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