Przedwojenna

Building off the misnomer that budget vodka snack bars were also fashionable during the 1920s, Przedwojenna (the name translates to 'Pre-war') captures the casual elegance of the period via a rugged interior of stained wood and battered furnishings set inside a glorious building with high ceilings and a mezzanine level that looks directly onto St. Elizabeth's Church. There are a couple nods to the cult '20s-era Polish crime flick Vabank, but the former models behind the bar perhaps best embody the atmosphere of fleeting beauty that Przedwojenna captures. Packed throughout the day as well as the night, the tartare is shockingly popular if you can push your way to the bar.