You're reading: Chilling out above the city streets

 Hyatt Regency, The Bar On The 8thThe Bar On The 8th is a high-end but still popular place with a fascinating view of the historic Sofiyiska and Mykhailivska squares, friendly staff and tasty European and Ukrainian cuisine.

All the grilled dishes are prepared in a tandoor, a big Asian cylindrical clay oven, by a German chef. A DJ plays chill lounge tunes Thursdays through Saturday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. But show up early, as Hyatt food director Volodymyr Geninson says the terrace is always busy. “We don’t even reserve tables now, there is a live line, sometimes people have to wait inside to get a table on the terrace,” he said.

Hyatt Regency, The Bar On The 8th
Espresso – starts at Hr 40
A glass of wine – starts at Hr 110
Recommended cocktail (Mashed fruit with prosecco or champagne) – starts at Hr 180
Specialty/most popular dish (Chicken skewers prepared in a tandoor) – starts at Hr 200

Riviera, Cote d`Azur

Located on the 7th floor of Riviera Hotel, this restaurant was a used as a film location in the famous Russian movie “O Chem Govoryat Muzhchiny” (What Men Talk About) and has since become a Mecca for Russian tourists. The terrace has a beautiful view of the Dnipro River and part of the historic Podil district. It is shut off with a glass wall for winter, which opens up when the temperature climbs above 10 degrees Celsius. “Russian tourists now give us a hard time. They come all the time and want Ukrainian cuisine, even though this is not really our specialty,” Oleh Kyyan, the restaurant administrator jokes. He adds that although they focus on European cuisine the restaurant can still whip up a mean borscht.

Riviera, Cote d`Azur
Espresso – starts at Hr 30
A glass of wine – starts at Hr 80
Specialty/most popular dish (Ukrainian Borscht) – Hr 60

Vozdvyzhensky Hotel, Terrace restaurant 

This restaurant is located on rooftop gardens founded over a century ago. There are several terraces with a view of Podil, while others are in the center of a garden near a stream. The place is perfect for romantic dates, hen party celebrations and various get-togethers. The restaurant has Ukraine’s only Molteni vertical oven, which they claim is the secret to their eco food. “We have breakfast offers and grilled lunch offers, and just an overall wonderful atmosphere,” says Iryna Belikova, the restaurant’s marketing manager. “You can get away from the city rush by basically staying downtown.”

Vozdvizhenskyi Hotel, Terrace restaurant
Espresso – Hr 35
A glass of wine – starts at Hr 38
Specialty/most popular dish (Monteni Grill Soup) – starts at Hr 70
Recommended cocktail (Moxito) – Hr 80

Express Hotel, Express Panoramic Restaurant

Express panoramic restaurant consists of just one table that fits up to 6 people – the main part of the restaurant is inside, so reserve in advance – but it’s all about the location. Situated on a large balcony on the 16th floor of a hotel building, it offers a great view of Volodymyrsky Cathedral, Protasiv Yar Street and the old botanic gardens. The balcony is half glazed and is extremely sunny in the first half of the day. As most other locations, it specializes in European and Ukrainian cuisine. “There’s not much diversity in terms of food and not much space, but it is so nice to have a private dinner with friends (while) having Kyiv in (the) palm of your hand,” said Oksana Tkachova, the restaurant’s director.

Express Hotel, Express Panoramic Restaurant
Espresso – Hr 25
A glass of wine – Hr 30 – 150
Specialty/most popular dish (Chef’s Salad) – Hr 55
Recommended cocktail (Mojito) – Hr 55

Pinchuk Art Center, Sky Art Café

Sky Art Café is the all white area on the last floor of Pinchuk Art Center building, without an open terrace but with a huge panoramic window. Sitting on a cozy white sofa or in an armchair while having exclusive vegetarian food, one can enjoy a nice view of Bessarabska Square in the very heart of Kyiv in any weather. It’s often used for corporate events, though, which means no access for regular visitors.  “We offer a unique mix of food for the soul and real food, as our café is located on the top of a modern art center. I doubt you can find anything like that in Ukraine,” says Svitlana Umanets, the café’s director.

Pinchuk Art Center, Sky Art Café
Espresso – Hr 27
A glass of wine – starts at Hr 60
Specialty/most popular dish (Spring roll) – Hr 76
Recommended cocktail (Ice Mix – lemon and basil cocktail) – Hr 45

Here are some other places that might be worth a visit.

Credit Agricole Business Center, Concord restaurant
(Lva Tolstoho Square)
234-77-88, 235-95-55

LEO Restaurant
(20 Parkova Road)
270-71-71

Premier Palace Hotel, Bar On the Roof
(5-7/29 Pushkinska St.)
244-13-04

Kyiv Post staff writer Daryna Shevchenko can be reached at [email protected], and on Twitter at @Iskrynka.