Gessler at Daquise

Opened in 1947 by war-displaced Poles for war-displaced Poles, this long-standing restaurant has known only three owners. Current incumbents, the Gessler family (superstar caterers who also run Poland’s only Michelin-recognised restaurant), abolished the below-floor dining room, ripped out the ground-floor bar, & stripped the wallpaper. The result is a testament to tastefully faded gentility, with gloss-painted walls, mink-coloured banquettes, fan-shaped napkins & dutiful silver service. The menu changes twice daily, & it’s a moveable feast promising the likes of hot, slippery chicken & noodle broth, venison medallions flamed in Armagnac, roast goose or traditional stuffed cabbage parcels. The country’s mighty dumplings, bigos stew & other back-to-basics gastronomic icons are also on parade, while Polish beers & spirits – particularly vodka – make for a high-strength drinks list.