10 BEST Indie Cafes to Try in Kyiv, Ukraine

1. Coffee and the City

Let's begin with one of my favorite cafes, out of all that I often go to first thing in the morning. Coffee and the City cafe has one of the best goddamn Flat Whites I have ever tasted in Ukraine.

It comes in this small glass, but you know right away that it packs a punch when you see or smell it. You can choose either regular or specialty beans (Honduras or Kenyan on that day I ordered). The cost of coffee was around 70 UAH.

One of the reasons why I like to frequent this place in the morning is that the café is one of the few places that opens at 8 AM near where I stay, and they have a great selection of breakfast options to choose from, along with an unlimited supply of croissants and other pastries.

They also have a nice, cozy, air-conditioned indoor space with plenty of power sockets and outdoor space to sit in the sun and chill. The café is also not too far from Kyiv Central Train Station, so if you are looking for a nice place to just wait for your train, this is the place to be.

The cafe is located on Saksahanskoho Street, 118, and you can contact them via 067 364 0980 or Coffee and the City Facebook page.

2. Vagabond Cafe and Vintage Corner

This next cafe is sure gonna please the hipster heart inside you. Vagabond Cafe and Vintage Corner is a rather small hipster cafe, but it's actually full of charm and has friendly staff.

Vagabond Cafe and Vintage Corner are decorated in a vintage-style decor with wooden bars, polaroid pictures hanging from the ceiling, and lots of greenery. It almost felt more natural being inside than outside.

They have a great selection of coffee as well, which is something you can expect from cafes in Kyiv. In the morning, they will also make homemade granola with fruits served with nothing but a pure smile for you.

If you are looking for a nice hipster café to read a book and enjoy a quiet morning cup of coffee, come check out Vagabond Cafe.

The cafe is located right at the intersection between Voloska Street and Hryhoriya Skovorody Street. It's open from 9 AM - 11 PM and you can contact them via 063 574 9408 or from their Facebook Page here.

3. Каштан Coffee (Chestnut Coffee)

If the last one wasn't hipster enough, you are in for a treat with this one. Каштан Coffee is so hipster-friendly that it doesn't even have an English name, unless you count the Google-translated name I provided here 🤣.

Каштан Coffee is hidden so far from the main street that it took me over 15 minutes to find the entrance. After walking around several alleyways, I finally found this sign located on Reitarska street.

Каштан Coffee is one of the most vibrant hipster cafes in the area. Its wooden interior will give you a sense of being in someone else's grandparents' home with brown furniture all around, a table full of chess pieces, and an old-school vinyl music player and discs stacked messily on wooden shelves.

The cafe is a popular hangout place for young people, and it is often packed most of the time. Thankfully, the cafe is located in front of a small courtyard, so you will be able to sit around the area while enjoying the coffee.

Their coffee costs around 26-52 UAH, which is not expensive at all. The entrance to Каштан Coffee is located in the center of Kyiv Old Town on Reitarska Street, near Riot Division Clothing Store. Once you walk inside, the café should be on your left.

The café is open from 9 AM - 10 PM, and you can contact them via their Facebook Page here.

4. Палітурка, кава та книжки (Paliturka - Coffee & Books)

Here is another of my favorite hipster/vintage cafes that combines my 2 favorite things: books and coffee. Paliturka - Coffee & Books is a cozy cafe full of books, tucked away in the hidden alleyways of Kyiv's most popular shopping street, Khreschatyk Street.

This is the best place to take a break from the craziness of the Khreschatyk shopping street and just retreat to its cozy indoor space and surround yourself with books and a cup of coffee.

Their coffee costs around 25 - 50 UAH, which is pretty cheap, and you can grab it with a small bite from a few of their bakery and pastry offerings.

If you are with someone, you can play chess or checkers together, or if you are traveling solo, you can bring your favorite book and read here quietly, away from the city streets of Kyiv.

The cafe is located at Khreschatyk St, 46А, opens from 8 AM - 10 PM, and you can contact them via 093 556 8696 or from their Facebook Page here.

5. Без Дверей Espresso Bar (Espresso Bar Without Doors)

If you are looking to explore a cafe culture somewhere that is not in Kyiv Old Town, Без Дверей Espresso Bar, or Espresso Bar Without Doors, is a great cafe if you prefer having your morning coffee and breakfast in an open-air environment.

With its trendy decoration of black and white decor, comfy sofas on both floors, together with its selection of coffee and pastries, Без Дверей Espresso Bar is a great place for you to grab a quick bite before you go and explore all the Kyiv tourist attractions.

The cafe is located on the Sichovykh Striltsiv St, 10, not too far from St. Sophia's Cathedral, and since the cafe is open from 7 AM - 11 PM, Без Дверей Espresso Bar makes a great first stop for coffee in the morning before you start your day.

You can contact them either by their phone (067 105 7227) or message them via their Facebook Page.

6. World of Coffee

World of Coffee is another trendy specialty café in Kyiv with an industrial-inspired interior, a solid selection of specialty coffee, and delicious brownies and other pastries to go with it.

It has several outside seating options if you wish to sit under the shade of the trees in the summer, or you can also sit inside where there is plenty of cozy space, comfortable sofas, and air conditioning.

World of Coffee is also located on Ihorivska St, 12А in a hip and trendy area of Podil, a cultural center and one of the oldest districts in Kyiv, which is surrounded by old architecture and tourist attractions like St. Andrew's Church, Andriivs'kyi descent, and many more.

The cafe is open from 8 AM - 9 PM and you can contact them via 068 115 3639 or through their official website.

7. Milk Bar

If you are looking for something more high-end yet still trendy and affordable, Milk Bar is one of the most popular places in Kyiv for people to hang out and enjoy delicious pastries together.

It has a ton, and I really mean a TON, of delicious pastries for you to choose from. You can also order proper food here, along with a coffee and a dessert, making it a great place to meet in the evening with friends.

It is considered quite expensive for Kyiv standards (60 - 200 UAH for pastries), and the prices are almost at the same level as what you would pay in Western Europe, but you get what you paid for.

Their pastries are of the highest quality, and I have nothing but praise for their services. It can get really packed sometimes, so be patient, and you will be rewarded with the most delicious pastry you will ever taste in Kyiv.

Milk Bar is located on Shota Rustaveli St, 16 and is open from 8 AM to 11 PM. To reach them, you can either call at 044 237 0907 or check out their official website here.

8. Cuba Coffee Brew

If you are looking for a cool themed café with colorful decor, a Flamingo logo, and delicious coffee, you will have to visit Cuba Coffee Brew.

Cuba Coffee Brew is a nice little café located not too far from Kyiv Independence Square. With its unique take on a themed café, full of colorful props, furniture, and posters, it makes quite a photogenic place to have a coffee.

They have an excellent selection of coffee, plenty of power outlets, and seating for you to relax in between exploring Kyiv's Independence Square or just doing some work on your computer.

Cuba Coffee Brew is open from 8:30 AM - 10 PM. It is located right at the corner between Sofiivs'ka Street and Tarasa Shevchenka Street. Its address is Tarasa Shevchenka Ln, 2 and you can contact them via 068 008 1655 or message them on their Instagram page.

9. ONE LOVE Coffee

If you are looking for a minimalist cafe with a great view of Kyiv from above, I couldn't recommend ONE LOVE Coffee cafe more. It is located on the 6th floor of Pinchuk Art Centre where you will have to go through security and such, but I can assure you, it is totally worth it.

The moment you enter ONE LOVE Coffee, you will be surprised at how glowing it is. ONE LOVE Coffee is decorated with minimalist furniture, almost to the point of being futuristic, all in white with a metallic angular style and a little touch of wood here and there.

It's not just their perfect design sense that blew me away, but outside the window, you will be able to see the old buildings surrounding the famous Khreschatyk shopping street.

They have several types of coffee, tea, and pastries for you to indulge in, and you can have them over a bench overlooking the old buildings of Kyiv.

There are several ONE LOVE Coffee cafes, so be sure to go to the right one, which is on Bessarabs'ka Square street, on the 6th floor of Pinchuk Art Centre. It is open from 8 AM to 9 PM, and you can contact them via 044 585 0758 or through their official website.

10. Na Stanislavsʹkoho

Last but not least, if you are looking for something more traditional, almost to the point where you feel like you are in someone else's grandmother's home, Na Stanislavsʹkoho is a great place to be.

Na Stanislavsʹkoho is decorated in an old European fashion with old furniture such as wooden cupboards, comfy armchairs, and old sewing tables; something you would expect your grandmother to have in her home.

They serve nice coffee, masala tea (recommended), and delicious cakes, as well as wines if you are in the mood. The cafe is located on Stanislavs'koho St, 3, not too far from Kyiv's Independence Square. It opens from 9 AM - 11 PM, and you can contact them via 096 202 4011 or through their Facebook Page.

Extra. Puzata Hata (Not a Cafe)

This is a little extra for you if you are looking to eat rather than chill in a cafe in Kyiv. Puzata Hata is a famous local restaurant chain that serves incredible local food in a self-service manner.

You can select multiple dishes at once and then pay at the counter before you proceed to your table. It is incredibly cheap for what you get, and the local food is really, really good.

Going into Puzata Hata and eating is one of my favorite things to do in Ukraine just because I know that I will have a great selection of local food, with salads, a main course, a drink, and a dessert all at a price of around 120 UAH. That's a pretty good deal if you ask me.

I can't recommend Puzata Hata enough. If you are in Ukraine, you must at least try Puzata Hata once! Thankfully, it's quite popular among the locals, so you will find them in popular districts in big cities like Kyiv, Lviv, and Kharkiv.

And there you have it, the top 10 best indie cafes for you to try when you are traveling in Kyiv. I believe that exploring the coffee culture of a place like Kyiv is a great way to see what the younger population of the city is up to and a chance to fan out away from the tourist attractions and explore more of the youth culture you often don't get to see when traveling.

Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:

Flights: Skyscanner and Expedia are the best places to start looking for cheap flights and great deals from your home country.

Accommodation: Hostelworld, Booking.com, and Agoda.com are the ultimate go-to platforms to search for amazing hostels and hotels at affordable prices.

Travel Insurance: Heymondo covers theft, medical emergencies, cancellations, and more during your travels. Get a 5% discount if you sign up today.

Transportation: Tickets.ua (Bus), 12go (Bus) and Tickets.ua (Train) are great places to look for bus and train schedule and buy tickets that would otherwise not have been available online.

Car Rental: DiscoverCars.com is a great and reliable platform to find rental cars.

Internet: Airalo is the best way to get a sim card and has reliable internet access for your trip. All you need is an esim compatible smartphone, install it on your phone prior to your trip, and you are all set.

VPN: To stay connected with people at home, I always make sure to have ProtonVPN, installed before traveling. It's FREE, and I can gain access to services that may be blocked in certain countries.

Day Trips & Tours: Viator, GetYourGuide and TripAdvisor are great platforms to search for trips and tours to join.

Tickets & Deals: Tiqets is always my go-to website when I want to find cheaper deals for entrance tickets to tourist attractions.

Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.

Further Reading for Ukraine

Looking for more information for your trip to Ukraine? Here are a collection of articles about Ukraine that might help you with your trip planning:

• Looking for a complete backpacking itinerary for Europe? Here is the 3-Month Itinerary for Europe.
• Packing for a trip to visit a region as big as Europe can be extremely daunting. Here's a packing guide to help you: What to Pack for Europe - The Essential Packing List.
• Want to visit Europe in winter? Better prepare for the cold. Here's a winter packing guide to help you: What to Pack for Europe in Winter - The Essential Packing List.
• Ukraine is one of the few hidden gems left in Europe, and in order to see the country and all it has to offer, you will need a complete travel guide. Here is a One Month Itinerary for Ukraine.
• Ukraine has recently loosened up its borders a little for non-European travelers with an E-Visa program. Here is my experience applying for an E-Visa for Ukraine and things I wish I knew before applying.
• Of course, one of the reasons why you are visiting Ukraine is to learn more about the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, and what better way to learn about it than to go into the field and see it with your own eyes. Here is a complete guide on how to visit Chernobyl.
• If you think Kyiv is only good for Chernobyl and Brutalist architecture enthusiasts, then you are in for a big surprise when you find out how awesome the city is. Here are the top 18 things to do in Kyiv, Ukraine.
• The Tunnel of Love is one of the most photogenic attractions in Ukraine, and it would be a shame to miss it on your trip to Ukraine. Here's a complete guide on how to visit the Tunnel of Love independently.
• Thinking of visiting the Tunnel of Love and not sure where to base yourself? I would recommend Lutsk, and here are 8 best things to do that will make you fall in love with Lutsk.
• Lviv is the cultural capital city of Ukraine. It is what St. Petersburg is to Russia, Prague is to Czechia, and Krakow is to Poland. It is the most European city out of all Ukraine and it has so many things to do, you will need a great guide to navigate it. Here are 10 Best Things you should do in Lviv, Ukraine.
• Lviv is another great city to go cafe-hopping if you love coffee, and here are my Top 10 Cozy Cafes in Lviv that you should check out.
• Getting bored of cities? How about we go and hike some of the stunning trails in the Carpathian Mountains? Here is a complete hiking guide to Yaremche and the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains.
• One of the most impressive architectural wonders in Ukraine is Chernivtsi National University in Chernivtsi, a remnant from the Austro-Hungarian Empire era that still survives today. Here are 7 Best Things to Do in Chernivtsi, Ukraine.
• Kamianets-Podilskyi, an island city home to Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle, one of the most beautiful castles in Ukraine, is a place that seems like it came straight out of a fairy tale and a place that you should not miss. Here’s a backpacking guide and a list of the top 8 things to do in Kamianets-Podilskyi.
• Odesa is known as the Pearl of the Black Sea, and in order to understand why, you will need to dive deep into its history and even further down underground into its infamous catacombs. Here is a complete guide on tourist attractions and 8 great things to do in Odesa.
• You may not have heard of Kharkiv before, but once you see what I saw when I was traveling in that city, your mind will be blown away by how beautiful it is. Here are the 10 best things to do in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
• Did you know that Kharkiv is also home to the prettiest metro stations in Ukraine? Here are 8 of the most beautiful metro stations to check out in Kharkiv.
• My words are not convincing you about traveling to Ukraine? How about you see it for yourself with my Ukraine travel video? Ukraine Beyond Travel Video
• Want to know where to go after Ukraine? How about visiting Poland? Drop by Kosice in Slovakia or go bar-hopping in Budapest, Hungary. We have travel guides for those too.
• For all articles about Ukraine, visit the Ukraine Travel Guide page.
• You can see all my Eastern Europe-related articles on my Eastern Europe Travel Guide page.
• You can also see all my Europe-related articles here: Europe Travel Guide page.
• For more of my travel guides like this, visit my Destinations page.