The Poroshenko Café

Not far from the Roshen factory, a new venue has recently opened – Nice On Café (also known as the Roshen Café). While former president Petro Poroshenko won’t be making the coffee himself, we wanted to check out whether this new investment has the beans to make it in a city that knows and loves a good cup of joe.

Upon entering Nice On Café, you may be surprised to find that it isn’t really a separate entity from the Roshen store itself. With only six tables to choose from, and the checkout and tables so close together, it feels as though there is a distinct lack of space. I will say, though, the kitchen behind glass adds a nice touch to the colour scheme featuring hues of chocolate (surprise surprise) and yellow.

Ukraine is a country of extremes – while one past president owned a golden toilet, there are some cafés that have no toilet at all. At least there’s a sink here to wash your hands before chowing down on the churros on offer. The staff too are cheerful and happy to help, though most don’t speak much English.

Edible Inventory

Churros with orange-choco dip 50 UAH
Churros with strawberry filling 25 UAH
Latte 35 UAH
Bilberry milkshake 40 UAH

Total: 150 UAH

As churros are mostly fried dough, your body will get an immediate kick out of the high calorie content. Still, it would be unfair to say that this is their only merit. The strawberry churros are full of sweet filling, but it’s tricky to take a bite without losing any over the side. Meanwhile, the plain churros are nicely sprinkled with either a chocolate or orange glaze. My milkshake is on the mediocre side, but it’s easy enough to drink. The latte, on the other hand, is a nice surprise. It is not terribly strong, mind you, and may prove too mild for some coffee lovers.

The overall feel is that this is a café for people in a hurry – there’s not much space, there’s no wi-fi, and a very limited menu. Both food and drink are okay, but it still feels like a sketch rather than a masterpiece. While they are still testing the waters, the number of customers says there is potential.