The Embassy of Good Taste
One floor up from AleGloria, in the same building, is the Embassy of Good Taste, a delicatessen and bakery unlike any other in Warsaw. With an array of lush plants and animals cunningly hidden around the room (in the lamp bases and paintings), the Embassy harkens back to nature, and has a gorgeous feeling of freshness and openness.
The delicatessen offers a wide variety of food, and it is notable for being quick and easy, 'no muss, no fuss' food. The menu offers hearty soups, hand-made dumplings, fresh salads with unusual combinations of fruit and cheese added, as well as an entire range of pates, perfectly complimented by the Embassy's fresh bread. Eat amongst the greenery, or take the freshness and crispness away with you – take your meal back to your hotel or workplace.
For guests with a sweet tooth – or who need a sugary treat after a virtuous salad – the Embassy offers a truly mouthwatering array of decadent desserts. Ranging from fruit tortes, chocolate eclairs, tiramisu, pies, layered cakes and every imagineable combination of cream, meringue, spice and fruit, there is something for absolutely any and every tastebud. And take note: wedding cakes and cakes for other special occasions are made to order, so do ask to see their speciality cake design offers. At the Embassy of Good Taste, drop in to enjoy all the sweet delights with a cup of frothy Cappuccino, or an exotic tea from Czaji Teahouse, right next door.
Czaji
The Embassy of Good Taste leads naturally into Czaji Teahouse, giving a lovely sense of openness between the two rooms. In a contrast of decor, Czaji's colours - shades of vanilla, cream, brown and lemon – call to mind the elegant, aristocratic salons of Paris or Moscow at the turn of the 19th century. The teahouse is comfortably furnished, and its huge windows make it very bright and airy; it is relaxed and welcoming, but is also the perfect place to talk business over an excellent breakfast, served between 9:00 and 11:00 daily. Starting the day healthily is easy, as there is a juice bar, as well as fresh fruit, yogurt and muesli, but fans of eggs, bacon and cheeses will also be delighted as Czaji serves quite possibly the best Eggs Benedict in the city. If 11:00 is too early for you, fear not – light lunches and dinners are also served, offering such tempting morsels as fresh pastas, fish and salads.
But remember, this is a teahouse, and as such, its choice of this hot brew is truly impressive, with fruit and herbal teas galore, as well as some truly unusual blends such as shichi fuku, 'the tea of seven kinds of happiness'. It contains scorched rice grains, which gives it an intensive and very strong aroma and a wonderfully original taste. Relax into the cushions with your tea, and lazily watch life in Plac Trzech Krzyży go by...
Beluga
For a small slice of the Orient in Warsaw, come to Beluga. Located in the next room over from Czaji, it is a smaller, more intimate space in which to spend time. With golden horses prancing overhead, delicate flowers etched onto glass, a deep green setting and warmly vibrant flowers rustling across the walls, it is an exotically sensual setting. This is accentuated by the menu, which emphasises elegance, style and luxury: indulge in oysters and caviar, or dumplings with cinnamon, or black spaghetti with Vongole. And be sure to explore the drinks list – with an impressive selection of champagnes to choose from, as well as crisp whites, romantic roses and velvety reds on the wine list, this is the perfect place to go to unwind after a long day. Come for a romantic rendez-vous, or to indulge in dinner and Piper Champagne to celebrate that big deal – after all, both look fabulously chic in Beluga...