FOODIE RADAR

What’s hot, what’s not and what’s happening around town…

In Style

Not one, but two Warsaw hangouts found themselves named in Dezeen’s “Top 10 Bar & Restaurant Interiors 2022”. Competing against venues from the likes of London, Lyon, Antwerp and Seoul, the Polish capital was the only city to feature two entries on the hotlist with Va Bene Cichetti and Syrena Irena both lauded for their striking interiors. Designed by Noke Architects, the former has garnered praise ever since launching on account of its voluptuous Venetian-themed interiors, whilst the latter has won plaudits for helping modernize the traditional pierogi experience ever since launching.

WATCH OUT FOR…

Comings and goings have been numerous, with the year beginning with widely-acclaimed The Eatery relocating from the middle of nowhere to Koszykowa 49A bang in the city center. We’ll be there in the coming weeks, but that’s not the only place on our ever-growing hit list. Slotting into the space vacated by the Resort café-bar on Bielańska 1, Lychees Gastro Girls will be opening in March as a side-arm of Peaches Gastro Girls, whilst the same month also see the launch of Grace (Krucza 16/22), a cocktail bar that we’re told will be inspired by the inimitable aesthetic of the iconic Grace Jones. And that’s not all, completing Warsaw’s transition into spring, the next couple of months will witness the birth of Pizzaiolo 2.0 in the late-night pavilion bars behind Nowy Świat.

KNOCK, KNOCK

Uber Eats have released their annual Cravings Report, revealing Poland’s most sought-after delivery foods in 2022. Coming in clear first, the gathered data shows that Poles ordered 2.5 million cheeseburgers between January and November last year. Fried chicken featured second, with the rest of the Top Five spots occupied by pepperoni pizza, pad Thai and butter chicken.

Feb. 10-12

5 years of community building

5 years of respecting history

5 years of helping

5 years of successful partnership with City Hall

Open Friday through Sunday

Plac Żelaznej Bramy 1 halagwardii.pl

Time To Wine Down

Warsaw’s latest wine bar departs from the norm…

After years of enduring the same sameness, Warsaw’s wine drinkers have a bar scene that has finally hit its stride. Dispensing with years of formality and anonymous warehouse-style offerings, the last few months have seen a rich crop of chic tasting rooms emerge as well as super funky wine spots such as Kontakt and Rascal – to call these top class would not be an exaggeration. Now, freshly opened in January, there’s one more place to add to the ever expanding list – and it’s already quite a hit.

Origins

If Niewinność sounds familiar then so it bloody well should –present in Hala Gwardii since about Year Dot, it was this original joint that helped popularize wine with Warsaw’s younger drinkers. Their continued success, however, demanded something that looked a little less pop-up and a little more permanent. Hey presto, their Zgoda location was born as a result.

Coordinates

It’s a strange street, Zgoda. Presenting a look that says ‘beauty and the beast’, its confounding mix of architectural styles is set against graffiti squiggled walls and dank, stained courtyards enriched by pools of piss. In many ways, it’s Warsaw in a nutshell – on one side sleek and glossy, and on the other cracked and grubby. Likewise, this inconsistency applies also to its F&B. Though better-known for its mainstream disappointments, Zgoda does have some highlights: the raucous Sham- rock, for instance, as well as the Vietnamese vegan tastes found at La Vegana. For all that, the real reason to visit is to enjoy Niewinność.

The Place

We love it. From the moment of entrance, find yourself beckoned inside a modern-looking space decked with individually accrued items – zaps of neon, framed poster art and splashes of greenery set on crisp white walls. Occupying three different areas, these include a main level featuring a sturdy communal table and, finally, a snug little side chamber with a few more seats and tables. Featuring plenty of personalized touches, it’s a place that looks and feels more like a super cool loft apartment – albeit one stocked with more wines than usual.

The People

When it comes to the vibe, it’s not just the interior that makes it what it is, but the people as well. Completely lacking in that frosty formality that defines many of Warsaw’s wine spots, the welcome here has more in line with entering your favorite local pub. Both the owner and staff are happy to see you, and they’ll make you feel valued no matter what the level of your wine knowledge may be – and boy, that’s a good thing when all you know about wine is that, erm, you like it.

Easygoing to the max, their mood is dangerously contagious, and that seeps through to a carefree, young-ish crowd that, on our visit, encompassed all from immaculately dressed office bods, a girl gang on a night out and a scattering of dating couples.

DRINKS & NIBBLES

Sustenance is provided by way of flamm, a thin pizza-like food with German cultural roots, whilst drinks include a range of spirits and wines from such producers as New Zealand’s Esk Valley and Spain’s Angosto. Sold at highly accessible price points of around PLN 16 per glass, the affordability is equaled by an underlying quality that runs through Niewinność.

WHERE AM I?

Geographically set in the southernmost inhabited quarter of Wilanów, it would be no exaggeration to call Dziki Królik a destination restaurant – you’re closer to the fields and forests than you are to Warsaw’s skyscraping towers. But this, as it transpires, is the least non-standard thing about Dziki Królik. Set inside a modern bungalow