Warsaw Insider December 2023 #328

The Capital’s Original City Magazine Since 1996

EUROPEAN BEST DESTINATION 2023

#328 INDEKS 334901 ISSN:1643-1723

PLN 10 (VAT 8% INCLUDED)

DECEMBER 2023 Features: Let there be light! Xmas lights – p. 22 Home Alone: the Warsaw reboot – p. 12 Winter wonderland: the city under snow – p. 18 Shopping: the best of Mokotowska – p. 24

SCAN TO READ ONLINE

Contents December 2023

Reviews: EAT & DRINK

Review: Bułka z Chlebem – p. 35 First Bite: Coconut – p. 39 Review: dobrewina.pl – p. 40 Review: Składniki – p. 42 The Buzz – p. 45

WHEN POLSAT PULLED HOME ALONE from their holiday schedule in 2010, the act outraged the nation. “Polsat have killed Christmas,” screamed one outraged newspaper; online, over 50,000 people signed a petition calling for its return. Staggered by the backlash, TV executives hurriedly amended their lineup to include the film in their lineup. Needless to say, the mistake has never been repeated since. Embedded in the Polish psyche, convening to watch Home Alone (or, to lend it its Polish title, Kevin W Samu Domu) has been seen as a tradition since 1992. Attributing this attachment to its original release date, many have theorised that the movie’s premier in the early days of post-Communist freedom helped shape the country. “It depicted a world that every Pole wanted to be part of,” explains one commentator. Given this sentimentality, it’s for this reason we’ve used this issue to reimagine the film in a Warsaw setting. But if that’s our anchoring feature, we’ve also got a whole heap more lined up in store: from Warsaw’s best lights to family activities, we’ve got Christmas fully covered – and if it’s not in the mag, then you’ll find it online on our zippy new-look website. Hope you enjoy it, and have a very Merry Crimbo!

DISCOVER

For The Holidays

COVER PHOTO SANDRA PAPIERNIK, PHOTOGRAPH THIS PAGE BY ED WIGHT

– p. 55

Alex Webber

insider@warsawinsider.pl

Editor-in-chief Alex Webber insider@warsawinsider.pl

Publisher Morten Lindholm mlindholm@valkea.com

Advertising Manager Jowita Malich jmalich@valkea.com

Art Director Kevin Demaria kdemaria@valkea.com

Media Assistant Maria Sinkiewicz msinkiewicz@valkea.com

Distribution Manager Krzysztof Wiliński kwilinski@valkea.com

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Intel

PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

O In Remembrance A familiar sight to all, the Tchorek Plaques that mark various sites of wartime execution have been granted protected status…

ne-hundred and sixty-four commemorative tablets marking the sites of wartime executions have been entered into the Register of Movable Monuments. Known as Tchorek Plaques after Karol Tchorek, the artist that created them, each comes embossed with the words: “A place sanctified by the blood of Poles killed for the freedom of their homeland.” Featuring a shield placed on a Maltese cross, the plaques are completed by a sobering text at the bottom which surmises the date and the number of people that were murdered on the spot. As people flocked back to Warsaw following the city’s liberation, plaques marking sites of execution found themselves spontaneously placed by returning residents. Soon, the city decided to warsawinsider.pl

Insider Intel

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

Oh Boy!

Erected in September, a replica of the Mannekin Pis statue in Brussels has become an unlikely tourist attraction in the capital’s Mokotów district…

aking its debut on September 16th on the occasion of the Belgijska Street Festival – an event held to celebrate Polish-Belgian friendship – it’s since been revealed that the figurine was ordered from a gardening portal before being spraypainted. Then placed on a pedestal on Belgijska – a small side street close to the Morskie Oko park – the statuette has further had its modesty covered by a flower that’s regularly replaced by civic-minded neighbours. The idea, it transpires, came from MOKO, an organisation responsible for organising the festival. Speaking to Gazeta Wyborcza, Marek Turlejski from MOKO said: “We wanted to pay tribute to Belgium in a way that was creative. A few years ago, we collaborated with the Belgian Embassy to paint a nearby mural reference Rene Margitte. This time around, we collected money from locals to fund the statue.”

PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA, OPPOSITE CHRISTIES NEW YORK

give these temporary tributes a more formalised look. To do so, two competitions were held: one to decide on a standard inscription and another to determine how they would look. Thirty-four projects were submitted with the jury choosing Karol Tchorek’s design over all the others. “Tchorek's design was a simple composition made of sandstone,” says the city’s conservator. “In accordance with the assumptions of the competition, the design could be used as a typical, repeatable monument both on walls and in the form of a free-standing monolith.” First appearing in the early 1950s, the majority were created between 1963 and 1965. However, plaques were still added thereafter with the youngest dating to 1985. Although most appear on the walls of buildings, others have been incorporated into remaining, free-standing fragments of surviving pre-war buildings. Explaining the decision to protect the plaques by adding them to the Register of Movable Monuments, the conservator said: “The plaques and monoliths by Karol Tchorek are a typical Warsaw form of commemorating the victims of World War II. He influenced the long-term landscape of Warsaw and created an identifiable symbol of national memory that is still in force today. The 164 plaques also represent a very high-level of artistic craftsmanship.” Tchorek’s lasting impact on Warsaw, though, goes beyond merely the plaques named after him. An acclaimed sculptor, he was also behind some of the Socialist Realist reliefs that decorate Pl. Konstytucji.

Since its premier, the statue has drawn a steady stream of tourists, not least Belgian sightseers, and has also won praise from locals for brightening the neighbourhood. How long it remains, though, is subject to debate. Despite its popularity, city authorities have now stepped in to say that the boy was illegally placed without the required paperwork. Turlejski remains unphased. “This was a spontaneous grassroots initiative but now we will apply for its legalisation so that we can use the electricity network to power the water pump. We’re hopeful that officials will look favourably on this and that we will be able to launch the fountain in Spring.” As things stand, Turlejski says that the MOKO organisation will also apply for funds from the Civic Budget so as to enable the surroundings to be planted with flowers. “Basically,” he laughs, “we want our Western migrant to receive a residency permit.”

WHO IS MANNEKIN PIS

Cast in 1619 by the Brabantine sculptor Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder, the original Mannekin Pis depicts a nude, urinating boy and has become one of the most famed sights in Brussels. According to one legend, the statue honours Julianske, a young child who saved the city from destruction after peeing on an explosive fuse that had been laid by an unspecified foreign army. A repeated target of thieves and vandals, the bronze lad was notoriously kidnapped for five-days by a group of students in 1963. Two years later, another thief made off with the statue after sawing it off at the ankles. It was recovered in the Charleroi Canal following an anonymous tipoff.

Going, Going, Gone Known as Kizette II, a portrait by Tamara de Lempicka sold for USD 14.8 million at an auction held by Christie’s New York. Painted between 1928 and 1930, the work depicts the artist’s daughter “on the cusp of adulthood”. The sale sparked a furious bidding war and sold for double its guide price. Born in Warsaw in 1898, it wasn’t until Lempicka moved to Paris that she made her artistic breakthrough. Coming to define the Jazz Age, her works remain coveted to this day. In 2020 her portrait of Marjorie Ferry sold for PLN 82 million, the most ever paid for a Polish artist.

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Hidden History

One of Warsaw’s most recognisable landmarks, Dworzec Centralny, turns 48 on December 5th…

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

PHOTOGRAPHS NAC

Happy Birthday Central Station!

pened in 1975 to coincide with the 7th Workers’ Party Congress, a special entrance was constructed for the event’s guest of honour, Leonid Brezhnev – known for his fear of flying, it was imperative that the station was completed in time so that the Soviet leader could attend. This put the pressure firmly on the engineering team, yet despite the odds being firmly against them, they were able to deliver the project in under 1,000 days. Funds and materials had not been an issue. Seen as a showcase of Poland’s construction industry, the authorities ensured that the architects had nothing but the best. As such, automatic doors were imported from Switzerland and suspended ceilings from Holland. It did not stop there. Marble was sourced from Kazakhstan, clocks were brought over from Italy, whilst escalators and elevators were supplied by the American firm Otis. The design went so far as to include the country’s first vending machine. If money was not an issue, the workforce was. Reportedly, on the first day of construction just 23 workers checked-in for their shift. As the deadline loomed closer, soldiers were drafted in to help the general donkey work such as scrubbing the floors. Yet against all the doomsday predictions, the station was ready on time and was officially opened at 10 a.m. on December 5th by an assorted group of political leaders. Addressing the gathered crowd, the foreman Włodzimierz Zdziarski boasted that his team had built “the most beautiful landmark of our socialist fatherland.”

Two days later, Brezhnev himself arrived with his personal train drawing into Platform 3 at 7 a.m. There he was greeted by First Secretary Edward Gierek and ushered to a VIP room which today holds a waiting room for first class passengers. Touted as an architectural miracle, the next few years even saw fashion shows, cabarets and concerts take place on the platforms. These, though, could not mask the slipshod workmanship and soon even the station’s fountain had run dry. What had originally been billed as a tourist attraction (yes, there really weren’t that many thrill to be had in Communist Poland), became something of a joke. Famously, one scene in a comedy saw a young boy refusing to toss a coin into the fountain. After being told that doing so would mean he would one day return, the child snapped back: “but I don’t want to!” Worse times were to come with the fall of the Iron Curtain and the station’s Stygian passageways became flooded with vagrants, foul odours and sleazy stalls selling bootleg goods. Realising just how bad things had got, when Poland was awarded host country status for the Euro 2012 football championships, authorities had little option but to embark on a massive renovation to modernize the station.

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Take A Building

Bouncing Back A new report has shown that Warsaw’s tourist figures are close to returning to pre-pandemic levels. Issued in November, the latest data shows that the Polish capital was visited by nine million in 2022, of which 1.9 million came from abroad. This represented a 78% rise compared to the previous year. The figures did not take into account those fleeing the war in Ukraine. According to statistics, 347,000 Brits visited Warsaw, making them the largest group of foreigners visiting Warsaw. Big numbers were also reported from Germany (321,000) and the US (206,000). In all, tourist figures fell just 2% short of the level achieved before Covid. The news wraps up a good year for Warsaw – at the start of the year, it was European Best Destination 2023.

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

Warsaw’s Most Visited! Łazienki Królewskie Museum 5,265,110 Wilanów Museum 2,659,896 Royal Castle 1,815,013 Copernicus Science Centre 1,400,142 PGE National Stadium 1,132,949 Warsaw Zoo 946,850 Palace of Culture 675,033 Legia Stadium 554,000 Warsaw Rising Museum 518,890 National Museum 472,892

On A Roll

PHOTOGRAPH THIS PAGE WIKICOMMONS, OPPOSITE SHUTTERSTOCK

In a country brimming with spectacular ecclesiastical architecture, the NMP church on Solidarności 80 looks anything but special – but unique it most certainly is…

onstructed between 1682 and 1732, in the 19th century the adjacent monastery was temporarily used to imprison political agitators. One of only two active churches inside the Warsaw Ghetto, it survived the outright destruction that befell much of the city centre towards the tail-end of WWII – though looted even of the ashes of its former monks, the church just about held firm, albeit now missing its roof.

Taking ten-years to repair, a new threat emerged in the early 1960s when the decision was made to widen the traffic artery connecting western Warsaw to the Praga district. The church, however, was an obstruction and presented planners with a major problem standing as it did right in the way. Aware that its demolition would be construed as an attack on the Catholic church, other factors also came into play. According to researchers, the NMP had been designed

by Augustyn Wincenty Locci the Younger, the acclaimed architect that had authored Wilanów Palace. Erasing such a landmark from a city that had already faced such destruction would have courted controversy. Then, final, there was the financial cost to consider – estimates suggested that levelling the church would cost authorities somewhere in the region of PLN 14 million. Instead, a daring and cheaper alternative was found. For just over PLN 6 million, architects hatched a plan that involved towing the church back a distance of 21-metres. Hoisted onto six tracks and 420 rollers, the operation began fifty-four minutes past the stroke of midnight on December 1st, 1962. Moving an average 93 millimetres per minute, several engineer were employed to manually winch it back. Although the project had been officially kept secret, news of the proposed feat had been leaked and the action quickly attracted radio reporters and curious onlookers. No-one could be quite sure if the 6,800-ton church would withstand such an effort, but after 227 minutes a pair of flashing headlights signalled that the action had been a success. This was the first time a European house of worship had been moved in such a way – in fact, only twice previously had such a project been undertaken: once in Pittsburgh in 1915, and another time in Chicago in 1929. warsawinsider.pl

Culture

Insider Art

n display until December 31st, head this winter to the Old Town’s Museum of Warsaw and one will find a cloakroom adorned with a stunning series of murals honouring the women that played such a vital role in the city’s reconstruction. The idea of artist Paulina Włostowska, the large format mural shifts away from the habit of telling this historic period through a patriotic prism to instead lionise the female artists that decorated the city during the final stages of its post-war rebirth.

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

Stylistically based on Wojciech Fangor’s ‘Forging a Scythe’ – a work, incidentally, that can be viewed inside the museum – Włostowska sought to present the reconstruction process from a less idealistic viewpoint as to that showcased by Fangor. It was women such as Zofia Artymowska, Hanna Żuławska, Krystyna Kozłowska, Zofia Czarnocka-Kowalska, Krystyna Łada-Studnicka and Helena Grześkiewicz that were behind the reliefs and frescoes that came to decorate the rebuilt tenements in Warsaw’s historic

quarter, and it is these women that Włostowska seeks to celebrate. “Drawing directly from the patterns developed by these creative teams, Włostowska combines visual quotes into a coherent whole and introduces elements of urban ornamentation and decorative motifs taken from archives and photographic documentation,” say the museum. “She includes the profiles of the heroines of the story within the work itself, to remind us of their activities and restore their visibility and presence.”

"PAINTING WORKS COOPERATIVE", MURAL BY PAULINA WŁOSTOWSKA, MUSEUM OF WARSAW, PHOTO: TOMASZ KACZOR

If it’s too chilly to go mural hunting outside, then shift your focus inside instead…

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“A lovely cheese pizza just for me”

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

HOME ALON e THE WARSAW SPECIAL

PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

Before you settle down for your traditional seasonal serving of Home Alone this Christmas, join us as we reimagine some of the key characters and iconic settings found in the first two films to lend them a Warsaw context…

THE MCALLISTER HOME Aspiring filmmakers should look no further than the American Ambassador’s residence on Idzikowskiego 34 when finding a substitute for the McCallister home. Occupying one acre of land, the 30-room mansion was built in Williamsburg style and put into operation in 1967. Henry Kissinger stayed here during secret US-Chinese talks and bungling burglars would do well to remember that aside from the usual iron ring afforded to ambassadors, its current incumbent, Mark Brzezinski, is the proud owner of a couple of German shepherds. ‘OLD MAN’ MARLEY Wrongfully rumoured to be the South Bend Shovel Slayer, ‘Old Man’ Marley is one of the most memorable characters of Home Alone. His Warsaw equivalent?

That has to be Czarny Roman, a street character that roamed the centre until his death in 2017. Children would run away from him as if he were the boogey man, but Roman, usually dressed in an immaculate black suit and hat, was a benign figure despite his notorious street corner rants. Often preaching about impending meteorites and yoga, he became a local legend. Today, his memory is honoured by way of numerous stencil portraits around his favourite stamping ground, Chmielna. T H E P I G E O N L A DY One of the other memorably benevolent characters to appear in the Home Alone series is the Pigeon Lady found in Central Park. Warsaw, too, once had a fabled pigeon lady by the name of Kazimiera Majchrzak. Throughout the war – at great cost to herself – she fed the

birds in Old Town. After the city’s liberation, she continued doing so in the ruins of the tenement at Piwna 6. Apparently, two birds in particularly reminded her of the sons she had lost in the 1944 Uprising. When the historic centre was rebuilt, designers paid tribute to her by adding a flock of stone pigeons above the doorway of Piwna 6. D U N C A N ’ S T OY C H E S T Duncan’s might have been fictional, but it was based on the very real and very legendary FAO Schwartz. The closest Warsaw has to that, you’d say, is SMYK inside the former CeDeT department store on Jerzolimskie. Defined by its serpentine blue neon the decorates the façade, the building was recently rebuilt to mimic the 1951 original. A not-so-happy Xmas story for you: on December 22nd, 1964, it was witness to one of Poland’s warsawinsider.pl

HOME ALONE THE PL A Z A HOTEL

W T C O B S E R VAT I O N D E C K (Viewing deck of the Palace of Cultur e)

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

PHOTOGRAPHS CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT, SHUTTERSTOCK, KEVIN DEMARIA, KEVIN DEMARIA (2), RADOSŁAW PIETRAGA,

(Poloni a Pal ac e)

T H E P I G E O N L A DY (Piwna 6)

T H E TA R A N T U L A … (Sp i der E x hib i tion)

most notorious heists when two robbers escaped with takings of PLN 1,336,500. One guard was killed and the perps were never caught sparking speculation of an inside job and government cover-up.

are masterpieces of scent and art. Alternatively, you’re guaranteed to enjoy the fragrances at Mo61 on Mokotowska 61 (mo61.pl) – that’s because you’ll be crafting them yourself at this upmarket perfume laboratory.

MERRY CHRISTMAS , YA’ F I LT H Y A N I M A L Kevin’s cunning is best demonstrated by his use of a classic film in a bid to scare Harry and Marv away. In this respect, you could do worse than bowling up to the Socialist Realist Kino Iluzjon. Opened in 1956, it’s been magically restored to evoke yesteryear’s air. Featuring a beautiful neon and a stunning rotunda, it’s famed not just for its architecture but a repertoire slanted towards arthouse flicks and timeless black-and-white classics.

RADIO CIT Y In Home Alone II we spot an awed Kevin staring up in amazement at Radio City Hall. Well, get a load of this: before the outbreak of WWII the city of Warsaw unveiled visionary plans for a 20-floor skyscraper on Pl. Unii Lubelskiej. Directly inspired by New York, it would be the home of Polskie Radio and a TV studio. Just as work crews began emptying the plot for the project, the Germans invaded. After the war, the investment was abandoned

K E V I N P U L L S T H AT FACE Dubbed the most iconic scene of all, who can forget the piercing scream that Kevin delivers when slapping on aftershave for the very first time. AAARGH. You’ll do the opposite of scream though should you head to Jan Barba (janbarba.com) on Kopernika 6. A truly luxurious perfume company, the men’s fragrances

QUEENSBORO BRIDGE Opting to make the most of his time in the Big Apple (hey, who wouldn’t), Kevin catches a yellow cab and beelines to Manhattan. Connecting Praga to downtown Warsaw, the Poniatowski Bridge shares few physical similarities to the Queensboro, but it is at least one of the more iconic Warsaw crossings – and unluckiest. Destroyed three times since opening in 1914,

it’s also seen a coup play out in 1926. With a story like that, it’s got to be in a film, right? T H E TA R A N T U L A … From the moment we’re first introduced to the gloating bully that is Buzz, he strikes you immediately as the kind of individual that would own a tarantula called Axl. Later used with terrifying impact by Kevin, we reckon it’s a given that Buzz would love the collection of creepy crawlies at the Palace of Culture’s Spider Exhibition (wystawapajakow.pl). Black widows, glow-in-the-dark scorpions, you name it, they’ve got it. W T C O B S E R VAT I O N DECK Occasionally removed by some TV companies, the uncut Home Alone II has Kevin admiring NYC from the South Tower of the World Trade Centre. A shorter city Warsaw might be, but the bird’s eye view from the 30th floor viewing deck of the Palace of Culture remains one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions. In the future, mind you, that title stands to be seized from them when the Varso Tower’s observation platform finally opens. Launching, hopefully, next year, it’s 230-metre vantage point stands warsawinsider.pl

to be twice as high as that offered by the competition. PIZZ A! “A lovely cheese pizza just for me,” ruminates Kevin with a distinct tone of pleasure. The McCallister clan, it must be said, are quite partial to pizza, so they’d take to Warsaw like ducks to water. But where would the kid order from? Pizza Boyz (pizzaboyz.pl) on Marszałkowska 17. Aiming their guns at younger generations, their wacky pies come with toppings such as Mac & Cheese, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos or Coca-Cola BBQ sauce. F U LT O N F I S H M A R K E T Walking through the fish market in Home Alone II, Kevin just misses the arrival of his arch-enemies, the hapless Harry and Marv. For the same sense of bustle and gritty authenticity we have the Polski Kevin down to visit Hala Mirowska. Outside this Tsarist-era pockmarked bastion, dozens of traders can be found hauling produce to their stalls whilst the babbling public makes their buys. C E N T R A L PA R K Central Park looms large in Home Alone II, as would Łazienki in our hit Warsaw

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

‘OLD MAN’ MARLEY (Cz arny Roman)

remake. No pigeons mind, instead we’d replace them with the park’s defining creature: the peacock, reputedly introduced during the times of King Stanisław August Poniatowski. And speaking of Poniatowski, a faint likeness is shared between the statue of the monarch outside the Presidential Palace on Krakowskie Przedmieście and Central Park’s General José de San Martín. Both ride horses, both look imperious and both point to the distance. In the latter’s case, it’s by following the general’s hand that Kevin finds the Plaza. THE PL A Z A HOTEL From the outside, Warsaw struggles to emulate the engorged chateau style of the Plaza Hotel, though being creative one could make a case for the Polonia Palace with its Neo-Classical swagger. Inside, though, that’s a no-brainer. Infamously running into Donald Trump in Home Alone II, a Warsaw-raised Kevin could have endured that dubious pleasure in the Marriott Hotel. A beacon of free enterprise when it opened in 1989, passing VIPs have included Joan Collins, Michael Jackson, Pavarotti, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and, yes, The Donald himself.

ICE CRE AM SUNDAE It's in his Plaza suite that Kevin places one of the most famous room service orders in cinematic history. To follow in his footsteps, then the Wedel café on Szpitalna 8 is a clever little choice. Grand and traditional, though best-known for its chocolate they also offer up made-to-order towering ice creams. Interestingly, the building is crowned by a neon that debuted in 1926. Designed by Leonetto Capiello, an Italian artist regarded as ‘the father of modern advertising’, it shows a cheeky blonde boy riding a zebra with bars of chocolate on his back. Could this be our Polish Kevin? CHRISTMAS TREE Home Alone II concludes with Kevin reunited with his mother in front of the Rockefeller’s Christmas Tree. Resisting the temptation to twin the Rockefeller’s Art Deco form with the inter-war Prudential Tower (now better-known as the Hotel Warszawa), instead let’s focus the eyeballs on the tree itself – a gloriously lit giant. Standing 27-metres high, Warsaw’s own tree on Plac Zamkowy is surely a fitting finale to your Home Alone tour.

PHOTOGRAPHS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT, SHUTTERSTOCK, KEVIN DEMARIA (3)

QUEENSBORO BRIDGE (Poniatowsk i Bridge)

THE MCCALLISTER HOME

(A m er i c an A mb as s a d o r ’s r e si d enc e)

C E N T R A L PA R K (Ł azienki Park)

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WINTER WONDERLAND

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

Christmas in Warsaw doesn’t necessarily mean noise, light, parties and shopping – when the snow hits, peace and solitude can be easily found without ever leaving the city limits…

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Winter Wonderland RIVERFRONT RAMBLES

A seething mass of humanity during the summer, the smart boulevards that run alongside the left side of the Wisła empty in the winter to provide soothing relief from the grinding racket of the city centre. This portrait of emptiness feels more emphasized when a soft mist veils the pathways. Through gaps in the fog, the sense of loneliness is more complete when ice floes glide gently past – the thick, surrounding murk has you thinking you’re starring in your own private Joy Division video. And forget not the other side – left untouched by the modern world, the brambly, frosted woodland is a pleasure to crunch through.

PARK PERKS

Warsaw’s streets look magical under a fresh frosting of snow, but a little less so under a gooey slosh of gritty gunk. But there’s no shortage of parks that remain pristine through the highs and lows of winter. Skaryszewski with its frozen lakes and wide boulevards is a prime example, likewise Saski Gardens, with its Roman-style water tower peering over the snowcapped treeline. Of course, these pale in comparison to the imperial pomp of Łazienki’s palaces and follies, but also recommended are the smaller historic parks such Ujazdowski – complete with a romantic humpbacked bridge – Krasińskich Gardens and Park Wilsona. Coated in whiteness, do these really outrank Park Agrykola which stares right up to the Baroque era Ujazdów Castle. Walk up the zig-zagging pathway and warm yourself inside – the CSW contemporary art gallery housed within makes for an interesting cultural interlude.

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

“A seething mass of humanity during the summer, the smart boulevards that run alongside the left side of the Wisła empty in the winter to provide soothing relief from the grinding racket of the city centre” WOODEN WONDERS

Can’t get out to the countryside? Then Warsaw has a series of timber estates to prowl through, the most famous being the Jazdów settlement by Ujazdowski Park. Built to house engineers reconstructing post-war Warsaw, today its muddy paths lead past quaint timber chalets occupied by NGOs. Labourers working on the Palace of Culture found

themselves holed up in Osiedle Przyjaźń inside large log cabins made from dismantled materials from a German POW camp, and this too is an atmospheric walk. Finally, visit Bemowo to check out the inter-war Boernerowo quarter. The picture of pastoral bliss is completed by the woods just north – if you’re lucky, you’ll meet elk, deer and other heroes from the animal kingdim.

Photographs by Karolina Sabik (instagram.com/karolka_sab_photography) warsawinsider.pl

INTO THE LIGHT

Never doubt that Warsaw doesn’t love Christmas – as daylight fades, the city dazzles under a zillion festive lights that will send your mood soaring…

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

GARDEN OF LIGHTS: THE SMURFS

Found down south in the Powsin Botanical Garden, the labyrinth takes you through tunnels of light and even a meteor concert inside an enchanted forest. Passing through the Smurf village, visitors will run into a host of characters – including Gargamel! Prawdziwka 2, gardenoflights.com (admission PLN 1-44)

GARDEN OF LIGHT

The Garden of Light sees a section of the former Royal Gardens outside Wilanów Palace illuminated by 300,000 pulsating diodes spread over a range of thematic areas. Accompanied by classical music, this kaleidoscope of colour can get very Alice in Wonderland. Stanisława Kostki Potockiego 10, wilanow-palac.pl

(admission PLN 20-49)

LAZIENKI PARK

Warsaw’s most elegant park will again find itself decorated with installations of illuminated figures in period costume. With squirrels and peacocks ambling around, these make for quite a sight. Agrykola 1, lazienki-krolewskie.pl (admission free)

MAGICAL BOTANICAL

A million glimmering lights await in this celebration of the natural world. Representing flowery meadows, underwater depths, deep forests and the skies above, the remarkable trail also presents light sculptures of fantastical animals. Ujazdowskie 4, lumagica.pl (admission PLN

33-46)

MULTIMEDIA FOUNTAINS Though the fountains will be off, drop by each Fri, Sat and Sun

for coordinated music and light shows held every hour from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Skwer 1 Dywizji

Pancernej (admission free)

ROYAL ROUTE

As since the dawn of time, Warsaw’s biggest outpouring of festive joy can be found walking the ancient route of kings. Krakowskie Przedmieście, Nowy Świat and Pl. Zamkowy will this year be decorated with retro style lights referencing the 1950s and will culminate outside the Royal Castle where, as per usual, will stand the tallest Christmas tree in Poland! Kra-

kowskie Przedmieście / Nowy Świat / Pl. Zamkowy (admission free) Photographs by Sandra Papiernik (instagram.com/shandyy89)

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MAKING THE MOST OF MOKOTOWSKA

Regarded as Warsaw’s most stylish street, Mokotowska channels the city’s inner Paris through its elegant tenements and upmarket boutiques. Impossible as it is to pick favourites, join us as we spotlight five Insider legends…

Mokotowska 26 & Mokotowska 63, galilu.pl A prime choice of home fragrances, diffusers, scented candles, mists, perfumes and aftershaves await in Galilu, a place that values uniqueness, craftsmanship, innovation and luxury. Dealing with the best, niche brands find the likes of Diptyque, Le Labo, Escentric Molecules and Aesop on sale.

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEVIN DEMARIA

GALILU

JUST PAUL

Mokotowska 61, justpaul.pl Exuding confident femininity, this energetic brand is characterised by its light and unobtrusive elegance and sense of effortless nonchalance. Founded in 2012 by designers Justyna and Paula, Just Paul seeks to address the needs of the modern woman with its line in chic but casual clothing and more dazzly evening wear. Mixing style and technique with quality materials, it’s at the forefront of Polish female fashion.

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Mokotowska

MOLIERA 2 Slotted at the very start of Mokotowska, this three-floored fashion emporium should be viewed as more than just a gate opener to what lies ahead – for some, it’s the first and final word when it comes to shopping. Brands include Canada Goose, Philipp Plein, Burberry, Moncler, Tod’s, Christian Louboutin and many more besides.

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEVIN DEMARIA

Hoża 1

MOKO 61

Mokotowska 61, moko61.com Warsaw’s premier optical salon puts the competition in the shade with their standout selection of exclusive eyewear. Keynote brands include Mykita, Lindberg, Barton Perreira, Dita, and Veronika Wildgruber. Ponder your choice over a coffee and chat with the expert staff, and on your way out update your Insta with a pic of the neon pair of specs above the entrance – it’s the best sign in town!

MO61

Mokotowska 61, mo61.pl 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”!). For a unique gift, a voucher for a scent workshop always hits the mark. Beyond these workshops, the attractive pre-war interior is also home to pre-made scents and candles that will transform you and your living space. warsawinsider.pl

INSIDER'S

GUIDE For a catch-all solution offering a variety of food, drinks and social experiences under one address, check out the following Warsaw legends…

COMMUNIT Y HUBS & FOOD HALLS

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NORBLIN FACTORY

In December

ul. Żelazna 51/53, fabrykanorblina.pl

OVERVIEW Opened on the site of a former metal factory, the scale of Norblin takes a while to sink in. A beautiful combination of new and old, it’s a photogenic example of everything that makes modern Warsaw so captivating. Representing 200-years of history, the two hectare site is riddled with over 50 leftovers from the Industrial Revolution and these are set against attractions such as the luxury Kinogram cinema (champagne vending machines!), the immersive Art Box Experience, the only Apple Museum in the country (as in the tech brand, not the fruit), a factory museum and the Smart Kids Planet – a 1,600 sq/m project with nine zones that aim to promote logical thinking, healthy eating, motor functions, perception and creative thinking.

F&B Warsaw’s largest food hall (23 food points and five bars!) has been intelligently designed so as to retain intimacy while never ceasing to remind visitors as to its diverse range of choices – the so-called ‘Asian district’ scores particularly highly. In standalone terms, top marks go to the elegant Piano Bar, the eclectic Uwaga craft beer haven, the swanky MOXO bar-club crossover, the Tex Mex of Blue Cactus and the newly-launched Middle Eastern emporium that is Amar Beirut. Finally, check into the Bio Bazar, a farmers’ market with a reputation that extends nationwide.

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

December 2nd and 3rd sees kids thrust to the fore with a retro carousel running free of charge in the basement level and a Smart Toys Weekend organised by Smart Kids Planet. The 6th meanwhile will see Smart Kids Planet holding gingerbread workshops, a fashion parade, a mini disco, a hunt for Santa and explosive experiments by the Crazy Elf! Several more events, fair, concerts and markets are expected – check their social media once the calendar flips to December.

JOIN THE CLUB Debuting in February, frequent visitors can now register to join the Norblin Factory Club, an app that will give members access to exclusive offers, promotions and discounts. Free to download, it’s been designed with guests, tenants and suppliers in mind.

WARS SAWA JUNIOR Marszałkowska 104/122, warssawajunior.pl

Standing all but in the shadow of the Palace of Culture, WARS SAWA JUNIOR cuts a familiar sight to all. Conveniently connected by tram, bus, metro and even bicycle and scooter, today it presents the slick and shining face of modern Warsaw. But then, WARS SAWA JUNIOR has always been at the forefront of Warsaw retail. Opened as one of the first shopping centres in Poland, to this day it enjoys unflagging popularity and has again been embraced by the Warsaw public following an ambitious revival that has bordered on reinvention. TO DO Shopping is the name of the game with highlights including the largest adidas store in Poland as well as the only Uniqlo in the country. Other brands and stores present include Mango, Rituals, Zara, TK Maxx and H&M. On the food front, the central location of WARS SAWA JUNIOR also benefits visitors – consider the city your salon with dozens of restaurants of every price and persuasion found within a few minutes’ walk. Beyond the latest in high street fashion, it is the community angle of WARS SAWA JUNIOR that particularly stands out. Expect a host of events lined up for December, including their ever-popular chocolate festival.

Did Someone Say Chocolate? That’s right. From November 30th to December 3rd head to the pedestrian passage running behind to enjoy five days of chocolate stalls and workshops. Attracting artisan producers from across Poland, it’s become one of the highlights of the Christmas season.

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CENTRUM PRASKIE KONESER Pl. Konesera, koneser.eu

In December Koneser’s Christmas timetable had not been revealed at press time, but past experience all but guarantees an ice rink in the plaza as well as a weekly roster of indoor markets in the lead-up to the big day. Traditionally, that’s meant ‘a fair of beautiful things’ for highly personal curios for home, as well as pet fairs and children’s markets. Keep an eye on their social media streams for further details.

ESSENTIAL GIFTS Probiernia Urbanowicz The most intriguing alcohol store in Warsaw awards the bottles the same reverence as Faberge eggs. Gleaming from the display shelves, the craft, small-batch alcohols present the very best of artisanal Poland with bottles to suit every occasion. They make not just for ideal gifts, but also the perfect companion for cosy evenings at your dzialka retreat.

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

OVERVIEW Reopened in 2018 as a mixed-use project containing cultural sites, F&B outlets, A Class offices and loft-style apartments, no other investment has had a bigger impact on Praga’s overdue regeneration than Koneser. Culturally, it’s also done much thanks to the Polish Vodka Museum, the Museum of Fantastic Art and temporary exhibitions such as Banksy in 2021. For most though, the F&B lineup is the strongest attraction of all and this includes upmarket Indian from Bombaj Malasa, the casual eatery Spółdzielnia and the real feather in the cap, the Koneser Grill – a sophisticated, meat-centric venue belonging to the creators of A Class eateries such as Rozbrat 20 and Butchery & Wine.

HALA KOSZYKI

ul. Koszykowa 63, koszyki.com Considered the grande dame of food halls, the brick and wrought iron interiors of this spot look beautiful with the F&B offer split between standalone restaurants such as the fancy Warszawski Sen to vendors like the fist-bumping, burrito boys at Gringo. For craft beer and grilled sausages then

Kiełba w Gębie don’t put a foot wrong, whilst the open-allhours ĆMA is a legend in its own lifetime. For Christmas, Koszyki should have a market up and running outside, as well as weekend craft fairs as per usual. Pencil in the 17th for Xmas carols at 4 p.m.

ELEKTROWNIA POWIŚLE

ul. Dobra 42, elektrowniapowisle.com Initially completed in 1904 to serve as Warsaw’s primary source of electricity, Elektrownia’s blended approach includes an exclusive top floor beauty hall filled with cutting edge beauty solutions and a retail offer than tends to shirk the mainstream to instead slant in on contemporary Polish design, upscale vintage, niche brands and

established local talent. The food and drink has also been a major plus, with most attention going to a food hall that appears in a sea of neon. December 9th and 10th will see an art fair whilst the following weekend has been reserved for Jestem Slow, a now legendary gift market featuring a range of carefully crafted goodies.

BROWARY WARSZAWSKIE

Grzybowska 58, browarywarszawskie.com.pl Utilising elements of a historic brewery and setting them against an upmarket backdrop of freshly mapped streets and immaculate new build that feels contextually suited to the district, Features include a premium food hall, Robert

Lewandowski’s Nine’s sports bar, the ever-popular Balkan eatery Munja, and Baila – a stunning live entertainment emporium. But our favourite enclave of all? The flagship brewpub known as Browar Warszawski.

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEVIN DEMARIA

ALL YOU NEED IS LOAF Bułka z Chlebem, where the simple joy of stepping inside this Saska Kępa bakery is enough to warm the soul.

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Review

Bułka z Chlebem Walecznych 5

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEVIN DEMARIA

iving at the end of Walecznych, a leafy side street that typifies the sedate, neighbourly nature of Saska Kępa, Bułka z Chlebem might lack the comprehensive choice offered by some artisanal bakeries, but just stepping inside is enough to warm the soul. Bathed in light, this space has a simple yet homely style accented by its pre-war floor tiles and wooden counters. Sacks of flour lie scattered around, positioned next to shelves modestly stocked with jars of local honey and freshly pressed juice. It is their bread, though, that has won them a hardcore following of devoted fans. Long-fermented wheat and rye sourdough is their signature, and this rustic loaf has all the attributes of greatness. Fittingly, this local glory is called the Saska Kępa. However, look beyond this best-seller and try the fluffy Chmurka (‘Cloud’) or the Miso bread – so rich is it in flavour, you’re happy to devour it just on its own. Pillowy soft Challah is another reason to visit, though also look for the daily selection of sweet rolls. Already feeling like an integral part of the community, it is a bakery that makes life feel better. But get there early – something of an In The Know open secret, choice diminishes as the hours tick by.

CH CH

years

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LEATHER GOODS | GENUINE LEATHER | HANDCRAFTED IN POLAND

www.cholewinski.com

Review

TURN ON FOR KLONN

phenomenon such as KLONN arises when evolved forces come together. Here, that means a talented team of chefs and sommeliers, as well as the owner, Miroslaw Nizio of the acclaimed Nizo Design architectural studio. The picturesque scenery of Ujazdowski Castle in central Warsaw plays alongside the refined elegance and minimalist design of KLONN, as do it its assembled antiques and Baroque art. Using the finest seasonal ingredients sourced from local producers and the

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

best importers, the attention to detail is evident in dishes such as octopus with spaghetti, mussels and nduja. KLONN’s sommeliers will also guide guests through a wine selection that includes several natural labels. In KLONN, enjoy a place where nature, design, hospitality and fine food align perfectly together to make it a special place for parties, business meetings, and time well-spent with loved ones… Brought to you by KLONN

ul. Jazdów 1B, klonn.pl

PHOTOGRAPHS THIS PAGEBY COURTESY OF KLONN, OPPOSITE PAGE BY KEVIN DEMARIA

A venue where the stars align for the perfect experience…

First Bite

SOUTHERN COMFORT bulbs and floor-to-ceiling windows. The design doesn’t go much further than some potted plants and a wall mural of an Indian deity.

tastes of Southern India, standout dishes include the chicken pepper fry starter and, for mains, the chettinad – a curry thick with the tastes of chilli, coconut, ginger and garlic. Further underscoring the authenticity, the laminated menu holds a host of other best-sellers, for instance the doughnut-style lentil vada and a wide range of pancake-style dosas.

THE CROWD

INSIDE TIP

Specialising in the tastes of South India, let Coconut become the flavour of your month… BACKGROUND

Who doesn’t love a restaurant with a story. Created by an Indian-Ukrainian couple, Ashwin and Alina, the idea behind Coconut started life whilst the pair were working in the corporate world. Missing the tastes of his home, Ashwin began cooking up delicacies from his hometown of Bengaluru and delivering them to those on his WhatsApp group. As word began to spread, the need for a bricks-and-mortar address became all the more pressing. Opened last year, this restaurant is the result.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEVIN DEMARIA

THE PLACE

Sat a dart’s throw from Płocka metro station, you don’t need a pair of eyes to find Coconut, just a keen sense of smell – drawn in by the rich, pungent aroma, enter to discover a small-ish space that’s a little bare bones in its aesthetics: tiled floors, a stone-clad bar, Edison light

It’s not the interior you notice, but the people. Visit in the evening and you’ll find it buzzing with Indian custom. Whereas the Western expats tend to gravitate towards more premium eateries for their Indian fix – such as Guru or Bombaj Masala – the Indians themselves flock here. A good sign, surely.

ON THE MENU

Warsaw now has a jillion Indian restaurants, but few that feel truly unique – generic mediocrity has taken over. Coconut buckles this trend to provide a truly one-off menu without even a naan bread in sight. Dedicating itself to the

The menu is far-removed from Warsaw’s standardised take on Indian food. Lacking familiar favourites such as Madras, vindaloo or butter chicken, this place reveals a completely different side to Indian cooking. As such, for a smooth introduction then ‘the south Indian meal’ is a smart choice: order that and you’ll receive a poori, coconut chutney, sprout salad, potato masala, a sambar vegetable curry and a tamarin rasam curry among other bits and pieces.

Coconut

Płocka 17, coconut-restaurantcafe.eatbu.com

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Review

Course II

The Secrets of Wine

Have A Red & White Christmas

Marketed at wine lovers, connoisseurs and lovers of the good life, dobrewina.pl’s wine workshops are the perfect solution for company integrations, family celebrations or gatherings with friends – ideal, therefore, for the …and in the new year…

ABOUT DOBREWINA.PL Launched in 2001 by Peter Pulawski, Dobrawina.pl have since earned a reputation as one of Poland’s premier wine suppliers. More than just an online business, however, their HQ in a restored former stable makes for an atmospheric backdrop for tasting sessions conducted amid ultra modern equipment that guarantees the optimal light and temperature levels needed for tastings. dobrewina.pl

Wyczółki 46, dobrewina.pl

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

Program: aside from the points covered in the ABC course, this 3.5-hour session explores rules for pairing wine with food, looks at how to make sense of bottle labels and delves into secrets of wine production. Guests can choose from three flavour paths that cover white wines, red or regional wines. Price: PLN 240 per person in a group of eleven (full amount: PLN 2,640) Course III

World Classics

Program: answers the questions what wine is, how it’s made and how and where it’s grown. On this two-hour course, participants will also learn the vocabulary of the Aroma Circle, will learn how to recognise different tipples by their taste and smell, and the basics of wine etiquette – how to open a bottle, storing it, serving, etc.

Program: on top of the elements offered in the above courses, this four-hour premium experience will also expand your knowledge of orange wines, vegan, eco, organic and biodynamic wines whilst further looking at the most famous appellation systems and wine regions in Europe and beyond. Flavour paths that groups can pick from include ‘bubbles’, whites from France, wines from different regions of either France or Italy, or a deep dive into a specific region, such as, for insance, Chablis, Burgundy, Rhone, Bordeaux, Tuscany, Piemonte, Veneto or Puglia.

Price: PLN 165 per person in a group of eleven (full amount: PLN 1,815 gross)

Price: PLN 300 per person in a group of eleven (full amount: PLN 3,300).

Course I

The ABC of Wine

Review Fire Up For Winter

On a glum December day, give your cooking a bang with the sauces of Składniki…

ONE IN A MILLION Sun Burn by Swet

“My favourite sauce,” says Michał, and you’ll soon see why. Combining ripe mango with ginger, habanero peppers, garlic, organic lime and hand-crushed spices, trust this complex, made in Belgium condiment to add pep to your step. The equivalent of a hot, summery kiss, you won’t find it anywhere else in Poland.

MUST HAVE

Assorted seasonings by Pepper Quest “This brand is the idea of a lovely Stockholm-based couple, Elsa and Adrian,” says Michał. “Their goal is to present only the best quality, single origin spices and we just love the fragrance, freshness and intensity of the flavours.” Laab Muang, a spicy blend from Northern Thailand comes personally recommended by Michał, as does Batak. “That’s an Indonesian relative of the Sichuan pepper. It's floral, deep, zesty. Very special!”

INSIDER TIP

Smoky Chilli Oil by White Mausu

PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEVIN DEMARIA

WHAT IS IT?

Tucked inside one of the Stalinist edifices on upcoming Andersa, Składniki was opened in 2021 after the owner, Michał, spotted a gap in the market. “I wanted to present the kind of Asian ingredients I couldn’t find in other stores,” he says. “Soon enough I realised that there were plenty of quality ingredients in Poland, yet nobody had thought of importing them to Poland. We gave it a go, and it’s turned out pretty well!” Small as the footprint might be, this small store packs a big punch with its specialties running to hot sauces, organic miso pastes, hard-to-find spices and rare peppers. “You name it,” says Michał. A diamond in the rough, this spot – and its online platform – is already being fasttracked into legend.

Founded in Ireland by Kate Sanderson, the White Masau label seeks to recapture the tastes she enjoyed during a childhood spent in Hong Kong. This Smoky Chili Oil takes a leap in that direction. Triple-infused and well-seasoned with tamari sauce, sesame oil, garlic and agave syrup, it’s base around various chilli pepper including smoky chipotle morita. “It’s one of those that’s suited to just about everything,” says Michał.

Składniki

Andersa 31, skladnikisklep.com.pl

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Review

BREAKING THE MOULD COORDINATES

Point your compass towards Stalowa, a street that in many ways encapsulates the spirit of Praga. Dark and shabby as it may appear at first glance, it’s also got plenty of that rebel art vibe that makes this district famous. Look deeper than the

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

potholed roads, shuttered storefronts and battered facades and visitors will discover an area like no other. Smuggled amid the cracks and smears are a bundle of indy galleries, outbreaks of street art, cool thrift stores and alternative hangouts. Especially famed for the Stalowa ‘art-hotel’

and the Ranno artisanal bakery, these are good neighbours for Trójka Kielichów to count on.

PHYSICAL ATTRACTIONS

At night, this pint-sized venue is enveloped in the soft glow of indigo-tinted lights and flickering flames that dance from the pre-

PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEVIN DEMARIA

Out of the pandemic came the blandemic – but with bars and restaurants still content to play it safe, along come Trójka Kielichów with something completely unexpected…

Trójka Kielichów Stalowa 38 / 2

war candlesticks that sit on the reflective metal tables. Modest in size, it’s both scruffy but theatrically hip. On pre-war floor tiles, crates of fresh produce rest awaiting their date with an open kitchen occupying a narrow space behind a silvery bar. With its unpainted concrete, vases of flowers, clattering door and screechy classroom chairs, it feels fashionably unfinished, a fact not lost on the people that come here. And what a diverse bunch that is: presenting the face of modern Warsaw, find off-duty DJs, neighbourhood activists, maverick fashionista and other people on the frontline of hip. Cool as the vibe is, it’s an inclusive space where all walks of life feel comfortable and welcomed.

THE FOOD & DRINK

Trójka Kielichów defies classification – is it a café? A restaurant? Wine bar? Cocktail den? The truth is, it’s all of these yet none. Something of a hybrid hangout, this utterly unique space is best described as a random agglomeration of different ideas… all of which somehow work to complement each other. Open from morning, gears switch upwards as dusk moves in. It’s then that specialty coffee is switched in favour of bio wines sourced from Natural Rascal and house cocktails such as the Praga Libre. Served in a goblet befitting of an Arthu-

rian banquet, it’s a beautiful mix of kvass, dark rum and Thomas Henry tonic. The Barbie Spritz (Aperol, bubbly, wild strawberry, lemon and passion fruit), meanwhile, is perfect for girl gang moments, though for something totally extraordinary then it’s the Pamela that wins the biggestpraise – think dark rum, Mezcal, mango, grapefruit soda and a few other ingredients. Food-wise, it’s similarly inventive. Short and to the point, the menu includes Turkish pochette eggs walloped into a bowl of golden chili butter, mint, coriander and spicy bits and bobs. You might be full, but when you’re enjoying yourself this much it’s implausible to leave without sampling the apple crumpets. More like giant donuts, these good guys come with dollops of country cream, maple syrup and blackcurrant jam.

FINAL WORD

Totally abstract in its thinking and philosophy, Trójka Kielichów feels like the freshest concept Warsaw’s had for years. At a time when restauranteurs are sticking to tried-and-tested formulas (and hey, we don’t blame them), this banger of a venue has ripped up the rules and followed instinct instead – and it shows. This off-the-cuff approach imbues Trójka Kielichów with a sense of experimentalist fun. Revelling in this laissez-faire environment, the tight team here have created something special. warsawinsider.pl

The

Buzz Discover the best culinary experiences in town with The Buzz! We have scoured the city to bring you the hottest restaurants, bars, and cafes. From trendy hotspots to hidden gems, our reviews will guide you to gastronomic bliss.

OLD TOWN PINTS

THE MICHELIN STAR Nuta Pl. Trzech Krzyży 10/14

Andrea Camastra’s restaurant is a magical enclave in which time stands still. Mixing his famed scientific techniques with artisanal processes, his tasting menu is expressive in its aesthetics and flavour, as if it were an extension of his own firecracker character. Even the cheeseboard is a mind-bender – on our April visit, jaws hit the floor as this arrived in the liquified form of a pear consommé topped with warm gorgonzola foam. A bold, world-class adventure, no other restaurant offers such a ride – a second Michelin star seems guaranteed.

FORMAL & EXTRAORDINARY Epoka Ossolińskich 3

Nineteenth century cornices and baroque drapes lend an enveloping sense of luxury to this A-Class space. Epoka’s menu is based on Polish cookbooks from different epochs, with the dishes reconstructed in a way that’s innovative, unexpected and a roller coaster of thrills. La Liste officially rank it among the world’s Top 100 Restaurants.

EXQUISITE Nolita Wilcza 46

PHOTOGRAPH BY ED WIGHT

Same Krafty & Same Krafty Vis-a-Vis Nowomiejska 10

Jammed between the Barbican gateway and the Rynek, Same Krafty’s pair of Old Town drinkeries face opposite each other to offer their own mini-pub crawl. Appearing as raucous and rugged tavern-like bars, the experimental craft beers are a league ahead of the mainstream fizz peddled by the other nearby bars.

Winning our 2022 award last year for ‘Outstanding Achievement’, chef Jacek Grochowina’s enclave of class looks dashing with its monochrome colours and muted gunmetal shades, but it’s the food that has made it the place Warsaw heads to live the life of the 1%. Treasuring detail and finesse, Nolita demonstrates fine dining hasn’t died.

ECLECTIC & UPMARKET Dyletanci Koszykowa 47

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The Buzz Subtle and stylish with its muted, neutral colours and pops of art, amid the light woods and sky-coloured walls, the assembled fine wines have been selected to dance in tandem with the cooking of Rafał Hreczaniuk. His cooking is elegant, eclectic and never short on sensational taste.

FOR THE TASTING MENU Rozbrat 20 Rozbrat 20

Fusing upmarket, casual styling with an exciting wine list, interactive service and the kind of atmosphere you can’t get enough of, Rozbrat 20 is a Warsaw gastro landmark. Under chef Bartosz Szymczak, the frequently changing menu has a real playful inventiveness to it.

DATE NIGHT

Ale Wino Mokotowska 48

Regularly adjusted to utilize the best items the season has to offer, the menu is a triumph of expertly balanced tastes and is admired for some of the most interesting cooking in the city – think elegant with a localized twist. Rounding out the experience is an intimate, labyrinthine design that’s ideal for when it’s cold and grim, and a decked courtyard terrace for when it’s not.

NEW WAVE

hub.praga Jagiellońska 22

Heading the kitchen is Witek Iwański, a chef whose past accolades include our very own ‘Top Talent’ title at our Best of Warsaw awards. The tan, beige and white interior is embellished with moon-shaped mirrors and statement art, and is twinned with tiny a’la carte courses that appear like miniaturised works of art.

CASUAL SCENE Bibenda

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

Nowogrodzka 10

With no reservations accepted, Bibenda’s enduring popularity ensures that queues often build at the entrance – even at the height of the Polish winter. Augmenting the warm interiors of raw red brick and dim yellow lighting, guests flock for a menu that celebrates the fields, forests and farmsteads of Poland. Though not strictly vegetarian, meat is a rare find with the focus now shifted on eclectic combinations of freshly plucked goodies – e.g. crispy mushrooms and scallions with fermented garlic chili honey and peanut chili crisps.

ALL-ROUNDER

Browar Warszawski Haberbuscha i Schielego 2

Breeze blocks, exposed metal girders, hovering steel lights and concrete surfaces inject a strong industrial aesthetic into the visuals, but these are softened by a proliferation of warming touches such as tiny antique details. While most visit for the house-brewed beer, the upscale gastro-pub menu has many moments of excellence.

WINE & FOOD Kontakt Sandomierska 13

Weaknesses do not exist in Kontakt, and if they do, they have yet to be identified. Glorious in its deep shades of blue, the 400strong wine list is a deep dive into the extraordinary. Slanted towards natural, bio-dynamic and organic wines, the five-star experience is aided by wonderful food.

THE NEED TO KNOW The Eatery Koszykowa 49A

This attractive off-street space comes swathed in white-on-white colours – blissfully cocooned from the outside world, and decorated orb-like installations, this chic but casual space gives Polish food a modernised translation. Visiting

for our May issue, we were bowled over by the pork cheeks served with a punchy demi-glace and whirls of liquified peas and red cabbage.

NEW POLISH Źródło

Targowa 81 Hardwood floors, exposed pipes and a flurry of plants equip an open area decorated with blasts of contemporary art, recycled furnishings and extravagant light installations. Menu-wise, the food lights the soul. But more than just celebrating the power of local produce, there’s a refinement at play that speaks of a kitchen team that aims for magnificence.

POLAND REIMAGINED Bez Gwiazdek Wiślana 8

Regarded as one of Warsaw’s gastronomic treasures, each month sees Robert Trzópek design a tasting menu inspired by a specific region of Poland. His creative interpretations of the nation’s culinary traditions are delicate, nuanced and beautifully balanced. The chic but casual setting reflects the philosophy.

WELCOME TO POLAND Polana Smaków E. Plater 14

Few chefs do a better job than Andrzej Polan when it comes to making herring sexy, but his skills go far beyond that alone. Offering a unique take on Polish classics, his food is seasonal and sophisticated yet reassuringly simple. The look blurs the line between tradition country cottage and modern, slick abode and feels especially welcoming in the winter.

POLISH SLOW FOOD Zielony Niedźwiedź Smolna 4

Surrounded by darting squirrels and frosted foliage, the park

location feels spiritually aligned with the Green Bear’s devotion to celebrating nature. Paying homage to seasonality and tradition, the flavours are big and the tastes are true inside this sanctuary of elegant fancy.

CLASSIC POLISH Różana Chocimska 7

An oldie but a goldie! With the house pianist tinkling in the background, just being here feels special. For formal, almost ceremonial occasions, Różana evokes the noble spirit of Old Poland with its upmarket menu and sense of tradition.

TRENDING POLISH Pod Gigantami Ujazdowskie 24

Once seen as a classic restaurant for ‘old people’, Pod Gigantami’s reinvention stretches to 3 a.m. finishes come the weekend. Marrying heritage with hip, during more normal hours enjoy thoughtfully cooked Polish classics including an old school schabowy the size of a small planet.

Baken feels like a merger between the chic streets of Paris and the cosy corners of Copenhagen, with its delectable breads and inviting atmosphere hinting at French and Danish charm. The energy is conducted through an open kitchen and expressed by handsome staff clad in white t-shirts. The scrambled eggs from the happy hens of Rozwienica are a must – so too are plum Crêpes Suzette.

STAR SUSHI Noriko Mińska 45

With just eight seats and one sitting per day, reservations are mandatory. Priced PLN 750 per head, the cost mirrors what many are calling the most exceptional sushi experience the country has ever seen.

AFRICAN FEAST Queen Sheba

Nova Wola

POLAND FOR INSIDERS Źródło Targowa 81

The interior is a jumble of exposed pipes, flurries of greenery, hardwood floors, recycled furnishings and colourful Boho bits and bobs. Menu-wise, the food lights the soul. But more than just celebrating the power of local produce, there’s a refinement at play that speaks of a kitchen team that aims for magnificence. In October, that meant pumpkin with goat milk feta and ‘golden raisins’, and a star turn from a beef rib with pickled plums and a pair of steamed buns.

BREAD & BREAKFASTS Baken Żurawia 6/12

AUTHENTIC POLISH CUISINE Rondo Daszyńskiego 2 , Warsaw +48 22 377 38 01 novawola@ihg.com novawola.com

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The Buzz Jana Pawła II 45A

This cramped, little nook presents itself in a cheerful manner, decorated as it is with chunky woods and Ethiopian flags, fabrics and assorted trinkets – it is the food though that is the principal standout, with occasionally hot and peppery meats served on teff-based injera bread (think of a giant pancake) and then scooped up by hand.

NEIGHBOURHOOD GREEK Mr. Greek Souvlaki Londyńska 16

Festooned with potted shrubs, the outdoor wooden deck is one of Saska’s finest outdoor check-ins. If that’s packed – and it often is – head inside where an atmosphere of gentle chaos reigns in the noisy open kitchen. Eschewing warmth and authenticity, the atmosphere fits we;; with the meaty skewers.

RED HOT INDIAN Guru Widok 8

From the openers, the chili chicken fry stands out as a dish that’s all snap and crackle, while of the mains the tikka masala is exceptional in taste. And when you want to take the nuclear option, sign the disclaimer before being flattened by the phaal – it’s Poland’s hottest curry!

TEX-MEX TASTES

Blue Cactus Elektrownia Powiśle & Fabryka Norblin

They say legends never die, and so it’s proved with the return of this institution. Though contemporary in its styling, nods to the past are plentiful and include such elements as the original chairs. It vibes well but it eats even better – the tacos and burritos never disappoint.

MEXICAN MAGIC Santa Catrina

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

Radna 14

Decorated in a jaunty Day of the Dead style, the tacos (and salsas!) of Isabel Balderas are legendary. The number of expat Mexicans that eat here are the ultimate testament to her prowess.

TIME FOR THAI Ahaan Unii Lubelskiej 1

Found in a historic tollbooth, Ahaan serve mostly authentic ‘street food’ from northern Thailand – that mean more herbs (ginger and lemongrass) and more earthy flavours than you may expect.

VIETNAMESE TASTE Viet Street Food Bistro Królowej Aldony 5/2

What started as a mere food truck has evolved into a proper sit-down space. The huge bowls of pho are a wise order to make, though our standard in this busy neighbourhood eatery is the fried beef with pineapple and oyster sauce.

PERFECT PIZZA

Pollypizza NEOpolitan Puławska 24

Spliced with a glitzy leopard-shaped pizza cutter, the pies at Polly have attained quite a following ever since this place burst onto the scene. Featuring CBD oil, the Legalize Marinara is indicative of their slightly wacky approach – as too is a design that includes disco balls, cord banquettes, neons and other retro-cool touches.

SEAFOOD ADVENTURES Tuna Elektryczna 2

Resembling the scales of a fish, Tuna’s core decorative element are 18,000 tuna cans that sheathe the walls. Smartly appointed in dark metallic colours, visit for an exhilarating menu that includes salmon jerky, tuna sausages, an elaborately reconstructed dorada

tail and the best-selling chili con tuna. It’s an ecstasy of tastes.

SOUTH AMERICAN FLAIR Ceviche Bar Twarda 4

With Argentine chef Martin Gimenez Castro injecting his passion and personality into the venue, this is an address that punches through the greyness of everyday Warsaw. Ceviche is naturally the default order, and here its served in around five different forms. The happening, cosmopolitan ambience is reflected by sublime cocktails.

HARDCORE CARNIVORE Mięsny Walecznych 64

To some, it’s the best butcher for miles. To others, the greatest informal restaurant that Warsaw’s ever had. The truth is, Mięsny is actually both: where the latter is concerned, their steaks have no peer. For the budget-minded, the daily-changing lunch deal often hits perfect marks.

THE UNEXPECTED MOD Oleandrów 8

Devised by Trisno Hamid, a Singaporean chef with a classic French background, glories include Angus beef rump steak served with tahini mashed potatoes and a big thump of chili and fig relish. Adding to the sense of being somewhere current, find an interior featuring a retro mirrored wall, upside down plants and busy tables filled with new media types.

INSTA FAVE

Happa To Mame Hoża 43/49

Don’t look for a sign, rather for the queue that wraps its way around the corner. Specialising in matcha teas, the menu also include dango rice balls and daifuku mochi filled with seasonal delicacies. Split in

two rooms, the one that gets the most attention touts illuminated mesh-wired installations that hang like clouds.

A VEGAN THRILLER Dziki Królik Rzeczypospolitej 2A

The four-table intimacy of this timber-encased room charms immediately, and is accented by a neon pink flamingo, fragranced candles, and a discreet pile of books such as Emily Hanson’s Modern Rustic. Head chef Magdalena Kurowicka’s involves Warsaw’s best tacos and more fine-handed concoctions that are veganized with love – for example, soy meat bourguignon.

AFTER-WORK BEERS

CITY CENTRE VEGAN

Jabeerwocky Nowogrodzka 12

Peaches Gastro Girls Mokotowska 58

There’s jillions of vegan competitors sharing the same postcode, but no-one pulls it off like Peaches. Touting a cool, scuffed courtyard and radical orange interiors, the Portobello tacos are a Mexican love letter while the wontons deserve their own gold medal.

VEGAN BRUNCH Lychees Bielańska 1

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“the best noodles in the world!” They’re definitely memorable, and the spicy miso ramen will for sure convert those suspicious of this claim. Enjoy them in a trio of casual eateries each touting their own urban style.

From the creators of Peaches comes this brill brunch spot. Design-wise, the pair’s taste for cool is unmissable and surmised by a wall of glazed ceramic tiles from Holland’s GBD.studio. The experimental dishes include a great congee served with cashew butter glazed in muscovado, salsa macha, salty angel wings, roasted shallot, and a topping of roasted soybean sprinkles.

VEGAN NOODLES

Vegan Ramen Shop Finlandzka 12 / Jana Pawła II 52/54 / Kazimierzowska 43

We’ve heard some describe Vegan Ramen Shop as serving

Cuda Na Kiju Nowy Świat 6/12

Slotted inside a glass prism hidden within the megastructure that once housed the Communist Party headquarters, this contemporary-minded space (15 taps, pinball machines and a super-cool spirally staircase) is capable of drawing hundreds when the sun comes out.

BEER GEEKS

Good old Jabbers will never let you down. A Warsaw institution, the adventurous choice of beers gives nods to international pioneers, domestic talents as well as their own house beers. Pre-war floors and the welcome smell of spillage give it a great atmosphere that becomes a boisterous babble of international voices the later it gets. For something quieter, take your pint next door to their sister bar, Jabeerwocky Junior.

POLISH SUPER BREWS Pinta Chmielna 7/9

Bearing the hallmarks of the previous tenant (Mikkeller), the minimal but primrose-coloured Scandi-design keeps the attention on the beer which comes, mainly, from the namesake brewery. Considered the founding fathers of Poland’s craft adventure, the beers are brilliant and fairly priced.

THE HEART OF POLSKI CRAFT Kufle i Kapsle Nowogrodzka 25

Respectful of the building’s pre-war

heritage, the brick interiors are thick with noise, clamour and the reassuring smells of last year’s party. On colder nights, make your way to the back to discover an intimate space sprinkled with vintage armchairs and wonky old lamps set at a natural tilt. The beers are among the most radical in Warsaw.

NATURAL WINES Rascal Moliera 6

Reputedly Europe’s largest bar specialising in natural wines, this former canteen for ballet dancers is one of the hottest addresses in town – a point not lost on the Vogue staffers encamped here. Crowned with a veneered, marble-topped bar, the interior is a chic work that’s outdone only by the Insta-friendly garden.

LOCAL WINES

Brać Sierakowskiego 4A

Focused on highlighting the wines of Poland, this alone says much for the boldness of their concept. As resistant as traditionalists may be to the very notion of Polish wine, Brać rip-up the rule book to present on-edge sips from niche producers you’ve probably never heard of. Bathed in a rich, red neon glow at night, it looks pretty divine as well – chic and stylish but with hints of retro flair.

CASUAL WINEY EVENINGS Niewinność Zgoda 5

Completely lacking in that frosty formality that defines many wine spots, the welcome here has more in line with entering your favourite local bar. Casual and comfy but never short of chic, it looks more like a trendy loft apartment with its communal table, poster art and zaps of neon.

FRIDAY HIT warsawinsider.pl

The Buzz Grace Drink Bar Krucza 16/22

Named in honour of Grace Jones, the choice of hero says much about a place that devotes itself to celebrating the glam excess of 80s New York. Rooms include one that’s all bordello style colours and velvety finishes, and another that’s high on plush purple, glass and mirrors. Fuelling the party, are classic cocktails, kamikaze shots and kitschy yesteryear hits.

SPEAKEASY COCKTAILS El Koktel Wojciecha Górskiego 9

For many no-one does it better. The ‘ring the bell’ entry process lends a speakeasy feel that’s accented by a small interior faintly illuminated by dozens of bare bulbs. Peer through this midnight discover for a lesson in mixology – the cocktails are international class and often break boundaries with their taste and presentation.

WORLD CLASS COCKTAILS Lane’s Gin Bar Krakowskie Przedmieście 42/44 (Bristol Hotel)

Presenting itself in a palette of peachy-pink colours that exude a stylish warmth, there’s no shortage of brass, glass, stone and satin, and the perfect proportions and floaty ambience make it intimate enough to feel like a private members club. That sense of personalization peaks when seated at a bar that presents a motherlode of glimmering bottles set against a mosaic that gently riffs on the building’s Art Nouveau and Art Deco heritage. Gin-based sips are the specialty, but everything else is perfect as well.

FUN-FLIRTY NIGHTS Reginabar Koszykowa 1

A wacky amalgam of New York’s Little Italy and China Town next door. The menu rocks, but find it

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

augmented by a dynamic cocktail list that reflects the crazy things happening in Warsaw’s world of drinks. Lap these up in an interior that joins the retro with the avant garde: just check out that glittery disco ball.

CREATIVE COCKTAILS Ave Pegaz Piłsudskiego 9

Inside a lively interior that doesn’t take itself too seriously (check the ‘ceiling garden’), swivel about to gawk at a mighty collection of corkscrews and drinking implements. In this alchemist’s workshop find yourself enjoying some of the most creative cocktails in Warsaw.

RETRO HIP

Paloma Inn Poznańska 21

Inspired by The Jetsons, the moon landings and the atom, Paloma Inn is a groovy blast of lunar lines, pea green colour tones and furnishings and fittings that are retro-futuristic. The experience is compounded by easy listening muzak, 70s menu faves like fondue and mega fun cocktails.

VENETIAN ALLURE Va Bene Cicchetti Waryńskiego 9C

Rich in golds and operatic reds, the stylish Venetian theme includes table legs painted in gondola stripes and a signature mural made from mirrored shards. Drinks are works of art. Tailored around Italian ingredients, these include six interpretations of the negroni and a concise rollcall of Prosecco and Martini-based drinks.

CLASSY BOURBON Aura Hoża 27

Tiny as it is, Aura’s Moroccan-style design is mysterious and engaging – promoting the heavy use of swivelly chrome stools and Persian

rugs, the heavy hint of retro glam is balanced out by a crowd that strays into the head-turning category. Making them a real one-off is an exhaustive collection of bourbons.

THE ATMOSPHERE

Beirut & Kraken Poznańska 12

Somewhere, amid all the junk relating to the Lebanese conflict (sandbags, ammo boxes…), you’ll find the spirit of Poznańska contained within this long, skinny bar. As fashionable now as it was when it opened, finish the evening in their connecting venture, the Pirates of the Caribbean-style Kraken. Evenings dissolve into a wild, happy whirl of international voices.

INSIDER CLASSIC Pardon To Tu Al. Armii Ludowej 14

Despite the upgrade in surrounds, they’ve retained the leftfield spirit of their old haunt thanks to flexi hours, a commitment to obscure sounds, and a well-spaced interior that references their former venue through its decadent colour scheme and wall of favoured musicians. The air of friendly, unforced cool is unmatched!

FOR THE MUSIC Młodsza Siostra

Dobra 14/16 Known for his ear for upcoming talent, the owner Michał isn’t averse to taking risks in order to broaden Warsaw’s musical palate. The scrappy backdrop of bike repair garages give a vibe redolent of the shadowy courtyards of Berlin and Budapest, whilst inside it’s all creaking floorboards, mismatched furnishings and a clientele sourced from the local Academy of Fine Arts.

A BIT OF EVERYTHING Foton Wilcza 9A

You know it’s been an epic weekend when you wake up on Monday knowing that Foton was involved. Conversation with strangers is natural after a few of Foton’s cocktails, and these are enjoyed to a cool backdrop made up of fleet of tumbling plants perched on steel-framed irrigational contraptions.

CULT BAR

Gemba Chmielna 21

Adopting a loose-fitting PRL style, interiors include wood-paneled walls decorated with pics of Pope JPII, sporting pennants and framed artworks from the heyday of the Polish School of Poster. Tricked out with retro wallpaper, the perches by the bar are the most sought, but spillover seating can also be found in a winter garden enclosed by green and scarlet drapes – very David Lynch. Drinks include a broad-minded selection of craft beers, house cocktails and shots.

LATE NIGHTER

Republica San Escobar Poznańska 7

Lacking airs and graces, it’s a place where fun rules the roost. Tiny in size, find an interior filled with corrugated iron sheets, zappy neons, chunky woods and bike pedals on the footrests. The fun-loving spirits is irresistible, and the tight dimensions mean the party often spills onto the terrace outside.

ESSENTIAL CHECK-IN Fabryka Norblina Żelazna 51/53

Without fail, the big winner of 2023 was Norblin – hell, we even saw Kieran Culkin walking through over summer! In terms of nightlife, winners include the elite MOXO and the craft-minded Uwaga. Packed in the evening, the atmosphere is squared out perfectly

by the live music that frequently escapes from the Piano Bar. The Insider fave though remains Piano Bar, a place with fancy cocktails, a 12-foot chandelier and a crowd that errs from late 20s upwards.

STUDENT CARNAGE Nowy Świat ‘Pavilions’ Nowy Świat 26

For the highest condensation of bars in the capital head to ‘the pavilions’, a collection of ramshackle drinking cabins, shot bars and sheesha lairs inside a tight grid of shadowy back alleys. Adding to the gentle sense of confusion comes the realisation that so many bars look the same – accessed through clattery, barred doors, visitors walk into murk and chaos.

WELCOME TO GREECE! For authentic Greek food & hospitality, look no further than Mr. Greek Souvlaki! ul. Londyńska 16 (Saska Kępa)

PRE-CLUB DRINKS Bar Pacyfik Hoża 61

Based upon the kind of Tijuana dive bar you’d have happened upon during the Miami Vice era, Pacyfik is all candy floss pink and shades of teal: a raw-looking den that looks purposefully imperfect. Keeping the hip international crowd on the wrong side of drunk are kick-ass cocktails!

LIVE SPORTS

Shamrock Sports Bar Kurcza 51

At long last, Warsaw has the sports bar it deserves. Zapping in football, rugby and suchlike from around the world (but mainly Britain), this Irish-run spot is an off-shoot of the atmospheric Shamrock Irish Pub on Zgoda. Though a lot smarter than its sister, the raucous sense of fun has carried over – as has the quality Guinness.

ALT. ENTERTAINMENT Worek Kości Bagatela 10

There is nothing ordinary about Worek Kości and that’s underlined

BEST of WA R S AW 2020

Insider Approved: Best of Warsaw WINNER 2020!

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The Buzz by its collection of 400 replica skulls. Known for its burlesque nights, this passionate celebration of the beautiful and bizarre also has a busy roster of lectures dedicated to criminal profiling, forensics and serial killers. Oh, and the cocktails are good.

SHOW TIME! Chaton is where the celebs and top-earners gather to enjoy world class stage performers prance about whilst revelling in the bosom of refined luxury.

a small chamber selling collectors classic vinyl and coffee sourced from some of Europe’s top roasters. Then, smuggled in the back, discover a Nordic-style living room arrangement that encourages afternoons spent sipping coffee whilst catching up on email.

THE PRAGA VIBE

EXPERIMENTAL COFFEE

FOR QUICK ESPRESSO

Craft beers lurk within the fridge, but for the seminal Absurdu experience order a tray of vodka before bulldozing through the crowds that gather to listen to Balkan rock and Afro-Latin bands. Somewhere, hidden deep beneath the creaking antiques and moth-eaten Persian rugs, you might be lucky to find a wood-carved bar.

Owner Uri Wollner is one of the great coffee influencers of Poland, and his seasonally changing menu includes such winners as Aperol espresso in summer and spiced pumpkin latte in the autumn and winter. This passion project is best appreciated if you can snag one of the few armchairs in this tiny locale.

Served over a PRL era counter, Błysk’s super-tight confines generate a natural air of familiarity. Often standing room only, the buzz and hubbub owes itself not just to the delicious espresso shots, but also the homemade cookies and dog-loving owners that will spoil your pet.

W Oparach W Absurdu Ząbkowska 6

NORTHERN NIGHTS Havana Słowackiego 16/18

Set on the first floor of a PRL era tower, the super cool interior offers up a coherent display of retro posters, luscious plants and light wood trimmings that are respectful of this space’s former life as a 1960s cafe. Perched among hip freelancers and theatre types learning their lines, sip away on trendy bio wines, adventurous lemonades, craft swigs or specialty coffee sourced from local roasters.

CLUB OF THE YEAR K-Bar Powiśle Leona Kruczkowskiego

Providing an alternative to the usual Smolna / Luzztro / Jasna 1 scene, the location inside one of the pillars that prop up Poniatowskiego Bridge lends an ‘in the know’ frisson of adventure to your evening. Small, sweaty, raw and intimate, the industrial-style vibe is offset against oriental lanterns and the occasional Korean flag. Music-wise, and evenings promise everything from Italo-rave to techno trance.

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

Chaton Foksal 19

Cophi Hoża 58/60

Błysk Słowackiego 22

COFFEE & CAKE

DESTINATION COFFEE

Looking onto the glorious glass cube that is the POLIN museum, Tonka’s crystal white minimalism rules with the monotone palette given punch by subtle zaps of greenery. The coffee – sourced from the likes of HAYB – is excellent but tastes even better when tested alongside Tonka’s ever-changing line-up of mind-blowing cakes.

There’s two rooms to speak of, and both impress with their tall windows, high ceilings and vintage 60s design. Set inside the Króliarnia palace, it’s laidback and artsy-cool, something aided by the strategically placed plants, chillout beats and rare-find art books placed reverentially on the shelves. Specialty coffee, bio wines, alternative soft drinks and craft beer make it a highly versatile place to finish in after a brisk autumn walk around the palace grounds.

Tonka Karmelicka 16

COFFEE OF LEGEND Stor Tamka 33 / Bracka 18

For many there is no better café anywhere in Poland than Stor’s original on Tamka. When the sunlight slopes in through the window, there are few finer feelings than idling away in this plant festooned refuge. Famed for their glorious coffee and detail-driven approach, recognition should also be handed to their devotion to local causes and zero waste philosophy.

FOR VINYL CHILLOUT Hałas Elsterska 10

Divide Hałas into two sections: first,

Café Pląs Puławska 113A (Królikarnia)

FOR DIGITAL NOMADS Typika Kolejowa 47

Espousing the Japandi style (an amalgam of Japanese and Scandinavian should your brain not be working), Typika’s floor-to-ceiling windows bathe this fashionably stark, split-level space in light no matter the season. Sparingly decorated, the blonde wood furnishings (check the blob-shaped table!) and neon deer further emphasize the natural, refreshing feel.

FOR THE HOLIDAYS

SHUTTERSTOCK

The Christmas pause is no reason to sit on the sofa in front of the screen – for those with families, join us as we pick through the best holiday solutions for quality time…

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Stay Elfie

Ongoing until mid-January, the Great Elf Factory (warszawa. wielkafabrykaelfow.pl) returns to the National Stadium, bringing with it the chance to solve puzzles and overcome educational tasks while under the watchful eye of a team of merry elves. The ensuing adventure isn’t short of bouncy attractions and games played out to a backdrop that evoke the spirit of Santa’s grotto.

FLY SPOT WARSAW

Sleigh It

Dance On Ice

The Old Town’s skating rink in the centre of the Rynek is Warsaw’s most famous – and scenic – plus has the added benefit of closing late and being ringed by stalls selling mulled wine for the grown-ups. Elsewhere though, the rink at Koneser also promises a pleasant backdrop and plenty of post-skating activities and, of course, there’s the rink in front of the Gotham-esque Palace

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

SMART KIDS PLANET of Culture. More will open of course, and we’ll be presenting them online.

and ski and snowboard rental. For details, see: fb.com/gorkaszczesliwicka

All Downhill

Go Tropical

On the first sign of snow out come the sleds. There’s nothing wrong with taking to the nearest slope, but those wanting something more should head to Górka Szczęśliwicka. Found in Park Szczęśliwicki, Warsaw’s highest hill (152-metres) has a 74.9 metre slope with chairlift

Just 45-minutes outside of Warsaw lies Suntago (parkofpoland.com), a family paradise where summer never ends. Europe’s largest water park features 18 pools in all, 32 slides with names like Neon Torpedo, Mad Crocodile and Green Mamba, and different zones

PHOTOGRAPHS THIS PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM RIGHT, KEVIN DEMARIA, SHUTTERSTOCK (2)

DOLL MUSEUM

Covering an area approaching 400 sq/km, take advantage of Warsaw’s proximity to Kampinos National Park to explore the Narnia-like scenery of this wooded reserve by sleigh. Bundled under thick blankets, horse-drawn carriages will take you through fairytale landscapes populated by elk, deer and lynx. Google ‘Kulig Kampinos’ and you’ll find several operators that will help realise this vision. Even better are the ones that conclude rides with an ognisko – a bonfire involving sausages on sticks.

themed around such things as Ancient Egypt and Valhalla. Even the palms have been imported from Florida and Malaysia! Get Dolled Up

For kids, museums are no longer a snorefest to be feared. Warsaw’s A-Class institutions have all been built with younger visitors in mind, and even ones that tackle tough subjects such as POLIN and the Rising Museum will appeal to children. Beyond these cultural celebrities, props go to the Doll House Museum (muzeumdomkow. pl) in the Old Town. Discover

150 doll houses, some of which date back 200-years. Intricate and often meticulously detailed, this miniature world has to be seen to be believed. Around the corner, don’t miss their temporary exhibition dedicated to the toys of the PRL era. For Airheads

Set on the south-west fringes of the city, Fly Spot Warsaw (flyspot.com) have created what is reputed to be one of the modern wind tunnels in the world. Vertical in height, visitors enter a cylindrical object before high-powered ventilators blast

them several meters into the air. Great for both kids and adults, the space age HQ adds to the thrills. Think Smart

One of Norblin Factory’s biggest triumphs has been the way in which it has connected to all ages – at the lower end of the scale, credit for that goes to Smart Kids Planet, a 1,600 sq/m project with nine zones that aim to promote logical thinking, healthy eating, motor functions, perception and creative thinking. For more, see: smartkidsplanet.pl

DECEMBER 10 / 19:00 KLAWO JANUARY 14 / 19:00 RAFAŁ JACKIEWICZ QUARTET

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S THE BIG REVEAL: NOLI STUDIOS DEBUT IN MOKOTÓW

Reimagining the short- and long-term stay, the first Noli Studios in Poland opened in Mokotów on November 1st…

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

tanding to revolutionise the Warsaw market, Noli Studios have launched their first Polish project at Postępu 24, a convenient location allowing for quick access to the city’s key office buildings, the airport and the centre. “This is a completely new quality in the area of short- and long-term accommodation,” says Marta Karteczka, Head of Operations, Serviced Living in Poland. “Guests who decide to stay at Noli Studios will also be able to count on several accompanying services. They will have three studio sizes to choose from: Standard, Medium and Large, which will meet the needs of different people.”

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF NOLI STUDIOS

Core to the values of Noli Studios are pillars of convenience and flexibility. Offering two contract options, guests can choose a flexible stay agreement that is valid for increments of one month that can be extended as circumstance dictates, or short-term stays comparable to booking into a hotel. The difference, promise Noli Studios, lies in comfort. “We want our guests to feel at home at Noli Studios,” says Marta Karteczka We enable them to quickly change their plans and offer maximum convenience in terms of accommodation or cancellation. Thanks to this, we can adapt the form of stay to changes in the professional or personal life of our clients.” Negating the need to plan far in advance or make additional deposits, this is not the only advantage of Noli Studios. Something of a positive lifestyle choice, draws include as much as 580 sq/m of common space to allow guests to integrate and enjoy life. Including a fully-equipped kitchen, dining room, coworking space and gym, other attractions include a roof terrace and cinema room to encourage people to connect in their spare time. Moreover, guests will benefit from a cleaning service, pet-friendly policy and monitoring to ensure safety. Ideal for young graduates taking their first professional steps in the capital, Noli Studios is also an ideal choice for groups, digital nomads, frequent corporate travellers as well as those seeking an alternative to traditional rental options after a sudden life change. Covering the work angle with aplomb, the coworking space at Noli Studios has been designed to aid the creation of interpersonal relationships whilst

“

This is a completely new quality in the area of short- and long-term accommodation...

simultaneously not interfering with the privacy of guests – guests integrate when and if they choose. Guided by Finish principles relating to living, the basis of the Noli Studios concept is built on the assumption that people demand more than just traditional rental. With more and more people looking for flexible hous-

ing options, modern furnished spaces and the opportunity to experience the world shared with other people, Noli Studios fills the blanks by encouraging connection and creativity in a way that traditional hotels fail to do. Noli Studios Postępu 24, nolistudios.pl warsawinsider.pl

learning preschools AMERICAN SCHOOL OF WARSAW

warsaw montessori family

Warsaw Montessori Schools

Students aged 3-5 are encouraged to try new things, ask questions, and take risks in a nurturing environment in which they learn life skills alongside academics. Following the Primary Years Programme (PYP), our young students become caring, active participants in a lifelong journey of learning. Contact admissions@

aswarsaw.org

Accepting applications for our programs and locations: Infant & Toddler Tatrzańska 5a Badowska 19

Casa dei Bambini Badowska 19 Szkolna 16, Hornówek

Elementary Szwoleżerów 4

BRITISH PRIMARY SCHOOL OF WILANOW

A values-driven school offering a world-class education based on the best of British Education. BSW is the first school in Poland to be accredited as Compliant by the Council of British International Schools (COBIS). Based in a purpose built premises in Wilanow BSW is accepting applications from Nursery to Year 9. Please email admissions@

THE CANADIAN SCHOOL OF WARSAW PRESCHOOL

Welcoming students from the ages of 2.5 to 6 years old, currently 45% of their admissions are international students. The dedicated, IB-trained teachers deliver an innovative program (PYP) in English designed for modern world needs. The program offers a combination of Literacy, Maths, Social Studies, Science, Physical Education, Art, Music & Rhythmics, French and Polish classes. ul. Ignacego Krasickiego 53,

tel. 697 979 100, canadian-school.pl

CASA DEI BAMBINI & TODDLER SCHOOL

(multiple locations) Casa dei Bambini and Toddler School 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 early-childhood education in English according to the Montessori philosophy. Registration open to children 12 months to 6 years of age.

bswilanow.org to organise a visit.

ul. Badowska 19, ul. Tatrzańska 5a (Mokotów), ul. Szkolna 16, (Izabelin), tel. 692 099 134, wmf.edu.pl

THE BRITISH SCHOOL WARSAW – EARLY YEARS CENTRE

THE INTERNATIONAL TRILINGUAL SCHOOL OF WARSAW

„Erdkinder” Middle School Tatrzańska 5a

Montessori High School

Pytlasińskiego 13a Contact Office: 692 099 134 office@warsawmontessori.edu.pl

www.wmf.edu.pl 60

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

reklama montessori 1/3_46x206.indd 1

Our Early Years Foundation Stage provides a play-based learning curriculum full of curiosity, wonder and discovery – the perfect springboard into Primary education. ul. Dąbrowskiego 84, tel. 22

646 77 77, thebritishschool.pl

18.12.2018 12:32

Established in 1994, The Trilingual School of Warsaw offers nursery, primary, and pre-school education with an international curriculum for children aged from one to 15. The full immersion trilingual setting allows for the choice between English,

engaging attractions

edutainment zones

Get ready for a fun-packed family day out!

more info & tickets at

www.smartkidsplanet.pl Find us at Warsaw Norblin Factory

Smart Partners:

smartkidsplanet_pl

SmartKidsPlanet

Partners:

Polish, Spanish or Chinese, French or Japanese. Teachers are highly-qualified native speakers from the US, France, Spain, China and Japan.

jnowak@theenglishplayhouse.com

ul. Pływiańska 14a, tel. 22 843 9370, tep.edu.pl

MONTESSORI STEPPING STONES

ul. Nobla 16 (tel. 501 036 637), ul. Karowa 14/16 (tel. 503 072 119), ul. Krolowej Aldony (tel. 533 321 084), office@3languages.pl, itsw.edu.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:

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

ADMISSIONS OPEN EARLY YEARS, PRIMARY, SECONDARY & IB admissions@thebritishschool.pl (0048) 22 842 32 81 ext. 125

thebritishschool.pl

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

(entrance from Rotmistrzowska/ Petyhorska), tel. 531 599 444, mapletreemontessori.pl

An intimate, international, English-speaking preschool located in Powsin that follows the Montessori philosophy which emphasizes the individuality of each child. Children from the ages of 1.5-years-old to 6-years-old are welcome, with the school’s goals aimed at facilitating the individual development of the child, both physical and mental, through a system that is focused on the spontaneous use of the human intellect. ul. Przyczółkowa 140, tel.

728 939 582, montessoristeppingstones.pl

schools

AKADEMEIA HIGH SCHOOL

Akademeia High School is an academically selective international school in Warsaw, offering iGCSEs and A Levels whilst preparing students for the best universities in the world. The staff body consists of alumni of the world’s best universities, whilst facilities at what has become Poland’s most prestigious school include an art studio, auditorium, sports hall and roof garden. ul.

Ledóchowskiej 2, akademeia.edu.pl

AMERICAN SCHOOL OF WARSAW

With over 50 nationalities, ASW has been welcoming students from around the world since 1953. As an IB Continuum school, our students follow the PYP, MYP and DP throughout their learner journey. These programmes develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who are motivated to succeed. They are inspired by our highly qualified and international teaching staff. Students graduate with either the IB diploma or an American high school diploma. All programs are conducted in English, with inte-

Values based Education, Nursery to Year 9 admissions@bswilanow.org ul. Hlonda 12 | Warsaw

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

bsw.com.pl +48 221 220 062

grated EAL support for non-native speakers. Contact: admissions@

aswarsaw.org or 22 702 85 00, ul. Warszawska 202 (Konstancin-Jeziorna), aswarsaw.org

BRITISH PRIMARY SCHOOL OF WILANOW

in her educational philosophy such as: responsibility for one’s own development, care for others, honesty, empathy, and service. The THE BRITISH school continuesSCHOOL to meet the prinWARSAW ciples of Maria Montessori through Delivering an inclusive, rigorous implementing the IB Diploma and high-quality British education Program principles and practices. in a diverse and caring environWarsaw Montessori High School ment, mission ofIBTBS is to balance is an authorized World School academic success with character for the Diploma Programme – code building and well-being. Students Pytlasińskiego 13A, tel. 061201. ul. at The British School Warsaw 787 095 835, wmf.edu.pl learn an internationally respected curriculum, based on the best of British academics. They take pride in their excellent results at both International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) and IGCSE level, which are well above the global average.

shopping experiences

ul. Limanowskiego 15, tel. 22 842 GALERIA PÓŁNOCNA 3281, thebritishschool.pl Białołęka’s first major shopping

center includes stores such as Forever 21, Lagerfeld and Guess. Part of the ‘fourth generation of shopping centers’, add-ons include a 5,000 sq/m rooftop garden and THE PRIMARY someENGLISH of the best kid’s facilities on The English Primary is designed Poland’s retail map. ul. Światowida specifically for children in the 17, galeriapolnocna.pl

primary education just as KLIF HOUSE OFages, FASHION

children experience in England Warsaw’s original luxury shopping but in an international center has a line-up ofcommunity. top boutiques Pupils are taken the & key that include Maxthrough Mara, Paul Shark learning stages so that they canklif.pl ul. Okopowa 58/72, and Pinko. achieve to the best of their ability throughUNII a fun learning experience. PLAC The Core Curriculum One of Warsaw’s latestsubjects mall counts include Jeans, English, Phonics, Science, Armani Liu-Jo and Pandora Mathematics, French, PE and Swimamongst its upmarket tenants. ul. ming, Music, Personal, Social and Puławska 2, placunii.pl Health Education. ul. Rzodkiewki 18, tel. 784 037 MYSIA 3 808, tep.edu.pl

The line-up in this trendy department store includes Scandinavian fashion THE CANADIAN in Cos, a Leica camera shop, Asfalt SCHOOL vinyl store, Japanese fashionOF WARSAW and accessories from Muji and INTERNATIONsunglasses from Gloomy Sunday. AL ELEMENTARY AND After, check into Reginbar for cooling MIDDLE cocktails in SCHOOL a hip atmosphere. ul. Located on two campuses in the Mysia 3, mysia3.pl Mokotów this is the only authorized IB SchoolSAWA with PYP programs taught WARS JUNIOR in Englishlocated, and Polish. French is Centrally perks of Wars taught as a third language. Offers Sawa Junior include Poland’s only a wide and range extra activities, a in Uniqlo theoflargest adidas store summer school, and employs a the country. full time psychologist. Provision is made for additional Polish and WESTFIELD ARKADIA English support. International staff, Not many Polish malls do it better.

cultural andinclude challenging Stores inevents this giant Mango, student initiatives create the perfect Lacoste, Guess, Hilfiger and Peek & Bełska learning environment. Cloppenburg. Al. Jana ul. Pawła II 82, 7, tel. 692 411 573 / 885 420 044, westfield.com secretary@canadian-school.pl or secretary.olimpijska@ WESTFIELD MOKOTÓW canadian-school.pl Stores inc. Calvin Klein, Hollister,

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

VITKAC THE INTERNATIONAL Poland’s first luxury department store TRILINGUAL SCHOOL OF gathers the world’s top designers WARSAW under one roof, with brands including Established in 1994, The Trilingual Alexander McQueen, Louis Vuitton, School of Warsaw offers nursery, Gucci, Stella McCartney, Stone primary, andRick pre-school Island and Owens. education Further with an international curriculum features include a rooftop restaurant. for from one to 15. ul. children Bracka 9,aged vitkac.com The full immersion trilingual setting allows forTARASY the choice between ZŁOTE English, Polish, Spanishas oraChinese, Seen from the outside giant French or Japanese. Teachers are glass bubble, selling points here highly-qualified native speakers include a Multikino cinema, a from the US, France, China of Calypso fitness club,Spain, and a branch and Japan.Rock ul. Nobla (tel. 501 036 the Hard Café.16 Stores include

637), ul. Karowa 503Hugo 072 high-end brands14/16 at Van(tel. Graaf, 119), Krolowej (tel. 533 Boss,ul. Guess and Aldony Victoria’s Secret. 321 084), office@3languages.pl, itsw. Global foods can be found at Kuchnie edu.pl Swiata. ul. Złota 59, zlotetarasy.pl

warsawinsider.pl warsawinsider.pl

65 77

MONNET INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Located in Mokotów, the Monnett is the only school in Poland that implements the International Baccalaureate Program from kindergarten level all the way through to secondary school. The fully-qualified staff are committed to delivering only the highest standards of education.

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

JOY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Treating pupils with mutual respect but not at the expense of being demanding, the methods used are hard on the problem but soft on the person. Taking into account what students think, feel, learn and want for themselves and their world, Joy Primary teaches important life skills as well as respect, care for others, problem solving and co-operation. Here, children are challenged to discover their abilities and competences,

shopping experiences

while encouraged to explore personal strength and autonomy. ul. Syta 131A, tel. 722 305 333, sekretariat@joyprimaryschool.pl

WARSAW MONTESSORI SCHOOL

A leader in the field of Montessori education, well-trained teachers guide students to independent and successful learning with both English and bilingual classroom provided. Located just steps from Łazienki Park the school resides in vibrant surroundings near to museums, embassies and natural settings which provide students with learning outside the classroom. ul. Szwoleżerów

4 (grades 0-4), tel. 608 488 420, wmf.edu.pl

WARSAW MONTESSORI MIDDLE SCHOOL

Warsaw’s original luxury shopping center has a line-up of top boutiques that include Max Mara, Paul & Shark and Pinko. ul. Okopowa 58/72, klif.pl

MYSIA 3

The line-up in this trendy department store includes Scandinavian fashion in Cos, a Leica camera shop, Asfalt

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

Tatrzańska 5A (grades 5-8), tel. 604 137 826, wmf.edu.pl

WARSAW MONTESSORI HIGH SCHOOL

Warsaw Montessori High School aims to teach students the values which Maria Montessori outlined in her educational philosophy such as: responsibility for one’s own development, care for others, honesty, empathy, and service. The school continues to meet the principles of Maria Montessori through implementing the IB Diploma Program principles and practices. Warsaw Montessori High School is an authorized IB World School for the Diploma Programme – code 061201. ul. Pytlasińskiego 13A, tel.

Guided by trained specialists, students are responsible for

787 095 835, wmf.edu.pl

vinyl store, Japanese fashion and accessories from Muji and sunglasses from Gloomy Sunday. . ul. Mysia

WESTFIELD MOKOTÓW

3, mysia3.pl

WARS SAWA JUNIOR KLIF HOUSE OF FASHION

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 real life challenges. ul.

Centrally located, perks of Wars Sawa Junior include Poland’s only Uniqlo and the largest adidas store in the country.

WESTFIELD ARKADIA

Not many Polish malls do it better. Stores in this giant include Mango, Lacoste, Guess, Hilfiger and Peek & Cloppenburg. Al. Jana Pawła II 82, westfield.com

Stores inc. Calvin Klein, Hollister, Hugo Boss, New Balance, Royal Collection and Timberland. ul. Wołoska 12, westfield.com

ZŁOTE TARASY

Seen from the outside as a giant glass bubble, selling points here include a Multikino cinema, a Calypso fitness club, and a branch of the Hard Rock Café. Stores include high-end brands at Van Graaf, Hugo Boss, Guess and Victoria’s Secret. Global foods can be found at Kuchnie Swiata. ul. Złota 59, zlotetarasy.pl

GIVE THE GIFT OF A MASSAGE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Vouchers can include: 1. MA-URI Polynesian massage (60 mins) 2. Hawaiian Lomi Lomi Nui massage (60 mins or 120 mins) 3. original relaxing massage (60 mins or 90 mins) 4. Japanese face-lifting massage (50 mins or 75 mins) 5. original moisturizing with the addition of SHEA butter (with a choice of fragrances)

Body & Mind massage by HANKA KRASZCZYŃSKA Airport Hotel Okęcie, Tel. +48 22 456 81 21 w 381, +48 573 080 401 E-mail: body.mind.airporthotel@gmail.com Hotel Polonia Palace, Tel. +48 22 318 28 13, +48 798 665 254 E-mail: Mail: body.mind.warszawa@gmail.com www.lomilomi.waw.pl

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN!

Warsaw’s rich history and cultural significance has left it with no shortage of museums to visit. Offering a well-rounded view of the city’s past and present, these are the seven you just shouldn’t miss… 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 captivating (his death mask, gifts from his muse, etc.), 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

MUSEUM OF LIFE UNDER COMMUNISM

A deeply personal insight into the former system by allowing visitors to view what Communism meant to the everyday person. Here, rifle and

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

rummage through a room mockedup to resemble a typical household apartment, watch propaganda films, peer inside a phone box, paw at vintage keep-fit gear or covet the ladies fashions of the time. Detailed in its captions, witty in its presentation and comprehensive in its content, it is a place where normal items such as aftershave bottles, postcards, clothing and crude household appliances are allowed to shine on a totem and tell their own story. A haven of trinkets and collectibles, its small size belies its utter magic. ul.

Piękna 28/34, mzprl.pl

MUSEUM OF WARSAW

Reprised as a maze-like treasure filled trove glimmering with

curiosities, thousands of objects have been gathered here to detail the story of Warsaw in a non-linear style that can at times feel overwhelming. Peculiar souvenirs, scale models, old postcards and recovered works of art all combine with a mass of trivia to leave visitors boggled with knowledge. The vertiginous views of the Rynek below are worth the admission alone. Rynek Starego Miasta 28-42,

muzeumwarszawy.pl

NATIONAL MUSEUM

Famed for its collection of Dutch and Flemish masters, it’s also the final word in Polish art, with all the greats represented – inc. Matejko, Witkiewicz and other such stars.

That’s reason enough for many, but for others the museum’s ace card was revealed at the end of 2017 with the opening of the Gallery of Polish Design. Offering a full 360 view of Polish 20th century applied arts, it’s an aesthetic joy featuring everything from iconic PRL era wall units and tulip chairs to kitschy toys and gizmos. Frankly, it’s a stunning museum that just keeps getting better – though delayed by covid, the start of the year saw the world class Gallery of Ancient Art added to the mix. Featuring 1,800 ancient relics, papyrus scrolls, Iranian golden masks and even an Egyptian mummy! Al. Jerozolimskie 3, mnw.art.pl

NEON MUSEUM

Playing a key role in the government’s attempts to fuse socialist ideology with consumerism, the campaign to ‘neon-ize’ Poland saw gloomy cities still bearing the scars of war boldly gleam once more under lights designed and produced by many of the leading

artisans of the time. Salvaged from the scrapheap (in many instances, literally), this museum was created by Ilona Karwinska and David Hill who inadvertently kickstarted a nationwide trend and reignited the country’s appetite for neon. Housing several dozen neons that once lit up Poland, these renovated signs make for Warsaw’s coolest attraction: Instagram them now! ul. Mińska 25 (Soho Factory), neonmuzeum.org

POLIN

Composed of eight galleries, this architectural marvel covers different stages 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. That it was named the European Museum of the Year in 2016 such much for its ambitions to focus on more than the Holocaust alone. ul.

Anielewicza 6, polin.pl

THE WARSAW RISING MUSEUM

If the throngs and sheer informational overload can often be daunting, it remains the most important museum in the capital, and quite arguably the country. Points of interest are rife and include a life-size replica of a B-24 Liberator plane as well as a claustrophobic ‘sewage tunnel’ through which visitors squeeze to get an idea of the kind of conditions combatants once faced. But it’s not the A-list sights that make the biggest impact, rather the smaller, highly personal curios: a pair of wedding bands forged from bullets; an Omega watch, it’s hands frozen at the same moment a bomb killed its owner; and a lucky cuddly mascot made from a German overcoat. Of course, the aftermath is also covered in heartrending detail and concludes with a 3D film that takes viewers swooping over the smoldering ruins of the capital. ul. Grzybowska

79, 1944.pl

warsawinsider.pl

4 9 km

Praga Zoo

6 ki aw

Powązki Cemetery

Andersa

7 Jewish Cemetery

6 Old Town

ska kow

szał Mar

Nati Stad

ska bow

Grzy

4 a zysk tokr Swie

Palace of Culture & Science

Pros

skie

lim rozo

e Al. J

3 1

Łazienki Park

19 km

4 km

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

ional dium

MAP 5

shopping Vitkac experiences ul. Bracka 9, 1

Designer Outlet Warszawa ul. Puławska 42E, designeroutletwarszawa.pl

likusconceptstore.pl

Neon Museum ul. Mińska 25 (Soho Factory), neonmuzeum.org

Westfield Arkadia Al. Jana Pawła II 82, pl.westfield.com/arkadia

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

Elektrownia Powiśle ul. Dobra 42, elektrowniapowisle.com

Złote Tarasy ul. Złota 59, zlotetarasy.pl

POLIN ul. Anielewicza 6, polin.pl

museums

sport

Galeria Mokotów ul. Wołoska 12, galeriamokotow.com.pl 4

Galeria Północna ul. Światowida 17, galeriapolnocna.pl 5

Klif House of Fashion ul. Okopowa 58/72, klif.pl 6

Koneser Pl. Konesera, koneser.eu

National Museum Al. Jerozolimskie 3, mnw.art.pl.pl 2

The Warsaw Rising Museum ul. Grzybowska 79, 1944.pl 3

Museum of Life Under Communism ul. Piękna 28/34, mzprl.pl

Plac Unii ul. Puławska 2, placunii.pl

Fryderyk Chopin Museum ul. Okólnik 1, chopin. museum

Mysia 3 ul. Mysia 3, mysia3.pl

Legia Stadium Łazienkowska 3, legia.com

live music

Chaton Warsaw Foksal 19, chatonwarsaw.com/en

warsawinsider.pl

Old Town

Come Christmas and Warsaw’s historic core is one big Insta opportunity – make the most of it while you can…

or budding food pornographers, Christmas in Old Town means piping hot waffles presented under an eruption of whipped cream as bought from any number of street side windows – and no snap should exclude the real best-seller: mulled wine so hot that you’ll require first aid if drinking too fast. For something a bit more atmospheric, on the

Warsaw Insider | DECEMBER 2023

other hand, then the blue archway that straddles over narrow Dawna street is delicious on the eye as it is – but even more so when the snow is tumbling down. Snaking its way around the Old Town walls that hug Podwale street, the annual Christmas Market is equally photogenic, filled as it is with cute wooden cabins filled with Xmas essentials like giant lollipops and hand-carved ornaments. Yet for all these, nothing announces its Christmas more than the ice rink on the Old Town Square. Centred around the mermaid statue, capturing the skaters that woosh around is pure Insta gold. It looks good enough on ground level, but even better views await from the upper floors of the Museum of Warsaw.

SHUTTERSTOCK

INSTA WARSAW

GREY WOLF

WARSAW 2023 NOWY ŚWIAT 55 | ALEJE JEROZOLIMSKIE 49

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