Since the Kyiv Post moved in October to an industrial area, the lunch options have been few in the neighborhood, especially within reasonable walking distance.
This was both a challenge and an opportunity to test many of the delivery services. Overall, we were pleasantly surprised with the state of the delivery service. It turns out Kyiv has dozens of places to choose from, more than we expected to encounter. We offer you a quick guide to some of the options we have tested.
Verona Pizza offers Italian and more
After trying a few delivery places, Verona’s Pizza came up on top — for speed and ease of use.
You simply scroll through the online menu items (they’ve got much more than just pizza), click on the items you want (make sure it’s at least Hr 80 if you want free delivery) and then fill out a form with basic information.
You don’t have to talk to anyone, reducing the length of ordering and the chances for mistakes. After the order is placed, someone calls you within minutes to confirm the order.
They promise delivery within 30 minutes from their location at 71 E Kostyantynivska St. to Rialto Business Center at 18 Novokostyantynivska St, where the Kyiv Post is located. But they usually come much faster.
As an added bonus for expats, they speak English.
Online orders can be placed through veronapizza.ua
Quick-Li Asian food
The food took just over an hour to arrive one time, just under an hour another time. One time the order was chicken curry with egg noodles. It was OK – not great, not terrible. Not spicy enough, but that’s typical for Ukraine.
One of the regular users of this service on staff said it was tastier than Oki-Doki, another Asian food delivery. They offer a free DVD for new customers. Pleasingly, it wasn’t an illegal copy, but why a DVD?
Why not an extra dish that may tempt us to order again? Deliveries have to be over Hr 100. You can order from the website, also in English: quickli.com.ua/ or call 500-9999.
Zhyoltoe More offers more sushi, for more money
A Moscow import, the Zhyoltoe More (Golden Sea) sushi chain is known as a premium restaurant that offers bigger than usual portions but for more money, of course. Their menu is vast with a range that offers classic sushi and sashimi, rolls, shish kabobs and plenty of starters.
Zheltoe More takes a sophisticated culinary approach so food appearance also matters. The minimum order is Hr 200 but delivery is free from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
You can place your order online at zheltoemore.com, or call 224-5555.
Oliva, Italian chain restaurant
Oliva is a restaurant with appetizers, salads, meat, pasta and pizza, pretending to be Italian. Their website offers you to download several types of menus in Russian and in English. But to order something you have to call and talk to the operator. The minimum order is Hr 80 and delivery costs Hr 20.
If you want your food by a certain time, it’s better to order in advance. Oliva is not the best choice when you’re starving.
Often the couriers don’t have change, so if you have large denominations, be ready to give generous tips or wait for the courier to go back to his office and get back to you with change.
Their pizza is good – thin crust, generous toppings. We ordered 14 pizzas a week for a half-year, but got no discounts whatsoever. They have no discounts at all – no cards, no individual discounts, no special offers.
So, try Oliva if you want something Italian or something with peaches. For some reason, Oliva has several pizzas with peaches, but make sure you call well before you get hungry.
To order, call 234-5592. View the menu online at oliva.com.ua.
Taco.com.ua, an attempt at Tex-Mex
If you’re in the mood for the closest thing Kyiv offers to classic Tex-Mex hardshell tacos or melted cheese quesadillas, then this is the right place.
Prices are reasonable and they deliver throughout the city. Delivery orders on the right bank are free with a Hr 100 minimum order but it’s Hr 200 for the left bank of the Dnipro River. Be prepared to wait up to 90 minutes for your order, however. They also offer burritos filled with your choice of meat and salads as well.
If you’re averse to spicy foods, let the operator know because the taco and burrito dishes have a hot kick to them but the hotness isn’t overpowering. They’re open all week and deliver between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.
You can look at the menu and place an order online, at taco.com.ua./order – but in Russian only. If you register on the site, ordering the second time becomes even easier. Also, you can call 331-6060 to place an order.
Ayurveda Center, a vegetarian option
Ayurveda is an ancient Indian system for preserving and improving health. So, the food its followers offer is lacto-vegetarian. Fortunately, they don’t ask about your religious convictions when you order.
The Ayurvedic lunch needs to be ordered a day in advance. It comes in a pretty paper box, and every course is packed separately in a paper cup. For lunch, you get a soup, a salad, a main course, tea and a cookie.
The food is spicy, but not too spicy; we’re in Ukraine. Tea arrives as a set of herbs in a cup, ready for brewing. The menu is new every day, but there is no choice of food – you take what they offer, and trust the cook.
You can see the menu ahead of time on their website ayurveda-center.com.ua/menu.html. But it’s available in Russian only. The food always arrives between 12 and 2 p.m.
The lunch cost Hr 35. Delivery costs Hr 25, but is free for five or more lunches. To order, call 097-947-7689 or 223-5821.
Okidoki, Chinese in a box
Oki Doki bills itself as a Chinese and Thai food place. And their 400 gram fried rice or noodles boxes really fill you up and come with duck curry, black pepper shrimp, barbecue beef, pork or sambal chicken.
Unlike many venues, they offer Hr 72 business lunches complete with soup, salad and a main course. They deliver 24 hours a day and delivery is free on the right bank with no minimum order required. Left bank residents will have to fork over at least Hr 200 for a delivered order.
You can place your order online in English and Russian, at okidoki.kiev.ua, or by phone: 466-6444.
They also have a loyalty program running, which allows you to collect points for each order and then exchange them for a gift, such as a “mystery box” from the chef.
Sushiya for sushi, of course
Mirovaya Karta’s separate sushi restaurant chain delivers throughout Kyiv with at least 13 locations to allow for fast delivery times. They have reasonable prices, or as the locals say, they are very democratic.
Sushi rolls start at Hr 32 and run up to Hr 82. The minimum order for delivery is Hr 100 and they take credit cards. Sushiya serves up other Asian dishes like various stir-fry and tempura offerings. Orders are taken 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and until 2 a.m. on weekends.
You can order online in Russian or Ukrainian at www.sushiya.ua or by phone: 225-5555.
Pizza is a popular food for delivery in Kyiv. The variety of crusts and toppings is great, sometimes bordering on weird. Peaches are one of the options you can find. (hyfoma.com)
Mamamia – more pizza, salads, pasta, quiche
Before Dominos’ arrival, Mamamia was the preferred pizza delivery joint in the capital for many. They have creative pizza toppings catered to the Ukrainian palate, like sausage links, corn and chicken as well as classic toppings like their version of pepperoni sausage.
Other toppings include spicy jalapeno, duck, veal, and you can choose from three sauces: hot barbecue, classic tomato or white ricotta. Mamamia doesn’t stop there. For a little extra, the outer crust of the dough comes filled with your choice of melted cheese or sausage.
Delivery is usually 45 minutes, but could take longer if you order during peak drunk hours after 10 p.m. – and they deliver 24 hours a day.
They have a really bright and colorful menu online, at mamamia.ua – but in Ukrainian only. It offers much more than pizza – quiches, salads, pastas and chicken wings are just some of the options.
You have to place an order by calling 222-5222. On the positive side, they claim to accept credit cards on delivery if you warn the operator ahead of time. But we have never used that option.
Domino’s American-style pizza
America’s dominant pizza delivery chain has expanded fast in Kyiv with 6 different locations, including two on the left bank. They use ingredients used on pizzas that North Americans are accustomed to such as, real mozzarella, and pepperoni and Italian sausages.
The food arrives piping hot – in 30 minutes – and for those who don’t like the thick and chewy pan-crust dough, the thin crust pizza is available if you order the largest pie size.
Dominos constantly offers specials and coupons, so don’t throw the fliers away. By far the best day is “Crazy Tuesdays” when you get a second pizza free if it’s the same price or less than the one ordered. They’re open all week from 10 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
You can order online at dominospizza.ua in English, Ukrainian or Russian, or call 222-1111 to place an order.
