Veselka

Veselka
9th and 2nd, East Village
212-228-9682

A 24 hour Ukrainian Cafe that's been in the East Village for 55 years.

Food
Ukrainian is not a food that one often says they crave, but after tasting Veselka's vittles you will begin to crave it.

The menu is fairly large and offers full blown meals as well as lighter fare. The portions are generous and the dishes are fairly priced. My favorites are the handmade perogis. There are several options for fillings and each one is as delicious as the next. The Blintzes (Ukrainian crepes) are filled with a lightly sweetened cheese and served with any number of toppings (I recommend the fruit toppings). The mixture of fruit and cheese blends perfectly.

The chili is delicious but fair warning: if your bowels don't like things on the spicier side you will love eating it at night and your body may dislike you in the morning. All the best foods turn out that way.

Atmosphere
When Veselka first opened as a candy store and newspaper stand it was a family run business. Now, 55 years later it is still a family run place; just a few times larger than before.


While growing in the East Village, Veselka has offered it's space to the artists, writers, students and all of the strange and unique people who frequent the East Village. The decoration in the dinning room often changes with large canvas art work. I haven't done enough research yet so I am not entirely sure if the art is done by local artists and is for sale, but it has never been the same when I visit.

The glass walls give the dinning area a very spacious feeling, but the tables are all closer together so it still feels like a small neighborhood cafe and to add to that feeling, there is a counter where you can just walk in and order sandwiches to go or some tasty dessert.

Service
My friends and I often go to Veselka after 10 pm either when I have just arrived in the city or when we have been out late enough to need a second dinner. Usually the staff seems pretty busy with running from table to table but they are friendly, quick and helpful with explaining what the fancy words on the menu mean.

Overall Rating

Veselka is a great place to go to when you want a meal and you want something delicious and also familiar (once you have eaten there at least once).

An overall 6 of 10.