Reading a book while drinking hot cacao on a rainy autumn day is a cliché. But it’s probably one of the most pleasant clichés possible. Here’s four places the Kyiv Post has found for bibliophiles to enjoy hot beverages.
Kharms
Hidden in one of the backyards in the center of Kyiv near Zoloti Vorota metro station, Kharms is an inviting place for a good read. The owners call Kharms, a place called after Soviet writer and poet of the 20th century Daniil Kharms, “an indie bookstore.” It sells snacks, vinyl records, notebooks, magazines, and books.
The selection of English literature is not large but has good quality in gastronomy, art and design. There is also a TED books series, published by the American non-profit media organization famous for the lectures by expert speakers on education, business, science, technology and creativity.
On its menu, Kharms has sandwiches, soups, desserts, coffee, tea and cacao. A cup of cacao costs Hr 57.
Kharms. 45, Volodymyrska St. 10 a. m. — 10 p. m.
Moya Knyzhkova Polytsia
This place is tiny but manages to hold an enormous amount of books with its floor-to-ceiling shelves.
Moya Knyzhkova Polytsia (My Bookshelf) offers books mostly in Ukrainian, but there are also options in English. In English, one can find the series of world classics, various guides to Ukrainian cities, books on Ukrainian people, history and art, as well as children’s books.
While leafing through a book, order a hot beverage and a dessert, sit at one of the small cozy tables and enjoy a street view of Kyiv’s central Pushkinska Street.
The bookstore also sells stylish postcards, stickers, sketchbooks, pins and bookmarks.
A cup of cacao costs Hr 40.
Moya Knyzhkova Polytsia. 7, Pushkinska St. Mon-Fri 9 a. m. — 9 p. m., Sat-Sun 10 a. m.-9 p. m.
One Love Coffee
This venue at the sixth floor of Pinchuk Art Center, a Kyiv center for contemporary art, has an elegant white design, a panoramic view over the Kyiv’s center, and a decent selection of English-language books.
One Love café offers stylish large-format color editions on people’s success stories, traveling, as well as Ukrainian and world culture.
Considering coffee and cacao, the place’s personnel say that they add a drop of love to every cup.
Also, don’t miss a chance to stop at Pinchuk Art Center’s bookstore three stores below.
A cup of cacao costs Hr 57.
One Love Coffee. 2, Bessarabs’ka Sq. Mon-Fri 10 a. m. — 11 p. m., Sat-Sun 10–12 a. m.
Bookstore at Pinchuk Art Center’s second floor. Tue-Sun 12–8 p. m.
Chasopys
Libraries don’t usually serve beverages, but this one does, since it’s a name of a room in one of the Kyiv’s so-called anti cafes, venues where a client pays not for an order, but for the spent time.
Library, one of the rooms at Kyiv’s Chasopys, offers English-language books on economics, marketing, political science, as well as fiction books, cookbooks, and some magazines.
Chasopys also offers board games, and has a separate cinema room where guests can watch movies.
Unlimited cups of cacao are included in a price of stay, as well as tea, coffee, cookies, and sweets.
One hour costs Hr 40.
Chasopys. 3, L’va Tolstoho. 8 a. m. — 11 p. m.
