Table of Contents
- The Journey from Rome to Poland
- A Meeting That Changed Everything
- Fighting for Authenticity in Poland
- The Imaginarium Experience
- The Food: Pizza, Pasta, and Passion
- A Living Philosophy
- The Secret Ingredient
- Visit Imaginarium
The Journey from Rome to Poland
Twenty-five years ago, Mirko left his accounting office job in Rome for a position in his brother's pizzeria kitchen.
"The clock never moved in that office," he recalls.
What started as street food preparation—supplì, croquettes, arancini—became a passionate culinary journey through Rome, Naples, Tuscany, Monte Carlo, and beyond.
His Neapolitan mentor taught him something profound while preparing pizza dough: "Taste the water," he said.
"I'm making sea water for you. The water must taste like the sea, or you won't get Neapolitan pizza."
These emotions, Mirko learned, cannot be explained—they must be lived.
A Meeting That Changed Everything
In 2015, at Mamma Venerina restaurant in Rome's Via Vitelleschi, Mirko met Giustina, a Polish musician.
"In that moment, this place was born," he says.
On August 21, 2015, they opened Imaginarium in Poznań with 35 seats, 3 pasta dishes, and 17 pizzas.
A New York food critic visited their hidden gem and declared after tasting a simple tomato pasta: "I have never eaten pasta like this in Little Italy."
Fighting for Authenticity in Poland
The challenges were immense. Finding quality Italian products, educating palates accustomed to "Polonized" Italian food, and competing with restaurants that claimed authenticity after one trip to Italy.
"You have to have history behind you, a type of culture," Mirko insists. "I would never open a Polish restaurant in Italy after one visit."
Their mission was clear: create authentic Italian cuisine without compromise. No Italian flags outside, no stereotypical names.
"Our restaurant is not for business. We don't do it for money," they declare. "We're creating an extended family."
The Imaginarium Experience
The restaurant has four unique rooms filled with books (nearly 700), music, and personal touches.
There's no wifi—the idea is to leave the world outside and be present.
"When someone enters, they're truly transformed," says Giustina. "It's like going to another place."
They play the music they love—Jovanotti, Subsonica, De Gregori, Lucio Dalla—not stereotypical Italian restaurant music.
As Mirko explains: "I am Lucio Dalla's 'Felicità,' not Al Bano's. This is our substantial difference."
American soldiers called it "home away from home."
During the pandemic, French and American customers helped them most, continuing to visit despite restrictions.
The Food: Pizza, Pasta, and Passion
Mirko's pizza has earned international recognition.
A former lawyer who opened a Michelin-starred restaurant in London and visited the world's 50 best pizzerias ranked Imaginarium in the top ten.
Giustina admits: "When he told me 'you won't like another pizza after this,' he was right. Even in Italy, we don't eat pizza anymore."
The menu features traditional Roman and Ciociara dishes, fresh pasta made in-house (bronze-die extruded), and quality local meat.
A pasta portion is 150 grams dry weight—generous and abundant. "We seek quality in products," they emphasize.
"Not everything must be Italian, but everything must be excellent."
A Living Philosophy
"Imaginarium is sentient, it's alive," the couple explains.
They consider it their child. The first three years, the alarm went off at 3 AM like a baby waking.
Now they have a solid team: two Italians and two Polish staff who are like family.
Working together wasn't easy initially. Mirko was "Nazi-like" about cleanliness and precision.
"My mom didn't teach me to clean in 30 years, but he did in one," Giustina jokes.
But they found balance.
"We have ups and downs, moments of laughter and serious work, but everything must be precise and organized."
The Secret Ingredient
On busy Saturday nights, when chaos reigns, Mirko is happiest. "I'm in the eye of the cyclone, I have absurd calm, I know what to do, I laugh, I joke."
This is what other restaurateurs don't understand: "The hands, the warmth I put into making things give something extra to the food you can't find anywhere else."
Their philosophy is simple but profound: "Food shouldn't fill your stomach, it should fill your soul."
In a world running faster and forgetting human values, Imaginarium remains a place where it's still "possible to be human."
Imaginarium: much more than an Italian restaurant
Find them at Bernardeschi Square in Poznań, facing the Franciscan church.
As Mirko jokes: "There's the hospital, the church, and the restaurant… It's like I never left Rome! They pray for us, and from our side we feed them with great food."
After 25 years in kitchens and nearly 10 years in Poland, Mirko's conclusion is simple: "I live in love. I couldn't do it any other way."
This is Imaginarium, where every dish tells a story, and every visit feels like coming home.
source https://www.realitalianrestaurants.com/blog/imaginarium-a-piece-of-italy-in-pozna%C5%84
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