Accessed via a striking glass-ceilinged courtyard, Lobo presents itself in two parts: the first, a dark, fern-colored dining room with a show-stealing tree installation; and the second, a more spacious area high on natural light and soft, blond wood.

It’s an environment in which you’d be equally happy to entertain colleagues from work as much as a demanding date off Tinder.

But perhaps nicest of all is the back garden, a cobbled area with ivy-clad walls and strategically placed plants – peering at it through the window, you to fast track through Christmas and skip straight to summer.

In Your Glass

One feature you won’t miss in the back is a wall illustration detailing the cider making process. And yes, it’s there for a reason – featuring a range of bottles from the Chyliczki brand, there aren’t many restaurants that offer a better portfolio of artesian ciders. As a digestif, the sweet ‘ice cider’ merits a round of applause.    

On The Plate

Good things happen at Lobo, good things indeed. For the Insider, that meant beginning with pumpkin pancakes served with salmon gravlax (zł. 34) before moving on to a beef loin positioned on a cushion of pureed parsley (zł. 79). Both faultless if lacking any overt fireworks.

To finish, dessert, and a pumpkin cheesecake (zł. 21) that felt right for the moment.

This won’t be remembered as the Insider’s best meal of the year (or the month, for that matter), but there’s much to like here, and even things to love. The approach to Polish cuisine is intelligent, the thought process clear, and the execution unblemished. Competition is stiffening when it comes to the field of modern Polish, but here’s a restaurant that sits comfortably with the better.

Lobo Bistro

ul. Noakowskiego 16