24 hours off in Warsaw

[Middo]

What to do there with my spare time. I will be staying near the airport post my time off, is it worth just staying that way for the extra night or moving in town?

[barty9]

What to do there with my spare time. I will be staying near the airport post my time off, is it worth just staying that way for the extra night or moving in town?

I once witnessed live tattooing in a Warsaw night club many moons ago. I didn't partake in having one but it was a great night out!

[MrSmith]

I would head into town (if you stay or just cab it into town)

if you like good food and wine then i recommend this place: http://alewino.pl/en
and right opposite is a perfume shop (if you like that kind of thing) https://mo61.pl

[S Works]

I don’t know much about Warsaw mate but having spent a couple of weeks in Krakow and ?ód? recently I can attest to the fact that the Polish craft beer scene is excellent, so tuck in!

[Middo]

I don’t know much about Warsaw mate but having spent a couple of weeks in Krakow and ?ód? recently I can attest to the fact that the Polish craft beer scene is excellent, so tuck in!

I heard that, Budapest is worth a visit for that too.

[Stringer]

Warsaw isn't exactly a 'must see', but I think most places have their merits and almost anything beats time in a soulless Airport Hotel.

It's a very modern city with numerous high-rise buildings. The reasons for that are quite fascinating, with the Nazi plan to pretty much wipe it off the face of the Earth under the Pabst Plan, WW2 fighting, uprisings, Soviet invasion etc. On the basis of that horror I can't really criticize it for not being as pretty as say, Krakow, with the Old Town pretty much entirely a modern reconstruction using old paintings etc. as reference points.

The Market Square, Castle Square, King Zygmunt's Column & the Barbican are all in close proximity and tick a lot of the tourist boxes during a pleasant & easy stroll around.

I thought the Warsaw Uprising Museum and nearby remnants of the Jewish Ghetto walls were interesting, time permitting.

This being a watch forum, a visit to the top of Stalin's monstrous Palace of Culture & Science - until quite recently the World's tallest clock tower - is well worth it for the ear-popping elevator ride and incredible roof-top views.

[hughtrimble]

I've only been once, but I fondly remember it for having some of the best food I've eaten on holiday and all at very reasonable prices for what you get. Didn't have a single meal that was below great.

Snack time jam doughnut (the best doughnut I've ever eaten):

Cukiernia Pawłowicz
Chmielna 13, 00-021 Warszawa, Poland

Really lovely steak restaurant (the tastiest steak tartare I've had):

Butchery & Wine
Żurawia 22, 00-515 Warszawa, Poland

Gorgeous wine paired tasting menu (since got a Michelin star so probably crept up in price):

Atelier Amaro
plac Trzech Krzyży 10/14, 00-507 Warszawa, Poland

[seabiscuit]

Agree with Stringer’s comments. I’ve spent a few weeks there on holiday and hope to return later this year.

[Middo]

Thanks all,

I might stay down town for the first night then move back to the airport for work.

Cheers

[number2]

These online guides are all you need.
https://www.inyourpocket.com/warsaw

[Xantiagib]

Some great restaurants around the old square area - great prices too for what you get

[konlew]

Go to the city - for sure - bear in mind that after the WWII Warsaw was burned to the ground (literally).

You can check:
- Old town
- Zamek Królewski (kings castle)
- Nowy Świat (street) is beautiful
- Łazienki Królewskie
- Museum of Warsaw Uprising

Have fun - maybe the weather isn't the best now, but I hope you'll enjoy your trip!

[Middo]

Thanks Konlew, I have booked some digs and a walking tour before I start work.

[konlew]

Have fun!
Unfortunately I'm almost 500 km away from the capital city, a bit to far to catch you on coffee! :-)

[MakeColdplayHistory]

I'm in Warsaw this weekend and will have Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday to myself. I've read the info above and it's helpful but I'd happily take any up-to-date recommendations too. If it helps I'll have use of a car so can also visit places outside the city.

[Carlton-Browne]

I should be able to come up with some good suggestions - for food at least.

[Carlton-Browne]

This is a distilled list from me and (mostly) a bunch of colleagues who spent quite a bit of time in Warsaw in 2022 (so beware that some of the locations may not still be there - but at least it's all post-Covid). The guy who wrote the coffee bit is a real nerd and there were definitely a few foodies in the group.

There are two places missing

1. A small basement restaurant with an impressive Polish wine list
2. An off-the-beaten-track restaurant that specialises in beef tartare

I'll need to ping colleagues for these last two so let me know if they are of interest.



Kraken rum bar
Beirut - Lebanese
Pho bo - Vietnamese
Cuda na kiju - hipster place for beers and prosecco on tap and pizza
La Sirena – delicious Mexican spot

Thasty – Thai spot
Pizza nonna – pizza spot
Milzynksi
Sakana sushi
La Iberica
U Fukiera – traditional Polish food with famous chef

Vege Kitchen - Thai/pan asian cafe near Nowy Swiat - favourite lunch place
Zapicek - small chain of pieroggi restaurants - bit cheesy but good value. https://zapiecek.eu/sklep/sklep/inde...&x=2&rand=9946

Coffee venue list

Filtry Café: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QscLEwYAuW7B68Rs7
Forum: https://maps.app.goo.gl/uxVxJzArCUS4soeU6 Forum, which at the time had a world champion
barista on staff and may still have one working there, they also had flights of espresso instead of flights of
beer there.
Kawiarnia Cophi: https://maps.app.goo.gl/H8wSQXzAjaVZYHWf9 from memory, I think Cophi may not be
ideal for working because it's on the cozy side
Ministry of Coffee: https://maps.app.goo.gl/qfW8PugxfCMeRqVh8
Relax cafe bar centrum: https://maps.app.goo.gl/6KjSfjYtTjLG6zPV9
STOR: https://maps.app.goo.gl/hckZJj1FZh6XJhFe9
Trzy Kruki (Three Ravens) (plac Hallera 8)

Breakfast:

Bulke przez Bibulke: all-day breakfasts, very nice little chain with wholesome stuff. City's staple.
Żurawia 6/12 tel.: 730 28 55 33
Zgoda 3 tel.: 730 28 55 22
Puławska 24 tel.: 796 21 44 88

StÓł Bistro: great both for breakfast and lunch, healthy foods.
Nowolipki 17C 516 898 893

Aioli: this is industrial scale breakfast experience, its good, quick and costs something like EUR 2 if you come in between 9-12. Became very popular in Warsaw, and still is. Expect crowds.
Świętokrzyska 18 / (+48) 518 819 302
Chmielna 26 / (+48) 575 737 760

Lunch:

So-called Milk Bars: these are traditional joints stemming from communist times, home made food on the spot, made by old school Babushka’s, but in nicely done, cool décor old-places transformed to modern, it’s an experience for sure and food is super wholesome. All sorts of food from meat, to veggies, grains, flower-based things. May be difficult to pick what you want because the names of foods are usually displaced on the board in Polish only. But you can google some. Try either Bambino (Hoża 19) or Bar Mleczny Prasowy (Marszałkowska 10/16), both in the center. Its perfect for a quick lunch. You don’t call, you just enter. Always busy at lunch.

Raj w Niebie (literally heaven in the sky): is a Hawaiian spot serving great Poke Bowls, healthy stuff. Very good for lunch in a spacious interior.
Nowy Świat 21 / 722 185 432

Bistro Eden: organic food, most grown by the owners, jolly little patio if the weather is good, few dishes but all well thought through. Vegetarian. This is in the nice neighbourhood where Justyna (and my brother) lives and which is unique: like a little town within Warsaw, no tall buildings, quite leafy.
Jakubowska 16 / 698 646 662

Food halls: Koszyki is the most hip at the moment (Koszykowa 63). Second in line is Browary Warszawskie (Haberbuscha i Schielego 2). Lots of tiny little food stall, world food.

Vietnamese: Poland has plenty of Vientamese places which is a result of communist ties with the country, big diaspora, and many great food joints and its hard to recommend one, here are the most famous:

Vietnamka (Poznańska 7 / 570 306 609)
Viet Street Food (Królowej Aldony 5 / 512 512 654)
Son Nam (Platynowa 8a / 888 209 999)
Oh my Pho (Wilcza 32 / 579 126 183)

Vegan Ramen Shop (Muranow): aleja Jana Pawła II 52/54 / 791 732 584

Dinner:

Warszawa Wschodnia: I always liked this place and its run by a guy we know who is also a famous chef in town. It’s a large industrial space transformed into this open fine dining area with a piano and often someone playing it, serving Polish food with a twist, it’s a bit more up-market. You must order the Tartare Raw Beef, they are famous for it. Soho Factory, Mińska 25/bud. 46 / 577 376 773

Banjaluka: Lively, busy Balkan place. I think it's got a great vibe, especially from Thursday on. Order something called Plaskavitza. Meat, one of a kind and with this a Rakija, local Balkan spirit, they have little caraffes to try. Szkolna 2/4 / 509 337 784

Le Petit Bistro: half Polish half French man runs this tiny tiny place, from Thursday through Sunday these are the best Mulles in Warsaw. He also has the best Oysters. You should call to book, it fits very few people. He also has a wide selection of cheeses and is a chap)
Aleksandra Sulkiewicza 5 / 605 151 520

Alewino: this was originally a wine shop that transformed into a restaurant with few dishes a day.
Mokotowska 48 / 22 628 38 30

Heritage Shop & Wine: a shop that is also a restaurant, all Italian stuff. Very small, but food is great and you can buy wine, proper hams, cheeses and mozzarella from Italy.
Filtrowa 83 / 721 914 040

For Sushi there are several great places:
SushiZushi (Żurawia 6/12, 887 777 767)
Izumi Sushi (great for online delivery https://izumisushi.eu/)
Sakana Sushi Bar (Burakowska 5/7 or Moliera 4/6)
The very upmarket Japonka, near Browary Warszawskie (Grzybowska / 795 857 965). Not to be confused with Japonki, next door, which is also great but its takeaway. Japonka is "cool casual" type of venue, sit-down and a culinary experience.
Also interesting is Wabu Sushi & Japanese Tapas which has sushi with a tapas twist (plac Europejski 2, 668 925 959)

Café:

Yestersen Warsaw – I discovered it recently a café designed in Wes Anderson Style.
Lekarska 5 / 575 919 828


Afterhours:

Cuda na Kiju (literally miracle on the tap) is one of the most famous beer places with a huge choice right in the heart of town, cool spot right by De Gaulle roundabout. Also very good pizza! (Nowy Świat 6/12) Other nice beer places are PINTA, Kufle I Kapsle and Drugie Dno.

W Oparach Absurdy (literally In the Fumes of Absurdity) A places which exists for a long time, cool décor, often a band playing on Friday or weekend. Drinks, cocktails, chilled vibe, quite a hip crowd. (Ząbkowska 6)

Chmury / Hydrozagadka (Clouds) Very similar vibe to the above, also music playing and part of a complex of cool places. (11 Listopada, 22)

Poglos. Yet one more bar/club where you have musicians perform and its quite hippy in nature. People from all walks of life just hanging around. (Burakowska 12,)

Plac Zbawiciela: busy square surrounded by bars and people during the weekend.

Wisla River Passage as it gets warmer people will start operating the river side bars. From May that place gets seriously busy and turns in a non stop summer drinking hub.

[MakeColdplayHistory]

This is a distilled list from me and (mostly) a bunch of colleagues...
There are two places missing

1. A small basement restaurant with an impressive Polish wine list
2. An off-the-beaten-track restaurant that specialises in beef tartare

I'll need to ping colleagues for these last two so let me know if they are of interest.

Wow, thanks for all this info. I'll keep it somewhere I can access it for the weekend and hope to visit at least some of them. Don't go out of you're way yo get the missing two - I can take/leave beef tartar and wouldn't go somewhere just because it's a specialty and there are plenty of others to go at.
I'm with a 'loose group' of people in Warsaw at the weekend (some UK parkrunners who are running one of the Warsaw parkruns on Sat morning) and I know some of the others are getting suggestions from their fireands/colleagues too.