B-Side

Downstairs on Piękna, you’ll find one of Warsaw’s closest approximations to a Japanese vinyl listening bar, where music isn’t background decoration but the reason the room exists. Soul, jazz, funk, disco, Balearic grooves, post-punk and leftfield electronic records are selected with the kind of care usually reserved for wine lists. Every track feels intentional, every transition considered. The real magic, though, lies in the acoustics. At first you assume the music is too loud for conversation, but thanks to exceptional insulation and a meticulously tuned sound system, voices remain remarkably clear. It’s one of those rare places where the music can be immersive without dominating the room.

The DJ booth shares centre stage with cocktail shakers beneath a spinning disco ball, creating the sense that mixology and music are equal partners. The bartenders know their classics inside out and are just as comfortable creating something bespoke based on your spirit of choice. Insider favourites include the warming Dragon’s Neck, built around Fireball and spicy ginger beer, and the floral, beautifully balanced B-Knee, combining Bombay Sapphire gin with lavender-honey syrup, lime and foam. The Bloody Mary deserves its own reputation—it may well be the finest in Warsaw.

Then comes the final surprise. The kitchen plays at neo-bistro level rather than bar standards. The beef tartare, layered with capers, pickled red onion, whole-grain mustard, crispy chilli mayonnaise and aged Bursztyn cheese, is outstanding, while the octopus carpaccio with ponzu mayonnaise, mizuna and sesame oil is elegant enough to steal the spotlight. B-Side proves that when people obsess over the details, every element of the night benefits.

ul. Piękna 19, (City Center)