Hotel Europejski is one of the landmarks of Warsaw’s city center. Designed by Henryk and Leandro Marconi — the Polish-Italian father and son duo responsible for bringing to life some of Warsaw’s most prized 19th-century structures — the hotel is known for its beauty and historical importance. Built in the late 1850s, the hotel has witnessed Warsaw become a cultural metropolis, stood (just about) through the city’s bombardment during World War II, only to be rebuilt and reopen in the 1950s.

A luxury hotel, Europejski is geared towards the more affluent of travellers. However, its many amenities can be more easily enjoyed by those not looking to book a 5-star room. One of those is the iconic Lourse Patisserie, which, much like the hotel itself, underwent significant change during the 2018 remodelling. Yet, while the hotel gained character, the famous patisserie lost much of its floor space. Relocating from its prestigious location on the corner of the building, accessible directly from Nowy Świat Street, it moved to a tiny room adjacent the drinks bar, making what was once the Cafe de Flore of Warsaw an Hermes boutique display window. The pre-2013 venue was operated by the Magda Gessler restaurant chain, however, the interior remained mostly unchanged from its original pre-War design, which is why the images below likely look familiar to those who frequented this much-loved coffee spot.