You're reading: Food Critic: Imbir offers vegetarians wide choice of cuisine

People refraining from meat in Kyiv have a tough time finding restaurants that cater to their dietary restrictions. However, one health-conscious eatery has now popped up in the center of Kyiv.  

The newly opened Imbir (Ginger) restaurant proves that green veggie food doesn’t mean tasteless. Situated in front of the Constitutional Court on Zhylianska Street, Imbir has a relaxing Indian atmosphere. The place warms up clients with aromas and melodic mantras. It is also alcohol and smoke-free.

Everything here is unusual. The chef doesn’t use salt, eggs or milk, but does use lots of spices. While the menus are poorly designed and printed on A4 sheets, waiters are eager to help out with advice, and the restaurant is still in test mode. The good news is that the menu is clearly separated into salads, snacks, house specialties and desserts. The green dots indicate dishes prepared for vegans, meaning no ingredients derived from animals, including eggs and dairy products. 

The menu includes mashed chickpeas, the Middle Eastern classic hummus, as a dip or spread (for Hr 58); paneer cheese (Hr 68) found in South Asian cuisine, and seitan with sesame (Hr 64), known as vegetarian meat and made from traditional Indian mung bean with tomatoes and avocado. As a newcomer to Indian cuisine, though, I would have welcomed some explanations on the menu. 

The range of vegetarian desserts impressed me the most. The pear cake with cardamom (Hr 45) was delicious, with a crispy baked crust and sweet soft pear. Banana pie (Hr 45) with nuts was less successful, as it was a little tough and not sweet at all. There’s a nice array of homemade natural sweets, so don’t hesitate to try out some carrot candy with orange filling, coconut with hazelnut or marzipan candy – each for Hr 8. 



But Imbir is not just about eating, with long wooden bookshelves full of psychology and medical literature available for reading (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)

Drinks at Imbir are also worth trying: choose from hot spicy milk (Hr 15), corn parsley cocktail (Hr 35) or banana lassi – a traditional yogurt-based drink (Hr 37). The ginger tea with honey is great for cold weather and sore throats.  

But Imbir is not just about eating, with long wooden bookshelves full of psychology and medical literature available for reading. A shop on the ground floor offers honey, olive oil, jam, different spices, organic sauces, bread and even eco-cosmetics at high prices. In brief, a real veggie paradise. 

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

Imbir (Ginger)

7 Zhylyanska St. 

Hours: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. 

+38 (044) 287-61-80, 

+38 (067) 407-04-94

http://cafeimbir.com