Ukraine

Ukraine boasts a vibrant and rapidly evolving coffee culture, particularly in its major cities like Kyiv, Lviv, and Odesa. While historically influenced by Turkish and Soviet traditions, the country has wholeheartedly embraced Western European café styles and a burgeoning specialty coffee scene. Coffee is a cherished daily ritual, often enjoyed with friends, for business meetings, or as a moment of personal reflection.

Here are the different ways to order coffee in Ukraine and what's in them:

Traditional & Historically Influenced Ukrainian Coffee:

• Кава по-турецьки (Kava po-turetsky) / Кава в турці (Kava v turtsi): "Turkish coffee" or "coffee in a turka." This unfiltered, strong brew is a traditional way to make coffee at home or in more authentic establishments.

• Ingredients: Very finely ground coffee, cold water, and optionally sugar. Some regional variations might include spices like cardamom.

• Preparation: Made in a turka (турка) or džezva (джезва), a small, long-handled pot. The coffee, water, and sugar (if desired) are brought to a gentle boil, forming a thick foam (пінка - pinka). It's served directly into small cups, with the grounds settling at the bottom.

• Taste: Strong, rich, and intense. It's meant to be sipped slowly, leaving the grounds at the bottom. Often served with a glass of water.

• Ordering Sweetness (crucial for turka as sugar is added during brewing):

• Без цукру (Bez tsukru): No sugar (black).

• З невеликою кількістю цукру (Z nevelykoю kilkistyu tsukru): With a little sugar.

• Середньої солодкості (Seredn'oї solodkosti): Medium sweet.

• Дуже солодка (Duzhe solodka): Very sweet.

• Розчинна кава (Rozchynna kava): "Instant coffee." Still widely consumed at home and available in many less specialized establishments for convenience.

• Ingredients: Soluble coffee granules, hot water. Often with milk and sugar.

• Кава зі згущеним молоком (Kava zi zhushchenym molokom): "Coffee with condensed milk." This is a popular traditional way to sweeten and enrich coffee, a legacy from Soviet times.

• Ingredients: Brewed coffee (often instant or simple drip) mixed with sweetened condensed milk.

• Taste: Very sweet, creamy, and indulgent.

Standard Espresso-Based Drinks (Dominant in Modern Cafes):

These are incredibly popular and expertly prepared across Ukraine's burgeoning café scene, consistent with international standards.

• Еспресо (Espresso): A small, concentrated shot of coffee. This is often the default if you simply ask for "кава" (kava - coffee) in a modern café.

• Подвійний еспресо (Podviynyy espresso): Double espresso.

• Лунго (Lungo): An extended espresso, with more hot water passed through the grounds, resulting in a slightly larger and milder shot.

• Рістрето (Ristretto): A very short, highly concentrated espresso shot.

• Американо (Amerikano): Espresso diluted with hot water. A popular choice for a larger black coffee.

• Капучино (Kapuchyno): Espresso with equal parts steamed milk and a generous layer of foamed milk. Often dusted with cocoa powder or cinnamon.

• Лате (Latte): Espresso with a larger amount of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam. Often served in a tall glass.

• Флет Уайт (Flat White): Very popular in specialty coffee shops. It's a double shot of espresso with velvety microfoam (finely textured steamed milk with minimal visible foam). It has a stronger coffee taste than a latte.

• Макіато (Makiato): An espresso "stained" or "marked" with a tiny dollop of foamed milk.

• Мокко (Mokko): Espresso, chocolate (syrup or powder), steamed milk, and usually topped with whipped cream or foam.

• Кортадо (Cortado): An espresso "cut" with a small amount of warm milk, typically a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio. Less foamy than a cappuccino or latte.

Filter and Brewed Coffees (Thriving Specialty Scene):

Ukraine has a very active and innovative specialty coffee scene, with many local roasters and cafes focusing on high-quality beans and diverse brewing methods.

• Фільтр-кава (Filtr-kava): "Filter coffee" or "drip coffee." Generally refers to batch-brewed coffee.

• Пуровер (Pourover) / Кемекс (Kemeks) / Аеропрес (Aeropres): These manual brewing methods are popular in specialty shops for highlighting the nuanced flavors of single-origin beans, offering a cleaner, often lighter-bodied cup. You'll likely be offered a choice of beans.

• Френч-прес (French-pres): Coffee steeped in hot water and then pressed down with a plunger. Results in a rich, full-bodied coffee with some sediment. More common for home brewing, but some cafes might offer it.

Cold Coffee Options:

• Холодна кава (Kholodna kava) / Кава з льодом (Kava z l'odom): "Cold coffee" or "coffee with ice." General terms for iced coffee. This can be an iced Americano or a simple brewed coffee over ice, often with milk and/or syrup.

• Латте з льодом (Latte z l'odom) / Айс-латте (Ays-latte): Espresso and cold milk served over ice.

• Фрапе (Frape): A very popular instant coffee-based iced drink, similar to the Greek version.

• Ingredients: Instant coffee, sugar, and a small amount of water, vigorously shaken or blended to create a thick foam. Then, cold water and/or milk are added, and it's served over ice.

• Колд брю (Kold bryu): Coffee steeped in cold water for an extended period, resulting in a smooth, less acidic concentrate. Served chilled, often over ice.

Other & Customizations:

• Кава з молоком (Kava z molokom): "Coffee with milk." A general term if you want milk added to a filter coffee or Americano.

• Чорна кава (Chorna kava): "Black coffee." Usually refers to filter coffee or an Americano, or espresso without milk.

• Без кофеїну (Bez kofeїnu): Decaffeinated.

• Сиропи (Syropy): Various flavoring syrups (vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, etc.) are widely available in modern cafes.

• Рослинне молоко (Roslynne moloko): Plant-based milk. Oat (вівсяне молоко), almond (мигдалеве молоко), and soy (соєве молоко) milk are very common.

How to Order (Basic Ukrainian Phrases):

While English is increasingly understood in major cities and modern cafes, knowing a few Ukrainian phrases will be highly appreciated and enhance your experience.

• "Каву, будь ласка." (Kavu, budʹ laska.) - "Coffee, please." (General, might get you an espresso or filter depending on the place).

• "Еспресо, будь ласка." (Espresso, budʹ laska.) - "Espresso, please."

• "Лате, будь ласка." (Latte, budʹ laska.) - "Latte, please."

• "Капучино, будь ласка." (Kapuchyno, budʹ laska.) - "Cappuccino, please."

• "Фільтр-кава, будь ласка." (Filʹtr-kava, budʹ laska.) - "Filter coffee, please."

• "З молоком." (Z molokom.) - "With milk."

• "Без цукру." (Bez tsukru.) - "Without sugar."

• "Дякую!" (Dyakuyu!) - "Thank you!"

*The content in this document was generated using artificial intelligence, drawing from various online sources, and subsequently refined for accuracy and conciseness in 2025. Users are advised to consult multiple sources to corroborate information and should not rely solely on this document for comprehensive research.