Falstaff has put together a list of top ten of must-visit restaurants in Warsaw.
Our list of the best restaurants in the capital of Poland featuring delights such as set menus inspired by old Polish recipes, venues that serve local wine in Old Town courtyards, luxurious restaurants near the Opera, and blood sausage served in fine-dining style.
To truly get to know the capital of Poland, it’s not enough to simply stroll through the streets of the Old Town, climb up to the observation deck of the Palace of Culture and Science, or listen to a live Chopin concert. Warsaw is capable to surprise and inspire you; it can evoke emotions and tell its own unique stories and the most reliable way to understand all of this first hand is to go to one of the best local restaurants.
After the first Michelin-starred restaurants in Poland, Atelier Amaro and Senses were closed, Epoka has become the city´s main stronghold of fine dining. Chef Marcin Przybysz seeks inspiration in ancient Polish recipes and interprets them in a modern way, using forgotten dishes from three centuries ago, antique cookbooks, unexplored regional ingredients: the result is interesting, informative, as well as subtle and insanely beautiful. Only two set menus are served here: ‘Short History’ (410 PLN or €87) and ‘History’ (560 PLN or €119), with wine and non-alcoholic pairings for an additional fee. Each course is a fully-fledged excursion into Polish cuisine of the past, with each dish labelled with the year of its creation, and a detailed story that the waiter will kindly share with you. The menu, as befits the genre, is strictly seasonal: for example, you can expect potato Babka with meat from 1930, beef with Madeira and truffles according to the 1860 recipe, and pear pie straight from 1682. In general, if fine dining is a familiar way for you to get acquainted with the culture and history of an unfamiliar country, then a visit to Epoka is strictly mandatory.
Bibenda was opened almost nine years ago, and during that time, it has managed not only to firmly maintain its place on the gastronomic map of Warsaw, but to strengthen that position multiple times over. And now it can be said with confidence that Bibenda is an absolutely iconic place. There are usually no available tables here within half an hour of opening, and the queue at the entrance can be counted in the dozens. The explanation for all this is that this restaurant is never boring – never. The dishes here are striking but understandable to everyone; their execution is impeccable, but most importantly, they are great for sharing, both with a partner at the table or on social media. Grilled eggplant with caponata, stracciatella, crispy mint, Thai basil and pine nuts, Polish Kopytka – smoked cheese dumplings with fermented garlic honey, leeks, cold-pressed rapeseed oil, Polish dukkah and dill, or roasted Ramiro peppers with tonnato sauce, capers, caper berries, and Jerusalem artichoke crisps – you just need to order a good part of the menu, spread the plates all over the table, taste, discuss, and savour everything over a glass of wine.
In Polish, the name means “without stars”, but the owners of the restaurant and its chef, Robert Trzópek, are definitely being misleading because the food here, elegant and intelligent, clearly deserves those very stars. Literally every detail is made with a clear focus on freshness, locality, and minimalism, and the influence of New Nordic Cuisine is evident in both the dishes and the approach. The menu at Bez Gwiazdek changes monthly and features set menus, with the main idea revolving not just around Polish cuisine, but trying to represent a specific region: Silesian goose gizzards confit with mushrooms, Tench fish in sour cream from Warmia and Mazury, or Hołubcie Bielkowskie from Western Pomerania – these are just some examples of dishes that have been part of the local tasting menu at different times.
Almost every description of the Opasły Tom restaurant begins with praise for its interior, and let’s say it right away: it is truly magnificent. The well-balanced pastel colour scheme of the walls, the combination of raw marble and light wood, intricate round chandeliers hanging from the ceilings, and chains of halls on its two floors – all this grandeur competes on equal terms with the nearby Teatr Wielki (Grand Theatre and National Opera). The local menu is perfectly perceived in conjunction with the interior: there is not a single unnecessary detail, and everything is balanced as precisely as possible. Pieróg pairs nicely with a duo of egg yolk and black truffle; guinea fowl with buckwheat is enhanced by mitake mushrooms and marinated peppers; and deer tenderloin is served with celery root, raisins, capers and coffee. By the way, all the ingredients here come from the agricultural market in Forteca, owned by the restaurant group Kręgliccy, which created Opasły Tom.
Alewino started as a small wine shop, where one could find a huge variety of the most unusual bottles, and it was here that Warsaw´s modern wine culture was born. Gradually, Alewino grew into a fully-fledged wine restaurant in the courtyard of the fashionable Mokotowska Street, and did so beautifully, becoming a truly iconic place. Of course, the main focus here is wine, but the food, which became more and more elaborate with each year of the restaurant’s existence, has ultimately become the perfect complement to the local wine collection. Crostini with duck rillettes and red onion confiture, an almost exemplary risotto with mushrooms and Polish cheese Emilgrana, or Magret duck breast with endive and plum sauce – everything here is designed to complement and enhance the content of your wine glass. And it is done masterfully. During the warm season, Alewino opens a terrace with a laid-back vibe, dining there is a tradition amongst all true wine lovers in Warsaw. If you are here in the summer, be sure to stop by.
Just the Rozbrat 20´s motto itself – “courage, madness and unique taste” – immediately lets you know that the experience will be interesting. Bisque with shrimp and rhubarb? No problem! Eel with black garlic and seaweed? Sure thing. Blood sausage with pineapple and chicken skin? Make it two. Chef Bartosz Szymczak surprises the local audience season after season, focusing on unusual ingredient combinations, and calling it all “Modern Polish Cooking”. However, one must not think that Rozbrat 20 is just about shock value. Each and every dish here is carefully thought out and balanced, and every technique used in their cooking is meticulously refined. So it’s not surprising that Rozbrat 20 has been considered one of the main drivers of Warsaw´s gastronomic culture since its inception, a compliment which, by the way, is well-deserved. To fully appreciate this, we recommend coming here not for a la carte but to order the full set menu (329 PLN or €70 for 6 courses, 269 PLN or €57 for wine pairing as an additional charge.
Despite its truly elaborate gastronomy and exemplary food sharing concept, a closer look reveals Bez Tytułu combines two in one: a restaurant and a cocktail bar. Moreover, it is an evening bar, with working hours starting at 17:00, though it continues until late at night. The menu is a kaleidoscope of dishes from all over the world; the cuisine here is bright, powerful, with smart twists and street food borrowings. Our advice: bring along a couple of trusted friends and order about half of the menu – enjoyment is guaranteed. While the main courses should be chosen based on your own preferences, small plates are very convenient to share: burrata with spicy pumpkin, tuna tartare with nachos and guacamole, or bao with pork and kimchi. If you are more in the mood for cocktails than food, we recommend moving deeper into Bez Tytułu – there, having descended downstairs, you will discover a fully-fledged bar. Whether to trust the choice of bartenders who can mix, for example, whisky, lemongrass, leaves of kaffir lime and green tea, or to come up with your own recipe is totally up to you.
The legendary Prudential skyscraper, built in the Art Deco style, has survived since pre-war times. For a long time, it was the tallest building in Poland – this changed only with the construction of the huge Palace of Culture and Science, ‘gifted’ by the Soviet Union in 1955. Recently, the majestic Prudential building underwent a major restoration, and the five-star hotel Warszawa reopened here. It is here, on the sixth floor, where the Szóstka restaurant is located, and where delicate cuisine from chef Dariusz Barański matches an excellent panoramic terrace that stretches for the entire length of the building. Despite the excellent meat and fish dishes, the focus here is on vegetables, ranging from chicory leaves with yuzu and kombu jam, to marinated turnips with Blue Fin tuna, citrus salad, and truffle ponzu. They can serve cooked eggplant with cardamom even for dessert, and let’s be honest, it would be an excellent choice.
Another hallmark of Warsaw and a timeless gastronomic classic of the city with over a decade of experience, Nolita is a mature and self-confident place – it is evident both in the restrained interior and in the contents of the plates. Jacek Grochowina, the chef and the owner of Nolita, serves dishes that are elegant to the maximum possible extent, with a powerful, modern European base and subtle Asian notes. The range of flavours is extremely broad, from Wagyu dim sum with crab soup, to parsnip ravioli with Perigord truffle, and the execution is masterful, as one would expect from a great chef. For those interested in a full program, there is a 5-course tasting set menu available (5 courses for 389 PLN or €82 per person, 668 PLN or €142 per person with wine pairing).
Let's start with trump cards: Dyletanci boasts one of the largest wine lists in Poland, with over 1,100 bottles in their collection. Here you can find virtually everything, from Italian and French classics to mandatory biodynamics, orange wines, petnats, natural and local bottles. Rafał Hreczaniuk’s kitchen matches the quality of the wine collection and proves that all ingenious is simple: the main idea revolves around the quality of ingredients itself, with organic vegetables arriving at the restaurant directly from the chef’s personal farm on the outskirts of Warsaw, and a decent amount of components are purchased from local suppliers. They are trying not to complicate anything here, and, in essence, they are doing it right. The tasting menu is available from 17:30 to 20:30.
