Cafes and Chocolates in Lviv, Ukraine
Sitting on the western edge of Ukraine, Lviv does not feel like you’re in Ukraine and the old Soviet ways. Nearly untouched by war’s devastation, the city is a hidden gem and perfect for a relaxing stay full of chocolate, cafes, and tasty delights!
Logistics:
Because Lviv is the capital of Western Ukraine and one of the major cities, there are plenty of options within the city. Here is what we did!
By Plane
While we did not fly into Lviv, we did fly out to Istanbul! The airport is serviced by the major destinations in Europe, but mostly with budget airlines such as Wizz Air. Inside the airport, it is very small so it is very easy to navigate!
By Public Transportation
Because we took an old Soviet-era train to reach Lviv, we have ample experience! While it served our purpose, one should be prepared! Head over to the Kiev post to read more about our overnight train!
Once you’re inside the city, there are trams and buses to reach all your destinations. We preferred trams! There is a secret method for using these trams. Once we bought our 7UAH ticket directly from the driver (keep small bills handy), I had to “stamp” it in the red machine on the side of the tram. Otherwise, you risk a fine!
By Private Hire
While we debated renting a car, I am glad we didn’t! Not only would the road signs be incredibly difficult to read, but the drivers are slightly crazy! Thankfully, Uber works really well here and is extremely affordable.
Lodging
Initially, we were planning on staying in Lviv for three nights at most because the overnight train day would have counted for an extra day since the train leaves at 10pm. However, mother nature had different plans! Once we arrived, I came down with a cold that kept me in bed for 1-2 days. Once I felt better, MF came down with food poisoning which kept her in bed for 2-3 days. By the end, we had stayed over 6 days! If we knew that, our lodging would have drastically changed!
Nevertheless, we enjoyed our hostel private room at Dream Hostel. The bed eventually became basic and a typical hostel bed, but we stayed in bed much longer than most do in a hostel! Because we were stuck in bed, we relied on the excellent wifi. However, the best part of the hostel is the superb location. Located just outside the main square, the hostel is perfect for exploring and within an easy walk of the entire city. I highly recommend for a quick stay, but AirBnB might be the better option!
Travel Tip: I relied on booking.com because most hotels are listed on this site. Plus, it offers better cancellation and good discounts. We also used hostel world.com for our hostel booking, although you can book directly for cheaper occasionally!
Food & Drinks
Wow, while I expected fantastic dining options after my research, our food and drink choices were fantastic. In fact, the chocolate, cafes, and food is primarily why we stayed in Lviv (other than our poorly timed illnesses!).
Top Recommendation:
Svit Kavy: For all the cafes in Lviv, this one is perhaps my favorite! Once I discovered it, I came back every morning! From the filtered coffee to the flat white, the coffee is fantastic and so good! The cafe is also a great working space and serves great food as well. I usually ordered a yogurt with fruit and I also tried the Eggs Benedict. I loved all of it! For coffee lovers, I highly recommend Svit Kavy!
Armenian Coffee Shop / Вірменка: Most likely my second favorite coffee shop in Lviv, this Armenian coffee shop is perfect for an afternoon cup or to kickstart my day! Creating coffee in multiple ways, my preferred was the traditional Turkish method in sand, with the premium coffee bean, and a touch of sugar. In the afternoons, I also grabbed a tasty dessert because all the locals said to….
Others
Epic Cheeseburger Cafe: Off the main square, this is a dirty burger spot that has the best burgers in town. Granted, we didn’t try any other places! We ordered their named cheeseburger. The burger was cooked to a good medium and it was disgustingly messy - but really good! The fries were also came with a nacho cheese to really top off our meal. If you need a dirty burger, this is the place!
Lviv Handmade Chocolate Cafe: While we found this cafe in Kiev, the Lviv branch is equally terrific! We enjoyed our purchased chocolate so much, that we returned again and again! We highly recommend the milk chocolate with caramel. Plus, nothing beats hot chocolate on a cold afternoon.
Ribs Restaurant at Arsenal: Located in the Arsenal, this simple meat bbq shop serves the best ribs in town. While there will be a line for dinner, we did not have to wait for lunch! Once we sat down, we were explained the relatively simple menu and awaited our ribs and grilled vegetables. Unlike other places, they do not give forks or plates so everything is with your hands! The ribs were actually really good, although nothing can top the US! If we were hungry, we probably could have gotten two rib racks, but we were happy splitting 1 rack and grilled vegetables. This has to be on your list for a tasty meal!
Baczewski Restaurant: Well-known for their dinner, Baczewski serves a traditional Galican buffer breakfast inside their swanky restaurant. While we did not know what to expect because we were sleep deprived after our overnight train, the food was decent. The downside of COVID meant the buffet was served to you and the staff did not speak great English so they could not describe their dishes. Plus, we were very confused about the line and some of the dishes as well. In the end, I am glad we ate at this historic restaurant, but I would have preferred our other options here!
Lviv Coffee Manufacture: Most likely the most famous coffee shop, Coffee Manufacture has a working coffee bean roaster, coffee shop, and restaurant in the main square. Underneath the shop is the coffee mine where you can have FIRE COFFEE!!! While it is a very dramatic experience, fire coffee is great as it is a caramel latte that is lit on fire to create a burnt sugar crust. It was so tasty! On other mornings, I began with coffee and cheesecake. Either method is great here - although the fire coffee is a MUST DO at Coffee Manufacture.
Mons Pius: Located in the most beautiful courtyard in Lviv (and possibly Ukraine), Mons Pius is a high end steakhouse. Once we heard about it on our walking tour, I knew that we would be visiting at some point. For lunch, Mary Frances ordered the steak while I had a steak salad (I was still feeling the after effects from my cold). MF enjoyed her steak, although it was not as good as the US but better than the UK. We also had a great side of vegetables. If you need a fancy date night meal, Mons Pius is well worth it!
Cat Cafe: Possibly MF’s favorite cafe in the world, the Cat Cafe is everything as the name describes - a cafe of cats… My personal nightmare! Once we went to it, we had to return everyday. While people ordered food, I wouldn’t recommend unless you want to fight off cats for your food! We ordered pots of tea and MF enjoyed herself!
Khinkal’nya Na Fedorova: Located off the beaten path and completely in Ukrainian, this Georgian cafe usually only has locals. Because I was by myself, I wasn’t able to try a lot of their menu, so I went with the amazing khachapuri (aka cheesy goodness known as cheese pizza). I highly recommend if you want Georgian food!
Click here for our Lviv Google map pins for all of our hard research of the top food and drink spots!
Next Time….
Obviously, we cannot eat everything, but there is always next time!
- Beer Cultural Experience Center
- Gas Lamp
- Robert Doms Hop House
- Kryivka Restaurant
- Puzata Hata
Activities
- Lviv Old Town Walking Tour: Because we love walking tours, how could we not do one here??
- Italian Courtyard: Highlighted during our walking tour, the courtyard used to be an old family home. Now, it is a picturesque courtyard!
- Lonsky Prison National Memorial: While MF did not want to go because it would be depressing, the prison offers insight into Soviet times.
- High Castle Mountain: If you want outdoors experience and possible views of the city, High Castle overlooks the city. However, it might not offer great views because of the trees.
- Cafes: Because Lviv is the capital of Ukrainian cafes, one has to spend at least a half day bouncing between them!
- Lychakiv Cemetery: Home of all famous Ukrainans and beautiful headstones, Lychakiv is well worth a walk!
- Food: Wow, we were amazed at all the different cuisines in Lviv. We loved eating and trying new things!
Fixed Costs:
- Taxi to Airport from city center: 77UAH (or £2)
- Dream Hostel: £18 per night (~610UAH)
- Walking Tour: £22.50
- Lychakiv Cemetery: £3 (or 100UAH)
- Drinking Coffee: Full of energy!
Exploring Old Town
Because one of us was sick at any given moment in Lviv, most of our time was exploring the Old Town. Wandering through the cobblestone streets was enchanting, especially after the big city life in Kiev! Since we were staying at Dream Hostel, exploring Old Town was extremely easy as we just had to step outside.
In the Rynok Square, this location is the heart of city. Regardless of our timing, the square was the starting point for any adventure. We particularly enjoyed the four fountains on every corner and the great town hall in the middle of the Rynok Square.
The city comes alive at night as the restaurants, bars, and cafes are full! While we missed our sunset views on a beach, the late afternoon and sunset provided a perfect backdrop for pictures as we walked around.
In the morning, the square was quiet and full of locals walking to work as I sipped my morning coffee with my breakfast. If we didn’t want any company, we would walk in the morning!
When I had my afternoon coffee, Old Town was much quieter until closing time and that is when the workers came off their shifts and joined me in the coffee shops or bars. While I really wanted to try the local brew but medicine prevent me!
Old Town Walking Tour
On our first day in Lviv, I obviously had to go on a walking tour! Similar to our Kyiv walking tour, we had a gentle rain throughout which made the experience oh so magical!
Historic Architecture
Surrounding market square and town hall are beautiful, historic architecture dating back through the centuries. Architecture from the Renaissance to Modernism is alive through the buildings. For the renaissance houses, we just saw the three windows on the exterior. Either way, the square is alive as this is where the main cafes, restaurants, and bars are!
In addition to the great square, there are four fountains on every corner. Thus, it is easy to find our location by fountain!
Italian Courtyard
Hidden inside a building off the market square, the famous Italian Courtyard is great for pictures and illustrating that Lviv wants to show off! While the rain (and COVID) meant it wasn’t great, the courtyard is beautiful and also features a cafe.
Sad Jewish History
Like many Eastern European cities, Lviv has a tortured Jewish history from WW2. Before World War 2, Jews prospered in Lviv and there were many synagogues. Now, there are very few and the area remains a memorial.
Greek Orthodox Catholic
Because Lviv had a big Orthodox community before the Poles and Austrian-Hungarians brought Catholicism, the new conquerors had a slight problem. Thus, they created an unique blend of Orthodox and Catholicism that only exists in Lviv. (We later learned that this blend does exist elsewhere). Regardless, the biggest and most beautiful church is this blend. Sadly, it was under construction when we visited!
Armenian Street
Located on the same street as Armenian coffee, the Armenian street is full of supposedly the best bars and cafes! We loved walking down this street!
Most Beautiful Courtyard
While we saw the Italian courtyard and market square, the most beautiful courtyard arguably is the one around Mon PIls. We found a few instagram models as we walked through it. INSERT MORE LANGUAGE BASED ON PHOTOS.
Highest Point in Old Town (Kind of)
To conclude our tour, we walked up to the next highest point in Old Town after the market square. Next to the Baczewski restaurant, the boutique mall has a rooftop bar and point to gaze out over Old Town. Truly a great way to end the tour!
Lychakiv Cemetery
One of the highlights that nearly every blog or travel book recommended was the Lychakiv Cemetery. Located outside Old Town, we could either walk or take the tram. Unfortunately, we relied on outdated information for the tram thus leading us to walk over 30 minutes. While we enjoyed seeing another side of Lviv, the tram would have been much easier!
Travel Tip: Turns out you can take either Tram 1 or 2 to the cemetery!
The Headstones
Unlike other old cemeteries, Lychakiv is one of the oldest and the biggest cemetery in Ukraine. From the ancient dead to war heroes, the cemetery is full of those. Compared to earlier cemeteries, most headstones display pictures or giant beautiful sculptures. Unfortunately, we could not read Ukrainian or Russian, but the artwork was incredible. After sightseeing through buildings, the cemetery was a change of pain.
Cafe Hopping
By far, my favorite thing to do in Lviv as a coffee lover was cafe hopping! There was no shortage of great cups or cafes here! My favorites are listed above, but seriously the coffee is excellent! While Ukraine does not grow their own beans, they have perfected the roasting and coffee making processes.
The UnChartered Summary
Sadly, Lviv has a strange memory as both Mary Frances and I were ill at separate times, yet the cafes and chocolates were lovely! Plus, we enjoyed the architecture was much better!
- My favorite cafes are… Svit for a great morning cup with breakfast and for blogging, then Armenian for a cup of coffee and dessert! If you want flair, head to Coffee Manufacture. Yes, I can’t decide which one was my favorite!
- I would highly recommend staying in Old Town. From walking the Market Square in morning and dusk, it is the perfect place to be!
- If we had time, I would get out and explore western Ukraine. There are beautiful day trips from Lviv!