The view from Cafe 22
This year when we visited Poland, our friend Mandi had been there for about 6 weeks already and had a chance to scope out a few places for us. She had heard of a restaurant with stunning views and after she had gone, insisted that we go there… so, we did… twice!
Cafe 22 is located at the top of one of the tallest buildings in Szczecin, Poland and because the building is round, it features 360 degree views of the city (a POTW picture here). It’s absolutely incredible. Seriously, the food could be terrible, and I’d still go back there. Lucky for us though, the food wasn’t terrible! As soon as you get off the elevator you are welcomed by the rich gold and red colors of the restaurant and then lots and lots of glass. I think it is standard procedure for people to walk all the way around the restaurant before choosing a seat… but really, there isn’t a bad one. Also, if you’d like to take pictures, there are several places around the restaurant where there are no tables right at the window, so you can stand there and snap away without feeling like you’re standing over someone.
If you talk to most locals, they’ll tell you that it is pricey, and to only go for the desserts and coffee (that is in fact what they’re known for). While it was more expensive than most restaurants we eat at in Poland, I personally would not have called it pricey. Frankly though, you’re paying for the view. The first time we went to Cafe 22 we went for dinner, and the second time we went for the desserts. Holly got a salad, which she said was so so, and I had a hamburger (I know, I know… but seriously, sometimes you just need a hamburger) which I thought was pretty good. In both cases we didn’t feel it was anything to write home about, BUT, I certainly didn’t walk out thinking “well I’d never go THERE again”. Now, desserts on the other hand… were fabulous. They have a big selection to choose from (and a glass case to view them in) and I didn’t hear anyone say they were disappointed with what they got. So, maybe, you should just go there for dessert. Whatever the reason though, you should definitely go there. Seriously, the view is that good. Here’s another picture just for the heck of it:
More views from Cafe 22
If you’re going to go, I’d recommend you go in the evening when the light is good. Shooting through double pained glass is always challenging, especially when there are lights behind you, so be mindful of reflections. I found that putting my lens actually on the glass, and shooting straight out instead of at an angle, produced the best results. In some cases I had to put the camera almost on the floor (as with the photo immediately above) to get rid of glares coming from inside the restaurant, and in other cases I had to hold my camera up as high as I could. Get creative!
–Dan Thompson