Warsaw continues to surprise us!
On Saturday, we went to another open-air market I found while looking up to see whether Targ Sniadaniowy (Breakfast Market) in Zoliborz was open or not. Koszyki (Baskets) is conveniently located in downtown Warsaw in the former space of a demolished market called Hala Koszyki, hence the name. The old market started out producing farm baskets in the early 1900s, turned into a market space at some point, fell into disrepair and unfortunately was demolished in 2008. (You can see old photos of Hala Koszyki here.)
But now under tents in an open parking lot, Koszyki is home to a wonderfully quaint (and totally hipster) farmer�s market cum food truck scene. One minute we were watching a DJ spin tunes and the next minute I was speaking broken Spanish with a Mexican lady and her Polish husband, owners of Hola Lola, a Mexican food stand. My Spanish is definitely better than my Polish!
Hey, Mr. DJ, can you put a record on? |
Would you like some fresh fruit and veggies or a pulled pork sandwich? |
We perused the 30 or so stalls selling seasonal fruits, veggies, flowers, imported Italian wines and cheeses and prepared foods such as local cheeses, cured meats, jams and salsas. Koszyki even has a stand selling mojitos and proseco and a permanent on-site espresso bar that doubles as a bar at night, offering drinks until the wee hours.
We bought 200 grams of a Truffled Pecorino Cheese from this stall. Delicious! |
I never would have expected to find a market like this in Poland! And I can�t imagine ever seeing a scene like this at my Turkish pazar in Istanbul. Can you imagine what the teyzes would think?
Apparently, Warsovians are wholeheartedly embracing the food truck scene as well as farm-to-table markets and restaurants. And I for one have no problem eating my tacos paired with a freshly-made juice at one of these markets.
Smacznego!
Chicken tacos from Jakie Taco?! and a sinfully-decadent cookie from So Sweet Project. |
I bought a good handful of these Polish mushrooms. Now what should I make? |
Little hipsters in the making! |
Handmade children's toys and stuffed creatures. |
Would you like some popcorn or homemade bread with "bacon butter" on it? |
Location:
Koszyki
ul. Koszykowa 63, located in the Sr�dmiescie neighborhood
Hours: Open Tuesday-Friday 10:00-20:00; Sat. 9:00-20:00; Sun. 9:00-17:00 Closed Mondays. (Please double check the hours on the Koszyki Facebook page. There�s a permanent coffeeshop on site and I can�t tell if the opening hours are for it or for the market itself. I doubt the market section is open until 20:00.)