Opened a couple of weeks before the first lockdown (oops!), Po Drodze’s management would have been forgiven for seeking out the nearest clifftop and driving right off it. Instead, they persevered and for that they deserve thanks – Po Drodze isn’t just good, it’s up there with the best. Competitive as Warsaw’s specialty coffee scene is, this place is a stand out.

The magic they pull with Ethiopian coffee is to be commended, though equal credit is reserved for their other magic beans from countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Panama and Rwanda. For non-coffee drinkers there’s also an abundance of choice: herbal teas, softs from Fentimans, smoothies and freshly-squeezed juices.

But most of all, it’s the vibe that stands out. Occupying two rooms inside a beautifully renewed tenement that leans over Bagatela, head to the back to discover the real soul of this cafe. Decorated in a soothingly Scandi-style, here it’s all concrete colors, raw timber, subtle splashes of art and lighting fixtures that are as captivating as the punters.

Slouching on sofas or gathered around the oval central table, a rich smorgasbord of Warsaw characters await: headphone wearing digital nomads, exchange students flicking through their notepads, couples playing catch-up and influencers shooting videos for their next Tik Tok hit. Over this all, an air of calm somehow prevails to cast Po Drodze in a cocoon-like bliss – life seems to pause and in the most pleasurable of ways.

With its name translating to mean On The Way, even if it’s not you should still swing by – so writes one Facebook follower, and it’s a sentiment with which we’re happy to concur. Undefeated by the lockdown(s), you should think of Po Drodze as one of new, dashing heroes of Warsaw’s booming café culture.

PO DRODZE

Bagatela 11, facebook

Photographs by Daniel Koziński