Growing Trends in Warsaw
What shapes Warsaw today isn’t only new skyscrapers or developments, but the habits of daily life. Morning raves, pilates studios, book clubs, matcha spots — trends that make the city brighter and more alive.
Warsaw is a city in motion — but not only through new buildings, conferences, and developments. Those belong more to the commercial side of growth. What shapes the city’s rhythm locally are the smaller shifts: local habits, new rituals, communities forming around cafés, studios, or parks. These are the changes people actually live with day to day. They make the city feel brighter, more alive, and they set its rhythm. Here are some of the trends shaping Warsaw right now.
Coffee rave mornings
Born a decade ago in London and New York, coffee raves only recently became trendy in Warsaw, especially over summer. Evenings are no longer the only time for music and movement. More people want weekends they can fully enjoy, not half-recover from. And the answer to this are coffee raves: a DJ, daylight, community, and caffeine instead of cocktails. The popular Niedzielni collective hosts such parties at different spots, announced on Instagram, and there are also permanent weekend mornings like at Hood café. The idea is simple: you dance, you sip, you talk — and you still have the whole day ahead full of energy.
Matcha’s popularity
The popularity of green powder from Japan is flourishing in Warsaw. And it’s not just specialty coffee cafés that are growing, but matcha spots too — a new kind of ritual. In Warsaw you can notice matcha almost anywhere; even small, non-fancy local bakeries now have it on the menu. Green matcha, roasted hojicha — these drinks aren’t replacing coffee but creating a parallel culture of experience and calm. Among the better-known places are Happa to Mame, Moya Matcha, Okeh, or Manto café.
Trends may come and go, but together they capture the mood of the city today. People want energy without exhaustion, a sense of community, and a balance between work and free time.
Pilates and reformers
For years yoga was the symbol of balance, but now reformers are stealing the scene and becoming Warsaw’s favourite studio activity — and I’m a fan. The machines’ effect is simple: posture, precision, strength, and focus. New studios keep opening or expanding, alongside already existing brands like Polka Pilates or Pani od Pilatesu. Often they combine workouts with lifestyle elements — partnerships with wellness and other brands, thoughtful interiors, or curated playlists. It’s more than exercise; it’s an experience.
Book clubs
In today’s reality, where attention is constantly pulled to screens, the sight of people reading in public might feel surprising. Yet Warsaw has always had readers — on buses, in parks, even walking down the street with a book in hand. Now this solitary act is becoming collective again. Big Book Café (both in Śródmieście and Mokotów) runs year-round discussions, and on Instagram you can find circles like Szindy’s Book Club or Warsaw Book Club.
Running clubs
That was probably only a matter of time. Since marathons have been so popular, it made sense to turn running into something more local — like a regular routine with people. It’s simple and steadily growing. From major sports brands (Adidas Runners Warsaw) to small cafés (Run and More Club, Maekh Run Club), running clubs are popping up across the city. Now coffee connects people not only through caffeine, but also through morning raves and sport activities. Running gives you community and a gentle push to keep moving.
Padel and tennis
Warsaw is not a city strongly associated with tennis. But since Iga Świątek’s rise to world fame, tennis has begun appearing more often. And it feels like more than a sport — it has turned into a lifestyle. It’s no wonder brands love the aesthetic: crisp whites, rackets as accessories, a taste of leisure. What was once niche is now a look and a community, and many events this summer leaned into that vibe. At the same time, padel courts are growing too, offering a more casual alternative, and Warsaw Padel Club — with its 11 courts and tournaments — shows just how fast the trend is spreading.
Flea markets and vintage hunts
Warsaw’s flea markets are buzzing more than ever. Vintage shops are multiplying, and demand for second-hand treasures is strong. And it’s not about finding something cheaper — it’s about uniqueness, history, and a sense of discovery. Bazar na Kole still anchors weekends for treasure hunters, and Nowy Bazar Różyckiego in Praga is also popular. Smaller vintage shops around Śródmieście and Praga add even more chances to browse, try on, and find that one piece with a story.
The mood of Warsaw right now
Trends may come and go, but together they capture the mood of the city today. People want energy without exhaustion, a sense of community, and a balance between work and free time. In Warsaw these desires take shape as small communities — meeting over coffee, moving together, slowing down to read, hunting for pieces with memory.
The city doesn’t invent most of these habits, but it absorbs them and reshapes them until they feel local. These trends will change, but for now they are habits rooted in daily life.
