You can observe the primary selling point of this small cafe/breakfast spot on the top floor of Cricoteka from below - large windows overlooking the river and Bernatek Footbridge (which looks great from here after dark). With nice views and plenty of natural light pouring in, Ambalaż has lots of potential, but it's undermined by a lack of space sufficient to meet popular demand, lack of creativity in its offer, and a 10:00 opening time that's simply too late for a cafe specialising in breakfast, resulting in a rush that starts immediately and never lets up on weekends.
Inside Ambalaż on a Saturday at 10:30.
Ambalaż, the name of which translates to Emballage, or Packaging, comes from one of Cricoteka founder Tadeusz Kantor's art manifestos - you can see him explaining it in a video on the stairwell on level 2. With such a starting context, the presentation (or 'packaging') here is pleasing, but nothing special. The menu is straight-forward, surprise-free and seemingly aimed at families (whose kids won't eat anything too adventurous) and tourists (have you tried Polish dumplings?). Shakshuka, sweet waffles and scrambled eggs are served all day, with pasta and pierogi waiting until after 14:00. Due to the weekend crowds, we guess it helps to keep things simple, but the lack of creativity from the kitchen makes those views - which are rare, but hardly revelatory - do more to compensate for the chaotic climate (and wait times) than they're sometimes capable of. We recommend dropping by after noon on a weekday, and ordering the French toast - which comes with powidła (Polish plum jam) and kogel mogel (a dessert pudding made from egg yolks) - if you want to avoid the rush, relax and enjoy the views.
