Wine Tasting in Warsaw: 11 Places You Have to Try

In the past few decades, Poland’s capital and largest city has had a remarkable culinary and cultural renaissance. While it may have had to play catch up to cities like Paris and Milan, this charming riverside city has made immense strides towards being one of the best cities in Europe for dining and drinking. One of the most important factors for this has to be the proliferation of quality wine bars, shops, and restaurants with deep wine lists. These have become one of the main fixtures in Warsaw’s nightlife scene. 

The fact that there isn’t an immediate winemaking industry surrounding Warsaw makes it all the more remarkable and interesting. Instead of a regional focus like cities in Italy and Spain, there is a tendency toward curating wines from around the world. Some wine bars focus on certain types of wine, but most wine bars in Warsaw will put their efforts towards sourcing the best from various wine regions. Tasting wine at one of these fine bars in Warsaw is somewhat of a global tour. Even though you won’t need to hop on a plane for this wine adventure, having a place to drop your bags, like a Bounce luggage locker, is still helpful. 

Here are the best tours, bars, and restaurants for tasting wine in Warsaw:

Ale Wino 

Having opened back in 2013 on Downtown Warsaw’s bustling Mokotowska Street, Ale Wino has turned into one of the most popular pictures in the wine scene. While this is a fine-dining restaurant, the main focus of their staff is putting together an unforgettable wine tasting experience. This charming bistro specializes in simple continental European dishes, and they have perfected a few of them. The duck rillettes are the most popular item on the dinner menu, but keep an eye on their seasonal specials. 

With a relaxed atmosphere, elegant decor, and a killer wine list, this is the perfect spot for a small group or date night; it feels like visiting a winery. You’ll find most tables lounging with a plate of cheese, their homemade bread, and a bottle of imported red wine. It’s a simple formula, but Ale Wino has perfected it. 

Location: 

Mokotowska 48, 00-543 Warszawa, Poland

Bez Gwiazdek 

This diminutive bistro has been at the forefront of Warsaw’s fine-dining scene for quite a while, and one of the biggest reasons for Bez Gwiazdek’s popularity is its stellar wine program. While you can order a la carte, the name of the game here has always been the indulgent six-course tasting menu. 

The wine list isn’t the longest in Warsaw, but it’s pretty expansive, with international selections spanning the globe. They have a select number of wines you can taste samples of before ordering. Their staff is generally very helpful with wine selection. Space is at a premium in this lovely bistro, so group size can be limited. With a place like this, reservations are usually a must. 

Location: 

Wiślana 8, 00-317 Warszawa, Poland

Boathouse Wine Lounge 

Situated, quite literally, in one of the coolest locations in all of Warsaw, Boathouse Wine Lounge brings a wide variety of delicious imports and select vintages to their stylish tasting room and restaurant. The space is rarely overcrowded, even at peak hours. On weekend afternoons, large groups can sometimes descend upon the bar area after tours of the riverfront. The friendly atmosphere is complemented by the lighter fare served from Boathouse’s kitchen. Mediterranean appetizers are paired with light red wine and sparkling options.

Location: 

Wał Miedzeszyński 389A, 03-975 Warszawa, Poland

Dyletanci 

Located on the bustling stretch of Rozbrat Street in the trendy Powiśle district, Dyletanci is one of the most popular spots for local wine enthusiasts. Part restaurant and part wine shop, this stylish bistro sources vintages and rare bottles from some of the world’s most renowned wineries. The food is also prepared by a Michelin star chef, who came over to Warsaw from a legendary Dublin restaurant. 

This is one of Warsaw’s most popular restaurants, so planning ahead for group reservations or dates is certainly recommended, especially for a Friday or Saturday dinner. If you’re interested in self-guided wine tours or a wine bar crawl, this is one of the stops you should plan for. The play here is to reserve a table for dinner and a wine tasting and then stop by their bottle shop to bring home a choice vintage. 

Location: 

Rozbrat 44A, 00-419 Warszawa, Poland

Kontakt Wino & Bistro 

This trendy wine-focused restaurant is located in the popular Mokotów neighborhood, where stylish travelers almost always end up here for dinner, drinks, or cultural events. Modeled after a modern wine bar and bistro in Copenhagen, this is similar to an experience that travelers will find in Berlin, Paris, and New York. 

For food, expect modern takes on traditional European and Polish cuisine. All of these are simple but perfectly executed. Generally, these are shareable plates, with each table ordering a few dishes. In terms of beverages, their main focus is progressive and cutting-edge wine producers. You’ll find plenty of other customers drinking reds and whites, but the increasingly popular orange wine is a common sight around their dining room. What’s most impressive, the entire wine program has been curated by a team of sommeliers. 

Regarding the quality and variety on offer, wine tasting at Kontakt feels somewhat like the wine tours of Europe, all in one place. The wine list has over 400 labels, with vintages found at only the best wine bars in the world or the wineries they’re produced at. All of these choice wines are tasted in either their ground-level bistro or their underground tasting cellar, where Kontakt regularly hosts wine tastings, classes, and special events. 

Location: 

Sandomierska 13, 02-567 Warszawa, Poland

Mielżyński na Czerskiej 

Robert Mielżyński is one of the foremost figures in the Polish wine scene, having opened some of the country’s finest wine bars in Warsaw. His new spot on Czeskiej is one of the first establishments in Warsaw to adopt the modern approach you find in New York and London wine bars. It’s located in a repurposed warehouse and has been designed with an industrial-chic aesthetic. Racks of wine bottles line most of the space, with seemingly thousands of bottles to choose from. 

Because Mielżyński takes wine seriously, he expects his customers to as well. The encyclopedic menu takes some time to navigate, but his staff is there to help guide customers to the right bottle. Because part of their business focuses on wine imports, they source the best of the best in international wines. You’ll find all the familiar places you'd expect white and red wines alongside less popular countries like Georgia, Chile, and other interesting options. Their small food menu features lighter bites perfect for sharing with a small group, especially their cheese and charcuterie board. 

Location: 

Czerska 12, 00-732 Warszawa, Poland

Take One of Warsaw’s Best Food and Wine Tours 

Self-guided or private walking tours are all the rage in Europe's largest cities, and Warsaw is no different. These tours allow newcomers to explore a city’s dining and drinking scene without having to do hours and hours of research and planning. If there’s a tour guide, they will walk you through the history of their hometown and explain why the local food and drink are popular and where to find the best of the best. These often provide tasting experiences and cooking classes.

It’s most convenient to seek out a food or wine tour that fits your budget, schedule, and interests. They are generally flexible, with free cancellations and group reservations, and can accommodate different group sizes. There are walking tours that explore everything from Warsaw’s wine scene, craft beer scenes, and different cuisines (local donut-style paczkis are particularly popular). A vodka tour guides you through the best bars and producers that serve this under-appreciated liquor. 

Regardless of what kind of tour you choose, this is a great way to spend an afternoon while learning something!

Location:

Various

Rausz 

This neighborhood spot is one of Warsaw’s best wine bar and shop hybrids. They have a small tasting room where customers are able to stand at the bar or sit at the table and sample selections from their deep (and we mean deep) wine list. While much of Warsaw’s wine scene involves fine-dining restaurants and upscale bars, this casual spot is very affordable, especially given the quality of the products they serve. 

Rausz serves a nice selection of snacks, including cheese and bread plates, charcuterie, sardines, olives, and everything else you’d want to pair with a nice glass of red wine. Rausz also offers stellar beer options from Poland’s best breweries. While you can definitely find familiar favorites on the menu, Rausz does a great job curating offbeat selections like natural orange wines and imports from less obvious vineyards. 

Rausz is located in the city center, so this is a solid spot to visit before an indulgent sit-down dinner or perhaps to pick up a bottle on your way home from a tour of Warsaw’s historic city center. 

Location: 

Wilcza 27, 00-544 Warszawa, Poland

La Viña

While the scenery (especially in winter) might not remind you of the Iberian Peninsula, this wine and tapas bar brings everything you need to have a Spanish meal in Warsaw. Modeled after the bodegas of Barcelona and Seville, La Viña is a delightful bar-deli hybrid. There are shelves of imported wines along the walls and a full deli counter with cured meats, cheese, and fresh-baked bread. They also frequently host fun wine tastings and cooking classes, with group reservations highly recommended. Before or after your visit here, make sure you also tour La Viña's vibrant neighborhood.

Location: 

Plac Grzybowski 10, Warszawa, Poland

Winestone

Situated in an intimate corner of the opulent Mercure Grand Hotel is one of the more charming wine bars in Warsaw. While they certainly have solid food, this is, first and foremost, a wine bar. The comfortable seating is best for small groups or date night, and you’ll find most tables sharing a bottle and some light snacks that pair well with wine. The wine list is smaller than some of the other OG Warsaw wine bars, but they more than make up for it with reasonably-priced, high-quality selections. 

Winestone is located near the iconic National Theatre. It’s not uncommon for most weekend customers to have tickets to the ballet or opera shows. 

Location: 

Krucza 28, 00-522 Warszawa, Poland

Winosfera

Winosfera has been one of Warsaw’s favorite wine bars for years now. Ask any local connoisseur to take you on a wine tour of Poland’s capital, and undoubtedly you will end the night at this charming corner spot. Their food menu focuses on accessible Eastern European foods that are designed to share and pair well with wine. 

There are usually plenty of tables available in their spacious dining room, and Winosfera is a favorite for larger groups looking to share a few bottles and some appetizers. The wine menu is famously affordable, which perhaps makes Winosfera more of a drinking establishment than a destination for its cuisine alone. 

Location: 

Chłodna 31, 00-867 Warszawa, Poland

Conclusion

There may not be any wine tours of vineyards or wineries in Warsaw, but the incredible number of wine-focused restaurants, stores, and bars make Warsaw a worthy travel destination for enthusiasts and connoisseurs. Warsaw’s charming foodie-friendly restaurant and bar scene make it a delight to visit, whether you're popping in for a quick 3-day trip or spending a prolonged time there. Either way, you’ll have fun bouncing around from epic wine bar to dinner to another epic wine bar. Just let Bounce take care of the bags, so you can focus on the fun!