A Few Kyiv Cafés to Kick-start your Summer
AND GET YOU GEARED UP AFTER MONTHS OF QUARANTINE
Café terraces have always been all the rage during Kyiv’s sunny summer season, but thanks to post-quarantine measures, finding a cool place to call your own has never been more valuable. What’s On has you covered!
Veterano Pizza
Sofiivska 8
If you’re looking for an escape from the hustle of Khreshchatyk, there are few better options in the city centre than Veterano Pizza, halfway between Maidan Nezalezhnosti and St Sofia Cathedral. The Veterano group was founded by ATO veterans: if you’re interested in what’s happening in Eastern Ukraine, be sure to ask the staff, some of whom might even share their personal story. The restaurant interior makes for a unique visit in its own right, while the courtyard, with its open bar and occasional live classical music performances, is another experience altogether. Surprisingly quiet and relaxing, this is an excellent spot to work or read a book. Highlights of the pizza menu include The Ukrainian (ham, bacon, salami, tomatoes, and onion) and For Buslayev (Parma ham, pesto sauce, and rocket salad). They also do takeaway and delivery, so if you’ve discovered your own perfect picnic place, make sure to pick up some of Kyiv’s tastiest pizzas along the way.
100 Years Back in the Future (Sto Rokiv Tomu Vpered)
Volodymyrska 4
Looking for a trendy spot to dine alongside Kyiv’s chic bohemian crowd? Head over to Sto Rokiv Tomu Vpered, just off Andriyivskyi Uzviz. Located just off the Podil district, the venue is a small oasis for Kyiv’s student and yuppie crowds. The venue’s menu has created quite a buzz, as head chef Yevhen Klopotenko adds a modern edge to timeless Ukrainian cuisine. There are some exotic choices: edible bees, for example, or forest catfish with beetroot sauce. Or you can opt for something more traditional, like smoked borshch with plum jam, or the marvellous layered banosh with feta cheese. Just a short walk away from Sofiivska Square, Podil, and the Dnipro, 100 Years Back in the Future is an avant-garde oasis in the heart of the city.
River Grill
Rusanivska Naberezhna 3a
Looking for a relaxing atmosphere with gourmet dishes and a majestic view of the mighty Dnipro? Stop by the River Grill, located in what used to be a pumping station on the Rusanivska embankment. The patio almost stretches out over the water, making this a perfect place to cool off on one of Kyiv’s scorching summer days. It’s also family-friendly, with two outdoor playgrounds and a children’s room for rainy days. Inside, the wooden interior complements the trendy open-kitchen layout, with large windows that let plenty of sunlight in. The kitchen specialises in what you would expect from a grill – meats, shish kebabs, and other barbecue delights. Seafood also features on the menu, as befits the waterside setting. To impress you even more, River Grill has its own smokehouse and a Josper oven (or indoor barbecue), and makes its own bread and cheese onsite. The ideal place to refresh and refuel after a stroll by the river with friends.
