WROCŁAW - In Your Pocket

32 RESTAURANTS
Dining at a Glance
The diversity and quality of restaurants in Wrocław
is ever improving - as is the quality of service - and
the city’s respectable number of international restaurants
reflects its status as a thriving urban centre.
While In Your Pocket once tried to list every eatery
in the city centre, the expansion of the market and
sheer redundancy of many restaurants (upscale
Italian anyone?) now make that pursuit impractical.
In our dining section you’ll find reviews of the most
noteworthy and high-profile establishments in town,
from those well-hidden places you shouldn’t miss, to
prime locations you should swerve. While our print
guide carries a large selection of restaurants, you’ll
find even more on our website, where we encourage
you to leave your own reviews of the places you’ve
visited.
All IYP reviews are completely subjective, unsolicited
and updated regularly. The figures we quote in brackets
represent the least and most expensive main courses
on the menu. The hours we list are not the opening
hours, but the times between which you can expect the
chef to be working.
Below are some specific recommendations depending
on what you might be looking for.
SPLURGE:
By common consent JaDka remains Wrocław’s best
restaurant, though Le Bistrot Parisien isn’t far behind
in our book. For fine dining in an unforgettable location
head to Wieza Cieśnień’s water tower terrace,
the Monopol’s rooftop Restauracja Acquario, or
Pergola overlooking the Wrocław Fountain. Japanese
eatery Darea offers scope for extravagance, while Da
Andrea and Brasserie 27 could have you reaching
for your plastic.
CHEAP:
Local institutions Kuchnia Marche and Multifood
STP (see Quick Eats) offer surprisingly good
food priced by weight, and if you’re really on the
cheap you can wait until 30mins before closing
when they cut their prices in half. If you’re loco
enough to go full local, it doesn’t get cheaper or
more authentic than a Milk Bar in the afternoon,
or Zakąski Przekąski for a late night refill (see
box in Nightlife).
LADS:
Capri is the default pizza choice, while the busty maidens
of the Bierhalle and Spiż breweries, along with the
costumed gents of Pod Fredra, will keep you piled with
beer and brats all day and night. Alternatively, head to
Winners (see Bars) for precision steaks with a view of
the match.
COUPLES:
The rooftop Restauracja Acquario of the Hotel
Monopol was made for proposals and other romantic
moments, and JaDka always impresses
with its high quality food. Boats routinely score
high romantically, so feel like you’re on one by
taking a table overlooking the harbour at Marina
or Przystań, or go for the real thing at Barka
Tumska.
American
America Bar & Grill E-4, ul. Legnicka 58 (Magnolia
Park), tel. (+48) 71 338 50 94, www.americarestaurant.pl.
With Rodeo Drive disappearing from the Rynek,
those desperate for American bar fare may have to heave
their hungry, homesick, unhealthy hearts out to the Magnolia
Park shopping complex to indulge in fried food, burgers and
barbecue. Formerly Wrocław’s TGI Friday’s, the name and
management may have changed but the food and quality are
just as familiar as before, with decent steaks, sandwiches,
shakes and tall sodas (with free refills!). QOpen 09:00 -
21:00. (19-48zł). PTAUGSW
Rodeo Grill Steak House A-2, ul. Więzienna 21
(Galeria Italiana), tel. (+48) 71 343 20 71. Hardly the
kitsch cowboy cuisine you might expect from the name,
this steakhouse does a surprisingly good job of maintaining
the high standards of Galeria Italiano - Wrocław’s modern
restaurant corridor. Burgers are sequestered to only a brief
requisite mention at the end of the placemat menu - primarily
a range of steaks including T-bone, porterhouse and rib-eye,
prepared in the open kitchen in the corner. Our roast beef was
commendable, but if you want your meat other than medium
rare, make sure you say so (no one asked us). An excellent
beer list includes Svyturys Baltas (a personal fave), La Trappe,
Bishop’s Finger, Opat (a Czech pepper-infused pilsner on draft)
and others specifically selected to complement steak. The
simple, airy interior is neither too classy nor too casual and has
a friendly family atmosphere that keeps its tables as full as its
patrons. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. (14-99zł). PA6GSW
Armenian
Armine A-5, ul. Bogusławskiego 83, tel. (+48) 71
367 15 31, www.armine.com.pl. Given a makeover, this
brilliant budget place is now better than ever. The Asatryan
family who own and run it seem to know everyone who comes
through the door at Armine, which appears to be a second
home for much of Wrocław’s Armenian community. If you’ve
come for the food, not a chat and a vodka, the owners grill
shish kebabs on an open coal fire and fill your table with
salads, pilaf and dolma. We love it. QOpen 13:00 - 23:00.
(20-30zł). PJA6GBS
French
NEW
La Vie En Rose ul. Czysta 2-4, tel. (+48) 71 783 44 55,
www.restauracjalavieenrose.com. Named after Edith Piaf’s
signature song, Wrocław now has a second French restaurant
(after the popular Le Bistrot Parisien). The only trouble is it’s a
bit hard to find in an odd location behind the Renoma shopping
complex. That and it was unexpectedly closed on the occasion
when we were able to drop by, two factors which surely aren’t
helping it overtake its competition for the banner of ‘best French
cuisine in Wrocław.’ However the modern red and grey interior
(with the requisite images of Paris) and outdoor terrace with its
fountain and sculpture art all make it look promising enough for
us to come by for a full review next time. Let us know what sort
of experience you had by leaving a comment on our website.
QOpen 15:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat, Sun 13:00 - 22:00. Closed Mon.
(21-59zł). PTA6UGBSW
Le Bistrot Parisien A-2, ul. Nożownicza 1d, tel. (+48)
71 341 05 65, www.lebistrotparisien.pl. This ambitious
‘bistro’ pays homage to Paris with period photos of the French
capital and readymade meal sets including appetiser, entree
and dessert. The prices may seem preciously Parisian as
well, but the food is of exceptional quality, including staples
Wrocław In Your Pocket wroclaw.inyourpocket.com
like frog legs, French onion soup, fried snails and the wine to
complement them. A popular congregation point of expats,
the staff are very friendly, flirty and accommodating; and
as such, in no way French. Recommended. QOpen 11:00 -
22:00. (31-63zł). JAGBSW
Greek
Akropolis A-3, Rynek 16/17, tel. (+48) 71 343 14 13,
www.akropolis.wroc.pl. Apparently Plac Solny just wasn’t
central enough for the Greeks, as they’ve packed up and
plonked themselves in a handsome new location smack on
the Rynek. Seems they’ve also traded up with the interior
design, swapping breezy seaside villa for a dark wood, winewarm
elegance more befitting the historic townhouse it now
occupies. Indeed the gold and lavender walls seem to compel
you to buy an obligatory bottle of red. Remaining is Akropolis’
Godfather factor, where well-dressed patrons wine and dine
their dames in what is still one of the best ethnic restaurants
in the region. The menu of seafood and Greek meats from the
grill hits the mark - we ordered lamb and were not disappointed.
QOpen 12:00 - 23:30. (28-80zł). PTJAGBSW
Akropol Na Solnym F-4, Pl. Solny 18/19, tel. (+48) 71
788 81 42, www.akropolrestaurant.pl. High-end Greek dining,
with music, ambience and decor to match. Choose from a
menu of steak, shrimp, salads and classics such as the very tasty
Moussaka. The interior is a sea of cream and gold with a spiral
staircase leading to a mezzanine floor overlooking the bar and
main dining room with hanging lights. Feast to the soothing sound
of a trickling water feature. Polish owned, though you’d hardly know
it. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. (30-75zł). PTAUBXSW
Greco A-3, Rynek 15, tel. (+48) 71 343 29 12, www.
grecja.pl. Both looking and feeling rather Greek (as you would
expect, given the name) this place serves a great selection
of fish (all flown in fresh), big Greek salads with proper feta
cheese (and not the local variety), plenty of grilled meats and
the odd kebab. Amazingly good service given how busy it can
get. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. (9-60zł). PTAGBSW
Indian
Masala Indian Restaurant B-3, ul. Kuźnicza 3, tel.
(+48) 71 302 69 49, www.masala-grill.pl. Well-positioned
just off the market square, Masala does traditional Indian
food in a more contemporary European style as Indian chefs
work in plain view behind two long bars in the offbeat granite
gray interior full of comical, conical hanging lamps, pop art
elephants and colourful seat cushions. The 12-30zł Express
Lunch (served 11:00 - 15:00, Mon-Fri) fills the seats and represents
not only a great bargain, but a great deal of delicious
food. The regular menu hits all the marks and portions are
larger than most places, earning our earnest recommendation.
QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Fri 11:00 - 24:00, Sat 12:00 - 24:00,
Sun 12:00 - 23:00. (12-70zł). PTAVGBSW
Spice India B-3, ul. Wita Stwosza 15a, tel. (+48)
71 794 80 44, www.spiceindia.pl. This upscale Indian
eatery offers a large menu of eastern classics prepared
with your choice of chicken, lamb, mutton, fish or strictly
veggie, small portions demand that you order a side of rice
and things can quickly become pricey for those that can’t
resist samosas and a mango lassi; fortunately you can
stop in during lunch (12:00-17:00) for max value meal sets
(20-25zł). An elegant, primarily white interior is enlivened by
colourful place settings, paper lanterns and wall hangings,
where svelte belly-dancers occasionally gyrate. All around
authentic and appreciated. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. (25-45zł).
PTAUGSW
wroclaw.inyourpocket.com
RESTAURANTS
Get to know the original and chic
character of French cuisine
ul. Nożownicza 1D
071- 341-05-65
info@lebistrotparisien.pl
www.lebistrotparisien.pl
Tipping Tribulations
Polish tipping etiquette can be a bit confusing for foreigners.
While in other countries it’s perfectly normal and even
courteous to say ‘thanks’ when the wait staff comes to
collect the bill, you’ll be startled to learn that in Poland uttering
the word ‘dziękuje’ (thank you), or even ‘thank you’
in English, is an indication that you don’t want any change
back. This cultural slip-up can get very embarrassing, not
to mention aggravating, if you’re later forced to track down
your server and shamefully ask for your change. In order to
avoid these situations, we strongly suggest that you only
say ‘thank you’ when the service of your waiter/waitress is
no longer needed and you are happy for them to keep all of
the change. When that’s not the case, the word you need
learn is ‘proszę’ (pronounced pro-sheh). Meaning ‘please’
in Polish, this is a vital social cue that translates to ‘yes, I
want all of my change, no matter how small it is.’
Despite the fact that the standards of service in Poland
have skyrocketed in the last decade, the average waiter/
waitress in this country still only makes a paltry 8-12zł/hr,
and a customary tip is still only 10% of the meal’s total
(though being a foreigner may make staff expectant of
a bit more generosity). Those numbers look pretty low to
us, so we strongly encourage you to reward good service
when you feel it’s deserved.
Finally, it is not common practice to add the tip to your
credit card payment because the wait staff are then
forced to pay tax on the gratuity; most likely you will not
even have an opportunity to leave a tip on your card. For
that reason, try to have some change handy so you
can still leave a cash tip, or ask your server for change
if you need to.
September - December 2012
33