Warsaw Insider March 2026 #355

FORWARD

Trends

The buzz, the breakthroughs, and the bold ideas that hit Warsaw in 2025. If it’s catching our eye, it’s worth your attention.

Best of the Rest

The insiders’ addresses, loyalist hangouts, and brilliant runners-up that prove great cities are built on depth—not just spotlight moments.

PUBLISHER

Morten Lindholm mlindholm@valkea.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Kevin Demaria kdemaria@valkea.com

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Marta Wilk mwilk@valkea.com

NEW BUSINESS MANAGER

Anna Czarnowska aczarnowska@valkea.com

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Zuzanna Wilk

zwilk@valkea.com

Best of the Best

The defining names, headline-makers, and gold-standard experiences that set the benchmark for excellence in Warsaw.

Yes, there was a new Michelin star— well deserved, hard fought, and a quiet signal that standards here continue to climb. But the real story isn’t in a plaque on the wall. It’s in the steady hum of openings across the city: chefs refining rather than reinventing, dining rooms that feel lived-in instead of lab-built, and a confidence that no longer needs to shout.

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The best in living, culture, and education — where ideas grow, communities thrive, and Warsaw shows its intellectual and creative edge.

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Copyright © 2026 by Valkea Media SA

An unexpected force has shaped that evolution. As the war in Ukraine continues, Warsaw has absorbed an influx of restaurateurs, bakers, hoteliers, and entrepreneurs from neighboring countries. It’s a movement born of tragedy, but its impact on hospitality has been undeniable. Service feels sharper. Rooms feel warmer. There’s grit behind the smiles, and purpose behind the menus.

At the same time, milk bars are multiplying like Żabkas, a pragmatic answer to rising living costs. In a city where inflation lingers, a plate of pierogi or schabowy remains democratic and defiant. Even Tłusty Czwartek has transformed—less quiet indulgence, more Instagram carnival, queues forming before dawn for a sugar-dusted badge of participation.

As we closed this issue, Warsaw endured some of the coldest January days in recorded history. Restaurants and bars felt it. People chose radiators over reservations. But winter never wins here.

When the ice thaws and the sun climbs higher, the appetite returns—sudden and insistent. For food. For noise. For each other.

Here are 70 places to get yourself ready.

Kevin Demaria

Published by Valkea Media S.A Tomasz Opiela, CEO

Hot Pot

Hot pots have slipped into Warsaw’s dining psyche, steaming like winter trams. At Nabe the broths feel precise and urban; at Gulu Gulu it’s a glorious, all-youcan-eat gut buster. Best of all, friends circle one shared pot, talking, lingering, remembering why gathering matters now more than ever before tonight together.

Gulu Gulu ul. Drawska 29A

Nabe ul. Marszałkowska 62

Moli ul. Książęca 23

Negroni

After service, Anthony Bourdain famously said all he needed was a double Negroni. Warsaw seems to agree. Once a back-page classic, it now tops menus — on tap at Negroni Centrale, textbook-perfect at Felix, and the ideal dinner companion at Mimosa, Dziurka od Klucza, and Lupo. Bitter, bright, timeless.

Negroni Centrale ul. Poznańska 13

Feliks Bar Café ul. Nowogrodzka 15

Dziurka od Klucza Fort Służew 1b Mimosa ul. Chmielna 28

TREND

Savory Pączki

Think pączek, but savory. These small, golden fried balls are popping up on amuse-bouche menus across the city — crisp outside, rich within. Our favorites come duck-filled and deeply comforting at Rotisserie Bistro, where one bite delivers crunch, fat, and flavor in perfect proportion.

Rotisserie Bistro al. Rzeczypospolitej 14

TREND

Warsaw Shines Brighter

Warsaw’s culinary ascent shows no signs of slowing. The latest Michelin Guide selection, unveiled on June 10, 2025, confirms what locals have known for years: the capital is now firmly among Europe’s most exciting food cities.

Leading the charge are three one-star restaurants that define the city’s top tier. This year hub.praga earns its first MICHELIN Star, a milestone not just for the Praga address but for the wider right-bank dining scene. It joins established standouts NUTA and Rozbrat 20, bringing Warsaw’s total to three one-star restaurants — the strongest showing in the country.

Beyond fine dining, the city’s trademark mix of quality and accessibility continues to impress inspectors. Six restaurants picked up the Bib Gourmand for excellent cooking at fair prices, while 13 additional venues were listed as Michelin-selected restaurants, underscoring the breadth and depth of talent across the capital — from ambitious neighbourhood kitchens to polished destination spots.

Taken together, the numbers tell a clear story: Warsaw is no longer an emerging food city. It’s arrived — confident, creative, and cooking at a level that demands international attention.

Basque

Cheesecake

Basque cheesecake arrives like a quiet rebellion: crustless, deeply caramelised, its intentionally burnt top bittersweet and custardy within. Grab a slice at Padron, still warm, or a whole pie to go from Pastorella. Nothing like Polish sernik—looser, smoky, richer, dangerously easy to finish alone after dinner walks home at night.

Padron ul. Grzybowska 37 Pastorella ul. Dobra 26

gfc-grupa.pl

affogato

Affogato — literally “drowned” — turns dessert into drama at Dal Dalla Gelato. Luca’s standout gelato meets a hot shot of espresso, flooding the scoop in bittersweet coffee. The only rescue is your spoon: caffeine and cream colliding in a delicious, slow-motion melt toward blissful surrender.

Dal Dalla Gelato ul. Leszczyńska 4 & ul. Francuska 50

Bagels

Bagels have had a stop-start life in Warsaw. There was the brief glow of Ben Bagels near Plac Zbawiciela, gone almost as soon as it arrived. Then SERSO revived the craving. Now Prym slings proper New York–style bacon, egg, and cheese from a tiny kiosk by Plac Politechniki — the kind of spot that looks like where Clark Kent might duck in to change into Superman — while Varsobagel keeps things lively with rotating, playful fillings: smoked trout with dill cream cheese, pastrami and pickles, even seasonal, sweet morning specials.

Serso ul. Józefa Szanajcy 16 Prym pl. Politechniki 01 Varsobagel ul. Szpitalna 5

Loaded Fries

Loaded fries aren’t the healthiest comfort food, but sometimes indulgence wins. At Eat My on Bakalarska, they’re the city’s gold standard — piled high and finished with katsuobushi, delicate dried bonito flakes that curl and “dance” in the heat, turning a guilty pleasure into something oddly mesmerizing.

Eat My ul. Bakalarska 11

TREND

TREND

CheeseY Burgers

At Brooklyn Warsaw, restraint goes out the window. Your burger arrives, then the server ceremoniously pours a river of molten cheese over the stack, before stepping back to watch how you’ll tackle it. Fork, knife, hands — it doesn’t matter. However you dive in, the result is gloriously excessive.

BROOKLYN al. Jana Pawła II 18

Flower arrangements

Forget the lace doilies and stiff bouquets of babcia’s dining room. The new guard treats flowers as part of the experience — less decoration, more atmosphere. Think sculptural branches, wild grasses, foraged stems, arrangements that look gathered on a morning walk rather than ordered from a catalog. These bouquets echo the way Warsaw’s best kitchens cook: seasonal, instinctive, close to the land. A subtle nod to nature’s gifts — and a reminder that hospitality isn’t just what’s on the plate, but everything that surrounds it.

Slowing Down Time

Small moments of joy, savoured slowly — like good food.

As life rushes by at a dizzying pace, we increasingly seek opportunities to pause: to focus on our well-being, enjoy the company of friends and loved ones, and savour delicious food, lingering over every bite.

Amid the picturesque Dylewo Hills, at the Masurian Dr Irena Eris SPA Hotel, you’ll find the intimate gourmet restaurant Romantyczna. In 2006, it became the first restaurant in Poland to receive the Slow Food recommendation. One of two dining venues at the hotel, the restaurant features an open kitchen and welcomes guests aged 12 and over in the evenings* for memorable culinary experiences. Here, tradition is not just history but a living heritage, passed down through generations and expressed in refined five- and seven-course tasting menus.

“It’s the perfect way to discover the culinary traditions of Masurian cuisine,” says Chef Sławomir Kwaśniewski. “We always start with the highest-quality local produce — a true showcase of the region. I aim to present the diversity of flavours and techniques, as well as the richness of regional traditions, in an elegant setting.”

At Romantyczna, the team works with premium ingredients sourced from local suppliers, seasonal produce, and the so-called gifts of the forest — straight from nature. “In season, I happily reach for products grown through traditional methods,” explains Chef Kwaśniewski. “They have an intense aroma, great depth of flavour, and you can truly taste the sun that helped them grow.”

Masuria and Warmia, home to the five-star Dr Irena Eris SPA Hotel, is one of the cleanest regions in Poland, abundant in exceptional freshwater fish, organic beef, game, goat cheeses, berries, vegetables, herbs, and mushrooms from the surrounding forests. These ingredients form the foundation of Romantyczna’s quarterly menus, complemented by special daily dishes that reflect what is freshest and most readily available.

The harmony of flavours, aesthetics, and tradition transforms every meal into a feast for the senses. Combined with spectacular nature, comfortable interiors, ever-present tranquillity, and attentive service, a stay here offers a chance to slow down and rediscover life’s simple pleasures. All the more reason to visit the Dr Irena Eris Wzgórza Dylewskie SPA Hotel — even if only for a weekend.

* We recommend booking a table at +48 89 647 11 11

WANDAL

ul. Pańska 97 (Wola)

If you want to know where Warsaw’s chefs eat after service, follow them to Wandal. On Pańska, Adrian Bęben’s kitchen treats Polish memory with a cook’s discipline and an artist’s wink: herring with rösti, silken potato purée with yolk, pyzy glossed in cream and truffle. Nothing feels twee, everything feels considered. It’s part tavern, part workshop, buoyed by Piotr Pietras’s sharp, local wines—a place where tradition isn’t preserved in amber, but sharpened and sent back out into the night.

INSIDER PICK

Newcomers

BRUT

ul. Koszykowa 63, Hala Koszyki (City Center)

BRUT settles into Koszyki with quiet authority, the kind of place that doesn’t clamor for attention because it already owns the room. The brutalist-leaning interior softens into warmth, anchored by a glowing open kitchen. Jan Kilański’s cooking is bold and playful—chips with boquerones, za’atar pastry, seabass with scallops, generous salads. Sharp cocktails and a smart, unfussy wine list keep the rhythm steady: serious food, no stiffness, all appetite and ease.

BARBARA

ul. Nowogrodzka 10 (City Center)

Warsaw’s culinary scene is abuzz this summer with the discreet debut of Barbara, the younger sister of the iconic Bibenda. Under the culinary direction of Agata Zięba, Barbara promises a menu that elevates seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients with global accents—from harissa to furikake. With its understated opening and shimmering glass sconces, Barbara is poised to become the city’s most fashionable locale.

WYBITNIE NIEZNANI

ul. Chmielna 71 (City Center)

Tucked beside Varso’s glass-and-steel swagger with grown-up cooking with a playful streak. A citrus-bright ceviche snaps you awake; lamb arrives tender and composed, all cream and gentle bitterness. Cocktails lean escapist—a three-rum Zombie that feels like a holiday in a glass. Inside, high ceilings, low light, and jazz give it a slow, late-night pulse. It’s the kind of place that fits any mood and improves it.

INSIDER PICK

SOUL KITCHEN

ul. Nowogrodzka 18A (City Center)

Just below the buzz of Nowogrodzka, Soul Kitchen draws you into something warmer and more intimate. Candlelight, brisk service, and a dining room alive with conversation set the tone. Polish classics get a thoughtful reboot: truffled beef tartare, crisp schnitzel, fleeting seasonal blossoms, and octopus with white asparagus that lingers on the palate. Refined but never showy, it’s the kind of place you bring visitors—and quietly claim as your own.

Polish

KOMPOT ŻOLIBORZ

ul. Zygmunta Hübnera 5 (Żoliborz)

On Żoliborz’s quietly charming ul. Hübnera, Kompot has become the address for pierogi done with polish and personality. What started as a whispered favorite has grown into a full-on celebration of dumplings—rustic and generous, whether ruskie with okrasą, woodland mushroom with truffle and parmesan, or sweet versions with mascarpone and vanilla. Lunch here might start with zabielany barszcz and end with a fizzy pigwoniada, but it’s the playful reinterpretations of Polish staples that keep locals and wanderers coming back

OMA

pl. Wilsona 4 (Żoliborz)

Oma has always felt like stepping into Babcia’s kitchen—lace curtains, fresh flowers, the smell of butter and breadcrumbs in the air. Now the team brings that same homespun charm to a larger, light-filled spot just off Plac Wilsona. Expect playful Polish classics—Parmesancrusted schabowy, bright tomato soup, pillowy knedelki—served with wit and warmth. It’s nostalgia without kitsch, comfort food with backbone, and already a neighborhood regular’s haunt.

ALINA

pl. Stanisława Małachowskiego 3, Zachęta National Gallery of Art (City Center)

Tucked in the lower level of Zachęta, Alina feels like a secret cellar canteen for artists. Beneath vaulted brick and a looping mural, Chef Tomek Czajkowski serves Polish comfort with a sculptor’s touch: pillowy leniwe, cauliflower baked with Bursztyn, Silesian dumplings in deep gravy. It’s soulful, quiet cooking—less spectacle than memory—where every plate feels shaped, not assembled, and you linger longer than planned.

Traditional Polish

U WIENIAWY

pl. Piłsudskiego 9 (City Center)

At Restauracja U Wieniawy, dining feels like stepping into pre-war Warsaw.

Overlooking Piłsudskiego Square, the restaurant revives interwar Polish cuisine with carefully preserved, often forgotten recipes, enriched by seasonal additions.

Tableside flourishes — from flambéed Crêpes Suzette to hand-carved steak tartare — add old-school theatre, while seasoned, English-speaking staff share culinary and historical insights. With longtime chefs, quality ingredients and interiors steeped in period elegance, it’s a transportive taste of the capital’s bygone days.

Polish

MARIUSZ MAC @mariuszmac

Raised in Podkarpacie on broths, dumplings and instinctive home cooking, Mariusz Mac has become Poland’s most trusted kitchen voice. His loose, messy, deeply comforting reels reject measurements in favour of feel-good flavour. A former fashion and wellness entrepreneur, he now channels that energy into food and storytelling. With his debut cookbook 1991, Mac proves that honest, unfussy cooking connects faster than any fine-dining performance ever could.

DAMIAN DAWID NOWAK

@goodplacewarsaw

Damian Dawid Nowak’s Good Place Warsaw blends culture guide and poetic diary, spotlighting cafés, galleries, crafts and everyday beauty across the capital. Reaching nearly a million users monthly, his posts feel thoughtful rather than transactional, shaped by his background as an award-winning poet. Balancing healthcare work with marketing savvy, Nowak champions slower, more meaningful urban discoveries that celebrate community over hype.

Influencers INSIDER PICK

KAROL STANIAK

@karol.staniak

Part scout, part critic, Karol Staniak maps Warsaw’s dining scene with a sharp eye for design, trends and genuine flavour. His recommendations balance buzzy openings with under-the-radar neighbourhood spots, making his feed a trusted compass for curious eaters. Through his street-interview series Foodie Przepytek, he also hands the mic to locals, turning everyday Varsovians into tastemakers and documenting the city’s evolving tastes in real time.

VIENIO @piotrvenio

Rapper, graffiti writer and TV personality, Piotr “Vienio” Więcławski bridges Warsaw’s street culture with the kitchen. A Top Chef finalist and host of culinary shows including Ślinotok, Akcja Reakcja and Coolturyści, he champions plant-based, low-waste cooking. A former Kukbuk juror, cookbook author and RestaurantWeek ambassador, Vienio promotes self-cooking and conscious living — earning his reputation as Poland’s original eco-rapper-turned-food influencer.

INSIDER PICK

ROTISSERIE BISTRO al. Rzeczypospolitej 14 (Wilanów)

Meat Lovers

From the team behind Mięsny comes Rotisserie Bistro, a Wilanów address that smells gloriously of roast chicken and good decisions. Duck-stuffed fritters crackle, tartare lands sharp and classic, and bronzed birds turn lazily on the spit. Next door, Mięsny’s deli stocks sausages and cuts for summer grilling—or grab a table in the leafy garden by the little pond and let someone else do the work. It’s relaxed, confident, deeply satisfying.

THE FARM

ul. Mokotowska 8 (City Center)

The Farm feels less like a formal steakhouse and more like a butcher’s atelier with tables. Cuts are displayed front and centre, inviting guests to choose their own ribeye, porterhouse or striploin before it hits the grill. The focus is on sourcing and craft: Masurian Aberdeen Angus alongside imports from the US, Australia, Chile and Japan, plus richly marbled wagyu from Kobe and Kagoshima. Careful aging and precise butchery keep the experience grounded in flavour rather than fuss.

MIĘSNY

pl. Wilsona 4 (Żoliborz)

Żoliborz’s meat lover magnet feels like a neighborhood ritual. Here, quality is confessed loudly in every cut: dry-aged steaks and wagyu trims sit alongside house-made pastrami, all showcased at the meat counter with a butcher’s pride and a chef’s eye. Diners praise precise cooking and attentive service, and it’s just as tempting to grab something to eat in place as to pack the deli haul for home. Warm, convivial and unapologetically carnivorous, this is Żoliborz at its most deliciously straightforward.

INSIDER PICK

YES BUTCHER

Saska Kępa (ul. Wandy 16) Żoliborz (ul. Rydygiera 16) Mokotów (al. Niepodległości 132/136)

At Yes Butcher, dinner begins at the meat counter. You size up the marbling like a jeweler, talk cuts with the butcher, then watch your steak hit the fire. Last year, they took gold at the World Steak Challenge— beating nearly 400 producers—with a Polish Hereford entrecôte and their lab-precise Beefinity aging method, which delivers deep umami and velvet tenderness in just two weeks. It’s steakcraft without ego: serious sourcing, zero waste, and the easy, neighborhood warmth that keeps you lingering.

Steaks

Business Lunch INSIDER PICK

AKADEMIA

ul. Różana 2 (Mokotów)

Elegant yet approachable, Restauracja Akademia is really the choice for business gatherings of every scale. Polished interiors, exquisite cuisine and comprehensive, detail-oriented service give each meeting a distinct sense of occasion. Whether it’s a team-building lunch or a formal business event, the experienced team oversees every element, ensuring the day runs seamlessly from start to finish.

The flexible layout adapts easily to the moment, with stylish spaces suited to both intimate conversations and larger company functions. Warm, elegant décor creates an atmosphere that works equally well for relaxed networking or formal presentations.

Upstairs, a private mezzanine with a projector offers added discretion for workshops, trainings and client presentations, making Akademia a practical, all-in-one venue for the business community.

Restaurateurs

There are restaurants that open with a bang and restaurants that grow like a rumor. Dziurka od Klucza was the latter — a word-of-mouth miracle that began in what felt like a broom closet on Radna in Powiśle: 32 square meters, a few tables, flour on the floor, someone always leaning out the door to see if another friend could squeeze in. It didn’t feel like a “concept.” It felt like someone’s kitchen accidentally turned public.

Behind it were two families — Agnieszka and Stanisław Szpilowski, and Agnieszka and Przemysław Błaszczyk — friends and partners for more than 20 years, bonded by travel, long meals, and a shared affection for the way Italians treat food as daily ritual rather than spectacle. From the beginning, their cooking carried that spirit: handmade pasta with bite, simple sauces, desserts that tasted of care rather than decoration. Nothing fussy, nothing staged — just food that made you want to stay longer than you meant to.

The roles fell into place naturally. Stanisław and Przemek obsess over flavor and technique at the stove. Agnieszka Szpilowska shapes the room — the light, the mood, the welcome. Agnieszka Błaszczyk keeps the sweets tight and the numbers tighter. Four people, moving like one. As the city caught on, the space began to strain at the seams. Tables multiplied, queues formed, reservations disappeared weeks ahead. What started as a keyhole slowly became a landmark.

The move to Służew felt like trading that keyhole for a fortress. More air, more seats, a proper kitchen — but the same heartbeat. Pasta stayed, of course, but so did ambition: beautifully blistered Neapolitan pizzas, long-fermented doughs, and a pizza fritta that placed at the World Pizza Championships in Rimini, holding its own against hundreds of pizzaiolos.

Today, Dziurka od Klucza feels less like a tiny secret and more like a stronghold of hospitality — a place built not on trends or theatrics, but on trust, repetition, and care. The kind of restaurant where regulars are greeted by name and first-timers leave planning their return.

Not a brand. Not a group. Just a team — four people who turned friendship into a kitchen and a kitchen into one of Warsaw’s most loved dining rooms.

That’s why they’re our pick for Restaurateurs of the Year.

Fort Służew 1b (Służew)

Casual Dining INSIDER PICK

MURENA

ul. Solec 46 (Powiśle)

Tucked into Powiśle, Murena pairs a low-lit, wood-lined interior with a calm, Japanese-leaning minimalism that immediately slows the pace. The focus is seafood, treated with precision and restraint: delicate crab croquettes, matcha butter toast, pristine hamachi, torched salmon with roe, and lush toro nigiri under ponzu jelly. Plates are designed for sharing, the wine list smart and seafood-friendly. Polished but easygoing, Murena delivers serious fish without ceremony—just clean flavors, sharp technique, and a room made for lingering.

MAYO BISTRO

ul. Koszykowa 62 (City Center)

Across from Hala Koszyki, Mayo Bistro offers a quieter, more intimate counterpoint to the neighborhood’s bustle. Red curtains, sculptural ceramics, and a striking tile mural set a thoughtful, design-forward tone. The kitchen, shaped by the chef’s steady tenure, leans French in technique and seasonal in spirit: shrimp-stuffed rolls, scallops with cauliflower purée, halibut dumplings, duck confit doughnuts, and a proper Tournedos Rossini. Polished but personal, it’s the kind of place where craft—on the plate and on the walls—truly matters.

PEREŁKA

ul. Zwycięzców 55 (Saska Kępa)

In Saska Kępa, Perełka is the kind of tiny, blink-and-you-miss-it bistro that locals guard fiercely. A few tables, a faint French accent, and—next door—its sister café Muszelka for coffee and breakfast make it a perfect day-to-night pairing. The cooking riffs on Polish comfort with wit: wild mushroom pâté, soulful onion soup, tender beef cheek, and a cult-favorite black pudding crisped and brightened with apples and herbs. Small plates, big flavors, zero boredom—order widely and share.

INSIDER PICK

PAULA MYCKA

Misaki Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 43B/3rd floor, Elektrownia Powiśle (Powiśle)

At Misaki Kawasaki, dinner comes with a host: Chef Paula Mycka herself. She’s everywhere at once— greeting tables, telling stories, radiating charm and kinetic energy that turns a meal into a gathering. Her cooking mirrors her travels, weaving Thai heat, Middle Eastern spice, and Japanese precision through scallops, toro, and that cult Wagyu katsu sando. Plates feel personal, playful, alive. In a city full of chefs, Paula stands out for presence alone—you don’t just eat her food, you enter her orbit.

Casual Dining Chef

What Shapes Warsaw’s Cocktail Scene

By Diana Błażewicz

Cocktails Beyond the Buzz

BY

arsaw’s cocktail bar scene no longer feels like one trying to introduce itself. It already has a history, and it knows it. Over the last few years, a surge of international guest shifts and competitions has given the city a kick of newly found energy. Curiosity and a desire to keep pushing forward are palpable. There is a growing sense that Warsaw is entering its next chapter — building on what came before rather than chasing validation.

The biggest differences between Warsaw and markets I knew previously, particularly London, are not immediately visible. They sit behind the bar, in how venues are structured and how decisions are made. Long-term, exclusivity-driven brand contracts — common in those environments — are still relatively rare here. Many of the city’s strongest bars work with brands on a case-by-case basis instead, shaping menus around seasonal ideas, themed projects or guest shifts rather than long-term contractual obligations. That structure prioritises independence, and that freedom is felt directly in the glass.

Warsaw’s bartending community is smaller than it appears from the outside. It does not take long to recognise faces, nor to understand how closely connected the ecosystem really is. This has consequences. Standards travel quickly. Reputations stick.

Warsaw’s best bars understand this instinctively. Ambition is there, but it rarely feels forced. Concepts stay clear without taking over the room, and creativity is encouraged so long as the guest never loses a sense of ease — the feeling that the space is working for them, not asking them to work for it. It is a balance the city has learned to strike quietly.

That balance has another effect, one that becomes obvious the longer you spend time in the city centre, where the majority of the cocktail scene is concentrated. The geography is compact, but the culture inside it feels expansive. You can walk between radically different rooms in a matter of minutes — polished cocktail dens, industry hangouts, neighbourhood staples — without feeling like you have left the same ecosystem.

There is an absence of desperation here. Bars are not racing to reinvent themselves every season or chasing relevance at the speed of social media. Menus change, concepts evolve, new places open — but the pace is measured. Familiar faces return to the same stools. Bartenders remember them, and some guests become part of the furniture. A sense of continuity forms, and with it, trust.

that freedom is felt directly in the glass...

In a scene this compact, the technical gap between Warsaw and the established cocktail capitals of Europe is virtually indistinguishable. Knowledge and craft are not the city’s limiting factors. Being able to make a good drink is expected at the serious end of the market. What separates venues is how consistently they deliver the room — on a quiet Tuesday as well as a busy Saturday — and how they treat guests while doing it.

Ask five people to name the best cocktail bar in Warsaw and you will likely get five different answers. Creativity, design, atmosphere, and location all play their part. For me, however, it usually comes down to something simpler.

Hospitality is harder to fake than creativity. Technique can be taught. Warmth, awareness, and attention rarely can. Guests may not remember the specifics of what they drank, but they remember how the room made them feel — whether they were rushed, ignored, or genuinely welcomed.

For guests, that continuity matters more than novelty. You know what you are walking into. Even when a menu surprises you, the room does not. The fundamentals hold: you will be greeted, you will be looked after, and the drink will arrive as intended. That reliability is not flashy, but it is rare — and it is the reason people come back.

Warsaw’s scene is not defined by a single aesthetic. It accommodates speakeasies, neighbourhood bars, late-night haunts, and polished cocktail rooms without forcing them into the same mould. What ties them together is not style, but attitude. There is a shared understanding that the guest comes first, and that craft exists to support hospitality, not replace it.

That balance — craft without ego, ambition without excess, hospitality without performance for performance’s sake — is what defines Warsaw right now. But it is not a finished picture. The city is still building its vocabulary. There are gaps in the ecosystem, styles yet to arrive, risks still waiting to be taken. The strength of the scene is not that it has arrived, but that it has learned how to grow without losing itself in the process.

And that is a far more interesting place to be.

Three Bars That Defined 2025

Diana Błażewicz’s personal picks for the rooms that shaped Warsaw’s year in cocktails

BEST BEVERAGE PROGRAMME

El Koktel ul. Wojciecha Górskiego 9

INSIDER PICK

BEST COCKTAIL BAR

Feliks Bar Café ul. Nowogrodzka 15

Plenty of glowing reviews have already been written and filmed about this charming venue on the corner of Nowogrodzka and Krucza, and for good reason. Inspired by Italian aperitivo culture, the team behind Feliks managed to bring that unmistakable warmth into the room, along with a level of charm and attention to detail that feels genuine rather than performative. What truly sets the place apart is consistency — in service, in atmosphere, and in how welcome you feel walking through the door, whether it’s your first visit or your fiftieth. To my knowledge, they also serve the best martinis in the city, and I am yet to be convincingly proven wrong.

Few bars in Warsaw approach creativity with the same confidence as the team behind El Koktel. Their current menu, inspired by the world of television series, is intense, playful, and full of flavour — exactly as one has come to expect. There is a sense of ease here that never diminishes the seriousness of what is being done. Drinks are ambitious without being overwrought, and flavours are pushed with precision rather than excess. From the moment you walk in, the welcome is immediate and unforced, giving the space a lived-in, almost familial feel that invites curiosity without demanding reverence.

BEST LATE-NIGHT HAUNT

Bar Pacyfik ul. Hoża 61

I may be biased — many post-shift hours have been spent perched at the bar with a mezcal Negroni — but Bar Pacyfik remains one of the most reassuringly chaotic places in the city.

A reliable watering hole for the industry, it is known for late opening hours, loud music, solid food (the birria tacos deserve their reputation), and a steady stream of Fernet shots that tend to appear whether you asked for them or not. It is not polished, nor does it try to be. What it offers instead is energy, familiarity, and the kind of atmosphere that keeps the lights on long after most places have called last orders.

HALA KOSZYKI ul. Koszykowa 63 (City Center)

Pioneer INSIDER PICK

Long before “food hall” became a buzzword, Koszyki proved that restoration could be both respectful and forward-thinking. The early 20th-century market was meticulously revived into a lively, design-led gathering place where offices, bars, restaurants and culture overlap from morning coffee to late-night events. More than a dining destination, it functions as a neighborhood living room — hosting concerts, pop-ups and citywide celebrations, including this year’s CYNERGIA anniversary New Year’s fête. Nearly a decade on, Koszyki remains the blueprint for how historic spaces can anchor modern urban life.

INSIDER PICK

DINING EXPERIENCE

hub.praga ul. Jagiellońska 22 (Praga-Północ)

hub.praga has rapidly ascended to the head of the city’s culinary conversation, earning a long-deserved first Michelin star in 2025 for its singular balance of precision and personality. Under chef Witek Iwański, the kitchen interrogates Polish ingredients with the inquisitive rigor of New Nordic training, presenting them in courses that feel at once rooted and revelatory. Here, hospitality is not an afterthought but a foundational principle: every dish arrives informed by provenance, every wine is selected with purpose. The result is one of Warsaw’s most compelling dining experiences.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE

Epoka ul. Ossolińskich 3 (City Center)

Epoka is less a restaurant than an archival excavation of Polish gastronomy’s forgotten chapters Chef Marcin Przybysz mines old cookbooks and culinary epochs, reconstructing dishes from centuries past and refracting them through contemporary technique. A broth might echo a 17th-century manuscript; a garnish might evoke interwar elegance — but always with a critical, modern voice. Rich interior design and theatrical presentation amplify the sense of stepping into a living chronicle. For those who believe fine dining can be both forward-looking and informed by history’s deep currents, Epoka is indispensable.

Premium Dining

CONTEMPORARY TASTING MENU

Rozdział ul. Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 43 (Powiśle)

Rozdział stakes its claim as one of Warsaw’s most engaging contemporary tasting-menu destinations. Chefs Konrad Kowalski and Karolina Góraj approach each menu as a narrative, weaving seasonal subtleties through tightly composed courses that hint at global technique without losing hyper-local clarity. The tasting format — conceived as multi-course explorations punctuated by thoughtful wine pairings — never feels intellectual for its own sake; rather, it foregrounds texture, balance and the thrill of intelligently curated progression. For diners seeking inventive tasting menus that reward investment of time and attention, Rozdział delivers.

SEASONAL

Rozbrat 20 ul. Rozbrat 20 (Powiśle)

Rozbrat 20 has become the definitive voice of seasonality on Warsaw’s fine-dining roster. With a Michelin star to its name, the restaurant’s ethos is one of rhythmic responsiveness: menus ebb and flow with ingredient cycles, translating nature’s calendar into courses that feel inevitable rather than contrived. Chef Bartosz Szymczak’s cosmopolitan sensibility — tempered by deep respect for provenance and texture — results in plates both elegant and elemental. The atmosphere is polished without austerity, and the wine programme is equally thoughtful, making Rozbrat 20 an ideal choice for those who see dining as an attuned dialogue with the seasons.

À LA CARTE

Nolita ul. Wilcza 46 (City Center)

Nolita remains a cornerstone of Warsaw’s fine-dining scene precisely because it has refused the easy allure of trendiness. For more than a decade, chef Jacek Grochowina has refined an à la carte format defined by disciplined technique and an unwavering respect for product, where dishes like wagyu tartare with truffle or bluefin tuna with delicate vegetal accents have become enduring signatures. Here, consistency isn’t inertia; it’s craft — a quiet insistence that mastery of the fundamentals yields experiences as memorable as flashier moments elsewhere. Nolita’s service and wine list simply underscore that point.

CULINARY FUSION & PAIRINGS

Nuta pl. Trzech Krzyży 10/14 (City Center)

At Nuta, Warsaw’s ongoing Michelin-starred ambassador of refined fusion, the cuisine synthesises Polish foundations with Italian technique and subtle Asian inflections, crafting a voice that’s at once global and particular to the city’s palate. Led by chef Andrea Camastra, this institution has consistently delivered innovative tasting menus paired with meticulous wine matches — experiences that unfold with dramatic pacing and articulate precision. Nuta doesn’t chase novelty for its own sake; instead, it orchestrates contrasts — acid and umami, tradition and invention — into a coherent, compelling whole. This is fusion with intention and intelligence.

This award sponsored by

KONRAD KOWALSKI

Rozdział Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 43 (Powiśle)

Konrad Kowalski is one of Warsaw’s most compelling culinary voices — a chef whose career arc embodies the craft’s rigorous evolution. Born in Chełm and forged in the UK’s fine-dining kitchens, Kowalski cut his teeth from entry levels up to leadership, absorbing discipline and technique along the way before returning to Poland with a refined but intuitive sense of flavour. In Warsaw he made his mark at Opasły Tom, where his seasonally attuned, cosmopolitan menus helped position the historic restaurant on the 50 Best Discovery list, synthesising local product with global elegance. Today his continuing work — now also at Rozdział — reflects a chef who marries intellectual curiosity with palate-first clarity

Fine Dining Chef

HOOD CAFÉ

ul. Poznańska 37 (City Center)

HOOD Café turns a stretch of Poznańska into an all-day hangout where coffee drifts seamlessly into cocktails. Set in a handsome pre-war tenement near Hotel Polonia, it pairs strong flat whites and creamy matcha with indulgent breakfasts—sourdough toasts, shakshuka, and stacked sandwiches—before shifting gears after dark. Aperol-hued patio chairs, easy DJ sets, and polished negronis give it a relaxed, Left Bank feel. Come morning, linger through sunset, and you’ll understand why this address rarely empties.

Breakfast

BAKEN

ul. Żurawia 6/12 (City Center)

ul. Krochmalna 61, Browary Warszawskie (Wola)

KUBUŚ PIEKARNIA

ul. Marszałkowska 19 (City Center)

Kubis Piekarnia blends neighborhood bakery warmth with the easy buzz of an all-day brunch spot. Pastel walls, small wooden tables, and expertly pulled coffee set the scene, while the menu moves from cloud-soft omelets on toast to crusty loaves and golden drożdżówki worth taking home by the bagful. It’s the kind of place where one coffee becomes two and breakfast slides into lunch—no rush, just good bread, good light, and a steady stream of regulars.

Baken sets the bar for breakfast with a simple formula: exceptional bread, thoughtful cooking, and coffee worth lingering over. Morning plates revolve around custardy scrambled eggs, market vegetables, and thick-cut sourdoughs fresh from the oven, served in a bright, open-kitchen space with an easy, Scandinavian feel. Add batch brews, natural wines later in the day, and a second outpost at Browary Warszawskie, and you’ve got a reliable address for long, carb-happy starts.

INSIDER PICK

ZBOŻNA

ul. Solec 50 (Powiśle)

Zbożna keeps things refreshingly simple: bake excellent bread and let the rest follow. This Solec Street favorite turns out stellar sourdoughs, crackly baguettes, and country loaves that anchor many a Warsaw table, plus a miso-and-sesame rye with deep, savory punch. Bagel sandwiches, rotating fillings, and homemade cakes make it just as tempting for a quick lunch as a take-home haul. Warm, upbeat service seals the deal, making every visit feel personal.

MON NOM BAKERY

ul. Poznańska 13 (City Center)

Mon Nom Bakery draws a steady morning crowd with the simple promise of excellent bread and pastries done right. Behind the counter, its Armenian head baker works dough as easily as people shake hands, shaping sourdoughs, croissants, and brioches with calm, practiced ease. Expect flaky viennoiserie, crusty loaves, and sandwiches that make breakfast feel complete, all paired with properly brewed coffee. It’s the kind of place you pop into for one pastry and leave with a paper bag.

NAMO

ul. Gen. W. Andersa 21 (Muranów)

Namo proves that plant-based baking can be every bit as indulgent as the classic kind. This easygoing neighborhood favorite turns out tangy sourdough rye loaves, crusty rolls, and a steady stream of cinnamon buns and banana-chocolate pastries that disappear fast. Breakfast leans hearty and wholesome—think tahini toasts and golden tofu scrambles—best paired with a sharp espresso. Come hungry and leave stocked with bread; it’s the sort of spot that makes vegan mornings feel effortless.

Bakeries

Cafes

COFFEEDESK

ul. Nowy Świat 6/12 (City Center)

Tucked into an elegant stretch of Nowy Świat — in the same building that once housed a Ferrari showroom — Coffeedesk Kawiarnia - Nowy Świat feels more like an exclusive coffee boutique than a relaxed café chain. Part sleek espresso bar, part temple to home brewing, it stocks coveted beans from leading European roasters and everything from Hario and AeroPress to grinders and design-forward gear, from essentials to splurges. Don’t miss the alcohol-free Espresso Martini mocktail, fast becoming one of the capital’s buzziest new sips.

EL CAFETERO

ul. Emilii Plater 8 (City Center)

El Cafetero Kawiarnia slows the city’s tempo with the aroma of freshly roasted beans and a calm, bookish interior. Owner Konrad approaches coffee with near-scientific devotion: smallbatch roasting, ethically sourced beans from Kenya to Honduras, and water rebuilt with minerals for maximum clarity and flavor. The result is a remarkably clean, expressive cup that stands out on Warsaw’s crowded café scene. Add family-baked cakes and quiet corners for lingering, and it’s less a pit stop than a daily ritual worth savoring.

TRZY KRUKI

pl. Hallera 8 (Praga-Północ)

Once a drab and soulless square leftover from the Communist years, Plac Hallera has come a long way in a short space of time. In part, the reinvention can be credited to Trzy Kruki, a vibrant café whose outsized dimensions have seen the stern original pillars and sky-high ceilings softened by orb-like lamps and leafy succulents. Minimalistic in its design, here the atmosphere of the People’s Republic clashes head-on with the creative, liberal mindset that defines modern Warsaw.

INSIDER PICK

Dal Dalla Saska Kępa brings serious Italian swagger to Francuska with gelato worth queuing for. Luca, the resident maestro, spins out silky scoops in flavors that range from nutty hazelnut and bacio to fruit-forward specials, though the pistachio has near-cult status. The affogato—vanilla gelato drowned in hot espresso—is a warm-weather essential. Tasting boxes with six or 12 scoops make it easy to sample widely or take the party home.

Desserts

PASTORELLA NA POWIŚLU

ul. Dobra 26 (Powiśle)

Pastorella na Powiślu packs big flavor into a tiny footprint, a pint-sized café perfumed with butter and espresso from morning till dusk. Regulars come for the Warszawskie ciasteczko— crisp cookies sandwiched with airy cream, made for dunking—then linger over burnished Basque cheesecake, overstuffed croissants, and glossy éclairs that flirt with excess. Add genuinely warm service and a playful, pastry-filled mural, and you’ve got one of Powiśle’s sweetest little rituals.

LA BOMBINIERA

al. Solidarności 82 (Wola)

La Bomboniera is a tiny slice of Italy hidden in an unassuming courtyard in Wola, luring non locals on treks for their authentic Italian sweets that taste like they’ve been borrowed from a Naples pastry shop. The stars are classic cannoli—crisp shells piped to order—and the spectacular lobster-tail sfogliatella, all shattering layers and sweet ricotta, as good as anything from a Neapolitan pasticceria. Most people leave with a box, not a bag: bring a few home and watch how quickly you become everyone’s favorite person. How sweet it is!

BEST OF WARSAW 2025

CITY CENTER

GREEN TABLE BISTRO

ul. Puławska 2, Plac Unii City Shopping

An all-around pleasure and the culinary anchor of Plac Unii. Not just a pit stop between errands, but a destination for polished, seasonal cooking—vegetable-forward plates, careful sourcing, and quiet confidence. Daylight pours in, coffee flows, and suddenly lunch becomes an occasion. Masterful, dependable, deeply satisfying neighborhood dining.

POWIŚLE ANTRESOLEC

ul. Solec 97

Chef-owner Vlad did his homework in Warsaw’s top kitchens, and it shows. Duck confit flatbread shatters expectations, the smash burger drips and crunches just right, and fries spark arguments over the last one. Casual, precise, a little rock ’n’ roll—this is craft cooking without pretense, built for regulars.

PRAGA-PÓŁNOC

TOAST

ul. Targowa 76

Home of Toast Toast 2.0—the cover star, and maybe the best bite of the year. Caramelized bread lacquered with chili oil and salty salicornia, rich and decadent with that perfect umami hum. Hospitality comes first, always. You walk in for brunch, linger for conversation, and leave planning tomorrow’s return.

SADYBA FERMENT DOM KULTURY

ul. Iwonicka 40

Part café, part cultural hub, part neighborhood living room. Ferment feels like an oasis among postwar blocks and small villas—coffee, natural wine, workshops, concerts, meetups. The kind of place where afternoons blur into evenings and strangers become regulars. Community first, caffeine second, culture always.

TOAST

GREEN TABLE

Local Heroes

INSIDER PICK

ANTRESOLEC

MOKOTÓW

BARCELONETA

ul. Kazimierzowska 43

Approach and your pulse lifts—Mediterranean sunlight in Warsaw form. Fried calamari crackles, Jamón Serrano glistens, Spanish chatter drifts from the kitchen, and Estrella flows cold. One bite and you’re seaside: gulls, waves, salt air. Sentimental? Maybe. Worth the detour every time? Absolutely, no question.

GROCHÓW

TORIO SUSHI & RAMEN

ul. Grochowska 282/U1

Proof you don’t need to leave your 15-minute enclave for real ramen or honest sushi. Bowls arrive steaming, broths deep and patient, noodles springy; rolls are tight and clean. A dependable local joint where weeknight cravings get handled fast, no fuss, no pilgrimage required.

ŻOLIBORZ KWADRATOWY PIES

ul. Mickiewicza 21

Tucked among Żoliborz’s kamienica pavilions, this square dog slings Detroit-style comfort with a righteous crust— thick, airy, caramelized edges that crunch like burnt cheese candy. Order the sauce on the side and dip every last corner. It’s messy, nostalgic, and exactly what pizza night should feel like.

Vegan

U & MI

ul. Belwederska 17 (Mokotów)

At this Asian-vegan outpost, the same team behind our beloved La Vegana on Zgoda channels Southeast Asian street-food energy into plant-powered bowls and soups. The creamy tom yum is both bright and soothing, the fake duck — chewy seitan bathed in umami sauce — feels like theatre for the senses, while pho, laksa and noodle wok dishes marry spice, herb and texture with conviction. Casual, colourful and deeply comforting, U & Mi makes vegan feel adventurous rather than ascetic.

NIEDALEKO DAMASZKU

ul. Icchoka Lejba Pereca 2 (City Center)

Step inside and you’re somewhere sun-kissed yet fiercely rooted in Damascus: falafel that crackles with crisp exteriors and velvet interiors, hummus lush and pillowy, and wraps spilling with tangy, herb-studded goodness. It’s humble Middle-Eastern comfort that feels honest and alive, served with welcoming energy and accessible prices — the sort of place you slide into mid-afternoon, watching the city ebb and flow while the cardamom tea warms your hands.

INSIDER PICK

PEACHES

ul. Stalowa 36 (Praga-Północ)

A small plate revelation tucked into Praga’s industrial bustle, Peaches turns plant-based food into something unabashedly joyful and boundary-less. Expect seasonal bowls, inventive dumplings and grilled oyster mushrooms that dance with spice and umami — dishes that make even meat eaters pause and reassess their life choices. Pet its sauces like they were sculpture; as in the best vegan kitchens, texture and intent matter as much as flavour. Bright, bold and never boring.

HAPPA TO MAME

ul. Hoża 43/49 (City Center)

A serene, minimalist escape where matcha isn’t an afterthought but the main act. This Japanese herbaciarnia speciality pours ceremonial-grade matcha and handcrafted lattes that feel more meditative than trendy, stirred with respect for tradition and served in ceramic that makes you slow down and taste every whisper of grass and umami. Pair it with daifuku, dorayaki or dango — wagashi sweets that echo matcha’s subtle depths. The vibe here is calm, ritualistic, and deeply rewarding.

Matcha

QQ WARSAW

ul. Żurawia 32 (City Center)

In this lively cafe where Asian lunches and brunches spill into cozy afternoons, matcha makes its own joyful statement. Go for a matcha latte with an extra shot if you like intensity; try the Matcha Coconut Cloud or jasmine-tinged green tea creations for something lighter and more playful. It’s the kind of place where texture and flavour marry — creamy, bright, sometimes effervescent — making green tea not just a drink but a reason to linger.

INSIDER PICK

Italian

utside, Quattro Piatti keeps a low profile. Inside, it’s another country.

The dining room feels lifted straight from a Turin side street — warm, close, faintly nostalgic — while the kitchen behind the swing doors runs with the precision of a fine-dining brigade. It’s a contrast that defines the place: comfort out front, discipline in back.

Owner-chef Enzo Saccomani arrived in Warsaw 14 years ago as a representative for an Italian culinary academy, helping several now-renowned Italian restaurants find their footing. He never left. Instead, he built his own stage. A maestro by temperament, he works the room nightly, checking plates, greeting guests, extending hospitality like a handshake that turns into a hug. His philosophy is to give pleasure with his cooking.

QUATTRO PIATTI ul. Stępińska 2 (Dolny Mokotów)

Don’t miss Aperikolacja, his aperitivo-style evening ritual: shareable sets of saffron-artichoke risotto bites, crispy pappardelle with sausage, tigella stuffed with ragù, and bright chicken salad with pecorino, served with wine. Stay late on a Friday — he may end the night with a guitar solo. Not Italian standards, but more the likes of Prince or Pink Floyd.

MIMOSA

ul. Chmielna 38 (City Center)

Mimosa brings a Brooklyn townhouse mood to Chmielna, turning a once-transit street into a destination. Wood-fired pizzas anchor the menu, their blistered crusts supporting toppings that veer playful but never gimmicky. Pastas are confident, starters unfussy, and cocktails strong enough to justify a second round. Open all day, it works as well for lunch as it does for evenings that drift. Order dessert — the raspberry-topped beza seals the deal.

OSTERIA DA GIA

ul. WIlcza 8 (City Center)

Osteria da Gia is a new Italian spot where relaxed osteria vibes meet genuinely good cooking. The menu leans on classic Italian favorites — from crudo and arancini to handmade pastas like carbonara and cacio e pepe — plus crowd-pleasing mains such as risotto and grilled seafood. With a welcoming lunch service and cozy interior, it’s the kind of place that turns a spontaneous dinner into a regular stop on Warsaw’s Italian map

PRIMITIVO

ul. Waliców 13 (City Center)

Primitivo Kitchen & Wine casts a wide Mediterranean net, pulling in Italy, Spain, Greece and France without leaning too heavily on any single shore. The cooking favors clarity over complication: sun-ripe vegetables, seafood, handmade pasta and generous olive oil. Its calling card is one of Poland’s largest selections of Primitivo wines, poured in a room that channels relaxed, endless-summer ease. It’s polished but unpretentious — built for long tables and longer evenings.

RUSIKO

ul. Wierzbowa 11 (City Center)

A Georgian institution in the city centre, where warmth comes not just from the breads pulled fresh from the oven but from the swag of Georgian tapestries on the walls. Here you’ll find pillowy khinkali, cheese-laden khachapuri and braised lamb that dissolves with each forkful, all paired with Georgian wines pulled from clay amphoras in Kakheti’s vineyards. The vibe is convivial and unpretentious — a place that feels like a conversation you want to keep going

LOMI

ul. Marszałkowska 72 (City Center)

Set in a beautifully restored pre-war building, Lomi brings Georgian classics into a slightly more elevated frame. Think bubbling Adjarian khachapuri, wood-fired breads, rich stews and delicate dumplings that anchor long, languid dinners. Wine — from Georgia and beyond — is served with confidence, and the polished atmosphere makes even an ordinary Tuesday feel like an occasion. It’s Georgian comfort heightened by design and hospitality.

Georgian

Korean

KIM CHI KEN

ul. Marszałkowska 27/35 (City Center)

A lively shrine to Korean fried chicken and street-food favourites, Kim Chi Ken balances juicy, double-fried thighs with bold sauces — from tangy gochujang glaze to sticky sweet heat — that sing with sass. Beyond wings, bowls of spicy noodles and kimchi-rich sides make every visit feel communal and joyous. It’s messy, it’s loud, it’s unapologetically delicious — the sort of place where you wipe your hands on paper and order one more round.

NAMDEMUN KUCHNIA KOREAŃSKA

ul. Poznańska 5 (City Center)

A shining example of Korean home cooking in the heart of Warsaw, Namdemun elevates classics with care and sincerity. Fried dumplings, bibimbap in a sizzling stone pot and fiery ttokbokki crackle with heat and depth, while Korean fried chicken stays perfectly crisp. Ingredients are sourced with authenticity in mind and sauces are made from scratch, letting heritage flavours sing without pretension. Warm, vibrant and rooted in tradition, this is comfort food with conviction.

HOME-BBQ KOREAN RESTAURANT

ul. Bakalarska 11/BA (Ochota)

Home BBQ brings Seoul’s vibrant flavours to Ursynów with grilled classics and Korean barbecue flair. Think kimchi bokkeumbap with fried egg, snug stews like kimchi chige and crisp sides like wakame salad — each bite threaded with smokiness and balance. It’s cozy without fuss and hearty without being heavy: a neighbourhood favourite for gatherings, late dinners and soulful slurps that wrap a cold evening in warmth

HALO MIAN

ul. Prosta 69E (Wola)

Halo Mian brings hand-pulled Chinese noodle craftsmanship to Wola with broad appeal and lively flavour.

Think biang biang spicy twists, sesame-smothered strands, chewy staples and bowls dressed in pungent, soy-rich sauces that hit all the right notes without pretension. Affordable, generous and bustling, this noodle spot is all about satisfying slurps and solid portions — a casual draw for weekday lunches and late dinners alike.

NOODLANI

ul. Żurawia 45 (City Center)

A crowd-pleasing noodle hub where the broth lives up to the buzz and variety keeps you coming back. At Noodlani, bowls brim with fresh noodles in rich Chinese-inspired soups and fragrant additives; you can even tailor your noodle type and build your own bowl at the table. Generous portions and free snacks like spring rolls keep things convivial — and the chilli oil here might just make your next craving.

Noodles

RAMENOWNIA

ul. Giełdowa 5 (Wola)

This Giełdowa noodle den serves ramen the way comfort food should feel: steaming, richly layered and with a confidence born of broth mastery. Curry tonkotsu, ebi tonkotsu and spicy miso draw rich, rounded flavours, while house noodles carry each spoonful with satisfying chew. There’s a bowl here for every mood, whether you want smoky depth, creamy heat, or simple shoyu clarity — each garnished with chashu and pickles that elevate the conversation.

ARIGATORII HOUSE OF UDON

ul. Piękna 54/2A (City Center)

When udon becomes an occasion, you’re at Arigatorii. From deep fish-broth tsuyu udon to curry and “freaky” renditions with creamy, umami layers, every slurp here feels like a warm exhale in winter. The owners behind ramen favourite Arigator also infuse this spot with playful precision — expect gyoza, beef tataki and inventive desserts that turn meal’s end into part of the ritual. A cosy bowl of comfort and craft.

Japanese

IKI IZAKAYA

ul. Nowogrodzka 44 (City Center)

Iki Izakaya is the calm within Warsaw’s downtown storm — refined Japanese bites and thoughtful cocktails beneath low lighting. Tuna tataki, salmon tartare accented with yuzu, and balanced sushi arrive with an elegant restraint that rewards slow sipping and deep conversation. This isn’t a loud izakaya; it’s a whisper of quality where every ingredient speaks. It’s date-night clever and after-work poised — proof that simplicity, when done right, can be unforgettable.

IZAKAYA MUGI

ul. Kolejowa 43 (Wola)

Mugi hums with the low-key energy of a late-night Tokyo backstreet: lantern-warm light, cold beer, and small plates built for passing and grazing. Takoyaki arrive blistered and steamy, yakitori skewers drip with smoke, and bowls of ramen land deep and comforting — the kind you lean over like it’s winter in Sapporo. It’s casual, unfussy, and refreshingly honest cooking, a neighbourhood refuge where sake flows and Warsaw fades. Come hungry, stay late, order one more round.

NOOK

ul. Krochmalna 2 (Wola)

Nook is Warsaw’s sushi and ramen workshop where chopsticks meet joie de vivre. From Cali Gold rolls dripping with salmon and caviar to pillowy katsu sandos and deep, soulful ramen, it feels like a late-night Tokyo alley transplanted to Wola. Hip, buzzy and unpretentious, Nook makes every bite an occasion — the kind that has locals whispering “book ahead” while strangers linger over sake and laughs. Its sushi isn’t dainty… it’s a celebration.

BRAIN FARM CAFE

ul. Solec 46 (Powiśle)

Brain Farm isn’t just coffee; it’s caffeine with a thesis. Here, Hard Beans espresso pairs with matcha from Happa to Mame, and dishes weave functional mushrooms into the narrative — lion’s mane for focus, cordyceps for oomph — all grounded in serious sourcing and a design that feels like thoughtful sci-fi. With brioche sandwiches, mushroom-tinged bites and smoothies built for recovery or recharge, this is café culture engineered for 2026.

Concept

Design Team

PUBLIC. DESIGN TEAM

Not a café or a bar, but an idea factory that’s shaped how Warsaw eats, drinks and lives. Public’s interior work — from Soho Waszyngton to Ragazzi Bar in Hala Koszyki — feels like a wink and a handshake, combining modern lines with playful, human details. Their latest turn at Grażyny milk bar proves they can make the everyday sing. In a city of lookalikes, Public makes spaces you remember before the first sip.

INSIDER PICK

BRUT

ul. Koszykowa 63, Hala Koszyki (City Center)

Walk into BRUT and you notice the room before anything else: steel, wood, and tile playing against Koszyki’s Art Nouveau bones like a well-cut suit over old tattoos. Łoskiewicz Studio keeps it restrained but sensual—soft light, long lines, an open kitchen glowing like a stage set, and a tucked-away patio that feels like a secret garden. It’s the kind of design that makes you linger, order another drink, stay past your plans. As Koszyki evolves into a true food destination, BRUT feels inevitable—the new jewel in its crown.

PHOTOGRAPH BY

JACEK KOŁODZIEJSKI

Design

ETHER ROOFTOP BAR

ul. Chmielna 71 (City Center)

Perched on the 19th floor of NYX Hotel Warsaw with the city’s glass giants at eye level, Ether is Warsaw’s seasonal urban cocktail perch worth every step up. Think sunset-glow vistas, clever highball mixes and an open-air buzz that turns strangers into friends by apéritif three. It’s equal parts summer romance and after-work skyline gaze — a place to toast the city’s vertical pulse with something chilled in hand and the horizon right there.

Hotel Bar

NOBU BAR

ul. Wilcza 73, NOBU (City Center)

Dimly lit and impeccably designed, Nobu Bar channels a sleek Tokyo–meets–New York energy that feels equal parts precision and play. The cocktails follow the same philosophy as the kitchen: clean, disciplined and flavour-forward, with a subtle Peruvian spark woven through the menu. Signature serves like the Jalapeño Ginger Martini and the Matsuhisa Martini translate the brand’s Japanese-Peruvian DNA into the glass—aromatic, sharp and beautifully balanced. It’s the kind of hotel bar you plan to stop by for one and inevitably linger long past last call.

ANAWA

ul. Emilii Plater 49, InterContinental Warszawa (City Center)

Rooted in memory but looking firmly ahead, Anawa reimagines Polish tradition through a contemporary lens. Seasonal produce, revived techniques and a light, elegant touch shape a menu that feels both intimate and forward-thinking— dishes designed to spark recognition one moment and surprise the next. Set inside the InterContinental, it’s less a formal hotel dining room and more a shared table for stories, conversation and the quiet pleasure of thoughtful cooking. This is cuisine guided by emotion as much as flavour, where everyday meals turn into small celebrations.

Hotel Restaurant

SZÓSTKA & RESTAURACJA WARSZAWSKA

Hotel Warszawa, pl. Powstańców Warszawy 9 (City Center)

Two floors, two moods, one address inside Hotel Warszawa. Upstairs, Szóstka runs all-in on seafood: fish aged in a specialist fridge, filleted in an open kitchen, served with skyline views from a terrace over Świętokrzyska. Downstairs, Restauracja Warszawska is chef Dariusz Barański’s skills flex — house bread, clever freebies, paprika-bright dumplings, that legendary golden schnitzel, and soft-serve worth worshipping. The room stuns, the prices surprise, and you leave wondering how something this polished feels so human.

ŁASKAWOŚĆ TYTUSA

ul. Piękna 49 (City Center)

Tucked into Piękna’s mellow stretch, Łaskawość Tytusa is equal parts wine bar, bistro and wine shop — a living room for lovers of natural and heritage bottles. The wine list leans seasonal and thoughtful, the plates simple yet refined, built to elevate every pour. It’s where sommeliers turn into guides and bottles become stories, unpretentious and endlessly sip-worthy. Whether it’s a glass after work or a long dinner, it always feels right.

Wine Bars

BLISKO

ul. Stalowa 36 (Praga-Północ)

Blisko is Warsaw’s natural wine hideout — gritty in the best way, with a Paris-Berlin vibe and a shelf-to-glass selection that keeps you curious. Wine by the glass (and by the bottle to go) skates between low-intervention labels from Austria, Burgundy and the Loire, while small plates and vinyl spins make every evening feel like a laid-back soirée. It’s wine bar culture with edge, warmth and bones you want to settle into

WIN WINE BAR & SHOP

al. Solidarności 153 (City Center)

WIN feels like Warsaw’s wine love letter — a deli, boutique wine shop and bar in one, where the crew from Enoterra pour bottles with a storyteller’s cadence. From crisp Rieslings and Burgundies to unexpected naturals, every glass comes with context and character. The food — charcuterie, burrata and shareable plates — isn’t an afterthought but an accomplice to the wine. It’s the kind of place where a quick pour turns into a long night of discovery.

100

concerts between 2026 - 2028

The legendary JAZZ PO POLSKU Foundation series returns to Warsaw for its biggest season ever.

Tomasz Chyła Quintet

O.N.E.

Szymon Zawodny Quintet

Ninja Episkopat

Sławek Pezda Quartet

Natalia Kordiak Quintet

Tradition × Experiment × Pure Energy

Poland’s most exciting jazz artists. Up close. In the moment. Live.

Bars

AFERA NA SZPITALNEJ

ul. Szpitalna 3 (City Center)

Afera is Warsaw’s beloved vodka bar with a cult following, where cold shots and hearty Polish snacks collide with cheerful chaos. This is the kind of place you wander into after midnight and emerge hours later debating whether you should’ve had one more kieliszek. White brick walls and good-humored murals set a playful scene for serious drinking, and locals praise its deep vodka menu and comfort plates — not to mention the owner’s mum’s cooking that keeps the party going.

LUZ MARIA BAR

ul. Chmielna 21/lok. 25/26 (City Center)

BAKEN BAR

ul. Jana Jeziorańskiego 1 (Żoliborz)

Luz Maria isn’t your typical bar — it’s a full-on telenovela you can sip and chew. Step through a hidden courtyard and you’re greeted with Peruvian-Latin flair, riotous colours and a soundtrack that feels like a fiesta before drinks even arrive. Mezcal and pisco cocktails push the drama, while loaded nachos and tacos keep the energy high. It’s social, uninhibited and utterly addictive — dialogue flowing as freely as the drinks.

Baken bar’s seasonal Żoliborz outpost takes the city’s favourite bakery-turned-wine haven and lets it breathe in the sun. Think simple as f*ck flatbreads, fries and waffles alongside chilled natural wine and easygoing cocktails — all under open skies beside a converted workshop. It’s part picnic, part pop-up party: the kind of place where someone inevitably starts dancing to a record just as the light fades, and you wonder why you ever drank anywhere else.

Nightlife

Some places try to manufacture a scene; Monkey Love simply lets it unfold. Tucked along the Vistula boulevards, just steps from the river, it feels cinematic — dim light, leather, flickering candles and a vinyl deck that signals music isn’t background, it’s backbone. Cocktails are playful but precise (the Monkey Sling is pure theatre), and as the evening deepens the room hums with that listening-bar energy. Come summer, the terrace turns electric — Warsaw nights stretching long toward the water.

THEONE WARSAW

Mazowiecka 2/4 (City Center)

In the heart of Mazowiecka’s after-hours pulse, TheOne Warsaw turns a night out into a seamless journey from dinner to dawn. This hybrid cocktail bar, lounge and club melds refined interiors with a soundtrack that carries you through the evening — low lighting, leather-lined nooks giving way to a pulse-driven dance floor. Creative cocktails land as artful as the Mediterranean-tinged small plates, before DJs take over and the vibe shifts into a modern late-night rhythm worth chasing.

POD GIGANTAMI

al. Ujazdowskie 24 (City Center)

By day Pod Gigantami is a palatial Polish restaurant; by night it quietly turns into one of Warsaw’s most atmospheric destinations to linger, sip and dance. Steeped in history and grand interiors, the room fills with a hum of conversations, wine and DJ sets on weekends that keep the crowd moving until the early hours. It’s where fine dining gently melts into a late-night vibe — elegant yet unpretentious, perfect for post-dinner drinks that might turn into spontaneous dancing.

Le Cedre 84

Le Cedre 61

Al. Solidarności 61 22 670 1166

Al. Solidarności 84 22 618 8999 Experience the Magic of the Middle East Belly Dance Show – Live Performance! Fridays at 19:00 – Le Cedre 84 Saturdays at 19:00 – Le Cedre 61 lecedre.pl | FB.com/lecedrepl | IG.com/lecedreinwarsaw

Where the capital sharpens its mind and shapes its future

For the first time, the Warsaw Insider names an overall Insider’s Photo of the Year, selected from our 2025 Photographers of the Month.

Konrad Maślankiewicz redefines Warsaw from above — bold lines, graphic precision, and light that transforms the familiar into something monumental.

The Art of Disagreement

Why Warsaw’s boldest new building works by provoking opinion

The New York Times ranked Warsaw second on its prestigious “52 Places to Go in 2026” list — ahead of Bangkok, Barcelona and Melbourne — confirming what many locals already sensed: the city has become one of the most compelling urban stories in Europe. At the center of that story stands the gleaming, all-white Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw (MSN), designed by Thomas Phifer, positioned boldly beside the monumental Palace of Culture and Science.

The Times described how the museum “gleams alongside” the Palace, creating a dialogue between eras. And that word — dialogue — is crucial. Because if there is one building in Warsaw today that sparks conversation, admiration and irritation in equal measure, it is this one.

Not everyone is convinced. Critics argue that on Marszałkowska — the cap-

ital’s living room — architecture should be open, luminous and representative. They see the museum’s low arcades and restrained façade as turning its back on the street. Some call it heavy. Others accuse the city of urban “gaslighting,” suggesting that if you don’t like it, you simply don’t understand it. They point to prewar streetscapes, to glazed ground floors, to the theatricality of the Palace, and ask: where is the invitation here? Why does this white frame feel so introverted on Warsaw’s most extroverted avenue?

And yet, perhaps that tension is precisely the point.

Look at its placement. On one side, Marszałkowska — a corridor of commerce, capitalism and constant motion. On the other, the Palace of Culture — a relic of imposed history, monumental and ideologically charged. Between them

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Like good art, the building demands a reaction — and that is precisely its power

stands the MSN: austere, contemporary, deliberately neutral. It is not trying to compete with the Palace’s ornament or the street’s commercial signage. It draws a line between past and present, spectacle and restraint. It is culture placed unapologetically at the forefront of the city.

In that sense, the building is a perfect metaphor for Warsaw itself — a city of

contrast. Socialist monument meets glass towers. Memory meets ambition. Capital meets culture. The MSN doesn’t smooth those contradictions; it frames them.

And perhaps its most important function is not aesthetic but civic. Like good art, the building demands a reaction. You may find it luminous or lifeless, elegant or aloof. But you will form an opinion. You will discuss it over coffee. You will argue about it walking across Plac Defilad. In a city long described as pragmatic and functional, that alone is a cultural achievement.

Because architecture that everyone agrees on is rarely memorable. Architecture that divides opinion often defines an era.

The MSN may not flatter Marszałkowska in a traditional way. But it does something arguably more valuable: it forces Warsaw to look at itself — its history, its capitalism, its ambitions — and to talk about what kind of city it wants to be next.

• Stage Hosts

Technical Support • Transport • Custom Costumes

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Since 2007

Discover the Best of 19. Dzielnica

Where Warsaw eats, relaxes, and rewrites the rules of city living

A DISTRICT WITH FLAVOR

If Warsaw’s culinary scene is a map of micro-moments, then 19. Dzielnica is one of its most quietly confident coordinates. It’s not a neighborhood that shouts — but it knows how to host. Cafés, bakeries, breakfast spots, wine bars, and casual eateries have gathered here with a sense of purpose, catering not to passing hype but to the daily rituals of the people who live and work nearby.

What sets the district apart is how these places support a lifestyle rather than define it. For residents, a morning flat white or a glass of wine after work isn’t a destination; it’s part of the rhythm.

“In 19. Dzielnica, a morning coffee or an evening glass of wine isn’t a destination — it’s part of the rhythm of living...

CENTRAL MEETS LOCAL

Situated just beyond the roar of Warsaw’s central business spine, 19. Dzielnica benefits from proximity without the pace. Professionals wander over from nearby offices for lunch; locals linger into the evening, treating cafés and terraces as semi-public living rooms. The district favors a European ease — smaller in scale, more intimate, more walkable, and geared toward everyday rituals rather than special occasions. Green courtyards slow the movement between home, shop, and café. Fountains and pocket plazas invite people to sit, talk, and watch the street unfold. Children weave through pedestrian paths; dogs circle benches; friends meet for a quick bite that becomes a long catch-up. Here, “central” means connected as well as convivial.

WELLNESS AS EVERYDAY LUXURY

If food and drink bring character to the street, wellness brings convenience. The district has quietly grown into one of Warsaw’s densest clusters of beauty, aesthetic, spa, and fitness services. It’s a form of luxury defined less by extravagance and more by practicality: self-care without travel time; appointments between meetings; wellbeing as an urban default.

GOOD LIVING, THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED

The architecture reinforces this mindset. Awarded buildings, thoughtful layouts, and generous shared spaces attract families, young professionals, and long-term renters alike. Pet-friendly courtyards, stroller-friendly sidewalks, and strong community ties make the district feel settled even as it continues to grow.

WHERE DEMAND MEETS DESIRE

Part of the neighborhood’s appeal lies in its balance between liveability and investment logic. With rental demand driven by its location near Rondo Daszyńskiego and Warsaw’s corporate hubs, the district draws both committed residents and savvy investors. The food, wellness, and social infrastructure only strengthen that position: a neighborhood in use is a neighborhood with a future.

19. Dzielnica is, ultimately, an invitation — to live well, eat well, and waste less time in transit. In a city moving faster every year, that’s quietly revolutionary.

19. Dzielnica, ul. Kolejowa 43A (Wola), 19dzielnica.pl/oferta

The Norblin Factory

Unlocked

Culture, cuisine, commerce, community collide

Inside the revitalized grounds of the Norblin Factory, Warsaw’s industrial past hums with new life. Former plating halls now host food, film, retail,entertainment and culture, creating a walkable micro-district that feels both gritty and polished. It’s where locals meet, expats linger and the city’s creative energy gathers daily under one restored roof.

Food Town

A buzzing indoor street-food market with 24 culinary concepts and five bars, offering global flavors, quick bites, and late-night energy under one lively roof.

Culture

Immersive exhibitions at Art Box Experience, screenings at Kinogram, and guided heritage walks reveal Norblin Factory's layered industrial history, blending art, film, and storytelling.

Restaurants

Ten full-service restaurants elevate the offer, from modern Polish to international cuisines, making the Norblin Factory as suitable for date nights and business lunches as casual meals.

Retail

Around twenty boutiques and specialty shops mix design, fashion, museum books, and lifestyle goods, encouraging slow browsing between bites and turning visits into relaxed urban strolls.

Bars & Cafés

Scattered cafés and cocktail bars keep the rhythm steady from morning espresso to after-work drinks, blurring lines between dining, socializing, and workspace hangouts.

Bio Bazar

Five days a week Bio Bazar gathers 40 to 60 vendors selling organic produce, bread, preserves, and crafts, transforming the courtyard into Warsaw’s most vibrant farmers’ market.

The Crowd

From Warsaw locals and visiting foodies to expats and families, the Norblin Factory draws a constant flow of guests, creating a lively, diverse energy that makes the complex feel like a city within the city— busy, social, and easy to linger in.

Building a School, Building a Life

With over two decades in Poland and less than a decade of leading one of Warsaw’s fastest-growing international schools, Tom McGrath reflects on how both the city and the BSW campus have been transformed

Insider: It’s been 30 years since you first arrived in Warsaw to teach at an international school. What was it like back then?

Tom McGrath: In 1996, Warsaw was a very different city. Wilanów was green fields and Warsaw was paper queues. Shopping centres in the style of Westfield hadn’t yet opened, the internet was in its infancy, and the city’s international character was limited.

I remember my first Christmas in Poland and being amazed that every bar, restaurant and café seemed to shut down from Christmas Eve until New Year’s Eve. There was still a strong tradition of celebrating around the festive table in cramped apartments — quite alien to an Irishman.

In many ways it was less comfortable, a little grittier, but it was also more exotic and original. Today Warsaw resembles many other European capitals. It impresses visitors and newcomers with its ease of living, excellent transport system, safety, and well-maintained parks and green spaces.

What do you believe is the most significant change in Warsaw?

One huge improvement has been the digitalisation of services and procedures. In the pre-digital era, you could lose hours queuing to deal with bureaucracy. Lines were long, you were often sent from window to window, and customer service could be gruff, to say the least. It did mean my Polish improved quickly — but now almost everything can be done on your phone, which has made life far easier.

And what changes have you seen in international schools?

In the 1990s, international schools were small and still finding their feet. The international community had fewer choices, and most schools operated out of converted buildings rather than purpose-built campuses.

There was also limited awareness of what international education involved. Programmes such as the IGCSE or the IB Diploma were relatively unknown, and few students aimed to study abroad. That has changed radically over the past two decades.

Recruiting teachers was also challenging, as Warsaw had an undeserved reputation as a hardship posting and far fewer international flight connections. Today it’s a much more attractive destination to live and work.

How has the British Primary School of Wilanów changed in its first decade?

When I began my headship in 2017, the school had fewer than 100 pupils. Today we’re a learning community of almost 450.

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When I arrived,Wilanów was green fields and Warsaw was paper queues. Today everything fits in your pocket — but the heart of education is still people

Back then our facilities were quite limited; now we have a spacious campus with excellent, modern resources. We’re fully accredited by professional bodies such as the Council of British International Schools, and we’ll undergo re-accreditation this autumn. We’ve also joined International Schools Partnership, which has helped us strengthen and expand what we offer families.

How is the school celebrating this milestone?

Anniversaries are a chance to recognise everyone who has been part of the journey, so we’re hosting a large gala celebration in March. It’s also an opportunity to reflect on our history and achievements.

More importantly, it allows us to look ahead — to plan our second decade and imagine what the school will become. We want to continue improving and expanding while ensuring that our values-based education remains at the heart of everything we do.

Finally, any advice for parents and pupils considering international schools in Warsaw?

Take your time choosing. The philosophy and values of a school really matter. Visit in person and make sure it lives up to what you see in the brochure.

External accreditations from organisations such as CIS or COBIS are helpful indicators, and many schools offer trial days — which I strongly recommend. An international school can be a wonderful experience, but it’s new for many families, so it’s important to find the right fit for everyone.

BRITISH PRIMARY SCHOOL OF WILANOW admissions@bswilanow.org to organise

a visit In collaboration with

EDUCATION preschools

AMERICAN SCHOOL OF WARSAW

Contact admissions@aswarsaw. org

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.

BRITISH PRIMARY SCHOOL OF WILANOW

Please email admissions@ bswilanow.org to organise a visit. 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.

Masters in Rivalry

Immersive Renaissance duel in light

ATHE BRITISH SCHOOL WARSAW – EARLY YEARS CENTRE

ul. Dąbrowskiego 84, tel. 22 646 77 77, thebritishschool.pl

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

t Art Box Experience inside the revitalized Norblin Factory, the Renaissance gets a cinematic reboot. Leonardo versus Michelangelo. The Duel of Renaissance Geniuses transforms the legendary face-off between Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo into a sweeping, multisensory journey that feels closer to theatre than museum display.

Across eight rooms of towering projections, surround sound and interactive scenography, visitors move between two distinct artistic minds. Leonardo emerges as the observant scientist, fascinated by anatomy, light and mechanics, while Michelangelo’s world pulses with muscular bodies and emotional intensity. Instead of passively viewing reproductions, you step into their studios, their processes and even their rivalry, culminating in a playful vote for your chosen master.

Created by Layers of Reality, the production balances high-tech spectacle with smart storytelling and clear historical context. The result is both accessible and thoughtful—an engaging reminder that the Renaissance was not just a chapter in art history, but a living conversation about creativity, ambition and what it means to be human.

Leonardo versus Michelangelo. The Duel of Renaissance Geniuses 13 February – 14 June 2026

Art Box Experience (The Norblin Factory) ul. Żelazna 51/53, artboxexperience.com

EDUCATION

preschools

THE CANADIAN SCHOOL OF WARSAW PRESCHOOL

ul. Ignacego Krasickiego 53, tel. 697 979 100, canadian-school.pl 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, Science, Physical Education, Arts & Culture, French and Polish classes.

CASA DEI BAMBINI & TODDLER SCHOOL

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

THE INTERNATIONAL TRILINGUAL SCHOOL OF WARSAW

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.plOffering a nursery, primary, and pre-school education with an international curriculum for children aged from one to 15.

A Decade of Excellence at Akademeia

Founded in 2016, Akademeia High School celebrates its 10th anniversary this year — a milestone that reflects a decade of academic rigour and an increasingly international outlook

Over the past decade, the school has developed a distinctly holistic model of education, combining the rigour of the British IGCSE and A Level programmes with strong pastoral care, mentoring and personalised university guidance. The aim is simple: to prepare students not only for exams, but for independent thinking and life beyond school.

A STRONG ACADEMIC FOUNDATION

At the heart of Akademeia’s approach is the A Level curriculum, widely regarded as one of the most specialised and academically demanding secondary programmes in the world.

To support students coming from different national systems, the school also offers a dedicated pre-A Level year

— a bridging programme designed to build subject depth, research skills and academic confidence before entering the full two-year A Level track. The result is a smoother transition and stronger outcomes once students begin their final examinations.

UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS THAT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

In the Class of 2025, an exceptional 53% of graduates received offers from universities and undergraduate programmes ranked in the global top ten of the QS World University Rankings.

Over the years, students have secured places at leading universities worldwide, including Cambridge, Oxford and UCL in the UK; Yale and MIT in the US; and Bocconi and Delft in Europe, pursuing programmes spanning Engineering, Neu-

roscience, Politics, Economics and Law. These placements highlight the school’s focus on close mentoring and tailored university counselling — a process that begins well before final year.

2026 Assessment Days:

• 20–21 March

• 24–25 April

LOOKING FORWARD: LIFELONG LEARNING

The anniversary year will also be marked by a wider community initiative. On 27–28 March 2026, Akademeia will host its Educational & Business Conference, Lifelong Learning in a Changing World, exploring how education must adapt to rapid technological and social change.

The programme brings together educators, researchers and business leaders to discuss topics including AI in learning, talent development and future skills.

Speakers include Andrzej Noga (Pracuj. pl), Dr Lee Howell (former World Economic Forum), author Jenny Anderson, and researchers from the University of Warwick’s Fact-Based Education initiative.

Supported by the British Polish Chamber of Commerce and Newsweek Psychologia, the event aims to connect schools, families and industry around a shared question: how do we keep learning throughout life?

Register now to join the conversation shaping education's future

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Akademeia High School ul. Św. Urszuli Ledóchowskiej 2 (Wilanów) tel. +48 22 299 87 80, +48 538 052 454 akademeia.edu.pl

EDUCATION

schools

AKADEMEIA HIGH SCHOOL

ul. Ledóchowskiej 2, akademeia. edu.pl 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.

AMERICAN SCHOOL OF WARSAW

Contact: admissions@aswarsaw.org or 22 702 85 00, ul. Warszawska 202 (Konstancin-Jeziorna), aswarsaw. org 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. Students graduate with either the IB diploma or an American high school diploma. All programs are conducted in English, with integrated EAL support for non-native speakers.

BRITISH PRIMARY SCHOOL OF WILANOW

Please email admissions@ bswilanow.org to organise a visit 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.

THE BRITISH SCHOOL

WARSAW

ul. Limanowskiego 15, tel. 22 842 3281, thebritishschool.pl

The mission of TBS is to balance academic success with character building and well-being. Students at The British School Warsaw 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.

THE ENGLISH PRIMARY

ul. Rzodkiewki 18, tel. 784 037 808, tep.edu.pl

The English Primary is designed specifically for children in the primary education ages, just as children experience in England but in an international community. Pupils are taken through the key learning stages so that they can achieve to the best of their ability through a fun learning experience. The Core Curriculum subjects include English, Phonics, Science, Mathematics, French, PE and Swimming, Music, Personal, Social and Health Education.

THE CANADIAN SCHOOL OF WARSAW INTER-

NATIONAL

ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL

Located on two campuses in the Mokotów this is the only authorized IB School with PYP programs taught in English and Polish. French is taught as a third language. International staff, cultural events and challenging student initiatives create the perfect learning environment. ul. Bełska 7, tel. 692 411 573 / 885 420 044, secretary@ canadian-school.pl or secretary. olimpijska@canadian-school.pl

Warsaw

Montessori

Schools accepting applications for our programs and locations:

Infant & Toddler

Tatrzańska 5a

Badowska 19

Casa dei Bambini

Badowska 19

Szkolna 16, Hornówek

warsaw montessori family

Tatrzańska

schools EDUCATION

THE INTERNATIONAL TRILINGUAL SCHOOL OF WARSAW

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 Established in 1994, offering 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, Polish, Spanish or Chinese, French or Japanese. Teachers are highly-qualified native speakers from the US, France, Spain, China and Japan.

MONNET INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

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

JOY PRIMARY SCHOOL

ul. Syta 131A, tel. 722 305 333, sekretariat@joyprimaryschool.pl

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 an 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, while encouraged to explore personal strength and autonomy.

WARSAW MONTESSORI SCHOOL

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

WARSAW MONTESSORI MIDDLE SCHOOL

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

Guided by trained specialists, students are responsible for managing their household, operating small businesses, caring for local flora and fauna as well as domesticated animals, taking charge of the younger children and much more. “Adolescence Program” activities, integrated with academic studies, help students discover their inner strength to meet real life challenges.

WARSAW MONTESSORI HIGH SCHOOL

ul. Pytlasińskiego 13A, tel. 787 095 835, wmf.edu.pl 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.

Speech Foundations

Why preschool plays a crucial role

The approaching preschool age is often the first time we focus our attention on how and how much our child speaks.

Parental anxiety is usually tempered by unreliable opinions, such as that a 3-year-old may not be speaking yet, or that boys start speaking later, etc. Indeed, speech development delays can occur due to delayed myelination of the nervous system, but it must be emphasized that it is essential to assess functions essential for speech development, such as hearing, cognitive development, comprehension, and gross and fine motor skills, to rule out any disorders.

Speech is a result of the development of a child's highest mental and intellectual functions. Speech disorders affect a child's overall development, but also their character. Unable to communicate in their environment, they develop attitudes of submissiveness, rebellion, or violence.

Contact with peers and a child's involvement in preschool activities provide an excellent opportunity to expand their vocabulary, ask questions, seek answers, and develop interests. This synergy: participation in a peer group and speech therapy exercises, stimulates the child's activity, creating conditions for proper speech and personality development. Want to check if your child's development is progressing smoothly? We invite you to attend speech therapy and psychological consultations at Przedszkole Nr Jeden, and to collaborate with our preschool for children aged 2.5 to 6. Call and ask for details about our offer.

EDYTA FREJEK,

Director/owner of Przedszkole Numer Jeden

BROUGHT TO YOU BY PRZEDSZKOLE NUMER JEDEN

Przedszkole Numer Jeden al. Rzeczypospolitej 31/AU1 przedszkolenumerjeden.pl tel. 780 116 115

Last Bite

BREAKING BREAD

Two hundred dinners later, Warsaw

BY JOSEPH AUWUAH-DARKO

It started, as these things often do, in Amsterdam; over a long wooden table, a bottle of wine sweating under candlelight, and a room full of strangers deciding, collectively, to trust one another with stories. Two hundred and thirty dinners later, that quiet experiment in breaking bread has found its way to Warsaw. Different languages. Different weather. Same hunger.

Nothing, I’ll admit, has tasted quite like a homemade bowl of żurek ladled out in a Polish kitchen where time slows and sour rye becomes a kind of inheritance. But Warsaw has its own rhythm, of restaurants and eateries where I have been invited by the most wonderful strangers and if you listen closely enough, your soul will be fed as much as your stomach.

Take Bibenda. I’ve sat at those tables five times now, long enough to stop needing the menu. The soup of the day; whatever it may be typically arrives like a small sermon on seasonality. But it’s the crispy Jerusalem artichokes with apple, roasted onion, and kale that undo me. Earthy, sweet, a little defiant. I’ve eaten them while conversations stretched into confession, into laughter, into that rare warmth you can’t manufacture.

Then there’s Hood Café, tucked into the city’s pulse and owned by a Ukrainian with an eye for clean lines and quiet elegance. The beef cheeks with potato purée are the kind of dish that hushes a table. Silky, slow-cooked, unapologetically generous. You don’t

rush something like that.

On jazz-soaked nights, Club SPATiF calls. A proper Negroni, dim light, and my friend Kasia from Bydgoszcz taking the stage like she owns the decade. It’s less dinner, more mood.

And finally, The Eatery. It was here I first met the dish kaszanka dressed up with dried apple and a man from Napoli in the same evening. Contemporary Polish cooking with just enough nerve.

For some honourable mentions Barbara makes a fine breakfast; those Indian eggs deserve applause. Sen? Better after midnight than before. Warsaw feeds you. But only if you show up hungry.

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Warsaw feeds you — if you show up hungry...