10 Things to Eat in Kyiv and Where

Every country has its culinary customs, and Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, is no exception. It draws from Russian traditions to create dishes that evoke familiar, almost rustic flavors. Grains, bread, and vegetables are essential ingredients in Ukrainian cuisine, the undisputed "queen" of soups and pancakes, in its numerous and delicious variations. Here are the 10 traditional Ukrainian dishes that you absolutely must try!

1 - Borscht

The national dish of Kyiv is undoubtedly borscht, the traditional beetroot soup enriched with sour cream, lard, and in its "vegetarian" version, sorrel.

Recommended for lunch, dinner
Average cost $3.00
Main ingredients beetroot, lard, sour cream, sorrel

2 - Varenyky

The flagship dish of Kyiv kitchens is a warm, delicious plate of stuffed dumplings filled with any delightful sweet or savory treat available, simply accompanied by melted butter or sour cream. We are, of course, referring to varenyky.

Recommended for lunch, dinner
Average cost $2.50
Main ingredients dough, meat, cheese, jam

3 - Shuba

As tasty as it is undeniably heavy on the digestion, shuba is nothing other than a "rich" herring salad in "fur" (hence, shuba) of mayonnaise. Often recommended as an appetizer, it is to be considered a main course, to be consumed strictly alone, to avoid finding oneself unable to get up from the chair!

Recommended for lunch or dinner
Average cost $4.00
Main ingredients herrings, mayonnaise, potatoes

4 - Churchkheli

the sweet street food of Kyiv, churchkheli

No list of the dishes that have made Kyiv's gastronomy great would be complete without a lovely dessert. In the Ukrainian capital, churchkheli are popular, street food sweets filled with dried fruit shaped like candles or sausages. They are exquisite when served with a jelly made from pomegranate or wine, for lovers of "boozy flavors"!

Recommended as a snack or dessert
Average cost $1.00
Main ingredients dried fruit, pomegranate juice, wine

5 - Holubtsi

Buckwheat reigns supreme in this cabbage leaf roll filled with seasoned rice, meat, or this precious grain, served with tomato sauce.

Recommended for lunch or dinner
Average cost $3.00
Main ingredients cabbage, rice, tomato, buckwheat

6 - Plov

Although not a 100 percent traditional dish, it is still extremely popular in Kyiv restaurants. We are talking about plov, a dish of spiced rice flavored with a mix of very different ingredients: mutton, onions, carrots, and raisins. A flavor more unique than rare, which seems to be appreciated by diners at typical local spots.

Recommended for lunch, dinner
Average cost $5.00
Main ingredients rice, mutton, onions

7 - Kholodet

Chicken is one of the main ingredients in Kyiv's cuisine. One of the most commonly served dishes in the restaurants of the Ukrainian city with chicken meat is kholodet, which can also be made with pork. It consists of meat in gelatin, a dish that has its roots in Soviet cuisine.

Recommended for lunch, dinner
Average cost $4.00
Main ingredients meat (chicken or pork), water, onion, black pepper

8 - Potato Pancakes (Deruny)

whether alone or as a side dish, here are the potato pancakes deruny

As we highlighted at the beginning of this "delicious" article, one of the standout dishes of Kyiv cuisine is represented by pancakes. Whether on their own or as an accompaniment to meat or vegetable dishes, it is an absolute "must" to taste them, paired with delicious thick sauces. The variety of pancakes most known in the Ukrainian capital is the deruny, potato pancakes of the typical pancake shape.

Recommended for lunch, dinner
Average cost $3.00
Main ingredients potatoes, eggs, flour

9 - Napoleon Cake

A dessert of Russian origin, which has become a true must of Ukrainian cuisine. You cannot stay in Kyiv without trying this delight made of cream and layers of ultra-thin pastry. A dessert that puts to the test the resolutions of anyone trying to diet!

Recommended as a dessert after lunch or dinner, or as a delicious interlude
Average cost $3.00
Main ingredients butter, eggs, sugar, flour, cream

10 - Tovtchenyky

fried onions are the primary side dish for the fish dish tovtchenyky

We conclude this culinary "tour" of Kyiv with a fish dish: Tovtchenyky. This is a fish dish cooked in a concentrated broth and served with a delightful side of onions, a great alternative to a second course based on meat.

Recommended for lunch, dinner
Average cost $8.00
Main ingredients fish, onions

Where to eat in Kyiv: the best restaurants, typical spots, and street food

Kyiv is one of those capitals that for a long time was left to its own devices, but today it is undergoing economic development and neighborhood revitalization, even in terms of gastronomy! A cuisine made of simple and genuine flavors, of products that the land offers, of nutritious recipes that also help cope with the cold winters.

The main areas of Kyiv to enjoy traditional cuisine are Old Town, Podil, and Vozdvyzhenka, much loved by locals because they are trendy with many traditional and innovative restaurants and cafés. Here, indeed, besides traditional restaurants and markets you will find also plenty of international offerings. Just pay attention to the hours: in Kyiv, dinner is served early, many restaurants close at 10:00 PM, which means that kitchens close even earlier.

Here are the best places to eat in Kyiv.

1 - Pervak

Description an institution in Kyiv, a restaurant with staff in traditional clothing and traditional cuisine
Specialty vareniki
Average price from $20.00 per person
Address Rohnidynska St, 2 - Get directions / tel: +380442350952

2 - O'Panas

Description a restaurant with elegant interiors but an informal atmosphere, typical Ukrainian and Kyiv cuisine
Specialty chicken Kyiv
Average price from $20.00 per person
Address Tereshchenkivs'ka St, 10 - Get directions / tel: +380445850523

3 - Catch Seafood Restaurant

Description an elegant restaurant specializing in fish dishes
Specialty fresh fish
Average price from $40.00 per person
Address Volodymyrska St 12 - Get directions / tel: +380443343015

4 - Kuznya Rebra Ta Pyva

Description a restaurant in the heart of the city specializing in meat dishes
Specialty meat
Average price from $20.00 per person
Address Tarasa Shevchenko Blvd 2 - Get directions / tel: +380675507722

5 - Kanapa

Description Ukrainian atmosphere with excellent cocktails and creatively revisited typical cuisine
Specialty Borscht soup
Average price from $25.00 per person
Address Andriivs'kyi descent 19 - Get directions / tel: +380680443050

6 - Kyivska Perepichka

Description a small, colorful fast food spot for quick lunches with salads, rotisserie, wraps, and pancakes
Specialty holubtsy
Average price from $5.00 per person
Address Bohdana Khmel'nyts'koho St 3 - Get directions / tel: +380442347235

7 - The Burger

Description a place to enjoy one of the best burgers in all of Kyiv
Specialty burgers
Average price from $15.00 per person
Address Velyka Vasylkivska St 5 - Get directions / tel: +380503842717

8 - Gogi

Description a restaurant with Georgian cuisine and traditional recipes
Specialty Khinkali and Khachapuri
Average price from $15.00 per person
Address Mala Zhytomyrska St 15 a - Get directions / tel: +380930574745

9 - Honey. Cafe-confectionary

Description an elegant café where you can enjoy excellent desserts, along with savory alternatives for lunch
Specialty cakes
Average price from $5.00 per person
Address Yaroslaviv Val St 20 - Get directions / tel: +380673526186

10 - 100 years ago

Description a typical Ukrainian restaurant, with traditional dishes and some redone in a modern key
Specialty Volodymyrska St, 4, Kyiv, Ukraine, 01001
Average price from $45.00 per person
Address Volodymyrska St 4 - Get directions / tel: +380680686975

11 - Musafir

Description a famous and beloved restaurant serving Middle Eastern cuisine
Specialty chebureki, plov
Average price from $15.00 per person
Address Bohdana Khmel'nyts'koho St 3 - Get directions / tel: +380995687776

12 - Mama Manana Prorizna

Description one of the best Georgian cuisine restaurants in the city
Specialty Khinkali and Khachapuri
Average price from $20.00 per person
Address Prorizna St 22 - Get directions / tel: +380737770904

13 - Puzata Hata

Description a chain of Ukrainian restaurants serving excellent traditional dishes
Specialty Ukrainian dishes
Average price from $15.00 per person
Address Khreschatyk St - Get directions / tel: +380800505299

14 - Green 13 Cafe Vegan Kitchen

Description a vegan restaurant and café, with plenty of options to choose from
Specialty vegan
Average price from $15.00 per person
Address Velyka Zhytomyrska St 40 - Get directions / tel: +380982940231

15 - Kashtan Coffee

Description a youthful café atmosphere, excellent desserts and coffee, ideal for breakfast
Specialty breakfast
Average price from $5.00 per person
Address Reitarska St 9Б - Get directions / tel: +380954649759