10 Restaurants in Kiev That Locals Love

Dogs & Tails combines a bar and a restaurant and successfully performs the role of one of the favourite places among locals. The succulent hot dogs and authentic salads found on the menu had their customers sold on day one. In addition, the venue holds a number of events, such as evening movies or TED-talk screenings, DJ sets or Sunday brunches. The members of the personnel are very kind, and you can easily strike up a conversation with them. Dogs & Tails is a place where you will never feel lonely, bored, or hungry.

The only place that might have better burgers than The Burger is Hard Rock Café, but that’s a matter of personal taste. The menu swarms with all kind of burgers with different unusual toppings, and there are even kids’ options. The signature eponymous burger is served with salad, pickles, French fries, and unlimited Coke. Having a central location and 24-hour service, it is a non-stop restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper, and, of course, the after-party meal.

Viva Oliva is a true savior when it comes to efficient service and delicious dishes. Specializing in Italian cuisine, it serves up a copious amount of pizza, spaghetti, ravioli, and desserts that have been universal favorites for a long time. It is a perfect place to have lunch or a family dinner. Besides, Viva Oliva is a chain of restaurants that can be found in any district of Kiev.

The Life of Wonderful People is a new place created by the team of breakfast and brunch spot Lovely Uncle, but it has already become extremely popular. The emphasis is on a friendly atmosphere and comfort food, though in a new interpretation. Its distinctive features are high ceilings, bookshelves, and an open kitchen. The restaurant is full of daylight. Through huge panoramic windows, guests can watch the busy street outside as they enjoy their meal.

This restaurant embodies all that can be found in the French capital: liveliness and great traditions. Très Français contrasts with those fashionable places that are usually called “French restaurants” – instead, it is a cosy brasserie with a summer terrace. Sitting in the shade, you can watch the bustling city from afar and slowly enjoy French cuisine. An integral part of the place is a cheese shop where you can buy cheese from Normandy, Champagne, Lorraine, and Burgundy. In addition, on the site of the restaurant, there is a small bakery where you can buy freshly baked French baguettes and croissants.

Solod Enjoy Bar was the first place to introduce a culture of smoked food in Ukraine. In the center of the restaurant, there is a large bar offering an extensive cocktail menu, where guests are treated to house-made infusions. The place gets crowded every evening. From Wednesday to Saturday, locals come to listen to jazz music, covers on popular songs, or see the performances. During football matches, the place turns into a pub and broadcasts games on the big screen.

This Pan-Asian restaurant is situated on one of the newest streets of Kiev (Vozdvizhenka), near the Podol area. It has a large selection of meat and fish. The accent in the menu is on steaks from marbled beef that is produced by the restaurant. There are 15 types of steaks, which are cooked from the different cuts of meat. The interior of the Oxota Na Ovets deserves special attention, with antique decorations, concrete, and walls covered with green plants – it makes the place chic and discreet at the same time.

Chinese hi or Kitaiskiy privet is one of the most popular places in Kiev. Unlike other expensive restaurants of Asian cuisine, it has reasonable prices and large portions. Be sure to order soup with beef, chicken in sour sauce and rice, and for dessert pamper yourself with an extraordinary baked milk. The dishes are cooked with soul, and you can taste it. Meanwhile, adventurous eaters can also try some larvae, century-old eggs, or snake soup.

This is a place that surprises with its juxtapositional concept. Being a classic pattern of a restaurant with traditional Ukrainian cuisine, it also has a culture of art-picnics and evening DJ sets. It is located in a 19th-century mansion in a posh administrative district of Kiev (Lipky). There is the Supreme Court of Ukraine on the right-hand side, along with wide alleys and ancient architectural monuments. Still, it is a sought-after spot for the younger crowd to have a lovely brunch in a rather unusual setting.

MAMA MANANA is a restaurant of Georgian cuisine in the city center of Kiev. Chacha, khachapuri, khinkali, and Georgian wine are served here. An open kitchen and dishes on the coals are the features of the place. Guests can also taste such desserts as churchkhela (а candle-shaped candy with grape must and nuts) and matzoni (a sour milk drink) with mint. It is worth mentioning that it is necessary to book a table a few days ahead. From the very day it opened, it has been full of visitors wanting to try Georgian cuisine.