Imagine spending a hot summer day on a comfortable terrace, shaded by trees, savoring a view of the Kyiv cityscape with a glass of cold sparkling wine in hand.
It sounds like a perfect day, and it has never been more accessible.
But finding a summer terrace that has it all could take a while, especially in Kyiv, where there are plenty of tables and chairs scattered on the sidewalks but few summer terraces that are truly inviting.
With that in mind, here is the Kyiv Post’s guide to some of the capital’s best summer terraces that offer comfort, lovely views and tasty cuisine.
Friends & Lovers
Hidden in the yards of Kyiv’s historic center near the Zoloti Vorota (Golden Gate) monument, the new Friends & Lovers bar is a perfect place for those wanting to escape from the capital’s hustle and bustle without leaving the city center.
Even though the bar was launched in May, and officially opened on June 1, it has already become a popular spot among Kyivans who are looking for a quiet place to enjoy the hot summer nights.
Friends & Lovers features a big terrace surrounded by old buildings that shelter the venue from the capital`s noise, as well as a cozy bar that offers cocktails and wine for all tastes and budgets. It can seat nearly 120 people, with a summer terrace that can fit about 70 guests.
The venue’s terrace is a quiet place with wooden tables, greenery and flowers, as well as huge umbrellas and trees, all decorated with lights that help in creating the bar’s romantic atmosphere.
Apart from that, some live music shows will take place at Friends & Lovers’ summer terrace, featuring either local DJs or guitar, saxophone, and violin players.
The founders of Friends & Lovers call its cuisine “bohemian” and serve such dishes as hummus with curry and mango, beef tartare, meatballs with sweet and sour sauce, duck fillet with risotto and mushrooms, salmon with asparagus and more.
Prices: cocktails — Hr 120–180, lemonade — Hr 50, flat white — Hr 60
Friends & Lovers. 9 Yaroslaviv Val St. Mon-Sun — 12 p. m. — 11 p. m. +38 063 933 5325
Mayak
This recently-opened restaurant is a perfect place for those who want a delicious dinner with a spectacular view.
Located on the left bank of the Dnipro River, Mayak (“lighthouse” in Ukrainian) is a two-story restaurant that can host nearly 500 people and features two summer terraces — smoking and non-smoking, both offering awesome views of the mighty Dnipro River.
The restaurant has a modern design with wall-sized windows, wooden tables, green plants and bright pink and blue decorative elements. The dim lighting creates a warm atmosphere inside the venue, while the cozy summer terrace is located right above the Dnipro, and is surrounded by a glass wall.
It also has a red lighthouse close to the summer terrace, as well as a little pier available for guests` private boats.
Mayak is a pricier restaurant that has a decent wine menu with over 70 categories, as well as a number of cocktails, lemonades, teas, and coffee drinks. Its main menu offers dishes for vegetarians, and fish and meat lovers.
On the appetizer menu, the restaurant offers oysters, mussels, shrimp, caviar and tuna. Apart from that, it has a special menu with food and drinks for children and a number of desserts like cheesecake, ice cream or homemade donuts.
Prices: cocktails — Hr 190–230, lobster — Hr 1,300, shrimp — Hr 720, lemonades — Hr 95, cappuccino — Hr 69
Mayak. 2 Dniprovska Naberezhna St. Mon-Fri — 12–11:45 p. m. Sat-Sun — 10–2 a. m. +38 050 414 5540
4844 Outlaw Bar
The recently-opened 4844 Outlaw Bar offers a chance to enjoy summer nights to the fullest and welcomes its guests to spend an evening on its stylish terrazzo, to taste cocktails, listen to electronic music and the savor a view of the capital’s busy streets.
The bar was opened in July 2018, and according to its staff, it was named after the number of an amendment aimed at banning smoking in public places that was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada in 2012.
It is difficult not to notice the 4844 Outlaw Bar, as it greets the visitors with a huge neon sign with the bar’s name on it.
Its minimalistic design is accompanied by some bright decorative elements, dimmed lighting, candles, and big mirrors. The bar’s summer terrace is as stylish as its interior design, offers a view of Kyiv’s busy Klovskyi Uzviz street and can seat up to 40 people.
Apart from the stylish design and great service, 4844 Outlaw Bar offers a variety of cocktails, beers, and different types of wine, as well as appetizers including bruschettas, salads, and burgers.
Smoking hookah is allowed on the venue’s terrace, and therefore the bar offers a decent choice of hookah flavors. Other than that, 4844 Outlaw Bar regularly works from 12 p. m. and closes only when the last guest leaves the bar.
Prices: cocktails — Hr 150–240, seafood soup — Hr 170, lemonades — Hr 120–130, green tea — Hr 75
4844 Outlaw Bar. 13 Klovskyi Uzviz St. Mon-Sun — 12 p. m. — 1 a. m. +38 068 400 4844
Guramma
The summer terrace of Guramma restaurant boasts a panoramic view of the capital’s left bank, Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery and the green slopes of Dniprovskyi Uzviz.
It has a covered roof and therefore provides its guests with a chance to enjoy some great drinks, delicious food, and a perfect view while protected from the summer’s changeable weather.
Guramma got its name for a reason — according to its staff, the name means “glamour” in Japanese and truly reflects the interior design of the venue, which has wall-sized windows, chandeliers and round tables.
Its summer terrace has the same design as the restaurant`s interior part and can seat up to 120 people. It is also divided into smoking and non-smoking areas.
The restaurant serves a modern Asian cuisine that is less spicy than the authentic one and offers a decent choice of seafood and fish dishes.
Prices: oysters — Hr 90–150, tuna salad — Hr 342
Guramma Modern Asia. 1 Dniprovskyi Uzviz St. Sun-Thuts — 12 p. m. — 12 a. m., Fri-Sat — 12 p. m. — 2 a. m. +38 097 999 3288
Trishki Bilshe
A summer terrace in Kyiv’s historic quarter, offering a view of the Zoloti Vorota (Golden Gate) monument, surrounded by flower beds and green lawns, where one can escape the summer heat in the shade of tall trees — Trishki Bilshe cafe seems to have it all.
Trishki Bilshe (“a little more” in Ukrainian) is a cozy city cafe that was founded in May 2018. Its summer terrace is equipped with wooden furniture and has a covered roof to protect the guests from sudden summer rain.
The cafe serves main courses including soups, salads, meat and fish dishes. On the drinks menu, Trishki Bilshe has lemonades, juices, teas, coffee, and cocktails, as well as Ukrainian craft beers and wines.
Trishki Bilshe also serves breakfasts all day long and welcomes everyone to start the day at its cozy summer terrace located in the heart of Kyiv.
Prices: cocktails — Hr 85–145, lemonade — Hr 57–65, pancakes with cottage cheese — Hr 78
Trishki Bilshe. 40/2 Volodymyrska St. Mon-Sun — 7:55–12:05 a. m. +38 093 070 0500
People enjoy their meal at Trishki Bilshe cafe in Kyiv on May 4, 2019. The cafe is located in Kyiv’s historic center with a summer terrace offering a view of the Zoloti Vorota (Golden Gate) monument. (Oleg Petrasiuk)
Alaska
Green trees decorated with lights and garlands, wooden tables with candles and flowers, and live music shows — the summer terrace at Alaska restaurant might be one of the most romantic places in the capital.
Located in Kyiv’s downtown, Alaska is a pricier restaurant that can seat up to 160 guests in its atmospheric halls and another 60 on its terrace.
The restaurant offers a variety of main courses, including pasta with meat and seafood, fish and poultry dishes, steaks, salads and various bruschettas with avocado, salmon or tomatoes, as well as wines, homemade lemonades, and teas on the drinks menu.
Prices: lemonades — Hr 130, tea — Hr 110–190, salad with vegetables and ginger sauce — Hr 240
Alaska. 20 Sichovykh Striltsiv St. Mon-Wed — 12 p. m. — 12 a. m., Thurs-Sat — 12 p. m. — 6 a. m., Sun — 12 p. m. — 12 a. m. +38 099 521 3777
