Reviewing Veselka: Ukrainian food in the heart of East Village, New York.

It’s hard to walk by Veselka without pausing for a quick snack or meal. It’s like not stopping to say hello and catch up with a family member or fond friend when you encounter them on the street. 

What started in 1954 as a newsstand selling soup and sandwiches on East Ninth Street and Second Avenue has transformed into a sprawling, beloved East Village institution serving simple Ukrainian food 24/7 (Note: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant is not open 24/7).  

Veselka (“rainbow” in Ukrainian) is now an expansive storefront. Opened by the late Wlodymyr Darmochwal, Veselka is a casual corner coffee shop that’s always bustling day and night. Reservations aren’t taken, so seating is first come, first served; however, service is efficient so diners don’t wait long for a table indoors or outdoors. Veselka also has a second location at Essex Market, a historic public market on the Lower East Side. 

Veselka serves breakfast, brunch on weekends, lunch, and dinner. The menu is filled with homestyle Eastern European comfort food, including pierogi, borscht, and goulash made with ingredients from local New York purveyors like dairy from Bartlett Dairy, apples from Locust Farms, produce from H&S Trading, kielbasa from Baczynski East Village Meat Market, meats from M&M Meats, bread from Amy’s Bread, coffee from Longo Coffee and Importers, and maple syrup from The Sugarman in Hardwick, Vermont. There is also a decent drinks menu with seasonal drinks, beer, and wine. 

The menu is filled with signature specialties, such as vegetarian Reuben latke with two homemade potato pancakes topped with house-made sauerkraut, house special dressing, and melted Swiss cheese, served with a side of beet and horseradish salad; the 68th anniversary bowl with two potato, two meat, and two sauerkraut and mushroom pierogi topped with caramelized onions, grilled kielbasa, and slab bacon; and a blueberry bowl, six blueberry pierogi served with sweetened sour cream and topped with fresh blueberries. Each dish is generously portioned, authentically prepared, and tastes just like it does in Ukraine.

We started with latkes, perfectly golden fried potato pancakes served with applesauce and sour cream, and hearty bowls of Ukrainian borscht, a traditional deep pink-hued beet stew. Next, we ordered pierogi, Ukrainian-style dumplings, that are handmade daily at the shop. Patrons can choose servings of four or eight pierogi in a variety of fillings, including meat, potato, cheese, arugula and goat cheese, sauerkraut and mushroom, potato and mushroom, and the not-so-traditional short rib or bacon, egg, and cheese. We opted for four fried meat and potato pierogi — ideal for sharing — that can also be served boiled. Both the fried and boiled options are served with sautéed onions and sour cream.  

No matter what your Ukrainian favorites are, you can’t leave without ordering a cup or bowl of borscht that warms the heart and soul. The signature soup is not only perfectly prepared with chunks of beets and a heaping dollop of sour cream, but proceeds from borscht soup sales go directly to support Ukraine. There’s also a small display of merchandise for sale like T-shirts that say “Our hearts beet for Ukraine.” They surely do.