City Break Wolska

In ancient Slavic mythology, Wyraj is a place where souls journey after death, a kind of paradise. That promised land lends its name to this hidden-away restaurant, which provides its own kind of haven. Snug and cosy, it’s a welcoming place where diners can discover the Slavic flavours of old. That means dishes such as potato with smoked herring and cottage cheese or deep-fried Masurian trout with a herby freshness. Everything is made in-house and offers brilliant value for money too. It’s a different, distinctive place that’s all the more memorable for it.

The brainchild of a wine importer, it’s no surprise that WIN is a must-visit for oenophiles. On the ground floor is the bar, lounge, deli and shop, where you can browse over 300 wines including a great Central and Eastern European selection. Upstairs, the intimate bistro is decked out in minimalist chic and serves well-priced and skilfully composed dishes where finely balanced flavours work together in total harmony. Everyone on the enthusiastic team is knowledgeable about wine and will guide your choice if you wish.

Bringing South American flavours to Warsaw, you’ll quickly find that this bright, airy restaurant is much more than a bar and serves far more than just ceviche. The famous Peruvian dish does feature – with sea bass, tuna and oyster among the varieties – but so do empanadas, grilled steaks and tostones. Argentinian chef-owner Martin Gimenez Castro imbues them all with freshness and vitality. In the evening, the music grows louder and the pisco sours start emerging from the bar at increasing speed. The service team are particularly warm and friendly.

A huge, gravity-defying rack of wine glasses is the first thing you notice when you arrive at this friendly wine bar and bistro. Next, it’s the striking black-and-white wildlife mural filling one wall. The appealing menus represent good value, especially at lunchtime, and include hearty dishes that are bursting with bold and punchy flavours, such as rack of lamb with mashed potato and roasted shallots. An extensive wine list offers plenty of top-quality choices to fill all those glasses with, but ‘bring your own’ is welcome too.

Tucked away down a cobbled street in the heart of the city, this well-run restaurant is easily spotted thanks to the Italian flag hanging outside. The kitchen delivers on that promise, with a menu firmly rooted in the Italian classics. Homemade pastas are at the heart of the appeal, as is a traditional tiramisu pepped up with intense cubes of coffee jelly. The genial service team are keen to please and the room has a rustic feel courtesy of its exposed brickwork.

In both its sleek, minimalistic design and its globetrotting culinary influences, this feels like the epitome of the contemporary bistro. Although there are some traditional Polish elements on the concise menu, expect flavours from the Mediterranean and Levant too. The fresh, colourful dishes are full of contrasting flavours and textures – such as the pan-fried oyster mushrooms with maple syrup and chilli on a bed of labneh with dill and hazelnut.

Tucked away in the city centre, this friendly little bistro offers a lovely atmosphere courtesy of its combination of on-view kitchen, exposed brick walls and slightly retro-style furniture – the polite, efficient team play their part too. The unpretentious, flavour-focused cooking has its roots in tradition but isn’t afraid of introducing a playful edge, exemplified by the rightly popular duck confit ‘doughnuts’ served with an excellent demi-glace sauce.