Breakfast & Brunch

Coffee & Sweets

Breakfast & Brunch

For some the direction of the day depends on the ability to eat a good breakfast, so we’ve highlighted some of our favourite places in Warsaw that specialise in śniadania (the Polish word for breakfast). Whether you’re an early bird that’s tired of eating worms, or a late riser that overdid it a bit last night, get a good first feed in the places below.

Bułkę przez Bibułkę

A great little place that makes you feel like you’re in a smalltown setting as opposed to a busy street in Warsaw! It’s important to highlight they serve all-day-breakfasts, from bagels to soups and sandwiches, and a Cappuccino or Americano on the side only costs an extra 5zł� Furthermore, 0�5l wine is 16zł from 18:00-21:00 daily, and Prosecco 5zł! Also on ul� Zwycięzców 32 in Saska Kępa, ul� Puławska 24 in the Mokotów district and Żurawia 6/12�QG-8, ul. Zgoda 3, MCentrum, tel. (+48) 730 28 55 22, www.bulkeprzezbibulke.pl. Open 07:30-23:00; Sat 08:00-23:00; Sun 08:00-22:00. T6

Cafe Bristol

If you can’t afford to stay in the sumptuous Hotel Bristol, that certainly doesn’t preclude you from enjoying their wonderful ground-floor cafe overlooking a park just minutes from the Old Town� This classic interiors of this historic meeting place (opened in 1901) are a great place to have breakfast (until 12:00), a light meal, or coffee and cake served in the tradition of the finest pre-war Viennese coffeehouses� Slow time down until it’s merely a triviality�QG-5, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 42/44, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 22 551 18 28, www.cafebristol.pl. Open 09:00-18:00. T

Chaud Pain

A lovely and quite clever French cafe/bakery - the name ‘Chaud Pain’ (‘Hot Bread’) sounds a lot like the last name of Warsaw’s darling, Fryderyk Chopin� This airy boulangerie churns out a range of artisanal breads and baked goods� Soak up the Parisian ambiance with a coffee and croissant, or grab a sandwich and other to-go goodies from their delicatessen: high-quality caviar, canned seafood, meats, cheeses and more� Très chic�QG-5, ul. Ossolińskich 3, MNowy Świat-Uniwersytet, tel. (+48) 797 01 29 41, www.chaudpain.pl. Open 09:00-19:00; Sun 09:00-18:00. TU6

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Być Może...

Start your day with the aroma of coffee and croissants in this sophisticated French bakery/bistro� Filling breakfasts include their fresh baked bread and are served all day� Choose from stacked bagel sandwiches, shakshuka, French toast, loaded oatmeal, or their take on the notorious Croque Madame� For us the poached egg (something we’ll never master at home) reigns supreme, and is featured in several hearty sets we’re happily working our way through� Find a second location at ul� Dobra 22/24�QH-12, ul. Bagatela 14, MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 519 00 00 14. Open 08:00-22:00. T6

Charlotte. Chleb i Wino

Enjoy croissants with jam or traditional egg dishes anytime since trendy Charlotte slings all day breakfast� All ingredients are sourced locally, and vary depeneding on the season� Their chocolates and jams are made with home recipes, giving that extra dose of niceness� Also found at ul. Próżna 7, Nowy Świat 6/12 and ul. Kieślowskiego 7�QG-10, Al. Wyzwolenia 18 (entrance from Pl. Zbawiciela), MPolitechnika, tel. (+48) 662 20 45 55, www.bistrocharlotte. pl. Open 07:00-24:00; Fri 07:00-01:00; Sat 08:00-01:00; Sun 08:00-22:00. T6

Nova Wola

This elegant Crowne Plaza Hotel restaurant will help you start the day right with light and healthy breakfasts based on fresh, local, organic ingredients� Go for a custom omelette, shakshouka or avocado toast (with kale tapenade), or for more unusual options like baked sweet potatoes with yogurt, berries and granola or hummus with grilled veggies and egg� You can even order an entire pot of coffee to really caffeinate yourself for the day ahead�QC-8, Rondo Daszyńskiego 2, MRondo Daszyńskiego, www.cpwarsawthehub.com. Open 06:30-10:30; Sat, Sun 06:30-11:00. TU

Local Flavours | Traditional Polish Dishes

Traditional Polish Dishes

Polish food is famous for being simple, rich and very filling. Below we list the most well-known dishes you simply must try while in town, all of which you should be able to order from any Polish restaurant worth its salt. Smacznego!

BARSZCZ

A nourishing beetroot soup, barszcz may be served with a croquette (‘barszcz z krokietem’), with miniature pierogi floating in it (‘barszcz z uszkami’), or simply as broth in a mug expressly for drinking� A recommended alternative to other beverages, we’d be surprised if you can find a bad cup of barszcz anywhere in Poland, so make sure you return home with barzszcz stains on at least one of your shirts�

BIGOS

Though there’s no standard recipe for this hearty stew, ingredients usually include fresh and pickled cabbage, sausage, onion, mushrooms, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, caraway and whatever else is on hand� In fact, metaphorically bigos translates to ‘big mess,’ ‘mish-mash’ or ‘confusion’ in Polish� A Polish restaurant or prospective bride can be fairly measured on the strength of their bigos, so put it to the test�

GOŁĄBKI

Translating to ‘little pigeons,’ this favourite dish is like a ‘cabbage enchilada'� Consisting of boiled cabbage leaves filled with rice, onion and typically beef, gołąbki are rolled up and baked or steamed, then served with tomato or mushroom sauce� Polish legend claims that King Kazimierz IV fed his army gołąbki before the Battle of Grunwald, and their unlikely victory attributed to the fortifying meal ever since�

GOLONKA

This is ‘pork knuckle’ or ‘ham hock,’ as in the part of a pig’s leg between the knee and ankle� Boiled, braised or roasted, this is the closest the Poles come to barbecue, and is a delicacy� The meat should slip right off the bone, be served with horseradish, and washed down with beer� Generally sold by weight, you might end up with more than you bargained for, but it’s certainly an Instagram opportunity� Go caveman�

KOTLET SCHABOWY

Typically served with mashed potatoes and pickled cabbage, this is probably the most popular meal in Poland� Essentially a breaded and fried pork chop, ‘kotlet schabowy’ is quite similar to Viennese schnitzel, and a solid bet for a cheap, filling, risk-free meal� If you’re awoken on a weekend by the sound of profuse banging - that’s the sound of the meat being tenderised with a spiky mallet, so best mind your manners�

PIEROGI

Poland’s most famous food, you can't leave PL until you’ve had them� These doughy, stuffed dumplings are typically steamed or pan-fried� Traditional fillings include potato, sweet cheese, minced meat, mushrooms and cabbage or seasonal fruits� If you nose around, you’ll find plenty of maverick fillings like chocolate, lentils or even chicken livers; the possibilities are limitless and served literally everywhere�

PLACKI ZIEMNIACZANE

These greasy, fried potato pancakes are very similar to hashbrowns or Jewish latkes (if that means anything to you), and may be served in a variety of ways� Keep it simple with just sour cream (‘placki solo’), or turn it into a hefty meal by ordering them smothered in mushroom sauce or - our favourite - goulash (‘placki po węgiersku’)� Highly caloric, they’re also a tried and true hangover cure�

ŻUREK

It doesn’t get any more Polish than żurek – a sour soup made from a thick stock of fermented rye flour� Typically chock full of potatoes, sausage and hard-boiled eggs, żurek is most often thickened with cream, and seasoned with marjoram, garlic, salt and pepper� The result is a tasty grayish gruel that any Polish peasant would be proud to polish off� If you’re lucky, you’ll even get it served in a bread bowl�