
Trójka Kielichów defies classification – is it a café? A restaurant? Wine bar? Cocktail den? The truth is, it’s all of these yet none. A hybrid hangout at the front end of cool, if we were to rely on lazy tropes we’d call it a little taste of hip Berlin – but that in itself would be a falsehood. Thanks to places like this, Warsaw now has its very own sense of artsy identity and benchmarking it against other cities no longer seems to work.
Set on a darkened stretch of Stalowa the location promises little, but inside magic happens. Under indigo tinted lights, this scuffed room reveals itself in a sea of contradictions: scruffy yet theatrically hip, antique candleholders sit on reflective metal tables that are squeezed inside this tiny, modest space. On cracked pre-war floor tiles, crates of fresh produce rest awaiting their date with the open kitchen.
Drinks are inventive and fun: we follow a girly pink Barbie Spritz with a delicious Praga Libre served in an Arthurian goblet. Food-wise, the concise choice includes Turkish pochette eggs served in a generous portion with golden chili butter, mint, coriander and spicy bits and pieces. Breads, they’re from the artisanal bakery across the road, and wines from Rascal – Warsaw’s go-to importer of natural libations. Oh, and something sweet: apple crumpets the size and texture of donuts are delivered with country cream, maple syrup and a dollop of blackcurrant jam.
So what is it? We don’t really know. Imagine, maybe, being invited round to an artist’s studio for a chat and a drink and some wonderfully curious bites. Post-lockdown, Warsaw venues have played it safe. Trójka Kielichów doesn’t. Radically creative, it’s an adventurous project that rips up the rule book.