How To Visit Kiev In Ukraine: A Delicious Vegan Food Guide

Experiencing the food scene in Kiev in Ukraine is a magical experience. While traditional Ukrainian food doesn’t skimp on creamy diary dishes (similar to Sofia, Bulgaria’s eateries) or generously stuffed baked goods, there’s options in Kiev for every diet.

Whether you have a plant based whole food diet, or a vegan diet, there’s several restaurants for you to dine at and experience the enticing Kiev food. From trendy eateries with gluten-free food options and non-dairy specialties to quick bites at food courts in a warm and inviting mall, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Visiting a travel destination with allergy-friendly options is always a priority to me. While there are several ways to adjust to a destination that’s not allergy-friendly, such as whipping up a mean salad, with sweet baby kale greens, topped with golden raisins, walnuts, and a tender ripe avocado; you won’t have that problem with a visit to Kiev.

You’ll be able to experience the local food scene while also focusing on your health and wellness during your travel (aka live your best life by wellness traveling).

Even without the perspective of traveling with food allergies, Kiev’s food scene does not disappoint. If you’re a foodie and want to enjoy some scrumptious food, Kiev in the Ukraine is one of the best travel destinations with a vegetarian Kiev, veggie Kiev, vegan Kiev and more.

From chicken Kiev (a juicy chicken filet stuffed with cheese), to veggies, and borscht, a traditional beef soup packed with beets, potatoes, and topped with fresh cream, to cabbage rolls perfect for the plant-based eater, there are Ukrainian dishes everyone can enjoy.

Food prices in Kiev, Ukraine

For those from the US, there is a typical experience with vegan and gluten-free foods that shows it can be pricey. But in Ukraine, with a conversion of about 1 USD to 25 UAH, you can easily afford to enjoy all the healthy food options.

This was definitely one of my favorite benefits of traveling to Ukraine. I was indulging in all the yummy foods I could find, like non-dairy caramel pudding, vegan ice cream, and vegan shawarma both at restaurants and grocery stores. Traveling to Ukraine made health travel simply, easy, and affordable.

If you’re planning a trip to Kiev in Ukraine, here are some restaurants that have gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options.

Where to find the best vegan food

While traveling with dietary restrictions can sometimes come with a lack of food choices, in Kiev you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the amount of options. Wandering through the streets, you’ll find an impressive amount of Kiev food suitable for almost any diet through trendy shops, cozy cafes and quaint restaurants overlooking the cityscape. This vegan-haven city is a gold mine with certain neighborhood district featuring the best vegan restaurants in the city.

Historically, Kiev’s distinctive districts date back to the early 1800s with four neighborhood districts divided up equally among the city. Today, the city contains ten distinctive districts each with their reputable vibes and offerings. There’s also two informal districts formed by Dniper River’s natural subdivision.

Kiev guide to city districts

To the right of the Dniper River are the following city districts:

Here you’ll find the most popular seven city districts out the ten. Between these seven city neighborhoods the best vegan cuisine is located in Podilskyi. Also known as Podil, or “Veggie Kiev” (P.S. I made the later up, but it’s highly appropriate).

Meander freely through the streets to explore fully vegan restaurants, vegan exclusive menus, partial vegan restaurants, dairy-free options and more. For gluten-travelers and allergy-conscious travelers, you’ll find excellent options here as well. If you stumble across a restaurant in Kiev, venture inside to double check the menu. You’ll find most of the menus are in English with clear labels noting what allergens each food item contains.

Restaurants in Kiev in Ukraine:

Here’s a list of Kiev restaurants that are excellent choices to experience vegetarian Kiev, vegan dishes and traditional Kiev food.

Murmur

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Where to find it: Pushkinska St, 42, Kyiv, Ukraine, 01004

Price: $$$

One of my favorite places to find healthy foods at restaurants is the delectable Murmur. This restaurant’s aesthetic was insane! The design was a mixture of cosy and sophistication with a cutting-edge vibe. The rooms were dimly lit by market street lights, creating an excellent ambiance for a romantic date or a late night, going-out mood.

It helps that Murmur is located on the top floor of a high rise building in the midst of downtown. It has a dazzling patio where you can enjoy your refreshing beverage and overlook the city. During the holiday season, you’ll find highly decorated Christmas trees throughout the space.

Side Note: They even have a New Years Party! It features an all you can eat buffet and DJ for an lively New Years celebration plan.

The menu features a variety of dishes including vegetarian whole-grain burrito bowls and beyond meat shawarma and burgers. If you’ve craving something super fancy, they also have an all pumpkin menu, which I absolutely loved!

I’m a pumpkin fanatic, so anytime I see restaurants serving up some pumpkin outside Thanksgiving time, I’m all in. They feature dairy-free pumpkin soup with roasted chickpeas and pumpkin puree with roasted duck.

For dessert, they feature a couple vegan dessert options such as ice cream and sorbets.

Food tip: The menu has ten pages all in English! All items are clearly indicated on the menu, and there are great options here for anyone. That’s why it’s one of my favorite restaurants because my husband (no food allergies) and I (several food-allergies) can both enjoy it.

Anahata Fine Foods

Where to find it: Bessarabska Sq, Metrograd Shopping Mall (at 2nd Floor Food Court), Kiev, Ukraine  Бессарабська площа 1 ТЦ Метроград,

Price: $

Anahata Fine Foods is a health food restaurant that serves a robust variety of healthy foods that are all completely vegan! They do have some gluten-free options, and they can make anything gluten-free by swapping it for a quinoa bowl instead of a wrap.

One of my favorite specialties they serve is a meaty vegan shawarma and sausage, served inside a pita (or bowl) topped with fresh veggies and a slightly creamy dressing.

This restaurant also has smoothies to boost your health, coffee, and dessert. You’ll find different flavors of chocolatey protein balls and nutty bars to choose from.

One of the coolest things about Anahata Fine Food is that is located in an underground mall! Dope, right? Being from California, underground malls do not exist, but Kiev in Ukraine has an abundance. You’ll just be walking from one metro to the next, then bam!

You’ve stumbled across an exquisite underground mall with cushy food halls, a plethora of clothing stores selling those hefty warm Eastern Europe hats, premium Ukrainian vodka, and more. Secretly, I wished I could buy one of the hats, but my hair just won’t fit.

Fenkhel 

Where to find it: Volodymyrsky Passage, 14, Kiev, Ukraine, 01025

Price: $$

If you’re looking for a health food restaurant that is both stylish/classy and comfy, Fenkhel your the place. Although I missed this vegan restaurant, I did manage to peak inside and got some trendy eco-friendly vibes.

The menu looked exquisite with fancy dishes of– plant-based power bowls, dairy-free pizza, ramen, hummus platters and yummy vegan desserts.

There were so many options to choose from at this chicly decorated restaurant.

Avocado

Where to find it: Bessarabska Sq, Metrograd Shopping Mall (at 2nd Floor Food Court), Kiev, Ukraine

Price: $

Located in the same snug food court as Anahata is another option where you can enjoy healthy foods at restaurants. Being from California, I had to try this spot since avocado is the main star in most of their dishes.

This restaurant serves health fast food options, ranging from avocado sesame bun burgers with sweet potato fries to breakfast at any time of the day. Yup, you heard it, ALL DAY BREAKFAST.

With so many options to choose from, you can find their restaurant at the underground Metrograd shopping mall, the Gorodok mall and the Smart Plaza Obolon.

Nebos

Where to find it: Mala Zhytomyrska St, 3/4, Kyiv, Ukraine, 02000

Price: $$

This completely innovative vegan restaurant has numerous plant-based options to choose from — traditional borscht, gluten-free pizza, smoothie bowls, sandwiches, and excellent dessert options that both raw and sugar-free. The food here looks insanely fresh with a creative twist.

Green 13 Cafe Vegan Kitchen

Where to find it: Bessarabs’ka Square, 2, Kyiv, Ukraine, 01004

Prices: $

Green 13 is another health restaurant that serves vegan Middle Eastern food and street food with options to make gluten-free dishes. It’s a popular restaurant as there are two locations in Kiev in Ukraine. One location is at the famous Bessarabsky Market, which is an absolutely stunning indoor market with a vibrant bazaar-market feeling.

The other Green 13 is located here Velyka Zhytomyrska St, 40, Kyiv, Ukraine, 01025.

My two favorites I recommend trying at Green 13 are the warm chicory root beverage with toasted almond milk and the creamy pumpkin coconut soup. The flavors were mild yet bold, an excellent warming meal for the cold winter weather in Ukraine.

Bessarabsky Market

Where to find it: Bessarabs’ka Square, 2, Kyiv, Ukraine, 01004

Prices: $

Created around 1910, and reopened in 1912, this market used to be the shopping hot spot in this Eastern Europe city. It’s still used now, but on our walking tour of Kiev I was told its has begun to slowly fade. Fewer people shop here because other bigger, more modern stores have opened.

At the Bessarabsky Market you can buy local fresh produce (vegetable, meats, cheeses), spices, dried nut, and candied fruits. Once you’re done checking the local fare of this veggie Kiev, you can head over to the food stalls such as Green 13 Cafe Vegan Kitchen, RaMan. You’ll find brightly lit street market lights over a faux-grassy area and benches for a comfy fun-filled Friday night atmosphere.

St. Sophia Square in Kiev, Ukraine – Christmas Market

Where to find it: Volodymyrska St, 22, Kyiv, Ukraine, 01001

Price: $-$$

Dates: December 15- January 13

Another one of my favorite Kiev eats is at the holiday market at St. Sophia Square. Now this is not a year-round restaurant, but starting December 15th till January 13th, the enticing street food smells fill the air. If you’re wanting to experience traditional Ukrainian food while basking in the magical holiday season, this Christmas market will exceed your expectations.

This Eastern Europe Christmas market located in St. Sophia Square, has a picturesque setting right in the middle of two beautiful Orthodox churches in Ukraine. The St. Sophia Cathedral, resplendent in it’s pastel blue paint and yellow trim, is on one side of the market, while St. Michaels Golden-Dome Monastery crowns the other end of the promenade.

The food sold at the market allows you to taste your way through Ukrainian food. It ranges from fresh grilled chicken skewers to lightly roasted salmon. There’s also roasted eggplants, zucchini, and flavorful rice dishes packed with fire roasted peppers offering a delightful insight into vegetarian Kiev.

Related post: How to Explore the Christmas Markets in Europe: Best Tips & Tricks

Kontraktova Square in Kiev, Ukraine – Christmas Market

Where to find it: Kontraktova Square, Kiev 02000, Ukraine

Price: $-$$

Dates: December 15th – January 20th

Kontraktova Square is another Christmas market in Europe that’s found in Kiev that has an enormous gastronomy section with both dairy-free, and gluten-free options. Some stalls have options such as sausages and cabbage, or sausages and peppers.

Other stalls feature hearty vegetables, fresh french fries, and mulled wine to warm you up from the cold weather in Ukraine. It’s one of my favorite ways to experience vegetarian Kiev during the holiday season.

Because there’s a plethora of options to choose, it really caters to any healthy food ideas you may have when traveling. Most of the food is paid for by weight, so you can control how much of each dish you want. The Ukraine Christmas markets really allow you to try all the Eastern European food while still making health a priority.

Don’t forget to indulge your well-being in some Christmassy desserts for some holiday self-care! There’s waffles stacked high with whipped cream, melted chocolate and fruit composites. I don’t think this is dairy-free, maybe without the whipped cream, but there are sugar roasted nuts as an alternative. This healthy dessert was one of my staples as I often switched between the sweet nuts and the spicy-sweet nuts.

Travel tip: This holiday market is open later than the market at St. Sophia Square. It’s open until January 20th.

Conclusions on food in Kiev, Ukraine

All this to say, exploring the food in Kiev in Ukraine is hands down a tasty wellness activity. With a wide array of Kiev food available to those with food allergies, visiting Kiev made it easy to make wellness a priority on the road.

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