Tainted somewhat by its unsavory reputation, you don’t need to go too far back in time to remember the days when Varsovians had this down as “the most dangerous street in Warsaw”. You’d be happy to visit, but only if you were carrying a handgun and helmet. But though historically deprived and neglected, shoots of recovery can be noted and, even, something approaching step-by-step gentrification. Unlikely as this sounds, it’s a process that’s lent the street a hip and happening edge to go with its raw underbelly. First established in the 19th century, it was at the start of the 20th century that Brzeska really took shape; tenements shot up, and so too small factories and textile businesses. After the war, however, the area found itself repopulated with ‘undesirables’ in a strategy that reeked of ‘containment’. Wild days followed, but in line with Praga’s general renaissance, Brzeska too has begun to flourish anew. This is particularly true coming in from the Ząbkowska side when...