The restaurant scene in Kyiv has been shaken like never before by COVID‑19.
The government imposed a strict lockdown in March, forcing eateries to shut indoor dining for almost two months. Revenue dropped by half for many restaurants, while others closed for good.
But as authorities allowed restaurants to reopen in late June, the Kyiv dining scene came back to life.
With the easing of restrictions, not only did many old eateries revive, but new venues started popping up all over the capital.
As courageous as it is risky, the decision to launch a new eatery during this crisis requires a thorough examination of the market and adjustment to the new realities, says Ukrainian restaurant expert Olga Nasonova, who provides consulting through her agency.
“Restaurateurs who open new venues now are brave,” Nasonova told the Kyiv Post.
Some restaurant owners simply proceeded with opening entities that had been scheduled to launch long before the pandemic. Others seized the moment, using crisis as an opportunity, since many buildings freed up, real estate prices dropped and the market has become slightly less saturated.
New eateries try to develop their menus with dishes suitable for delivery and takeout. Consequently, venues offering molecular cuisine, which is difficult to transport, are losing demand. Meanwhile, restaurants serving Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines, whose dishes aren’t damaged by delivery, will remain highly popular. And so will fast-food outlets and big food markets that bring a number of diverse restaurants under one roof.
As for locations, more restaurateurs favor uptown neighborhoods rather than city center. In case of another lockdown, many people won’t be able to travel far from their homes to eat out.
Nasonova says that nearly 10% of restaurants in Kyiv have already closed. And in case of the second strict quarantine, another 10% will shut down for good. But strong market players will survive, according to the expert, while newcomers have to be extremely creative to compete.
“When it comes to dining out, Kyiv citizens are sophisticated and new restaurants have to try hard to surprise them,” Nasonova says.
The current crisis is shaping not only the market, but people’s preferences in food as well, the expert says. Most customers don’t want to pay for “simple food,” instead, they want to be surprised by the variety of ingredients and the flavor.
“Even the simplest dishes such as hummus, for instance, can have an unusual flavor,” Nasonova says.
The Kyiv Post has picked out five of the recent additions to the restaurant scene in Kyiv that offer standout concepts and food.
Eastman
Even though the restaurant opened about three weeks ago, it has already become a local hit. And no wonder — Eastman is a new project of the First Line Group, a company that has established some of the capital’s most successful venues like Life of Wonderful People (Zhizn Zamechatelnykh Lyudey), Italian Edition (Italyanskaya Redaktsiya) and Favourite Uncle (Lyubimy Dydya).
Located in central Kyiv, Eastman offers a picturesque view of the busy Velyka Vasylkivska Street.
The restaurant, however, does not stick to one particular cuisine. Instead, it serves modern versions of dishes from Chinese, Indian, Thai and Sri Lankan cuisines. Here, one can savor Indian green curry with shrimps, mussels, calamari and vegetables or try Pol sambola with tuna, a traditional Sri Lankan dish made with coconut and spices.
Apart from that, Eastman has a great choice of appetizers, such as hummus, Indian bread naan, Korean kimchi and more. The restaurant also has many options for fish and meat fans: It serves a calamari salad, tiger shrimps, grouper ceviche, as well as beef tartare and butter chicken.
But what one does not expect to find at a restaurant serving Asian cuisine is the great variety of the Napoleon cake. Eastman serves 10 types of the dessert for all tastes: chocolate or vanilla options, Napoleon with mango and passion fruit, vegan Napoleon with coconut, one with pineapple, blueberries or caramel. Even unexpected flavors, such as Napoleon with matcha or masala tea, can be tasted there.
Prices: green curry with seafood — Hr 425, butter chicken — Hr 235, baba ganoush — Hr 130, mochi — Hr 95–145, Napoleon cake — Hr 185–215.
Eastman. 85/87 Velyka Vasylkivska St. 12–10 p. m. +38097 470 8587.
A woman tastes a meal at Krasivo Est cafe in Kyiv on Nov. 3, 2020. Krasivo Est is a recently-opened eatery that offers a wide choice of healthy dishes including desserts. (Volodymyr Petrov)
Krasivo Est
Looking for a place that combines a great location, stylish interior and exterior design and lots of healthy food, drinks and sweets? The new Krasivo Est cafe fits the bill perfectly.
This eatery serves breakfasts all day long, offering oatmeal with blue cheese, jamon and dried tomatoes, or the one with coconut milk and berries. Another option is flaxseed porridge with fruit. They also make syrnyky, traditional Ukrainian pancakes made of cottage cheese, along with sandwiches, waffles, salads and soups.
Krasivo Est has a wide choice of healthy desserts, including six types of a vegan cheesecake made of nuts, honey and fruit, as well as other vegan cakes, sugar-free candies, smoothie bowls and cookies.
The choice of coffee here lists espresso, doppio, hand brew, cappuccino, flat white, latte and more. They also offer a variety of teas, including masala and the one with sea buckthorn, along with lemonades, fresh juice and hot cocoa.
Prices: waffles with salmon and avocado — Hr 190, fried halloumi toast with dried tomatoes — Hr 140, pumpkin soup — Hr 70, vegan cheesecakes — Hr 110, espresso — Hr 30.
Krasivo Est. 6/2 Krutyi Uzviz St. Mon-Fri. 9 a. m. — 9 p. m. Sat-Sun. 10 a. m. — 10 p. m. www.instagram.com/krasivo.est.
Chin Chin
Chin Chin is another venue serving Asian cuisine that has recently opened in Kyiv. Located in the capital’s heart, on the noisy and busy Bessarabska Square, the eatery welcomes its visitors with bright neon signs and wall-sized windows.
Its convenient location, reasonable prices and diverse menu make Chin Chin a perfect choice for a lunch break with co-workers or a dinner with friends and family.
The eatery makes five types of salads with seafood, meat or mushrooms and vegetables. There are also three kinds of soup, Chinese dumplings with beef or chicken and Chinese buns Bao with various fillings.
Apart from that, Chin Chin serves spring rolls, noodles or rice with duck, pork, shrimps, chicken or vegetables. Its special menu includes Peking duck with rice pancakes, fried eggplant, chicken or shrimps with sweet and sour sauce served with pineapples.
Prices: curry soup with chicken — Hr 139, calamari salad — Hr 119, Bao bun with pork — Hr 98, Peking duck — Hr 159, fried milk — Hr 79.
Chin Chin. 2 Bessarabska Sq. 10 a. m. — 10 p. m. www.instagram.com/chin_chin_kyiv.
Subota Cafe
This new cozy cafe can make guests feel like home. Called Subota, which means Saturday, this venue is a perfect place for weekend breakfasts, coffee breaks or even romantic dates.
Subota is located in Kyiv’s downtown, near the Oleksandr Fomin Botanical Garden. The cafe’s minimalist design matches its menu: It serves a variety of sandwiches and croissants with different fillings, salads and sweets. Subota’s drink menu includes ten kinds of coffee including classic and alternative options. It also offers cocoa, green, black and herbal tea, as well as kombucha with citrus, ginger or berries.
Not only its flavorful coffee and delicious pastries make people stop by Subota.
It also has a conscious consumption approach that meets the growing eco-friendly demand in Kyiv. Subota is a zero-waste cafe that promotes a plastic-free lifestyle and encourages customers to bring their own cups for drinks to go.
Also, mind that the place is pet-friendly.
Prices: salmon sandwich — Hr 195, tuna salad — Hr 245, croissant — Hr 65, cheesecake with maple syrup — Hr 145, espresso — Hr 30, flat white — Hr 70.
Subota Cafe. 7/9 Mykilsko-Botanichna St. 9 a. m. — 10 p. m. www.instagram.com/subota.cafe.
Chica Poblana
Chica Poblana is a new resident of the Tin Tin Food Spot, the Vietnamese cafe which was recently turned into a small food market. And it is a true paradise for Mexican cuisine fans in Kyiv.
The eatery’s owners say that Chica Poblana is the first in Ukraine authentic taqueria — a street food venue that specializes in tacos and other Mexican food. Although Chica Poblana does not have many items on its menu, each of them can surprise with flavors and spices.
It serves three types of tacos: with chicken, pork or vegetables, all complemented with lettuce salad and dressings. There are also three types of quesadillas with cheese served with beans, vegetables or chicken. All the menu options have reasonable prices.
Apart from that, Chica Poblana offers traditional Mexican snacks called tostada, a deep-fried tortilla with various toppings, including shrimps or fried catfish. It also serves appetizers, such as corn chips totopos and guacamole.
On the drink menu, Chica Poblana has a traditional Mexican horchata, a plant milk beverage with various flavors.
Prices: tacos — Hr 55–59, quesadillas — Hr 55–59, shrimp tostada — Hr 65, guacamole — Hr 155, horchata — Hr 75.
Chica Poblana. 15 Viacheslava Lypynskoho St. 12 p. m. — 9:30 p. m. +38067 304 2277.
