Kiev is mainly associated with golden dome temples that give the panorama of the city a unique shine. The Pechersk Lavra and Saint Sophia Cathedral will delight lovers of sacred architecture. However, you should visit the capital of Ukraine for one more reason – unique cuisine offered by Kiev’s street food.
Soup for a start
Ukrainian cuisine is famous for its soups. It is obligatory to try the nutritious Ukrainian borsch with the addition of salo, which is thin slices of salted bacon, cabbage, beans and red pepper, as well as solyanka, whose main ingredients are meat, mushroom or fish broth with a unique sour and spicy taste. These two dishes can be found in many Ukrainian restaurants. However, if you are looking for less traditional, slightly surprising dishes, and on top of that you are a vegetarian or vegan, you should definitely visit Soup Culture.
At this food stand, you can eat not only a soup but also… the cup it is served in. It was in Kiev that the idea to serve vegetable cream in an edible cup appeared a few years ago. The cup is made from wheat flour or wholegrain wheat flour and aromatic spices, e.g. curcuma.
A little bit of classics
If you want to try classic street food, a must-see place is Diner, where high quality burgers are served, with patties no limited only to beef, but also chicken or fish, accompanied by crispy ciabatta, among others, with mozzarella, salami and ham. This street restaurant is located in Padole, a historic district of Kiev, which in the past was inhabited by merchants and craftsmen. This is another reason why it is worth paying this place a visit. Culinary tourism can be successfully combined with sightseeing if your destination is Das Ist Gut, located in the historic centre of Kiev.
Although classic street food is not served there, it is worth checking it out for delicious kebab, of course, also as a takeaway. You can also try a vegetarian version where meat is replaced with beans. On Bohdan Khmelnytsky Street, between Khreschatyk Street, the main alley in the city, and Teatralna subway station, the legendary Perepichka restaurant is located. It has been operating for over 30 years and is famous for sausages served in yeast dough. This uncomplicated and simple snack enjoys great popularity both among tourists and residents of the capital of Ukraine, which is reflected in a long queue in front of the inconspicuous, small building.
The taste of Asia
While in Kiev, fans of Asian cuisine should pay a visit at a food truck called Furgoneta. Its menu includes Chinese noodles with mashed potatoes (!), chicken, crunchy vegetables, sesame seeds and peanuts, as well as long-grain rice with egg, garlic purée, carrot, Chinese cabbage and broccoli.
The offer is also not short of hamburgers, and to be more precise – their variations. Instead of ketchup and mayonnaise, you can choose an aromatic brandy sauce or an intensely herbal dip. However, if you want to eat the best ramen, you should go to a modern restaurant called Slurp, whose chef has spent a few years in Asia.
The realm of street food
Ulichnaya Eda is a project that aims at promotion of high-quality street food. This unique place, which was opened by a lawyer, Roman Tugashev, attracts monthly about 30,000 visitors and 100 suppliers, including culinary start-ups. It is a great place to try excellent hamburgers, burritos, traditional Danish sandwiches – smørrebrød, seafood, pizzas, among others Chicago and Neapolitan, or craft ice cream and beers. The area of a former, enormous silk factory also features a beach, a swimming pool, a music scene, a playground, as well as over 45,000 m2 of green areas with numerous relaxation zones.
Over several years, Ulichnaya Eda has become one of the most important places on the European street food map and the biggest creative cluster in Ukraine. It is also famous for numerous festivals. The next one will take place on 15-16 August and will be promoting the wine culture. In turn, a true feast for fans of grilled meat will be organized on 13-14 October. At the end of the season, i.e. on 3-4 November, an event inspired by Thanksgiving is planned – this means that turkey roast and traditional American cider will be in spades. Therefore, if you want to discover the American taste, why not do it in Kiev?
