Arco by Paco Pérez
Gdansk
W skrócie
Recenzje
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Some restaurants impress you with their food. Arco impressed us with its people and its obsession with the smallest details. From the moment Joanna and I sat down, Jarek and Maciek made us feel genuinely welcome. Their professionalism, knowledge, and relaxed approach created the perfect atmosphere throughout the evening. Andrzej's Iberica wine pairings were exceptional—every selection complemented the dishes beautifully and added another layer to an already incredible experience. Meeting Chef Antonio and Sous Chef Agnieszka at the end of the evening gave us an even greater appreciation for the passion and teamwork behind every plate. What really stayed with us, though, was the attention to detail. Even the steak knife wasn't just another knife—it was designed and crafted specifically for Arco. It's a small touch, but it perfectly reflects the philosophy of the restaurant: nothing is accidental, and every element of the experience has a purpose. Thank you to the entire team for an unforgettable evening. We left with amazing memories and a new favorite restaurant in Gdańsk. We can't wait to come back.
The food was sub-par for a Michelin restaurant. We’ve been to a few in Poland and this one is, sadly, noticably worse in this regard. Definitely not good for the price. The atmosphere and service were ok. The room was a bit too warm. What caught our attention: the staff didn’t thank us for visiting at the end, nor did they ask how the experience was. Overall we left quite disappointed.
Extraordinary experience. Good service. New flavors and textures. I took the smaller menu - but half of it was one bite appetizers. Only deserts made me feel not hungry. I think price is too high. But good experience overall
**Review: Arco by Parco, Gdańsk** We visited Arco by Parco for the Utopia tasting menu with wine pairing yesterday evening. The restaurant is beautifully located with a stunning view, and the dining room itself is elegant and well-appointed. The food itself was technically very well executed. Flavors were refined, balanced, and the ingredients clearly of high quality. However, the overall experience left us disappointed given the restaurant’s Michelin star status and the significant price point. There were several organizational issues from the start. Our pre-booking communication via email was confusing regarding the menu choices and setup. We tried to clarify this at the bar upon arrival, but unfortunately the internal communication between bar and kitchen also broke down. When we were seated, the waiter presented us with a priced menu and asked us to order, which completely undermined the surprise element I had intended for my partner. This felt unprofessional for a restaurant of this caliber. The wine pairing menu was another point of confusion. It only began with the 7th course, meaning we had to order wines separately for the first six courses. This is quite unusual for a menu marketed as a “pairing wine menu.” On the plate, the biggest drawback was the texture profile. Almost every dish was very soft — bordering on mushy. There was a noticeable lack of contrasting elements: no crunch, crispiness, or firmer components to balance the soft textures. Several courses felt almost like baby food in consistency. Additionally, the portions were very small, even for a tasting menu, and most dishes lacked any substantial accompaniments or sides for the main proteins (fish, meat, and pigeon). Service was genuinely excellent — the staff were professional, attentive, and knowledgeable. The view remains one of the best in Gdańsk. **Final verdict:** Arco by Parco delivers on ambiance, service, and flavor quality, but falls significantly short on value for money, menu coherence, and textural excitement. At this price level and with a Michelin star, we expected a far more polished, consistent, and memorable experience. We left with a disappointing feeling and, considering the overall experience and high cost, it is not a restaurant we will return to.
Arriving at the room does not fall short in spreading its magic. No matter how often one does it, the view of a glimmering city from an upper position will never cease to amaze me. Besides that the interior leaves nothing to complain. Nice lights, comfy chair, uneventful yet pleasant tableware. Appreciated the little detail of exchanging the napkin for desert. To me the service was a bit ambiguous. Some folks were extraordinary, some a bit shy on words and very hasty. On average still a good, but not a very good experience. Let me move to what matters the most: The menu. I had the 18-course menu „Physis“. I enjoyed the menu telling a story, yet I would have felt that a little text or something similar on the otherwise splendidly designed menu card would have helped understanding the inspiration even better. The amuse bouche were a nice little storyline on their own, but taste-wise a bit unexciting. My biggest disappointment was the sour dough bread, which was clearly a bit overbaked. The first course of beetroot and yoghurt was an eyesight, but did not offer much for the tastebuds. Very plain. The bone marrow was similar, without the optical impressiveness. Not a good start in all honesty. Fortunately this changed with the next course. The Chawanmushi was phenomenal. Great variety in textures and flavours, very well combined. The sweetly fermented garlic rounded the dish. The first of my three highlights. Next up was broccoli pasta, which also convinced me. Not as pronounced as the previous dish, yet the complex flavours got the parmigiano to shine. The tuna taco did not excite me overly. The tuna was a tard bit plain, while the salad did not add anything in terms of flavour. The miso soup was lovely, but nothing to remember. The trout was a real piece of art. I will talk about the presentation later, but his one was amazing. The trout clearly had the main role in the play, but the sauces were great support acts. Enjoyed the fish. Next up was sea bass and what can I say: A classic, well executed with some nuanced flavours on the side. Well done! The creamy rice was a bit of an odd one, as the sous chef coming to the table to serve it marked it as something very special. While it was good, it could not live up to it. To me it lacked a bit of complexity and felt more like a high-level comfort food. The main course was, as it should be, my 2nd highlight of the day. Well executed pigeon with the nice twist of including it into a Mediterranean salad. Absolutely loved that twist. Build around a classic without stealing the show. Immediately after highlight #2, numero 3 arrived. Nduja ice cream , ricotta and honey. Sounds funky? Indeed. Took me a bit to get used to it, but once I did I absolutely adored it. The other two deserts were solid, but lacked the creativity of the first. After all the patisserie is still one of the main differences between 1 and mor stars. Ending the menu as it started, with potato-imitating and very tasty almonds was a lovely idea. To me, the Arco is in between 4-5 stars. Some dishes did not fully convince me, but there were also many great ones. What tipped the scale for me, was the amazing presentation of the dishes. In the Arco the plates are real art and I enjoyed that dearly.
