The cold winter season is about to start. But while the outdoors does not “look a lot like Christmas,” with Kyiv streets not decorated and winter fun yet to begin, there are still plenty of opportunities for joy in the capital.
These darkening days are a perfect time to explore Kyiv’s restaurants and cafes, several exciting restaurants opened this fall offering visitors plenty of savory food, hot drinks and warm atmosphere.
Here are some of the most interesting new restaurants in Kyiv, hand-picked by the Kyiv Post.
Forever Young
Opened just over a week ago, Forever Young restaurant has already become a must-visit place in Kyiv. Located on the capital’s busy Basseina Street, the venue stands out with its stylish exterior design and wall-sized windows that attract the passersby from the dark street.
It is the latest venue opened by restaurateur Igor Sukhomlyn, who also founded Mimoza Brooklyn Pizza and Fish and Pussycat.
Inside, the venue is as stylish as its outside: it has two floors and light-colored walls decorated with bright pictures, mosaics and several paintings, one of them saying “hello beautiful,” in Russian.
Forever Young does not stick to one cuisine and instead offers food for all tastes from different countries and cuisines, including Jerusalem artichoke and cauliflower soup and baked cabbage with caviar or beef tacos.
Forever Young also serves 15 breakfast dishes such as avocado with salmon, egg and Hollandaise sauce served with a freshly baked brioche bun or scrambled eggs with truffles, avocado, and roasted aubergine sauce.
The eatery also serves several appetizers, main dishes, soups and, of course, desserts including pear baked in puff pastry, sponge cake with walnuts and chocolate mousse with chia seeds and cream cheese.
On the drink menu, Forever Young has wines and alcoholic cocktails as well as strong alcohols, teas, coffee and lemonade.
Prices: Beef tartare – Hr 247, lemon soup with prawns – Hr 220, grilled octopus with romesco sauce, potatoes, tomatoes and anchovies – Hr 450, sponge cake with walnuts – Hr 185, teas – Hr 65-90
Forever Young. 5 Basseina St. Mon-Sun – 9 a.m. – 11 p.m. +38050 616 7835
Gol’da pita-bar
Another establishment offering traditional Israeli food has opened in Kyiv. Gol’da Pita-Bar is located on the loud and fussy Shota Rustaveli Street and is a perfect place for those who can’t live without hummus or falafel.
The eatery offers Israeli delights like shakshuka, Jerusalem salad with lemon juice and yogurt, chickpea cream soup and three types of hummus served with pita.
There is also a wide choice of grilled fish and meat like lamb kebab, beef medallions, sea bass fish and grilled chicken with potatoes. To sweeten the pot, one can choose between the traditional honey or chocolate cake, cheesecake with passionfruit souffle or try the homemade ice cream. As for the drinks, the venue serves wines and strong alcohols and beers as well as coffee and tea.
With its warm atmosphere and reasonable pricing, Gol’da Pita-Bar is a great place for breakfast or lunch with colleagues or even a romantic date.
Prices: Shakshuka – Hr 115, pita and hummus – Hr 70, lamb kebab – Hr 215, honey cake – Hr 95, teas – Hr 60
Gol’da pita-bar. 12 Shota Rustaveli St. Mon-Sun – 11-12 a.m. +38068 397 7070
Visitors of Gol’da pita-bar, one of the recent additions to Kyiv’s restaurant scene, enjoy their meals on Nov. 27, 2019. (Volodymyr Petrov)
Jacuzzi
This trendy spot is perfect for those who like to accompany a delicious meal with innovative cocktails.
Jacuzzi was opened in November by the owners of the nearby Kosatka restaurant and is a spacious venue with a minimalistic design, friendly staff and great food.
The eatery offers appetizers, salads and pasta such as fettuccine with dried tomatoes, turkey and ricotta ravioli and pappardelle with chicken. Apart from that, Jacuzzi serves salmon carpaccio, steaks and beef stewed in wine.
For dessert, there is creme brulee, white chocolate mousse or lemon tart.
But what makes the venue special is its alcoholic cocktails. Jacuzzi serves 17 types of cocktails, all for Hr 110-160.
Those who can’t choose one cocktail among the many offered at Jacuzzi should not be confused or sad – a welcoming staff is always ready to recommend something on the menu.
Prices: Beef steak with beans and wine sauce – Hr 250, turkey and ricotta ravioli – Hr 130, pasta with tomatoes, anchovies and black olives – Hr 125, white chocolate mousse with lemon zest – Hr 95, wines – Hr 70-140, teas – Hr 50
Jacuzzi. 25/2 Velyka Zhytomtrska St. Mon-Thurs – 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Fri – 11-2 a.m., Sat – 10-2 a.m., Sun – 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
China Ma
Kyiv’s restaurant scene is booming with Chinese and Asian eateries nowadays, and China Ma is the latest venue to expand the Chinese offerings in the capital.
It is a perfect place for those who are looking for a new gastronomical experience.
Cina Ma specializes in Chinese dim sum dumplings and offers six savory types, filled with pork, mushrooms, tofu and spinach, duck, chicken or shrimp. China Ma also serves sweet dumplings filled with cherries and vanilla sauce, coconut or chocolate and bananas.
Besides the traditional dim sum, China Ma has a decent menu of traditional Chinese dishes. It offers vegetarian and meat spring rolls, spicy Chinese salads and soups, noodles and fried rice, some vegetarian dishes and various seafood, meat and poultry – all for reasonable prices.
Desserts include mango mousse, ice cream, pineapple mouse and more.
With delicious food at modest prices, Chinese Ma seems prepared to become one of the best places for Chinese food fans in the capital.
Prices: Dim sum with duck – Hr 108, bao bun with vegetables – Hr 38, burger with Peking duck – Hr 108, Chinese vegetable soup – Hr 88, Chinese chicken curry – Hr 198, raspberry mousse with lychee jelly – Hr 168
China Ma. 5B Heorhiia Kirpy St. Mon-Sun – 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. +38068 263 8888
Waiters of new Forever Young restaurant in Kyiv serve food to the eatery’s visitors on Nov. 27, 2019. (Oleg Petrasiuk)
Havana
This new restaurant has one special feature to offer – a fantastic, picturesque view of the Dnipro River.
Havana is a recently-opened, pricier restaurant with stylish design. It has a spacious hall decorated with green plants, unusual iron chandeliers, wall-sized windows, wooden tables and bright red chairs.
This restaurant also does not stick to one cuisine. Here, visitors can try some Ukrainian and Italian dishes, with appetizers like oysters, tartare and various pates. It also serves salads and soups, including traditional Ukrainian borsch. Additionally, Havana has grilled meat and fish, steaks, pizzas and pasta.
Moreover, Havana has a wide choice of desserts, serving various cakes, pies, mousses, sorbets and ice-cream.
But the restaurant is not only about its delicious food – it’s a perfect place for family celebrations, with a separate room where children can play all day, and other huge parties.
On the drink menu, it also has a wide selection of Italian and French wines, cocktails and strong alcohols for all tastes.
Prices: Bruschetta with arugula and crab meat – Hr 279, hot tomato soup with seafood – Hr 326, pasta with mushrooms – Hr 169, cheesecake – Hr 95, mulled wine – Hr 160
Havana. 28 Naberezhne Highway. Mon-Thurs – 12 p.m. – 12 a.m., Fri-Sat – 12 p.m. – 2 a.m., Sun – 12 p.m. – 12 a.m. +38050 454 9007
Praktyka
Located in Kyiv’s historic Podil neighborhood, Praktyka (Practice in English) is a great new place for those who enjoy sinking their teeth into a juicy steak.
Praktyka offers five types of steaks to satisfy the biggest appetites, including rib-eye, t-bone and tenderloin steaks, both local and imported from the U.S.
As a side dish, this venue serves fried potatoes with mushrooms, grilled vegetables and French fries. The rest of Praktyka’s menu includes various starters, salads and soups as well as main courses such as beef burgers, duck fillet with rice noodles and more.
But as the name of the restaurant hints, one can also learn how to cook here. Praktyka offers cooking workshops for 4-10 people, who can choose two dishes from the restaurant ‘s special menu and prepare them with the restaurant’s chef to eat.
The workshop costs Hr 1,200 per person and is a great chance to not only sample some culinary delights but also to learn how to make them at home.
Praktyka seems to urge people to start cooking at home, as the restaurant also has a shop where one can purchase all the needed supplies for cooking, including knives, aprons, cups and pans.
Prices: Beef burger – Hr 225, ribeye steak – Hr 1,530, rice noodles with vegetables, ginger, fried egg, chicken – Hr 147, banana bread with caramel and bananas – Hr 95, teas – Hr 55-85
Praktyka. 3 Bulvarno-Kudriavska St. Mon-Sun – 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. +38067 414 3377
