Warsaw is a city that likes trends, and none have been as bloody, messy nor as dangerous to the waistline as the burger outbreak of 2012. For months, even years, it felt like the city was ordering little else. Whilst this mania curved out a while back, it did leave a lasting legacy, that being the application of slow food standards to the fast food industry. Paying particular attention to this were Warburger, a small little outpost in the depths of Mokotów. Now, finally, they’ve graduated to big school by launching a proper sit-down space in the city center.
And boy, it looks great. With its deep banquettes and industrial swagger you wouldn’t guess you were sitting at the foot of a brutish piece of commie concrete. Entering, you feel at ease: it’s neither tacky nor contrived, just a comfortable space in which you’re happy to linger.
And linger you will. The burgers, of course, are as you’ve learned to expect from Warburger: gratifying hunks of perfectly cooked beef served in varying combinations – our choice, the chili burger, comes lathered with jalapenos and a perky green chili sauce. The difference is now these bundles of meaty joy arrive on plates, along with sturdy cutlery and a sprinkling of crispy homemade fries. Full marks.
But this is more than an upgrade on the original Warburger concept, it’s a full-on evolution. The first page of the menu is a celebration of meat in its many forms: tartar, beef cheeks, oxtail and ribs. I order the duck hearts, and at the risk of sounding ridiculous, rate them every bit as highly as those I’ve been served in some of Warsaw’s Michelin candidates: that they’re priced at zł. 16 makes a mockery out of the inflated prices the capital has become inured to. More than just a burger joint, the opening of Warburger’s latest venue is a reminder of just how good this city can be. In time-honored fashion, expect a raft of pale imitations to follow in the blaze: dismiss them straight off, it’s this lot you must follow.
Warburger Na Talerzu
ul. Żelazna 58/62, open 12:00-21:00, facebook
