Lviv Food & Drink Guide

Since Lviv has so many places for eating like a gourmet, we decided to write about it in a separate post. We wanted to go to and try every one we've written about, one by one. We're starting to tell you, in order, about our favourite Ukrainian cafés and restaurants, which are very reasonably priced.

Baczewski Restaurant

This restaurant is especially recommended for breakfast, and when we went, the queue from the door to the end of the street confirmed it. An open-buffet breakfast and champagne served at little tables with a piano in the background... It lives up to the queue; going early is recommended.

Cukor

The next day we went to the much-praised Cukor restaurant. But we realised that a Lviv breakfast isn't as good as people say.If your hotel includes breakfast, it's better not to go out, especially not to Cukor.

The place is in a perfect location, and you can sit both inside and outside. We liked the menu design, but prices are a notch more expensive for Lviv. Toasties 90 UAH, waffle 80 UAH, drinks 25UAH.

Lviv Croissants

We went to this famous croissant chain, which you'll come across almost everywhere in Lviv, for a taste rather than to fill up. Because Lviv, Ukraine had turned into a gastro city for us :) In the Ukrainian tradition, croissants are split in two and served filled with whatever you want, such as cheese, vegetables, fruit and egg. I think it'd be more accurate to call them croissant sandwiches. Croissants range from 30 - 70 UAH, while coffee costs 50 UAH.

Lviv Handmade Chocolatier

A sweet shop whose chocolates drove us crazy; you'll see it on almost every corner in Lviv, and you can reach the sweetest terrace view from the shop on Rynok Square!

All sorts of truffles, a gorgeous hot chocolate and lovely desserts. The taste and the prices are both wonderful. It's one of those we say you must stop by, and of course the coffee is from Lviv Coffee Manufacture. Restaurant chains that support each other like this deserve a bravo. Because of the quality, everyone prepares their own speciality for serving, and their contribution to tourism is admirable!

On its website there are shops and times with 15-minute discounts on certain days. We didn't catch one, but you can follow it and buy chocolates more cheaply. In the open kitchen you can watch how the delicious chocolates are made. And there are chocolate-making workshops for children too; you must check before you go.

The shop holds workshops called Express Masterclass. For workshops where you can make heart-shaped chocolates, paint chocolate, or do both, all you need is to form your group of 6 and book in advance. The first two workshops, lasting 30-45 minutes, are 150 UAH per person, and the other is 210 UAH.

While preparing for our Ukraine trip, Baczewski Restaurant was among the first on the food lists we came across. A romantic restaurant that we think really deserves to be on that list :)

Lviv Beer Theatre

In Lviv, famous for opera and theatre, PRAVDA is a place that makes craft beer, has delicious food and, on top of that, offers live music on a sweet stage called the beer theatre.

Live music starts at 19:00 from Tuesday to Sunday and goes on until 22:00. And what fun!

If you like, you can eat something with your drink on the upper floors like us, or enjoy the music standing on the ground floor with snacks. But we'd love you to experience this for yourself.

Victoria Tea House

A lovely spot for a hot tea and delicious cakes in a tiny shop! There are many tea options.

Lviv Coffee Manufacturer

One of Lviv's top tourist cafés, Lviv Coffee Manufacturer is both a lovely café and a shop where you can find coffee-related souvenirs. Its desserts and its coffees with unusual presentations are really very good. Go to the one in the centre and go downstairs; at the entrance they'll give you hard hats. Because you're going down into a coffee mine! The most exciting thing will be seeing the presentations they do with flames in the dark!

What's more, you can find this coffee in almost every café. I think what we loved most was that this organisation exists. With groups that support each other, the coffee maker grows rather than disappearing, and a huge brand is created for the country.

Kryivka Shelter Café

A place we won't forget, with its incredible queue! Knock knock knock! Inside, an unusual restaurant awaits you. The queue at the door was a clue to its popularity, but once you go inside you understand why. Yes, it's a bit touristy, but you have to go in at quiet times and explore!

At the door, a soldier lets you in with a password: "Slava Ukraini!" Then the fun begins...

Lviv Galician Cheesecake and Strudel Bakery

Here's the right choice for anyone looking for a delicious break! We loved it here. If you want to try different Galician desserts and sauces, we say stop by this cute café on Rynok Square. As at other touristy cafés, there are souvenirs here too!

Meet & Justice Restaurant

This must be what they call the hunger games. As if seeing that huge grill right at the entrance and the torture instruments behind it weren't enough, the menu also listed torture methods through history.

They really have a strange idea of tourism; go and see, you won't be able to make sense of it, so you decide if it's worth a visit :) I'd say the food was below average, and we waited a long time to be served. You can try other places too.

Kumpel

Maybe the most local restaurant for trying lovely Ukrainian food! You can also find things similar to our cuisine. And it's less popular than the other touristy chain cafés, so it's worth a try. We didn't get to go, but we recommend it.

Pyana Vishnya - Drunken Cherry

The little red shop we came across on Rynok Square for a wonderful cherry liqueur; a lovely idea, and very pleasant for a break.

The brand, whose name means drunken cherry, has a very sweet bar. We recommend the tables in front of the door. Take your seat and enjoy the musicians in the square; you'll pay 38 UAH, about 5 TL, for a glass of liqueur.

Open

We went into this restaurant after seeing its open-buffet salad bar opposite our hotel; it's open almost 24/7 and has many options. You can choose it for breakfast or for lunch and dinner. It also has a water bar and a corner to keep children busy: different, thoughtful details.

Prices are very reasonable; you take whatever you want by weight.

We've covered Lviv's restaurants; if you're curious about the Lviv travel guide, click the link!