: MNW, PRESS MATERIAL, SHUTTERSTOCK

Rumors have gathered that President Andrzej Duda will use Independence Day to formally announce plans to reconstruct Saski Palace as a ‘permanent symbol’ of the jubilee year.

Destroyed during WWII, the idea of raising it once more is not new with a previous project aborted ten years back. Problems with any new scheme, though, have already been cited, the principal one being that the land doesn’t belong to the Treasury, but the city of Warsaw. For their part, City Hall have denied any official application from the government to use the plot.

GURU REDEFINES

MODERN INDIAN CUISINE

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

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

Architecture

Reliving The Past

ROTUNDA Yesterday

One of the cornerstones of the Eastern Wall development, the Rotunda was the scene of what was then Poland’s biggest post-war disaster: 49 were killed after an explosion ripped through the building in 1975.

It remains one of Warsaw’s great whodunnits: officials blamed a gas leak, conspiracy theorists disagree.

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Tomorrow

Due for completion next year, the rebuilt Rotunda on Rondo Dmowskiego will feature a gallery, café and visitors’ center. Using such phrases as ‘modern urban lounge’, the architect's pitch envisions a transparent, airy style well-removed from the lair-like darkness of the Rotunda’s former self.

PHOTOGRAPH FROM TOP: NAC, PRESS MATERIAL

Across Warsaw, legendary architectural relics of the socialist period are facing new beginnings…

Architecture SKRA

Yesterday

Opened in 1953 as a 35,000 capacity speedway and athletics stadium, it was at SKRA that some of Poland’s finest sportsmen trained: among them, Władysław Kozakiewicz, a gold-winning pole vaulter whose ‘up yours’ gesture at the Russian crowd scandalized the 1980 Moscow Olympics and guaranteed the athlete his place in Polish legend!

Tomorrow

CDT

Yesterday

Featuring more glass than ever seen before on a Polish building, CDT (now better known as SMYK) was visited by 80,000 people within the first three days of launch. Dating from 1951, the original structure was wrecked after a suspicious blaze swept through the building in 1975

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Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

Tomorrow

The future is already here. Rebuilt on the cheap after the aforementioned fire, the last couple of years have seen a legit developer start from scratch and assume the task of returning CDT to its former glory. Of the regained details, the façade’s swirly neon is set to become iconic of the structure.

Tenants are set to move in over the next couple of months.

PHOTOGRAPHS FROM TOP: PRESS MATERIAL (2), WIKICOMMONS

Currently little more than a rotting concrete shell, October saw ambitious plans revealed for a revamped sports complex housing sports pitches, training facilities and swimming pools. The stadium remains a sticking point with arguments raging over its proposed size (anything from 15 to 30,000), and whether or not it should harness elements of the original. Expect this dispute to run.

Architecture

CEPELIA Yesterday

The last building to be finished as part of the Eastern Wall scheme, this pavilion glowed from afar as if it were an ‘urban lantern’. Housing the flagship store of the Cepelia folk art chain, the brand was intended by the Communists to “solidify the rural identity of this socialist nation”.

Tomorrow

Ravaged since the 90s by garish hoardings, few classic buildings have been allowed to decline in such a dramatic way. Entered last year into the register of protected buildings, hopes linger that it won’t be long till it's given some TLC. Ongoing till November 11th, swing by to view the latest edition of the Warsaw Under Construction Festival.

ZODIAK Completed in 1968, the Zodiak gastronomic pavilion was one of the underpinning features of the Eastern Wall project running from Jerozolimskie to Świętokrzyska. Clad in mosaics and funky neon, for years it was the place to be seen if you were young, fun and single.

Tomorrow

Opening any moment NOW, the newlook Zodiak will house architectural related exhibition spaces as well as a café inside an ‘elegant and timeless’ two-floor structure.

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PHOTOGRAPHS FROM TOP: NAC, PRESS MATERIAL

Yesterday

Politics IN NUMBERS

505,187 The number…

Of votes cast in favor of Rafał Traszkowski

1,826 The number…

Of Mayors selected in the first round of nationwide voting

254

The number…

Of seats won by PiS

194

The number…

Of seats won by their closest opponents, The Civic Coalition

66.8 Percent

A

pproximately 30 million Poles made their voices heard in October in the most important elections held since the ruling populist party, PiS, swept to power in 2015.

Whilst PiS claimed the most votes overall, they failed to win several key mayoral races, including that held in Warsaw.

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“It’s a pyrrhic victory for them,” said Michał Szułdrzyński of Rzeczpospolita newspaper. “On one hand, they won, they received six percentage points more than in 2014, but on the other they have done everything they could over the past three years to mobilize voters – they made huge social transfers and have turned public TV into pure propaganda – and yet that still only earned them 33% of the vote.”

Just as concerning for PiS, the opposition Civic Coalition scored outright first round wins in major cities such as Łódź, Poznań and Warsaw. In the capital, the success of pro-European candidate Rafał Traszkowski has been hailed as a landmark triumph. Claiming over 50% of the vote, Traszkowski succeeds Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, the mayor largely credited with overseeing Warsaw’s transition into one of Europe’s most dynamic cities. Despite her successes, her rule has been increasingly tarnished in recent years by privatization scandals.

This wasn’t the only mayoral race to hit the headlines. In Działoszyn, PiS candidate Mariola Paśnik was the sole politician to stand for election – but still ended up losing. Although her rival had been disqualified from running, residents were given the opportunity to vote for or against Paśnik with 70% opting not to hand her power.

Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

56.67 Percent

Of the vote won by Traszkowski

54.96 Percent

The voter turnout across Poland

6.72 Percent

The number of invalid votes cast across the country

PHOTOGRAPH PAP

Poles To The Polls

The voter turnout out in Warsaw

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

FLY AWAY Exhibition in The National Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw

Producer

PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF FOOD & DRINK As Poland pauses to celebrate a centenary of independence, the Insider turns back the clock to explore how the capital’s food and drink sector has evolved over this time… From the jazz age, to wartime, from communism to capitalism, we trace a curious history filled with unexpected twists and tastes…

warsawinsider.pl

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1918 - 1939

PHOTOGRAPHS NAC

( I N T E R-WA R )

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T H E WA R S AW O F T H E I N T E R-WA R Y E A R S

was an exciting place to be. Buoyed by the nation’s newfound independence, the capital’s social life thrived in a way that had not been seen before. In culinary terms, a handful of restaurants stood out, most notably those found in the Europejski, Polonia Palace, Bristol and Savoy hotels, as well as Oaza on Wierzbowa. Engaged in close competition with each other, both the Europejski and the Bristol enjoyed a reputation for lavish dinners, with the latter being the scene of Józef Piłsudski’s historic ‘farewell’ banquet in 1923. Viewed as the ‘father of Polish independence’, Poland’s most celebrated statesman chose the Bristol to announce his short-lived retirement from public life.

Menus saved over the from the era reveal much for the tastes of the time, with one 1927 card from the Bristol revealing several dozen dishes among them ‘English-style carp’, saddle of hare with blueberries, and mutton curry.

Crayfish soup was a particular favorite and featured prominently in aspirational restaurants. Surprisingly, dietary fads had also taken hold; for women, a slender figure was much sought and as a result vegetarian courses were prevalent on menus – in fact, even in these > > >

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It was the first such club in which single women could enter without running the risk of being accused of prostitution: a moral revolution had occurred inter-war years, the Polish capital could boast two dedicated vegetarian restaurants: Braterstwo on Marszałkowska 120 and Warszawskie Zrzeszenie Jaroszów on Al. Jerozolimskie 25. Of course, not all venues were as health conscious.

Butter was still a relatively expensive and exclusive commodity, so the restaurants of the time liked to emphasize its use, often elevating it to the status of a hero ingredient.

Across the Western world, countries embraced the Roaring Twenties and at the heart of the good times was dance. Warsaw was no different, with the Savoy Hotel on Nowy Świat 28 being the original venue to offer ‘dancing’. In many ways, it was a pacesetter with anecdotal evidence suggesting that it was the first such club in which single women could enter without running the risk of being accused of prostitution: a moral revolution had occurred!

This was taken further by the opening of Adria (or, to give it its full name, Riunione Adriatica di Sicurtà). Playing the swing sounds that defined the era, its name became known the whole country over – between 1931 and 1933 alone, it’s said that 2.5 million customers passed through its doors. Its attractions were numerous. Featuring a 1,500 capacity basement dance floor with a rotating, rubber floor (to prevent dancers from slipping), its various frills included a winter garden replete with cacti and exotic birds, trendy American cocktails such as the Manhattan, water fountains, air-conditioning and three house orchestras. Nights were legendary. Although purely apocryphal, one story claimed that Piłsudski’s aide, Bolesław Wieniawa-Długoszowski, once entered on horseback.

Lower down the scale, Gruby Józek (Fat Joe’s) drew all sections of society, from uniformed army officers to dapper underworld figures and raggedy porters from Hala Mirowska. Open round-the-clock, its proprietor, Józef Chargeski, earned near mythical status his ability to drink over a liter of spirits. His premature death brought the party to a close and was mourned widely. This though wasn’t the only short-lived legend. Opened in 1939 by Eugeniusz Bodo (‘the Polish Charlie Chaplin), Café Bodo on Foksal 17 was briefly installed as the center of Bohemian life only for its future to be cut short by the German invasion. > > >

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PHOTOGRAPHS NAC

warsawinsider.pl

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1939 - 1945 ( T H E WA R )

T H E P R I VAT I O N S O F WA R T I M E were coun-

S U C H I S T H E S C A L E and comprehensive

content of the Rising Museum, it’s natural to leave only remembering ‘the big bits’. Quite often though, it’s the tiny little things that can make the biggest impact: bloodied armbands, a cracked pocket watch, a shredded toy... Add to these overlooked items a chocolate bar. Known as Field Ration D, it was one of many Hershey chocolate bars that found its way into the supplies that were airdropped onto Warsaw by the Allies during the 1944 Uprising. Weighing four ounces, they were purposefully designed to provide calories, boost energy and survive high temperatures without ever melting. Taste was not a factor, in fact, food technicians specifically intended that the chocolate would carry such a flavor that people would never eat them out of choice. In that they failed – by the war’s end Hershey were rolling out 24 million bars a week to keep up with demand.

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Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

W H I L E T H E P O L E S S U F F E R E D , the occupying Nazis enjoyed all the perks of conquering masters. That included a rich choice of bars, clubs, cabarets and restaurants. Logically, these became a prime target of the Polish underground. To this day, it’s not difficult to find plaques attesting to daring raids and assassinations carried out by Polish units. For example, Nowogrodzka 15 – where Namaste Indian restaurant now stands – functioned as a brothel. In 1943, an attack by the Peoples Guard left 18 SS and Gestapo officers dead.

In the same year, a lone wolf hit on Café Adria on Moniuszki 10 resulted in the death of three Germans. In 1944 the club – which was famed in pre-war times for having twittering birds flying around its interiors – found itself utilized to serve as a canteen for insurgents partaking in the Uprising. > > >

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE RISING MUSEUM

tered by ingenuity. Published in 2002, a collection of recipes set down by Maria Karpowiczowa during the Nazi occupation demonstrate the creative methods that were commonly employed. ‘Wartime sponge cake’, for instance, substituted flour with potato puree. Other widely-used shortcuts included brewing ersatz tea from linden flowers and using stale bread to make cutlets.

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EXUMAGYM

1945 - 1989 (COMMUNISM)

I F E V E R T H E R E WA S an indicator of greatness, it’s surviv-

ing the death of the system that spawned you. Granted, pedants will note that milk bars (bar mleczny) pre-dated Communism, but it was in the post-war years that these state subsidized canteens hit the peak of their arc. So named for their predilection of serving dairy-based food, they became a standard part of life during the single party system. Many have survived to this day, and while plenty have rebooted as on-trend private enterprises run by young ambitious owners (e.g. Prasowy), there are others that serve as a glimpse back in time. Bar Sady in Żoliborz is a Warsaw classic, as is Bar Bambino in the center of town – it’s claimed pop babe Doda is occasionally spotted.

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T H E P O L I T I C A L T H AW that followed the death of Stalin released a rush of pent-up energy. Of the clutch of hangouts Varsovians had to choose from, few were as notorious as Kameralna on Foksal. Gathering here were prostitutes and gangsters, artists and authors: keeping them in check, Pan Mieczysław, a giant doorman who would throw people out ‘with the strength of a tornado’. Polański, Tyrmand and Osiecka are all said to have been regulars, with the drink of choice called Cognac with Southern Fruit (vodka and pickles). In a similar vein, SPATiF on Mokotowska attracted the stars of the day, their drunken circle frequently infiltrated by undercover agents in search of juicy gossip. Together, they formed a mini bar crawl that was dubbed ‘the trail of disgrace’.

L I F E WA S N ’ T B A D if you were part of the elite. Through the 50s, Rarytas on Marsałkowska 15/17 earned a name for luxury spreads featuring lobster and French wine and cognacs. In later years, if you had the readies, then you’d have probably been found propping up the bar of the Victoria Hotel. Finished in 1976, it offered those who could afford it a tantalizing glimpse of the Western world. The favored haunt of shady Arab ‘businessmen’, it was in 1981 that a fellow called Tahar Sharlik Mahdi was brazenly gunned down. A big player in a terrorist cell called Black September (responsible for the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre), the Palestinian was allegedly passing through to plan the assassination of the Egyptian president. His killer was never caught.

F O R T H E E V E RY M A N , life was more of a challenge.

Despite that, a small but active café scene emerged, with legendary venues including the 900-seater Olimp on the top-floor of the Grand Hotel, and artsy Lajkonik on Pl. Trzech Krzyży. Though closed in 2003, the original artwork painted by the regulars (e.g. a devil with horns) was restored a few years back by the address’s new tenants – none other than Starbucks. The grocery front was more depressing, with empty shelves an all too familiar sight. No wonder then that the opening of SuperSam – Poland’s biggest supermarket – nearly sparked off a riot when it launched in 1962. Despite being rated as an exemplary piece of modernist architecture, it fell to the wrecking crews in 2006. > > > warsawinsider.pl

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1989 - 2012

(NEW BEGINNINGS)

I N A N AT I O N still struggling to shake off

its communist hangover, the opening of the country’s first McDonald’s in 1992 made headline news. “It sounds stupid now,” says one Insider, “but at the time it really felt like a sign that Poland had joined the wider world.”

Situated on the corner of Świętokrzyska and Marszałkowska, the first day drew a crowd in excess of 45,000.

I N T H E E A R LY DAYS following the political transformation, it wasn’t just the food that would come close to killing diners. Warsaw’s mafia wars saw a spate of high profile shootouts and murders conducted in restaurants and bars: from gangland hits in TGI Friday’s, to revenge executions in shopping center food courts, eating out had the potential to be risky.

The wild nineties and naughty noughties were a period characterized by dodgy design, bold ideas, brave openings, pioneering venues and illfated ventures. And my oh my, how we loved every second!

F O R M A N Y, the period that fell between the end of communism and initiation into the EU represented the glory years of Warsaw. A unique time in which Poland learned to have fun again, it was an era of debauchery and wild, wicked nights: from expat escapades in the dungeon-like Morgan’s pub, to chemically enhanced sessions in the riotous Piekarnia, the capital was a magnet for chancers and charlatans living life on the edge. And how we loved it.

S E E D S W E R E S E W N for the future. Aside from discovering a voracious appetite for sushi – a precursor to the more exotic tastes the city would later acquire – there were several pioneers that stood out for doing things differently. Though no longer around, venues such as 99, Sense and Soma taught the public lessons about standards they should expect. They do not stand forgotten.

C R E D I T W H E R E C R E D I T is due: the Polish food revolution wouldn’t be where it is without the efforts of Jan Wejchert. It was on this media mogul’s behest that the Roundtable Business Club was established at the turn of the millennium. The idea was simple: to nurture the best and brightest young Polish chefs. Under his patronage, it became an incubator for talent.

And among the early chefs to pass through the pantry? A skillful hope by the name of Amaro.

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Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

2013 - PRESENT ( R E V O LU T I O N )

I F T H E A M B E R R O O M in the Roundtable Business Club was the bedrock upon which modern Polish cuisine grew, the moment it broke big arrived in 2013. Having already branched out on his own, it was then that Wojciech’s Amaro’s eponymous restaurant won the country’s first Michelin star. More than just a superficial accolade, it was a watershed moment for the nation’s chefs – here was a Polish guy cooking Polish food and doing it in a manner that had won global recognition. The Michelin star was a message to us all: “eat and cook Polish,” it said, “you’ll enjoy it.”

T E N Y E A R S B AC K , a vegan in Warsaw would

have faced the very real threat of expiring from malnutrition. Today, the city’s vegan sector is ranked as the fastest growing in the world – at the core of the movement, the capital’s ‘Vegan Square Mile’ in the south central district has won global attention for the depth of its offer: from fine dining to sushi to multi-ethnic dishes cooked by refugees. It’s all here, it’s all good for ya’.

F I R ST, L E T M E TA K E A S E L F I E ! The social

Welcome to the revolution! The last five years have seen Warsaw’s F&B landscape transformed beyond measure with highs and lows aplenty: from the vegan takeover to the buzz of Hala Koszyki via the city’s ill-fated obsession with the stupid bloody burger.

media revolution has helped drive trends and influenced what we eat, where we drink and how we do it. Think Charlotte, Nocny Market, Hala Koszyki, the Wisła, and so forth and so on: all strong concepts, but made all the stronger thanks to the viral whirlwinds that have whipped up around them.

WA R S AW I S L I V I N G P R O O F that you really can have too much of a good thing – burgers, for instance. In all walks, impersonators and imitators continue to multiply, with original ideas ambushed by copycat replicants that strike whole scenes dead.

S LO W F O O D, local produce, craft kitchen and

artisan techniques. The interest in high quality has kicked Warsaw forward into uncharted waters. From this all, the last few years have seen a surge in radical breweries, farmers’ markets, and a whole wave of people that really care about what they consume. Demand has been met by supply: today, we eat and drink well.

warsawinsider.pl

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TRAVEL EASTERN POLAND

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Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

THE EASTERN FRONT Untamed and isolated, tune into nature in the eastern borderlands of Białowieża…

BY ALEX WEBBER | PHOTOGRAPHS BY ED WIGHT

warsawinsider.pl

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TRAVEL EASTERN POLAND

Little House On The Prairie

Looking to experience life in the slow lane? Then how about no lane at all. That’s Sioło Budy, a rural complex that started life in 1998 when the owner decided to build a small little guesthouse that would slot neatly into the fabric of the hamlet of Budy. A decade later, in entered the Niczyporuk family, leasing a swathe of land to add a traditional restaurant, a tiny museum and a line of painted timber houses that typified the region. In effect, what was created was a village within a village.

Time budges slowly here, and while the lodgings are a little rough and rudimentary, the sensation is of having gone off-grid to live life in the wild. Here, you leave the laptop in the bag before climbing into the wooly reindeer jumper you last wore at Christmas. Muffled against the bitter autumn chill, a tour around the site reveals a Russian banya, a wooden rotunda with a firepit at its center, and a small skansen with a 19th century thatched cottage to explore.

Transported piece by piece from Dobrowoda, it’s a curious insight into ‘the way people lived’. And wouldn’t you know, it’s in here you’ll find the only working wooden chimney in the whole of the country.

True, high maintenance visitors run the risk of growing bored, but others tend to revel in the glorious simplicity of being somewhere so isolated and pure. A place of innocent, old fashioned pleasures, it’s a retreat in which to gather fireside with strangers to sip mugs of mulled wine and share stories over board games. Squeaking around the creaky interiors of the communal living quarters, wind rattling against the windows, you can’t help but feel a million miles away from the everyday challenges of Warsaw’s daily grind.

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Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

Tsars In Their Eyes

It all began in 1409. It was then that King Jagiełło organized a huge hunt in Białowieża for the purpose of stockpiling salted meat ahead of the Battle of Grunwald the following year. The hunt (and subsequent battle) were a success, and the area became known as a private hunting ground enjoyed by sovereigns and their guests. The Tsars were particularly taken by the region, and in 1894 work on a 120-room Russian royal palace was officially completed.

To spare the Tsar from the arduous horse-drawn carriage ride from Hajnówka, a private train line was established running to Białowieża, as well as an ornate station fit for the monarch. In 1903, a goods terminal, Białowieża Towarowa, was also added to deal with the resulting incoming traffic associated with his visits.

Both the Palace and its private station were burned down

by Hungarian troops in 1944, but Towarowa survived albeit in a rundown state. Closed once and for all in 1994, it lay derelict and dying for the next ten years. Now, life flourishes anew. Remodeled as the extraordinary Carska hotel, the results are everything you imagine and a little bit more.

Ornate wooden cabins and a water tower have been repurposed to provide accommodation, though for something

Basking in the extravagance of it all, it’s natural to spend the day holed up with Tolstoy while humming the theme from Dr. Zhivago

completely different you’ll want to choo choo-se the train.

Yes, you heard it right. Sitting on a rail siding, find half a dozen or so saloon wagons, each functioning as luxurious lodgings. Voluptuously decorated with wood paneling, heavy-duty beds and black and white portraits of the Russian elite, these provide the kind of stay that you’re unlikely to forget. You’ll be paying top buck: starting at zł. 450, nights here are not cheap, but you find yourself making every minute count – basking in the extravagance of it all, it’s natural to spend the day holed up with Tolstoy while humming the theme from Dr. Zhivago. Doing so is recommended. As too is the restaurant. Served by waistcoated staff, dine on local catches and big gamey dishes amid hunting trophies and ornamental antiques, all the time under the watchful gaze of Tsar Nicholas II. To be here is to travel back in time.

Bright Lights, Big City

A short walk from Carska sits the town of Białowieża: lined with scenic cottages and prim gardens, it’s the very epitome of quaint, backwater Poland. Passing the onion-domed Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas, it’s hard to compute that during WWII the bodies of executed locals once swung from the trees that grow out in front. Close by, the 45 hect

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are park is where the Tsar’s palace once stood, and whilst all trace of its ruins were removed in the 60s, several 19th century elements survive to this day: the house belonging to the governor of Grodno, a stable used by Cossack units, the royal chauffeur’s quarters as well as the elaborate original gateway that led to the palace. Everywhere, there is history: crossing a dike separating two glimmering lakes, an ancient obelisk rises into the air, its stonework inscribed with the names of all those who took part in an 18th century hunt led by King Augustus III. Not everything is quite so serious, however. If there is one rule of parochial Poland it is to expect the unexpected.

So it proves in our case with the accidental discovery of the Museum of Dolls. Created by the locally-born artist Tamara Tarasiewiec, visitors wander through dusty rooms crammed with agricultural implements, piles of animal bones, Aboriginal masks, traditional rat traps, communist banners as well as the artist’s own paintings. Piled high with bizarre and oddly fascinating collectibles, it’s one of those eccentric museums in which you linger for an age. And then there’s the dolls. Horded by the artist, there’s hundreds of the things – a mechanical topless Marilyn that jiggles its boobs; ragdolls dating from America’s slave age; evil elves; and porcelain efforts from Victorian times. Like something from Stephen King, everywhere you walk their eyes seem to follow. “Imagine,” remarks the photographer, “being accidentally locked in here for the night.” It’s a thought that sends a shiver down my spine.

Call Of The Wild

The wider region of Białowieża is internationally recognized as the home of one of the biggest surviving primeval forests in the world. Reputed to be 8,000 years old, its existence is owed to the fact that for centuries it was a private hunting bastion – as such, it was saved from the encroachment of the modern world: wildlife flourished, as did the forest that sustained it. To this day, wolves, lynxes and elk can all be found, and so too the area’s signature animal: the bison.

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Though temporarily wiped out in 1919, Europe’s heaviest land mammal has been successfully reintroduced with the region now home to the largest free-roaming herd in the world. Driving around, it’s not uncommon to suddenly spot the noble beast grazing in the distance – or, for that matter, even closer. Whilst entrance to the protected section of the reserve can only be gained through using an official guide, the whole district is worthy of exploration with several nature trails to seek out and follow. Walking through the thick forests, visitors are tailed by the calls of nature. Through the undergrowth unseen creatures howl, hoot and otherwise holler, building an atmosphere of unpredictable adventure.

For an altogether safer thrill, visit instead the European Bison Reserve, a center in which boar, wolves, bison, deer and the Polish ‘konik’ are kept in large enclosures that mimic natural conditions.

NEED TO KNOW Białowieża National Park (bpn.com.pl) Doll Museum (ul. Olgi Gabiec 47, Białowieża) Carska (Stacja Towarowa 4, Białowieża, carska.pl) Sioło Budy (Budy 41, Budy, siolobudy.pl)

“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

Arabian Nights!

Considered to be the Arab world’s most refined and exquisite cuisine, the food of Morocco has long charmed epicureans with its rich, exotic tastes. At Maghreb, the vibrance of Morocco comes alive through traditional dishes such as our Tajine, our aromatic soups and delicious pastes served with freshly baked bread – find all of these seasoned with intriguing regional spices that highlight the extraordinary nuances of this exciting cuisine. With our restaurant placing an emphasis on hospitality, find these dished up inside an atmosphere reminiscent of a truly Moroccan home: you’re guaranteed to fall in love with the color and character of our country!

Maghreb ul. Burakowska 9, maghreb.pl

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H Par ig tn hl e ig r ht s Enter The Dragon!

Established in 2017, visit our restaurant to enjoy the dishes of Beijing-born Jurek Dong Xiao Bin. Having first trained in the legendary Fangshan, a restaurant once frequented by the Emperor himself, our chef settled in Poland twenty-one years back and has since cooked for various visiting dignitaries: from ambassadors and politicians and even Chinese Prime Ministers. His menu offers both traditional and more modern, street food tastes and is best enjoyed alongside cocktails that have been inspired by the Chinese zodiac. We’re also proud to offer one of the best lunch deals in town: enjoy three courses from Monday to Friday for as little as zł. 19.90.

Mao ul. Marszałkowska 62, restauracjamao.pl

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H Par ig tn hl e ig r ht s

Out For Lunch

Le Cedre make lunch a Leban-easy choice…

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ntrenched in foodie folklore, twenty-one years of service have earned Le Cedre the kind of reputation associated with legends. Going strong since the mid-90s, the original Praga venue continues to act as the role model that all Middle Eastern restaurants look to follow. Given their success, other locations have naturally followed: first, a sister on the borderlands of Wola, and more recently, in the beating center of Warsaw’s business district.

Opened last year, Le Cedre Lounge has emerged as a casual alternative to Le Cedre’s other ventures, one defined by its enchanting but informal style and a menu that’s been specially customized to appeal to the needs of the workers in the area: that’s meant business lunches that demolish the competition in terms of size, scope, diversity and quality. Beginning at zł. 22, and featuring a complimentary serving of hummus, it’s a deal that takes diners on an exotic journey to the very heart of the Lebanese soul.

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

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

www.lui-store.com Mokotowska 26 Warsaw

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

SEOUL FOOD

Though primarily known as the capital of Warsaw’s craft beer scene, Nowogrodzka street is beginning to demonstrate that she’s more than just a one-trick pony. Helping the food angle is this newbie, a steamy little venue that’s all clatter and commotion. Design barely goes beyond a wall of potted plants, but with a place of this size all you need is four people and presto, you’ve got an atmosphere. On the food front, the crispy chicken embraces the seoul (ha!) like comfort food at its best, and the bulgogi the best we’ve had this year – not bad going seeing there’s not a Korean in the kitchen. And of course, add a couple of extra ticks for their proximity to one of Warsaw’s best pints: when you’re done with the food, head three meters right to Kufle I Kapsle, a multi-tap pub with a peerless reputation.

Yache Korea ul. Nowogrodzka 25

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Eat! Review

JUST KRAMTASTIC Head Żoliborz way for a supermarket sweep with a difference…

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ow good can one shop be? If ever you’ve asked that question, you’ll find the answer in Kram: really rather special. Set in an outbuilding of a onetime factory complex, visitors slosh over potholes and puddles before finding respite in a brightly lit edifice that’s all soft, jazzy tunes and wide, open space.

Just opening the door puts you in a good frame of mind. Staff, with their servicefirst approach, keep the mood upbeat, and their expertise comes in handy when picking through the goodies: and boy, there’s a helluva’ lot to go through.

Occupying the center aisle stand crates of veggies courtesy of both the Majlert farm and the man known as Pan Ziołko – if you haven’t heard of him, he’s the closest it gets to a celebrity grocer.

For bread, daily deliveries arrive from the Mąka i Woda bakery, and as for cold cuts, stock up on Mangelica ham from the acclaimed Supperlardo. The attention to detail is staggering. Cult Polish brands are highly represented, among them the kings of dairy, Mleczna Droga, as well as Concept Stu Mostów with their cracking, tempting jars of little tasty treasures: beetroot ketchup, pear horseradish, etc. Straight away, you realize you’ll need another basket.

Each shelf brings new promise: brilliant tortillas from small-scale Kraków producer Tortillas Molino, homemade cakes, bio organic crisps and natural chocolate from boutique manufacturers.

And just when you’re packing, damn, if you haven’t forgotten the drinks: no probs there, lying in reach are a range of craft beers, softs from Fentimans and Galvanina, not to mention a concise choice of wines curated by sommelier Szymon Milonas. Quite extraordinary in its scope, it’s exactly the kind of store you never thought you’d see… at least not in Warsaw. Walking the line between supermarket, grocery and café, consider Kram as setting a new standard when it comes to weekly shopping.

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PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA

Kram ul. Duchnicka 3

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Eat! Review

A LABOR OF (MOKO)LOVE

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lowly, surely, Mokotów is stirring. Of course, there’s already some pretty fab restaurants present in the district, just maybe not as many as the area deserves. News, therefore, that Nolita’s former sous chef was spreading his wings to head his own restaurant out there was greeted with both enthusiasm and excitement by Warsaw’s bloggers and foodies. But those expecting Łukasz Pacewicz to simply ape the style of his former boss have been surprised. Fine dining? No way.

Craving something warm and comforting on a cold autumn day, I remembered the advice of a friend who has made Mokolove his local. “Best casual opening for a while,” he pledged. Entering the gateway to the garden, I could see already why he had fallen in love. Featuring plenty of privacy, and a playground for kids, it’s an oasis for parents who want to enjoy their meal in relative peace. And it’s friendly, as well.

Arriving on the early side, a waiter warned me that they weren’t officially open for lunch yet, but that he’d check with the kitchen to see if I could be accommodated. Within seconds he was back: “no problem, and please, sit wherever you want.”

With Warsaw looking grey and gloomy that day, the menu spoke to my need for comfort with its offer of pizza and pastas. Regardless, it was the other dishes that caught the eye. Pumpkin soup proved perfectly seasoned and was given an extra little lift with a dash of pesto oil and a drizzle of toasted pumpkin seeds. Then, kopytki with wild mushrooms

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balanced by sundried tomatoes, capers and toasted walnuts. Though sounding a little like something you’d try at home, both dishes felt like they achieved something new.

A clear U-turn from the chef’s recent background, there’s something welcoming and warm about his Mokotów venture. Already, you feel a familiarity in the air, not to mention a care and attention towards both produce and punters. When I headed to Mokolove it was on the advice of a friend. Now, I’m pleased to be part of a chain and recommend it myself. (KD) Mokolove ul. Różana 14, fb.com/RestauracjaMokolove

PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA

Lots to love in Mokotów...

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 43 bakeries 43 balkan 43 chinese 44 comfort food 44 desserts 44 fine dining 46 french 48 georgian 48 greek & turkish 48 indian 49 indonesian 51 international 51 italian 55 japanese & sushi 57 korean 58 latin & spanish 58 mexican 59 middle eastern 60 polish 62 scandinavian 68 seafood 68 specialty food shops 68 steak houses 69 street food 70 thai 70 ukrainian 71 vegan & wholefood 71 vietnamese 72

american Champions Sports Bar The heavy décor brings to mind the trans-Atlantic sports bars of the 90s, with glinting trophies, whirring machines, clacking pool tables and a cacophony of commentaries. Hell, there’s even a boxing ring. But you can’t criticize their consistency: the food is always on-point while the generous floor plan makes it suitable for unwieldy groups of large and loud lads. (D5) Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott Hotel), tel. 22 630 5119, champions.pl 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 SAM Co-owner Małgorzata Kusina-Doran is a fine-bread connoisseur, honing her skills at a bread-making course chaired

by Raymond Blanc. While SAM have expanded to cover numerous locations, this has not been to the cost of the overall quality. many locations, sam.info.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 warsawinsider.pl

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EAT! Listings to see: raw, industrial aesthetics meet head on with a menu that adds a delicate finesse to a cuisine better known for its heavy, rustic style. The addition of a light, sophisticated hand has not, however, been to the detriment of taste. Of the favorites, the swordfish steak, lamb goulash and beef plejskavica sell particularly well.

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

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

chinese

Pańska 85 Ample in size, the interiors speak of money well spent. This is especially true because despite the luxury trimmings Pańska looks good without ever losing its dignity. With their kitchen staff headhunted from across China, the food sets a standard that has yet to be seen in any Chinese restaurant in Warsaw: there’s delicate salmon rolls wrapped in mango; dim sum that are pouches of pure goodness; and Sichuan-style pork that’s a blaze of sizzle and spice. The Beijing Duck, carved and served table-side, is the highlight. (B4) ul. Pańska 85, panska85.com Regina Bar Taking their inspiration from New York’s Little Italy and Chinatown, the menu at Regina is the very definition of ethnic comfort food: won-ton dumplings, ribs in sticky hoisin sauce and the best-selling General Tso chicken – famed for its healing properties, it’s one of the best hangover remedies around. On the Italian front, leopard-spotted pizzas land are presented with wheel-bladed knives in a kooky, retro interior featuring a dangling chandelier and the tallest mirror in Poland (possibly). (E6) ul. Koszykowa 1, fb.com/Reginabar To Tu Dumpling Bar A shabby looking shack cabin, To Tu offer what are seriously considered some of the best – if not the best – dim sum in town. Magic-ked up by a Manchurian

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exile, the experience isn’t unlike being in a sweaty back street haunt in Asia. And that’s a good thing! ul. Niekłańska 33, chinskapierogarnia.pl

comfort food Barn Burger Considered one of the founding fathers of Warsaw’s burger culture, Barn Burger have withstood the test of time and emerged as the yardstick all others are judged against. Prepped using freshly ground Charolais beef, choices include the jalapeno-laid Muppet and the outrageous Bypass (400g of beef with quadruple cheese and bacon). If you want to go down in legend, enter one of their Americanstyle speed eating comps. (D4) ul. Złota 9. tel. 512 157 567, barnburger.pl Burger Bar Warsaw has come full-circle: years after burgers briefly starred as the national food, it’s the original burger joint that still bosses the field. ul. Puławska 974/80 (enter from Olkuska) & ul. Krucza 41/43, burgerbar.waw.pl Kura Buffalo Wings Looking to revise and rehabilitate the reputation of fried chicken, this cult spot has cool staff, a busy buzz and a tasty selection of strips, wings and homemade sauces: look on it as KFC for the millennial generation. (B2) ul. Nowolipki 15, fb.com/ restauracjakura Okienko When the chips are down and you’re looking for emergency nourishment, then join the queue outside Okienko: serving Belgian-style frites in paper cones, this street-side hatch is a true window of life.

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

(D7) ul. Polna 22 Pogromcy Meatów Yearn no more for the elusive flavor of the backyard BBQ. Specializing in grilled meat, find exactly just that loaded into artisan buns alongside locally grown greens. The sense of homespun quality makes this the kind of comfort food that Warsaw has been missing for years. (E6) ul. Koszykowa 1, tel. 505 703 508

Warburger While Warsaw has lost its appetite for burgers, you wouldn’t necessarily tell 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 La Vanille Remember when everyone in the world began wolfing down cupcakes? La Vanille was born of that time. Though the general appetite for these dinky treats has waned, the popularity of La Vanille hasn’t. (D5) ul.

Krucza 16/22, lavanille.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 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

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 favorites updated for the modern times.

Various locations, lukullus.pl 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 Triple X 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 pristine manor house is everything you expect: hushed, lavish, cultured and classy. The food fits the backdrop: devised

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by Robert Skubisz, the contemporary menu draws spontaneous outbreaks of collective joy. Maze-like in its layout, there’s enough nooks and secret rooms to make Amber Room the ideal address for expense account meetings.

(E6) Al. Ujazdowskie 13, tel. 22 523 6664, amberroom.pl Atelier Amaro If Wojciech Amaro’s eponymous restaurant isn’t the most famous in the country, then it’s certainly the most important.

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

(B3) ul. Chłodna 15, choldna15.pl Do Bo Do Invoking the spirit of Eugeniusz Bodo – an interwar screen legend who once owned an arty café at this very address – Warsaw’s latest fine dining spot throws the spotlight on the copious talents of Marek Kropielnicki. His menu is a marriage of local produce, outrageous ideas and precise technique, though so far appears to have divided the city’s food critics. (E4) ul. Foksal 17, dobodo.pl Europejski Grill Straight off the bat you know they mean business. Having headhunted Benat

EAT! Listings 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 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), tel. 22 119 5705, eterrible.pl N31 Been there, done it all. That’s Robert Sowa, a national treasure widely hailed for modernizing Poland’s gastronomic sector back in the country’s culinary dark days.

A common sight on TV, the chef’s public profile has meant there’s no shortage of bums on seats in his flagship restaurant, but this is more than a chef trading on his past. A chic city center bubble beloved by business types, the food is first class with Sowa’s international travels reflected by surprises such as flawless tuna partnered with kabayaki sauce, yuzu, wasabi dressing and turnip salad. The flavor combinations are exceptional. (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 31, n31restaurant.pl

Nolita BEST WAWA 2017 “Fine Dining” For many diners, there is no bigger night out than one that begins and ends in this enclave of class. Dashing in its monochrome colors and muted gunmetal shades, Nolita is where Warsaw heads to live the life of the 1%.

Lacking the magic tricks of some, the ‘show factor’ might be subdued but the tastes definitely aren’t. Who to credit?

Two words: Jacek Grochowina. Cooking with poise and focus, his menu is a marriage of the classic and creative, with core ingredients given unexpected lifts with cunning turns and inspired little twists: maybe some yuzu with the tartare or konbu with the eel. (D5) ul.

Wilcza 46, tel. 22 292 0424, nolita.pl

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 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, 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

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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 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

EAT! Listings Paros Out of all of Warsaw’s Greek contributions Paros dazzles most with a glitzy look that’s a complete U-turn from the typical taverna look. Owned by the same team behind El Greco, the menu is identical, though a recent visit suggests a kitchen resting on its laurels – not one plate on our table was finished. (D4) ul. Jasna 14/16, tel. 22 828 1067, paros-restauracja.pl Santorini Santorini looks scuffed and tired but there’s a bonhomie present that instantly engages. The kitchen attaches no value to things like presentation, preferring instead to simply treat diners to piles of grilled and skewered food that consistently tastes right. ul. Egipska 7, tel. 22 672 0525, kregliccy.pl/santorini/ Sofra A highly respected Turkish eatery with a wondrous beef mussaka and a wholly admirable lineup of other ethnic dishes:

the lamb shashlik has never failed us.

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

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

indian

feels unique in delivering a variety of rich, intense tastes. The vindaloo is a special standout, with big, punchy flavors that leave you tingling long after you leave.

(B3) Al. Jana Pawła II 23, tel. 606 688 777, bombajmasala.pl

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

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

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

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

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 and excellence. ul. Conrada 5, curryleaf.pl Guru Moving into the space vacated by the lamentable BrewDog pub, Guru joins the city’s (very) shortlist of higher end Indians.

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

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

more sensitive palettes – either way, the experience is fantastic, and good news for those stuck out in the depths of Józefów. ul. Patriotów 11 A, house-of-curry.pl 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 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

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

ŻEROMSKIEGO 81 508 870 774

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HOŻA 54

536 443 771

KONDRATOWICZA 59 789 444 921

EAT! Listings 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 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 own-made produce. Above all though, this

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 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

as goose with pumpkin puree, cranberry / red wine jam and chili caramelized beetroot. (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 10, tel. 502 770 303, bibenda.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

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

Bibenda The menu declares Bibenda to be ‘a celebration of food, drink and togetherness’, and that’s precisely what it is.

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

Bubbles Occupying a small, square room, it’s intimate and relaxed: a place busy with blackboards and bottles, crates and clutter. It radiates warmth and honesty.

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

Presented on a wooden chopping board, this cheese dish is classic melty

goodness, and served alongside a pile of potatoes, onions marinated with caramel and candied pumpkin. Considering the place doubles as a champagne bar the prices are remarkably moderate. (D2) Pl. Piłsudskiego 9, tel. 512 540 913, bubbles. com.pl Concept 13 You’d expect a rooftop meal at Poland’s ultimate luxury department store to cost the earth, but that’s not the case. The zł. 50 lunch deal allows Joe Public to enjoy the considerable skills of Dariusz Barański. That he manages to create different pieces of art each and every afternoon is a testament to his talent. (D4) ul. Bracka 9, tel. 22 310 7373, likusrestauracje.pl Der Elefant This leviathan restaurant unravels in a maze of wrought iron and monochrome tiles – beautiful to look at (it was created

by Oscar-winning set designer Allan Starski), it’s caused a stir for more than just this alone. Where once the menu looked like it was devised by throwing darts at a cookbook, the focus has now been narrowed. While some of the dishes are strictly middling, the filet mignon (zł.

69) is one of the best meat deals in town in terms of quality / price / consistency. (C3) Pl. Bankowy 1, tel. 22 890 0010, derelefant.com Dom Here’s the very epitome of casual dining: set on the ground floor of a suburban house, the warm corners and garden views give Dom a real sense of homey charm. In line with all that is a menu that celebrates simple, honest cooking.

Everyone who visits ends up loving the place. ul. Mierosławskiego 12, tel. 509 165 712

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

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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

EAT! Listings 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

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

Genesis What the hell is it? Seen as an amorphous blob composed of triangular white plates and large glass panels, Genesis restaurant is an instant head turner. the feeling is of stepping into your own futuristic space adventure. As for the menu, that’s been revamped by the new chef, former Top Chef contestant Paweł Kibart, and makes use of a Mibrasa charcoal oven – apparently the first in Poland. (A4) Pl. Europejski 5, fb.com/ genesiswarsaw

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

Kieliszki Na Hożej Set on the corner of an ornate pre-war building, Kieliszki casts a warm, beckoning glow on the street outside – resisting its charms is entirely impossible. The cooking is just as seductive and sees Polish mainstays such as dumplings, tartare and herring given a 21st century update. Superb wines, all of which are available by the glass, round out the experience. (D5) ul. Hoża 41, kieliszkinahozej.pl Kromki Better known for kebab stores and booze

outlets, this section of JPII does at times chuck up the occasional surprise: Kromki, for one. The menu is a Jack-of-all-trades, with pizza and burgers rubbing shoulders against pierogi, steak and sharing plates.

Yet despite the randomness of the choices and the curious location, there’s something here that really strikes the right note. Expect tastes that work inside a informal, casual space that’s fast taking off as a local secret. Al. Jana Pawła II 45A

‘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

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 warsawinsider.pl

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EAT! Listings 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

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

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 y ou 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 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 Pink Lobster The door clatters shut to divulge a narrow space of tall palm fronds and

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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 Plato BEST WAWA 2017 “Neo Bistro” Conceived as a ‘smart casual’ restaurant, it’s a reasonably compact space with a modern style and incandescent bulbs hanging from a complex cat’s cradle of interweaving wires: classy but nothing too flashy or flamboyant. Then there’s the menu, a strange work that sees Spanish influences brushing shoulders next to Polish and Asian. It sounds silly and preposterous but my God it works.

December saw us wowed by beef tartar cut from Polish Hereford, an aromatic oriental broth, and a refined halibut encircled with sage pesto, redcurrants and fresh almonds. Stunning. ul. Klimczaka 1 (Royal Wilanow), restauracjaplato.pl Rozbrat 20 There’s a few places that offer catch-all solutions, but in Rozbrat’s case they execute them as well: from dawn, find some of the best baked goods within the city limits; at night, a diverse range of exciting wines; and then there’s an affordable tasting menu that gives fine dining venues real pause for thought. If there’s a weak link, then no-one’s yet to find it. (F5) ul. Rozbrat 20, rozbrat20.com.pl 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,

EAT! Listings fennel and leek. For mains, look for the braised beef. (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 18A, soulkitchen.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

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 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 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 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

italian 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

Supperlardo Run as a side project by Mąka i Woda (quite literally – it’s right next door), it’s a stylish-looking spot that’s fresh, contemporary and even a little edgy: for evidence, refer to a mural designed by Swansky, a local big gun on the street art scene. As for the menu, that’s a riotously meaty romp that involves wood-fired hams, sandwiches composed of pork belly pastrami and salt-cured meats from Puławska and Mangalica pigs. With orders taken at the counter, it’s a place that lifts the canteen concept to new, unseen heights. (D4) ul. Chmielna 13A, fb.com/ Supperlardo Warszawski Sznyt Warsaw’s historic center is rightly glorified for many reasons – its restaurants, however, are not one of them. In fact, there’s probably nowhere in the city with a higher concentration of sub-par

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EAT! Listings 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 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)

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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 Posypane A casual restaurant with handmade pasta made fresh on the day and a choice that includes ravioli with chorizo and shrimp, bucatini Bolognese with seasoned beef and rosemary, and a creamy mushroom pappardelle. Then, adding to the sense of being somewhere young, fun and a little bit hip, is an edgy design featuring a wall of kitchen implements, hanging ropes and exposed concrete. In an area already rife with niche eateries aimed at the modern day Varsovian, Posypane feels like a satisfying addition. (D5) ul. Hoża 43/49

EAT! Listings 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

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

From a tiny menu order up dainty pork dumplings, braised kakuni bacon or deep-fried tofu before hitting up a feisty bowl of ramen emanating life-affirming goodness. A complex tangle of interlacing flavors, it’s the sort of dish you’d happily queue up for: and yes, people do. (D6) ul.

Piękna 54 Benihana Fire, flash, show and sizzle: the Benihana experience merges cooking with cabaret with diners sat ringside around teppanyaki grills. These cooking stations are the stage for the Benihana crew to demonstrate their riveting range of nifty knifework and daredevil antics. Outside of the realm of the grill, the sushi also strikes the right note. (C4) ul. Twarda 2/4, benihanapoland.com Fat Buddha Immense in size, there’s a confident feeling of decadent ostentation: with light kept at bay by vast mulberry-colored drapes, what would otherwise appear as an over-sized hall feels intimate and

sensual, dark and delicious. Japanese in spirit, the menu pitches a refined selection of exceptional dishes – elaborate dragon rolls; delicate gyoza; and beef tataki that’s lightly seared and thinly sliced. It’s all perfect. (D3) ul. Mazowiecka 2/4 Mizu Rarely does a restaurant meet with such unanimous approval, and while the name of Mizu remains unknown among the majority, those In The Know have been crowing about it for a good couple of 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, 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 Sakana Sushi & Sticks It’s not uncommon to hear the preparation of sushi described as a form of art, and in Sakana that’s exactly what it is. Using premium ingredients and unusual combinations, their creations are a vivid blast of color and freshness. (D2) ul. Moliera 4/6, tel.

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

Who cares? No-one. An exciting departure from the norm – no sushi here – the menu is a selection of bitey Japanese street food such as grilled mackerel fillet with shav-

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

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EAT! Listings ings 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 despite increasing competition. 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

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expert pinches of this, and little brush strokes of that. That’s all elevated even further by deliciously upscale interiors befitting of the Spire location. (A4) Pl. Europejski 2 (Warsaw Spire), wabu.pl

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, fb.com/KoreaTownRest

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

EAT! Listings 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 With chef Martin Gimenez Castro injecting his passion and personality into the venue, this is an address that punches through the greyness of everyday Warsaw. Ceviche – raw fish marinated in citrus juices and cilantro – is the default order, with the Atun one of the best sellers: chunks of tuna given a rich zing with the addition of chili, lime and roasted coriander. The Japanese

influence on South America’s dining habits isn’t forgotten either, with musthaves including the the salmon tiraditos: served with teriyaki and sweet potato mash, it’s a joy of satisfying sensations: sweet, dreamy, spicy, creamy. (C4) ul.

Twarda 4, cevichebar.pl 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 wellthought out, it’s an operation that slots in smoothly with modern Powiśle. (F4) ul.

Solec 18, elbotellon.pl Tapas Gastrobar The popular practice is to order so many

plates and bottles that the table becomes a Magic Eye of kaleidoscope patterns.

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

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

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 This cuisine has enjoyed a breakout year in Warsaw, but while the millennials clamor over new food trucks and funky little start-ups, Dos Tacos is a timely reminder that the old guard sometimes know best. (D4) ul. Jasna 22, tel. 22 243 4618, dostacos.pl Gringo Bar A Mexican wave is upon us, and high time too. After years of suffering frozen ingredients, timid flavors and daft Mariachi music to persuade us it’s all authentic, a raft of new cut-price eateries are showing the rest how it’s done.

Cooked and folded by fist bumping lads in back-to-front caps and baggy t-shirts, the food at Gringo is fiery, fresh and full of zing. There are detractors who claim this is a Polonized version of this cuisine, but the informal Gringo remains one of the market leaders. (E9) ul. Odolańska 15, tel.

22 848 9523, gringobar.pl La Catrina Small enough to hear the Mexican chef bantering with the owners, this cheerful 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 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 Margarita Kolendra First impressions reveal a venue that looks like it wasn’t so much put together on the cheap as it was put together overnight. In essence, you’re left eyeing a sparse white room emboldened by a vulgar assortment of garish, peasant fabrics. The menu, though limited and restrictive, is one of those magic works of passion so rarely seen on Warsaw’s Mexican map. These are dishes delivered

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with real dash and spirit: if in doubt, order the Al Pastor tacos. (F1) ul. Okrzei 35, fb.com/MargaritaKolendra Spoco Loco It begins with a bead of sweat. Then a couple of tears. Then the real pain starts and doesn’t retract until you’ve rolled on the floor and died for twenty minutes. Spoco Loco’s No. 7 sauce is no laughing matter and should be treated with respect. But this tiny eatery (it’s essentially one bench) is not founded on gimmicks. The burritos and quesadillas are decent in the comfort food kind of way, and ably supported by a choice of milder sauces that don’t require Red Cross treatment. (H4) ul. Francuska 8, spocoloco.pl Urban Burritos Super casual in style, this crowded little haunt fills with embassy workers from the US Embassy, a ringing endorsement if ever there were. Offering fillings of pork, beef, chicken and Portobello mushrooms, well-constructed wraps come served with salsas that sing with gusto. (D6) ul. Piękna 22, urbanburritos.pl

of this cuisine, order the balbaak (six cold starters) or the byblos (six hot).

And food aside, it’s the atmosphere that carries them that extra yard: the whole philosophy of this cuisine is to share and share alike, making it a uniquely engaging experience when dining with friends. (B3) Al. Solidarności 84, tel. 22 618 8999, lecedre.pl

Le Cedre Lounge Furnished in voluptuous Middle Eastern style, the latest subsidiary of the Le Cedre empire bursts with fancy sheesha pipes, extravagant rugs and shimmery satin drapes. It’s a look that’s fun, familiar, intimate and warm. Less encyclopedic than that of its two sister ventures, Le Cedre Lounge has a slimmer menu that introduces several new tastes to fans of Lebanese cuisine. Helplessly more-ish, it’s food that’s in line with the vibey atmosphere and casual air. (C4) ul.

Grzybowska 5A, lecedre.pl

middle eastern

Le Cedre With the decadent dazzle of a bedouin tent, nights in Le Cedre are best celebrated with blasts on a sheesha and their Friday night belly dancer. Otherwise, just settle for the best Lebanese food in CEE; of particular note, the charcoalgrilled lamb chops. (E1) Al. Solidarności 61, tel. 22 670 1166, lecedre.pl

Le Cedre 84 Le Cedre just keep on getting it right.

Authenticity is key in this chainlette (well, there’s another across the river), as you’ll discover when talking to Tony, the Lebanese owner. To see the diversity

Maghreb Featuring the casual air of good times, head to Maghreb for vibrant Moroccan classics such as merguez sausages and tajine dishes served in traditional earthenware vessels. With the first chills of winter lapping at the door, it’s a restaurant that provides solace and reassurance. ul. Burakowska 9, maghreb.pl 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 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

EAT! Listings 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 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 Tahina Small and lively, it’s a spot that brings together authentic Middle Eastern tastes with no quarter given: beef, for instance, is marinated for two days before being

slow-cooked for 36-hours. Served in a featherlight lavash, there are those that would call this a kebab, but doing so would severely undersell the goodness in your hand. Demonstrating a fiendish attention to detail, Tahina is nothing if not characterized by its scrupulous specifics: look out for Iraqi-style scrambled eggs with dates, not to mention generous tahini bowls cascading with juicy chunks of chicken, and traditional coffee heated in a pan of sand. (C5) ul. Wilcza 26, fb.com/ TahinaWilcza

polish Bazyliszek Some parts of Bazyliszek hark to its years as a stately, stuffy restaurant.

Now though it’s more earthy, with Jurassic portions of meaty, lardy food best consumed with one-liter beers. The Rynek location and festive atmosphere

account for its popularity more than anything that comes from the kitchen.

(D1) Rynek Starego Miasto 1/3, tel. 22 831 1841, bazyliszek.waw.pl 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, 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

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

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EAT! Listings 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

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 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

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

www.lecedre.pl

Don't Miss The Party!

For a Lebanese night to remember, book your Christmas event NOW! Le Cedre Lounge

Grzybowska 5A, Tel 22 299 7299

Le Cedre 61

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

Le Cedre 84

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

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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 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

the next, the staff at Jaś & Małgosia show the two faces of Polish service brilliantly.

Reactivated a couple of years ago, this 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

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

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

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

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Klub Spatif Tip tap through the dark chambers into a bright dining room decorated with eggshell lights and vibrant greenery; from the photos on the walls, famous past guests smile down in approval. Though better known as a bar-club crossover, in daylight hours find a surprisingly brilliant menu featuring modern Polish tastes: tender piglet cheeks with curried sauerkraut, coconut milk and cilantro; marinated salmon with beetroot; and a vegan tartar made with tomatoes and black olives. It is, quite simply, a glorious hymn to natural tastes. (E5) Al. Ujazdowskie 45, klubspatif.pl LAS This rail-side communist pavilion has been transformed courtesy of a thorough makeover featuring a jungle of plants, low, muted lighting and the addition of smart charcoal colors and revamped retro fittings. As for food, then familiarize yourself with Anna Klajmon. Having made her bones at Grunt i Woda, her farm-to-fork philosophy has followed her here. Cooking with an air of freedom, there’s a natural goodness to her menu that belies the modest pricing. Highly seasonal, on our visit that meant gorgeous oxtail pierogi with peanut butter and hazelnut sauce.

Don’t mix the ‘local cocktails’, either. (F4) ul. Solec 44, fb.com/las.warszawa

Mała Polana Smaków Few chefs have done more to rehabilitate Poland’s culinary reputation than Andrzej Polan – a crusader for seasonal tastes and regional produce, his is a menu that gives mundane sounding ingredients new impetus: you’ve had herring before, just not like this. Hell, even the humble dumpling is given an overdue makeover.

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

EAT! Listings team using seasonal produce and the latest technology to bring out its best. 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 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 warsawinsider.pl

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

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 British Shop British food and beverages inc. cider, bacon, sausages, gluten free ready meals, confectionary etc. Run by the same team who once operated Fish & Chips on Koszykowa, the offer has now expanded to cover non-food items like Royal Wedding souvenirs, England football paraphernalia, etc. (C5) ul. Emilii Plater 8, tel. 692 240 804 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) Dobrze Co-op The Dobrze Food Co-op aims to ‘widen access to healthy, seasonal food’ while

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EAT! Listings 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 Kram Housed in the DeFabryka development, Kram taps into Warsaw’s growing mania for artisan produce to present posh, made-on-the-day bread, fresh fruit and veg from local farms, as well as assorted goodies and pre-packaged items from acclaimed firms such as Rude Health, Cherry Tree, Mleczna Droga, etc. Covering every base imaginable, it’s cult status looks assured. ul. Duchnicka 3, facebook. com/kram.nativeingredients Kuchnie Świata The first stop for most ex-pats, with an offer that includes food and drinks from across the globe. The choice is vast but mainly involves tinned and packaged products. Internet ordering now also available. Various locations, kuchnieswiata. com.pl Ostra Kuchnia A superb internet shop retailing quite literally the hottest sauces known to man: brands include Blair’s, Dave’s, El Yucateco, Mad Dog, Melinda’s and many more

besides. Also sell jalapenos, chili peppers, salsas and pastes. Polish-only website, but easy to navigate and superb customer service. ostrakuchnia.pl

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 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

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 Evil Steakhouse Already successfully established in Poznań and Szceczin, Evil look to break the recent capital city trend towards higher class steakhouses by introducing a more casual approach to the dining process. In this case, though, casual does not mean inferior: expect dinosaur portions of steak and ribs delivered straight from the grill inside a laidback, straightforward space that’s gone for a rough-industrial look. (D4) ul. Świętokrzyska 3 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, merliniego.pl Prime Cut Aimed at a higher class of customer, this showy steakhouse has shaken up the meat sector since it’s star studded launch at the beginning of summer. The beautiful, contemporary design is matched by a faultless menu – full report coming soon.

(C4) ul. Twarda 18, primecut.pl

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

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social solution that shines the spotlight on independent vendors offering various cuisines Warsaw ain’t seen before. In terms of tenants, big changes have happened – and continue to happen. Bye to Keboom, Melt, and countless other editorial faves, hello to the superb Gorilla Coffee. Of the new additions, we’ve been told Ye Ye Mex will be entering anytime soon. (C3) Pl. Mirowska 2, halagwardii.pl Hala Koszyki Nirvana for the aspirational classes, careful surgery has preserved the heritage of this early 20th century marketplace and juxtaposed it against the urban tapestry of modern Warsaw.

Appealing to everyone from foodies and families to Instagram scenesters, its success has sparked a nationwide wave of doubles and duplicates. But despite their best efforts, none come close to feeling quite so global. Not ones to stand still, May saw the addition of a narrow indoor avenue towards the back flanked on each side by busy street food stalls retailing all from vegan kebabs to super duper Korean noodles. (D6) ul. Koszykowa 63, koszyki.com Nocny Market Set on and around a disused train platform, this weekend hangout gets thronged with crowds clamoring over an ever-evolving line-up brings together not just food trucks, but quality restaurants hawking their specials from tiny stalls – keep an eye on their facebook to see who is booked for the weekend. More than just a hyper-cool collection of ethnic food vendors, the Nocny Market has become the place to get tattooed in front of leering strangers, stock up on artisan donuts, swag some indigo-colored Palace of Culture socks or simply boogie on down to DJs straight from the Golden Years of Hipster. All about good vibes, big beats and beery, blurry nights, enjoy it while you can – if rumor is true, then this is their last year of life, at least in this location. STOP PRESS! Nocny Market is now 100% officially closed. No word yet if stands to be reprised in a new location in the future, in the meantime, check out the team’s new concept: see p. 76. (A5) ul. Towarowa 3 Targ Śniadaniowy You could well argue that it was Targ

Śniadaniowy that originally kicked-off Warsaw’s street food revolution. Despite the name (which, if you don’t know, translates to mean The Breakfast Market), it’s more than just a morning feed. Running through the afternoon, this weekend legend is a little bit of everything: park picnic, food market, music space – you might even find someone to fix your two-wheeler. Various locations, targsniadaniowy.pl

thai Basil & Lime Reports have been hit and miss, with one Insider noting calamitous service and food that was both over and undercooked. Not on our visit, though. Short and to the point, the menu is defined by its clarity, and we enjoyed a phenomenal yellow curry and banana fritters with the right combo of crunch and goo. Beautifully decorated with charcoal colors and punches of lime, the Insider felt good long after visiting.

Will you? (E8) ul. Puławska 27, tel. 22 126 1943, basil-lime.pl

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 Silk & Spicy If you don’t benchmark Silk & Spicy against what you’d eat in Asia (and you really shouldn’t), then you might enjoy it. “The curry was on taste-wise,” said our disappointed graphic, “but the cream cheese didn’t work in the sushi and the kmichi-style salad served at the beginning was very pedestrian for such a place.” (D5) ul. Żurawia 16/20, tel. 22 629 7012, silkandspicy.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

EAT! Listings also the best. Peaks include a grilled beef salad full of citrusy twists, lively flavors and vibrant colors, and sundried pork neck that’s all manly crunch and nose-clearing sauce. And then there’s the tuna tartar, a dish zinging with fresh hits of coriander, mint, lime and chili. There’s no point in complimenting the chef, he’s heard it all before. (C2) Pl. Teatralny 3, tel.

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

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

Even so, the BBQ skewers remain a good order. (C2) Pl. Bankowy 4, tel. 730 000 024, thaisty.pl Why Thai A calming, almost holistic interior sets the tone for a meal dominated by the rich and aromatic tastes of Thailand. For a lively, spicy start begin with a mango and cashew salad, before moving forward and onto their celebrated curries. Imported chefs keep the flavors authentic, with the pad Thai being something of a house favorite. (E5) ul. Wiejska 13, tel. 22 625 7698, whythai.pl

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

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

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

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

Jakubowska 16, edenbistro.pl Falafelove Cramped, sweaty and uncomfortable, Falafelove’s customers choose to overlook the aesthetic shortcomings for one very special reason: this is falafel that sets a new benchmark. Recommended is the spicy wrap, comprising of ‘red falafel’, humus, harissa, sundried tomatoes and tahini. If there’s space, join the others on

the terrace outside. (C2) ul. Senatorska 40 Falla Both pricing and location combine to keep this venue blocked solid with a muddled mass of students from the uni nearby. Looking simple, maybe even spartan, crowds flock to this corner unit for recipes inspired by the Middle East and Asia: 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, fb.com/falla.wawa Krowarzywa Tatts, hats and plaid shirts aplenty in Krowarzywa: a survivor of the hipster era, for many it’s the epitome of Warsaw’s vegan scene. The burgers set a benchmark that all but a few fail to surpass. (D5) ul.

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

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

First founded to provide work for refugees fleeing conflict zones, this social project has won acclaim not just for social initiative, but more importantly its food. With employees hailing from the likes of Iran, Afghanistan, Chechnya and Iraq, prepare to dive deep into the exotic. Full review next issue. (D5) ul. Wilcza 60

Leonardo Verde Geometric patterns, plant arrangements and the large format illustrative artwork of Dominique A. Faryno decorate Leonardo Verde, an upmarket – but inexpensive – Italian joint. Pizza is the forte – order the ‘hot romantic’, a combo featuring chili, avocado and tabasco. (D5) ul. Poznańska 13, fb.com/leonardo.verde. restaurant Lokal Vegan Bistro Aside from a small menu consisting of more standard vegan offers, Lokal keep Homer Simpson characters in mind with regular guest slots for street food that’s given a full vegan makeover. Offhand, warsawinsider.pl

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EAT! Listings that’s meant vegan kebabs, cheesesteaks, burgers and zapiekanka, all of which have been pretty damn good. (D5) ul. Krucza 23/31, 517 615 122 Momencik Steamy, tight and sweaty, this pokey subterranean cavern has one key thing going for it: burritos that outrank the majority of ‘proper Mexicans’ in town. The salsas, too, are magnificent (ooh, pineapple), arguably the best in the city. (D5) ul. Poznańska 16 Tel Aviv “People shouldn’t be excluded from high standards just because they’ve chosen the vegan path,” says Malka Kafka, the owner of Tel Aviv. As such, find a plantbased menu that gives the tastes of Israel a fancy schmancy style – so fancy that Depeche Mode ate here last summer! (D5) ul. Poznanska 11, restauracjatelaviv.pl Vegan Ramen Shop Co-joining two fads is always a risky business – just ask Loco Mexicana. All of a sudden, the focus doesn’t fall on just getting one thing right, but two. But despite this double-headed challenge Vegan Ramen have struck gold on account of their complex bowls of restorative goodness: their fan base extends way beyond the boundaries of Saska Kępa. Enjoy in a cool interior filled with cute Japanese props on dozens of ‘levitating shelves’.

(G3) ul. Finlandzka 12A

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

Radna 14 Youmiko Vegan Sushi Exceptional in every respect, Youmiko’s tasting menu is one of the undisputed highlights of what’s become known as the vegan square mile. “Our aim,” declares their manifesto, “is to mix traditional Japanese approaches with Polish creativity and surprise you with new textures and flavors.” Mission accomplished. (D5) ul. Hoża 62, youmiko.vg

vietnamese Oh My Pho A busy, family-run joint, OMP’s specific claim to fame is what many are terming the best and most authentic pho in the ward. Steamy and aromatic, this is pho as it should be: full of big herby thwacks, ribboning noodles, and soft strips of meat in a clear, restorative stock. Often cited

as being the ‘soul of the nation’, just a few noisy slurps are all that’s needed to corroborate the life-affirming goodness of this beautiful broth... (D5) ul. Wilcza 32 Toan Pho Toan Pho’s bowls of soup with rice noodles come highly recommended; as does the chaos intrinsic to this type of casual Asian eatery. The short menu is in Vietnamese with Polish decoding – although you can ask for an English version. (D4) ul. Chmielna 5/7 Ukim Though not as high profile as Warsaw’s other gastro streets, Chłodna’s emergence has been no less spectacular. But fine dining and fancy wine bars aside, it’s actually the more standard venues that make the area feel so vibrant. Take Ukim, a cheerful joint decorated with steel Tolix chairs and blooming palms. Covering vast tracts of Asia, the menu, for the most part, feels enjoyable and authentic in equal measure: start with duck and mango spring rolls before moving onto mains such as crispy, sticky chicken in tamarind sauce. (B3) ul. Chłodna 2/18, ukim.pl Vietnamka BEST WAWA 2017 “Casual Dining” Divey but lively, diners step down into Vietnamka to find a shouty little lair of mint green walls and wobbly wooden tables. Infused with a gentle sense of chaos (drinks after mains, mains before starters), there’s a certain charm at work that feels authentic and convincing. As for the food, you suspect that’ll be ’nam good when TV chef Kurt Scheller wonders in for a take-out. And boy, yes it is. Squiggled onto a crumpled sheet of paper, menu items include giant bowls of warming pho, steamed goat with lemongrass and more-ish spring rolls. Exceptional in every respect, the cooking here sails Warsaw’s Asian scene into uncharted waters. (D5) ul.

Poznańska 7, fb.com/VietnamkaPoznanska Viet Street Food Bistro What started out as a 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

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DRINK!

PHOTOGRAPH KEVIN DEMARIA

BEANS & SCREENS

Set in the concrete clad lobby of the uber funky Kino Elektronik (so hip that it doesn’t just have a retro neon, but a giant mural as well!), Nowa Fala has become something of a cult name among coffee fiends since opening late last year. Owned by the same team behind Fawory, find homemade cakes, hipster colas and fresh-on-the-day sandwiches served inside a spacious interior sparingly embellished with mustard-toned seats, film posters, contemporary art and floppy leafed plants luxuriating in the windows. No wifi, bizarrely, but arguably one of the best coffees you’ll find in the north of the city.

For afters, join the film nerds and file into the cinema to watch clever-sounding flicks that will leave you bamboozled.

Nowa Fala ul. Gen. Zajączka 7 warsawinsider.pl

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DRINK! Craft Beer

BIG BROTHER, LITTLE SISTER

Consolidation? Accomplished. With Warsaw’s thirst for craft beer showing no sign of slowing, more tap bars are extending their footprint and opening elsewhere…

ul. Nowogrodzka 4 The natural start (or finish) point of any Nowogrodzka pub crawl, head to The Double D for a space that conjures to mind a disused power station: sporting rugged brickwork and a scuffed style, the neoindustrial look is ramped up with the liberal use of steel girders, vintage voltage meters and toilets disguised as elevator shafts.

Sixteen taps to drink through, many of them offering extreme drinking solutions from Europe’s most radical breweries. Looks great, tastes great, a factor that ensures a male-tofemale ratio that feels roughly equal.

DRUGIE DNO OCHOTA

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

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PHOTOGRAPHS CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: KEVIN DEMARIA (4), ED WIGHT, KEVIN DEMARIA

DRUGIE DNO

KUFLE I KAPSLE

ul. Nowogrodzka 25 Found somewhere round the top of Warsaw’s hierarchy of craft beer bars, Kufle welcomes all, from entry level novices taking their first steps in the beery world to note-taking nerds conducting research for their blogs.

Interiors are respectful of the building’s pre-war heritage and are thick with noise, clamor and the reassuring smell of spillage. The edgy beer selection becomes even more experimental when you look down to the fridge.

KUFLE I KAPSLE POWIŚLE

ul. Solec 46A Doing it in a way that feels shabby, gritty but yet totally cool, this is a bar that riffs on themes of industrial and retro to maximum effect. Ground floor: a small bar area with a secret strip of seating snaking back behind; upstairs, the kind of retro furnishings last seen when Brezhnev was wearing shorts.

On tap, find a fluctuating choice of 12 crazy beers sourced from the kind of breweries that make Poland seem progressive. When you’re done, prove your allegiance to KiK by visiting their third venue in Żoliborz.

SAME KRAFTY

ul. Nowomiejska 10 Squashed into two narrow, rugged rooms decorated with benches and rough plaster walls, Same Krafty have rescued Old Town from big beer brands peddling piss. Offering artisan alternatives, this intimate bar lures daring tourists looking to explore the more subversive side of Polish brewing. Sustenance comes by way of big wheels of pizza that are surprisingly good.

SAME KRAFTY VIS-À-VIS

ul. Nowomiejska 11/13 When it comes to pubs, Same Krafty tops any Old Town hit list, but try getting served at peak drinking time. No problem, head five meters opposite to Bar No. 2. Pass under a dragon’s head before stepping into a supremely friendly room with ten taps, a strong bottle line-up and an atmospheric side chamber. You will find tourists, but locals are often the majority, a telling indicator that says much for their approval rating.

CHMIELARNIA

ul. Twarda 42 Musty, muggy, murky. Head into the basement depths of the fishing institute to discover Chmielarnia, a subterranean tap bar where artisan beers rule the roost: check the ‘glass tomb’ filled with mainstream macro lagers. The bar gets loud and rackety, sweaty and sticky, and seems especially popular with geeks and know-it-alls discussing their beer’s ‘finish’ and ‘nose’.

CHMIELARNIA MARSZAŁKOWSKA

ul. Marszałkowska 10/16 A breath of fresh air when compared to the original – literally. Points are earned by whoever thought to add an Indian menu, while other pluses are awarded for a fridge housing exciting brews trending around the globe: from super cool Bermondsey breweries to Scandinavian legends, it’s a place you feel actually broadens your horizons.

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I

t’s not often that it happens, but every now and again you get a place that takes Warsaw’s nightlife in unexpected directions: for example, Nocny Market, a food and drinks concept in an abandoned train station – it sent the city crazy. Closed for good in October, its ultimate demise was met with something approaching genuine lamentation. But sad as its end was, there’s been no time for tears: not from its initiators, anyhow. As one door closes, another one opens. From the same team comes a new project, one that’s proving to be every bit as exciting.

SO… WHAT IS IT?

WELCOME TO THE FUN HOUSE! A forgotten piece of commie real estate transforms into Warsaw’s hippest opening…

Set in the Commie era No Man’s Land between Zbawiciela and Konstytucji, it’s become one of the hottest nights in town. On the ground floor, Warmut, a vermouth-inspired cocktail bar featuring classic and house creations, and a spectacular design involving street art, greenery and mirrored walls. But the piece de resistance?

Those are the scale models of local landmarks that hang from the ceiling.

Instagram them now before everyone else does.

Then, there’s the upstairs. Here lies Gram, a small room designed to evoke the feeling of stepping inside a circus tent. Filled with arcade games (Pac-Man! Space Invaders!!), it’s a super fun space with a fridge of craft beers and quirky little details: look up and you’ll find monkey figures parachuting from the ceiling! You are, in effect, inside a playground for adults. Enjoy.

Yes! Upstairs, step through a metal grille adorned with plant life to discover a barber shop and tattoo parlor run by Urban Beard. Just by being here, their presence has led to a steady footfall of super-hip dudes looking to pimp up their style – even quiet nights seem to have a highenergy dynamic. But that’s not all.

Currently under wraps, a restaurant is set to be unveiled on the next level up: watch this space.

Warmut / Gram ul. Marszałkowska 45/49,

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PHOTOGRAPHS MIREK KAŹMIERCZAK

ANYTHING ELSE?

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.

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2Koła Sat, as it is, in the abandoned backspaces and brickyards behind Zachodnia station, 2Koła feels like Warsaw’s dirtiest little secret. Still stained and smelling of grease and oil, this former garage is piled high with dented sofas, warehouse palettes and motorcycling detritus. Yet the supremely friendly owners have turned this shadowy lair into a cult bar that’s specifically celebrated for rowdy jam sessions that cover everything from ragtime to rockabilly. ul. Tunelowa 2B 8 Dzień Tygodnia Though the owners remain the same, the unit that once housed Kwadrat couldn’t be more different: no longer a grungey, shadowy space, it’s been rebooted with lots of brash, bursts of color, strings of fairy lights and pops of modern art.

What’s not been lost is the amiable sense of gentle chaos: buoyed by a quirky beer selection and fun music policy, this remains one of the friendliest venues in the parish. (D5) ul. Poznańska 7 The Alchemist A small place with a big bag of tricks: upscale pub grub from Brit chef Ed Shellard, fancy cocktails, and a self-serve wall of beer from a choice of global brewers.

Poland’s still getting used to the idea of ‘a pint after work’, but in The Alchemist the idea of a post-office drink just seems so right. (D3) Pl. Piłsudskiego 3, thealchemist.pl Bar Pacyfik From Day 1 there was something that felt special about this place, and that feeling has only swelled with the progress of time. With a retro-kitsch interior delivered straight from the age of Scarface (candy floss pink, ocean blue), it’s a bar that’s dark and divey, raw and real. More than just a spot for the cool kids, there’s an inclusive atmosphere that feels positively international. As for drinks, the habanero / salsa infused Bloody Maria is a lifeaffirming gargle that sweeps through the body like an electric current – three sips and you feel like Superman. (C5) ul. Hoża 61 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) ul. Jagiellońska 13

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

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

DRINK! Listings 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

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.

(D6) ul. Koszykowa 63 (Hala Koszyki)

Ceska With its fake brickwork and shameless proliferation of Pilsner paraphernalia, the general feeling is that Ceska feels forced and phony – looking like it was fitted out to a rigid company blueprint, it’s more like the kind of theme pub you’d find off Leicester Square. Service, meanwhile, can be surly, forgetful and occasionally plain hostile. The ‘tank’ pouring system is a considerable plus: try the ‘mliko’, a full pint of creamy foam that can be sunk in a swig. (D4) ul. Chmielna 35, ceska.pl Chłodna 25 After several closures, noise clampdowns and a change in management you’d imagine C25 to be a mere shadow of what it once was. But after a slow start the new management have rescued this listing vessel and returned it to it best. On the ground floor it’s a place of creaking floorboards and retro armchairs, while the basement gets opened for experimental music nights and improvised orchestras.

(B3) ul. Chłodna 25, klubchlodna25.pl

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 Gram From the makers of the Nocny Market comes Gram, a new concept bar designed to tap into nostalgia for 80s

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and 90s Warsaw. Complete with arcade classics such as Pac Man and Space Invaders, we’re told to expect a super-hip atmosphere, craft beers and other diversions such as a barber shop and tattoo parlor. For the full lowdown on Gram and it's sister bar Warmut, see p. 76 (D6) ul.

Marszałkowska 45/49

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

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

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

Kraken Rum Bar Named after one of the ocean’s most feared mythical creatures (the scary squid from Pirates of the Caribbean), the wood-clad 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

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 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

Przystań Nowa Fala If nothing else, 2018 will be remembered as the year the Wisła finally kicked-on to go more upmarket. Playing more

DRINK! Listings 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 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 Ulubiona Set inside the archway, look for a heavy door next to a dented ashtray seemingly unemptied for the last couple of months.

Shadowy and shabby, you’ll usually find barflies strumming guitars or engrossed in a solo game of chess. An intensely personal experience, it’s a bar that compensates for its lack of glitz with a stoner-style ambiance that soon sweeps over all. (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 27

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

Worek Kości A celebration of both the burlesque and bizarre, Worek Kości is the bar Edgar Allan Poe would create were he raised from the dead. A lively evening hangout with ad-libbed cocktails and an unconventional program of events, you’re as likely to visit during an open-mic night as you are a discussion on Silesian serial killers. This fascination with the morbid and macabre manifests itself by way of a quirky design featuring hundreds of skulls and book shelves lined with the complete works of Stephen King. (E7) ul. Bagatela 10 Wozownia Founded by the same people that once ran the original ‘ruin’ bar at Hala Koszyki (back when it was a decrepit pile of wobbly, black stonework), the idea is simple: find a courtyard decked out with flowering plants and crates of herbs, an open-air grill specializing in vegetables, and a 200-year-old carriage house inside which lies the bar. While the beer front is (currently) limited to boring old Pilsner, cocktails are a different matter entirely, and incorporate sprigs of lavender and rosemary to maximum effect. Then there’s the Prosecco, arguably the cheapest glass of bubbles that you’ll find in the city. Pl. Trzech Krzyży 16, fb.com/WozowniaBar

Żyrafa Sucked inside it’s green/blue glow, visitors all but collide against the bar with a swing of the door. It’s just 15 sq/m, but that warsawinsider.pl

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DRINK! Listings doesn’t stop drinkers rolling in. “There’s some nights we’ve had 30 people in here,” says the barman, a thought that both terrifies and exhilarates in equal measure.

(E4) ul. Nowy Świat 22

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

TRY OUR BUBBLE-WAFLLES WITH HOME MADE ARTISAN GELATO. Nowogrodzka 15 Al. Jana Pawła II 43/25 Francuska 48 Hala Koszyki

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: the bagels are ok. (C4) Pl. Grzybowski 2, bistrocharlotte.pl Coffeedesk Looking flawless in her pearl white colors, Coffeedesk is a place that does it right.

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

tel. 509 912 282 www.melody.pl

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

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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 Forum Born with Instagram in mind, Forum has it all: super cool Afro-haired staff, a fashionably frayed interior, and a devoted client base that’s all about out-sized headphones and razor-thin laptops. Changing weekly, the big pull is a menu of specialty coffees from acclaimed roasters such as Five Elephant and The Coffee Collective fixed up by Poland’s AeroPress and Brewers Cup champion. (C3) ul. Elektoralna 11 Lapidarium It’s high time that the Old Town Square had a café worth visiting, but would have thought that it would be a museum providing such? Run under the aegis of the Museum of Warsaw, visitors choose from rustic meals prepped locally by Gospoda Kwiaty Polskie, regional beers, Polish wine from Mierzęcin Palace and tea courtesy of Harney & Sons. Enjoy these in minimalistic vaulted interiors or in a soothingly calm courtyard garden stacked with gargoyles and other historic elements. (D1) Rynek Starego Miasto 40, lapidariumcafe.com

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

DRINK! Listings from a range of pedigree roasters such as Warsaw’s own Coffee Lab. (E3) ul. Fabryczna 28/30, kawiarniafabryczna.pl

KluboKawiarnia Towarzyska With an interior modeled by John Strumiłło, this 50s pavilion has an ascetic design defined by polar white interiors.

Contrast is provided downstairs, with deep magenta walls and retro armchairs.

Concerts, screenings and art happenings have made it into something of local cultural mainstay. ul. Zwycięzców 49 Krem A chic city center hangout with all the swanky, urban elegance of the 8th arrondisement. Opened by the same team behind Monsieur Leon, find their latest little baby decorated with monochrome tiles, marble-topped tables, and retro-styled mirrors. A place of hip sophistication and laid-back vibe, the menu is built around French cheeseboards, raclette and super sexy baguettes. (D6) ul. Śniadeckich 18 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

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, odette.pl

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

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

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

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

10%

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 warsawinsider.pl

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DRINK! Listings 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

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

ONCE A WEEK I DRINK ONLY SOTI NATURAL Check why on www.sotinatural.pl

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DRINK! Listings Sen Entering this top-floor joint, visitors are hit by a tidal wave of gorgeousness: wallto-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-toceiling 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.

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

warsawinsider.pl

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DRINK! Listings 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 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

Ceviche Bar The ‘bar’ bit in the name isn’t a deceit, it’s there for a reason: here, the design, DJs and drinks work seamlessly to generate an ambiance that’s buzzy, energetic and something of a scene. Yet though the cocktails have long been celebrated, the ante’s been upped by a new ‘Nikkei’ card that combines Peruvian and Japanese techniques and ingredients. Of the standouts, none earn higher praise than the Matero, a mix of Japanese yuzu citruses and Pisco infused with Yerba Mate. You won’t stop at one. (C4) ul. Twarda 4, cevichebar.pl

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

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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.

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

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

65/79, panoramabar.pl

Cosmo Bar Though they’ve made a big noise about embracing a variety of initiatives aimed at maximizing sustainability, Tomek Roehr’s Cosmo Bar project, is more than a one-trick pony. Beyond the novelty factor is a scrupulous attention to detail that manifests itself in impeccable cocktails based around Polish produce – rowanberry, sea buckthorn and suchlike. Occupying a plush, little corner of the Cosmopolitan Tower, this is luxury with a conscience. ul. Twarda 4, cosmobar.pl

Podwale Bar & Books T Though itCdoesn’t have to be winter to R P T M enjoy Podwale Bar & Books, it definitely C W helps.

Seen through frosted, foggy win≈ W it’s C a venue that reveals itself as a dows ≈ C C place of≈dark, delicious colors and rarefied T air. Occupying the kind of charismatic ≈ P E you’d read about in Dickens, gatehouse ≈ L S position yourself in front of the upstairs fireplace P B for B a celebratory cigar and a glass of something tall and lovely: the cocktails are in a class of their own and specifically customized for the season. (D2) HE MOST

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ul. Krucza 6/14

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Przedmieście 13 (Raffles Europejski), raffles. com/warsaw

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ul. Wąski Dunaj 20, barandbooks.pl

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

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

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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)

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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

DRINK! Listings 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

side passage), czesc.waw.pl

does a convincing job of representing the tastier side of regional Poland. (D1) ul.

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

Szeroki Dunaj 11

Poniatowskiego, czeskabaszta.pl

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 Craft Beer Muranów Though still an area thick with beretwearing, dachshund-walking oldies, Muranów is fast catching up with the rest of Warsaw. Taking care of the craft beer angle is this newbie, a bi-level bar with warm tones and 16 taps of beery goodness. ul. Andersa 23, 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 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 places with six or so beers on tap. The two owners, Piotrek and Kuba, take their beer seriously, so do expect plenty of new finds as well as traditional favorites from stalwarts like Artezan and Pinta. The laidback, neighborhood atmosphere is making it increasingly popular with a tight-knit circle of ex-pat drinkers. (C3) ul. Grzybowska 2 (through the

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

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

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.

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. For cheapskates, Polish options kick-off at approx. 13 PLN. (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

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

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

(D7) ul. Oleandrów 4

for gentlemen

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

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 warsawinsider.pl

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DRINK! Listings 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

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, fb.com/pijalnia.

the glass. ul. Hoża 41, kieliszkinahozej.pl

48, alewino.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.

Bubbles Such is the style of Bubbles it feels like Valentine’s all year round: high on intimacy, it’s a charming ensemble of rickety crates and deep, dark colors. But the clincher, that’s the prodigious selection of champagne. Now while you’d usually expect a champagne bar to be filled with footballers wives and berks with fake tans, Bubbles feels inclusive, convivial and anything but vain. (D2) Pl. Piłsudskiego 9, bubbles.com.pl

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

Burakowska 5/7 (also on Czerska 12)

Nowina The striking interior that catches the eye from across the street – restored pre-war tiling, glinting surfaces, a world map rendered from corks and an engaging reddish glow all do their bit to lend Nowina the kind of atmosphere that’s missing in most local wine bars. Add to that an exciting international menu and a selection of over 400 wines and you have an absolute winner. ul. Nowogrodzka 4, nowina.waw.pl

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).

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.

(F5) ul. Rozbrat 44, dyletanci.pl

Ujazdowskie 22, fb.com/winebarrusiko

wine bars

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

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

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:

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

warszawa

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

chef Sebastian Wełpa is one of Warsaw’s great, golden talents. (E5) ul. Mokotowska

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

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

Wioślarska 10

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Well, Kanonicza 22 is the ideal place for you!

Let us spoil you and make your visit in Cracow truly unforgettable.

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Attractive rates for direct reservation guests!

DO!

PHOTOGRAPH KEVIN DEMARIA

GOOD ON PAPER

Run by Kinga and Ela, a pair of graduates from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Toruń, head to Rzeczownik to revel in a world of paper pleasure: specializing in stationery, cards, notepads, and calendars, find Rifle Paper Co., Red Cap Cards, UStudio and 1973 among the brands available at this intriguing store. Ranging from the super cute to the ultra-cool, browse-worthy items include graphic prints, ceramics, books and quirky little things for house and home. That the owners have a soft spot for animals is evidenced by the number of cat-related products!

Rzeczownik ul. HoĹźa St 59/1, rzeczownik.com

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Do! Football

BACK FROM THE BRINK

After years in the doldrums, Polonia Warszawa are fighting back…

BY ALEX WEBBER | PHOTOS BY ED WIGHT

W

ith their illustrious history often characterized by struggle, despair and unlikely glory, even in the helter skelter world of Polish football, there are few clubs that compete with Polonia Warszawa in terms of thrills, spills and general turmoil.

While Legia Warszawa look to add a fourth successive league title to their bulging trophy cabinet, Polonia have their sights set on a more modest goal. Here, after years of mismanagement and meltdown, stability is the target.

“It’s been back to basics,” says Peter Kaluba, a native of Bydgoszcz who recently assumed charge of the club. “We’ve remodeled the first team, stabilized the finances and cut all unnecessary spending.”

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Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

Having failed to secure a license to play in the top flight in 2013 due to the parlous state of their finances, Polonia found themselves damned to the darkest dungeons of domestic football. Yet while other clubs might have rolled over and waited for the final shot to the back of the head, for Polonia it was just one more setback to acknowledge and surmount.

“It’s not easy being a Polonia supporter,” says Kaluba, “but once you’re a fan of ours, you don’t stop – the only way out, our followers joke, is death.” There is more to this than just gallows humor. Mingling with them on matchday, Polonia’s fan base strikes the visitor as many things: defiant, fatalistic, hopeful, loyal – and above all else, incredibly proud of the club that they

back. “Yes, we’re a small club in a big city,” admits Kaluba, “but our history and tradition are immense.”

Formed in 1911, Polonia were, for the first decades of their existence, Warsaw’s best supported team. However, the advent of Communism saw Legia fall under the patronage of the army, a move that enabled them to cherry pick the best players – often directly from Polonia’s ranks. Polonia, on the other hand, were treated with suspicion, largely on account of their perceived ties with the inter-war government. While Legia benefited from the bottomless resources provided by the army, Polonia were propped up by Poland’s beleaguered railway company. Power had shifted.

The rivalry has bristled bitterly

Polonia Warszawa ul. Konwiktorska 6, kspolonia.pl / dumastolicy.pl

ever since with Polonia’s status as underdog making their occasional glories all the greater. Further, and in a twist of irony that only the gods could conceive, the bulk of these have come at Legia’s own stadium: Polonia’s only league titles (1946 and 99/2000), a 1952 Polish Cup triumph and a 2001 League Cup victory were all sealed at Łazienkowska 3. “Legia’s fans pretend we’re invisible,” says Marek, a lifelong fan since the early 90s, “but these Invisible Men of ours have snatched some big prizes from right under their noses!”

For Polonia’s fans, these memories have provided succor during the long periods of hardship. “We have to be realistic,” continues Marek, “for most of us now, our only dream is to compete in a league derby before we die.” The lack of success, though, has not destroyed the club; if fair weather fans have been lost, the core support has been galvanized, a point that’s instantly apparent checking into their ground.

Far removed from the generic entertainment arenas that have become increasingly common around Poland, Polonia’s ground is a pleasing blast to the past. Built in 1928, and richly antiquated in its charm, it’s a place steeped in history: by old school colonnades, plaques commemorate the lives lost here during WWII, and it’s in eyeline with a tinkling fountain that fans gather pre-match to discuss the upcoming match over sausages and beer. A foreign accent draws curious glances, and eventually, conversation. The crowd is as untypical as they come, and within minutes the Insider has met a priest, a politician, an Uprising veteran and Adrian, a supporter originally hailing from southern Poland – from his bedroom, at the age of 13, he launched Duma Stolicy, a website that’s since morphed into the world’s No. 1 source for all things Polonia. And then, there’s even a Leeds United fan that’s installed Polonia as his second team. Everyone, it seems, knows each other, and within half

It’s not easy being a Polonia supporter, but once you’re a fan of ours, you don’t stop – the only way out, our followers joke, is death

an hour so does the Insider.

The feeling of togetherness extends to the stands where Polonia’s band of ultras and casuals co-exist side-by-side to back their team to the hilt. Buoyed by half-time beers, the second half sees the atmosphere amped up with banners unfurled and club anthems belted out. Though the crowd can’t measure much beyond a thousand, the cavernous roof produces a thundering echo that rips and rolls around the stadium: this is football as it should be – partisan, devoted and defined by passion.

Final whistle, and Polonia have claimed a 2-1 win that lifts them to a credible fifth place in Poland’s fourth tier. Promotion is 12 points off, but as the fans flock into the bar after full-time their spirits are high. Drinking inside arguably the most remarkable stadium pub in the country – an intimate effort clad in scarves, pennants, portraits and assorted ephemera – there is that post-match energy that’s all banter and buzz: it’s the priceless happiness that only three points can buy. “It’s easy to support a team that finishes first,” says Kaluba as he jostles past well-wishers, “but it’s harder to support a club like us.” Surveying the scene as fans form a scrum to the bar, that hasn’t stopped Polonia’s hardcore.

They’ve made their vows, and they’re sticking to them. warsawinsider.pl

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DO! Events Film Sputnik Nad Wisłą

8-18 Nov @ Kino Luna / Elektronik / Iluzjon Promoting Russian culture in Poland, the 12th Sputnik Film Festival ambitiously aims to ‘overcome differences and debunk stereotypes dividing Poles and Russians’. To meet this end, the festival will see over 60 films screened.

EDITOR’S PICK

Market Och Bazar!

18 Nov @ Babka, ul. Młocińska 5/7 With over 100 exhibitors anticipated to appear, Och Bazar! Allows visitors the chance to explore the burgeoning world of Polish fashion and interior design.

Admission is free.

For further info, see: ochbazar.pl

For further info, s ee: sputnikfestiwal.pl

Warsaw Motor Show 16-18 Nov @ Ptak Warsaw Expo, Al. Katowicka 62

Anticipate new debuts, drift and stunt shows, luxury vehicles, and a host of special guests that include ‘the Queen of Polish Drift’, Poland’s fastest female driver, YouTuber Sebastian Kraszewski and… Richard Hammond. Richard bloody Hammond! This year’s star guest will be in Warsaw to talk about life, cars and his extraordinary work. Other points of interest include the premiers of the Tesla Model 3 and the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, as well as a dedicated forum for women in motorsport.

For details and ticket info see: warsawmotorshow.com

Film Jewish Film Festival

12-18 Nov @ Polin Museum / Kino Praha / JCC Warsaw Founded in 2003, the Warsaw Jewish Film Festival was created to reawaken Warsaw’s Jewish past. The festival will culminate with the Camera of David awards.

For further info, see: wjff.pl

16.

Event Caledonian Ball

24 Nov @ Marriott Hotel, Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 One of expat Warsaw’s bestloved events will feature a ceremonial four-course banquet, pipe band, Highland dance, an exhibition sword dance, a raffle and charity auction.

Tickets zł. 595 @ scotsinpoland.com

WARSZAWSKI FESTIWAL FILMÓW O TEMATYCE ŻYDOWSKIEJ 12-18 LISTOPADA, 2018 FB: WARSAW JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL WWW.WJFF.PL

Główny Partner

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KINO FESTIWALOWE

Organizator

Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

Projekt współfinansuje m.st. Warszawa

Dofinansowano ze środków Ministra Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego pochodzących z Funduszu Promocji Kultury

Zadanie współfinansowane przez Samorząd Województwa Mazowieckiego

Współfinansowanie i Sponsorzy

Partner festiwalu

DO! Events

NEXT MONTH Market Slow Weekend

PHOTOGRAPHS LINDA PARYS

8-9 December Dubbed ‘the slowest fair this winter’, find the best of Polish fashion and design presented inside a post-industrial complex in the heart of Praga Południe. Placing an emphasis on creativity, over 300 niche brands will gather to offer original designs, clothing, eco cosmetics and accessories. Featuring plenty of products for kids as well, additional attractions are set to include a gastronomic market with live cooking and culinary workshops, a book fair, vinyl market, films for kids and manual workshops. “Buy Better Gifts” is this edition’s catchphrase, with the Slow Weekend purposefully held in the first half of December to allow visitors the chance to get their Xmas shopping done without the usual panicked last-minute madness. ul. Mińska 65, slowweekend.pl. Open 11 a.m. till 7 p.m.

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DO! Museum Listings

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

Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

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! Museum Listings

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

24/26

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 Listings preschools

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

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

The British School Early Years Centre The British School provides EYFS classes from Pre-nursery (age 30 months) to Reception (5 years old). Children develop quickly and their Early Years practitioners aim to do all they can to help your child have the best possible start in life and become a lifelong learner. ul. 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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Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

www.wmf.edu.pl

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

schools

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

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

American School of Warsaw ASW is a premier college-preparatory international school that offers a PK-12 curriculum, including the IB Diploma Program in Grades 11 and 12. Students are inspired and challenged every day by experienced and dedicated teachers, who provide enriching learning opportunities in a world class facility. For further information contact: admissions@aswarsaw.org or 22 702 85 00. ul. Warszawska 202 (Konstancin-Jeziorna), tel. 22 702 85 00, aswarsaw.org

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

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

The British School Premium international school established in 1992 by Nord

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

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

tel. 22 842 3281, thebritishschool.pl

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

100 Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

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

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

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

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

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

international community.

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

43, isw.edu.pl

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Business & everyday Polish. ul.

Nowogrodzka 44 / 7

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

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

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

Mariensztat 8

monnet international school

PADDINGTON BEAR KINDERGARTEN

IB World School no 001483

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

Education for a better world

Belwederska 6a, Warsaw

www.maturamiedzynarodowa.pl/przedszkole warsawinsider.pl

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DO! Health Listings golf 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

Gdy świat wokół staje się 'brzydki jak noc', czas na Cup of Polish When the world around you is turning 'ugly as the night' it's time for a Cup of Polish 60-minute trial kontakt@cupofpolish.com cupofpolish.com

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

102 Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

gyms

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

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

Malborska 39, gravitan.pl

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

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

Wołoska 12 (Galeria Mokotów), holmesplace.pl

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

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

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

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

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

Piękna 15, quantumpiekna.pl

RiverView Wellness Centre Top-class facilities and equipment, private instructors and small classes. The view from the highest pool in Europe offers a glorious panorama of the city and is almost worth the membership fee alone.

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

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

Wilcza 72, bartekjanusz.pl

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

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

22 898 7272, dotykspa.pl

ouch!

DEPILACJA WOSKIEM

Ouch!

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

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

The coffee is great as well! ul.

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

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

PARDON MY FRENCH

manicure pedicure

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

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

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

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DO! Shopping Listings accessories Agent Provocateur The boutique is stocked full of the latest collection – gorgeous lacy bras with scrumptious attention to detail, matching panties, teddies and a bunch of strappy get-ups you can only get away with if you’re very fit or very confident, but preferably both. ul. Mokotowska 59, agentprovocateur.com

Alba 1913 Founded in 1913 by Mieczysław Rychlicki, Alba’s high performance, self-care essentials harness three generations of herbal wisdom to create a range of cosmetics inspired by ideals of healthpowered holistic beauty. ul.

Mysia 3 (second floor)

Anacomito Luxurious-looking waist bags make for fashion that’s both modern and logical. More so, it makes the outsized bags of yesteryear increasingly redundant. anacomito.com Andy & Mag Luxury eyewear inside a pretty boutique on high-end Mokotowska. Notable brands include Victoria Beckham, Linda Farrow and Dita, as well as more niche offers from the likes of LA Eyewear, Andy Wolf, Theo and many more besides. Various locations, inc. ul. Mokotowska 51/53, andyandmag.pl

Ania Kruk You could say it runs in the family. Harnessing her talent for design, the name of Ania Kruk (daughter of Wojciech, founder of the W. Kruk jewelry store chain) has become synonymous with high quality jewelry that’s both fun and affordable. Working with different materials ranging from silicone, leather, brass

and assorted gemstones, her handcrafted designs set out to prove that you don’t need gold or diamonds to look top class. ul. Mokotwska 46, aniakruk.pl

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

Calvin Klein Poland’s first Calvin Klein concept store is dedicated to watches, jewelry and assorted beautiful shiny things that everyone covets. ul. Mysia 3 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. ul. Narbutta 83 (entry from ul. Łowicka)

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

HOS&me Luxury jewelry and the best in the biz. In stock: high end treasures from Nialaya, Lene Bjerre Design, Ti Sento, Christensen and Dryberg/ Kern. ul. Mokotowska 63, mokotowska63.com

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Jeju Already a favorite of Poland’s style bibles, this Kraków-born operation enters the Warsaw market to present a wide range of top notch natural Polish cosmetics in a beautiful pink store that screams ‘girl gang’. ul. Mokotowska 71

but entirely whimsical when it comes to design. ul. Hoża 40

Lilou Modular jewelry made simple, and a must for all Warsaw fashionista. ul. Mokotowska 63,

Pracownia Szczotek Opened in 1952, this bespoke brush store has been passed down the family line. On offer: everything from paintbrushes to moustache combs to hairbrushes. And the owner is a character as well: “I don’t have time for Facebook,” he says, “it would get in the way of my tango lessons!” ul.

lilou.pl

Poznańska 26, khaja.pl

Malton & Kielman This leather workshop and store has a history dating from the 19th century and prides itself on luxury bespoke bags, shoes and accessories whose style is influenced by the classical British and Italian look. ul.

Pracownia Czasu A true market leader with brands including Paul Picot, Graham London, Vulcain, Cuervo y Sobrinos, Ulysse Nardin and so many more. ul.

Chmielna 6, maltonkielman.com

Puppy Star You know those glam girls who carry yappy dogs in their handbag? This is premiumpriced salon and boutique is where they shop for their pooch. ul. Niecała 7, puppystar.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.

Bracka 5, mintydot.pl

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, mo61.pl

Old Silos Relive the glory years of the 80s British ‘football casual’ in Old Silos, a sneaker store specializing in retro classics and Adidas originals. ul. Hoża 35, oldsilos.pl

Pingle Optyk A collection of hand-selected designer eyewear that is serious in terms of quality control,

Wiejska 14, pracowniaczasu.pl

Schubert Rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches produced using the finest Baltic amber. Or for a unique gift, how about an amber chess set or an amber cigarette lighter? ul.

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

Stara Mydlarnia Handmade cosmetics such as fragrant soaps, bath gels and salts, body butters, massage oils and aromatic candles.

Ideal for home pampering.

Various locations inc. ul. Chmielna 4, mydla.pl

Yope Hand creams, lotions, liquid soaps, gels and cleaning products made using top quality, natural ingredients. Fragrant and funkily packaged, scents include cinnamon, honey, verbena and vanilla. Plac

DO! Shopping Listings Żelaznej Bramy 1 (Hala Gwardii), yope.me

specialize in pieces from ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt, Mesopotamia and Asia. ul.

antiques

Moktowska 71, primaportaantiquities.com

Antykwariat na Tamce Presided over by a superfriendly hippy-looking dude, consider this a mine of rare vinyl (Beatles, Hendrix, Sabbath, weird Polish PRL stuff), as well as 15,000 comics and books. ul. Tamka 45B,

books

antykwariat-tamka.pl

Kolo What looks like a soggy tent city transforms each Sunday morning into a hopelessly addictive flea market offering wartime militaria, religious icons, chinaware, furniture from unverified periods of history, and even the occasional suit of armor. ul. Obozowa 99, gieldastaroci.waw.pl

Kwadryga Antique books, faded photographs, yellowing maps and dog-eared magazines – the atmosphere is timeless. The PRL-era lifestyle magazines are an amazing insight into the past. ul. Wilcza 29, kwadryga.com

Books For Cooks Just guess what the specialty here is? And if the Praga address deters you, then click to their web to find a hefty offer of original language cook books, memoirs, restaurant guides and assorted foodie must-haves. ul. Inżynerski 1, booksforcooks.pl

Czuły Barbarzyńca A cafe / bookstore hybrid that you’d imagine doing well in Paris. The Polish-language choice is broad, and whilst the number of English-language could be extended everyone finds the atmosphere irresistible. ul. Piwna 20/26, czuly.pl Fundacja Bęc Zmiana A small curiosity shop selling trendy trinkets and a fair amount of art and architecture books with an accent on modern Warsaw. ul.

Lapidarium Cavalry swords, pre-war Judaica, Orthodox icons, books, scrolls, helmets, cameras, chess sets, jewelry… The opportunities for rummaging are endless. ul. Nowomiejska 15/17, lapidarium.pl

Prima Porta Antiquities At the top end of the scale the German-run Prima Porta

Super Salon ul. Chmielna 10, supersalon.org

Filled with beautiful titles, Super Salon dedicates itself to books, magazines and albums covering weighty subject matter such as photography, design, erotica and architecture. Represented publishers include Phaidon, Gestalten and Steidl.

children shops Baby D’Oro Making use of pastel colors and top quality fabrics, this Polish brand covers all bases from furnishings and fittings to toys and accessories. ul.

do come with a hefty price tag.

Multiple locations, lullaby.pl

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

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

Mokotowska 61

Balthazar An atelier, boutique and private tailor with several unique brands. Book your meeting by calling tel. 535 545 728. Al. Rzeczypospolitej 18/68, balthazar. pl

Długa 8/14

Endo

endo.pl Endo is the original home of quality children’s Księgarnia Bullerbyn wear that embraced great A supremely cheerful bookdesign by Polish artists and store peddling everything from accompanied it with Polish pop-up books and fairytales to slogans. Much of the materials history and legends. The ace used are organic, hardwearing up their sleeve is a sizeable and wash well. selection of English-language literature: and that includes Kopytko Mamuta The Gruffalo! ul. Chmielna 10, Specializing in trendy kicks from the likes of Mercredi bullerbyn.com.pl Apres Midi, it’s the ultimate Moda Na Czytanie spoiler for your budding style ul. Bracka 25 Some brilliant maven and her little Prince Warsaw-focused coffee table Charming. ul. Boya-Żeleńskiego books, as well a half-decent 2, kopytkomamuta.pl collection of English-language books that range from classics Lullaby to contemporary fiction.

Jam packed with funky design and quirky gifts for your little Radio Telewizja ones. However, the exquisite ul. Andersa 29 Radio Telewizja clothing and designer labels Mokotowska 65/7, beczmiana.pl

Lamus Another antique bookstore that comes filled with leatherbound tomes, regal looking scrolls and elaborate maps.

Also known for their pre-war prints and paintings of Warsaw before it was knocked down. ul. Nowomiejska 7

stock a range of literature that cover topics from local art and architecture to contemporary history. Tinged with a retro 60s atmosphere, their offer isn’t just based around Polish and English-language reading material and extends further into quirky gifts.

Cafardini Complete suits start at zł.

2,600 and rise to zł. 4,500, depending on the fabric. Using the finest natural raw materials, Cafardini even offer a ‘suit spa’ – a special care package that will see you suit regain its fresh look if it has been worn intensively. ul. Grzybowska 5A, cafardini.com

Chiara A solid assortment of Marc Jacobs and other top international designers such as Michael Kors and Jil Sander.ul. Mokotowska 49 & Pl. Uni Lubelskiej, tel. 22 647 0394, chiara-online.pl

Chrum Amid a quirky design that mimics a butcher’s store, find a cult collection of tees and warsawinsider.pl

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DO! Listings hoodies emblazoned with playful slogans and punchy graphics. Showcasing the fun side of Polski design, Chrum caters to customers who enjoy their fashion with a pinch of humor. ul. Dobra 53, chrum.com

collections from Diesel, D2, Ferre, Stone Island, Sophia Kokosalaki and J. Lindeberg are all available and presented in this stylish three-floor department store. ul. Bracka 9

Manolo Blahnik, Moncler, OneTeaspoon, Self-Portrait, Tod’s, Tory Burch, Victoria Beckham, Yves Salomon, Zimmermann.

Miu and Prada. Metropolitan

ul. Moliera 2, moliera2.com

(Vitkac), likusconceptstore.pl

Dream Nation Founded in 2011, Dream Nation is a label committed to sustainable fashion. Find colorful dresses and original prints spruced up by the designer’s wild, personal twist.

All garments are made using organic cotton. ul. Kopernika

Lolly Pop Boutique Latest fashion from See by Chloe, Calvin Klein, Calvin Klein Jeans, Melissa, UnitedNude, Bronx and many more. For online shopping, check: sklep. lollypop.pl Al. Jerozolimskie 169

Non’chalant Playing up to the ideals of classic Italian and British style, Non’chalant present an array of accessories aimed at the dapper gentleman: high quality ties, cravats, pocket squares, socks and scarves. ul.

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

lok 45A (C.H. Blue City, level 1), lollypop.pl

8/18, dreamnation.pl

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. Szczygla 8, emcashmere.pl

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. ul. Browarna 4, femistories.com

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, 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 61, justpaul.pl

Likus Concept Store The Likus Concept Store brings ultra-chic designer clothing to Warsaw. The latest

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

Mokotowska 26, lui-store.com

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. 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,

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Koszykowa 67, nonchalant.pl

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

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

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

Building, Pl. Piłsudskiego 3, redfordandgrant.pl

reykjavikdistrict.com

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

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

Burakowska 5/7

Safripsti Formerly a make-up artist in London and Paris, owner Magdalena returned to Poland to open a vintage boutique.

Buying wholesale – meaning prices are kept in check – her fashion store presents finds like authentic cheerleader outfits and Hawaiian shirts for summer, not to mention a great selection of denim, parkers and so forth. ul.

Oleandrów 3

See Me Boutique Regarded as one of the stalwart boutiques of Mokotowska, See Me’s collection includes the latest lines from Joseph, Diane Von Furstenberg, Daniela De Marchi and many others besides. Scented interiors and

DO! Listings expert service (who know how to brew a coffee) make it the ideal place in which to browse the afternoon the away. ul.

Mokotowska 51/53, seeme.com.pl

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

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

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

plants that are uncommon to Poland. Impressive in scope and outlook, your home won’t ever feel the same. ul. Puławska

16/22, fb.com/greenbells

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,

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

lata60-te.pl

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

Oleandrów 5, makutra.com

Plantarium Concentrating on low maintenance air plants, owner Kamila Ciszek has accrued a number of big, leafy ferns, towering succulents and hard-to-find

galeriamokotow.com.pl

38, plantarium.pl

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

155, scandinavianliving.pl

SH Studio Art, interior design and furniture are married together inside a tiny store stacked with beautiful antique and retro pieces that have been refurbished and redesigned to lend them a contemporary edge. ul. Wilcza 44, s-h-studio.pl Velt Beautiful family-run glassware store whose pieces include the Leda lamp, awarded an honorable mention in the prestigious 2012 Red Dot Awards. ul. Próżna 12, velt.pl

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

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

Hollister, Hugo Boss, New Balance, Royal Collection and Timberland. ul. Wołoska 12,

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

Galeria Mokotów Stores inc. Calvin Klein,

Galeria Północna Białołęka’s first major shopping center includes Poland’s first outpost of Hamley’s, as well as stores such as Forever 21, Lagerfeld and Guess. Part of the ‘fourth generation of shopping centers’, add-ons include a rooftop garden and some of the best kid’s facilities on Poland’s retail map. ul. Światowida 17, galeriapolnocna.pl

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

Mysia 3 Set in Poland’s former censorship office, the line-up includes Scandinavian fashion in Cos, shoes from My Paris, unconventional fashion from Nenukko and more. ul.

Mysia 3, mysia3.pl

Vitkac Wolf Bracka Poland’s first luxury department store gathers the world’s top designers under one roof, with brands including Alexander McQueen, Louis Vuitton, Stella McCartney and Rick Owens. And that’s the tip of the iceberg. Vitkac, ul. Bracka 9, likusconceptstore.pl

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

Złota 59, zlotetarasy.pl warsawinsider.pl

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General Listings 5-Star Hotels

tel. 22 255 9590, raffles.com/ warsaw

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

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

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

Bristol Hotel

The Rialto Boutique Hotel

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hilton Warsaw

InterContinental

Sofitel Warsaw Victoria

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

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

Mamaison Le Régina Hotel

Westin

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

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

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

Raffles Europejski Warsaw ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13,

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

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

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

Marriott

Mercure Grand Warszawa

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

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

22 596 0000, novotel.com, accorhotels.com

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

4-Star Hotels

Warsaw Plaza Hotel

Airport Hotel Okęcie

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

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

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

www.city-tour.com.pl

MaMaison Residence Diana

Yellow Double-Decker Bus

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

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

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

B&B

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

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

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Warsaw Guide K AT Y Ń M U S E U M

terrace unimpeachable. Check the more ambient side to Communism in the Neon Museum and then pencil 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, take a walk around the immaculate Łazienki Park or, further out, visit Wilanów Palace: frequently nicknamed ‘the Polish Versailles’, the landscaped gardens are as unmissable as the former royal chambers. With Poland celebrating a centenary of Independence, it’s worth pondering a quick visit to the Independence Museum back in the city center. 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

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

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, a 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 colors.

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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MONKEY BUSINESS

A monkey with a story is the latest addition to the Museum of Warsaw’s curious Room of Relics…

A

monkey that survived Nazi captivity has taken its place among the other oddities on display inside the Museum of Warsaw’s Room of Relics. The cuddly ape was given to Wanda Traczyk-Stawska in 1944 as a consolatory present following the capitulation of the Warsaw Uprising. Known by the nom de guerre of Pączek, Traczyk-Stawska had fought with distinction in the battle to capture the Powiśle power plant before being seriously wounded on Smolna street. Later, she was gifted the monkey by fellow insurgents in a bid to cheer her up following news of the Home Army’s surrender.

Christened Peemek – after the PM machine gun – the toy was used to conceal valuables and accompanied Traczyk-Stawska throughout her imprisonment in a string of German camps. Eventually liberated in 1945, the pair then traveled to Italy, Egypt and Palestine before finally returning to Poland in 1947. Spotted at anti-government protests at the Sejm earlier this year, Peemek was finally donated to the museum by Traczyk-Stawska in October of this year.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE MUSEUM OF WARSAW

Museum of Warsaw Rynek Starego Miasta 28-42, muzeumwarszawy.pl

112 Warsaw Insider | NOVEMBER 2018

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