The 10 Most Popular Ukrainian Dishes: What to Try in Kyiv
A guide to 10 traditional Ukrainian dishes to try during your visit to Kyiv.
Ukrainian cuisine has developed over centuries, shaped by local ingredients and the culinary traditions of different regions. Simple, widely available ingredients such as potatoes, beetroot, cabbage, flour, farmer’s cheese, and seasonal vegetables form the basis of dozens of dishes that remain an essential part of Ukrainian food culture and continue to inspire contemporary chefs.
In this guide, the VisitKyiv.com team highlights 10 traditional Ukrainian dishes worth trying during your visit to Kyiv.
Contents
What to Try During Your Trip to Kyiv
| Dish | What is it? | Taste | When it’s usually eaten |
|---|---|---|---|
| Borscht | A traditional beetroot soup made with vegetables and meat. | Rich, sweet and sour | Lunch |
| Varenyky | Ukrainian dumplings made from unleavened dough and filled with potatoes, farmer’s cheese, meat, or berries. | Savory or sweet, depending on the filling | Lunch, dinner, or dessert |
| Halushky | Small pieces of boiled wheat dough served with sour cream, gravy, or pork cracklings. | Savory or sweet | Lunch or dinner |
| Chicken Kyiv | Breaded chicken fillet filled with butter. | Juicy and buttery | Lunch or dinner |
| Holubtsi | Cabbage rolls filled with meat. | Rich and savory | Lunch or dinner |
| Deruny | Potato pancakes fried until golden brown. | Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside | Lunch or dinner |
| Kyiv Cake | A dessert made with crisp meringue-and-nut layers and buttercream. | Very sweet, nutty, and crisp | Dessert |
| Syrnyky | Fried pancakes made with farmer’s cheese. | Soft and sweet | Breakfast or dessert |
| Lviv Syrnyk | A baked farmer’s cheese dessert topped with chocolate glaze. | Sweet | Dessert |
| Nalysnyky | Thin crepes filled with meat, cheese, mushrooms, sweetened farmer’s cheese, poppy seeds, or berries. | Sweet or savory, depending on the filling | Breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert |
Borscht
Borscht is one of Ukraine’s best-known national dishes and a defining symbol of its culinary culture. A classic version is made with a rich meat broth, beetroot, carrots, potatoes, and cabbage. Its distinctive character comes from the balance of sweet and sour flavors, which gives the soup its rich and instantly recognizable taste.
Recipes vary widely depending on the region and family traditions. In the Poltava region, borscht may be served with halushky; in Podillia, beans are often added; and in eastern Ukraine, some versions are made with fish. Today, Ukrainian chefs continue to experiment with its flavors and presentation, creating contemporary interpretations of the traditional dish.
In 2022, UNESCO inscribed the “Culture of Ukrainian Borscht Cooking” on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. One of the advocates for its inclusion was Yevhen Klopotenko, a renowned Ukrainian chef and owner of the restaurant 100 Years Ahead, known for exploring and reinterpreting traditional Ukrainian cuisine.
Where to Try Borscht
- Puzata Hata — an affordable chain of Ukrainian restaurants where you can order classic borscht, as well as varenyky, deruny, and other traditional dishes.
- Tovsta Kachka — a modern Ukrainian restaurant serving two versions of borscht: one with blackcurrants, beans, and pork ribs, and another made with duck.
- 100 Years Ahead — Yevhen Klopotenko’s restaurant, which presents traditional recipes in a contemporary way. Try the borscht cooked in an oven with smoked pear and plum lekvar.
- Kanapa — a Ukrainian restaurant where borscht is served in a hollowed-out cabbage with smoked pear, plums, and pampushky.
- Klukva&Brukva — Ukraine’s first restaurant dedicated to local cuisine. Its menu includes borscht with crucian carp, said to have been one of Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko’s favorite dishes.
Borscht is traditionally served with sour cream, salo, chopped onion, and pampushky — soft buns flavored with garlic.
Varenyky
Varenyky are one of the most iconic dishes in Ukrainian cuisine. These boiled dumplings are made from unleavened dough and filled with a variety of savory or sweet ingredients. Some of the most popular fillings include potatoes, cabbage, farmer’s cheese, and cherries.
Recipes vary across Ukraine. In western regions, varenyky may be filled with sheep’s cheese; in northern Ukraine, with mashed peas or buckwheat; and in the south, with blackberries, blueberries, or raspberries.
For Ukrainians, varenyky are more than an everyday dish. They also have an important place in festive and family traditions. They are commonly prepared for Christmas Eve and Masnytsia, the traditional pre-Lenten celebration. In some regions, people also make varenyky with symbolic surprises for Malanka: a coin for prosperity, sugar for a sweet life, or a bean associated with having children.
Where to Try Varenyky
- Mamatato — a chain of home-style restaurants offering more than ten savory and sweet varieties of varenyky, including fillings such as potatoes, mushrooms, cabbage, meat, berries, and sweetened farmer’s cheese.
- Varyk — a restaurant specializing in creative interpretations of varenyky. Its menu includes varenyky with fermented cabbage, pan-fried and served with cheese sauce, as well as sweet versions with strawberries, blueberries, and poppy seeds.
- Pervak — a traditional Ukrainian restaurant serving classic savory and sweet varenyky, along with options made from gluten-free flour.
- Barvy — a contemporary Ukrainian restaurant offering colorful signature varenyky filled with hare, venison, or shrimp.
Halushky
Halushky are a traditional Ukrainian dish made from wheat dough. The dough is shaped into small round or oval pieces, boiled or steamed, and served with sour cream, gravy, or pork cracklings.
Simple and easy to prepare, halushky have long been a staple in many Ukrainian households. Traditionally, they were made without a filling, but over time, cooks began filling them with ingredients such as cracklings, cheese, boiled potatoes, or meat, turning them into a hearty main dish.
Halushky are prepared in different parts of Ukraine, but they are particularly associated with Poltava. The city has a monument dedicated to the dish, and halushky even have their own anthem.
Where to Try Halushky
- Halushka — a restaurant known for halushky with a wide range of fillings, including meat, potatoes, and cheese, as well as contemporary versions with salmon, shrimp, or duck.
- Poltava — a restaurant inspired by the culinary traditions of the Poltava region, serving signature halushky with fish, mushrooms, turkey, or sheep’s cheese.
Chicken Kyiv
Chicken Kyiv is one of the best-known dishes associated with Ukrainian cuisine. It is made from tender chicken fillet coated in crisp breadcrumbs and filled with butter and herbs, which melt and flow out when the cutlet is sliced.
The dish is believed to have French roots and is often compared with côtelette de volaille. Both are made from breaded chicken fillet, although the recipes and fillings may differ.
The exact origins of Chicken Kyiv remain uncertain, and several theories exist. According to one version, the dish first became popular abroad, where it was associated with Ukrainian cuisine. In Kyiv, it became widely served in the 1950s and gradually established itself as a classic of the city’s culinary culture.
Chicken Kyiv is sometimes prepared with the wing bone attached. The bone may be decorated with a small paper frill, making the cutlet easier to hold. The dish is often served with creamy mashed potatoes, one of its most popular accompaniments.
Where to Try Chicken Kyiv
- Puzata Hata — an affordable option for a quick lunch, with Chicken Kyiv and other classic Ukrainian dishes on the menu.
- Kanapa — a Ukrainian restaurant with a miniature sculpture dedicated to Chicken Kyiv. Here, the classic version is served with mashed potatoes and cheese sauce.
- Chicken Kyiv — a street-food spot offering the classic dish as well as variations filled with cheddar, blue cheese, mushrooms, or pesto.
- Tovsta Kachka — a restaurant serving its own interpretation of the dish, made with duck meat and filled with apple purée. It comes with caramelized pear and a dumpling filled with duck liver.
Holubtsi
Holubtsi are traditional Ukrainian stuffed cabbage rolls made with cabbage leaves wrapped around a filling of ground meat and rice. They are usually braised in a tomato or sour cream sauce.
Recipes vary across Ukraine. In western regions, corn grits were sometimes added to the filling, while in the south, grape leaves could be used instead of cabbage. In Left-Bank and southern Ukraine, holubtsi were traditionally made larger, whereas in western regions they were often smaller. According to local tradition, making large holubtsi could be seen as a sign that the cook had taken a shortcut.
The tradition of wrapping fillings in leaves can be found in many cuisines. In Turkey, sarma is commonly made with grape leaves, while variations of dolma are popular across the Caucasus and the Middle East.
Where to Try Holubtsi
- Opanas — a Ukrainian restaurant whose signature dishes include classic holubtsi served with homemade sour cream.
- Strichka — a contemporary Ukrainian restaurant at VDNH, where you can try the chef’s version of holubtsi filled with potatoes and chicken hearts.
- Khutorets na Dnipri — a traditional Ukrainian restaurant serving homemade holubtsi filled with smoked meat.
Deruny
Deruny are Ukrainian potato pancakes that are fried until golden brown and usually served with sour cream and mushroom sauce. Deruny are made primarily from raw potatoes, to which onions, an egg, and flour are added. In some regions of Ukraine, deruny are also stuffed with meat or mushrooms.
Every year, the Zhytomyr region hosts a deruny festival, where chefs from all over Ukraine gather to compete in preparing this dish. It was at one such festival that the largest deruny in Ukraine—weighing 180 kg—was prepared.
Where to try deruny:
- Tsarske Selo—a themed Ukrainian restaurant offering classic deruny with sour cream, as well as a large deruny stuffed with mushrooms and chicken
- Chary—a restaurant serving modern Kyiv cuisine where you can try classic deruny with a wild mushroom sauce.
- Linden—a Ukrainian restaurant featuring signature deruny with creamy squid and mushrooms under a cheese sauce.
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Kyiv Cake
Kyiv Cake is one of the capital’s best-known desserts. Its crisp meringue-and-nut layers and rich buttercream have been associated with the city since the mid-20th century. The dessert remains popular today, even as Kyiv pastry chefs create contemporary interpretations of the classic recipe.
According to a popular legend, Kyiv Cake was created by accident after pastry chefs forgot to refrigerate a batch of egg whites. The mistake supposedly resulted in unusually light and crisp cake layers. The recipe was later refined through experiments with the cream, nuts, and decoration, helping the dessert become a symbol of Kyiv’s confectionery tradition.
Today, Ukrainian pastry chefs continue to reinterpret the recipe, creating their own versions of this classic dessert.
Where to Try Kyiv Cake
- Glek — a restaurant serving contemporary Kyiv cuisine. Its version of Kyiv Cake combines crisp meringue-and-nut layers with delicate cream and cherry and blackcurrant marmalade.
- 100 Years Ahead — Yevhen Klopotenko’s contemporary Ukrainian restaurant, where Kyiv Cake is made with nut meringue, walnut jelly, and hazelnut cream.
- Namelaka — a popular pastry shop known for its classic Kyiv Cake with crisp nut meringue and delicate buttercream. The display also features a wide selection of signature desserts.
- Chary — a restaurant specializing in Kyiv cuisine, where the dessert is served as a deconstructed Kyiv Cake with buttercream, almond meringue, nuts, and pistachio cotton candy.
For a classic version of Kyiv Cake, visit a Roshen store, where the dessert is made according to the company’s traditional recipe.
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Lviv Syrnyk
Lviv syrnyk is a traditional Western Ukrainian dessert with a dense yet delicate texture similar to cheesecake. It is made with full-fat farmer’s cheese, eggs, butter, and sugar and is traditionally topped with chocolate glaze.
Lviv syrnyk originated in western Ukraine, where it was often baked for Easter. Families developed their own versions using raisins, poppy seeds, nuts, or cherries, making the recipe slightly different in every household.
Today, Lviv syrnyk comes in many variations. Dried fruit, caramel, poppy seeds, nuts, and orange or lemon zest are often added to create new flavor combinations.
Where to Try Lviv Syrnyk
- Lvivski Plyatsky — a café known for several versions of Lviv syrnyk, including options with chocolate, strawberries, caramel, and pistachios.
- Lviv Chocolate Workshop — a café where you can enjoy classic Lviv syrnyk with coffee and house-made chocolates.
- The Last Barricade — a Ukrainian restaurant whose dessert menu includes Lviv syrnyk with poppy seeds and berry sauce.
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Syrnyky
Syrnyky are Ukrainian farmer’s cheese pancakes commonly served for breakfast or as a sweet snack. A traditional recipe combines farmer’s cheese with eggs, sugar, and flour. The mixture is shaped into small round patties and fried in a pan until golden brown. Syrnyky are usually served with sour cream, honey, or jam.
Although syrnyky may seem simple to prepare, achieving the right texture can be surprisingly difficult. The key is choosing farmer’s cheese that is full-fat but not too moist, as this affects the shape, texture, and flavor of the finished dish.
In Ukrainian cafés and restaurants, syrnyky are a popular breakfast choice and are often served with sauces, berries, custard, or other toppings. Savory versions with spinach, fish, or cheese are also becoming increasingly common.
Where to Try Syrnyky
- Namelaka — a café and pastry shop known for its signature desserts, including syrnyky served with custard, berries, and pistachios.
- Poltava — a restaurant specializing in Poltava cuisine, where homemade syrnyky are served with delicate yogurt-based custard, fermented plums, and hazelnuts.
- Kremova — a Kyiv café and pastry shop offering several versions of syrnyky, including a savory option with salmon, a “Bounty”-inspired version, and varieties served with berries or custard.
- Milk Bar TSUM — a popular café on the top floor of TSUM, known for its signature “Three Milks” syrnyky. The menu is regularly updated with new flavor combinations, including versions with dark berries.
Nalysnyky
Nalysnyky are thin Ukrainian crepes that can be filled with either savory or sweet ingredients. Easy to prepare and highly versatile, they are a popular home-cooked dish served for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert.
Fillings vary widely, from sweetened farmer’s cheese, berries, and apples to savory options with mushrooms, cheese, or meat. Nalysnyky are traditionally served with sour cream, honey, or homemade jam.
Nalysnyky are believed to date back to pre-Christian times. Their round shape was associated with the sun and symbolized renewal and prosperity. They are also traditionally served as part of festive meals, particularly at Christmas and Easter.
Where to Try Nalysnyky
- Mlynceva Khatynka — a takeaway spot serving nalysnyky with a variety of fillings, including mushrooms, cabbage, cheese, apples, Nutella, and jam. You can also build your own nalysnyk by choosing the filling.
- Pancake Mill — a café in Podil offering a wide selection of crepes and pancakes, from savory options with meat or salmon to desserts with fruit, chocolate, or caramel.
- Pervak — a traditional Ukrainian restaurant serving nalysnyky with farmer’s cheese and poppy seeds baked in sour cream sauce, as well as a version filled with meat.
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Q&A about Ukrainian cuisine
Some of the most popular Ukrainian dishes include borscht with pampushky, varenyky, Chicken Kyiv, holubtsi, and deruny. These classics are a good starting point for anyone discovering Ukrainian cuisine for the first time.
Kyiv is best known for Chicken Kyiv and Kyiv Cake, two dishes that have become culinary symbols of the city. However, the capital’s food culture has much more to offer. During your visit, try Kyivska Perepichka, the famous cinnamon bun from Yaroslav, and Kanapa’s signature Salo in Chocolate candy.
Ukrainians often eat simple homemade dishes such as syrnyky, nalysnyky, or sweet varenyky for breakfast. They are commonly served with sour cream, honey, homemade jam, or fresh berries.
Kyiv’s cafés and restaurants also offer a wide range of other familiar breakfast options, including eggs, toast, porridge, and croissants.
Yes. Ukrainian cuisine includes many meat-free dishes, partly because Christian fasting traditions involve temporarily avoiding meat and certain other animal products before major religious holidays.
Popular meat-free options include deruny, varenyky filled with potatoes, cabbage, farmer’s cheese, or cherries, meat-free borscht, nalysnyky, syrnyky, halushky without meat filling, and dishes made with mushrooms or beans.
Keep in mind that some dishes may still contain eggs, dairy products, or meat-based broth, so it is worth checking the ingredients when ordering.
Start with the classics. Order borscht with pampushky and salo as a first course, followed by potato varenyky or Chicken Kyiv. For dessert, try nalysnyky or Kyiv Cake. Traditional drinks such as berry kompot or dried-fruit uzvar are also worth ordering.
Yes. Each region of Ukraine has its own culinary traditions, shaped by local ingredients, history, and cultural influences.
Kyiv is known for Chicken Kyiv and Kyiv Cake; Lviv for syrnyk and plyatsky; Odesa for forshmak, Black Sea fish, and seafood dishes; and western Ukraine for banosh, bograch, and dishes made with wild mushrooms.
