Lawa

Operated by the well-known Chef Beata Śniechowska, this modern bistro is one of those spots where you just know you’re going to have a good time. Closely set tables add to the intimacy and buzz of the atmosphere, while bright and friendly service quickly puts you at ease. The cooking offers reinterpreted versions of classic Polish dishes with brilliant results: the signature 'Our Pierogi' and the well-balanced 'Duck Breast with 5 Polish Flavours' are prime examples. Make sure you enhance the experience by asking the engaging, thoughtful sommelier to match a range of Polish wines to your dishes

A former car wash and workshop has been transformed into this welcoming bistro that lives up to the ‘Garden’ part of its name. Promoting a local and seasonal ethos, the chefs utilise home-grown produce, while the sprawling terrace includes an outdoor kitchen and BBQ area. The concise menu is supplemented by blackboard specials, each dish coming with an appealing price tag and extracting bags of flavour from the ingredients. The same team run the Piekarnia bakery next door, which provides bread, cakes and pastries to bookend your meal.

Situated on the edge of the Old Town, inside the Hotel Jazz, there’s a stylish, faux-industrial quality to this friendly restaurant. Exposed brickwork and concrete flooring combine with pared-back décor and varnished wooden tables for a classic bistro feel. The cooking has a similar ethos of unfussiness, with a welcome lack of over-elaboration in dishes that combine quality ingredients with precise technique – such as the array of dumplings or scorched herring with baked potato. The wine list’s hidden highlights include local Polish riesling.

As you arrive at this deservedly busy spot by the Oder river, you quickly get the sense that you’re going to have a great time. The smiling, attentive team give you a warm welcome, before you head through the thick velvet curtains and discover the sleek, lively brasserie waiting within. From the bustling open kitchen, expect to see some French-based dishes such as a modern take on ‘escargots’ with garlic butter – all showcasing quality produce and executed with aplomb.

Don't be fooled by the name – whilst they undoubtedly have one of the best wine lists in the city, this very much feels like a restaurant. There’s a subtle nautical look to the interiors, chiming with the location overlooking a small marina on the River Oder. The seafood-focused menu has a Mediterranean feel, in dishes like salt-crusted sea bream with a citrus sauce. The in-house wine shop allows you to take home a bottle or two from the globetrotting selection.

Situated in a prime spot on the banks of the River Oder, there are few restaurants with a more enticing terrace than this. Ask for a seat here and, on a warm summer’s night, watch as darkness falls and the streetlights gleam on the river’s surface. The setting is matched by cooking that puts an emphasis on top-quality local meats – for dessert, look out for the chocolate fondant with a fruity punch. Let the knowledgeable staff guide you in picking complementary wines.

Taking full advantage of its location on the banks of the River Oder, Martim’s terrace and floor-to-ceiling windows help make it a lovely setting in which to enjoy the kitchen’s Portuguese-inspired dishes. Seafood plays a big role on the menu, in dishes like the rich, rustic and punchily flavoured cataplana stew. The wine list is exclusively Portuguese, with some fine Vinho Verde and, of course, a selection of top-notch and well-priced ports.