Veselka
Ukrainian Restaurant and Eastern European Restaurant$$$$
East Village, New York
The experts at The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times recommend this place
"Fast service and the food.. must try the pierogi!!"(241 Tips)
"Borsht, sausage and vareniki with meat are all great options!"(111 Tips)"The potato pancake is great and so is the Blintzes!"(27 Tips)
"Try the Ukranian Meatballs, Potato Pancake & Perogies"(29 Tips)
630 Tips and reviewsFilter:
- pierogies
- blintzes
- good for a late night
- breakfast food
- potato pancakes
- (15 more)
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Jodi Dorfman-SiegelJanuary 5, 2020Great pierogies, beef stroganoff over potato pancakes, raspberry lemonade. Lots of tasty choices. The chocolate custard for dessert was delicious.
Rick NijhuisFebruary 16, 2017Lower east side icon. Tasty, filling Eastern European (not all Ukrainian) food. Borscht is packed with flavor!
Kristina RudicMay 7, 2017This place is great for groups! The food is hearty, yummy, and easy to share if you choose to do so!
Both Stage's and Veselka's Borscht are delicious, but Veselka edges slightly ahead with their pork infused broth
Jamie Dubs WSeptember 22, 2018Borscht, pierogies (potato and short rib are my favorite), mixed Ukrainian grill
Niki Katherine HolmesJuly 16, 2015Get a variety of pierogi and an ice-cold cherry lime rickey. The little cup of grilled onions and sour cream are heaven!
Michael CottrellFebruary 14, 2015Short rib pierogi's were great, potato pancake was the sweet cousin of hash browns with apple sauce on top. GRITS/POACHED EGGS WAS OFF THE FIGURATIVE CHAIN. Coffee was eh, bacon was gooooooood.
SabrinaJuly 11, 2015Great easy spot for late night food and a beer. Short rib pirogies pan fried are the way to go. And the boiled spinach and cheese.
Alex PriceDecember 28, 2017Vegetarian? 1. Get the deluxe platter with borscht as your soup. 2. Wait a few minutes. 3. Thank me through heaping mouthfuls of outstandingly-delicious food.
Nat HarwardDecember 10, 2013Varenyky (Pierogies): "What Veselka will always be is the place you can go at 3 am when it’s freezing and all you need is a plate of crispy, golden starch bombs to make you feel warm & happy & full." Read more
Tec GoblinSeptember 5, 2017The cold borscht is really good and great value, refreshing and surprisingly filling. The rest of the cuisine is good but heavy, as expected from Ukrainian
Tim MosbackAugust 8, 2012The best every day restaurant burger in New York City. The bun is a light, fluffy seeded roll from Amy's, and the patty is made from lean, ground chuck that's delivered fresh six days a week.
Giulia MJuly 24, 2020Latkes. Matzah ball soup. Fast and friendly service. Good for late night food too (open 24 hours).
This institution, appreciated by locals is worth returning to, so when you've had the salmon bagel, make sure you tick off all the Ukrainian specials - with beetroot horseradish!
MarcApril 26, 2013The Cheeseburger is featured on Eater's 2013 Ultimate Burger Bracket, Budget Burger Division; Pierogies made Buzzfeed 31 Delicious Things You Need To Eat In NYC This Winter
Berk KapiciogluMarch 13, 2016A historic and spacious Ukrainian restaurant. Open 24 hours. The pierogi (Ukrainian dumpling) is overrated. I recommend a large bowl of classic borscht. Grumpy waitresses add to the authenticity.
I'm such a sucker for Stuffed Cabbage, with Mushroom Gravy, of course, and a nice side of Kasha (not Kasha Varnishkes, sadly) also w/gravy =-D Awesome Pierogi, nice people, try the Borscht already!- Katrina KildareJune 27, 2016Best borscht in town. Great late night eatery, always busy, much fun. Great service
Beware the cold borscht, in which a hard-boiled egg often lurks beneath the surface! The hot borscht is safe. A side of beet and horseradish salad (really, more of a relish) is safest.
Food NetworkAugust 17, 2011Ted Allen pops in at Veselka, in New York, NY, a great spot for breakfast or a late-night snack on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate. We recommend Ukranian Borscht. Find more tips at FN Local. Read more
Cesar RazuriApril 13, 2013The meatballs. Get the meatballs, and a side of mashed potatoes. Best quick meal you'll ever have in life.
If you're hungry, get the Deluxe Meat Plate. Excellent pierogi, kielbasa, and stuffed cabbage.
Eyal GantzJanuary 21, 2018Even though it is SO BUSY. It is def worth the wait as the food is just perfect.
Ms HeleneSeptember 1, 2015Vegetable soup was served lukewarm and bland aside from dill freshness. The small size was large enough for one, $7. Goats cheese and arugula pierogi & sauerkraut with mushrooms best. Latke reheated
Get the arugula and goat cheese pierogies. They are the best. And the blintzes are legit. Just like my grandmother used to make.
Roger RabbitDecember 29, 2019Had the pierogies- pretty solid but not amazing. Love the stuffed cabbage blitzes is solid
Maria Camila Iannini M.September 27, 2018Try the fried meat and cheese perogies 🥟with caramelizar onions and bacon 🥓. Delicious!
MetroFocusNovember 14, 2011Comedy Central funnyman and New Yorker, Jon Stewart is a big fan of the deliciously fried pierogi. Stop in anytime at this 24-hour Ukrainian spot to grab some pierogi and read more on MetroFocus. Read more
Although likely overlooked, the 3-bean chili is bomb. My favorite in the city. Make sure you get onions on top!
Lauren GrimmFebruary 16, 2016If you ask nicely, you can have a meatless stuffed cabbage on the meat plate - yum!
NoviDecember 31, 2019Pierogies!!!! Fried! Try them all! A cup of boscht is never a bad choice too. Gets crowded around 4am as nearby bars close
Marie La RueMarch 26, 2023East Village institution. The matzo ball soup is excellent. Pierogies are a must.
Nicholas PoonJune 19, 2017Loved the sausage plate! Along with dumplings makes for a huge satisfying dinner.
Jason PastoreNovember 10, 2016Corned beef hash, potato pancake, and shirt rib pierogis for breakfast was amazing!!- MarmyFebruary 27, 2018Potatoes varenyky with onion, bacon and sour cream was good, but very small portion. At home I eat usually 20 pices 😋 The drink menu didn’t contain any brand of ukrainen vodka - a pity...
Roniel TesslerAugust 22, 2018The stuffed cabbage is the best you'll ever have. Obviously get pierogies. Beet horseradish and sauerkraut, also 💯
HashtagNYUAugust 29, 2014Perfect for any meal at any time of day. Next time you’re at this pierogi paradise, don’t forget to try their matzo ball soup! Read more
Chris GampatNovember 26, 2017The burger is beautiful. The hot apple cider is dope. Their pierogis are fantastic. Also super nice staff.
Nir BanchikFebruary 18, 2018Amazing food with a taste of east Europe. If you coming originally from that area you will feel like home
The pierogies are to die for. (And they got a couple Gossip Girl shout outs over the years). This location's vibe is way more fun than the Bowery one.
Susan S.August 30, 2015Classic NYC spot - open late with great pierogies and potato pancakes. The beef stroganoff was excellent as well!
Beth McMahonDecember 26, 2015Amazing home cooked real food with an authentic European touch. It's a small space so be willing to wait and go hungry!
Jonathan CourtneyMay 3, 2015Excellent breakfast and brunch. Amazingly friendly and charming service. Go for the pancakes with eggs and corned beef.
Jenna SJuly 5, 2017their pierogis are dope. this was a regular haunt when i lived in the east village. Fried are better than boiled.
Paula S.October 29, 2014I've had Mediterranean omelette with spinach and mash potato in the side.. Delicious!
Adam MayMarch 5, 2016Just get a ton of pirogies, but also the matzah ball soup is pretty stellar. In fact most of the soups are great.
Great, big, bustling, late-night diner. Vast menu. A must-go NYC spot.
Fried potato pierogi and a side of kielbasa = perfect breakfast or post-drinking meal. Seasonal short-rib pierogi are also very tasty.
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For sixty-seven years, customers have crowded into Veselka, a cozy Ukrainian coffee shop in New York City's East Village, to enjoy pierogi, borscht, goulash, and many other unpretentious favorites. Veselka (rainbow in Ukrainian) has grown up from a simple newsstand serving soup and sandwiches int...
Open until Midnight (Show more)
- Mon–Sat
- 8:00 AM–Midnight
- Sun
- 8:00 AM–11:00 PM
(212) 228-9682
Features
Reservations
No
Credit Cards
Yes (incl. Discover & Visa)
Wi-Fi
Yes
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Parking
Street
Restroom
Yes
Food & Drink
Menus
Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner
Drinks
Beer, Wine, Cocktails
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- 6.3
"Authentic spot reminiscent of grandma's house. Get the chefs special with cheese + potato pierogi and try the beef stroganoff!"
Yera Ha - 7.5
"Get the stuffed cabbage and pierogis. Delicious!"
Ryan Eick - 9.1
"Great place to spend an afternoon! Awesome used book collection, pretty good coffee, places to sit, and all proceeds go to a worthy cause!"
Kaitlin Siemering
Places people like to go after Veselka
- 9.0
"Got the vanilla and chocolate cannoli, both excellent. Really authentic old school NYC bakery. Get the Rum Baba if you like your pastries really boozy."
Roberto Bua - 8.8
"Best chai in the city. Make sure you get it hot, iced chai just isn't the same. Great place for brunch- the avocado sandwich is a winner."
Alicia - 7.8
"The best cooks in all of Manhattan. Try the Cereal Milk & Crack Pie for the ultimate indulgence."
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