Out of the pandemic came the blandemic – but with bars and restaurants still content to play it safe, along come Trójka Kielichów with something completely unexpected…
Out of the pandemic came the blandemic – but with bars and restaurants still content to play it safe, along come Trójka Kielichów with something completely unexpected…
Point your compass towards Stalowa, a street that in many ways encapsulates the spirit of Praga. Dark and shabby as it may appear at first glance, it’s also got plenty of that rebel art vibe that makes this district famous. Look deeper than the potholed roads, shuttered storefronts and battered facades and visitors will discover an area like no other. Smuggled amid the cracks and smears are a bundle of indy galleries, outbreaks of street art, cool thrift stores and alternative hangouts. Especially famed for the Stalowa ‘art-hotel’ and the Ranno artisanal bakery, these are good neighbours for Trójka Kielichów to count on.
At night, this pint-sized venue is enveloped in the soft glow of indigo-tinted lights and flickering flames that dance from the pre-war candlesticks that sit on the reflective metal tables. Modest in size, it’s both scruffy but theatrically hip. On pre-war floor tiles, crates of fresh produce rest awaiting their date with an open kitchen occupying a narrow space behind a silvery bar.
With its unpainted concrete, vases of flowers, clattering door and screechy classroom chairs, it feels fashionably unfinished, a fact not lost on the people that come here. And what a diverse bunch that is: presenting the face of modern Warsaw, find off-duty DJs, neighbourhood activists, maverick fashionista and other people on the frontline of hip. Cool as the vibe is, it’s an inclusive space where all walks of life feel comfortable and welcomed.
Trójka Kielichów defies classification – is it a café? A restaurant? Wine bar? Cocktail den? The truth is, it’s all of these yet none. Something of a hybrid hangout, this utterly unique space is best described as a random agglomeration of different ideas… all of which somehow work to complement each other.
Open from morning, gears switch upwards as dusk moves in. It’s then that specialty coffee is switched in favour of bio wines sourced from Natural Rascal and house cocktails such as the Praga Libre. Served in a goblet befitting of an Arthurian banquet, it’s a beautiful mix of kvass, dark rum and Thomas Henry tonic. The Barbie Spritz (Aperol, bubbly, wild strawberry, lemon and passion fruit), meanwhile, is perfect for girl gang moments, though for something totally extraordinary then it’s the Pamela that wins the biggestpraise – think dark rum, Mezcal, mango, grapefruit soda and a few other ingredients.
Food-wise, it’s similarly inventive. Short and to the point, the menu includes Turkish pochette eggs walloped into a bowl of golden chili butter, mint, coriander and spicy bits and bobs. You might be full, but when you’re enjoying yourself this much it’s implausible to leave without sampling the apple crumpets. More like giant donuts, these good guys come with dollops of country cream, maple syrup and blackcurrant jam.
Totally abstract in its thinking and philosophy, Trójka Kielichów feels like the freshest concept Warsaw’s had for years. At a time when restauranteurs are sticking to tried-and-tested formulas (and hey, we don’t blame them), this banger of a venue has ripped up the rules and followed instinct instead – and it shows. This off-the-cuff approach imbues Trójka Kielichów with a sense of experimentalist fun. Revelling in this laissez-faire environment, the tight team here have created something special.
