You're reading: Food Critic: Find your coffee at Chashka espresso bar

Chashka (Cup), a popular Chernihiv coffeehouse chain, has opened a place near PinchukArtCenter gallery in downtown Kyiv.

The bench near the entrance – for those who still can’t give up smoking – is a sign to customers that they’re at the right place. 

The cafe’s first room is designed for customers who are in a hurry. It is sparsely furnished with a few tables and stools near the counter. My party chose the second hall, furnished with more comfortable armchairs and sofas supplied with board games and magazines. 

A huge array of desserts immediately caught my attention. Double Berry or Very Berry light cakes (all for Hr 33) filled with raspberry or cranberry are good choices for those on a diet. Red Velvet (Hr 39) arrived as a pancake with cinnamon and cream cheese icing. It was quite good but a little bit sour. Brownies, muffins, apple and honey pies appeared to be the most frequently ordered.

But the café’s specialty is its variety of coffee drinks.  We ordered a cup of Raf espresso (Hr 30) with whipped cream and vanilla sugar. Flat White (Hr 30), a relatively new drink in Ukraine, is simply a single or double shot of espresso with steamed milk. It tastes like something between a latte and cappuccino. It does go well with New York blueberry cheesecake (Hr 33) that I had. 

Traditional espresso, cappuccino, ristretto and lattes are available a-la carte. Here coffee lovers also can find siphon coffee (Hr 60), produced with vapor pressure and vaccum.  

Light lunches could be had that include vegetarian salads, sandwiches (for Hr 37) and creamy soups. Prices start from Hr 37 for mozzarella salad. 

Breakfast is also popular here. And it’s available all day long on weekends. Choices include oatmeal porridge with bourbon (Hr 25), fried eggs (Hr 19), baked pudding with dried apricots (Hr 29) and some fruit salads. 

Tea lovers won’t feel left out here. Sea buckthorn tea in a French press is the best winter choice. Ginger and snowball-tree berry tea (Hr 25) for 250 milliliters also work for winter. And all the beverages are available to go. 

The servers promise to find a place for everybody who calls in. The café’s relaxing atmosphere and pleasant coffee drinks make this place hard to leave. 

Kyiv Post staff writer Olena Goncharova can be reached at [email protected]