Bo. Pastry Café

A light, pastel pastry shop was opened right in the heart of the city, on Khreshchatyk street. Its owner, a renown chef Héctor Jiménez-Bravo, is a familiar face on Ukrainian television – his program explores new and well-known recipes, glueing its viewers to the screens. Interior is incredibly cozy for its location – a view on hustling and busy city street is paired with calm music and pastel pink furniture. The café greets the visitors with a huge screen filled with various desserts: from cupcakes and croissants to eclairs and macarons. Apart from the well-known classics of French cuisine, you can find marmalade, biscotti, biscuits, bread and cheese sticks. Bo. Pastry is customer-friendly – low-fat, sugar and gluten-free desserts are specially marked. Beverages include standard coffee and tea, as well as more than 5 original blends of mulled wine. You can relax with a cup of something to your taste inside the café, take any position in the menu to-go or order in.
Address: 19A, Khreshchatyk street
Safe Restaurant

The renown restaurant of Mediterranean cuisine is not just a place to spend a pleasant evening in, but to witness a whole show. In December 2017, Safe officially introduced the practice of show kitchen, so that visitors can watch the food of their choice being prepared by the hands of skillful chefs. Menu of the show kitchen is separate from the main one and will change often – so make sure to catch the dish of your interest! Pan Asian cuisine, as well as European and Ukrainian, are available at Safe: salmon filet baked in a banana leaf and caramel, various dim sums (vegetables and tofu; crab; pork and shrimps) and many others. Apart from the rich menu, Safe offers different types of hookah and even a karaoke room, one of the biggest in Kyiv, for those who seek to let their hair down and sing their soul out.
Address: 23А, Velyka Vasylkivska street
Read: Best Bargain Seafood Restaurants in Kyiv
Samogon Grill Bar

The Grill Bar located in Pechersk district has changed its vector and added couple new things to the concept. Let's see what we got! Firstly, the unique vintage décor, relaxed lights and live music every day make up a special mix that ensures a good evening. Each month Samogon throws a thematic party, where DJs pick the best hits for the night's mood. As the name's place suggests, menu is concentrated mainly on grills: like in many contemporary spots, you can observe meat, chicken or shawarma being prepared right in front of you. Whether you come here alone or with company, Samogon can help you make a right choice. For instance, try farm sausage grills set from veal, pork and lamb for a company or a traditional dish from Ukrainian cuisine when you're alone: Chicken Kiev with purée. Liqueurs and cordials are truly a zest of the place - cranberry, buckthorn, raspberries and world-renown mead are just right to warm up in winter. Apart from the main hall, Samogon has two banquet halls for 15 and 30 people – consider it a lucky spot to celebrate a holiday of your choice.
Address: 34A, Lesi Ukrainky boulevard
Mr.Grill Hotdogs&Burgers

One more hot spot on Khreshchatyk, this restaurant offers a modern spin on traditional American picks. Each hotdog's recipe has been carefully made by the team of chefs, so it is a real unique deal. Fun fact: every single hotdog is named after an American president. Here you'll find abundance of tastes: from classical like chicken sausages, to sophisticated onion jam and blue cheese, and mussels and shrimp for seafood lovers. Burgers with beef and bacon or chicken to your taste are the second pick on the menu. Mr.Grill offers to order a set with two sauces, side dishes like French fries or caramelised apples, and Pepsi to top it off. Enjoy!
Address: 7/11, Khreshchatyk street
Read: Where to Taste Traditional Ukrainian «Nalyvka» in Kyiv
Meiwei Restaurant

Once a café at the gas station, Meiwei is rapidly conquering the Pan Asian cuisine sector in Kyiv. It is built on a simple and efficient principle of smart food – easy, fast, suitable for everyday. Minimalistic interior of the place contributes to the whole atmosphere and an open kitchen will enchant you while you wait for the dish. If you aren't familiar with classics of Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Malaysian-Indonesian and Japanese cuisines, it's high time to drop by and get some education. Start with a traditional Japanese ramen with duck or pork. Salads' stuffing varies from Peking duck with plum sauce, warm seafood and blue rice and beef. Meiwei is also vegan-friendly! Here you will find soup with tofu, vegetables and soybean sprouts based on vegetable broth, traditional Thai salad Yum Tum (a mix of cucumbers, green onions, ginger, chili, lime, and basil) and much more. Much beloved by Kyiv dwellers, wok can be also found here: chicken, seafood, tofu and rice, all up to you. Make sure to try baozi - steamed pies with different fillings, which are one of the most popular dishes of Chinese cuisine.
Address: 23, Velyka Vasylkivska street
Karkas Restaurant

The long-awaited comeback of one of the most sophisticated Kyiv restaurants has finally happened. Since its opening in 2015, Karkas has won 3 prestigious awards in culinary and restaurant business, firmly holding the position of the finalist. Yurii Pryiemskyi, easily crème of crop of Ukraine's chefs, made sure the restaurant is worth visiting, whether you are a gourmet or just curious. In 2018 you can sit by the bar and try various unique cocktails, which was unavailable before. Meat is the main focus of the menu and is truly respected here. Apart from the well-known parts and ways to cook it, Karkas also suggests you try cheeks, tails, diaphragm, bone marrow, stomachs, which are used widely as a main dish all over the world but aren't especially popular in Ukraine. The truly classical choice in Karkas, Butcher's Steak, is a beefsteak with creamy celery purée, baked carrots and celery, poached egg and Dutch sauce. Bar offers a sophisticated choice of wine, or liqueurs with lemon, raspberry, buckthorn. Don't miss it!
Address: 20, Mala Zhytomyrska street
Zamis

Located in the historical center of the city, Zamis offers you to take a shot with one of the most popular dishes of Ukrainain cuisine – varenyky. The place truly knows the deal: you can order in or take away, and the choice won't leave you unsatisfied: shrimp and pork, chicken, spinach, cheese and nuts, parmesan and basil, mussels, lamb and mint. Good thing is that you can ask for take away both in hot and frozen ways, to make sure varenyky of your choice won't spoil once you get home or to the office. Soy-ginger, basil, pesto or seafood sauces are offered to accompany various stuffing – ask for the staff to help when in doubt. If you feel that just varenyky isn't enough, Zamis also has salads and soups. The famous Olivier salad, broth, or herring with green beans can make the whole dinner. Of course, any dinner won't be complete without beverages – traditional Ukrainian uzvar and kompot, as well as usual juices and coffee are on the menu.
Address: 2, Zolotovoritska street
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Photo sources: shutterstock.com; Bo. Pastry Café, Safe restaurant, Samogon Grill Bar, Mr.Grill Hotdogs&Burgers, Karkas restaurant, Zamis Facebook pages. All images belong to their rightful authors.