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…

COMMUNITY HUBS & FOOD HALLS

On Show

Warsaw’s first ‘woonerf’ has turned what could have been an ordinary, boring road into a living organism on which people and cyclists flow as one with the passing traffic. Lined with photographic exhibition panels, these currently display images showing Browary’s reconstruction: depicting the step-by-step regeneration, it’s a stunning reminder of how spectacularly the area has changed.

Browary Warszawskie

Grzybowska 58, browarywarszawskie.com.pl

Back Story

Established in 1846, the Haberbusch & Schiele brewery that once occupied this plot was the largest such plant in the entire Kingdom of Poland. Later also producing Coca Cola under American license, the complex later fell into complete dereliction. Opened last year after seven-years of work, the resulting Browary Warszawskie has utilized these surviving elements and set them against a swanky backdrop of freshly mapped streets and immaculate new build that feels contextually suited to the district.

Overview

Billing itself as a premium food hall, the centerpiece of Browary contrasts well against Warsaw’s other offers. Occupying a beautifully lit vaulted chamber that was once used to store beer, this magnificently formed space presents an offer based around a “quality over quantity” with twelve concepts vying for attention. Pertinently, the wider offer has also cemented itself into Warsaw’s conscience thanks to addresses such as Robert Lewandowski’s Nine’s sports bar, a flagship brewery-restaurant, the ever popular Balkan eatery Munja, and Baila – a stunning live entertainment hangout.

Elektrownia Powi Le

ul. Dobra 42, elektrowniapowisle.com

Overview

Initially completed in 1904 to serve as Warsaw’s primary source of electricity, Elektrownia appears with frequency in local history books – contested during the 1944 Warsaw Uprising (shrapnel holes still dent the building at intervals), it

It's New!

Less than a month old, Gatsby adds to Elektrownia’s excellent cocktail options with an extraordinary offer of dazzling cocktails served to one of the most beautiful crowds in town. Recruiting some of the best bartenders in Warsaw, the drinks of Urszula Trochimiak and Karol Rychlewicz are a sensory pleasure. Featuring a busy schedule of jam sessions, jazz concerts and DJ sets, find it all ably supported by a design that evokes the decadent spirit of the Roaring Twenties.

In March

Elektrownia know how to host a fair so there’s already a buzz around the first edition of the Jestem Organic market. To be held on March 11th and 12th, you’ll be buying healing crystals, plants, herbs, cosmetics, natural supplements and ethically produced clothing.

later powered the Palace of Culture – to this day, the switchboard survives. Relaunched in 2020, the blended approach includes an an exclusive top floor beauty hall filled with cutting edge cosmetic and beauty therapy solutions (Anna Lewandowska has been spotted here!), 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.

F&B

Lit by a sea of neon, the food hall is a street food mecca with star turns provided by Philly’s Finest Cheesesteak and Uki Uki Kikuya. Bracketed either side by two flagship bars, the smoothness of this operation can’t be questioned. But this is all complemented by standalone restaurant project such as the chic and design-minded Dock 19 and legendary, fun-fueled Blue Cactus.

It's New!

MOXO will leave you floored – boasting the tallest bar in Poland (it’s eight meters high), this ambitious project impresses not just through its sheer scale, but also in the manner that it wows. Mixing re-loved industrial equipment with rich violet and blue lighting, the atmosphere is given extra legs by a musical menu featuring DJs and jazz nights. As for food and drink, that follows the global trend for Nikkei – an eclectically absorbing blend of Peruvian and Japanese.

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.

NORBLIN FACTORY ul.

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, and the Tex Mex of Blue Cactus. Finally, check into the Bio Bazar, a farmers’ market with a reputation that extends nationwide.

Mark The Date

Gwardii’s non-standard events have aided their mission to appeal to all: in March, highlights include the only shoe and handbag fair in Poland (March 3rd to 5th), a jewelry fair (March 24th to 26th), and a Japanese weekend running from March 17th to 19th.

Go Japanese

Offering the full Japanese immersion experience, swing in to view samurai armor, stock up on Manga comics, and listen to the pianist and YouTuber Koki Suetsugu perform tunes from Demon Slayer and Super Mario!

But that’s just the beginning. Shop knives from Macknives, ceramics from Bakaliko, Char Vintage and Wabi Sabi Art, kimonos from InuGami, gadgets and figurines from Plastiq, soy candles from Eco Soja, teas from Herbaty Czas and Moya Matcha, and uber cool city bikes from TokyoBike. Tying it all up, find Warsaw’s top Japanese eateries setting up stalls selling onigiri sandwiches, Takoyaki balls, ramen, fresh mochi, and fish-shaped taiyaki biscuits.

Hala Gwardii

Pl. Mirowska 2, halagwardii.pl

Back Story

Built as a market hall during Tsarist times, in later years Gwardii became ‘the home of Polish boxing’ – in 1953, under the guidance of coach Feliks Stamm, Poland’s team triumphed over its Soviet and German counterparts to rack up a horde of nine medals at the European Boxing Championship. Resurrected as a food hall in 2017, its unpolished interiors have helped it retain a gritty authenticity and a lingering sense of history that’s appreciated by all. Note, unlike Warsaw other hubs, Gwardii is a weekend affair that’s open only from Friday through to Sunday.

F&B

There’s two sides to Gwardii, almost literally. On one, find a farmers’ market whose gems include freshly baked goods, local jams and preserves, and fresh fruit and veg. Then, separated by a communal eating area, find a row of street food hawkers covering a span of global cuisines. Gluing it altogether is the social angle: don’t leave without an expertly poured Guinness from The Shamrock, craft beer from San Escobar or Piwna Gwardii or a cheeky glass of wine from the exceptional Niewinność.

Hala Koszyki

ul. Koszykowa 63, koszyki.com

Overview

Revolutionizing Warsaw’s food and drink scene, the 2016 reopening of Koszyki can be considered one of the watershed moments in the city’s gastro timeline. 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, though the biggest lines are usually reserved for Soul Food Burgers. The open-all-hours ĆMA is a legend in its own lifetime, whilst The Upper Deck has won credit for its cocktails. Gluing it all together, the Central Bar remains the top check-in.

Save The Date

Koszyki has long reveled in its cultured reputation – from classical evenings to history walks and book signings, there’s rarely a dull month. That’s also true of March – kicking-off the month, dress your best on the 1st for a haute couture fashion show that’ll be attended by the city’s glitterati. Featuring clothes designed by Konrad Bikowski, they were created using a 100-meter satin painted over by Karol Prochacki. The show starts at 8 p.m. Later in the month, turn up on the 25th to enjoy the third edition of the all-day Koszyki Design Fair – you’ll find yourself perusing ceramics, scented candles, jewelry and assorted Made In Poland handicrafts.

Centrum Praskie Koneser

Pl. Konesera, koneser.eu

Overview

Built in 1897, from its early inception Koneser was designed with one duty in mind: to produce vodka. Nationalized after WWII, Koneser only finished producing vodka in 2007; by that time, the plant was in dire need of care and attention and its Neo Gothic architectural details looked destined to rot and die. But not so. Subjected to a seven-year restoration process, it reopened in 2018 as a mixed-use project containing cultural sites, F&B outlets, swanky 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.

F&B

For foodies, the lynchpin that holds the food and drink offer together is Koneser Grill. Belong- ing to the portfolio of Ferment Group (owners and creators of Rozbrat 20, Butchery & Wine and a string of other essential eateries), enjoy a sophisticated, meat-centric menu amid smooth lighting, blond woods, metal fixtures and outbreaks of rich teal colors. Then, you’ve got the small matter of Bombaj Masala and its Indian street bites served in eclectic surrounds, and newbies such as Setki Powodów, a vibrant, fun space with on-tap cocktails, crazy shots and a menu devised by Insider favorite Michał Bryś (formerly our Chef of the Year).

For The Diary

Ongoing until May 28th, visit the Museum of Fantastic Art to view pieces by some of the biggest names in the field: Zdzisław Beksiński, Jerzy Duda-Gracz, Wiesław Wałkuski, Dariusz Zawadzki, Jacek Szynkarczuk, and Andrzej Olczyk. Of Koneser’s other events, fashion plays highly in March with a ‘wool fashion fair’ scheduled for the 25th and a ‘dress fair’ on the 4th and 5th. Swing by also on the last weekend of March for the Praga Market, an event that will present the latest Polish fashion, natural cosmetics, ecological preserves, toys, plants and home design pieces.