Amici is a culinary and architectural journey to Italy. A place in Warsaw's Wola created by famous restaurateurs, originators of Trattoria Rucola and Pinsa. First of all, you can see here the love for the Italian visual tradition, craftsmanship and material heritage. We have marble from Carrara, inspirations from Sicilian ceramics, Venetian terrazzo, awnings or patterns from Burano and Florence. The effect of this combination is tasty and manneristic — there is a lot of surprise here, moving the imagination or reversing the order. We find ourselves in a crazy Italian film, the director of which could be Fellini or Dario Argento.

All buildings are artisanal work, collaboration of carpenters and stonemasons. Lots of tables, high ceiling, huge windows. A mirror in which it is impossible to see your own reflection - milling cuts the reflections into longitudinal slices. Also noteworthy is the monumental column with the exposition of liquors, clad in an untreated brass sheet. Over time, it will become covered with patina. Above the bar another reversal of order. Marquise. Traditionally located above the entrance to a small Venetian bàcari and made of fabric. Here it was placed inside and made of tiles.

Another design adventure are the tables decorated with a characteristic pattern from Burano. The Italian island is famous for its beautiful and intricate lace, made by traditional methods. The delicate napkin turned into a solid marquetry on the table.

The bathrooms take us to Palermo. They were lined with ceramics inspired by the legend of Teste di Moro. Famous head-shaped vases adorn Sicilian balconies, terraces and interiors. They hide in themselves a macabre story about love betrayal. The legend dates back to the 12th century, but it could easily have happened in the days of the “White Lotus”.

From the bright, fresh, geometric and spacious ground floor we move on to the top later. After the winding steel staircase with an openwork railing, we come to a fancy mezzanine. Powdery colours predominate here, the light dims, the atmosphere becomes less formal. On the wall, the famous pattern of a silk scarf designed by Vittorio Accornero (ladies and gentlemen, this is Gucci). The bar is finished with checkered veneer and pink tiles. The eye is also attracted by the sink of sacred provenance. It was set in a pink marble chef's cap. There we can wash our hands with water from a tap covered with real gold and read the sanitary authorities' recommendation given like a philosophical sentence from the Roman Empire: Aqua non-potable.

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