Warsaw The Capital’s Original City Magazine Since 1996
JANUARY 2018
257 01/2018
INDEKS 334901 ISSN:1643-1723
#
zł.10
(VAT 8% included)
Czarny Roman Remembered Tamara de Lempicka Bloody Mary Face-Off Art Deco Architecture Photography: Hashtagalek
ALEXANDRE VAUTHIER ALEXANDRE VAUTHIER ALEXANDRE BIRMAN ALEXANDRE BIRMAN ANYA HINDMARCH AQUAZZURA AQUAZZURA BALMAIN BALMAIN BUSCEMI BUSCEMI CASADEI CASADEI CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN CHRISTIANELIE LOUBOUTIN SAAB SAAB FRANCESCO ELIE RUSSO FRANCESCO RUSSO GIANVITO RUSSO GIANVITO ROSSI HERVE LEGER HERVE LEGER ISABEL MARANT ISABELKENZO MARANT KENZO LORO PIANA KOTUR MAISON MICHEL LORO PIANA MANOLO BLAHNIK MAISON MICHEL ONETEASPOON MANOLO BLAHNIK SELF-PORTRAIT ONETEASPOON TOD’S SELF – PORTRAIT TORY BURCH TOD’S VICTORIA BECKHAM TORY BURCH YVES SALOMON VICTORIA BECKHAM ZIMMERMANN YVES SALOMON
tel.: 228277099, www.Moliera2.com
editorial INFRONT
Editor-in-chief Alex Webber
8 Take a Number 10 News 12 News: PKiN 14 Remembering
insider@warsawinsider.pl Art Director Kevin Demaria insider@warsawinsider.pl Publisher Morten Lindholm mlindholm@valkea.com
Czarny Roman
FEATURES
Contributors: Stuart Dowell Maria Mileńko Michał Miszkurka Ed Wight
16 Photography
Interview 2 Art Deco: 2 Architecture 22 Art Deco: Tamara de Lempicka 22 Art Deco: Polish Eagles
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
26 The latest marketplacenews from the Warsaw Insider’s friends and advertisers
EAT!
29 Review:
Talerzyki 30 Review: Bistro Pod Sowami 3 2 Review: Margarita Kolendra 33 Review: Vietnamka
JANUARY 2018
Advertising Manager Jowita Malich jmalich@valkea.com ey Account Manager K Agata Sicińska asicinska@valkea.com
I
t’s a tough month, January. With the holidays over it’s back to The Workers’ Paradise that is Warsaw: all grim and gloom it’s a time of scowling, smoggy skies and general despondency and defeat. With that in mind, we’ve gone a bit jazzy and opted to explore Warsaw’s tenuous connection with the art deco age. Further, we’ve met with Hashtagalek, the rising star of the city’s burgeoning photography scene, taken a closer look at why people are talking about blowing the Palace of Culture to smithereens, and tracked down the loopiest Bloody Mary’s this side of Mars. Of course, as ever, we’ll also introduce you to the latest bars and restaurants that are the talk of the town. Hope you enjoy it, and see you in Feb!
ey Account Manager K Joanna Łysik jlysik@valkea.com ey Account Manager K Aleksandra Dzięcielewska adziecielewska@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
DRINK!
Face-Off
Alex Webber insider@warsawinsider.pl
DO!
79 Review: Bent 80 Art: MSN 82 Calendar 92 Guide: Essentials 94 Map 96 Insider Finds
2
on the cover This issue, we’ve chosen to remember the life of local legend Czarny Roman who sadly passed away in December. See p. 14 (Illustration by Michał Miszkurka)
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 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
65 Review: Cosmo Bar 86 Bloody Mary
CASADEI CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN MEN FAY GIANVITO ROSSI MEN KENZO MONCLER ONE TEASPOON RALPH LAUREN TOD’S TORY BURCH VALENTINO VICTORIA BECKHAM BURBERRY CHILDREN DSQUARED2 KIDS KENZO KIDS MONCLER KIDS
Pl. Trzech Krzyży 3/4 tel.: +48 226221416, www.PlacTrzechKrzyzy.com
by Wilamowski W W W. C H L O D N A 1 5 . P L R E C E P C JA @ C H L O D N A 1 5 . P L TEL. 730 737 644
C H Ł O D N A 1 5 B Y W I L A M OW S K I T H E AU T H E N T I C TA S T E O F F R A N C E I N T H E C E N T E R O F WA R S AW
BANJALUKA 2/4 Szkolna, Warsaw +48228281060 banjaluka.pl Facebook.com/BANJALUKA.WWA Instagram: @banjaluka_warszawa
MOMU 9/11 Wierzbowa, Warsaw +48506100001 momu.pl Facebook.com/MOMU Instagram: @momu_pieczemy_dymem
If you haven’t heard about us yet, you should know that we have been on the Warsaw gastronomy map for over 13 years. In the meantime, we moved from Mokotow to the Centre of Warsaw. We are inspired by colourful, diversified but still undiscovered Balkans. Gourmet kitchen open late into the evening, live music every day, Sunday animations are the reasons for which our guests appreciate us the most. If, however, you already know us, then you probably tried the lamb chops by our chef Olaf Michalczyk who says with a smell on his face: “I put my lamb chops, against all other cutlets in this city”. It is also hard not to know Mrs. Kate’s apple pie and Mrs. Anna’s cheesecake which are smashing the system. Regional rakija, Croatian and Slovenian wines and beer from Bosnia probably also sound familiar to you. If that’s the case, we are sure we will see each other again very soon.
MOMU specializes in roasted food, utilizing traditional cooking techniques to create a top-quality menu. The kitchen’s wood fire oven enhances the flavour of MOMU’s meat, fish, vegetables, fruit and cheese, with no preservatives or enhancers. The restaurant takes pride in its regional menu, using only the best ingredients from Polish suppliers. Alongside the kitchen you’ll also find a fully stocked bar, with a variety of wine, beer and whisky specially designed to accompany your meal. MOMU is also home to a unique atmosphere, with daily performances from local musicians.
AïOLI inspired by Gdańsk 6 Partyzantów, Gdańsk aioliinspiredbygdansk.pl Facebook.com/AIOLIxGDANSK Instagram: @aiolixgdansk
AIOLI Cantine Bar Cafe Deli 18 Świętokrzyska, Warsaw +48226572126 aioli-cantine.com Facebook.com/ AIOLICantineSwietokrzyska Instagram: @aioli_swietokrzyska
Not a restaurant, but a city cantine that offers an adventure with a Mediterranean twist in fast food gourmet. AïOLI inspired by Gdańsk is the only gastronomic concept combining a cantina, tattoo studio and barber shop - all in one place at 6 Partyzant street. AïOLI is a modern urban canteen bustling from the early hours to the last guest. The menu features breakfast, snacks, salads, sandwiches, pastas, burgers and pizzas. The chefs regularly surprise with seasonal, spontaneous cuisine. Every night DJs play for guests, making the place vibrant with life like all popular European city canteens. This is the place where the Mediterranean kitchen merges with lifestyle. Thank you for being with us - you come to a place which you yourself create!
AïOLI is a bar, café and deli, and was created with three factors in mind: a passion for good-quality food, the joy of a Southern style of living and a love of beautiful interiors. The owners decided to combine these ideas, concentrating on achieving great quality through simple ingredients. Now one of the stars of the Warsaw gastronomic scene, it is known for its creative Italian cuisine with American influences, its industrial interior, and music from Warsaw’s best DJs – not to mention its signature AïOLI, a staple of southern European cooking. Our tip: try the Taleggio pizza.
number take a
15
Meters long
WOJTEK ANTONÓW, PRZEKRÓJ
Warsaw residents woke in mid-December to news that a 15-meter whale had been discovered washed up on the banks of the Wisła river. Secured by police tape, and guarded by a team of goggled science geeks clad in hazmat suits, the finding prompted a flood of disbelieving gawkers. However, all was not quite what it first appeared. Designed by the Belgian-based Captain Boomer Collective, the whale transpired to be a realistic plastic fake planted as a marketing gimmick by Przekrój magazine to promote awareness of ocean pollution. While the news caught Warsaw completely by surprise, this wasn’t the first time that the Captain Boomer Collective have staged such a stunt: similar beachings have also taken place in Paris, London, Antwerp, Valencia and Duisburg. Now removed and awaiting its next port-ofcall, the whale will continue to tour the globe popping up in unlikely destinations as an environmental warning.
8
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
NEW SEASONAL MENU
Ul. Pańska 85 tel. 512 671 756, 22 253 30 30 panska85.com.pl
News Briefs
Tom Hanks has finally taken delivery of a Fiat Maluch 126p produced in the southern city of Bielsko-Biała. Having spotted an Instagram post that showed the Oscar-winning actor trying to climb into a Maluch, Bielsko native Monika Jaskólska launched a crowdfunding drive last year to purchase just such a model for Hanks. In a handover ceremony held at the Polish consulate in L.A., Hanks quipped, “I don’t know how many miles it will take on the California roads, but I’m comforted to be able to fix it with a screwdriver and a ladies’ trouser belt.” Aside from signing several autographs to be delivered to patients, Hanks is also believed to have donated cash to the children’s hospital in which Jaskólska works.
SHUTTING UP SHOP
A controversial bill to ban Sunday trading has been passed by lawmakers with the proposals set to be partially implemented in stages before entering into full effect in 2020. While welcomed by trade unionists and the church, the issue has caused nationwide discontent; leading economists estimate that retail turnover will plunge by zł. 9.6 billion leading to the loss of over 35,000 jobs. Though the motion still needs to be approved by the President and Senate, analysts understand that to be a minor formality.
LET’S PARTY!
An in-depth study of 41 global cities has ranked Warsaw as the ninth best place in the world in which to go out. The survey, conducted by Hostelworld, took into account factors such as quality of nightlife, safety, transport and cost. Hamburg, Berlin and Copenhagen were named the top three cities, with the Polish capital coming out ahead of New York, London and Barcelona. According to respondents, Warsaw was classed as, “friendly, convenient to get around, and that magic word, AFFORDABLE.” In fact, in terms of ‘the best night out for under GBP 30’, the city only found itself outstripped by Prague.
10
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: PRESS MATERIAL, SŁAWOMIR KAMIŃSKI / AGENCJA GAZETA, SHUTTERSTOCK
HANKS VERY MUCH!
Interview FOR Its political connotations and general connections to communism. What sane country seeks to protect a building that was a gift from Stalin? The ‘eyesore’ argument. Beyond being a reminder of one of the grimmest chapters in Poland’s history, the building is hideous and vulgar. Common sense: the building currently takes up a huge amount of surface area that could otherwise be used in a far efficient manner. The value of the prime real estate that PKiN occupies makes it a latent waste of space. Its functionality, or lack of, makes PKiN a lumbering burden. The building’s 1950s infrastructure falls way below today’s standards making it unsuitable for modern use. Any update would prohibitively expensive. Vaunted ideas include faithfully restoring the area to its pre-war layout, creating a park or developing the district into a thriving forest of skyscrapers. Each has its merits.
AGA I N S T Architectural merit: PKiN is arguably Central Eastern Europe’s most staggering example of the Social Realist style. It’s also a unique calling card that’s infinitely more compelling than the corporate glass atrocities that make up the rest of the city’s skyline. Demolition would be complex, dangerous and expensive: it’s estimated zł. 900 million would be needed just to dismantle PKiN. Other costs would be incurred dealing with approximately 260,000 sq/m of rubble and debris. Nearby buildings face potential damage, and in a worst-case scenario it’s possible that the surrounding area could be locked down for months. Cough, cough – it’s highly likely the even the most delicate dismantling would release nefarious substances into the air. It’s a one-of-a-kind historical asset that, with some TLC, has the potential to play a key role in the city’s future.
Palace Politics
B
uilt as a ‘gift from the Soviet Union’, when it was completed in 1955 the Palace of Culture loomed over Warsaw as a sinister reminder of who called the shots. Seen by many as a ‘tyrannical phallus’, the fall of communism sparked intense debate as to the structure’s future. While it survived these initial calls for its destruction, the city’s defining landmark is again under threat following news that a ‘social committee’ has been established to explore the possibilities of erasing the Palace. Politicians have been quick to stoke up emotions. The Deputy Minister of Defense, Bartosz Kownacki, has stated
12
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
that PKiN’s demolition would be an ideal exercise for the army’s sappers, whilst Radek Sikorski, Poland’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, has weighed in by announcing that any demolition could be harnessed in a James Bond scene. The issue has caused deep divides, with many comparing the proposals to mindless iconoclasm. Furthermore, others have voiced suspicions that the whole discussion is simply being used by the government as a wider smokescreen to deflect attention from their controversial attempts to ‘reform’ the judiciary. Regardless, one thing’s for certain: the Palace, and its ultimate fate, will dominate local headlines for months to come.
SHUTTERSTOCK
Not for the first time, the future of the Palace of Culture has become the subject of discussion...
REMEMBERING CZARNY ROMAN
Seen as a blast of color and eccentricity, the death of street character Czarny Roman has left Warsaw reeling...
S
ome called him The Prince of the Streets, others The Cosmic Wanderer. All, however, knew him best as Czarny Roman. So named for his penchant for immaculate black clothing (later replaced by a pink onesie), he was a common sight around Chmielna and Nowy Swiat, often seen stalking the surrounding grid of streets whilst shouting prophecies of doom. But Czarny Roman was not some babbling nut-job, rather a one-off original that wielded the ability to terrify and inspire in equal measure. When his death was announced in early
14
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF WWW.EVERYDAYWARSAW.COM
A Czarny Day
December by journalist Cezary Ciszewski the news quickly went viral. The city was stunned. Believed to have been 67-yearsold, Czarny Roman – real name Jan Polkowski – had long been treated as a mysterious figure of urban fascination. Children would run away from him as if he were the bogey man; the elderly, on the other hand, would count an accidental run-in with Roman as a sign of imminent good tidings. And then there were the hipsters, who saw him as a Yoda-like figure to report about on Facebook. Czarny Roman’s life was surrounded by an impenetrable fog of rumor. There were those who claimed he had made a fortune during the communist years trading illegal foreign currencies, only to then slip into madness after losing everything at the poker table. Alternative tales suggest he ended-up penniless and heartbroken after an ill-fated marriage. The truth, possibly, is a little more prosaic: that he was just one of many Poles left confused and abandoned following the country’s free-market transition – the streets became both his solace and soapbox. It was on those streets that he would preach to anyone who would listen about an impending meteorite that would wipe out the city. There were lighter moments, as well: Czarny Roman became well-known for advocating healthy living (“He told me I had to eat two kilos of strawberries a day,” remembers one Insider reader), and was frequently seen admonishing youths that about the dangers of drink. Famously, he once turned his attentions to a group of right-wing nationalists, advising them to take-up yoga rather than bothering the public. Unintentionally, and blithely oblivious to the fact, Czarny Roman came to stand for everything that this city is: wonderful, wacky, crazy, charismatic. With no hint of irony, one commentator was moved to liken his importance to Warsaw to that of King Zygmunt II. Neither was he only the one: since his passing, calls have grown to remember him via both a statue and a mural – seeing that both are likely to happen, it would appear that Czarny Roman’s boasts of immortality are not without substance. Goodbye Roman.
The Ministry of Burgers and Cocktails is officially open! Black Real Burgers N 'Bar is the first casual dining restaurant and cocktail bar to open in Poland by the popular restaurant chain in Israel. The MENU includes dishes inspired by street food from all around the world. We specialize in hand-made burgers available in many combinations of different sizes, buns, sauces, and toppings!Â
In addition to burgers, you can find sandwiches with jerky beef or chicken, and various main courses, such as chicken wings or duck confit leg. Black Burgers has something to offer not only to carnivores but also for vegetarians! Black is also a Cocktail Bar with a wide range of alcohol and uniquely crafted drinks. The restaurant with its two amazingly designed floors, is located in the Arkadia Shopping Center at the Grand Kitchen area. OPENING TIMES Mon. - Sun. 10:00 - 22:00 Arkadia , Warsaw (+48) 22 351 98 20 kontakt@blackrealburger.pl www.blackrealburger.pl
BlackRealBurger BlackRealBurger
PHOTOGRAPHY INTERVIEW
Fresh Per
16
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
PORTRAIT BY JORGE ALVA
Better known under the moniker of Hashtagalek, photographer Aleksander Małachowski has wooed Warsaw with his stunning imagery of the city...
rspectives
warsawinsider.pl
17
PHOTOGRAPHY INTERVIEW
Where did the photography begin... I started during high school and began keeping a blog before eventually losing interest in it – I got the idea that no-one was visiting it. Then, three years ago, in November 2014, I discovered that there was a whole Instagram community of people who took photos using their cameras. Before that, I thought Instagram was just about selfies and ‘what I ate’. Hang on, so you use your phone to shoot images with? It always surprises people, but for a long time I was using Samsung Galaxy phones. Then, around six months ago, I was contacted by Canon Polska who asked if I was interested in shooting with their equipment...
18
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
Having nearly 17,000 Instagram followers must help with things like that... To me, the numbers really don’t matter, they’re not something I pay attention to – that said, they do motivate me to reach the next level.
Do you have a favorite building? POLIN – pretty much all Warsaw’s residents know about it, but I get the impression that not all have visited. They should! From an architectural point of view you think ‘wow’ the moment you enter.
What have you learned since you started capturing Warsaw? Before, I was just a citizen. My life was ‘home – metro – college’. I was just living here without paying attention to the city, to its history, its museums, its architecture and finer details. But finding the right shot takes time, it involves a lot of traveling around. Through this I really started discovering Warsaw and fell in love with it.
A lot of your work plays on ideas of spatial beauty – what’s the fascination? I’m naturally impressed by huge, well-constructed spaces. I’ll also often try and include a lone person in the image, essentially to serve as a scale comparison. The single person in the distance is something of a theme... People are an important part of archi-
tecture – after all, we created these buildings. By including a person in the image I hope to show this connection. I’ll admit, there are times I feel a bit like a stalker waiting for someone to come along! What’s the single most important thing in terms of your photography? The device doesn’t matter at all, what’s most important to me is the idea behind the shot. You won’t get results if you’re just shooting randomly, so in this respect knowing and being familiar with the city is vital. Often, I’ll plan the shot carefully, walking around a building several times to view the different perspectives it has to offer before settling for the most minimal.
What three words would you apply to your photographs? Minimalism, geometry, detail. How do your images reflect on you as a person? That I’m precise, open-minded and a positive thinker. My world is bright and full of color, though not the kind you’ll find in those over-saturated, HDR photos so popular in Poland! What do you seek to give people through your photography? I want to make people more aware of their surroundings and to provide new perspectives of everyday places. Further, I want people to realize that you don’t have to travel the world to find real beauty. To me, I’ve succeeded if
someone says, ‘oh, this is a wonderful city,’ or, ‘wow, I never knew that about Warsaw.’ Ideally, I hope that strangers pay attention to their surroundings a little more. For more on Alek’s work, check instagram.com/hashtagalek and hashtagalek. com. Additionally, pen a date in your diary: titled A-Typical, the works of Alek and his colleague, Jorge Alva, will be exhibited at Pawilon Sztuki ERGO Hestia (ul. Kostrzewskiego 1) from March 1st until April 6th. The project aims to highlight each artist’s relationship with the city and explores themes of people as citizens and creators. Featuring urban landscapes, architecture and the abstract, it promises to be an intense reflection on the city they call home. warsawinsider.pl
19
ART DECO ARCHITECTURE
The Age of ART DECO Largely eschewing the western infatuation with Art Deco, Warsaw’s architects of the inter-war era preferred instead to embrace principles of modernism. Nonetheless, Art Deco diamonds in varying forms of health can still be found dimly glinting amid the city’s urban sprawl.
20
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
Clockwise from above: nicknamed Alcatraz for its stern, forbidding form (not to mention its fleeting function as the wartime HQ of the German Schutzpolizei), the student dorm at Akademicki 5 features a cool inner courtyard and Art Deco wall clock; another place with wartime associations is the current Ministry of Education on Szucha 25: the shadowy basement museum remembers the building’s role as a Gestapo interrogation center; the Prudential tower, built for the British insurance company of the same name, was the city’s tallest building when it was completed in 1934. It was from here that Europe’s first TV broadcasts were made in 1936. It played an iconic role during the ’44 Warsaw Uprising, and despite being struck by over 1,000 shells its steel skeleton refused to give way. Currently, the tower is under renovation and set to be turned into a top class hotel; though modernized and stripped of many of its Art Deco details after the war, the building at Koszykowa 6 retains a few emblematic features such as geometric brick patterning running under the windows. The tenement survived Nazi destruction as it was used to house German officers – shortly after the war, the creepy-sounding Ministry of Public Security moved into the building; designed by Adolf Inatowicz-Łubiański, the villa on Puławska 101 hasn’t fared well with time. Utilized as a hospital for insurgents during the Uprising, subsequent tenants and owners have allowed it to slide into decay – but look carefully at the top and you’ll still see an Egyptian-style relief depicting a pair of owls and a scarab. To the uninitiated, these symbolize knowledge and diligence and were added at the behest of the original owner, Deputy Mayor Władysław Malinowski; the Y-shaped tenement at Grójecka 40 and 40A was completed in 1931 and to this day features original ‘herringbone windows’ in the central staircase.
warsawinsider.pl
21
ARCHIVAL PHOTOS POLONA, ALL OTHER KEVIN DEMARIA
ART DECO TAMARA DE LEMPICKA
WIKICOMMONS
B U S T O F TA M A R A D E L E M P I C K A I N K I E LC E , P O L A N D
THE QUEEN OF ART DECO Allegedly born in Warsaw, Tamara de Lempicka became one of the principal driving forces of the Art Deco style... BY STUART DOWELL
22
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
S
he was the epitome of the Art Deco age, the Left Bank bisexual with an appetite for bohemian living. Known as the Baroness with the Brush, Tamara de Lempicka’s time was the 1920s, an era of transition from rigid social structures to a modern world where anything was possible. Her spiritual home was the glittery Paris of the interwar years, a place of high style and loose morals, where there were no rules apart from looking fabulous and living fast. She was an artist whose work was saturated by her life, a life that she created on her own terms. Lempicka was born in Warsaw in 1898, or perhaps in Moscow in 1896. What we know for sure is that she grew up in St. Petersburg, her mother was a Polish socialite and her father a heavyweight St. Petersburg lawyer. He disappeared from Lempicka’s life when she was very young, a wound she kept hidden for a long time, only later claiming that her parents divorced. Others say he committed suicide. She emerged from this painful period emphasizing her Polish-ness and it’s possible she may have forged her birth certificate citing Warsaw instead of Moscow as her birthplace. “There are no miracles, there is only what you make,” she famously remarked. Lempicka constantly reconstructed and mythologized her biography, which she then worked into her art. She studied drawing at the Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg and loved attending glamorous balls. During one of these, she met her husband, the handsome and brooding Tadeusz Łempicki, a young lawyer from Warsaw regarded as a good catch. They married in St. Petersburg in 1916 and their daughter was born the same year. When the Russian Revolution erupted in 1917, their comfortable lives cratered. Tadeusz was arrested by the fearsome Cheka and was only released when Tamara traded sex for influence with a well-positioned Swedish diplomat. They fled to Paris. The Lempickis lived for a while by selling the family jewels, but with Tadeusz unwilling or unable to find work and a daughter to raise, Tamara set about becoming a painter and enrolled in the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. It was here that she developed her unmistakable style, a soft Cubism that became the epitome of Art Deco and the 1920s: solid, idealized women with simmering skin tones against a backdrop of industrial cities. Her work depicted women as highly sexualized, glamorous and independent. An article in La Pologne remarked that Lempicka’s “models are modern women. They know neither hypocrisy nor shame of the bourgeois morality. They are tanned from the sun and wind, and their bodies are lithe as those of the Amazons”. She became wildly popular with the affluent Parisian bourgeoisie, painting mainly nude portraits. Her soft Cubist style was ideal for hanging in the drawing rooms of her well-off clientele. Female aristocrats and the wives of rich industrialists ordered their portraits in large numbers, so large in fact that these orders resulted in a production line of paintings with Tamara painting for more than twelve hours a day.
She will be remembered best, though, as the artist who recorded in devastating style a European society hurtling towards self-destruction The critics were confused initially. Her nudes, with their pointy nipples, shocked less avant garde society, causing the artist to be condemned as “the propagator of perverse painting” and criticized for her “corporality verging on kitsch or sin at least”. Her most well-known painting, the self-portrait Tamara in the Green Bugatti from 1929, encapsulates the image of the emancipated woman and pictures her at the wheel of an emerald sports car. The New York Times described her in the painting as the “steely-eyed goddess of the machine age”. It was commissioned for the cover of the German magazine Die Dame, which defined her as ‘a symbol of women’s liberation’. The canvas is a tight, post-Cubist composition with muted, sophisticated color. It oozes speed and glamour – a single blonde lock falls elegantly from the leather driving cap, her hands gloved in long gauntlets grip the wheel and her red lips contrast seductively with her pale complexion. Although she was a workaholic, only allowing herself breaks during long painting sessions for champagne and massages, she was known for her lurid and libidinous private life. A bisexual, her affairs with both men and women were considered scandalous at the time. She reveled in high society, decadent living and passionate love affairs. This passion penetrated her work, which was “charged with sensuality and a suggestion of vice”, according to Gilles Néret. Even her daughter commented: “There was something predatory in the way she acquired so many lovers of both sexes”. One example was when Tamara picked up and seduced the model for the painting Beautiful Rafaela on the street. The portrait is drenched in intense erotic energy. Jewish on her mother’s side, she and her second husband Baron Raoul Kuffner fled the darkening clouds of Europe for America in 1939. The advent of postwar Expressionism and her advancing age meant that commissions for her work dried up though she enjoyed a revival in the US when the Art Deco style was resurrected. She will be remembered best, though, as the artist who recorded in devastating style a European society hurtling towards self-destruction. Despite her apparent connection to Warsaw, original work by Tamara de Lempicka is hard to come by in this city – but it’s not impossible. Head to the National Museum to view Lassitude; dating from 1927 when Lempicka was at the peak of her powers, it depicts a troubled-looking woman wearily pondering her life. warsawinsider.pl
23
ART DECO ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL
KEVIN DEMARIA
THE EAGLE HAS LANDED!
24
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
Though the art deco style never truly took off in Warsaw, many of the modernist buildings from the inter-war era found themselves stamped with Polish eagles designed in art deco fashion. With the Second Republic of Poland riding the crest of a patriotic wave, the country’s national emblem was enthusiastically embossed on numerous state buildings; largely based upon a pattern coined by graphic artist Zygmunt Kamiński in 1927, his concept was widely replicated and despite the devastation that came with WWII, a fair number survived and stand to this day...
warsawinsider.pl
25
Sp Par ot tne lig r ht
Krem Fresh
Krem is all about cheese, wine and simple pleasures executed well. We love our produce: we know where it’s from and what makes it special – now, we want to share that knowledge with you. Visit us to enjoy matured cheese, natural French wines, brilliant breakfasts and home-made everything! Krem ul. Sniadeckich 18, tel. 664 418 036, rezerwacjakremwarszawa@gmail.com Open Tues-Sat 9 a.m. - 11 p.m. & Sun 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
NEWSFLASH! December brought with it a rash of closings, among them Sketch
on Pl. Teatralny and Delikatesy Esencja in the center. For pure shock value though, the big news revolved around the partial closure of Blikle, a Warsaw institution that had plied its trade on Nowy Świat since 1869. They’ll now be downsizing their operation and moving away from their historical address to a smaller premises next door.
Drink Smart
At Corona Sok i Mus we specialize in expertly developed juices and mousses the support various bodily functions; containing spices and superfoods as well as valuable enzymes, minerals and vitamins extracted from local, seasonal fruit, each juice has high nutritional value and can aid the body in getting rid of excess free radicals. We’re proud to have finished last year being recognized by Noble as ‘the best shop concept’ in 2017! Corona Sok i Mus ul. Koszykowa 63 (Hala Koszyki)
26
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
ORZO Breathe!
If you’ve had enough of the smog choking the city then Orzo is the answer! Filled with air-purifying plants, our assembled greenery purifies the air from the most harmful substances and transforms carbon dioxide into oxygen. It’s in these eco-aware interiors you’ll be able to enjoy our new, natural menu in an environment that’s healthy and relaxed. Join us for a breath of fresh air! Orzo Pl. Konstytcuji 5 (Warsaw) & ul. Lipowa 4A (Kraków)
NEWSFLASH! December also saw the bombshell closure of Solec 44 following seven
years of service. With a strong reputation for challenging gastronomic norms, chef / co-owner Aleksander Baron’s obsession with old baroque recipes, nose-to-tail cooking and forgotten fermentation processes played a key role in Poland’s food revolution. While the reasons for the closure remain unclear, this will not be the last Warsaw hears of this talented chef.
For Hire
Those looking to host an event with a difference now have the ideal opportunity: surrounded by greenery, and set inside a historic red brick building, Fort Mokotów is available for a wide variety of events: conferences, weddings, photo shoots, company parties. Fitting up to 350 people, our space is unique and unforgettable. Fort Mokotów ul.Racławicka 99, www.szarotkamokotow.pl
warsawinsider.pl
27
EAT!
PHOTOGRAPH KEVIN DEMARIA
STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE
Offering a nostalgic journey through Poland’s culinary heritage, Talerzyki have acquired a devoted audience in double quick time: presenting big flavors on small plates, here’s a place that miniaturizes the more glorious aspects of the nation’s cuisine and does so in style. The usual suspects are here – silvery slithers of herring; glistening pickles; and beef tartare that flushes raw redness – and if any extra oomph was needed then that’s supplied by classic, old school cocktails served by smoothtalking gents in crisp shirts and braces. Smart and stellar but never silly or over-played, Talerzyki manages the improbable by Polonizing the concept of tapas and coming out trumps: unlikely, but definitely not unlikeable, it says much that many have declared it their favorite new opening of the last few months. Talerzyki ul. Mokotowska 33/35
warsawinsider.pl
29
Eat! Reviews THE AREA
Disclosure: ask me to think of Old Praga and I think of half-wrecked buildings with foulsmelling corridors leading to dark, squalid courtyards. Sure, I’m no longer paranoid that I’ll get my throat cut at every turn, but that’s hardly an endorsement. But the truth is, change is afoot. The last few years have seen islands of prosperity appear, and step-by-step these are being stitched together as the area sets off on her inevitable journey towards gentrification. The district’s raw, gritty spirit is still abundant in its presence, but now that’s being balanced out by positive vibes of revival and regeneration. It feels like something’s happening – something that’s good.
THE PLACE
One such example is the lavish renovation of Witold Massalski’s Pod Sowami building. From the outside, this corner tenement is a lesson in neo-Gothic architectural indulgence: it’s got the soaring turret, reliefs of bats and griffins and then, crowning the top, a pair of stone owls ready for flight. Inside, the ground floor restaurant looks chic and elegant: tall windows and long polished tables, a granite bar and sleek looking lines. Colors are dark and charcoal but given a muted dazzle by glinting gold-colored sheets that appear irregularly. There’s a touch of the classic here, and with soft, jazzy tunes playing in the background the air that’s evoked hints at classic pre-war times.
THE CHEF
Flights of fancy at Bistro Pod Sowami...
30
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
THE TASTING MENU
How’s this for a fair exchange: zł. 60 gains you a 15-course tasting menu. That translates to a barrage of artfully adorned, telescopic-sized plates. Some are great, but others are even greater. From the latter, a beautiful bon bon implodes into a rich goo of Lazur cheese; there’s a potato, baked over open flames, it’s skin crisp and black but its flesh delicate and soft; and then, beef tails served in an invigorating cabbage broth. But my fave, that’s a doughy pampuch with spit-roasted chicken. If there’s a minus, then it’s such: despite being expertly portioned, 15-courses is just way too many.
PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA
OWL’S ABOUT THAT THEN!
Drum roll for Damian Wajda. Formerly of Nowa Próżna, this immensely talented chef has seen his stock soar in recent times to such an extent that it’s commonly understood to be a matter of time till he’s fully recognized as among the leading chefs in Poland – in fact, in the eyes of many he’s already there. His menu backtracks through the passages of history to present ‘old Warsaw’ dishes as seen through a distinctly modern lens.
Bistro Pod Sowami ul. Okrzei 26, fb.com/bistropodsowami
Good food, and have no doubt, this is bloody good food, demands concentration – by Plate No. 15 you’re left mentally drained.
THE A LA CARTE
The a la carte menu expands on many of the dishes found on Wajda’s tasting menu, which on this Insider’s visit means oak-smoked beef ribs with an onion demi-glace and ‘bacon cream’. Served on a heap of stones, its a rich, brawny dish blessed by higher powers. Prices, in this case zł. 48, are in keeping with the bistro philosophy.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Though barely a couple of months old, this is one of most competent and assured debuts Warsaw can remember. Enjoyable and affordable, in the form of Pod Sowami we have an excellent ambassador for the new face of Old Praga. (AW)
warsawinsider.pl
31
Margarita Kolendra ul. Okrzei 35, fb.com/MargaritaKolendra
MEXICAN RAVE
Bare, basic, beautiful: Margarita Kolendra
W
ithout wishing to insult anyone, the way I see it, Mexican cuisine doesn’t require all that much thought – at least, not when it comes to executing the pretty basic dishes that ex-pats demand. What it does need, mind you, is a little bit of know-how and a bag of good ingredients. Amazingly, that’s something beyond the meagre capabilities of most of the impostors in this town. La Sirena get it right, as do a handful of others, but by and large we’re witness to fifth-rate charlatans that serve tortillas from a packet and tip their salsa from a jar – you’re being charged for something you could do better yourself. For this reason, there’s nothing like the arrival of a good Mexican to get Warsaw talking. Margarita Kolendra is just that, a place that’s energized the city in a rare, vivid manner. That’s not to say it promises much: first impressions reveal a venue that looks like it wasn’t so much put together
32
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
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 – there’ll be no design prizes here. There is, however, a pretty high chance it’ll earn gongs for its food. Though limited and restrictive, the menu is one of those magic works of passion so rarely seen on Warsaw’s Mexican map. Yes they’re fundamentally simple and straight-forward, but these are dishes delivered with real dash and spirit: a variety of quesadillas with fresh, zingy salsa, a choice of chilaquiles (lightly fried corn tortillas topped with either chicken, beef or egg), and a small range of tacos that threaten to enter into legend – if in doubt, order the Al Pastor. Not that ordering is easy. With neither English nor Polish spoken (not over our three visits, anyhow), the whole process plunges into a bizarre series of hand gestures. Does that matter? Definitely not. (AW)
Vietnamka ul. Poznańska 7, fb.com/VietnamkaPoznanska
PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA
’NAM GOOD
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 it’ll be 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.
warsawinsider.pl
33
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. 2016 Best of Warsaw Award Winner BEST OF WARSAW 2016 KEY WINNERS Fine Dining - Nolita Casual Dining - MOD Upscale Casual - Dyletanci & Rozbrat20 Modern Polish - Mała Polana Smaków
Home delivery by daily.pl
american 34 bakeries 34 balkan 35 british 35 burgers & street food 35 chinese 36 fine dining 36 french 38 georgian 38 greek & turkish 39 hawaiian 39 hungarian 39 indian 39 indonesian 40 international 40 italian 46 japanese & sushi 46 jewish 48 korean 49 latin & spanish 49 mexican 49 middle eastern 50 polish 52 russian 58 scandinavian 58 seafood 58 specialty food shops 58 steak houses 60 thai 61 ukrainian 62 vegan 62 vietnamese 63
34
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
american Brooklyn Restaurant & Bar Gone are the fancy pants culinary creations once found in the basement, ousted in favor of a menu of pimped-up soul and street food, salads and steaks. This means fresh tacos not to mention the best-selling ‘Mito’s Beef Ribs’. The ground floor burger bar is more prosaic, offering a standard line-up of burgers and wings. (C4) Al. Jana Pawła II 18 (Rondo ONZ), tel. 22 114 3434, brooklynbw.eu
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
Champions Sports Bar While the concept and style look dated, there’s no faulting the attention to detail – with TVs positioned all over the place you won’t miss a kick. 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 onpoint, the staff are pro, 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
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
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
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
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. Much like visiting friends, alcohol too also plays its part: in this case, generous cocktails made to NYC specifications. Take it all in inside a brill interior that’s
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
Qki QKI is the work of two sisters (in-law!) with a passion for the sweeter things in life. Shunning shortcuts and artificial nasties, cookies, cakes and pastries comprise the bulk of the offer here. ul. Topiel 19 & ul. Belgradzka 14, qki.waw.pl 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
EAT! Listings 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 Zdrowa Konkurencja Aside from piping hot, fresh wheels of bread, visitors are popping in to collect readymade bagels and sandwiches loaded with pulled pork, pastrami and other quick bites. Note: closed at press time.(C2) Pl. Bankowy 4, zdrowakonkurencja.pl
balkan Ba Adriatico As a starter, then the grilled peppers stuffed with creamy, regional cheese are irresistible. But then so too the octopus salad. Mains are a victory of simplicity, with dishes like skewered minced beef served with a bitey sauce and a soft, pillowy Lepinja bread. Yet ignore Thursday seafood night at your peril. Croatian-run, this neighborhood spot has an unassuming air that belies the general quality. (B2) Al. Jana Pawła II 50/52, ba-adriatico.pl 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
british Ę Rybę A couple of places have tried to emulate the taste of the British seaside, but this is the de facto codfather. Here’s a spot where the chips are golden, the fish fresh and the batter crisp and light. Now also serving British breakfast, albeit at a time when most normal people will have already eaten. (E4) Al. Jana Pawła II 18 Legends It’s a British pub first and foremost, but massive steps have been taken to ensure that the food angle isn’t overlooked.
The all-day breakfast is a great way to stoke up your drinking powers, while other dishes of note inc. pies, sausages and mash and, of course, fish and chips. (C5) ul. Emilii Plater 25, tel. 22 622 4640, legendsbar.pl
burgers & street food Barn Burger Retaining a loyal crowd ever since their 2012 entry on the burger circuit, Barn Burger offer a loud and lively atmosphere and much celebrated burgers with goofy names like Heart Attack and Muppet. The list by the door notes the results of their American-style eating competitions / greed-fests. (D4) ul. Złota 9. tel. 512 157 567, barnburger.pl Beef’N’Roll If the wheels have fallen off the burger craze then no-one told Beef’N’Roll. Originating as a food truck, their success has been such that a fixed venue was required. Everything about the food and drink suggests quality is the main consideration. (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 36, tel. 531 707 070, beefnroll.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 millenial generation. (B2) ul. Nowolipki 15, fb.com/ restauracjakura Meat Warsaw This project sees a cosmic 1960s rotunda revived as a compact eatery whose brief menu is butch and brawny and comfortably familiar: Philly cheese steak served inside fresh pitta bread; Polish white sausage in a thick corn sauce; and boczek that’s soft in parts and crackly in
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
35
EAT! Listings others – lathered in a thick gloss of plum glaze, it’s a dish that sets off fireworks. (C4) Corner of ul. E. Plater / Świętokrzyska, fb.com/meatwarsaw
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 supberb. With the financial transaction sealed, enjoy your winnings on their small outdoor terrace. (D7) ul. Polna 22
SHEESHA , AU T H E N T I C C U I S I N E , M E E T I N G P L AC E , D R I N KS
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
chinese
dom-faraona.com, O r d y n a c k a 13
36
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
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 Stepping past a pair of flowing red drapes at the entrance, guests are ushered in to discover an eclectic world that marries the tastes of New York’s Little Italy to Chinatown next door. This is done excellently with the menu presenting the very essence of ethnic comfort food: General Tso’s chicken, Cantonese roast duck and light, leopard-spotted pizzas. Brought to you by the makers of MOD, it’s therefore natural that the original style extends to kooky interiors tinged with a trace of retro: a tall mirrored wall and the kind of sparkling chandelier last seen in Boogie Nights. (E6) ul. Koszykowa 1, fb.com/ Reginabar To Tu Dumpling Bar A shabby looking shack cabin, To Tu offer what are seriously considered some of the best – if not the best – dim sum in town. Magic-ked up by a Manchurian exile, the experience isn’t unlike being in a sweaty back street haunt in Asia. And that’s a good thing! ul. Niekłańska 33, chinskapierogarnia.pl
fine dining Amber Room at the Sobański Palace Set in the pre-war Pałac Sobańskich, this wedding white manor house is the epitome of luxury: plush, discreet, elegant and serene, it unwraps like the most beautiful of presents – a network of corridors and stairwells take guests through a series of rooms and side-chambers. Impossibly almost, the food measures up to the surrounds. For mains, the sea trout is spectacular, arriving alongside creamy root parsley and fried cubed cucumbers. (E6) Al. Ujazdowskie 13, tel. 22 523 6664, amberroom.pl Atelier Amaro A point of pilgrimage to which diners flock to worship at the table of Wojciech Amaro. This is not an exaggeration. Awarded what was then Poland’s first Michelin star in 2013, Atelier has grown to become more than a mere restaurant, but the spiritual home of ‘new Polish cuisine’ – a place of precision and perfection, this much-storied venue has lost none of its extraordinary ability to surprise and woo. Changing weekly, the menu promotes
EAT! Listings Polish ingredients – often weird and unexpected – enhanced by futuristic techniques. An extraordinary experience, it’s a place to put at the top of your foodie bucket list: for the hours you’re here the world stops and you feel like Bond. (E6) ul. Agrykola 1, tel. 22 628 5747, atelieramaro.pl
standards high. On our visit, that meant a sophisticated French duck pate in croute cake with raspberry jam and long pepper; and cod fillet a la Grenobloise. It’s already being talked about as a Michelin candidate. (B3) ul. Chłodna 15
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. ul. Agrykoli 1, tel. 22 558 6701, belvedere.com.pl
L’enfant Terrible Looking like he’s just swaggered in from a rock concert, the unconventional style of Michał Bryś goes beyond surface detail alone. Promising maximum excitement, his imaginative menu isn’t short on daring twists and rollercoaster highs. Maverick in every sense of the word, this is a chef that pushes boundaries in a way few others would dare. Though the menu changes often, keep an eye on recurring classics such as ‘tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes’, a kickass course that presents the humble tomato in about ten different forms! More informal than the other top bracket restaurants, the brainwashed loyalty of Enfant’s fans says much for it. (D8) ul. Sandomierska 13 (enter from Rejtana), tel. 22 119 5705, eterrible.pl
Chłodna 15 Unrecognizable from its previous incarnation, the restaurant wing of what was, until recently, La Maison, has undergone a considerable refurbishment to lend it more gravitas. The big change, however, is the food: the daily changing menu has been purposefully kept limited, allowing chef Arek Wilamowski’s crew to keep
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 2016 “Fine Dining” The deluxe dining scene is filling out in Warsaw, and there’s now a few restaurants that can present an equitable claim for the No. 1 spot. However, it’s Nolita that perch at the top, with a menu that sees largely classical recipes through a sharp, modern prism – chef Jacek Grochowina has created a place that’s coherent and understandable without sacrificing values of innovation. Looking chic and high end, the tastes and sensations in this restaurant are thrilling: diners are left speechless by the tuna tartar, while the aged beef fillet is an Insider mainstay. (D5) ul. Wilcza 46, tel. 22 292 0424, nolita.pl Platter by Karol Okrasa It’s a fact that Okrasa’s appearances in the kitchen are fleeting and rare, but that’s done nothing to hurt this
warsawinsider.pl
37
EAT! Listings 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 Fine dining gets a South American makeover thanks to Martin Gimenez Castro, a native Argentinean who has emerged as one of the most influential chefs in latter day Poland. While some critics grumble that the top end of Warsaw’s gastronomic scene has flatlined a little, Salto continues to push the envelope in terms of breaking boundaries and probing new ground. Light, fresh and full of zing, the ceviche is a must, as is a delve around the Sunday steak menu. Desserts, meanwhile, are among the most inventive in town. (D5) ul. Wilcza 73 (enter from Emilii Plater), tel. 22 584 8771, saltorestauracja.pl Senses Andrea Camastra’s Michelin-starred tasting menu is a succession of impossible highs and makes a big deal of scientific methods and culinary advances. Full of theater and unpredictable flourishes
(billowing mists, imaginative presentation, edible cigars...), this restaurant is never short on dare and dazzle. (C2) ul. Bielańska 12, tel. 22 331 9697, sensesrestaurant.pl Signature You feel a millionaire just being here: we’ve heard the interiors described as a ‘Monegasque state of mind’, and that’s not a bad way to surmise a décor that’s all about friezes and reliefs dated from the time this was the Soviet Embassy, lavish 1950s Oswald chairs, lighting by Serge Mouille and original Marilyn photos shot by the acclaimed Milton Greene. Food-wise the restaurant makes a massive splash with a menu that’s clever, creative and pretty. Count on Signature’s seasonally changing desserts providing a happy ending. (D5) ul. Poznańska 15, tel. 22 55 38755, signaturerestaurant.pl
french Bistro la Cocotte With access through a shadowy courtyard, the sensation you’re stepping inside a little secret is a pleasure in itself. Presenting itself in a riot of red and white gingham Cocotte feels warm and intimate, a factor aided by a small open kitchen and the atmosphere of home. The menu, chalked up on the blackboard, is a flexible affair that makes use of the ingredients at
Unique selection of Georgian wines and spirits
tue.-wed. from 1500 to 2300 thu.-fri. from 1500 to 2400 sat. from 1200 to 2400 sun. from 1200 to 2300 address: al. Ujazdowskie 22 00-478 Warszawa email: winebar@rusiko.pl + 48 22 628 45 76
38
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
hand, and is divided into a smattering of light bites, desserts and plat du jour. (D6) ul. Mokotowska 12, tel. 664 906 000 L’Arc Looking elegant with its black/white floors and subtle decorations bills at L’Arc can become big number affairs – especially if you hanker for seafood. Pick from numerous types of oysters, or delve into the fish tank for the lobster of your choosing. The catchment area extends beyond the borders of Mokotów, not just because of their ‘fresh from France’ seafood, but because of classic dishes such as Mulard duck and Burgundy snails. (E8) ul. Puławska 16, larc.pl La Cocotte Saska Already well regarded on account of a highly successful venture just off Pl. Zbawiciela, La Cocotte have spread their wings to set up shop in scenic Saska. A typical French-style bistro / wine bar, the offer includes a brief but largely brilliant menu whose main strength is its mussels. The wine list is substantial and French-focused and enjoyed by a smart, upmarket audience. (H4) ul. Walecznych 68A
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
EAT! Listings mutton manty dumplings are great, and best appreciated with a bottle of unfiltered Lithuanian beer. (B2) Al. Jana Pawła II 45A, klukovka.pl
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/
Rusiko Explaining Georgian cuisine isn’t all that hard. To the uninitiated, it’s representative of the heart, spirit and passion of its people, a cuisine the 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. Live music lends the weekends a good-humored twist. Note: closed Monday. (E5) Al. Ujazdowskie 22, tel. 22 629 0628, rusiko.pl
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
greek & turkish
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 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 revealed 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
Taverna Patris This Greek restaurant is not about sophistication and finesse, it’s about truth and taste. Likewise, the interiors have no airs and graces: there’s a rough and ready style that’s apt for noisy celebrations and familial occasions. Tawerna Patris is not about shallow details or surface appearances. Instead, it’s a place of depth, a place of integrity, a place of joy. (G4) ul. Wał Miedzeszyński 407, tel 22 357 11 11, tawernapatris.pl
hawaiian Poke Declared this year’s ‘must-have snack’ by the Guardian, poke’s popularity has fanned across the map to become one of the most exciting food fads of recent times. Polynesian by birth, this raw fish salad comes served on a bed of rice and then topped with the sauce of your choice: lemon, teriyaki, and ginger among others. While Warsaw has experienced the pleasures of poke before, here’s the first restaurant that’s dedicated to it: find it at the bottom of one of the Hogwarts-style turrets that support Most Poniatowskiego. (F4) ul. Kruczkowskiego 15B, fb.com/ WarsawPoke
hungarian U Madziara U Madziara looks like it took two days to decorate. No-one goes here to marvel at the interiors though, they go in the knowledge that they’ll find great food at prices all bank cards can support. Chef
Gabor’s signature goulash is one of life’s simple pleasures, though the service can come across as distracted and inattentive. (B3) ul. Chłodna 2/18, tel. 22 620 1423, umadziara.pl
indian Bollywood Lounge Known for their raucous dusk-till-dawn parties, there is another less hedonistic roll filled by Bollywood: that of a restaurant. The menu is an uncomplicated, classic affair that’s an ideal primer for the party ahead. (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 58, tel. 22 827 0283, bollywoodlounge.pl Curry House Ask for something extra hot in Curry House and by Vishnu 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 &ul. Towarowa 35, curry-house.pl Curry Leaf The post-industrial style is diluted by the number of Indian trinkets hanging off the vents and pipes. Owned by the same crew behind the lauded Curry House, you’d be completely correct to assume consistency and excellence. ul. Conrada 5, curryleaf.pl 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 India Express Wola Some notable exceptions / calamities aside, the standard of Indian food in Warsaw is surprisingly high – the problem lies in its ‘sameness’: same recipes, same menus and not enough being done to distinguish one restaurant from the next. So it’s on this point that the warsawinsider.pl
39
Finest Authentic Indian Cuisine in Locations Around Warsaw
WWW.CURRY-HOUSE.PL
EAT! Listings latest branch of India Express really excel – open from 8 on weekdays, the draw here is a breakfast menu that gives a new spin to Indian food. For full review, see p. TK. (B4) ul. Sienna 87, indiaexpress.pl Mandala Mandala is characterized by its blitzing big spices and a vindaloo capable of giving the sweat glands a work out. For something calmer, the creamy mutton methi malai is a masterpiece. ul. Emilii Plater 9/11 / ul. Etiudy Rewolucyjnej 9 / ul. Sienna 87, mandalaklub.com or indiaexpress.pl
HOŻA 54
536 443 771
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 (March 2017) promises to be the last for some time. (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 15, tel. 22 357 0939, namasteindia.pl
indonesian ŻEROMSKIEGO 81 508 870 774
WWW.HOUSE-OF-CURRY.PL
PATRIOTÓW 11A, FALENICA 512 533 415
40
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
Warung Jakarta The menu has a street foodie 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
there’s no shortage of people passing in and out the doors. (D3) ul. Świętokrzyska 18, tel. 22 290 102, aioli-cantine.com Ale Wino Dip through an archway to discover Ale Wino, a beautiful wine bar whose menu has been well tailored to the season. Tweaked for the season is the pork belly, a Złotnicka pig adorned with apple sugar snap peas and celery mousse – gorgeous. As for the wine, put your faith in the sommelier, Oliver. (F5) ul. Mokotowska 48, tel. 22 628 3830, alewino.pl Bazar Kocha Designed to evoke the spirit of a farmers’ market, the woodsy interior is filled with stall-style units neatly stacked with jars and pots. Yet these are not decorative decoys, but part of a thoughtful grocery offer aimed at showcasing Kocha’s ownmade produce. Above all though, this is a restaurant whose menu is strongly influenced by concepts of ‘terroir’. The giant leg of lamb falls off the bone and is a dish to recommend and remember for several months to come. (D6) ul. Mokotowska 33, bazarkocha.pl The Bell The sense of casual chic extends to an intelligent menu that’s been designed by the gifted Jan Piecuch. On the Insider’s visit (summer 2017) highlights were numerous and frequent and included a sorrel soup with chickpeas and pomegranate; an exquisite halibut and miso; and aged entrecote served with the kind of chips you’ve waited all your life for. (H4) ul. Zwycięzców 21, thebell.pl
international
Bez Tytułu A beautifully decorated restaurant on trendy Poznanska. The menu has French and Polish accents and reflects the chef’s creative streak well. (D5) ul. Poznańska 16, beztytulu.com
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
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
EAT! Listings such as goose with pumpkin puree, cranberry / red wine jam and chili caramelized beetroot. (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 10, tel. 502 770 303, bibenda.pl Brasserie Warszawska Looking for classic cuisine with no daft flights of fancy? Here you have it. At a time when everyone wants to be Ferran Adrià, Brasserie has both a menu and interior that you can understand: panfried foie gras; elegant beef Rossini; and sinful apple tarte tatin, all served inside posh interiors of zinc-plated mirrors and chessboard floors. Their Michelin Bib Gourmand is a source of pride, but it’s the number of repeat clients that are the ultimate paean to the skills of the chef. (E5) ul. Górnośląska 24, tel. 22 628 9423, brasseriewarszawska.pl Bubbles Occupying a small, square room, it’s intimate and relaxed: a place busy with blackboards and bottles, crates and
clutter. It radiates warmth and honesty. The food is exquisite, and includes big, meaty snails farmed in Mazury, and their signature dish: Swiss-style raclette. Presented on a wooden chopping board, this cheese dish is classic melty goodness, and served alongside a pile of potatoes, onions marinated with caramel and candied pumpkin. Considering the place doubles as a champagne bar the prices are remarkably moderate. (D2) Pl. Piłsudskiego 9, tel. 512 540 913, bubbles.com.pl
Casablanca Biały Kamień From the same team behind Na Lato comes Casablanca, a versatile venue that muddies the lines between café, restaurant, wine bar and hangout. Equally comfortable in each of these roles, it’s a place that feels fresh and cosmopolitan, not to mention completely in tune with the swank, glass surrounds. More to the point, it’s given wings to a part of Mokotów that before felt quite sterile. ul. Żaryna 2B, casablancawaw.com.pl
Bułkę przez Bibułkę When Bułkę przez Bibułkę was opened the idea was simple – to create a boutique version of Subway: a high quality sandwich shop people would value. But after they started serving breakfast, the whole thing snowballed into a more bistro-style offer. Now there’s a second venue on Zgoda, it’s not just the quality that’s contributed to the success, but the atmosphere as well. ul. Zgoda 3 & ul. Puławska 24, bulkeprzezbibulke.pl
The Cool Cat Reinventing itself to serve pimped-up plates of ‘Americanized Korean’, this fun spot has come on in leaps and bounds since opening two years back. Autumn highlights: K-fries (kimchi, bulgogi beef, chips – messy, delicious), a dessert that saw a heap of matcha tea ice cream stuffed inside a donut (no words for how clever that is), and a Kimchi Mary cocktail that was topped with strips of crunchy bacon. (F4) ul. Solec 38, tel. 787 698 700
The recently opened restaurant and bar Mokotowska 69 is a perfect place for those who enjoy refined food and excellent wine. The restaurant offers classic Polish dishes with a modern twist, delicious steaks and a wide range of wine from all over the world. Mokotowska 69 was designed for those who enjoy Polish cuisine and those who would like to try classic Polish dishes with a modern twist, such as Mazurian crayfish in rowan brandy cream sauce, roasted catfish with pearl barley and beets or roasted duck with pears and blackcurrant. The restaurant also specialises in steaks made from American Black Angus (certified prime grade by the USDA), Scottish Aberdeen Angus and the highest quality Japanese Tajima-gyu cattle, “Kobe-style”: class 5, marbling 9+.
ul. Mokotowska 69, tel. (+48 22) 628 73 84 / (+48 22) 627 20 33, www.mokotowska69.pl
warsawinsider.pl
41
EAT! Listings Czarna Woda From the blackened, smoking ashes of Kotakota rises a new venture from cult local chef Adam Leszczyński. Seen as one of the great talents of his generation, Leszczyński has reopened his previous premises to serve a menu heavy on the use of activated charcoal. Primed for Instagram addicts, it’s a menu that’s become a huge talking point between millennial foodies: the kimchi burger, served in a black bun, is a thing of inspiration. Paired with black-colored drinks, join the buzz inside an interior that looks scuffed
and distressed. (E3) ul. Bartoszewicza 3, fb.com/czarnawodabar Dekant Wine Bar Not just a contender for Warsaw’s best new wine bar, but also Warsaw’s best new restaurant! The tuna tartar comes with the added ka-boom of a nose clearing wasabi, while the filet mignon (a snip at zł. 79) is simply astonishing. The surprise are the ash-cooked potatoes, beautiful things with a char that wows. The desserts are few in number but equally outstanding: we fell in love with a passion fruit semi-
freddo with strawberries marinated in Grand Marnier. (F5) ul. Zajęcza 15, dekant. com.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 PLACE IN WHICH WINE PLAYS THE FIRST CHORD IN HARMONY WITH WHAT APPEARS ON THE PLATE…
WE WELCOME YOU
42
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
Drukarnia Wrapped inside an ugly 1950s facade, this former printing house unravels to expose a sensational interior high on retro pieces: jagged-shaped stone floor tiles, a red neon and stern Socialist era statuettes lend a heavy PRL accent, though the big statement at Drukarnia is supplied courtesy of the architecture itself. Tall windows, high ceilings and a peculiar spiral staircase that disappears into nowhere collude to lend Drukarnia a sense of light, space and depth. The food: limited choice of European standards cooked with competence. If you’re in the area, worth a look ul. Mińska 65, drukarnianapradze.pl Dyletanci BEST WAWA 2016 “Upscale Casual” 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
EAT! Listings thrills with every bite. (F5) ul. Rozbrat 44A, dyletanci.pl 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 approaching a futuristic space station. As for the menu, that’s perhaps not as revolutionary as the design demands, offering instead a gamut of play-it-safe, international choices. (A4) Pl. Europejski 5, fb.com/genesiswarsaw
Grand Kredens This mighty veteran continues to draw a steady custom on account of a wide-reaching menu that aims to keep everyone happy – and it usually does. The design is surreal to say the least, and is laid out in such a way as to always guarantee a lively atmosphere. (B5) Al. Jerozolimskie 111, tel. 22 629 8008, kredens.com.pl Hala Gwardii Housed in a Tsarist era brick hall, Warsaw’s latest food market / hangout has caused a storm since opening in October. A great tenant mix has seen 25 vendors signed-up, with highlights include raclette from the cool couple at Melt, vegan goodness at Tel Aviv, burgers from the legendary WarBurger and heaps of meat from Brasil On The Plate. Keeping it social are craft beer points, a bio wine stall, and a late night bar that overlooks it all. Open Friday morning through to Sunday night, a visit is essential. (C3) Pl. Mirowska 2, fb.com/halagwardii Hala Koszyki Integrating old with new, this huge project brings together some 18 food outlets inside a busy interior that’s all iron girders and industrial lighting. While there’s a feeling that there should have been a bigger focus on artisan, independent traders, that’s done nothing to dent Koszyki’s astonishing popularity. Units of note include the Gringo Salsownia, Port Royal Fish & Oyster Bar, and the Sobramesa Tapas Bar. (D6) ul. Koszykowa 63, koszyki.com
InFormal Kitchen There’s plenty of fireworks over the course of a vibrant menu that sources its produce from regional eco farms: meat from within a 26-kilometer radius of Warsaw, dairy produce from Mazury and fish from Pomerania. The rump of lamb is a class act, and bettered only by the pear and thyme tart for dessert. (D3) Pl. Małachowskiego 2 (enter from Traugutta), tel. 531 918 534, informalkitchen.pl Kieliszki Na Hożej The only Polish graduate of the Alain Ducasse academy in Paris, Dawid Balana has combined everything he’s learned along the way to fashion a menu that’s high on local produce but cooked with a classic French twist. The tastes are precise and well-balanced, but also varied enough to give a seemingly simple dishes several interesting sub-plots. From the outside, it looks like something straight from the 6th arrondissement. Through the door, and diners are met head-on by a seductive space that’s dark, intimate and full of gleaming glass: beautiful. (D5) ul. Hoża 41, kieliszkinahozej.pl La Brasserie Modern The interior of Didier Gomez whispers intimacy, yet it also embraces notions of space and light. The casual elegance that emanates from the design is accented by warm colors, low banquettes and glinting mirrors. The menu fits seamlessly with the surrounds: a fresh, modern look at French cuisine, but one that values clarity and simplicity. (D3) ul. Królewska 11, tel. 22 657 8332, sofitel-victoria-warsaw.com
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
43
EAT! Listings MOD BEST WAWA 2016 “Casual Dining” Chef Trisno’s menu sets his French culinary training against his Singaporean upbringing. The outcome is a card (actually, a printed sheet of paper) that makes for dangerously enjoyable reading: duck hearts with beetroot / soy emulsion and braised red cabbage; duck confit with pok choy, soy / red wine sauce and spicy cranberry chutney. Moderate prices and funky décor (a retro mirrored wall, upside down plants hanging from the ceiling) give it an ad hoc edge and plenty of character. Note: by day its Warsaw’s top donut store, so visit at night for their proper menu. (D6) ul. Oleandrów 8, fb.com/ MODOleandrow8 Mokotowska 69 Set inside a rotunda at the tail end of the street, it’s a place that exudes elegance and class. Most of all, however, it’s a restaurant to be enjoyed. Brought to you by the same team credited for Merliniego 5, Mokotowska’s appreciation of steak has been lifted from their elder sister. Yet the virtues of this restaurant extend beyond steak alone: the Insider enjoyed a volley of greats – creamy breaded calf brains, sophisticated smoked eel, and Mazurian crayfish served in a deep, joyous sauce of rowan berry and brandy. (E5) ul. Mokotowska 69, mokotowska69.com Momu.Gastrobar Dominated by meat that’s cooked using the only smoker of its kind in Poland, the menu is comforting and strangely familiar: these are falvors 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 orzo-based dishes as well as a new motto that asserts their connection to ‘people, music, nature’. A cynical attempt
44
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
to attach themselves to Warsaw’s fad for healthy living, or something more special? We’ll check back soon to check just which it is. (D6) Pl. Konstytucji 5 Plato 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 BEST WAWA 2016 “Upscale Casual” Much noise has been made about Rozbrat 20’s bread and wine selection, but their food is also something of a standout. Our trip in December meant twirls of herring pickled in vinegar and herbs and surrounded by a whorl of pond green colors; expertly assembled and boisterously flavored Hungarian foie gras; and a roll of gelatinous pork with ribbons of crispy salsify and a reassuring, fleshy taste. (F5) ul. Rozbrat 20, rozbrat20.com.pl Secado Casual, intimate interiors complement a menu that’s expanded from its original Latin leanings. Everything we’ve tried here has been close to culinary gold, and that includes the surf & turf, tortillas and the roast beef. (D5) ul. Marszałkowska 66, tel. 608 707 799, secado.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,
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, chef Łukasz Andruszkiewicz has honed a menu of note which, on our November visit, included a deep and soothing mushroom soup the 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 Talerzyki From the makers of Bazar Kocha comes a new concept that casts the spotlight on small plates composed of arty looking snacks to peck at. Enjoyed inside swank, retro-tinged interiors, the lively nature of Talerzyki is given an added boost by cocktails inspired by the inter-war age. (E6) ul. Mokotowska 33/35
Tusz Tusz Bistro Hidden round the back of Pl. Bankowy’s epic blue tower, Tusz Tusz is the kind of place Warsaw needs more of: a catch-all solution with a local menu that keeps office workers in mind – it’s fast, available from dawn but doesn’t cut corners when it comes to basic standards. Full review coming soon. (C2) Pl. Bankowy 2
EAT! Listings you’ll soon learn why. (E3) ul. Topiel 12, tel. 22 828 8507, avepizza.pl Warszawski Sznyt Warsaw’s historic center is rightly glorified for many reasons – its restaurants, however, are not one of them. In fact, there’s probably nowhere in the city with a higher concentration of sub-par efforts. Aiming to redress the balance are Sznyt, an ambitious venue with swank interiors overlooking the Royal Castle, and a kitchen staff headhunted from blue ribbon venues such as Salto and Amaro. Set over two floors (one focused on Polish cuisine, the other on ‘international’), the pride of the house is afforded to the wood-fired grill. (D2) ul. Senatorska 2, warszawskisznyt.pl Wilczy Głód The jaunty, impish design makes use of cartoonish wolves on the walls and treelike installations strung with bare light bulbs. And look, there’s a furry, mouse resting on a cushion. But if the place is playful and perky, then the cooking is both serious and sincere. Matching international ideas with organic local produce from small family farmsteads, you immediately sense this is a place created out of a love and respect for food. (D5) ul. Wilcza 29A, tel. 22 891 0285 Winsky Opened in November, Winsky have made a blistering start to life with early points scored for their selection of edgy ‘tap wines’ and menu of small plates – though mainly Polish in spirit, there’s enough international twists and turns to keep things varied. The design, with its deep sofas and riverside views, feels refined and considered – the kind of place you’d impress a first date. (F4) ul. Wioślarska 10
italian 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
46
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
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. In the hands of these two an unforgettable night comes guaranteed. Top quality imported products, a dimly-lit romantic atmosphere, a tasteful design and faultless food: no wonder so many rate this as their favorite Italian. (D5) ul. Hoża 58/60, tel. 22 622 6665, delizia.com.pl Dziurka od Klucza An inviting Italian restaurant in which curious doors sit embedded into the walls, as if waiting to be opened by the keys that hang on the tree outside. Striking a lavender look, the magic of this restaurant is affirmed by its wonderful pasta and intimate style. (E3) ul. Radna 13, tel. 500 150 494, dziurkaodklucza.com.pl Focaccia The Insider’s visit went something like this: wrist-thick octopus with an arc of yellow mousse, conversation stopping beef tenderloin alongside a glistening pool of madeira sauce and then an orange ice cream with caramel and ginger that soon merged into a big gooey brew of chocolatey mess. The only surprise is there’s no Italian in the kitchen – it appears they don’t need one. This is seriously talented cooking inside an interior that fresh and light and reflective of the food. (D2) ul. Senatorska 13/15, tel. 22 829 6969, focaccia.pl Mąka i Woda Purists applaud an approach that uses a custom-made oven from Naples and imported ingredients such as 00 Caputo flour and DOP certified San Marzano tomatoes. Scrupulously authentic, it’s no wonder that it’s packed to the gunnels every night of the week – even their Facebook page warns of 20-minute waiting times for a table alone. (D4) ul. Chmielna 13A, tel. 22 505 91 87
Otto Pompieri There’s no better way to judge pizza performance than a straight-up margherita, and here’s it’s incredible: larger than the plate it’s served on, it’s a celestial experience from start to finish. What about the place itself? It looks every bit as delicious as it tastes. Set within the former, pre-war Hotel Saski, from the outside it shines amid the grind of Pl. Bankowy like a diamond in the rough. Inside, it’s retro Little Italy – only new, polished, slick. (C3) Pl. Bankowy 1, fb.com/ otto.pompieri Sexy Duck Marketing themselves as a ‘craft Italian kitchen’, Sexy Duck make a song and dance about artisan this and that while never justifying their own hyperbole. Were they not so keen to tell you otherwise, you’d mistake the food as being something from a mid-market high street chain enterprise. 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 & sushi 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 is also strikes the right spot. (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
EAT! Listings 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 Izumi Sushi The original location never ceases to amaze with its sushi, though it’s the addition on Biały Kamień that really gets people talking. Here it’s not just the food that wows, but the interiors: a huge venue whose open plan doubles as an indoor forest – you need to see it to believe it. (D6) ul. Mokotowska 17 (pl. Zbawiciela), tel. 22 825 7950, izumisushi.eu Kago Sushi A place of such merit that it’s worth bludgeoning your way through the surging crowds of off-duty lawyers and second rate ‘slebs. A side project from the team behind Izumi, portioning here is strict
and skimpy, but the precision, attention to detail and flavors are second to none. Bills creep up fast as you opt for ‘just one more nigiri’, but such is the brilliance that complaints are rare. (D6) ul. Koszykowa 63 (Hala Koszyki), kagosushi.pl Sakana Sushi Bar Sushi as a fashion statement? That’s what you find in Sakana, a place where the glam and the great of Warsaw peacock around with feathers on display. Ignoring the general vanity and unpleasantness, one can’t help but applaud the sushi – if there was one winner in the sushi wars of the noughties, then Sakana was it. ul. Burakowska 5/7 tel. 22 636 0505, ul. Moliera 4/6, tel. 22 826 5958, & ul. Wąwozowa 6, lok.10B, tel. 22 498 8899, sakana.pl Sato Gotuje The tastes of Asia and the Orient are growing increasingly prominent, and not just the posh stuff, but the kind of food
you’d look to search out in a back alley market on a backpacking jaunt. Representing Japan in all this is Sato Gotuje, a place that’s reinvented a boring pavilion in the depths of Ochota. Inside, it’s like you’d expect: squashed and steamy with tables crammed in at every angle. The menu, meanwhile, is an exciting departure from the norm – no sushi here, instead, find a medley of bitey Japanese dishes such as pork tenderloin in breadcrumbs served with tonkatsu sauce. With the prices so low the temptation is to order your way through the menu, and many do just that. ul. Pawińskiego 24 Shoku In local terms, this has to be amongst the most blogged about restaurants of the year thus far. While it actually opened several months back, it’s only now that the place is gathering steam and getting recognized thanks to word-of-mouth. In truth, it’s not hard to see what the fuss is about: occupying a cool, almost
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 composed by chef Maciej Majewski by combining the finest culinary traditions of France with local flavors and a modern twist. Our open kitchen will complement your dining experience by creating a sense of participation in a live culinary show.
La Brasserie Moderne, visit us Mon.-Sat. noon-midnight | Królewska St 11 | 00-065 Warsaw | Tel. +48 22 657 83 82 | Email: brasserie.moderne@sofitel.com | www.facebook.com/brasserie.moderne
brasseire_insider_0816_144x102_swv_v4.indd 1
2016-08-16 11:50:59 warsawinsider.pl
47
EAT! Listings industrial-looking spot not far from the Rising Museum, Shoku offers an excellent menu of Asian-style tapas and small plates inside a buzzy background that’s never short of custom. The tuna steak is recommended. (A4) ul. Karolkowa 30, shoku.pl Sushi Zushi The mania for sushi is in recess, and that’s a good thing – the rogue operators are dead or dying off, and are survived by the best. And make no mistake, Sushi Zushi continue to be one of the No. 1 ex-pat choices. Appreciated by a stunning crowd, the rolls are often bold, creative and always astonishingly fresh. (D5) ul. Żurawia 6/12, tel. 22 420 3373, sushizushi.pl Tomo While 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
48
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
turnover without ever making the diner feel second best. (D5) ul. Krucza 16/22, tel. 22 434 2344, tomo.pl Uki Uki How much do the locals appreciate Warsaw’s original udon bar? Enough to queue outside the door? That’s right. Dining is a close quarters experience here, but is done so without complaint: that electric pasta maker turns out noodles of such chewy goodness that everyone leaves beaming. (D5) ul. Krucza 23/31, tel. 728 827 705, ukiuki.pl Wabu Sushi becomes a heaven’s gate spiritual experience in Wabu with the evening passing in a blur of beautiful compositions, of silky slithers of fish crowned with expert pinches of this, and little 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
jewish Florentin A quite beautiful, pale-colored dining room that boldly presents the cuisine of modern day Israel. High on North African twists and turns, there’s a creativity at work here that marks Florentin out as one of the most exciting openings in recent times: if in doubt, the veal with harissa, grilled pepper and pear puree is a winning order that deserves full attention. Onto dessert, and make space for the basil panna cotta served with ‘tomato jam’. (E4) ul. Smolna 40, fb.com/ FlorentinWarszawa Tel Aviv Although this multicultural melting pot is best-known for its Israeli street food, it’s the shift towards ‘vegan fine dining’ that has really caught the attention. Check their website for other locations. (D5) ul. Poznanska 11, restauracjatelaviv.pl
EAT! Listings korean Ban Bao Specializing in bao – soft and pillowy steamed buns cascading with slowcooked meats and crunchy veg – this spot has attained a serious sense of buzz. Kimchi fries, KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) and fragrant Thai soups round out the menu, with the experience topped off by a hip, post-industrial interior that’s high on chunky wooden benches and exposed concrete touches. Bottom line: addictive! (B4) ul. Żelazna 58/62 KoreaTown Rest Concealed down a Mokotów side street, KoreaTown’s menu is brief, succinct and really rather special. Begin with the bossam (braised pork belly wrapped in perilla leaves), before advancing on towards the Korean-style deep-fried chicken. Accompanied by little dishes of kimchi, rice and God knows what else, it’s an experience that’s authentic and exceptional in every respect: nowhere in Warsaw does Korean better. (E9) 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 Sora Maybe it’s not the best, but it’s certainly the best-known Korean restaurant in town. The tabletop BBQ sets are an essential order and ideal for the shared bonding experience. It all tastes even better with
copious quantities of Makkoli wine. (A4) ul. Wronia 45
latin & spanish Casa Pablo “We give Spanish food a new twist,” declares chef Gonzalo de Salas, which explains why, in between pungent cheeses and acorn-fed Bellota ham, we find ourselves demolishing a variety of dishes that buck all notions of tradition: as a starter the beetroot-marinated salmon served with wasabi emulsion is a fine example of this. With de Salas performing balletic tricks in the kitchen, Casa Pablo presents a masterful menu that ripples with adventure. (C3) ul. Grzybowska 5A, tel. 22 324 5781, casapablo.pl 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. 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 warsawinsider.pl
49
EAT! Listings ingredients, timid flavors and daft Mariachi music to persuade us it’s all authentic, a raft of new cut-price eateries are showing the rest how it’s done. Cooked and folded by fist bumping lads in back-to-front caps and baggy t-shirts, the food at Gringo is fiery, fresh and full of zing. There are detractors who claim this is a Polonized version of this cuisine, but the informal Gringo remains one of the market leaders. (E9) ul. Odolańska 15, tel. 22 848 9523, gringobar.pl La Sirena Creamy guacamole the color of Kermit; cocktails that are both vicious and delicious; and drunken beans full of heart and vim. But La Sirena gets even better, particularly with the short ribs burrito and a readjusted ‘almost death salsa’ that’s learned to say POW. Add to this a machete-laden interior that draws inspiration from the ultra-violent films of Danny Trejo, and you understand why this tiny, backstreet cantina has become the
talk of the town. At no point in its history has Warsaw enjoyed better Mexican food. (D5) ul. Piękna 54 Margarita Kolendra With neither Polish nor English spoken by the staff (at least, not on our visit), the ordering process can be both labored and bizarre. Those who survive it are rewarded by commendable quesadillas, interesting chilequilas and quite excellent tacos: hat tip to the Al Pastor. Enjoy them in a small, budget-minded interior that feels like it was assembled in a hurry – rather than being a criticism, the ad hoc spirit lends a sense of authenticity to this pokey, side street venue. ul. Okrzei 35 Urban Burritos It’s here, in this unassuming subterranean world, that people gather for what is being hyped as Warsaw’s top burrito. Offering fillings of pork, beef, chicken and Portobello mushroom, wraps come expertly constructed and served with
salsas that sing with gusto. Set within shouting distance of the US Embassy, peak times see Urban Burritos fill to the seams with America’s finest. (D6) ul. Piękna 22, urbanburritos.pl
middle eastern
Dom Faraona Sitting just off Nowy Świat, this Egyptian restaurant comes soaked in the soothing scent of the sheesha. The comprehensive menu has plenty of zingy Middle Eastern small plates for starters, though really earns its stripes on account of its grill dishes: the lamb ribs are a house specialty. If you like what you see, visit their cafe in CH Panorama. (E4) ul. Ordynacka 13, dom-faraona.com
AUTHENTIC POLISH CUISINE
Krakowskie Przedmieście 64 tel. +48 22 826 4770 email. info@delicjapolska.pl www.delicjapolska.pl
50
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
EAT! Listings
Le Cedre With the decadent dazzle of a bedouin tent, nights in Le Cedre are best celebrated with blasts on a sheesha and their Friday night belly dancer. Otherwise, just settle for the best Lebanese food in CEE; of particular note, the charcoalgrilled lamb chops. (E1) Al. Solidarności 61, tel. 22 670 1166, lecedre.pl
Le Cedre 84 Le Cedre just keep on getting it right. Authenticity is key in this chainlette (well, there’s another across the river), as you’ll discover when talking to Tony,
the Lebanese owner. To see the diversity of this cuisine, order the balbaak (six cold starters) or the byblos (six hot). And food aside, it’s the atmosphere that carries them that extra yard: the whole philosophy of this cuisine is to share and share alike, making it a uniquely engaging experience when dining with friends. (B3) Al. Solidarności 84, tel. 22 618 8999, lecedre.pl 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
Shuk Located behind Hala Banacha in this gradually blooming district of Warsaw, SHUK’s certainly worth the tram ride if you’re not a native Ochotian. An offshoot of the acclaimed Mezze, highlights on our visit included a well-seasoned Arabic soup with lentils and spinach followed by a skillet of fried oyster mushrooms cooked with onions and served alongside harissa topped with rose petals. You’re looking at quite a special place that realigns your mojo on an ashen Warsaw day. ul. Grójecka 127 Sokotra Casting a warm, steamy glow over this corner of Wilcza, Sokotra reveals itself as a well-designed 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
NEW MENU
Modern take on Italian cuisine
tel.: +48 22 829 69 69 ul. Senatorska 13/15, Warsaw/Old Town restauracja@focaccia.pl, fb.com/restauracjafocaccia www.focaccia.pl
warsawinsider.pl
51
EAT! Listings polish Bar Gdański Closed in spring, a brief but thorough refit conducted by the new owner has given this milk bar a late lease of life. Gone are the plastic plants, putrid smells and that slow feeling of death, replaced instead by a fresher look in keeping with the times. Despite this, the historic core has been retained including the daffodil colors and original floor tiles. How’s the food? Cheap. That’s probably the kindest thing you can say about it. Despite that, Gdański feels like an essential part of the community. (B1) ul. Andersa 33, fb.com/ bargdanskimuranow 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. ul. Agrykoli 1, tel. 22 558 6701, belvedere.com.pl Bez Gwiazdek Hide the white tablecloth! One of the more discernible trends of late has seen chefs attempt to replicate fine dining standards but in casual surrounds. Few are more qualified to do so than Robert Trzópek, a man whose résumé includes experience gained in Noma and El Bulli. Seeking to ‘reinterpret forgotten Polish cuisine’, his tasting menu at Bez Gwiazdek focuses on a different region each month – November was a goosey exploration of Kujawa-Pomerania and included such flights of fancy as a goose-stuffed donut for starter. Intimate, forward-thinking, thrilling, it’s no wonder foodies talk about this place with reverence and awe. (E3) ul.
Wiślana 8, bezgwiazdek.com.pl Bistro Pod Sowami For full review, see p. 30. Bistro Z There’s no shortage of places in Warsaw claiming to serve ‘food from the heart’, but not many do so with the same integrity and passion as Bistro Z. Regarded as a pearl of Praga, the look is well-balanced – chic but homely – while the cooking is firmly oriented around local recipes and ingredients. At 20 zeds, the lunch deal is a lesson in charity. (F1) ul. Ząbkowska 12 Czerwony Wieprz (Red Hog) 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
Restaurant & Pastry Shop Warsaw, Żurawia 47/49, open: 7.00 - 22.00 reservations: tel. +48 (22) 621 82 68 Pastry Shop Warsaw, Felińskiego 52, open: 9.00 - 20.00
smakiwarszawy.pl
52
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
EAT! Listings
Delicja Polska Looking stately (pink bows, gilt touches and immaculate linen) but never stuffy, Delicja have a modern Polish menu that includes sous-vide salmon marinated in beetroot leaves, then topped with horseradish foam and dill emulsion. Brilliant. But then so was everything else we tried, including the exquisite seasoned roast beef. (D6) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 64, tel. 22 826 4770, delicjapolska.pl Dom Polski Almost like it was designed for the manor born, Dom Polski has the rarefied atmosphere of a country retreat: bow-tied staff who click their heels, decorative antiques and a menu that’s a sumptuous anthology of posh Polish cooking. When you need to give visitors a sense of classic Warsaw, Dom Polski is the first out of the hat. (H4) ul. Francuska 11, tel. 22 616 2432, restauracjadompolski.pl Dom Polski Belwederska Accessed via curling pathways and bursting shrubs this restaurant conjures images of an aristocrat’s manor. The air of privilege matches a menu that’s rich in fanciful classics such as their signature goose. Elegant and exquisite, consider it your default choice for a taste of true Poland. (F8) ul. Belwederska 18A, tel. 22 840 5060, restauracjadompolski.pl Elixir by Dom Wódki There are some who call the food here ‘deconstructed Polish’. In actuality, ‘reconstructed’ would be closer to the mark. The chef has taken local classics and redrafted the recipes with the swoosh of a contemporary pen. The outcome is a pleasure from start to finish: a life affirming żurek, a tartar that could fulfill ambassadorial duties for Poland, and a handsome beef tenderloin sprinkled with crispy potato shavings. Thoughtful pairings with lesser-known, boutique vodkas add another dimension that serves to complete this pleasing, patriotic adventure. (C2) ul. Wierzbowa 9/11, domwodki.pl Folk Gospoda If you missed the last train to Zakopane,
then a night in Folk Gospoda is the next best thing. Kitted out like a typical tavern in the Tatras, it’s a good-humored celebration of mountain-slope traditions: heaps of meat and lard with plenty of vodka and song in between. (B3) ul. Waliców 13, tel. 22 890 1605, folkgospoda.pl Jaś & Małgosia Insouciant one moment, your best friend the next, the staff at Jaś & Małgosia show the two faces of Polish service brilliantly. Reactivated a couple of years ago, this 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 Kafe Zielony Niedźwiedź A refuge of swish fancy, think of the Green Bear as a place of sanctuary and seclusion and of chic, high living. From the outset, you’re made to feel that good things will happen, and this they do – certified by Poland’s nascent Slow Food movement, the menu gives big billing to the suppliers that keep the pantry stocked. But the truth is, these aren’t the only stars of the show. Led by Wojciech Deres, the kitchen team are an accomplished bunch. The Insider’s November visit included a rousing goose terrine and finely balanced veal sweetbreads. When skies are cold and granite, it’s food like this that helps you carry on. (E4) ul. Smolna 4, tel. 731 996 006, kafezn.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 Mała Polana Smaków BEST WAWA 2016 “Modern Polish” Put simply, it works on every level: from the service to the space – outside, a ter-
Start the New Year by rediscovering Lebanese Cuisine Le Cedre Lounge Grzybowska 5A Tel 22 299 7299
Le Cedre 61
(opposite the zoo) Al. Solidarności 61, Praga Tel 22 670 1166
Le Cedre 84
(opposite the court) Al. Solidarności 84 Tel 22 618 8999
www.lecedre.pl warsawinsider.pl
53
EAT! Listings race featuring upcycled crates overlooking Morskie Oko, and on the inside, a cute little room with woodsy bits and big glass jars of mystery ingredients. It’s casual, but still fit for more serious roles: e.g. girlfriend night. And the food: exceptional. Lots of seasonally changing choices that on our visit meant salmon sausage matched with beetroot and horseradish sauce along with pinches of lavender and fennel. (F9) ul. Belwederska 13/44, tel. 22 400 8048, polanasmakow.pl Opasły Tom Sneaked off a lively side street, guests duck down into a chain of two narrow-ish chambers that, whilst not exactly casual, feel comfortable and familiar. Reliant on the freshest local ingredients around, this restaurant’s strategy places an onus on seasonality whilst remaining fiercely creative. (E4) ul. Foksal 17, kregliccy.pl Papu Evoking the spirit of a gentleman’s manor, Papu looks every inch the classic Polish restaurant. Reliant on regional produce from mom & pop farmsteads, chef Bartek Kędra’s menu does a gold carat job of enhancing old-fashioned recipes through the use of modern techniques. (D9) al. Niepodległości 132/136, tel. 22 856 7788, restauracjapapu.pl Podwale Piwna Kompania Prowling mountain bands generate a beer
hall atmosphere, while the courtyard garden – designed to replicate a Mitteleuropa square – is one of the best you’ll find. But the obscene portions can’t mask what is pretty poor food. Go there for the experience, if nothing else. (D2) ul. Podwale 25, tel. 22 635 6314, podwale25.pl Prasowy Delicate diners turn their back on milk bars, yet this canteen-style phenomenon, with its history rooted in communism, has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance and a freshly found popularity with a new generation. Sure, the food is an acquired taste and best described using words like ‘basic’, ‘bland’ and ‘honest’, but Prasowy gets our vote for a cool design that’s seen the 1954 interiors sensitively updated. (E7) ul. Marszałkowska 10/16 Restauracja Pod Gigantami All pomp and splendor, huge portraits of monarchs in ermine stare down from the walls; pristine parquet floors gently creak underfoot; from another chamber, the sound of clinking glasses whispers through the air. Yet as much as the interior makes an impact it fails to steal the show. That belongs to Paweł Zieliński, a chef whose biography includes a stint at the Michelin starred L’Ecrivain in Dublin. Now back in Poland, his menu is a patriotic proclamation of all that is good.
It’s here the Insider enjoyed its favorite żurek of 2016. (E5) Al. Ujadowskie 24, tel. 22 629 2312, podgigantami.pl Restauracja Polska “Różana” The rarified atmosphere of Różana is a pleasure indeed. Close to the frontline of Mokotów / Śródmieście, you’d never guess the proximity of the center. Seated in their garden, one feels removed from the city – a fountain burbles quietly in the background, starlings hop around the trees. From the inside, one hears the distant tinkle of the house pianist. Just being here is a thrill in itself, and the food is a Polish dining extravaganza served from the top table: farmhouse duck, saddle of venison, etc. (E8) ul. Chocimska 7, tel. 22 848 1225, restauracjarozana.com.pl Schabowy Red gingham tablecloths are just about the only decorative element in this plain Jane restaurant; aesthetics don’t figure highly, and that much is clear through an approach to plating presentation that’s best described as basic. But boy, they can cook – simple but delicious, the food here is Polish home cooking at its best: great ingredients used to even greater effect. As the name suggests, schabowy is the star, and here you’ll find it served in three different forms. ul. Obrzeżna 1, fb.com/ schabowy.warszawa Słoik Jarheads will love Słoik, a place lined with glass jars brimming with colorful ingredients and bright preserves. Find natural Polish produce and traditionalsounding dishes treated with a careful and contemporary hand. The approach pits modernist against classic, and the winner is, well, you. This is traditional Polish food updated for the discerning, latter day palate – and it’s really quite something. (D4) ul. Złota 11, tel. 600 396 688, restauracjasloik.pl Stary Dom A classic restaurant in style and history: back in the day it was a favorite haunt of jockeys and race goers from the horse track nearby. Pre-war recipes form the basis of the menu, with the team using seasonal produce and the latest technology to bring out its best. ul. Puławska 104/106, tel. 22 646 4208, restauracjastarydom.pl
56
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
THE FIRST AND MOST AUTHENTIC TURKISH RESTAURANT IN WARSAW... COME AND ENJOY THE TRUE TASTE OF TURKEY! EAT WELL, FEEL WELL! OUR MENU ALSO HAS PLENTY OF MEDITERRANEAN CHOICES MAHO AL.KRAKOWSKA 240/242 WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MAHOPL TEL 22 609 15 48
EAT! Listings U Fukiera New arrivals looking to get a grasp of local cuisine have many options in varying price brackets. U Fukiera is definitely in the big spend category, but visitors come away with a common sense of wonderment. That’s largely due to enchanting interiors that have guests exploring twinkling chambers that unravel like a fairytale. Set in a 500 year old townhouse, the beautiful backdrop is accompanied by a grand menu of duck, venison, veal and lamb. (D1) Rynek Starego Miasta 27 (Old Town Market Square), tel. 22 831 1013, ufukiera.pl U Szwejka Named after the fictional Czech soldier Szwejk, the food here would certainly appeal to the tubby man himself. Bestowed with Prague street signs, the food is a hardy, meaty affair, and arrives in XXXL portions. The price to quantity (Note: not quality) ratio guarantees queues (yes, queues) that stretch out on the street every weekend. (D6) pl. Konstytucji 1, tel. 22 339 1710, uszwejka.pl eekend. $$
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 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),
58
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
mateuszgessler.com.pl Zielnik A quiet Mokotów side street is the setting for this little secret. In it, flowers, lots of them, and a warming wood interior just right for winter. In summer, head instead to their glorious garden across the street in the park: adding a sophisticated twist to the holy grill, the skewered lamb is to die for. (D10) ul. Odyńca 15, tel. 22 844 3500, restauracjazielnik.pl
russian
oysters a particular standout. Full review coming soon. (E8) ul. Puławska 16, larc.pl Lokal na Rybę Seafood doesn’t play a particularly distinguished role in Warsaw’s culinary history, so the opening of a good fish restaurant tends to get the locals talking. But Lokal isn’t just good, it goes several steps beyond. Open just three days a week (Thu-Sat, evenings only), the rotating menu presents a handful of daily choices against a simple, no pretense interior that’s often packed solid – reservations come recommended, as do the mussel dishes. (D9) ul. Kwiatowa 1/3/4, fb.com/ lokalnarybe
Skamiejka As a social point, this family-run restaurant works incredibly well. Located at the far end of Ząbkowska, it’s a place filled with assorted clutter and Russian bits and pieces: album covers, books, jars of pickles and jumble sale finds. The welcome is second-to-none, while beverages include a wide range of vodka and beer from the former Soviet-bloc nations. The food though is a bit of a massacre. Take the zharkoe: what should be a thick and hefty pot roast is limp and placid and empty of taste. ul. Ząbkowska 37, tel. 512 123 967, fb.com/skamiejka
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
scandinavian
specialty food shops
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 (no microwave oven at Nabo), 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
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, gluten-free smoked meats, Merino lamb, BBQ kits and so much more. Home delivery, internet ordering and Englishspeaking staff round out this legend. many locations, befsztyk.pl
EAT! Listings only organic mushroom farm and the magical yogurts from Mleczna Droga Manufaktura Serów. ul. Zakroczymska 12, kregliccy.eu/forteca BioBazar Bio Bazar 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
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 Kosher Shop Snuck to the side of the synagogue, stock up on Kosher produce from the friendly store, before hitting up the falafel tent outside for, aside from the obvious, kosher ice cream. (C4) ul. Twarda 6 Kuchnie Świata The first stop for most ex-pats, with an offer that includes food and drinks from
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 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
warsawinsider.pl
59
EAT! Listings across the globe. The choice is vast but mainly involves tinned and packaged products. Internet ordering now also available. Various locations, kuchnieswiata. com.pl Mojo Picon Mojo Picon specializes in vending Spanish groceries, expressly the produce of the Canary Islands. A creditable charcuterie section is enhanced by an array of cheese, wine and jarred exotica. (D5) ul. Poznańska 3, mojopicon.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 Samira Now in bigger and better premises, this Lebanese supermarket offers a comprehensive rundown of imported goods that ranges from spices, preserves and rubs to nuts, olives, teas and soft drinks. ul. Powsińska 64A, tel. 22 825 3363, samira.pl Targ Śniadaniowy The idea is a bit different as it is out in the open air, on the grass, so good weather
is a must. Part healthy food market, part breakfast picnic, part educational space, part chance to get your two wheeler fixed but above all, an idyllic way to spend a Saturday morning in a beautiful part of town. Now also present in three other locations: check their web for details. Al. Wojska Polskiego, tel. 508 121 891, targsniadaniowy.pl
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
steak houses
Downtown Restaurant There’s now a few candidates for Warsaw’s best steak, and Downtown have certainly upped the erm, stakes, with their new menu. Yes, the doors of Downtown are a gateway to heaven – particularly true if, like us, your vision of heaven is a rich green field filled with fat, juicy cows. But don’t for one moment assume the offer ends with cows. (C4) ul. Emilii Plater 49 (InterContinental Hotel, level 2), tel. 22 328 8745
Beef n’ Pepper A social space that encourages friends to gather and make merry over big meaty courses. Served on heavy tree stump plates, steaks here use Polish Angus aged for a 28-day period. If you’re into the concept of sharing with your fellow man, then the Beef n’Pepper plate offers a pile of everything: wings, ribs, steak. (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
Loft is the perfect place to pause for a moment for a coffee, to meet with friends for lunch or a late dinner – most of all, it’s a chance to escape the city bustle while remaining in the heart of Warsaw. ul. Złota 11 tel. 668 016 964 restauracjaloft.pl
60
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
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. Pl. Mirowski 1, edred.pl
EAT! Listings Hoża Wine and steak: it sounds so 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 5 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. (E10) ul. Merliniego 5, tel. 22 646 0810, merliniego5.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 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. In many ways, San Thai can be accused of emulating that blueprint: informal, airy surrounds; fair price points; and a menu that covers enough bases while never becoming overwhelming. But this is more than a mere copycat, and so far San Thai have found themselves
commended for their fiery recipes and diverse range of dishes. A half-decent wine selection adds to the impression that this street is taking off as something of a scene. (C3) ul. Próżna 10, restauracjas-
Ecological menad certified
anthai.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 In terms of design it’s little short of perfect: gold vaulted interiors lend a muted glow to a largely black on black space while serene looking Buddha’s peer on the diners below. As for the food, that’s one big success story with plenty of lively flavors and dynamic colors. The Tom Yang Kung, a deeply nourishing fish broth that awakens the senses with a sharp, spicy jolt, is a must! (C2) Pl. Teatralny 3, tel. 601 818 283, thaithai.pl Thaisty The coup here has been the recruitment of Chanunkan Duangkumma, Warsaw’s favorite Thai chef. The menu has street food inspirations and also includes several recipes passed down Duangkumma’s family line: consider the BBQ beef skewers essential. Vivid colors and a busy open kitchen lend the place a happy buzz that lasts through the day. (C2) Pl. Bankowy 4, tel. 730 000 024, thaisty.pl
From 25 of November ecological shopping on Wołoska 3 stree t Wednesday 10-18, Friday 10-18 and Saturday 8-16
more than
10 0 ve n d or s
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 Wi-Taj Despite the name, it’s actually the cuisine warsawinsider.pl
61
EAT! Listings of Vietnam that is the dominant entity in this restaurant. There is the odd moment of madness (glazed cherries appearing at random), but in general Wi-Taj does a grand job of representing a kitchen that hasn’t always enjoyed the greatest publicity in Warsaw. The crunchy, perky nem are a fine way to start, but it’s the steaming bowls of pho that have this Insider promising to return. As for prices, these rarely climb north of zł. 30. (D6) Pl. Konstytucji 4
ukrainian Kanapa Ukrainian cuisine gets a modern makeover courtesy of upcoming chef Jarosław Artiuch. Occupying a swish-looking villa, the overall look is upmarket with touches of eclectic whimsy while the menu is a careful work that transforms this famously heavy cuisine into something delicate and refined. The tasting menu (PLN 149 for ten courses) offers a 360 view of Artiuch’s skill set. ul. Narbutta 10
vegan & wholefood
FOOD & WINE PLAC CZESŁAWA NIEMENA 515 664 995, 22 119 86 36 indiantastewaw@gmail.com www.indiantaste.pl
Bar Stołeczny So far we’ve seen Warsaw’s vegan scene embrace Mexican cuisine, Italian, Japanese, Thai and lord knows what else. Stołeczny’s kitchen chooses to keep things closer to home, instead sourcing inspiration from the milk bars of yore. It’s a simple selection of pancakes and pierogi here, but one that’s also simply done well. Tuck in inside a basic interior with a green gingham motif – sometimes, you don’t need much else. (D5) ul. Poznańska 7, fb.com/barstoleczny
Dżungla Dżungla presents two Warsaw trends and unites them under one roof: craft beer and vegan food. They might sound like they make for odd bedfellows, but there’s nothing wrong with the results. Despite the panda motif and Asian-style wood-clad interior, the menu’s focus is wider than imagined and includes some rather interesting meat-free skewers to enjoy. ul. Dereniowa 2 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
62
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
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 Krowazywa Packed with girls wearing skating clothes and moon boots, this burgery makes a big boast that their whole menu is 100% plant-based and their food compiled using ‘the best, freshest, unprocessed and full-balanced ingredients.’ The Warzywex, a burger composed of marinated and grilled slices of local veg, is an absolute winner. (D5) ul. Marszałkowska 27/35, tel. 881 777 894 ul. Hoża 29/31, krowarzywa.pl ul. Hoża 29/31, krowarzywa.pl Lokal Vegan Bistro Aside from a small menu consisting of more standard vegan offers, Lokal keep Homer Simpson characters in mind with regular guest slots for street food that’s given a full vegan makeover. Offhand, that’s meant vegan kebabs, cheesesteaks, burgers and zapiekanka, all of which have been pretty damn good. (D5) ul. Krucza 23/31, 517 615 122 Momencik Vegan burritos may sound wrong, but at Momencik they’re every bit as good as anything you’ll be used to. The only difference is that you won’t leave feeling like you’ve eaten a sack of socks: on the contrary, it’s got all the perky flavor that Mexican food should have, but none of the unpleasant post-meal bloaty bubbles. And it’s cheap! Diners fork out less than zł. 22 for a lunch deal that includes homemade lemonade, a burrito and soup of the day: it’s your lucky day if that happens to be their tomato soup. (D5) ul. Poznańska 16 Organitheka Seasonal, fresh, organic: Organitheka is all these and more. Raw, plant-based meals are their principal claim to fame, though these are accompanied by a selection of cold pressed juices, raw chia desserts, coconut yogurts and other surprises: the tiny dining room belies the depth of choice and flavor. (C4) ul. Twarda 1,
EAT! Listings Vegan Pizza While the place lacks effort on the design front (a plain room with local radio piped around), the pizza is pretty good. There’s 24 to pick from, and while it’s not love at first bite, there’s a tendency to get strangely hooked by the new tastes and alien sensations. Definitely an interesting departure from the high street pizzerias. Recommended: Italian Madness – melty cheese and herby bursts of pesto. (D5) ul. Poznańska 7, veganpizza.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’.
the crowd. Kudos, as well, to the food. Celebrated for their salads, don’t expect to be pecking on morsels of rabbit food – instead, pepare for huge, leafy affairs assembled to look complex and intriguing. Recommended is the Croatian salad which rrives 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 Youmiko Vegan Sushi Already well-established in Kraków, Youmiko enter Warsaw’s vegan sushi market hot on the heels of Edamame on Wilcza nearby. There’s definitely more of a hipster, ‘urban guerrilla’ feel to Youmiko, but the sushi is every bit a success. Often better than ‘the real thing’. (D5) ul. Hoża 62, youmiko.vg
vietnamese
Cafe • Wine Bar • Restaurant • Whisky Bar • Wine Cellar
Oh My Pho A busy, family-run joint, OMP’s specific claim to fame is what many are terming the best and most authentic pho in the ward. Steamy and aromatic, this is pho as it should be: full of big herby thwacks, ribboning noodles, and soft strips of meat in a clear, restorative stock. Often cited as being the ‘soul of the nation’, just a few noisy slurps are all that’s needed to corroborate the life-affirming goodness of this beautiful broth... (D5) ul. Wilcza 32, fb.com/ohmyphowilcza
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
(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 Wars i Sawa w Nowym With its wide spaces, high ceilings and echoing sense of clatter, there’s something of a canteen spirit to Wars i Sawa. Occupying a chunk of the Nowy Teatr, it gets particularly busy after performances – and rightly so. Fresh, seasonal and well-presented, the food here is vegan, healthy and unerringly popular. The vege-burger sounds prosaic but is actually something of a star turn. (E9) ul. Madalińskiego 10/16 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
‘Simplicity, elegance and atmosphere’
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, tel. 888 147 307 Viet Street Food Bistro What started out as a roaming food truck has settled down into life as a legitimate restaurant. Widely looked upon as the source of the best Vietnamese chow this city’s ever seen, the small menu reveals steaming bowls of pho and banh mi baguettes loaded with meat and greens. (H4) ul. Królowej Aldony 5/2, fb.com/ vietstreetfoodpl warsawinsider.pl
63
grocery stores, bakery, indoor food market beauty salon and chemists shops home furnishings stores over 25 restaurants and cafes
FEEL THE WARSAW BEAT
63. Koszykowa Street
5 min from Warsaw Central Station www.koszyki.com
|
HalaKoszyki
DRINK! SAVE THE WORLD!
Already a major fad way out west, the low-waste cocktail concept has touched down in Poland courtesy of the visionary eye of Tomek Roehr (a.k.a the Mixmaster General at Bar Wieczorny). Embracing a variety of initiatives aimed at maximizing sustainability (reusable metal straws, no citrus fruit, etc.), his latest operation, Cosmo Bar, is however more than a onetrick 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.
PHOTOGRAPH ED WIGHT
Cosmo Bar ul. Twarda 4, cosmobar.pl
warsawinsider.pl
65
Drink! Face-off COOL FOR CATS
Two years is a lifetime in the Machiavellian world of Warsaw F&B, so it says much for The Cool Cat that in that period they’ve grown and prospered. Proving more than just a faddish flash in the fire, it’s caught the zeitgeist by the horns and come to represent the hip Powiśle style; casual and convivial and absent of aloofness, it’s a place in which all life seems to gather for a taste of good times. Refusing to take themselves too seriously, the angle is fun and forward-thinking, something that’s evidenced by way of an occasionally wacky menu of Americanized Asian food. But make no mistake, this isn’t some slack operation
running on a wing and a prayer: backstage, there’s an intelligence and skill at work, a point demonstrated by the underlying quality. That doesn’t just go for the nosh, but the drinks card as well. Of course, there are those who view it as a little quirky and eccentric, but these are works of devastating talent: that’s especially true of the Kimchi Mary, a delicious drink whose secret ingredients number fish sauce, kimchi juice and OJ. Pungent, potent, punchy, it’s all those things and more besides – rousing in every respect, it’s the kind of tipple that makes you tingle. The Cool Cat ul. Solec 38, fb.com/ thecoolcatbar
BLOODY MARY FACE-OFF
PHOTOGRAPHS ED WIGHT
Forget the traditional BMs you may be used to drinking, two Warsaw venues have ripped up the rule book to reinvent this hangover classic...
66
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
AVE MARIA
The bar of the summer? Definitely. But to think of Pacyfik as a one-season wonder would be way off the mark. 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, it’s a bar that’s dark and divey, raw and real. How they do it, I’ve no idea, but possibly the biggest pull about it is that Pacyfik has become more than just a spot for the cool kids and their immediate inner circle. Despite being installed as one of the hottest addresses in town, there’s an inclusive atmosphere that transforms into an international babble once the evening draws in – all for one and one for all! Then, of course, there’s the drinks. These are Bloody Mary’s to respect and revere. In times of trouble (i.e., every Sunday afternoon), it’s become a growing tradition for zombie casualties of the night before to shakily assemble to imbibe from the glass of restorative goodness. Better than anything found on prescription, it takes one sip to feel human, three more to gain superpowers. And there’s choice, too: there’s the Caesar,
made using clamato juice, and another BM that utilizes bacon-infused vodka. Rightly though, it’s the Bloody Maria that’s become the house signature – reliant on ingredients such as tequila, red wine vinegar, habanero tincture and Salsa Valentina, it’s a lifeaffirming gargle that sweeps through the body like a surging electric current. Pacyfik ul. Hoża 61, fb.com/barpacyfik
warsawinsider.pl
67
DRINK! Listings bars & pubs The Alchemist The great British tradition of ‘a pint after work’ is gathering steam in PL, thanks in part to places like this. Lively and cosmopolitan, The Alchemist’s broad ranging appeal – not to mention ‘self-service beer wall’ – makes it a winning gathering point for 5 p.m. drinks. (D3) Pl. Piłsudskiego 3, thealchemist.pl
Bar Gemba Despite occupying the bottom corner of an office development Gemba isn’t short of character: that is, at least, if you measure character by the number of thrift store armchairs and vintage extras. Furbished with lampshades, luggage and varying odds and ends, it’s the kind of dark, debauched bar that trended amongst artsy Poles in the early 00s. (D5) ul. Wilcza 50/52
Bar Pacyfik Candy floss pink and ocean blue? Remarkably, these colors work thanks to lighting that’s kept dimmed and dark: inspired by 80s Mexico City, Pacyfik looks and feels raw and gritty, hip and happening. Catering to more than just the overspill from Hala Koszyki, this hangout has assumed immediate cult status and the kind of late night buzz that shouts downtown Warsaw. Their super spicy Bloody Maria can either make or break a hangover. (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
68
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
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 Newly expanded, Beirut has walls dusted with cult album covers, documentary posters and witty graffiti inspired by Banksy. Busy in the day, and absolutely packed at night, order unconventional beers from androgynous, well-inked staff standing behind a sandbag bar decorated with silver hand grenades and a model tank. During the day there’s a lot of competitive posturing as media types pose by their Macs. But come night, this veneer of cool dissolves into one happy blur. (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 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 has been one of the biggest hits of 2017. (D6) ul. Koszykowa 63 (Hala Koszyki)
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 owners appear to 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
Czeska Baszta There’s a growing number of Czech pubs in Warsaw, but none do it better than the original. Tucked inside one of the weird turrets that support Poniatowski Bridge, discover divey Czeska immersed in a foggy, yellow-ish glow. Boisterous but extremely friendly, there’s a reason for all the man hugs and back slaps: everyone’s drunk! The cupboard-sized smoking room is where most of the fun happens, and while there’s a good choice of Czech craft beers in the fridge, the real reason to visit are the frothy pints of lager sourced from the owner’s favorite small town breweries. (E4) Tower 22A, Most Poniatowskiego, czeskabaszta.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 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
DRINK! Listings 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
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
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 woodclad Kraken features a wall of cymbals, heavy furniture and some interesting photography. While there’s some decent bottles of rum, there’s perhaps not enough to justify calling it a rum bar. The place rocks though. (D5) ul. Poznańska 12, fb.com/KrakenRumBar
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
Lolek A boisterous pub with a Bavarian, bacchanalian spirit and a legendary reputation. Though this park-centered bar is best-known for its long summer nights, once the cool weather sets in find strangers squishing together indoors on shaky benches in a rough-and-ready interior. With sausages grilling over an open fire, and the constant din of sloshed merriment in the background, you understand why many have a soft spot for this atmospheric institution. (A8) ul. Rokitnicka
Nowy Świat ‘Pavilions’ Approximately twenty bars occupy a series of low-budget prefabricated cabins, presenting possibly the highest density of bars in the capital: in summer, it feels like one big street party. 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. Klaps, with its dildo beer taps and phallic walls, is probably the most well-known of the lot. (D4) Enter from ul. Nowy Świat 26
70
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
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
Państwo Miasto Is there anything better than sitting in a café, book in hand, while watery winter sunshine pours through the windows? We go to Państwo to do just that, an echoey, cavernous café-bar with a young, lively crowd that’s keen on scholastic events and political causes. Never does it feel too trendy, or too hipster – it’s a place that’s all about atmosphere and friendship. (B1)
Smak Brasserie Open Friday through to Sunday, the upstairs gallery inside Hala Gwardii has views of the market hall action below and a design that’s based around moody lighting, open spaces and rescued furnishings. A fine place in which to soak in the atmosphere of this echoey, pre-war hall. (C3) Zelaznej Bramy 1 (Hala
ul. Andersa 29, panstwomiasto.pl
Gwardii)
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)
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,
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
20 (Pole Mokotowskie), lolekpub.pl
Między Nami
it had started to feel a little like yesterday’s man, ul. Mazowiecka has had a resurgence and its sense of self restored. Playing a part in this comeback is Rozrywki, a svelte bar with a clientele that values the importance of looking its best. Beyond the immediate appeal of the beauties and wannabes, the cocktails are the chief enticement and given star treatment by a competent staff who’ve been handed a quality set of tools with which to work with. ul. Mazowiecka 6/8
Rozrywki After a couple of years during which
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
DRINK! Listings and watch the world spin around. (E7) ul. Marszałkowska 17
Ul Cool and current, the globalized menu has distinct Asian accents and is enjoyed in a rough-chic interior of painted brickwork and dangling lights. Come night it feels dark and divey, the kind of place you head to party. And party you will – closing at two during the week and four (and beyond) at the weekend, the vibe is hard and energetic and befitting of Poznańska. (D5) ul. Poznańska 16
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, warszawapowisle.pl
Worek Kości A celebration of both the burlesque and bizarre, Worek Kości is the bar Edgar Allan Poe would create were he raised from the dead. A lively evening hangout with ad-libbed cocktails and an
unconventional program of events, you’re as likely to visit during an open-mic night as you are a discussion on Silesian serial killers. This fascination with the morbid and macabre manifests itself by way of a quirky design featuring hundreds of skulls and book shelves lined with the complete works of Stephen King. (E7) ul. Bagatela 10
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
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 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
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
cafés Bistro Spatif Beautiful people need beautiful places. Therefore, it’s a surprise that Mokotowska is so wanting when it comes to daytime venues to break from boutique bingeing. Bistro Spatif redresses the balance presenting a narrow room that announces itself in a blast of tropical turquoise, bare brickwork and pristine parquet. Immediately engaging, this compact cafe is everything you need during daylight hours – and once they’ve closed for the evening, head across the courtyard to the larger, livelier Klub Spatif. (E5) ul. Mokotowska 58, fb.com/bistrospatif
Blikle There’s a cultured, pre-war look to Blikle, a proud cafe with a 100-year history. Famous former clients include Charles de Gaulle who swore by their donuts. (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 35 (check website for other locations), blikle.pl
Bułkę przez Bibułkę There’s a feminine style to this cafe, what with its cute, girly pastels, petite plant pots and woodsy finishes. But no matter what your gender or age, there’s something immediately sunny and positive about this place. Slow food sandwiches arrive on wooden boards, there’s pretty homemade desserts and a careful choice of wine: falling in love with it is easy. ul. Puławska 24 & ul. Zgoda 3, bulkeprzezbibulke.pl
Coffee Desk With Poznanska having reached critical mass, Wilcza now finds itself acting as a collection vessel catching the overspill. Actually, that’s a disservice. An attraction on it’s own merits, it’s a street that’s gathering steam in terms of ‘see and be seen’. Aiding that overall vibe is Coffee Desk, a light and bright stop with a buzzy atmosphere, dynamic design and comprehensive choice. (D5) ul. Wilcza 42, fb.com/coffeedeskwilcza
Coffee Karma Order a smoothie, switch off the phone, open a book – it’s that sort of place. Concerts and art shows figure in their repertoire, as does rather good coffee. (D6) pl. Zbawiciela 3/5, coffeekarma.eu
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
FatWhite_CoffeeBar Super small but perfectly packaged, features number coffee sourced from the acclaimed Kofi Brand and a pristine interior decorated with intriguing art that celebrates Muranów’s past. A personal chef by trade (that’s his Scooby Doo van parked outside), the sandwiches made by Filip are a thousand times superior to the standard coffee shop options. Though warsawinsider.pl
71
DRINK! Listings diminutive in its size, there’s something special going on here, something that’s good for you and positive for Andersa. (C1) ul. Andersa 6
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 Looking for a place in which to shut the world out and stick your nose in a book? Head to this warm den to sink inside comfy retro chairs and soak up the natural light that pours through the window. It’s a place to eavesdrop, catch-up on gmail and daydream the morning away. The flat white is spot-on as well. (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, klubokawiarnia.net
Kos Kos is a place intent on stitching the neighborhood together. That much is made clear by a diverse events calendar that features a panoply of activities: yoga courses to weekend brunches via the occasional kid’s improvisation class. As commendable as these social actions are, it’s the basics that Kos do so well. Drenched in natural sunlight, perch on the windowsill and enjoy swift wifi, awardwinning coffee and a menu of homemade snacks and bits. (D4) ul. Chmielna 9A Krem A chic city center hangout with all the swanky, urban elegance of the 8th arrondisement. Opened by the same team behind
72
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
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 Mała Ziemiańska Sat as it is on a street that’s become the Center of Now, Mała Ziemiańska is a pleasing throwback to slower times. Designed to evoke the artistic spirit of the mid-19th century, this warming café is steeped in shadow and curiosities. A celebration of pre-war Warsaw, the literary pretensions of this bolthole find the walls clad with archaic books and sepia photos of the city that once was. (D7) ul. Oleandrów 2/4, malaziemianska.pl
Matcha Tea House Renting the space once occupied by the legendary Bastylia, Matcha certainly have a big pair of boots to fill – but fill them they might. Beyond a comprehensive choice of matcha, find also an array desserts that use this green Japanese tea as their cornerstone ingredient. (D6) ul. Mokotowska 17
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
Monsieur Leon Found resting on the corner of a quiet residential street, Monsieur Leon is surely one of Mokotów’s best kept secrets. Here, simplicity is the name of the game, with a brief blackboard menu that involves cheese boards, salads and a hefty croque monsieur. (E8) ul. Sulkiewicza 5 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
Resort Originally known for their OTT recycling motif (shopping trolleys re-purposed as seats, street signs as tables...), Resort have pared the design down replacing the old junk with a cool, caramel-colored look high on wood, plants and discreet retro accents. Craft beer, eco-friendly bites, clever cocktails and quality coffee contribute to their popularity, as does a busy events program that’s big on comedy and open mic nights. (C2) ul. Bielańska 1 Same Fusy Suffused in a candle-lit glow, this 15th century cellar unwinds to reveal a charming brick room suspended in time. Filled with gnarled wooden oddities and tree stump tables, the sweet aroma of fragrant teas helps amplify the fairy tale mood. ul. Nowomiejska 10
Stor Small but perfectly formed, Stor has all the clack and clatter of a busy local café. Regional beers, Chemex and Aeropress coffee and gluten-free snacks and sandwiches provide plenty of reason to pop in and idle about. (E3) ul. Tamka 33 Warszawski Lukier Żurawia Nothing reflects millennial food tastes better than the maximalist dessert stops that are sprouting around town. Leading
DRINK! Listings the line are Lukier, a cult venue whose original address (round the corner) made a splash on account of their towering freak shakes. This spot, on the other hand, has gained publicity for its black ice cream that utilizes the global trend for activated charcoal. (D5) ul. Żurawia 18 Wrzenie Świata Those with journalistic leanings love Wrzenie Świata. It’s definitely more Macbook than Moleskine, but this bookstore/café attracts plenty of readers (and writers) to its book-lined interior. Buzzing like a cafe should, it packs out for slideshows and seminars. (E4) ul. Gałczyńskiego 7
clubs Luztro Feeling naughty? Luztro enjoys a reputation for libertine behavior and illicit pharmaceuticals. Dark, grim and grotty, this after party stalwart gets going at about 4 a.m. on weekends when troglodyte club creatures emerge zombie-like to dance way past sunrise. Jaw grinding, rib rattling electro has never felt better. (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
(D3) ul. Mazowiecka 12, ritualwarsaw.com
Room 13 Connected by a series of inter-linking archways, rooms inside this dressy club throb at the weekends with a super sexy crowd letting loose under the vaulted ceilings. Now in their fifth year, it’s become a stalwart of the Mazowiecka scene. (D3) ul. Mazowiecka 13, room13.pl Sen Pszczoły Famous, infamous or a bit of both? Moving from their temporary digs in the Koneser Factory, the new-look Sen Pszczoły is every bit as murky as the previous: amid a heavy industrial background, find partygoers enjoying a mixed bag of events that range from didgeridoo performances to full-on techno that makes fillings pop out. ul. Grochowska 301/305, senpszczoly.pl
Dunaj 20, barandbooks.pl
Smolna 38 One of the most secretive clubs there is: operating a strict no-pictures policy, being caught taking a selfie is a crime punished by expulsion – and how good is that! Attracting a hardcore crowd, its a place of real sounds: forget the joke DJs most clubs settle for, Smolna’s agenda has thus far included the likes of Simian Mobile Disco and Ellen Allien. (E4) ul.
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.). V O L i n Y a P Further, you’ll find it’s the right products www.barandbooks.pl in the right hands – the staff really know their game. (D8) ul. Wiśniowa 46,
Smolna 38
Bardziej It’s thanks to places like Bardziej that Oleandrów is becoming one of the most talked about streets around. This splitlevel bar does a good job of capturing the essence of the area, with inventive ‘author’s cocktails’ matched against a warm, dimly lit interior that’s heaving with cogs, metal hooks and enigmatic dials. The later it gets, the better it is.
IGARS &
HISKY
HAMPAGNE
OCKTAILS &
USINE
ASTINGS
RIVATE
OCATION
ODWALE
VENTS
HOOTS
AR AND
OOKS
Wąski Dunaj 20, 00-256 Warsaw Tel.: +48 225.599.199
n
isit
ur
ew
Ork
OcatiOns nd
rague
barwieczorny.pl
BaB_inzerce_Warsaw.indd 1
(F4) Al. 3 Maja 16/18A, Most Poniatowskiego
18, theview.pl
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
THE MOST REFRESHINGLY CIVILIZED PLACES TO MEETTM
INE &
The View Sat on top of the Spektrum Tower this bar/club has reinvented the whole concept of going out in Warsaw. A truly world-class venture, the open-air deck on the 32nd floor offers striking views of the cityscape, first rate cocktails and an international rotation of DJs. No other club nails the champagne lifestyle with quite the same panache. (C4) ul. Twarda
74
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
Podwale Bar & Books Though it doesn’t have to be winter to enjoy Podwale Bar & Books, it definitely helps. Seen through C W frosted, ≈foggy windows it’s a venue that W C reveals itself as a place of dark, delicious ≈ C C rarefied air. Occupying the colors and ≈ T charismatic gatehouse you’d kind of ≈ E in Dickens, position yourself readP about ≈ L in front ofS the upstairs fireplace for aPcelebratory B B 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) ul. Wąski
No Comment Found in one of the towers that prop up Most Poniatowskiego, a ‘sense of unknown’ manifests itself inside this weekend’s only club, a bi-level area whose small size adds to the air of mystery and exclusivity. Away from the prying eyes of Joe Public, find glittery, local celebs getting down and naughty. 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.
cocktails 6 Cocktails If 6 Cocktails has the feeling of hanging around someone’s flat that’s because, actually, you are. This posh Mokotowska
12.08.15 20:49
(E5) ul. Marszałkowska 21/25 (enter from Oleandrów)
Biała Expect highly individualized cocktails, a thoughtful menu and a glam, vamped up crowd every bit as beautiful as the place itself: set in a gloriously white inter-war villa, this is a place that oozes with sex appeal. There aren’t many finer outdoor gardens. ul. Francuska 2, fb.com/ bialazjedziwypij
DRINK! Listings Cosmo Bar For full review, see p. 65.
Yaffle’s lab. Certainly not as ‘mature’ as the new breed of cocktail bars, but definitely more fun. (D4) ul. Szpitalna 8A,
Kita Koguta The staff aren’t afraid to get imaginative, and that includes serving cocktails in smoking coconut husks. Not all the experiments go as planned: on our last visit, a basic Bloody Mary was turned into an alcoholic carrot flavored fizz. (E5) ul.
piesczysuka.com
Krucza 6/14
Kiti Bar A raucous bar drawn up by the owners of the nearby Kita Koguta. Dominated by a tall Polynesian totem, this ray of sunshine gets noted for extravagant cocktails served by game staff in zany shirts. (D5) ul. Krucza 6/14
Lazy Dog While Lazy Dog isn’t exactly new, it does feel like it’s turned over a new leaf – what was a good cocktail bar, it seems, has grown to become a very good one. Seeking inspiration from some of the world’s wackiest artworks, the cocktails aren’t just beautiful to look at, but damn good to drink... If there’s a highlight, that’s the ‘Fight Between A Tiger & A Buffalo’, a spicy, tropical creation complete enveloped in a thick billowing mist. (D5) ul.
Wierzbowa 11
Weles A swing of the door takes visitors plunging down a blacked-out stairwell and into a basement that emerges from the darkness like a decadent Tsarist relic: glinting chandeliers glimmer over deep leather sofas, their subtle light casting a glow over an immaculate clientele. Befitting the venue, the artisanal cocktails are a work of elaborate craftsmanship, and incorporate everything from elite liquors to strips of bacon and flower petals. (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 11, welesbar.pl
Panorama Sky Bar The Marriott’s 40th floor Panorama has had a couple of incarnations: first, as a glitzy Dynasty throwback, and then, more recently, as something that could have passed for a business class airport lounge. Now it’s been reinvented once again, only this time successfully: find slick, vibrant interiors redolent of London matched up with modern cocktails and twinkling views. (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79,
Woda Ognista Woda Ognista evokes the jazzy air of a Chicago, Prohibition era speakeasy with a seriously stylish interior that includes a colossal collection of vintage cocktail shakers that glint behind glass. The drinks themselves, rattled up by dapper gents in braces and flat caps, are split between house creations and reprised classics from a bygone era. Some are more successful than others, and it’s a credit to the staff that they’re willing to take comments on board and adapt their precious recipes to suit fussy tastes. (E5)
panoramabar.pl
ul. Wilcza 8, wodaognista.com
Pies Czy Suka Monochrome gun metal grey colors are offset by a young crowd attired in red shoes, pink trousers and blue headphones. This clean, concrete space is speckled with plaster moldings of reindeer heads, and excels on the cocktail front. Order from an iPad menu, before settling back for cocktails made using mad scientist, molecular techniques that involve foam, vapor, beakers and other things you’d usually find in Professor
Zamieszanie Cuda Na Kiju have built on their continuing success by adding this spot in the glass block next to their tap pub. Here though it’s cocktails that are the draw. Pre-bottled in a secret room downstairs, meaning none of the ad-libbed artistry of other cocktail bars, and tastes that are closer in line to 90s alcopop drinks than anything else. That doesn’t stop a young crowd from swamping the place come the weekend. (E4) ul. Nowy Świat 6/12
Krucza 16/22, lazy-dog.pl
The Roots Cluttered with shiny props and pieces rescued from the early days of cocktail making, The Roots could pass for a Victorian era curiosity shop. Looking past the eccentricities that comprise the interior, it’s become famous on account of irresistible drinks mixed and muddled by dapper experts that aren’t so much barmen as they are craftsmen. (C2) ul.
warsawinsider.pl
75
DRINK! Listings desserts Crepe Café Is there such a thing as the perfect pancake? If not, then Crepe Café certainly comes close. Enjoy them in a contemporary interior that’s tiny in size: grab a seat up on the mezzanine level. (E3) ul. Dobra 19
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. Top tip: the Mango is heaven. (D6) ul. Oleandrów 8 Odette Almost holistic in its ambience, the obstacle-free interior utilizes aspects of space and light, causing attention to naturally fall on the long, sleek counter that occupies one end. It’s here that sweet creations glimmer behind glass like precious little gems. (D4) ul. Górskiego 6/07, odette.pl
Sucre While Sucre are best known for their ice cream, outside of summer people flock here on account of their dazzling macaroons. Various locations, see: sucre.pl Warszawski Lukier Looking pretty in pink, there’s a fun and feminine vibe that goes beyond just a quirky design that features rose colored swings. The desserts are hardcore food porn, and include Lukier’s signature freak shakes: towering treats cascading with calories and color. (E5) ul. Hoża 5/7 Warszawski Lukier Żurawia Nothing reflects millennial food tastes better than the maximalist dessert stops that are sprouting around town. Leading the line are Lukier, a cult venue whose original address (round the corner) made a splash on account of their towering freak shakes. This spot, on the other hand, has gained publicity for its black ice cream that utilizes the global trend for activated charcoal. (D5) ul. Żurawia 18
10%
for gentlemen Playhouse Not here gorilla gangsters on the door or pushy girls doing the rounds (“buy me drinky drinky”). Instead, Playhouse models itself on the top class mega clubs such as Spearmint Rhino, and the result is a subterranean space removed from the sleaze and murk usually associated with the industry. But you want to know ADVERT GET 10% DISCOUNT what the*SHOW girlsTHIS are like,AND yeah? Let the ON FOOD, NONALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OR MERCHANDISE. fact askmen.com voted it their favorite VALID TILL DEC 30 2018 FOR PURCHASES OVER 150 PLN. strip in the world speak for itself. (B3) Al. TH
Solidarności 82A, playhouse.pl
76
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
craft beer Artezan Pub Browar Artezan’s flagship pub is a compulsory visit for all beer aficionados. The beer is the magnetic force with eight taps blasting out pacesetter tipples from this brewery’s portfolio. The Pacific is the Insider’s all-time favorite. (D4) ul. Moniuszki 1A
Chmielarnia A subterranean multi-tap found in the depths of the fishing institute. Artisan beers rule the roost here (there’s 15 taps and stacks more beer in the fridge), a point underlined by a glass coffin of mainstream macro lager. While the bar gets loud and rackety, sweaty and sticky, that’s balanced out by a rotating beer offer that’s moderately priced plus a friendly, earnest audience that’s all beer geeks and know-it-alls. (B5) ul. Twarda 42 (basement level), chmielarnia.waw.pl
Craft Beer Muranów Though still an area thick with beretwearing, dachshund-walking oldies, Muranów is fast catching up with the rest of Warsaw. Taking care of the craft beer angle is this newbie, a bi-level bar with warm tones and 16 taps of beery goodness. ul. Andersa 23, fb.com/craftbeermuranow
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 refreshing 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
DRINK! Listings favorites from stalwarts like the Artezan and Pinta breweries. The laidback, neighborhood atmosphere is making it increasingly popular with a tight-knit circle of ex-pat drinkers. (C3) ul. Grzybowska
are balanced with the pre-war heritage of the place, and are thick with noise, clamor and the spell of spillage. Unisex toilets, meaning there’s usually one idiotka putting a spanner in the queue code. (D5)
2 (through the side passage), czesc.waw.pl
ul. Nowogrodzka 25, kufleikapsle.pl
Drugie Dno To plug into the pounding heart of Warsaw’s craft beer scene, look no further than Nowogrodzka. Joining the ranks of the street’s multi-tap bars is Drugie Dno, a three-level space that’s been themed to evoke the look of a disused power station. Sporting rugged brickwork and a scuffed style, the industrialized look has been amped up to the max through the use of steel girders, vintage voltage meters and toilets disguised as elevator shafts. (D5) ul.
Kufle i Kapsle Żoliborz While Nowogrodzka is the beating heart of the tap bar trend, not even the suburbs are safe from this flourishing movement. By expanding out to Żoliborz, Kufle i Kapsle have cornered a captive market. There’s just seven taps here, but they’re a magnificent seven – find a great representation of Polish craft draught, not to mention a satisfying selection of international bottles. The moderate size works it in its favor, lending it a neighborly atmosphere which sees first-timers quickly converted into returning regulars. ul Popiełuszki 19/21, kufleikapsle.pl
Nowogrodzka 4
Goraczka Zlota Get down with the locals at Gorączka Złota, a steamy pub with a rowdy atmosphere. Touting the dimensions of a cabin boy’s quarters, this pungent, pokey den is one of the oldest bars in town. Despite carrying many epic beers from Poland’s rebel brewers, there’s nothing faddish about GZ and it’s this sense of normalcy that lends it its enduring appeal. (D5) ul. Wilcza 29, goraczka-zlota.com.pl
Hoppiness You’re in good hands here – opened under the patronage of the Pracownia brewery, this small-scale operation goes beyond merely offering the beers of its sponsor. There’s 12 taps in all, a decent fridge to geek over, an ace burger and beer-based ice cream – hooray! (D4) ul. Chmielna 27/31, hoppiness.ontap.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
Kufle i Kapsle All levels of drinkers are catered for in this raw-looking space, from those ready to pay nosebleed prices for beers with spaceships on the label, right the way down to novices taking their first baby steps in the world of craft booze. Interiors
Małe Piwo Oleandrów’s reawakening began on this very spot! Opened six years back, MP preempted the craft beer trend to become one of Warsaw’s first places for something better than a pint of Piss-kie. Looking wholly unfinished and fashionably distressed, it’s got that New York dive vibe down to a tee – you imagine The Strokes rolling in right after band practice. (D7) ul. Oleandrów 4
Maryensztadt Craft Beer It’s a mixed crowd of locals and tourists that gather in Maryensztadt, a large bar whose 12 taps showcase the highs (and occasional lows) produced by the brewery that gives this pub its name. Set across a series of cavernous chambers inside an attractive Old Town property, its not just beer buffs that it appeals to: sourcing their ingredients from small-scale farmsteads, the kitchen wing of Maryensztadt does a convincing job of representing the tastier side of regional Poland. (D1) ul. Szeroki Dunaj 11
Piw Paw We don’t like: the sweaty toilet, strange smells nor the scrum at the bar. We do like: the 24hr opening hours, humongous fridge and 50+ taps. Seen in the light it’s a little depressing, so visit at night when Parkingowa takes on the look of an endof-term street party. (D5) ul. Żurawia 32/34 (enter from ul. Parkingowa), piwpaw.pl
Same Krafty Occupying two narrow, rugged rooms, Same Krafty have rescued Old Town from big beer brands peddling piss. Offering artisan alternatives, this intimate bar has become a magnet for those looking to explore the more subversive side of Polish brewing. (D1) ul. Nowomiejska 10, samekrafty.pl
Same Krafty Vis-à-vis You wouldn’t have thought it a year back, but reasons keep emerging to drink in the Old Town. When it comes to pubs, Same Krafty top the list, but try getting served at peak drinking time. So here’s some brilliant news: they’ve now opened another bar opposite. Pass under a dragon’s head before stepping into a supremely friendly room with ten taps, a strong bottle line-up and an atmospheric side chamber. (D1) ul. Nowomiejska 11/13, samekrafty.pl
Spiskowcy Rozkoszy The ground floor is an intimate space with lots of yet-to-be-famous beers and junky, antique furniture that reminds of the Boho hangouts in Kraków. But what was a packed, little bar is now a packed, big bar with the opening of the basement: find a labyrinth of rooms and psychedelic toilets with pulsating lights – you soon wonder who spiked your drink. And oh, the drinks. Expect IPA and APA beers served from the six taps. (D5) ul. Żurawia 47/49, spiskowcy.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
live music 12on14 Jazz Club Warsaw has a rich tradition of jazz, so you have to sometimes wonder, just where the hell are all the jazz bars? In 12on14’s case, down a courtyard and warsawinsider.pl
77
DRINK! Listings through a side entrance. Dark, smart and sophisticated, here’s a place that’s fitted out with framed portraits of sax tooting masters as a well-stocked bar area decorated with quotes from jazz legends. Open from Tuesday till Saturday, evenings see local and international musicians take to the stage. (D6) ul. Noakowskiego 16, 12on14club.com
Hydrozagadka Set out in the wildlands of Praga and known for its alternative music scene, the low-ceiling and tight, crowded nature of it generate an electrifying atmosphere where the audience and band become one. Walking a fine line between industrial and straight out decrepit, the atmosphere is second to none: drinks flow, strangers meet and music smashes out: you can feel something special happening here. ul. 11 Listopada 22, hydrozagadka.waw.pl
wine bars Ale Wino! At first you think you’re walking into a car park. And then, it hits you – a beautiful inner-city sanctum with wooden decking, a slanted sail shielding the sun, and bespoke, funky chairs from the esteemed Studio Rygalik. You want to dwell here for a bit longer than planned: and there’s no harm in doing so. One of the Insider’s favorite wine bars, Ale Wino’s food is also top-notch (E5) ul. Mokotowska 48, alewino.pl Bubbles Despite sounding like a 90s small town nightclub, Bubbles is in fact a worthy place of note: a small, warm venue with a slow food menu and a design that incorporates lots of upturned crates and dusty bottles. Champagne is the main draw here, with many labels that are exclusive to Poland. Some come with terrifying prices, but on the whole the price points are widely accessible: wine from zł. 10 and a flute of champers from zł. 29. (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
78
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
comprises over 400 wines from the most prestigious producers in the world, right the way down to tiny, little vineyards you’ve probably never heard of. If the sun is out, aim for a place on their back terrace. (E3) ul. Zajęcza 15, dekant.com.pl Dyletanci Often filled to capacity with crisp, modern citizens that radiate confidence, join them on green banquettes illuminated with Tom Dixon lamps. The wine list is fitting of the A-list, and aside from exceptional international choices, also includes interesting wines from the proprietor’s own label – a frankly superb Polish brand called Dom Bliskowice. (F5) ul. Rozbrat 44, dyletanci.pl Hoża You’ll probably know Hoża as the home of steak. But what is meat without wine? complementing the Argentine-inspired cooking is a wine list particularly dense with reds. (D5) ul. Hoża 25a, hoza.warszawa.pl Kieliszki Na Hożej Already celebrated for their operation on Próżna, this latest branch continues in much the same vein: classy interiors, a prime location on one of Warsaw’s few surviving pre-war streets and a casual bistro vibe matched up against a glorious Italian influenced wine list. The concise food menu connects local Polish to classic French and adds an interesting modern twist. ul. Hoża 41, kieliszkinahozej.pl Mielżyński Wine Bar Robert Mielżyński, a Canadian-born oenologist, awakened Warsaw’s love affair with the grape when he launched Mielżyński in 2004, and it continues to serve as the accepted benchmark to which all wine bars aspire. Their cause is amply boosted by a fine selection of bites to accompany the superlative wine offer. Find it in a pared down warehouse that emanates casual city cool. (A1) ul. Burakowska 5/7, mielzynski.pl
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
Pani Wina Tucked down an upcoming stretch of Wilcza, the interiors play-up to the pre-war heritage of the building with the elegantly demure decorations anchored around mustard-colored banquettes, olive green walls and immaculate parquet flooring: smart, soothing and even pretty sexy. In rhythm with the times, it’s the first wine bar in Warsaw where bushy beards, tatts and hip, casual fashion are the dominant sight. (E5) ul. Wilcza 11, fb.com/PaniWina
Rusiko Wine Bar Designed to act as a casual extension of the neighboring Rusiko restaurant, this wine bar showcases Warsaw’s biggest selection of Georgian wine inside an interior that feels intimate, jazzy and highly atmospheric. Elaborate rugs, deep rouge in color, hang from tall sapphire walls, while impossibly high ceilings do much to generate a swirl of soft, muffled sound. A place of good mood and organic hospitality, it’s no surprise to learn that the bitey menu is an ample reflection of Rusiko’s award-winning reputation. (E5) Al. Ujazdowskie 22, fb.com/winebarrusiko
Winsky Perched on the left bank of the Wisla, find Winsky on the ground floor of one of the new super-lux blocks that sprung up over summer. Looking deep and plush with its wood / velvet finishes, perks include 30 or so wines available on tap and by the glass, an array of tapas-style plates with a Polish twist and grandstand views of the glimmering national stadium opposite. Already, you sense this is a place born for big things. (F4) ul. Wioślarska 10 Żurawina Lacking in intimacy, this large white room gets criticized for its jarring artwork and staffing blips – in the world of wine it’s important the customer can connect to the staff: here, we felt like we were joining the SS. But both food and wine score highly, and they’ve earned a staunchly loyal following that includes high flying types and Paris Hilton wannabes that carry yappy dogs in their bag. (D5) ul. Żurawia 32/34, zurawina.eu
DO!
PHOTOGRAPH KASIA CHMURA
GET BENT!
Set in 1930s Berlin, Natalie Rigler’s stage production recalls a libertine time of decadence and drunkenness. But with the Nazis rising to power, the play’s protagonist, Max, finds his life of licentious behavior turned upside down by the events of one evening. Focusing on the persecution of homosexuals in Nazi Germany, Bent is the hard-hitting story of one man afraid to love. Bent 27 Jan @ Teatr Dramatyczny, ul. Olesińska 21 English subtitles visible from rows 6-7. For info, see: teatrdramatyczny.pl
warsawinsider.pl
79
Do! Review
F
ART FROM THE OTHER SIDE
Now showing at the Museum of Modern Art, a startling exhibition that reveals the post-war connection between the artists of South America and their Iron Curtain counterparts...
80
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
requently marginalized in terms of its wider importance, the Kinetic and Op Art movement first emerged in the 1950s as a reaction to the art norms being dictated by the Northern Atlantic artistic hubs of Paris, New York and London. But while Informalism, Abstract Expressionism and Lyrical Abstraction dominated the trending galleries in those cities, art of a completely different kind was being embraced by the artists of Warsaw, Budapest, Zagreb, Bucharest and Moscow, and they found their enthusiasm for Kinetic and Op Art being mirrored and replicated by their counterparts in Buenos Aires, Caracas, Rio and Sao Paulo. This seemingly unlikely alliance of talent was born from, “a fascination with movement – its aesthetic effects and the dynamic opportunities it generated, creating novel possibilities for audience engagement.” As such, the art developed by these artists was heavily influenced by progress and science, engineering, construction and perception – the results were not stationary, static works of art, but rather ‘mobile objects’, quite often created in tandem with teams of engineers and science boffins, that encouraged audience interaction and participation. Highly experimental by its nature, this was art that was inexorably associated with the post-war fixation of constructing a brighter future through the utilization of new technology: reverting to a gross simplification, this was the art of the Utopian dream. Largely overlooked by latter-day critics, it’s fallen to The Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw to thrust this unique style back into the spotlight. Gathering the works of over 30 international artists, this exhibition aims to set their art to “a narrative that reflects common threads among their interests and creative intuition.” Accompanied by strange, ethereal sounds, to spend the afternoon here is at once both challenging yet enthralling. Largely comprised of ‘optical images built on precise mathematical calculations,’ these are works that ‘despite their use of minimalist and relatively traditional means, generate complex visual effects such as the impression of depth or the sensation of vibration.’ Certainly, this is not the run-of-the-mill gallery experience.
PHOTOGRAPHS KEVIN DEMARIA
Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw ul. Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 22
warsawinsider.pl
81
DO! Calendar To The World Ongoing throughout Jan @ Jewish Historical Institute, ul. Tlomackie 3/5
An award-winning new exhibition that presents original archival material documenting day-to-day life in the Jewish Ghetto. GRUPA OCALAŁYCH
For info, see: jhi.pl
EDITOR’S PICK Night of Fortifications 20 Jan @ various locations
Twelve forts and underground installations will be opening their doors to the public and hosting guided tours and other events for the third edition of this annual festival. Among those signed up to participate are Obiekt Alfa, a nuclear bunker dating from the Cold War. For info, see: fb.com/NocFortyfikacji
TOURS
Łazienki With Adrenaline 4, 5 & 7 Jan @ Łazienki Park
Join this Polish language evening tour to learn where vampires once gathered and the meaning of Łazienki’s Egyptian temple. These and other secrets of the park will be laid bare in this tour with a twist.
For info, see: lazienkizadrenalina8. evenea.pl MARKET
Grand Sale 13 Jan @ Dom Towarowy Bracia Jabłkowscy, ul. Bracka 25
EXHIBITION
Blood: Uniting and Dividing till Jan 29 @ POLIN, ul. Anielewicza 6
What is blood? What is its role in culture, religion, social life and medicine? All these issues will be raised by the exhibition Blood. Uniting and Dividing EXHIBITION
Marjan Fuks Ongoing throughout Jan @ DSH, ul. Karowa 20
Time for Chopin
Running now for over a year, the Time for Chopin initiative presents daily concerts at 6 p.m. inside the Old Gallery of the Association of Polish Art Photographers (Pl. Zamkowy 8). The 50-minute recitals include the composer’s greatest mazurkas, polonaises, waltzes, preludes, etc. For info, see: timeforchopin.com
The founder of Poland’s first photographic agency, Marjan Fuks was regarded as ‘the king of Polish photojournalists’, ‘the Napoleon of photography’ and ‘the eye of Warsaw’. This free exhibition documents a unique, thrilling time era through the lens of the one of the country’s most celebrated photographers. EXHIBITION
What We’ve Been Unable To Shout Out
82
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
A real gift for browsers, the wide-reaching offer will run from books and art to clothing and design pieces. Find 120 Polish brands presenting their wares at rock bottom prices. CHARITY
WOŚP
14 Jan @ Various Locations
Poland’s biggest annual fundraiser celebrates its 26th year with the usual round of street collections and one-off events, culminating in a concert at the foot of the Palace of Culture and a giant firework display. For info, see: wosp.org.pl MARKET
Och! Bazar 14 Jan @ 5/7 Młocińska Street
Promoting upcoming Polish designers, this market will see umpteen brands and labels presenting the full gamut of lifestyle / design essentials at postChristmas bargain prices. For info, see: ochbazar.pl
DO! Calendar Z AC H Ę TA N AT I O N A L A R T GA L L E RY
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
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
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
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,
Museum of Warsaw Over 8,000 objects detail the story of Warsaw, and these include peculiar souvenirs, scale models, old postcards and recovered works of art. Cohesive and comprehensive yet never too overwhelming, the trail climaxes with vertiginous views of the Rynek below. Unmissable.
POLIN
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.
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,
art.pl
zamek-krolewski.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.
Warsaw Rising Museum Cope with the crowds to discover the definitive story of the 1944 Uprising. 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
Rynek Starego Miasta 28-42, muzeumwarszawy.pl
ul. Mińska 25 (Soho Factory), neonmuzeum.org
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
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
83
DO! Education listings preschools 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 202 (Konstancin-Jeziorna), tel. 22 702 85 00, aswarsaw.org 702
85 00.
each class starting from Year 1. ul. Hlonda 12, bsww.pl
Ignacego Krasickiego 53, tel. 697 979 100, canadian-school.pl
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 (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
Science, Physical Education, Art, Music & Rhythmics, French and Polish classes. ul.
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,
Happy New Year
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 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
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
Casa dei Bambini Warsaw Montessori School accepting
applications for all our locations and programs: Infant & Toddler: age 1-2.5, Casa: age 2.5-6 Contact Ela: tel. 692 099 134 office@warsawmontessori.edu.pl Elementary: age 6-9, 9-12 Contact Sylvia: tel. 606 276 112 sylvia@warsawmontessori.edu.pl "Erdkinder" Middle School: age 12-15 Contact Małgosia: tel. 604 137 826 malgosia@warsawmontessori.edu.pl
warsaw montessori school
84
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
Warszawa: Szwoleżerów 4, Badowska 19, Tatrzańska 5a, Izabelin-Hornówek: Szkolna 16 www.warsawmontessori.edu.pl
DO! Education listings Happy Montessori House The Happy Montessori House offers part-time and full-time places for children aged between 2 to 6 years, as well as toddler-focused activities (from 18 months to 3 years) centered around movement, sensorial stimulation, storytelling, singing and socializing. Warsaw Montessori Pre-school, ul. Rumiana 14, tel. 22 423 50 75, mob. 697 060 504, hmh.com.pl
Maple Tree Montessori Maple Tree Montessori is a family-run, international preschool that offers an authentic Montessori curriculum supported by a Music & Art program, with a natural playground and a strong focus on an ecological
& healthy lifestyle. They have two classes: a toddler group (15 to 30 months) and a casa class (2.5 to 6 years). ul. Piechoty Łanowej 46A (entrance from Rotmistrzowska/Petyhorska), tel. 531 599 444, mapletreemontessori.pl
Międzynarodowa Szkoła Podstawowa Argonaut This elementary school is open for children of all nationalities and backgrounds. It places a focus on learning English as well as additional languages, and has an attractive list of available extracurricular activities.ul. Radarowa 6, tel. 504 509 504, argonaut.edu.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
schools American School of Warsaw ASW is a premier collegepreparatory 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
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 Inspector-
Celebrating
25 years of
British Education in Warsaw
www.thebritishschool.pl
warsawinsider.pl
85
DO! Education listings ate. 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
86
well-established International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program. ul. Limanowskiego 15, tel. 22 842 3281, thebritishschool.pl
ul. Badowska 19 (Mokotów), tel. 22 851 6893; ul. Szkolna 16 (Izabelin), tel. 22 721 8736, mob. 692 099 134, warsawmontessori.edu.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, 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.
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 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,
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
Social and Health Education. ul. Rzodkiewki 18, tel. 784 037 808, tep.edu.pl
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
DO! Education listings perfect learning environment. ul. Bełska 7, tel. 692 411 573 / 885 420 044, secretary@canadianschool.pl or secretary.olimpijska@ canadian-school.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. 503 072 119, ul. Królowej Aldony 23/25, tel. 533 321 084, 3languages.pl/saint-exupery.pl
Monnet International School Located in Mokotów, the Monnet is the only school in Poland that implements the International Baccalaureate Program from kindergarten level all the way through to secondary school. The fullyqualified staff are committed
to delivering only the highest standards of education. ul. Stępińska 13, tel. 22 852 06 08, maturamiedzynarodowa.pl
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
warsawinsider.pl
87
DO! Health & Beauty listings spas & salons Clochee Natural, organic cosmetic brand that’s been dubbed a ‘pro-health project for your body and soul’. Using only certified ingredients, Clochee’s beauty products bring you closer to nature. Newlylaunched, their flagship store also houses a top-notch spa facilities. ul. Nowolipki 13, spa.
quantumpiekna.pl
Rostowski Barber Shop A true celebration of the vintage barber shop, Rostowski have the ambiance nailed to a tee thanks to a crew that’s ready for banter and an interior replete with jack-up chairs, glinting zinc and restored floor tiles. ul. Koszykowa 58, rostowskibarbershop.pl
clochee.com/spa
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; ul. Bonifraterska 8, ouch.pl
PARDON MY FRENCH
manicure pedicure
Pardon My French Manicure and pedicure treatments with high quality lacquers and an awareness of global trends: if you need an endorsement, Paul McCartney visited when he was in Poland! ul. Belwederska 32; Bonifraterska 8; ul. Mokotowska 56, ul. Wilcza 3 pardonmyfrench.pl
The Pedicure Place A luxury pedi/manicure clinic with room for 10. All the latest OPI varnishes and over 200 colors guarantee you’ll find the latest in styling and nail care. ul. Pokorna 2, pedicureplace.pl
Quantum Clinic Using first class, pioneering methods and technology, the Quantum Clinic surpasses the norms that Warsaw has become used to. ul. Piękna 15,
88
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
the velodrome in Pruszków. Bike hire possible, with spins priced at approximately at zł. 40 per hour. ul. Andrzeja 1 (Pruszków), bgzarena.com
Fly Spot Ever wanted to know what it’s like to fly? As in really fly?? Find out inside a vertical wind tunnel where fans whirring at a speed of up to 310 km/hr will send you shooting up in the air. Wspólna Droga 1 (Mory), flyspot.com
Frogs & Co. Warsaw’s only social rugby club welcomes all: supporters, players, young, old, men and women. The rugby is taken seriously, and so too is the social side. warsawfrogs. com
Sante The dry and wet steam room left the Insider impressed, but not as much as the ‘mood rooms’ – imagine a lunar landscape chamber with a salt-covered floor. The other, meanwhile, comes clad in minerals with recliners hewn from heated tiles. ul. Jagiellońska 55A, studiosante.pl
Studio Jej i Jego Hair and beauty treatments for men and women – inc. nail care, massage, facial and body treatments. ul. Wiertnicza 93A, jejijego.pl
You & You Maciej Wróblewski Poland’s premier hair stylist is Maciej Wróblewski, and his flagship salon fuses a personal approach with professional styling. Disappointments are unheard of. ul. Grzybowska 61 (Galeria Platinum Towers), youandyou.eu
sport BGZ Arena / Velodrome Bring a cycling helmet and you too can take a spin around
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
Hangar 646 Hangar 646 touts 50 interlinked trampolines, a ping pong zone, ball pools and even a snowboard slide where visitors hurtle down a ramp before splashing down on an inflatable mattress. ul. Wał Miedzeszyński 646, hangar646.pl
Hash House Harriers Billing themselves as ‘the drinking club with a running problem’, the Warsaw chapter of the Hash House Harriers meets every couple of weeks and welcomes runners and walkers of every level. Search for them on Facebook for further details and await further instruction from their overlord, ‘The Witch Doctor’.
Sinnet Club An exclusive members sport club featuring full-size indoor tennis courts, two external courts, three squash courts, a 25 meter swimming pool plus spa and gym facilities. ul. Gołkowska 2, sinnet.pl
Stacja Grawitacja Set over 3,200 sq/m of space, this indoor trampoline extravaganza sends visitors bouncing down ‘ninja obstacle courses’, sky slamming basketball hoops and jumping around engaged in dodgeball shenanigans. ul. Bohaterów Września 12, stacjagrawitacja.pl
Squash City Considered one of the top squash clubs in the country, Squash City covers an area of 1,000 sq/m, with six air-conditioned courts, shop, bar, etc. Al. Jerozolimskie 179 (Blue City), squashcity.pl
Warsaw Cricket Club The oldest cricket club in the country is mainly comprised of Brits, Poles and South Asians. New members and supporters are welcomed – for details check their website. ul. Romatyczna 3 (Panorama Country Club), warsawcricketclub.pl
Warsaw International Triathlon Club Serving the needs of the athletic community, the WITC is open to all interested in the disciplines of swimming, cycling and running. warsawtriclub.com
Hobby Kicker Join the expat football team that meets each week (and sometimes more) on the 3G pitches at Centrum Futbolu Warszawianka (ul. Merliniego 2). All nationalities and levels of skills welcome. Search for Hobby Kicker – Warsaw on Facebook for details.
W Pionie An 11 meter climbing wall founded by two mountaineers. Considered one of the most advanced facilities of its kind in the country, English-speaking instructors can be rustled up on request. ul. Nowowiejska 37B, wpionie.pl
DO! Shopping Listings accessories 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 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
Nowy Świat 37, frey-wille.com
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
Chiara (Saska Kępa) You’d never expect it but this chic little shop stocks the best shoes and bags in the city – stock up on the latest collections from Michael Kors, Celine, Stuart Weitzman, Ralph Lauren and Mulberry. Promenada
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,
Shopping Centre, ul. Ostrobramska 75C, chiara-online.pl
Horn&More On-trend concept store specializing in hard-to-find, deluxe brands: scents from Comme Des Garcons, jewlery from Le Petit Trou, cosmetics from DrLipp, candles from Fornasetti, etc. ul. Chopina 5B,
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,
hornandmore.com
Duo Optyk Glasses and shades from brands such as Brenda, RayBan, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Chloe and Hugo Boss. Online ordering available. ul.
Kate Roxs Beyond the slightly creepy / fetishistic window display (leather Roman body armor), this store has earned a reputation for high quality, natural leather bags. “Our inspiration,” says Kate, “comes from women, not trends.” ul. Radna
Krucza 57, eokulary.pl
10, kateroxs.eu
Frey Wille The place to go to if you’re looking for jewelry that will spice up your outfits with a brilliant splash of color. ul.
Lilou Modular jewelry made simple, and a must for all Warsaw fashionista. ul. Mokotowska 63, lilou.p
of my tango lessons!” ul. Poznańska 26, khaja.pl
Pracownia Czasu A true market leader with brands including Paul Picot, Graham London, Vulcain, Cuervo y Sobrinos, Ulysse Nardin and so many more.
Chmielna 6, maltonkielman.com
ul. Wiejska 14, pracowniaczasu.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.
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
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
mokotowska63.com
ditrevi.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.
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
Schubert Rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches produced using the finest Baltic amber. Or for a unique gift for him, how about an amber chess set or an amber cigarette lighter instead? 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
35, oldsilos.pl
Pingle Optyk A collection of hand-selected designer eyewear that is serious in terms of quality control, but entirely whimsical when it comes to design. ul.
Stetson Head to the second floor to find this purveyor of quality Americana. Hats and caps in abundance, not to mention rereleased classics to coincide with the firm’s 150th birthday. ul. Mysia 3, stetson.pl
Hoża 40
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
Time To... Design Shop Discoveries include quirky, spiky bags from MadPax, Haribo jewelry adorned with Gummy Bears and animal print mugs from Pikczersy. Above all though, the place is about timepieces, namely highly individualistic works from the S.T.A.M.P.S brand. ul. Poznańska 7, timeto.com.pl warsawinsider.pl
89
DO! Shopping Listings 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
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
Balthazar An atelier, boutique and private tailor with several unique brands. Book your meeting by calling tel. 535 545 728. ul. Mokotowska 64 (Plac Trzech Krzyży), balthazar.pl
di Trevi Boutique Aimed at both him and her, di Trevi present the freshest Italian footwear releases from prestige brands such as Ballin and Loriblu. Handbags are also available inside a chic interior that exudes luxury. ul. Piękna 11A, ditrevi.pl
Joanna Klimas One of Poland’s top fashion designers runs this boutique/ showroom. Choose from the latest collections or have a dress custom made for a particular occasion. ul.
lookoflaw.com, tel. 602 388 300
(Vitkac), likusconceptstore.pl
Moliera 2, moliera2.com
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
Mostrami.pl Known to insiders as the ‘Polish Net-a-porter’, the online Mostrami portal showcases a whole breed of Polish fashion talent: Blessus, Justyna Chrabelska, Łukasz Jemioł, and Zuo Corp, as well as the rock stars of the local scene
90
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
gests that this target has been accomplished. ul. Szpitalna 9, riskmadeinwars
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,
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
Pl. Trzech Krzyży 3/4 Brands include: Beach Bunny, Buscemi, Canada Goose, Casadei, Christian Louboutin, Dsquared 2, Christian Louboutin, Fay, Gianvito Rossi, Hogan, Kenzo, Kotur, Moncler, Mr& Mrs Italy, One Teaspoon, Ralph Lauren, Simonetta Ravizza, Tom Ford, Tory Burch, Valentino, Victoria Beckham, Yves Salomon. Childrenswear: Burberry Children, Dsquared2 Kids, Kenzo Kids, Moncler Kids, Ralph Lauren Kids, Tod’s Kids. Pl. Trzech Krzyży 3/4, plactrzechkrzyzy.com
Likus Concept Store The Likus Concept Store brings ultra-chic designer clothing to Warsaw. The latest 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
lok 45A (C.H. Blue City, level 1), lollypop.pl
mostrami.pl
pantuniestal.com
Małgorzata Marszałek Out with the old and in with the new. If you’re looking to change your image then look no further than Małgorzata Marszałek, a style expert that will revamp your look in a way that’s guaranteed to boost self-confidence. “You’ll save time,” promises Małgorzata, “because I know how and where to shop – I make life easier.” malgorzata.marszalek@
Moliera 2 Boutique Brands include: Alexandre Birman, Alexandre Vauthier, Anya Hindmarch, Aquazzura, Balmain, Beach Bunny, Buscemi, Casadei, Christian Louboutin, Francesco Russo, Gianvito Rossi, Herve Leger, Isabel Marant, Jimmy Choo, Kenzo, Kotur, Maison Michel, Moncler, One Teaspoon, Simonetta Ravizza, Tod’s, Tory Burch, Valentino, Victoria Beckham, Yves Salomon. ul.
Nowolipki 2, joannaklimas.com
such as Kupisz, Zień and Plich.
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.
home Magazyn Praga A visit to this home design store is guaranteed to transform your apartment. Showcasing emerging Polish talent, the items here are not without humor: ceramic French bulldogs are particularly popular. ul. Mińska 25 (Soho Factory)
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
Ptasia 6, ptasia6.pl
Reykjavik District Chic, well-cut menswear for all occasions as designed by upcoming Icelandic native Olly Lindal. ul. Burakowska 15, reykjavikdistrict.com
Porcelanowa Award-winning, contemporary Polish porcelain produced by cult, internationally recognized brands such as Aoomi and Fenek. ul. Kredytowa 2, porcelanowa.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 sug-
Red Poppy Designs focusing primarily on making one-of-a-kind wallpapers as well curtains, lampshades, and cushions. ul. Lekarska 9, redpoppy.pl
DO! General Listings 5-Star Hotels Bellotto ul. Senatorska 13/15, tel. 22 829 6444, hotelbellotto.pl
Regent Warsaw Hotel
Boutique B&B
ul. Belwederska 23, tel. 22 558 1234, reservations@regentwarsaw.com, regent-warsaw.com
ul. Smolna 14/6, tel. 22 829 4800, bedandbreakfast.pl
The Rialto Boutique Hotel ul. Wilcza 73, tel. 22 584 8700, rialto.pl
Bristol Hotel ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 42/44, tel. 22 551 1000, hotelbristolwarsaw.pl
Sheraton
Radisson Blu Centrum Hotel
Fredrick Chopin Airport, tel. 22 650 4872, Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott Hotel), tel. 22 575 6583, Reservations: tel. 801 120 010, avis.pl
ul. Grzybowska 24, tel. 22 321 8888, radissonblu.com
Hertz Rent a Car
ul. Prusa 2, tel. 22 450 6100, sheraton.pl
Okęcie Airport, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 1, tel. 22 650 2896; mob. 691 411 130. ul. Nowogrodzka 27, tel. 22 621 1360.
Hilton Warsaw ul. Grzybowska 63, tel. 22 356 5555 / 800 44 11 482, hilton.com
Sofitel Warsaw Victoria
Indigo
ul. Królewska 11, tel. 22 657 8011, sofitel-victoria-warsaw.com
ul. Smolna 40, tel. 22 418 89 00, indigowarsaw.com
Westin
InterContinental
Al. Jana Pawła II 21, tel. 22 450 8000, westin.pl
ul. Emilii Plater 49, tel. 22 328 8888, warsaw.intercontinental.com
Mamaison Le Régina Hotel ul. Kościelna 12, tel. 22 531 6000, mamaison.com
Marriott Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79, tel. 22 630 6306, warsawmarriott.com
relocation companies AGS Warsaw ul. Julianowska 37, Piaseczno, agsmovers.com
B&B
CorstJens Worldwide Movers Between Us Bed & Breakfast ul. Bracka 20, tel. 22 8285417 (from 10 a.m. to 11p.m.), between-us.eu
Euro Move International Movers ul. Kineskopowa 1, euromove.pl
Interdean International Avis
H15 Boutique ul. Poznańska 15, tel. 22 553 8700, info@h15ab.com, h15ab.com
car rental
ul. Szyszkowa 35/37, expressrelocations.com
ul. Nowa 23, Stara Iwiczna, corstjens.com
Express Relocations
ul. Geodetów 172, Piaseczno, tel. 22 701 7171, interdean.com
Move One Relocations Also immigration assistance, fine art shipping, pet transport and consulting services. Check their website for more details. ul. Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79, tel. 22 630 8160, moveonerelo.com
Relo Planet International, domestic and office removals, corporate and individual relocations, fine art shipping, storage, insurance, as well as a full range of assistance services (immigration, etc.). ul. Batalinou Platerówek 3, reloplanet.com
Get 12 issues for the price of 6 (60 zł)
w W a r s a www.city-tour.com.pl
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. Traveling over the course of approximately 1,5 hour, a double-decker bus will take you past many beautiful and interesting places of Warsaw, such as its interesting districts, palaces and churches, monuments and museums, parks and historical cemeteries, as well as the Jewish historical sites. A GPS 12 language audio-guide, will give explanations and accompany you to make your ride a more adventurous, exciting and an unforgettable one. Excellent Hop on Hop off and one trip service operates every day all year round.
5% DISCOUNT with this ad
Line approved by municipal authorities.
www.city-tour.com.pl
+48 500 033 414
SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE! Email: insider@warsawinsider.pl
warsawinsider.pl
91
Warsaw Guide
THE ESSENTIALS...
Cut through the chaff and time manage your visit as effectively as possible.
CHOPIN MUSEUM
COMMUNISM
A full tour of Stalin’s Palace of Culture is a must: the basements are wild and the viewing terrace unimpeachable. Check the more ambient side to Communism in the Neon Museum and then 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).
MODERN WARSAW
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. In the square, the Museum of Warsaw is a great primer to the city, while the Royal Castle is a maze of fancy chambers and important paintings by the likes of Rembrandt and Canaletto. After, enjoy a mulled wine in the festive market in the Old Town Square. To soak in the extravagances of Poland’s imperial years, then Łazienki Park is essential, as is a visit to the Wilanów Palace: frequently termed as being ‘the Polish Versailles’, the gardens are illuminated each winter and are a surreal, entrancing experience.
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
92
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018
important cultural institutions in the country. The Old Town’s ‘Heritage Centre’ documents the destruction of the city, while three separate museums, Pawiak, Szucha and Katyń, cover equally somber moments in Poland’s dark history.
JEWISH WARSAW
Though largely flattened, the former Jewish Ghetto contains numerous memorials, among them the Umschlagplatz installation that commemorates the deportations to Treblinka. The one synagogue that survived (Twarda 6) is the center of local Jewish life, while the innovative Polin covers all aspects of this nation’s complex and often fraught Jewish history. Finally, visit the often unsung Jewish Historical Institute to view their new permanent exhibition: titled ‘What We Were Unable To Shout Out To The World’, it presents rediscovered documents relating to life in the Ghetto.
Wonder amid romping kids and whirring machines in the Copernicus Science Centre, and after take a walk down the riverfront to the Museum of Modern Art. Across the water, the state-of-the-art National Stadium conducts regular tours – in winter, find the playing surface converted into a vast rink complete with ‘ice hills’ and bumper cars.
ART
Serious art lovers flock to the National Museum for its determined presentation of art through the ages. The Zachęta, the Modern Art Museum and CSW are more alternative with captivating exhibitions that thrill non-conformists. That said, some of the city’s best art is found on its walls: Praga and Muranów are particularly known for their giant wall murals.
PEOPLE
Chopin, the city’s favorite son, looms large across Warsaw: the museum dedicated to his memory amazes by the breadth of its scope. Now reopened following a thorough refit, the Marie Curie Museum in New Town does a splendid job of remembering the world’s most famous female science boffin.
7
1 5 8 4 9 6
2
Stadion Narodowy
9 Żaryna
Kulskiego
Chodk iewicza
Biały K amień
8 7 6
3 5 4 3 2 1
Insider Finds
SUPER BOWL
Hidden amid the Museum of Warsaw’s horde of treasure sits a modest sugar bowl that’s come to represent the city’s flirtation with art deco... Simplicity, so the saying goes, is the ultimate sophistication. Made from silver-coated brass at the behest of the Norblin company, Julia Keilowa’s sugar bowl is the physical embodiment of the phrase. Dating back to the 1930s, the art deco design was directly influenced by the artistic trends of the time, trends that sought to simplify previous styles and reduce them to their most basic geometric form. “These ideas,” says Dagmara Mazurek of the Museum of Warsaw, “permanently transformed design in the applied arts and the very aesthetic of everyday life.” Measuring eleven and a half centimeters in height, Keilowa’s bowl is reflective of her wider portfolio. Having established her own metal workshop in Warsaw in 1933, tableware factories such as Norblin, Fraget and Henneberg Brothers clamored to purchase her prototypes for mass production: ultimately, over 400 of her designs rolled off the assembly line. Prolific in her output, she was regarded as a doyenne of the Polish art deco scene. Yet despite the fame she commanded, little is known of her fate – Jewish by faith, she became another statistic of the Holocaust. Her legacy lives on.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MUSEUM OF WARSAW
Museum of Warsaw Rynek Starego Miasta 28-42, muzeumwarszawy.pl
96
Warsaw Insider | JANUARY 2018