From Hong Kong to Warsaw : The Strategic Growth of Ask For Alonzo

Bart Szyniec, co-founder of Deadly Rabbits Group, is bringing a taste of Hong Kong hospitality to his native Poland. Photo: Deadly Rabbits Group

Bart Szyniec, founder of Hong Kong’s Deadly Rabbits Concepts and the popular Italian trattoria Ask For Alonzo, is taking his successful brand back to his roots. In spring 2025, Ask For Alonzo will open in Warsaw’s Varso Tower—the tallest building in the EU—marking the restaurant's first international expansion.

Unlike other Hong Kong-based groups that target Southeast Asia or Western markets, Szyniec is betting on Poland’s rapid economic rise. "Poland didn’t have legacy industries holding it back and quickly embraced new tech. Now, it's an economic engine,” he explains, noting the EU-backed infrastructure boom and growing property sector.

This move is as personal as it is strategic. After studying hospitality in Ireland, Szyniec landed in Hong Kong in 2012, unexpectedly launching a high-profile career with the Aqua Group. He later opened the first Ask For Alonzo in 2019, which has since expanded to five locations across Hong Kong.

Unlike many Western restaurateurs, Szyniec focuses on mid-priced, neighborhood-driven concepts outside the Central business district. His latest ventures—Spanish tapas bar Que Pasa and French bistro À Poêle—are located in Tai Hang and Quarry Bay, areas with a blend of office and residential life. “I don’t want to compete in overcrowded Central. My aim is to be the Maxim’s of Western casual dining—accessible, rooted in community,” he says.

Szyniec is also planning another Warsaw concept, Slavic Social, featuring modern Polish cuisine with Asian influences. Despite his Polish heritage, he insists on presenting both ventures as Hong Kong brands. “That’s the twist,” he says. “A Polish guy returns home with an Italian concept born in Hong Kong.”

Reflecting on Poland’s transformation from post-Soviet hardship to modern metropolis, Szyniec sees himself as a cultural bridge. “Poland has changed beyond recognition. I want to connect the best of both worlds—Hong Kong’s dynamism and Poland’s potential—through food and hospitality.”

Related News: Why Hong Kong restaurant Ask For Alonzo is opening a branch in Warsaw, Poland