You're reading: City Life: Wine and dine at new restaurants, bars in Kyiv

As the temperature in Ukraine drops day by day and cold autumn days are rapidly approaching, dining outdoors might be a memory for now.

But that also makes it the perfect time to discover the diversity of restaurants that opened in Kyiv this fall. And since there is no need to rush to outdoor parties on the weekends, one can enjoy a delicious meal or drink at one of these recently-opened venues.

Here are the Kyiv Post’s picks for the best new restaurants and bars in the city.

Publicist

This restaurant seems to have everything needed for the perfect evening. It is a cozy place with a warm atmosphere, great service, and delicious food.
Publicist is located not far from Kyiv’s center, and its wall-size windows allow all visitors to have a savory meal while enjoying the view.

On its menu, Publicist offers a great selection of meat dishes like grilled chicken, striploin steak, duck fillet, lamb kebab, and more. It also has a wide range of appetizers like beef carpaccio, roast beef, and sausages made of pork, goat meat, and even fish.

While Publicist’s menu is mostly about meat, vegetarians can also find something that suits their tastes like hummus with dried tomatoes or eggplant, smoked beets with hazelnut mousse and truffle oil, and more.

In the cold season, Publicist has a great selection of teas and coffees and all are welcome to warm up next to its fireplace.

Prices: Caesar salad with turkey — Hr 189, grilled shrimps with avocado — Hr 265, cheesecake — Hr 145, teas — Hr 80, alcoholic cocktails — Hr 180–240

Publicist. 25 Sichovykh Striltsiv. Mon-Sun — 11 a. m. — 11 p. m. +38095  535 5524

Port Wine Bar

As the venue’s name hints, Port Wine Bar serves wines from Ukraine’s largest port city: Odesa. It is the fourth venue in the Port chain, and the first one to open in Kyiv. Other Port Wine Bars can be found in its hometown of Odesa as well as in Lviv and Kharkiv.

This bar has something for those seeking for new wine flavors, with eight types of wines made of fruits and berries, including cherry, strawberry, currant, apricot, plum, apple, quince, and pomegranate.

In Kyiv, the bar also serves raspberry wine, a rare find for the rest of Port bars in Ukraine, its staff says.

All wines are served in glasses, each for Hr 40. Port also offers a variety of “classic” dry and semi-sweet wines as well as strong alcohols like rum and whiskey.

On the food menu, Port has appetizers, sandwiches, and main courses, all for reasonable pricing. Their seafood pasta, for instance, costs Hr 95.

Prices: Cherry wine — Hr 40, apricot wine — Hr 40, beer — Hr 40, seafood burger — Hr 85

Port Wine Bar. 8B Shevchenko Ave. Mon-Sun — 11 a. m. — 11 p.m

A waiter serves wine to the customers of Publicist restaurant in Kyiv. Publicist is a recently-opened eatery that has a wide selection of meat dishes and offers warm atmosphere and great service. (FESENKO MAKSYM)

Anchousnaya

One can guess from the venue’s name that everything here is about anchovy. The recently-opened Anchousnaya serves a great variety of dishes made of this small fish.

It offers soups and salads with anchovy, various appetizers, grilled or fried anchovy, and anchovy burgers.

Apart from anchovy, Anchousnaya serves over 20 types of small fish, 14 types of fish fillet, and 12 kinds of other seafood like shrimp, octopus, scallops, and even frogs’ legs.

Visitors can choose how they want their fish to be cooked: either grilled with garlic marinade or batter-fried.

One can also choose the size of the portion. For one kilogram of fried anchovy, one will pay Hr 250 (nearly $10), and a kilogram of fried salmon fillet costs Hr 850 (about $34).

Additionally, Anchousnaya’s staff is always ready to recommend something on the menu.

Prices: Caesar salad with anchovy — Hr 98, big anchovy burger — Hr 98, teas — Hr 54, beers — Hr 49–78

Anchousnaya. 111/113 Velyka Vasylkivska St. Mon-Sun — 10 a. m. — 11 p. m. +38096  334 0505

Angela. Drinks and Holiday

This bar’s goal is to make its visitors feel at home. It does not have a food menu but offers something new to try every day, “like at home,” the staff says.

The bar is located in the archway at Mala Zhytomyrska Street. Along with its cozy atmosphere and good music, the place has some reasonably priced drinks: a glass of French wine for Hr 50 ($2), some Italian wine for Hr 55 (over $2) and Spanish wine for Hr 55–80 ($2-$3).

All drinks are served in Soviet-style glasses, and the bar’s interior design utilizes old pictures and crystal chandeliers.

Angela Bar. 15 Mala Zhytomyrska St. Mon-Sun — 4–11 p.m +38050  108 6276

Prices: wines — Hr 50–80 for 150 milliliters, alcoholic cocktails — Hr 100–120

Nude Bar

Another trendy spot opened in Kyiv this fall, Nude Bar is a perfect place for those looking for great cocktails, tasty food, karaoke, and dancing.

The bar is nestled in Kyiv’s Podil neighborhood, and its three halls can seat up to 90 visitors. It has a loft-style interior decorated with neon signs and bright graffiti.

“I have mixed drinks and feelings,” reads one of the bar’s signs.

On the drinks menu, Nude bar offers many types of wine and strong alcohol, as well as a decent menu of alcoholic cocktails at affordable prices.
In addition, this bar serves breakfast and offers a wide range of dishes like soups, salads steaks, and more.

Prices: Caesar salad with shrimps — Hr 200, Salmon tartare — Hr 200, cheesecake — Hr 100, alcoholic cocktails — Hr 135–225

Nude Bar. 34 Kostiantynivska St. Mon-Wed — 12–11 p. m., Thurs-Sun — 12 p. m. — 12 a. m. +3098  563 3122

Hanh Cafe & Market

This fall, two more spots offering Asian food opened in the capital.

Hanh Cafe & Market is a relatively small but cozy place that serves six types of Vietnamese soups including pho bo with noodles, beef, bean sprouts, and lime and tom yam soup with chicken, rice, and coconut milk.

All portions are big and enough for two to share. The price starts from Hr 140–195 ($5-$7). Hanh also offers two types of big pots with spicy soups for Hr 615 (almost $25).

Apart from Vietnamese soups, the venue serves salads with mushrooms, seafood, or shrimp. For an additional price, one can choose beef, tofu, cheese, or shrimp to go with the salad.

The venue’s decent choice of main courses includes noodles or rice with pork, duck, beef, or chicken, batter-fried salmon, and steamed shrimp. Hanh also has spring rolls, dim sum dumplings, Vietnamese buns, and pancakes.

On the drinks menu, the cafe serves lemonades, teas, and coffees as well as a selection of alcoholic cocktails for Hr 140 ($5-$6).

Prices: Pho bo — Hr 140, beef salad — Hr 145, spring rolls with shrimps — Hr 140, lemonade — Hr 55, matcha tea — Hr 65

Hanh Cafe & Market. 30A Olesia Honchara St. Tue-Sun — 12–11 p. m. +38097  220 2021

Soba

Soba is a cafe that specializes in Japanese ramen. Located at Kyiv’s busy Pechersk neighborhood, Soba is a great place for dinner or lunch.

It offers four types of ramen with beef, pork, chicken, or tofu. Visitors can also add some noodles or eggs for an additional price.

Apart from ramen, Soba offers rice and wok bowls, including a chicken-mango bowl and a tofu-masala bowl.

Prices: Big ramen — Hr 130, chicken-mango bowl — Hr 130, udon with beef — Hr 130

Soba. 46\2 Moskovska St. Mon-Sun — 11:57 a. m. — 9:05 p. m. +38097  443 8095

Kulturnyi Klub

Kulturnyi Klub, or cultural club in English, is another new hot spot in Kyiv.

The bar has today’s popular loft-style interior, dim lighting, and a bright luminous bar. But what makes this spot special is its underground atmosphere and its cocktails.

Kulturnyi Klub is all about cocktails with strong alcohol. It serves no food but has a menu of 16 cocktails, some of them named after varieties of cannabis like Salvia or Mr. Nice.

In addition, Kulturnyi Klub also holds electronic and dance music parties.

Prices: alcoholic cocktails — Hr 160–180

Kulturnyi Klub. 8 Antonovycha St. Mon-Thurs — 11 a. m. — 11 p. m., Fri-Sat — 11–2 a. m., Sun — 2–11 p. m. +38068  131 3420