Having won last year’s ‘Top Talent’ award, Witek Iwański has gone a yard further to claim the biggest accolade of all. Beeping loudly on our radar for years, Iwański’s career has refused to flatline, stagnate or otherwise get side-tracked. Leading the hub.praga, this chef has helped affirm Praga’s rising reputation as a foodie destination, all whilst simultaneously thrilling wave-after-wave of visitors with his unique brand of culinary art. His creativity and skill set a benchmark for the rest of Warsaw to follow. Promising no dull moments, his menu is an exercise in adventure.
It’s hard to think of another chef that has done more to lift Warsaw out of the post-Covid blues. Turning down lucrative offers from abroad to remain in his adopted country, this outspoken chef restored city pride when, earlier this year, his restaurant saw the capital reclaim a Michelin star. Recognised as one of the top chefs in the world, Camastra’s cooking will rock you to the core. If there’s any justice, he’ll be adding another star to his belt in 2024.
Dyletanci’s move from their spiritual home has done nothing to dampen the public’s enthusiasm for this Warsaw institution. There is much to love, not least a peerless wine selection amassed by wine importer / vineyard owner Maciej Sondaj. But it is the cooking of Hreczaniuk that elevates this spot from great to event greater. Subtle but often experimentally nuanced, the flavours at Dyletanci never fail to impress. Brilliantly, you can sample Hreczaniuk’s cooking at a snip of the usual price by checking in for our favourite weekday lunch deal that we’ve found in the city.
