The dark winter nights have arrived, but that also means the festive season is here, and Kyiv’s bars and restaurants are getting ready for their last but possibly biggest events of the year — New Year’s parties.
While many in Ukraine celebrate St. Nicholas Day on Dec. 19 and Christmas Day on Dec. 25, New Year’s Eve is still the biggest party night of the year — a leftover of 70 years of Soviet tradition.
Orthodox Christmas and New Year (often called “Old New Year”) now fall on Jan. 7 and Jan. 14 respectively, as the Julian Calendar used by the Orthodox church has slid out of sync with the Gregorian Calendar used in the West.
For those seeing in the New Year in the Ukrainian capital, the Kyiv Post has picked out some of the best venues offering a range of entertainments and events on the last day of the year.
Outdoor locations
Those who like to celebrate New Year’s in a big crowd can join Kyiv’s residents on Sofiivska and Kontraktova squares, where they can expect a festive atmosphere, entertainment and hot food and drinks. Both locations will hold orchestra concerts starting at 11 p. m.
After midnight, there will be fireworks shows and musical performances.
Apart from that, visitors will be able to treat themselves to various street foods, hot mulled wine and other drinks at the food courts on both squares.
There will also be Christmas trees, lights and other holiday decorations.
Kontraktova and Sofiivska squares. 11 p. m. Free
People celebrate the New Year at Barvy restaurant in Kyiv on Jan. 1, 2018. (Barvy/Facebook) (Oleg Stetsenko)
Restaurants
Barvy
Kyiv’s Barvy restaurant is holding its traditional New Year’s celebration party featuring a live music show, DJ set and, of course, a selection of delicious dishes for all tastes. Barvy’s New Year’s celebration will start at 10 p. m. on Dec. 31, offering visitors a welcome glass of champagne and oysters as snacks, accompanied by live saxophone music.
Barvy has a decent New Year’s menu of nine dishes, including traditional Olivier salad with venison, duck with mashed carrot and ginger, carp carpaccio, and a cheese plate. The restaurant will also serve the popular Kyivsky cake for dessert, and each pair of guests will get a gift of Italian Prosecco white sparkling wine.
For its New Year’s celebration, Barvy will put on a show featuring singer Anastasiia Prudius, musician Vlad Lebediev, and DJ Khramow. Apart from that, Barvy will host a very special guest — Santa Claus, who will give out presents to all. To book a table at Barvy, visit the restaurant and pick up tickets, priced Hr 3,500 per person.
Barvy. 3 Mechnykova St. 10 p. m. Hr 3,500. +38098 306 3333
Dmytro Borysov restaurants
Five restaurants of Ukrainian star restaurateur Dmytro Borysov will hold New Year’s celebrations on Dec. 31. Located in central Kyiv, the restaurants will offer a variety of dinner menus and music programs, and all venues promise to provide unlimited sparkling wine.
Kanapa, which serves Ukrainian modern cuisine, and is located on Andriyivsky Uzviz Street, will offer a cozy atmosphere with a fireplace and candles.
Their festive menu will include varenyky (Ukrainian traditional dumplings) with pike-perch, chicken Kyiv cutlet made with pheasant, meat aspic, Olivier salad, and more.
Ostannia Barykada situated in the city’s heart, on Maidan Nezalezhnosti Square, will serve dishes made from local products. They will include trout caviar, foie gras pate, oysters from the Black Sea, fried sausage, and more.
Chicken Kyiv restaurant, located on Kyiv’s main street, Khreshchatyk, will treat its guests to avocado with crab and quinoa appetizer, toast with salmon, Olivier salad, and baked turkey with vegetables.
Vatra’s dinner menu will combine meat and seafood dishes: fried beef tongue, Niçoise salad with tuna, jamón, pastrami and lobster. The restaurant is located in a quiet yard on Horodetskoho Street.
Another of Borysov’s restaurants, Ronin, promises a New Year’s food show on open grills. Their menu includes an unlimited choice of eight kinds of meat (lamb, pork, chicken, beef, turkey and more). They will also serve salads, shrimp and tuna shashlik, grilled corn and more.
Kanapa (19A Andriivskyi Uzviz St.), Ostannia Barykada (1 Maidan Nezalezhnosti Sq.), Chicken Kyiv (15 Khreshchatyk St.), Vatra (4B Horodetskoho St.), Ronin (10 Zoolohichna St.) 11 p. m. Adult ticket — Hr 2,900, children from 6 to 12 — Hr 1,450, under 6 — free. Get tickets at www.borysov.com.ua/uk/events/novyy-rik-v-simyi-restoraniv-dmytra-borysova
Parties
Closer
Kyiv underground club Closer invites all ravers to celebrate New Year Eve dancing to the electronic rhythms. Their party will start at midnight and will last until 5 p. m. on Jan. 1.
The night’s lineup features foreign DJs, including Maayan Nidam from Germany, and Marcel Vogel and San Proper from the Netherlands.
Stars of the Ukrainian electronic music scene will also perform at Closer, including Pavel Plastikk, Roman K, Bambu, Noizar, Borys, and others.
The nightclub team promises New Year decorations and says there will be no dress code, and everyone is welcome to wear anything in what they feel comfortable.
Visitors to the party must, however, be over 21.
Closer. 31 Nyzhnoiurkivska St. 11:59 p. m. Ticket price in advance — Hr 600, at the entrance — Hr 800. +38067 658 8951. Get tickets at www.residentadvisor.net/events/1174339
Atlas
This year Kyiv’s Atlas concert hall is arranging a New Year’s Space Party, and welcomes everybody to dance all night long, drink cocktails, and enjoy the venue’s festive atmosphere. Atlas has invited electronic music duo Yuko, dream-pop music band Latexfauna, and rock band Fontaliza to entertain the party’s visitors all night.
For rap and techno music fans, Banana Room, a smaller venue located within Atlas, features musicians such as Selecta, Masta, Pan Feofan, and many others. For those looking to chill out after dancing, Barbara Bar, located at the Atlas concert hall, is a perfect place.
The venue will host live music shows by Madison, Toki Toi, and other musicians performing some international pop hits.
Barbara Bar also offers a wide range of cocktails and tasty snacks.
The New Year’s Space Party at Atlas will start at 10 p. m. on Dec. 31, the entrance fee is Hr 400 for the fan zone, and Hr 1,500 for a table seat.
The price does not include food and drinks, which have to be paid for separately.
Atlas. 37–41 Sichovykh Striltsiv St. 10 p. m. Ticket to fan zone — Hr 400, table seat — Hr 1,500 Get tickets at https://concert.ua/ru/booking/space-party
Bursa
Bursa, a new hotel that opened this spring, has already become a popular place to hang out. Located in Podil district, the hotel building houses two bars, a cafe, a library and a gallery.
This stylish venue also recently won an award for the best hotel interior design in the world in 2018 from the International Interior Design Association Global Excellence Awards.
Bursa’s New Year’s party will start at 8 p. m. with a DJ set by Daria Kolomiec in the cafe on the first floor of the hotel, and a set by DJ Sasha Tessio at the 1818 bar on its top, fifth floor.
Bursa offers two types of tickets: one includes entry and a welcome drink, the other one covers entry and unlimited food and drinks at the buffet.
Their New Year’s menu will offer fish and meat entrees, salads, sandwiches and burgers, as well as various spirits and cocktails.
After the DJ sets, the party will continue with performances by synth-pop duo First Hate, post-punk band Super Besse, and DJ Argot.
Bursa. 11 Kostiantynivska St. 8 p. m. Ticket and welcome drink — Hr 1,500, ticket and food and drinks buffet — Hr 3,500. +38044 537 7007. Get tickets at www.concert.ua/ru/event/new-years-eve-at-bursa
