Borsch Cafe

Since opening in 2014, Borsch Cafe has been giving diners a much-needed education in Polish food, serving traditional dishes that are otherwise hard to come by. There’s kielbasa (Polish sausage), rosol (chicken noodle soup) and of course plump, meaty pierogi (dumplings) served with the essential accompaniments of pan-fried speck and a dollop of sour cream.

The breakfast menu covers your standard choices of eggs, pancakes and muesli, but is equally full of Polish spirit, using typical ingredients such as quark, beetroot, rye bread and sour cherry jam. Tuck into quark and brown sugar pancakes with fresh berries and lemon curd, or the beetroot cured trout with scrambled eggs and avocado.

The homely set-up makes you feel like you’re eating lunch at babcia’s (grandma’s) house, with its checkered tablecloths, wooden furniture and little Polish knick-knacks dotted around the place. There’s also an outdoor courtyard at the back, complete with potted herbs.

Judging by the drinks menu, it appears that babcia likes to knock back a shot of vodka or two. There’s a hefty vodka selection, as well as a list of imported beers from Poland, Austria, Germany and Belgium, to which customers can add a dash of sok malinowy (raspberry syrup) as per the Polish custom.