Pijalnia Czekolady Wedel: chocolate lovers’ Mekka
Mandatory point on the map for a Sunday walk, a great place to show it to your foreign friends and brilliant response to the huge desire for sweets. Also perfect coffee shop for those who remember the beautiful and elegant Warsaw: Pijalnia Czekolady Wedel on Szpitalna Street. Chocolate lovers’ Mekka.
The beautiful building with a distinctive character on a zebra placed on the roof and visible even a few blocks away has a remarkable history. Eclectic Emil Wedel house designed by Francis Braum, with decoration reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance and French, was built in the years 1893-1894, the. And is one of the few surviving residential apartment buildings from the late nineteenth century in Warsaw.
To the ground floor located on the Pump Room – existing in this place already for 120 years! – Go through the shop mirrors and crystal chandeliers, stucco, beautiful wood and marble counters – everything should be in the pre-war delicatessen shop, or even less, for example. Wokulski shop … The windows pile up here handmade pralines chocolate in historical packaging, beautiful torciki Wedel – exactly how few decades ago.
Just recall the memories of the place included in the book “Old fashioned shop” Iwaszkiewicz: “(…) on the counters rose piles of chocolates and candies (…) there were fascinating pieces of pineapple (…) were white lipstick especially appealing with their scent, and finally – great unforgettable satin boxes of chocolates, which seemed to be the greatest miracles of art. “Contemporary art chocolate you can buy, demolish impatiently on the spot or take home or give as a gift. You can also complete this mandatory coffee or hot chocolate even here (in many scenes!) In the Pump Room – essential bearing in mind that in front of us visited here constantly, among others Henryk Sienkiewicz, Boleslaw Prus, Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz, Julian and Sophia Nalkowska Tuwim. I wonder what they ate?
Although sitting here by the fire, on mahogany furniture and in the company of old paintings and photographs, the menu may surprise us. Its author – maestro chocolate Janusz Profus – takes care of it, so it was a perfect blend of tradition and modernity: for example, do not forget about the people here who are lactose intolerant. Although primarily remembered for stalkers chocolate – chocolate you eat here at least spaghetti served with raisins, cashews, almonds, honey and vanilla ice cream or strawberries, strawberry mousse and strawberry sorbet or chocolate pancakes with sweet toppings.
Traditionalists probably delight dough – a check quality and tradition and emblem Now Poland – and served with butter, honey, chocolate and cherries on the wine. There are also, of course, cakes and chocolate souffles, meringues and fruit crumble and the “light” tiramisu and really light fruit salad or yogurt with granolami (including the chocolate!). To drink? Juices, selected teas and chocolate, of course – in the traditional formula or given a little differently, for example. Delicious white with raspberries.
And remember: those who wish to have a ceremony Sunday breakfast away from home and it’s salty: you can and here! Especially since in addition to the classic salads and sandwiches on baguettes (with salmon, with mozzarella or more locally – with sausage Cracow) also get these on puff pastry cream and cottage cheese. And the same atmosphere as in the Pump Room at the Hospital – guaranteed – not uświadczycie or in London or in Paris.