ON THE WATER IN PRAGA: NOMAD WARSAW'S FIRST WEEKS
Blog published on 13th September 2026
Someone reviewed us before we opened the doors.
One line, no photo, no rating for food we hadn’t served yet: “Just waiting for you to open :)” We don’t know who it was. We only know that somebody walked along Port Praski, saw lights on, and thought it worth mentioning.
We opened on 3 August 2026. This is a short account of what’s happened since.
The riverside restaurant Praga had been waiting for
Warsaw has an odd relationship with its own river. For decades the city stood with its back to it, growing inland while the water became something you drove past on the way to work.
Praga is the clearest example. For years it was described in every way except the one that mattered: that it sits on the water.
When we saw the space at Józefa Sierakowskiego 1, the decision took less time than it should have. Port Praski, the boat basin, a terrace running down towards the water. One of our first guests later put it better than we ever managed in a pitch deck: he wrote that Praga had been waiting for a place like this.
We won’t argue. We’ll only note that they aren’t our words.
From Naples, through Bangkok, to Port Praski
Opening a restaurant on the Vistula took a long way round.
Anna started in her grandmother’s kitchen in Naples, where recipes came in units of “a pinch of this and a splash of that.” At twenty-one she was running her own Italian restaurant. Then Rome. Then Singapore, as the city’s only female Italian executive chef. Then Bangkok.
Philippe arrived from somewhere else entirely: a PhD in economics, lecture halls in France, diplomacy in Poland. He came to restaurants late and completely, founding D’ARK in Bangkok.
Between them they spent twelve years in Thailand. They came back with one thing that doesn’t fit in hand luggage: the conviction that the food we remember longest is almost never pure. It happens where one thing has rubbed up against another.
Which is where our kitchen comes from. A Polish, Italian and French base, a Thai accent, and no pretence that the meeting was planned from the start.
A menu that changes regularly
We change the menu regularly. It’s really just what happens when you buy seasonally and in small quantities.
It’s had one side effect we didn’t foresee: guests started coming back for specific dishes before they disappeared.
The one that came up most, in conversation and in photographs, was Arbuzowa Słodycz i Ogień — watermelon, prawns, minced pork, nam jim. A dish with no business working on paper.
Also Rybne Tacos Baja-Blast, Paccheri w Mięsnym Uścisku, Ostry Kurczak i Ryż z Kalafiora and Obfitość Oceanu. And the pastas — not one in particular, just the pastas, which we hear about more than anything else.
On the pizza, a guest wrote a sentence we’d never write about ourselves: “Best pizza I’ve eaten in Poland.”
We’ll leave it there. His verdict, not ours.
The terrace, golden hour, children and dogs
We learned more about the terrace from guests than from our own plans.
We knew it would look good at sunset — the boat basin handles that for us. What we didn’t anticipate was that it would become a place where children can run themselves out while the adults finish the conversation.
We didn’t design a playground. We’re not going to argue.
Dogs are welcome. No asking at the door, no explaining yourself, no water bowl grudgingly placed round the corner. If your dog likes looking at water, he has one of the better seats in the city.
And one more thing you noticed before we did: lunch here is quiet. No crush, no queue. If you want a table that doesn’t need a week’s notice, that’s the hour.
The walls somebody noticed
We opened with bare walls. Not to save money — we simply didn’t know yet what belonged on them.
A guest wrote, plainly, that the room was asking for something.
On 23 August it stopped asking. The muralist travelled from Paris and painted on site, in front of guests, in a full room. People ate lunch while the wall behind them turned into something it hadn’t been that morning.
Somebody pointed something out, and a mural happened. That’s roughly how it works here.
Eight languages at one table
We called this place NOMAD Warsaw before we had any right to know whether the name would hold.
In our first weeks you wrote to us in Polish, English, Ukrainian, Hungarian, Hebrew, Italian, French and German. Someone left a line that sounded like a proverb and probably is one: “If you set out, you reach wonderful places.”
The name wasn’t a statement of intent. It turned out to be a description of who walks in.
Come and find us
We’re open daily, 9:00 to 22:00, at Józefa Sierakowskiego 1 on Port Praski. The terrace runs as long as the weather allows. Dogs welcome. The menu changes every Monday.
Book a table . Or just turn up — at the quiet hour there’s almost always something.
See you by the water — Philippe & Anna
TWO NOMADS WALK INTO A RESTAURANT - AND DECIDE TO STAY
Blog published on 3rd August 2026
As we have just opened the doors of NOMAD Warsaw at Port Praski, our restaurant manager Marta sat down with co-founders Philippe and Anna — armed with coffee, a printed menu, and a list of questions she has been collecting since her first day on the job. Here is what happened.
Marta: let's start with the obvious one. You called a restaurant NOMAD Warsaw. Would love to hear why!
Philippe: guilty as charged. A nomad isn't someone who can't sit still — it's someone who collects. Places, flavours, rituals, people. We spent twelve years living in Thailand, eating our way across Asia, while our hearts kept one foot in Europe — in Poland, in Italy, in France. NOMAD Warsaw is simply everything we gathered along the way, finally unpacked in one place.
Anna: also, “Restaurant of People Who Travelled a Lot and Took Notes” didn't fit on the sign.
Marta: so what is NOMAD Warsaw, in one sentence?
Anna: European comfort food — the dishes Poland, Italy and France do best — with a gentle Thai twist that sneaks up on you somewhere around the second bite.
Philippe: it's the food you crave, cooked by people who also happen to care what it does to you after the plate is empty. Come for the vibe, stay for the flavours. That's not a slogan we made up for the website — it's genuinely the order in which it happens.
Marta: let's talk about that “after the plate is empty” part. You've written a whole nutrition guide. Can you please shed some light on this?
Philippe: this is quite simple: your body knows exactly what to do — it just needs the right fuel. We like to say we cook with logs, not kindling. Kindling burns bright and fast — sugar, white bread, that croissant that abandons you by 10 a.m. Logs burn long and steady — protein, good fats, plants with actual personality. We build the menu around logs.
Anna: and before anyone panics: pleasure is non-negotiable here. The tiramisu exists. The chocolate fondant erupts on schedule. We just believe you shouldn't have to choose between eating wonderfully and feeling wonderful. So some dishes will carry you through a whole afternoon, and some are pure joy by the spoonful. Both are welcome at this table. No guilt, no food morality, no sad plate pretending to be lunch.
Marta: this explains the breakfasts. Not a pastry in sight at 9 in the morning.
Anna: savoury first — that's the house rule we're most proud of. Starting the day with eggs, avocado and smoked salmon gives you steady energy instead of a glucose firework show. The Scandi Morning plate is basically a Nordic hug. And the shakshuka arrives bubbling, with sourdough for the essential business of wiping the pan.
Philippe: sweetness comes later in the day here — never as the opening act. It's a small change with a surprisingly large effect on how your afternoon goes.
Marta: where does the Thai twist hide on this menu?
Philippe: it doesn't shout, it winks. The dumplings are pure East-meets-West — shrimp and pork with chilli oil, an umami handshake between continents. The Thai Wanderer bowl takes your taste buds straight to a Bangkok street corner. And the watermelon salad with prawns, nam jim and toasted coconut — that one is Thailand at full volume, the dish we missed most when we came home.
Anna: Then a few steps away you have Roman cacio e pepe, a porchetta with properly crackling skin, and a 48-hour fermented sourdough pizza that would make an Italian nonna raise an approving eyebrow. That's the whole idea — the menu is a passport, and every section is a different stamp.
Marta: speaking of theatre — someone needs to explain the fish in the salt.
Anna: ah, the dorada. The salt crust seals in every drop of moisture, so what emerges is the most tender, delicate fish imaginable. But yes, we'll admit it — we also love a little drama at the table. Cracking that crust open is the closest a dinner gets to an opening ceremony.
Marta: why Warsaw, and why Port Praski?
Philippe: after years of wandering, Warsaw felt like the place worth stopping for. And Port Praski gave us water. Nomads have always settled by rivers — it's practically in the job description. A terrace on the port basin, the stadium across the water, a long summer evening… we saw it once and stopped negotiating with ourselves.
Anna: and Praga has exactly the spirit we wanted around us — a neighbourhood with character, a bit of grit, a lot of heart. It felt less like choosing a location and more like being adopted.
Marta: last question. The name NOMAD Warsaw carries five words in Polish — Nasycić, Ognisko, Miłość, Atmosfera, Doznanie. Which one is yours?
Anna: Ognisko — the fire. Every camp of nomads gathers around one. It's the warmth people sit down to, the reason strangers end up talking. I want this room to feel like that fire.
Philippe: Nasycić — to satisfy, fully. It's a promise, not a word. If you leave NOMAD Warsaw merely “fed,” we've failed. You should leave nourished, delighted, and already quietly planning your return.
Marta: on that note — table six is asking for the two of you. Interview over.
Philippe: See? Nasycić never sleeps
WELCOME TO NOMAD WARSAW'S NUTRITION GUIDE
Blog published on 19th July 2026
If you're expecting a preachy manifesto about kale, calorie counting, and saying goodbye to everything delicious — take a deep breath. Then sit down. That's not us!
At NOMAD Warsaw, food is not a punishment. It's not a diet, a set of rules, or a sad plate pretending to be lunch. It's a generous way of eating, built on one simple belief: when you understand how food works with your body, better choices stop being hard work.
We believe food should make you feel good, not sluggish. Satisfying, not disappointing. It should give you energy — not the urge to nap halfway to dessert.
So yes — we care about flavor, and we care a lot! We care about pleasure, comfort, texture, color, and the kind of meal that makes you pause mid-bite and say: "Okay, this is just insanely good."
But we also care about what happens after the plate is empty. And that's exactly where NOMAD Warsaw begins. Let's start with what we mean by nutrition
Nutrition is more than simply satisfying hunger. It's nourishing the body, the senses, and the soul through a complete culinary experience. It embodies generosity, wellbeing, and the guiding purpose of our kitchen — to deliver food that is both healthy and deeply satisfying. It's about creating dishes that don't just taste good, but make you feel great.
For us, nourishing food is food with purpose and character.
It should:
-
Burst with flavor;
-
Provide steady, sustained energy;
-
Work with your body, not against it;
-
Be abundant, never restrictive;
-
Bring joy to the table.
The foundation remains unchanged — it evokes abundance, wellbeing, and culinary purpose. It emphasizes the importance of satisfying not only physical hunger, but also emotional, sensory, and experiential needs. It's about going beyond the basics to offer something truly fulfilling — whether that's the variety of dishes, the richness of flavors, or the warmth of hospitality.
We don't believe you have to choose between pleasure and wellbeing. Instead, we create meals that bring both together.
Think bold flavors, plenty of vegetables, high-quality proteins, healthy fats, smart carbohydrates, and dishes that satisfy properly. No gimmicks. No guilt. No "healthy" meals that taste like sacrifice. Just real food, prepared with intention and served with generosity.
Now let's get a little scientific — but in the fun way! The idea behind NOMAD Warsaw is simple: your body knows exactly what to do. It just needs the right conditions. Think of your body as a hybrid engine. It runs on two main fuel sources:
-
Glucose: fast, explosive, useful — but short-lived;
-
Fat: slower, steadier, reliable — built for the long haul.
Both sources matter. The magic lies in being able to switch between them with ease. This is called metabolic flexibility. Our bodies are built for rhythm: we eat, we pause, we move, we fast, we rest — and around it goes.
Modern life, however, has other ideas… breakfast, a snack, coffee, a muffin, juice, lunch, another snack, something "healthy" from a packet, then dinner, dessert, and one last little bite at the end — because it would be a shame to let it go to waste, haha!
The result? We're stuck in fast-burn gear.
When we constantly eat processed, fast-burning foods, we keep spiking our insulin. And when insulin stays elevated, the body struggles to access its stored fat for energy. So even though there's fuel in the tank, we still feel flat, hungry, and strangely drawn toward the cookie jar.
And here's the heart of it: throw thick logs on the fire, not kindling!
-
Kindling foods burn out in a flash: sugar, white bread, sweet pastries, refined starches on their own;
-
Log foods burn steadily: protein, healthy fats, fiber-rich plants, and wholesome ingredients that keep you going.
Logs give a steady, comforting warmth. They satisfy. They last. That's the kind of nourishment we believe in: food that carries you — not food that pushes you off the 3 PM energy cliff.
HOW WE ARE BRINGING THE BANGKOK WILD VIBE TO NOMAD WARSAW
Blog published on 23rd May 2026 link
Quick answer: Nomad founders Anna and Philippe sent their kitchen dream team — Konrad, Tadeusz, and Mateusz — on a one-month undercover mission to Bangkok. They absorbed the vibrant wok fire and crackling textures of Thai street food to create a bold, Asian-inspired twist for our upcoming seasonal menu in Warsaw.
"Sleek design meets bold flavours, blending Warsaw’s culture, local ingredients, and a dash of community spirit into every bite," says Anna, wiping down the pass. "But after 12 years living in Thailand, Philippe and I knew our new menu needed something more. It needed a spark."
"Exactly," Philippe nods. "We’re all about local flavours, community vibes, and Warsaw’s rich cultural roots. Think Poland, Italy, and France—flavours that feel like a warm hug from home. But wait, there’s a twist! We couldn’t resist bringing back some bold, zesty dishes to shake things up."
To make this happen, Anna and Philippe sent Konrad, Tadeusz, and Mateusz on a one-month undercover mission to Bangkok. Their objective was to absorb the searing wok fire, the chaotic street noise, and the vibrant texture of authentic Thai food, then bring that electric, unmistakable vibe back to Warsaw.
Experience the charming chaos of Bangkok
"You cannot learn street food from a pristine culinary school," Philippe explains. "You need to stand on a busy Bangkok pavement at midnight, sweating over a charcoal grill."
Anna agrees. "We wanted the team to also experience the chaos and the precision of Thai cooking firsthand. Our seasonal menu is a passport to flavours. We take home-country classics and reimagine them with an Asian twist from our years of culinary wanderlust."
The boys returned to Warsaw with notebooks full of ideas, suitcases smelling faintly of fish sauce, and a fiery determination to elevate the Nomad dining experience.
What did Konrad learn from the searing wok fire?
"The heat is alive," Konrad says, slamming a heavy iron wok onto the stove. "In Bangkok, cooking is a high-speed performance. The flames leap up, licking the edges of the pan, imparting this incredible smoky flavour called wok hei, or the 'breath of the wok'."
Konrad’s focus is on mastering this intense, precise heat. "It is a treat for anyone who sees food as an art form," Konrad adds.
If it does not crunch, I don’t want it!
"If it does not crunch, I do not want it," Tadeusz laughs, chopping fresh coriander. "Thai food is a masterclass in contrasting textures. You have the soft, the chewy, and the absolutely shattering crunch."
"Tradition meets Asian twists—your taste buds just swiped right!" Tadeusz jokes.
Mateusz captivated by the electric, unmistakable vibe
"It is all about the balance of the four pillars," Mateusz explains, carefully measuring out tamarind paste. "Sweet, sour, salty, and spicy. If one is missing, the dish falls flat. When they all hit at once, it is an electric, unmistakable vibe."
Ready to taste the journey?
At NOMAD Warsaw, we will keep it fresh. Anna, Philippe and the team have returned from their one-month undercover mission, and they are currently blending these wild Bangkok inspirations into our future menu.
Your passport to experiences awaits. We are fusing the comforting traditions of Warsaw, Italy, and France with the chaotic, beautiful precision of Thai street food. Buckle up, taste buds—you’re in for a wild (and delicious) ride!
The new menu is coming soon. Stay hungry!
The good stuff (& the legally required stuff)
We are an all-day dining restaurant
We open from 09.00 am to 22.00 pm daily
Price range: 60–160 PLN
Nomad Warsaw
Józefa Sierakowskiego 1, 03-712, Warsaw, Poland
Tel: +48 795 077 373
Email: booking@nomad-warsaw.com
Google map here
Copyright 2026 Nomad Sp. z. o. o