Overview

The Church of St. Olha and St. Elizabeth is Lviv’s only Neo-Gothic building.  If you arrive by train you can’t miss its imposing spires that are visible from Lviv's Central Railway Station. Originally named St. Elizabeth’s Church, the building was designed by a Polish architect and built in the years 1903-1911 as the parish church for the city’s the western suburb. A bombing raid in 1939 damaged St. Elizabeth’s, which remained open and later served as a warehouse in the postwar years. The church was given new life in 1991 and when it began operating as Greek Catholic church with the new name Church of Saint Olha and Saint Elizabeth.

An observation deck in the church’s spire is schedule to open in the spring/summer of 2013.

Location

The Church of St. Olha and St. Elizabeth is a bit outside Lviv’s center on Kropyvnytskoho Street, a 10-minute walk from the Central Railway Station. From the center, it’s best to get there by taxi – just tell your driver “Do tserkvy Yelyzavety”; it will take you 10-15 minutes and cost about 25 UAH (2.5 EURO).

Details

The post Church of St. Olha and St. Elizabeth (Греко-католицька церква Святих Ольги і Элизавети): Neo-Gothic Spires appeared first on Lviv Alive.

Ukrainian Easter in Lviv

Ukrainian Easter is a family celebration and Lviv, Ukraine is the best place to experience it. The family spirit soars in every Lviv temple, in old squares and the streets where Easter exhibitions, concerts, theatrical performances take place. Joyous Ukrainian songs celebrate the natural and spiritual arrival of spring.

As with Ukrainian Christmas, there are some differences between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic church calendars. Easter in Ukraine often doesn’t coincide with Roman Catholic and Protestant Easter.

Maybe you have Ukrainian roots, a Ukrainian girlfriend, spouse or close friend, or are just curious about charming Ukrainian cultural traditions, then Easter is a great time to visit Lviv. Whatever the reason, Lviv at this time of year will give you incredible experiences and wonderful memories.

Preparing for the Holidays

Willow

A week before Easter Ukrainians celebrate Verbna Nedilya (Palm Sunday). On this day decorative bunches of willows, which in Lviv are called kotyky or bas’ka, are blessed in churches.

Holy Saturday

The Saturday before Easter is the best time to come on holiday to Lviv – you would not miss a thing. On this day Lviv is empty; locals are at home preparing for the big day. Only tourists can be seen in the streets before lunch. Festively dressed families flow to churches towards evening clutching baskets covered with embroidered cloth in their hands; the baskets are full of tasty food – sausages, and ham, and paska (special Easter bread), and pysanky (painted Easter eggs). All of this food is blessed in churches, but one cannot taste it till Sunday, because Lent doesn’t end until then.

The most fervent Christians attend all-night vigil. It is a really marvelous night, full of singing, candle lights and soft-spoken prayers.

Easter Sunday in Lviv

The solemn silence of the Easter morning is broken only by the festive bells of churches. Shortly after that Lviv’s streets are filled with people. It’s time for Easter merriment.

On this day Ukrainians welcome each other with the words Khrystos voskres (“Christ is risen”) and meet Voistynu voskres (“Indeed He is Risen”). Sometimes one can see the old tradition of Khrystosuvannya (exchange of a triple kiss).

Folk Traditions in Lviv – Hayivka Singing

Girls at Shevchenkivs’kyi Hai

One of the oldest Ukrainian Easter traditions that can be traced back to pagan times is the singing of hayivky. A hayivka is an old Ukrainian ceremonial song that celebrates the arrival of spring.

In Lviv, the traditional site for the celebration of spring ritual games is the open-air museum Shevchenkivs’kyi Hai, where the three-day Easter Festival Velyka Hayivka (The Great Hayivka) is held annually. There you can find many interesting and unusual Ukrainian traditions associated with Easter. You can participate in the Kryvyi Tanets (the Crooked Dance) – the dancing and running of a human ribbon. At workshops of traditional dances you might learn to perform simple, but lively, ages-old Ukrainian dances. Special folk games and entertainment for kids can also be found in the children’s play area.

Symbol of Easter – Ukrainian Pysanka

Of course, Ukrainian Easter in Lviv is not possible without pysanky, Ukrainian Easter eggs that are decorated using a wax-resist (batik) method. The tradition of pysanka-making is rooted in ancient times when man was indivisible from nature. So every pysanka is a symbol of awakening, the transformation of snow-covered, frozen ground into bright and happy spring. Would you like to learn the secret art of pysanka-painting and help the forces of good and light fight cold and darkness? Then take part in one of the many workshops that are held every Easter in Lviv's Old Town, in Shevchenkivsky Hai and at many local art studios.

Lviv Pysanky Festival

When you create your own egg-masterpiece, you can put out for all to see. Lviv has its own Pysanky Festival. Eggs made of chocolate, balloons, wood, flowers and many other unexpected materials are set up in the streets at different locations around Lviv.

Fair in the Old Town of Lviv

The Lviv Easter Fair on Prospect Svobody begins on Palm Sunday. There one might find many unique gift items, master classes, entertainment and games. And of course, plenty of delicious festive Easter foods.

Pysanky – Ukrainian Easter Eggs

Ukrainian Easter Food

Easter in Lviv has its own traditional cuisine. The main dish for the whole holidays is paska, a sweet Easter bread. If a pysanka is art work not suitable for eating, then a krashanka – an egg dyed in one color without patterns – is one of the festive dishes.

After the long Lent season, Easter must include many meat dishes – sausage, ham, gammon, and bacon are all on the menu. Easter in Lviv is a time to forget about your diet!

Wet Monday in Lviv – Look Out!

The day after Easter is Wet Monday (oblyvanyi ponedilok). On this day be careful walking around Lviv’s center – it’s customary for large packs of young men to chase and douse female pedestrians with water. So girls, watch out when you’re walking through Lviv on this day.  This ancient pagan rite was originally associated with the spring cleaning and later was adopted into Christianity to symbolize the cleansing of sins.

More Easter Celebrations in Lviv

Easter celebration in Lviv usually continue for a whole week. You can visit many exhibitions at Lviv art galleries and museums, hear concerts with Easter music, see theatrical performances, and even catch Easter-theme parties at Lviv nightclubs.

Western Ukrainian Paska Recipe

Ukrainian Paska – Easter Bread

While baking paska sweet Easter bread is an all-Ukrainian tradition, each region has its own special recipe for it. We offer you our Lviv-style Western Ukrainian paska recipe.

Ingredients

For Dough:

Flour – 1 kg
Milk – 1 cup
30 egg yolks
Yeast – 150 g
Butter – 250 g
Sugar – 400 g
Raisins – 250 g
Salt – 1/2 teaspoon
Vanilla

Also: dried breadcrumbs, oil, 1 egg, powdered sugar.

Directions

• Dissolve yeast in warm milk with 1 tbsp. of sugar and 3 tbsp. of flour and put in a warm place.
• Whip the egg yolks with sugar and vanilla in a bowl that’s put in a large pot of boiling water.
• Whip until a smooth mass is formed.· Add salt to the pre-dough and pour it into the bowl with the flour.
• Add beaten egg yolks and mix.
• Knead till the dough until becomes very smooth and bubbles appear on the surface (about 1 hour).
• Add the melted butter and knead till the butter is evenly blended with the dough.
• Add soaked raisins, easily knead and put in a warm place for dough to raise.
• Meanwhile, prepare the loaf pan – grease it, dredge it with breadcrumbs, lay the parchment paper.
• When the dough rises, put it into the prepared round baking pan (fill up to 2/3 of the pan) and again put it aside for a while to rise.
• When the dough fills out the pan, drizzle the top of it with egg and bake in a preheated oven 190-200 C (375-400F) for about 50 minutes.
• Dredge the baked paska with powdered sugar. and set it out to cool

Useful Ukrainian Phrases for Easter

Christ has risen – Христос воскрес –  Khrystos voskres
Indeed He has risen – Воістину воскрес – Voistynu voskres
Easter – Великдень – Velykden’
Easter bread – Паска – Paska
Easter egg – Крашанка /Писанка –  Krashanka/Pysanka
Easter songs – Гаївки/Веснянки – Hayivky/Vesnyanky
Easter Monday – Обливаний понеділок – Oblyvanyi ponedilok

Read More about Ukrainian Traditions and Food

Christmas in Lviv – Ukrainian Holiday Traditions (and Doughnuts!)
Western Ukrainian and Galician Sweets and Desserts
Galician and Western Ukrainian Regional Cuisine
Everything You Need to Know About Coffee in Lviv

The post Easter Traditions and Food in Lviv, Ukraine appeared first on Lviv Alive.

Overview

On the Square Guesthouse is a newly-renovated boutique guesthouse with a prime location in the heart of Lviv’s historic center. This cute BnB (without the breakfast) offers 6 separate and self-contained suites, all with a private toilet, shower, complimentary toiletries and daily housekeeping. Half of the rooms have great views of Lviv’s picturesque Rynok Square. Additional amenities include laundry services and tour assistance. On The Square Guesthouse is totally non-smoking.

Location

On The Square Guesthouse is located on the second floor of a historic building on Rynok Square just opposite City Hall (Ratusha). To find the hotel’s entrance, look for the “#13″ sign near Lviv’s popular and touristy cafe Kryjivka. On The Square Guesthouse is walking distance from many of Lviv’s “must-see” tourist sights and popular cafes and restaurants.

Rooms

On The Square Guesthouse has 6 rooms including 1 Deluxe Junior Suite, 2 Superior Double rooms and 3 Standard Double rooms.

Standard room features

• Free Wi-Fi / Internet
• Satellite TV
• Toiletries (including a razor and a toothbrush)
• Coffee / Tea making facilities
• Slippers

Key Services and Amenities

• Free Wi-Fi / Internet
• Bed linen / Towels included
• Luggage storage
• 24-hour reception
• Coffee / Tea in the lobby
• Laundry services
• Airport transfer
• Tours / Travel desk
• Hair dryer, Iron / ironing boards, Extra towels / bedding on request

Details

The post On The Square Guesthouse (Готель “На Площі”): Modern & Convenient appeared first on Lviv Alive.

Overview

SKA is the multi-functional sport complex with no analogues elsewhere in Ukraine. The complex houses a stadium, outdoor swimming pool, indoor cycle race track and offers shooting guns and horseback riding facilities. Live music concerts are often held at SKA.

Where?

Located 15-minute walk from the center. To find it on Kleparivs’ka street, you should reach the St. Anne Church on the Y-junction of Horodotska and Shevchenka Streets, then cross Shevchenka Street, enter the side Kleparivska Street and walk along the red fence and further ahead. The SKA’s entrance will be on the left side of the street.

Services and Facilities

• 25-meter open-air swimming pool
• Indoor cycle race track
• Stadium
• Horseback riding services
• Shooting range

Details

The post SKA (Спортивний комплекс СКА): The Only Cycle Race Track In Lviv appeared first on Lviv Alive.

More than Borsch – A Fusion of Cultures

You may associate Ukrainian cuisine with borsch, but you’ll find a whole lot more at Lviv’s Ukrainian restaurants. Western Ukraine’s rich history as a borderland has been marked by periods of trade and conquest. These changes in rulers and borders created a diverse cuisine—traditional Ukrainian dishes were flavored by classic Viennese cooking, Polish influences and a dash of Hungarian spice. The result is a distinctly regional Galician cuisine.

Galicia’s Meat Cult

Shynka (smoked ham)

If you’re a meat lover, then you’ll find lots to like about Galician cuisine. While many dishes may include poultry, beef and lamb, well-prepared pork is by far the most popular ingredient in meat dishes. In Lviv you can try delicious kruchenyky (meat rolls stuffed with mushrooms or prunes), shynka (smoked ham) or kovbasa (sausages), which all go well with local beers. But the iconic pork dish in Lviv is salo (cured bacon). It can be served raw, and salted, and boiled, and smoked, and roasted. For an authentic experience, try some salo spread on dark bread with pickles and a few (or several) shots of horilka (vodka).

Galician Food for Vegetarians

Varenyky with mushrooms

If you’re a vegetarian, then you’ll find that Galician cuisine has lots of hearty vegetable and starchy dishes for you to enjoy. In Western Ukraine the king vegetable is cabbage—it’s the main ingredient in many dishes from borsch and kapusnyak (cabbage soup) to holubtsi (stuffed cabbage rolls) and varenyky (stuffed with cabbage). And how could we forget to mention deruny (potato pancakes with a crispy golden crust)? A whole variety of salads? And comfort foods like varenyky (dumplings) and mlyntsi (pancakes) topped with sour cream? It’s hard to find another national cuisine that could compete with the rich assortment of starchy Galician dishes, including dishes with healthy hrechka (buckwheat).

Holiday Cuisine

If you want to experience the full diversity of Galician cuisine, then visit Lviv during Ukrainian Christmas or Easter. Then you can taste holiday dishes like kutya and pampukhy at Christmastime, and paska and krashanky during Easter. You might not find many vegetarians in Ukraine, but Western Ukrainians tend to be very religious and fast during the holidays; so you’ll find lots of meatless dishes during Easter and Christmas feasts.

Where to Enjoy Galician Cuisine in Lviv

Nearly every Lviv restaurant offers some Galician and West Ukrainian dishes. But if you’re looking for restaurants that specialize in traditional local cuisine, then you might want to try Seven Piggies, Kentavr, Restoratsiya na Valoviy, Kryjivka, Kumpel, Panska Charka, or many others.

Quick Guide to Western Ukrainian Dishes

Banosh – a hearty polenta-like dish that’s prepared with corn flour and sour cream seasoned with bacon, mushrooms and farmer’s white cheese. It’s popular in Ukraine’s Carpathian region. See our recipe below.

Varenyky – also known as pyrohy (pierogi) – varenyky are square- or crescent-shaped dumplings of unleavened dough, stuffed with sauerkraut, farmer’s white cheese, mashed potatoes, cabbage, meat or a combination of these, or fruit fillings. Varenyky are typically topped with fried salo bits (shkvarky) and onions and accompanied with sour cream. Sweet, fruit-filled varenyky are served with sour cream and sugar.

Deruny with sour cream

Deruny – shallow-fried pancakes of grated potato, flour and egg, often flavored with grated onion or garlic and seasonings. They are often served topped with meat sauce, pork crisps, as well as sour cream, mushroom sauce and farmer’s white or sheep’s cheese.

Borsch – this well-known soup is made with beetroot as the main ingredient, that gives it its distinctive deep purple color. While borsch is not an exclusively Galician dish, it’s prepared differently in Western Ukraine than in other parts of the country. Borsch is usually served with sour cream (smetana) and pampushky (little buns) spread with minced garlic. During Christmas, borsch is served with vushka (small dumplings with mushroom filling)

Kruchenyky – thin slices of steak stuffed with mushrooms, onions or prunes, rolled in a tube and sealed by a thread or wooden skewers, fried in lard or butter, stewed in its own juices.

Kholodets’ – (sometimes called dryhli in Western Ukraine) a meat aspic prepared according to old recipes. Aspic is prepared from beef, pork or poultry meat. Kholodets’ is served with horseradish and mustard or vinegar.

Salo- cured pork fat, this iconic national dish is often mixed with garlic and spread on bread.

Buryachky – a fiery salad of red beets and fresh horseradish, which also goes well as a spread for meats and sausages.

Shkvarky – fried bits of bacon; a universal snack and a component of many dishes

Nalysnyky – thin pancakes with filling, often white cheese or mushrooms, meat, or cabbage. Served with sour cream

Uzvar – a slightly sweet compote of dried fruits

Recipe for Carpathian Banosh

This hearty polenta-like dish is served only in Western Ukraine. Some believe that the best banosh can only be found Ukraine’s Carpathian Mountains.

Banosh

Ingredients
Cream (20% fat) – (800 ml)
Corn grits (finely ground) – (1/2 cup)
Soft white sheep’s milk cheese (preferably brinsen) – (200 g)
Smoked pork (sliced) – (100 g)
Vegetable or sunflower oil (1 tablespoon)
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
Nutmeg
Butter

Prepare Topping
Cut the smoked pork into strips and fry them.
Grate the cheese
Prepare Corn Grits
Bring the cream to a soft boil.
Add small pinches of sugar and salt. Be careful with the salt, keep in mind that the brinsen cheese is salty enough.
Gradually pour the corn grits into the cream.
Stir the mixture constantly. If you want, you can adjust the consistency with by adding a little water.
Cook 10-15 minutes. Turn off the stove.
Add pinches of nutmeg and butter.
Top the corn grit mixture with slices of fried smoked pork and grated cheese and serve.

Smachnoho! (“Bon appetit!”) and enjoy your meal.

Survival Ukrainian for Diners

I’m hungry (thirsty) / Я хочу їсти (пити) / Ya khochu yisty (pyty)
Please bring me a menu / Принесіть меню, будь-ласка / Prynesit’, bud’-laska, menyu
I’d like to try one of your national dishes / Я хочу спробувати національну кухню / Ya khochu sprobuvaty natsionalnu kukhnyu
Please, bring me …/ Будь-ласка, принесіть мені / Bud’-laska , prynesit’ meni…
That’s delicious / Дуже смачно! / Duzhe smachno!
I don’t like this / Мені не подобається / Meni ne podobayet’sya
What would you recommend? / Що б ви порадили? / Scho b vy poradyly?
Bon appetit! / Смачного! / Smachnoho!
I’d like some…/ Я б хотів… / Ya b khotiv…
Varenyky with potatoes / Вареники з картоплею / Varenyky z kartopleyu
Varenyky with cabbage / Вареники з капустою / Varenyky z kapustoyu
Varenyky with cherries/ Вареники з вишнями / Varenyky z vyshnyamy
Borshch/ Борщ / Borshch
Pancakes with caviar / Млинці з ікрою / Mlyntsi z ikroyu
Sour cream / сметана / Smetana
Another round (of drinks), please. / Повторіть! / Povtorit’!
Bring the bill, please. / Будь-ласка, рахунок / Bud’-laska, rakhunok!

Still Hungry? Read More

Read our related article on Galician and Western Ukrainian Sweets
See a full list of Lviv’s Ukrainian restaurants in our Dining Locator.

The post Galician and Western Ukrainian Regional Cuisine appeared first on Lviv Alive.

Western Ukrainian and Galician Sweets

For centuries the city of Lviv, Ukraine has been treating its residents and visitors to a unique aura of coffee and pastry aromas. Delicious Lviv sweets have a long history – since the Middle Ages you could find oriental sweets and French desserts in Lviv. Later local artisans learned to produce their own diverse sweets. By the early 20th century, there were sweet shops and confectioneries in almost every building of present-day Prospect Svobody and Prospect Shevchenka.

Today Lviv’s pastry shops and cafés offer you a huge selection of sweet stuff – from different fruit desserts to fabulous cakes. For Lvivites baking is a passionate pursuit of men and women alike.

Local Sweet Specialties

Plyatsok

Special types of cakes and pastries (called plyatsky ) are made mostly in Western Ukraine. These rectangular cakes come are served in pie shells with different fillings. A plyatsok not only has to be delicious but it must also be pleasing to the eye, so its ingredients must be treated with imagination and care.

Stop by any Lviv pastry shop and examine its dessert case. You’ll find magnificently plump plyatsky richly covered with freckles of raisins, and plyatsky with rose confiture covered with chocolate glaze. Then there are royal cinnamon-scented honey cakes with layers of chocolate and rum.

King of Lviv’s Sweets, Syrnyk (Cheesecake)

And we can’t forget to mention the syrnyk, a Lviv-style cheesecake. If you’re a sweet tooth, you’ll find it hard to resist. Even the most severe man, indifferent to whimsies like chocolate, whipped cream, and marzipan, cannot resist the delicate flavors of cheese and vanilla. A century ago every Lviv lady used a “syrnyk’s power” to win the heart of the boy of her choice. Girls from a respectable Lviv families were expected to learn all the good secrets and nuances of courtship, including baking cheesecakes.

Although Lviv fashions have changed with the times, admiration for the syrnyk remains. Try your hand at making a syrnyk (cheesecake) with our recipe below.

How to Make Lviv Syrnyk (“Cheesecake”)

Syrnyk

Ingredients
For dough:
Butter (120g)
Flour (300g)
Baking powder (1 teaspoon)
Sour cream (2 tablespoons)
1 Egg
Cocoa powder (3 tablespoons)
For cheese curd:
Farmer’s cheese (1 kg)
6 egg yolks
6 frothed egg whites
Sugar (1 ½ cups)
Melted butter (100 g)
Corn starch (2 tablespoons)
Vanilla extract (1 tablespoon)
Raisins (1/2 – 2/3 cup)
Zest of one small orange
For optional chocolate ganache topping:
High quality bittersweet chocolate (250 grams)
Heavy cream (1 cup)
Rum (1 tablespoon)

Directions
Make dough for the thin lower layer:
Cut the butter and mix it with the flour.
Add the baking powder, sour cream and egg.
Knead the dough.
Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Then roll out the dough, put it into the baking form and dredge it with a few tablespoons of cocoa powder.

Make the cheese curd filling:
Beat the egg yolks with sugar.
Mash the farmer’s cheese (best done with a blender)
Gradually pour in beaten-up yolks and butter.
Add the starch
Carefully stir in the frothed egg whites, raisins, orange zest and vanilla extract.
Pour the cheese curd mixture onto the dough in the baking form.

Bake the syrnyk:
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F)
Put the syrnyk the preheated oven and reduce the temperature to 150 C (300 F).
Bake for 50-60 minutes

Check to see if the syrnyk is ready:
Insert a small knife into the center of the cheescake; if it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
Or check the cheesecake’s internal temperature with a thermometer–the ideal temperature is about 70 to 72 degrees C (160 to 165 degrees F).
Some bakers turn off the oven and leave the syrnyk inside for 30-45 minutes to ensure it’s completely set.
Let the syrnyk cool overnight the refrigerator.

Make chocolate ganache topping:
Chop the chocolate and place into a medium bowl.
Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat.
Bring the cream to a soft boil, watching it carefully – don’t let it boil over.
When the cream has come to a boil, pour it over the chocolate, and whisk until smooth.
Stir in the rum if you like.
Let the chocolate mixture to cool slightly before pouring over the cooled syrnyk.
Start at the center of the syrnyk and work outward.

Enjoy. Smachnoho! (Bon appétit!)

Where to Find Galician Sweets in Lviv

There are countless sweet shops and cafés in Lviv, each with its own unique atmosphere. Below are just a few of these many places.

Tsukernya (3, Staroyevreyska Street)
Tsukernya (Confectionery) is known for its confectionery masterpieces created to classic, and to the newest recipes. The menu presents a large selection of branded Galician and Western Ukrainian pastries with natural ingredients and at reasonable prices. You can order delicious sweets to go as well.

Veronika (21, Shevchenko Ave.).

Pastries at Veronika

As one of Lviv’s most upscale restaurants and sweet shops, Veronika is a “must see” for first-time visitors. You will find rich homemade desserts that you can enjoy in ornate surroundings. Veronika is very popular among tourists and locals alike, so reservations are recommended.

Vienna Coffee House (12, Prospect Svobody).
Videnska kavyarnya (Viennese Coffeehouse) is Lviv’s oldest coffeehouse, operating since 1829. Vienna Coffee is located on Prospect Svobody behind the Shevchenko monument with a delightful terrace and view. Try its kava po vidensky and apple strudel.

Rudyi Kit (4, Drukars’ka Street)
Rudyi Kit (Red Cat) is a cozy café and sweetshop not far from Ploscha Rynok and famous Virmenska Street. It has a large variety of different desserts and pastries made to the old recipes.

Looking for More Lviv Sweet Shops?

See a full list of Lviv’s sweet shops in our Dining Locator.

Useful Dessert Phrases in Ukrainian

Cheese cake / Сирник / Syrnyk
Pastry / Пляцок / Plyatsok
Sweets / Солодке / Solodke
Sponge cake / Бісквіт\Цвібак / Biskvit\Tsvibak
Shortbread dough/ Пісочне тісто / Pisochne tisto
Poppy roll / Макова роляда / Makova rolyada
Strudel / Струдель / Strudel’
Vanilla cream / Ванільний соус / Vanil’nyi sous
Whipped cream / Збиті вершки / Zbyti vershky
Fruit dessert / Фруктовий десерт / Fruktovyi desert
Ice cream / Морозиво / Morozyvo
Chocolate / Шоколад / Shokolad

Still Curious about Lviv Cuisine? Read More

Ukrainian and Galician Cuisine
Everything You Need to Know About Coffee in Lviv

The post Western Ukrainian and Galician Sweets and Desserts appeared first on Lviv Alive.

Lviv’s Hrushevsky Cinema Jazz restaurant is located in the same building that once housed “Korso”, the city’s first cinema that opened in 1912. At Hrushevky you can enjoy Continental European and Ukrainian cuisine as well as weekly movie screenings and live music in a fashionable setting.

Where?

Hrushevsky Cinema Jazz sits right in Lviv’s city center on Prospect Shevchenko Avenue, steps from central avenue Prospect Svobody and not far from McDonald’s. The restaurant is located just opposite the Hrushevsky Monument.

Atmosphere

Hrushevsky Cinema Jazz has two halls, each one accommodates up to 80 persons. The upstairs cafe area features high ceilings, large windows and and lily-violet curtains; the room’s walls are executed in white and grey and photos of old Lviv adorn the walls. Here you can hear daily live piano music from 5:30 p.m. and see film screenings from 7:30 p.m.. The basement-level lounge is popular with a glamorous crowd and features brick walls and a stage where you can hear jazz improvisations on weekdays at 8:30 p.m. and live concerts on weekends beginning at 10:30 pm.

The staircase down to the lounge has steps designed as piano claviers; under it you will find a special red telephone booth that’s a soundproof cabin where you can choose “where you are” before picking up your mobile phone.

Menu

Hrushevsky Cinema Jazz features a mix of Continental European, and Ukrainian cuisine.  House specialties include Cult Movie (beef steak with onions and green butter) and American Dream (pepper steak with brandy sauce). Meat lovers will appreciate the large selection of dishes including wild boar. Beverage options include an extensive wine list, 21 kinds of natural tinctures and kvass, a fermented drink, low in alcohol, made from rye flour or bread with malt. In the morning you can choose from breakfast offers like Breakfast in Lyons, Breakfast in Milan or Breakfast in Cannes as well as muesli, oatmeal porridge, all available from 9 a.m. till 12 p.m. A fixed-price business lunch is served on weekdays from 12 p.m. till 4 p.m.

Keep in Mind

Hrushevsky is quite popular with a fashionable crowd, especially the downstairs lounge. Reservations are strongly recommended for evenings and weekends.

Details

The post Hrushevsky Cinema Jazz (Ресторан Імпровізацій “Грушевський Сінема Джаз”) appeared first on Lviv Alive.

Located on historic Virmens’ka Street, Spizharka is not only cafe and sweet shop, but also “a real flat of a real Galician housewife”, where you can taste homemade sweets, ice cream and pastries as well as homemade marmalade (jams) and pickles. A cozy quiet spot good for coffee and dessert, breakfast or light snacks.

Where?

Spizharka sits in the city center on Virmens’ka Street, steps from Lviv’s Rynok Square, and a 7-minute walk from Prospect Svobody. All of Lviv’s downtown tourist sights are nearby.

Atmosphere

Spizharka is a Galician word for pantry, where local housewives stored their goods and that’s why the cafe’s first hall operates as a shop with handmade souvenirs, pastries, sweets, marmalade and marinades made according to old Galician recipes.

Tiny Spizharka features 2 completely non-smoking halls with small seating areas for about 20 persons. The first hall – a sitting room – is executed in dark blue colors with bookshelves and paintings on the walls, the second hall – a kitchen – features bright yellow tones and assorted kitchenware from the early 20th century.

In warmer weather Spizharka has a small terrace with a few tables and chairs set out on historic Virmens’ka Street.

Menu

Spizharka specializes in homemade pastries, desserts, pickles and marinades. However, here you’ll also find salads, sandwiches, toasts and hot dishes. Try the Austrian potato salad with hot sausages and for dessert, go for a homemade cheesecake or the “Bird’s milk” souffle-cake. Do not forget to taste the house’s pastries - anise or almond biscuits and prunes in chocolate. The beverage offerings include coffee, tea, juice, milk shakes with homemade ice cream, and mineral water. Among the pickles you can find marinated bell peppers, garlic, cabbage, beets. Marmalade choices include melon, apple, apricot, cherry, quince and other jams. You can try any of jams for free.

Details

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L’UFT Pub sits right in Lviv’s center and features democratic prices and comfy couches. It’s a good place to hang out with your friends or catch some live music.

Where?

L’UFT Pub is located inside Lviv Art Palace in the city center on Kopernyka Street next to Potocki Palace, and a few steps off central avenue Prospect Svobody.

Atmosphere

L’UFT Pub has 2 spacious halls with large windows and it can accommodate up to 120 people. The pub’s interior features wooden paneling, cozy leather sofas and colorful bean bag chairs. L’UFT frequently hosts live music in the evening, free movies in “Katrusya’s cinema hall” at 10 p.m. on Mondays, and La Salsa dance parties on Sundays. Twice a month L’UFT Pub welcomes “Drum & Bass Flat”. A popular hangout for young people.

Menu

L’UFT Pub offers a mix of Ukrainian and Continental European cuisine and a wide range of drinks. Start with the roasted beets with feta. For a meat dish, go for the liver with potatoes or the beef with beans. L’UFT’s cheese “worms” go well with a glass (or several) of beer. A fixed-price business lunch is available on weekdays from 1 p.m. till 3 p.m.

Details

Keep in mind:

As of December 2012, there was no English menu.

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Lviv Christmas Fair

Ever dream that Christmas could happen twice a year? Welcome to Lviv, Ukraine – a town where dreams come true! Imagine celebrating Christmas with your family in America or Western Europe, and then packing your bags for Lviv for another “serving” of Christmas.

Lviv is big on celebrations. One Christmas was not enough, so Lvivians came together and decided – why not double the fun?

Well, actually there was another reason. Traditionally Lviv’s minority Roman Catholics celebrate Christmas on December 25th according to the Gregorian calendar while a majority–Greek Catholics and Orthodox–use the Julian calendar and celebrate on January 7th. But as Lvivians are nuts about holidays, they don’t mind supporting their neighbors and marking both Christmases.

Winter holidays last a month in Ukraine. Many Lviv locals refer to the period from December 19th to January 19th as “Ukrainian Ramadan.” Businessmen should be aware of this holiday schedule and plan their business trips and meetings around these dates.

Christmas Caroling – Lviv-Style Trick or Treating

One of the most memorable things about Christmas in Lviv is kolyadnyky, children going house to house singing carols. People give them a small amount of money and sweets almost like trick or treating in America. But kolyadky (Christmas carols) are not only childish amusements. From Christmas till the end of January there’s the Great Kolyada Christmas Carols Festival at the Dominican Cathedral. Shortly after Christmas the Rock-Kolyada Festival thunders at Robert Doms Beer House, where Christmas carols are performed in an ethno-rock style.

Verteps – Children’s Christmas Nativity Plays

Vertep – Christmas nativity play

Slightly older children often participate in Verteps – Christmas nativity plays, which retell story about the birth of baby Jesus in difficult conditions, about the eternal victory of life over death. In addition to figures from the Bible, Verteps are often populated with other vivid characters such as imps, gypsies, and death itself. Such creative Verteps are often much more popular than traditional stories starring St. Joseph or the Eastern Wise Men. You can watch Vertep performances from January 7 to 9 in Lviv’s Old Town. Lviv’s streets fill with the holiday spirit as thousands gather on the old square to enjoy well-told tales.

Shop at Lviv’s Christmas Fair, Ice Skating on Rynok Square

If you’re looking for Ukrainian souvenirs, then check out the Lviv Christmas Fair. There you can buy handcrafts, lyalky-motanky (traditional Ukrainian talismanic dolls), jewelry or CD’s with Christmas music. You can also treat yourself to glintvein (hot spiced wine), mead and coffee; have a bite of varenyky (traditional dumplings) or pampushky (doughnuts). Lviv’s Christmas Fair spreads out on Rynok Square and Prospect Svobody.

Another way to warm up is a bit of winter sport on the small ice skating rink on Lviv’s Rynok Square. It’s open from 10:00 a.m. till 11:00 p.m and for reasonable price (about 4 Euro) the you can rent ice skates and enjoy skating to Christmas music (picture a Rockefeller Center with a medieval backdrop.)

New Years in Lviv

Not surprisingly there are also two New Year’s Eves in Lviv. The first is celebrated on December 31st/January 1st, and the second, called Old New Year, or St. Basil’s Day, is celebrated on the night of 13th/14th January. Singing children go house to house again. But this time instead of kolyadky, the children sing schedrivky (from the word schedry – “generous”). They sprinkle the floors of their neighbors with grain and wish their hosts joy and prosperity for the New Year. One of the Ukrainian schedrivky must be familiar to you – it’s the well-known Christmas Carol of the Bells by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych.

Watch this picturesque time-lapse video of Lviv at Christmas set to the Carol of the Bells.

Traditional Ukrainian Winter Holiday Cuisine

Kutya – sweet grain pudding

All winter holidays in Lviv are accompanied by a grand feast. At Christmas Lviv families serve many special traditional dishes. For example, on Christmas Eve (January 6th) there should be 12 traditional Lenten dishes on the table of every family. Kutya (a sweet grain pudding) is one of the main dishes. Other Ukrainian dishes include varenyky, borscht, uzvar (dried fruit compote), and pampushky (doughnuts)–don’t miss our doughnut recipe below.

On January 7 the fasting is over, and a variety of meat dishes are added. Keep in mind that Lvivians are very hospitable, and every hostess is proud of her cooking abilities. So if you’re visiting a Lviv family for Christmas, prepare to be stuffed with food so much that you’ll hardly be able to walk. It’s almost impossible to escape Lviv hospitality–don’t bother telling your hosts that you’re “on a diet.”

Lviv Christmas Holiday Calendar – Key Dates

December 19 – St. Nicholas Day (similar to “Boxing Day” in some countries). On this day children get sweets and gifts from under their pillows. If you are going to visit families with children on that day, it is appropriate to bring a gift, candy or a chocolate or gingerbread figure of St. Nicholas.

Also, this day the illumination of the Christmas tree in the square in front of the Opera House lights and Lviv’s Christmas fair begins

December 24- On Roman Catholic Christmas Eve the main nativity scene (shopka) opens on Rynok Square.

December 25 – Roman Catholic Christmas. The Bethlehem fire of peace arrives in Lviv.

January 1 – New Year’s Day (there are officially two vacation days – 1 and 2 January, but most people take that entire week off and little business gets done during that time.)

January 6 – Orthodox and Greek Catholic Christmas Eve. the Didukh is mounted in Prospect Svobody. Didukh is a sheaf, which is to be brought into the house on winter holidays according to ancient pagan tradition. It symbolizes the ancestors of the family. Lviv empties; everybody is sitting down for their holiday meal or attending church service.

January 7- Orthodox and Greek Catholic Christmas. Kolyadnyky and Verteps are going around, folk festivities are starting – all these last at least 3 days. At the outdoor museum Shevchenkivsky Hai you can attend the “Light of the Christmas Star” Festival with Ukrainian Christmas carols and traditional dishes. The three-day Lviv Doughnut Festival (Svyato Pampukha), one of the city’s biggest festivals also takes place during this time.

January 13-14 – Old New Year.

January 19 – Epiphany or Jordan. The night-before dinner with traditional 12 dishes is repeated. On January 19 a blessing of the water is carried out. The boldest celebrants bathe in nearby lakes. This date marks the end of the long winter holidays in Ukraine. Lvivians calm down and wait for Easter in Lviv.

Lviv Recipe for Doughnuts (Pampukhy)

Pampukhy – doughnuts

Each hostess in Lviv takes pride in her own secret recipe of pampukhy. Here’s an old family recipe for these delicious doughnuts.

Ingredients
For the dough:

• Flour – 1 kg
• Yeast – 100 g
• Sugar – 100-150 g
• Milk – 1/2 liter
• 7 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• Salt
• Vegetable oil – 5-6 tablespoons
• Butter – 100 g
• 1/3 sticks of vanilla
• lemon juice and zest

Filling: You can select one of the options filling: rose jam, cherries, pounded poppy seeds mixed with nuts

For frying: 1-1.5 kg fat for frying (oil, margarine, lard), 100 g of powdered sugar

Equipment: Fryer or frying pan with a cover

Directions for Making Doughnuts

• Mix the yeast with 1 teaspoon of sugar, 200 g of flour and 200 g of milk to prepare the pre-dough. Put it in a warm place.
• Beat the egg and egg yolks with sugar. Add flour, pre-dough, vanilla, lemon juice, zest, remaining milk and salt.
• Knead the dough until it is smooth and shiny and bubbles appear on the surface.
• Add oil and knead some more.
• Put the dough in a warm place to rise (10-15 min)
• Warm up the oil for frying
• Gather the dough in small portions, putting stuffing into the middle. Seal each pampukh very well making sure that the filling doesn’t ooze out. Place it on floured surface with sealed side down. Cover with a towel.
• Check the temperature of the oil by putting a small piece of dough into it. If a piece pops up quickly and gets brown immediately, then the oil is ready for frying the pampukhy.
• Take them carefully one after another and putting them into the fat topside down.
• The doughnuts have to float freely in the pan.
• Cover with a lid and fry them (approximately for 2-2.5 min).
• When doughnut bottoms get brown, flip them and continue frying them uncovered.
• Put doughnuts on parchment paper to dry and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Useful Ukrainian Phrases for Christmas

Traditional Ukrainian Christmas dinner

Christmas greeting (Literally: Christ was born)- Христос народився – Khrystos narodyvsya
Reply to the Christmas greeting (Literally: Let’s praise Him)- Славімо його – Slavimo yoho
Happy New Year – З новим роком – Z novym rokom
Merry Christmas – Веселих свят – Veselykh svyat
Christmas carolers – Колядники – Kolyadnyky
Christmas sheaf – Дідух – Didukh
Christmas tree – Ялинка – Yalynka
Christmas sweet grain pudding – Кутя – Kutya
Doughnuts – Пампухи – Pampukhy
Dried fruit compote – Узвар – Uzvar
Dumplings – Вареники – Varenyky

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