Perepichka is an iconic Ukrainian street food item consisting of a soft, not overly seasoned sausage that is enclosed within yeasted dough. The whole combination is deep-fried, and it is usually served piping hot without any condiments. The first version of this favorite Kyiv street food appeared in 1981 at a small kiosk on Bohdan Khmelnytsky street.
Perepichka was an instant success, and this hole-in-the-wall food outlet became somewhat of an institution for both locals and tourists.
MOST ICONIC Perepichka
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The iconic borsch is probably the most famous Ukrainian dish, also considered the country's national dish. It is a comforting soup made with beetroot, meat or bone stock, and sautéed vegetables. There are many variations - the broth can be made with beef, pork, chicken, or as a vegetarian version.
The soup often includes fermented beetroot juice (kvas), and it is common to add meat, while typical vegetables include root vegetables and cabbage. The essential ingredient in every borsch is beetroot. It gives the dish its distinctive red color and a characteristic earthy flavor.
VARIATIONS OF Borsch
MOST ICONIC Borsch
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Chicken Kyiv consists of a boned, flattened chicken breast that is rolled around chilled herb butter, breaded, and then fried. Although the dish is very popular, no one knows where it came from or how it got its name, and there are numerous contradicting theories attributing its invention to Ukrainian, Russian, and French chefs.
It was at the height of its popularity in the 1970s, but quickly fell out of favor in the late 1980s with the rise of nouvelle cuisine. Interestingly, in Soviet hotels’ tourist brochures, guests were warned of the dangers of splattering themselves with hot butter.