A shopping day in central Kyiv
A shopping plan for Khreshchatyk: the city’s main department store, a Ukrainian brands market, a two-level bookstore, and a lively local market — all on one street.
Shopping is an essential part of visiting a new city. It’s a chance to pick up souvenirs, discover local brands, and step into familiar international stores — all within a new cultural context.
This shopping route is designed as an easy walking day through central Kyiv. All the stops are located along the city’s main street, making it possible to move at an unhurried pace without detours or extra transit. Start at Khreshchatyk metro station, choose whatever catches your interest, and enjoy your shopping.
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Luxury shopping at TSUM Kyiv
TSUM is Ukraine’s only classic-format department store and the most popular destination for luxury shopping in central Kyiv. It features over 1,200 brands, including Versace, Victoria Beckham, Paul Smith, Stella McCartney, Balenciaga, and many others.
The lower floors focus on Ukrainian fashion, with collections from around 170 local designers. Overall, TSUM is the kind of place where you can find almost anything: clothing, accessories, beauty products, and home items — all under one roof.
On the sixth floor is Goodwine, a specialty wine and spirits shop with bottles from around the world, rare distillates, and an extensive selection of single-malt whiskies. It’s a solid stop for anyone looking for something distinctive to take home.
Even if you’re planning to shop elsewhere, TSUM is still worth visiting for the atmosphere alone. We also recommend seeing its window displays, which are redesigned several times a year and feel more like seasonal installations than standard storefronts.
Ukrainian brands at Vsi.Svoi
While TSUM combines international and local labels, Vsi.Svoi is entirely dedicated to Ukrainian brands. The two-story concept store brings together more than 250 producers across six categories, including clothing and footwear, home decor, ceramics, food products, children’s items, jewelry, and gifts.
What sets Vsi.Svoi apart is its range. Alongside well-known designers such as Ksenia Schnaider, Roussin, and Litkovskaya, the store also features small-batch pieces from independent designers and craft workshops.
The window displays deserve attention as well. Rather than functioning as conventional advertising, they are curated as visual narratives, often referencing tradition, craftsmanship, and contemporary Ukrainian culture.
Books and comics at Sens bookstore
Sens is not a typical bookstore but a carefully curated literary space. With more than 10,000 titles, it offers fiction and non-fiction alongside rare historical editions and Ukrainian translations of international bestsellers.
The store places a strong emphasis on supporting Ukrainian authors, making it a good place to discover writers not yet represented in major chains, as well as books in English and other languages. Some of the shelves are tall enough to require a ladder — a small detail that adds to the character of the space.
Sens feels calm and tucked away from the rush — a great place to linger over a book and take a break after shopping for clothes.
Traditional souvenirs at Folkmart
For traditional Ukrainian souvenirs, Folkmart is a convenient and reliable stop. The selection ranges from simple ceramic mugs to hand-embroidered vyshyvankas, making it easy to find something at almost any price point.
Shelves are filled with Petrykivka-painted tableware, linen towels, wooden toys, and handmade jewelry. There are also more formal gift options, including icons, paintings, collectible books, and journals, as well as items featuring Kyiv-specific symbols.
The atmosphere of Bessarabsky Market
Bessarabsky Market is where locals come for quality ingredients and where visitors can get a sense of everyday Kyiv. Around 100 vendors sell products rarely found in supermarkets: Ukrainian honey, homemade wild-berry preserves, farm cheeses and meats, spices, nuts, and dried fruits.
Tasting before buying is part of the experience, and vendors are usually happy to offer samples and answer questions.
In 2025, the market reopened after a major renovation, transforming the more than 110-year-old building into a modern food hall. It’s an easy place to stop for lunch after shopping. Fourteen food counters serve Ukrainian, Greek, Japanese, Crimean Tatar, Indian, and Georgian cuisine. Separate coffee shops and ice cream cafés are located throughout the market.
Final stop: Coffee
Kyiv has a well-established specialty coffee culture. Local baristas regularly experiment with beans and brewing methods, and drip coffee has become part of daily life for many residents. As a result, coffee beans or drip packs make a fitting and practical souvenir.
Both can be found just across from Bessarabsky Market at coffee shops Takava or ONE LOVE Coffee. ONE LOVE is located on the top floor of the PinchukArtCentre and offers wide views over Khreshchatyk, making a cup of coffee here a quiet, fitting conclusion to a day spent shopping in central Kyiv.
