Polish cuisine has undergone a revamp; a stylish update to bring it into the 21st century. Out is the mountain cabin look, and out too are the piles of stodge and goo you once saw all too often. Take Słoik. It’s defiantly Polish, but not in the traditional sense.

Design-wise you’re talking about plenty of concrete and open ductwork, but also plenty of bold, vibrant colors. It looks and feels young and right for ‘now’. But the overriding feature are the glass jars that line the wall – filled with brightly colored preserves and herbs, they speak of a place that takes its ingredients seriously.

Here, find natural Polish produce and traditional-sounding dishes treated with a careful and contemporary hand. The approach pits modernist against classic, and the winner is, well, you. This is traditional Polish food updated for the discerning, latter day palate, and it’s really quite something. The pork belly with white beans is magnificent (and served in a jar, of course), and so too the beef cheeks stewed in red wine and accompanied by marinated beetroot.       

But Słoik want to be more than a restaurant and there’s been considerable effort ensuring the bar side doesn’t lag behind. The cocktail menu is pure magic, and includes such winners as Dąsno (cherry infused vodka, lemon juice and a fruity marmalade), the crisp Jałochna (bison grass infused vodka, lemon juice, mint and apple and rhubarb juice and the incredible Cherry Berry Colada, an alcoholic fruity slush that’s pure bliss. It’s so tasty the temptation is to neck it in one go, leading to agonizing brain freeze – in this case, pain is pleasure.

Photos: facebook

Słoik ul. Złota 11, facebook