Whether you are looking to pick up some language-learning material, explore a national culture, or just find a fun place to sit and study, exploring bookstores abroad is always a good idea! With a mix of chain bookstores and comfy study spots, Warsaw’s bookstore scene has plenty to offer for everyone.
The following resource was created by Gabi Runnion, an undergraduate at Michigan State University, while attending Security and Society Summer School with SRAS in Warsaw.
Big Book Café MDM
Koszykowa 34/50
Review by Gabi Runnion
A fun and whimsical bookstore and café? Say no more! This shop, located on a quiet street surrounded by residential buildings and small businesses, is perfect to cozy up with some classic literature and a delicious latte. Boasting a unique menu that includes a cake of the day, various house wines, and more filling food, this shop certainly has something for everybody.
There are two locations: Big Book Café and Big Book Café MDM. I went to the latter, but based on images online, they seem to have curated very similar atmospheres. Each hosts fun events like including author readings, “silent reading raves,” and thematic discussions on subjects from the importance of reading to children to literature’s place in the wider world. This is the perfect place to practice your Polish and maybe walk away with some new friends!
At Big Book Café MDM, I entered through a charming pink door into an expansive space with checkered tiles and murals painted on every wall. There is a large bar serving up the drinks and food. You can also, of course, purchase books scattered around the plentiful bookshelves from the same bar.
This store seems to specialize in classic literature from Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters to George Orwell. There were also newly released nonfiction books including sociology studies and autobiographies. The books were mostly in Polish though there were a few titles in English.
The food and books seemed quite affordable – the food especially given the portion sizes. They pride themselves on unexpected combinations of flavors like rhubarb, asparagus, and goat cheese curated in-house. You can browse the menu from either location online (in English!) here. Oh, and everything is vegetarian friendly.
Interestingly enough, when we walked into this particular bookstore, all of the lights were off. The afternoon sun provided a perfect amount of natural light and a very cozy environment. I went in the late afternoon and there were not many people inside. There are various outlets throughout the space if you need to charge anything or wanted to work for a bit on a laptop. If you are looking for a quiet study spot with lots of room to spread out, literature to browse, discussions to hear, and tasty treats and drinks at hand, this is the place for you.
Empik
Marszałkowska 99
Review by Gabi Runnion
Empik specializes in Polish-language books and is a popular chain bookstore with locations across across Poland. I went to the flagship location, located southeast of the Palace of Culture and Science, a roughly ten-minute walk. The vast majority of the books are in Polish, including books translated from English. I did find a couple English-language books about the Aztecs and a few about traveling, so are there are some prizes to be had if you don’t mind digging.
This location offers three floors, including a basement filled with CDs, vinyl, video games, and some hardware like headphones. The ground floor offers a self-checkout area, new releases, and travel books, along with other books and knick knacks. The top floor had a mix of contemporary, history, and children’s books, toys, and a decent amount of stationery to explore.
The day that I went, the outside of the store was curiously lit up in purple. It turns out the seventh installment of a popular dark thriller book series, Kolory zła or “Colors of Evil” in English, was being released exclusively in Empik stores, called Fiolet, which means “Purple” in Polish. The series is by Polish author Małgorzata Oliwia Sobczak and is popular enough in Poland that Netflix has turned it into a television series. The displays for the event were neat, but it did mean there were a lot of workers bustling about, so it was a little difficult to stay out of their way, but they all seemed kind and several spoke English.
The upper floor of the establishment also featured a small area in one corner that had comfortable benches and a small desk with stools to sit at and look out over a little bit of Warsaw. While a good resting place, I wouldn’t advise trying to study here as there was music playing and lots of people exploring the shelves.
Wrzenie Świata
Konstantego Ildefonsa Gałczyńskiego 7
Review by Gabi Runnion
This little bookstore / coffee shop located in central Warsaw is a little trickier to find than you may expect, but it is definitely worth the search! Located down a small alley behind the main storefronts on Nowy Świat, it offers three, quiet, comfy rooms to enjoy a book, drink, and maybe some study time.
The first room from the entrance has a sitting area with moody lighting, tables, and bookshelves. The next room features a few tables and the bar to place your order. The back room was lined with bookshelves and had several tables that are probably best for getting some work done. There is a mix of lamps and natural light from the windows at the front of the shop. There were plenty of tables to settle into, and lots of outlets for device needs.
Wrzenie Świata has probably the best selection of foreign language literature (in English, Italian, and French, for instance. I also saw books in Polish on sociology, politics, essay collections, and more.
The handful of coffee and food options all looked and smelled delicious. The prices seemed pretty reasonable considering the cup and food sizes.
Visting this location was also something of an adventure. When my friend and I entered, we were met by a very stressed man and a massive camera, which we learned was a book interview happening in the small front room. We were quickly ushered through to the next room so as not to disturb the interview. I was also unable to take any photos of that room, but it’s just as cozy as the others.
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