Leleka Ukrainian Comfort Food (San Francisco)

What a hidden gem! I was a little skeptical because I’d never had Ukrainian food but this spot SLAPS. I loved the chicken dumplings and the potato with cheese is a close second. The broth is light and uplifting. I would recommend giving them a try if you’re in the the city. Bon appetite!

This is my second Ukrainian meal, and it’s definitely better than the first meal I had at Palawan, Philippines. The service was fast and staffs are very efficient. More of a canteen vibe and experience. We loved the beer and wine btw.

Uh…wow! One of the best meals I have eaten. Ordered chicken dumplings in chicken broth covered with caramelized onions. Well balanced flavors like just enough fat, salt, sweet, onion but not too much of any of them to overpower the others. The dumplings are plentiful and exquisite. High quality ingredients. Tender and textured. Truly am impressed. Going back again later this week.

Came in around 12:30noon on a friday, no problems with seat availability. I ordered using the self-service kiosk and had no problems using it. Food was great, i had borscht (24oz) and pan-fried beef gouda dumplings (20pcs). Especially nice on a chilly day Service was good, food was served to me and the server was pleasant. Atmosphere was great, good place for having a chat with 2-4 people. Music was light but not obtrusive.

The staff were very nice, but unfortunately the food was awful. If you are Ukrainian and expect authentic cuisine, this place is a very poor imitation. I couldn’t even swallow one dumpling. Kyiv cuisine is completely different. Perhaps people who have never tried real homemade Ukrainian food might think it’s good, but in reality, I would rate it 1 out of 10. Very disappointing experience.

I have been searching for the Napoeon cake in my childhood memmory forever and Leleka is the best I have had in the states! so creamy and fluffy, delightfuly sweet but not overwhleming❤️ The honey cake and Kyiv cake are great too! I can't describe in words but the honey and nutty flavor in them are so rich love the mint seasoning in lamb dumpling (orange ones) and the gouda in the beef dumpling. I brough frozen dumplings for my mom.

Best borsch and great pelmeni. Everything was delicious except for piroshki, they really suck here. The atmosphere is definitely not it, did not feel like a Ukrainian restaurant to me personally. And a server forgot to get us any bread, so I had to go look for it.

Average. Its a convenient location. Clean! Flavours are not authentic and it's very overpriced for something that should be cheap. Meat is a little dry. Self serve sauce bar which I like, but wish they had authentic sauces besides sour cream (adjika, horseradish). Good vibe if you sit outside. Has potential.

Loved it!! Would definitely come again. Busy at lunch but food comes out very quickly, and it's clean and spacious inside. Decent price for the portion size as well. Don't forget to get the garlic sauce on the side :) (free!) FOOD: Beef Gouda Dumplings (9/10) - Favorite thing I ordered. The gouda pairs perfectly with the beefiness, and I really couldn't get enough of it. Lamb Dumplings (7/10) - I found these slightly dry but still had a good texture and flavor. I'd stick with the dumplings above next time! Beef Hand Pie (6/10) - Skip this next time. I thought this was slightly dry and not too flavorful. Pickles (7/10) - Good to cut the meatiness, and a lot of pickles for the portion size!

Food: 5/5 - recommended by a person from Ukraine to come try these chicken and beef dumplings. Got 20 dumplings for $16-17, with options to add on bone broth for $2.5. Flavorful and simple dinner. Lots of seating inside and outside. Located in an alley so Uber might drop off and you need to walk a min. Didn't see heaters outside so might be too cold to sit outdoors. Saw lots of people eating solo. Would recommend as a spot for dinner or takeout, especially since it's so warming to the palette in chilly weather. Service: 4/5 - you had to place order on electronic menu by yourself and grab condiments and water by yourself but otherwise food came out fast and they seemed nice!

*Note: TDLR at the end of review Salmon Dumplings: 6/10 The salmon wasn't distinct. I was expecting kind of a bite to it, but the salmon was ground and moist. The dumpling wrapper was cooked perfectly. The garlic and spicy sauce were good and low-key carried the dumplings. They weren't bad, but they weren't great. I took a bite and was like, yup, that's a dumpling. I honestly couldn't even tell that it was salmon LOL. Service: 7/10 Honestly, the cashier was rude ASF when I was ordering, but I continued to be polite to him. When he gave me my food, his attitude changed a full 360. Think he was just having a bad day with customers and needed a change of pace. Food service sucks. I've been there. He accommodated me with splitting my dumplings into two containers though. He's a real one for that! Ambiance: 10/10 Outside and inside seating was very aesthetically pleasing. Will say the floors inside look dirty af, but you don't really notice unless you're paying attention. They got some entertainment play for ya inside if you're an eat and watcher. Condiments and to-go utensils are self-serve on the right side of the counter, which I like. TDLR: Paying for ambiance ngl. Salmon dumplings are slightly above average. Wouldn't go out of my way to get them. Service is a hit or miss. Sauces are fire. Somewhat reasonably priced. Would come back to try other things because it looks interesting, but expectations are low.

Fast food style restaurant with good Ukranian food. You order on the screen at the counter and wait for your name to be called. The pierogi/dumplings are fairly small, so 20 are a good portion size for one person. Bottled beer available. Decent bathroom. Food is a little pricey ($18 for 20 dumplings and every little topping is extra, $11 for a small borscht).

I've ordered delivery from here and both times the food was really good! Fast delivery. I got the borsh, small and large portion, it was high quality, not oily and really tasty (coming from someone who grew up eating it!) I also tried their beef hand pie which was flavorful, a bit small, but lots of stuffing inside. My friend recommended their dumplings which I will try next time (they are made with special wheat and apparently taste better than traditional). Looking forward to visiting this place in person to check out the ambience and try more dishes!

I popped in here for lunch - as my good friend is Ukrainian and I've always wanted to try Pelmeni. A Pelmeni is, I would describe, a cross between a chinese dumpling folded like a tortellini. They are delicious and bite sized and perfect for dipping (the restaurant has garlic and spicy sauces, sour cream, hot sauce, and soy sauce you can serve yourself). I love the variety of fillings you can choose from - lamb, salmon, chicken, beef, potato, etc. This time I opted for the Chicken Dumplings ($16 for 20) - they are flavorful and have the perfect soft chew. The Borscht ($10 for small) was also yummy and had shredded brisket in it. I want to come back and try all the flavors, and some of the delicious hand pies and desserts (honey cake? Napolean? yummmm!) It is a casual spot, and there is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. It is bright and clean as well. Order at the counter and they will bring it out to you :) Bus your own table.

Simple but yummy food. The actual storefront is tucked away in a little alley, and you order up at a counter. Have come a few times before and I love the potato dumplings the most, followed by the lamb dumplings and borscht. Pro: tip is you can get the dumplings either pan-seared or boiled. The staff is always nice (though there's usually just one person so you have to get their attention). Not much ambiance, it's more of a self-serve place -- but they also have plenty of outdoor and indoor seating.

Do yourself a favor and order the chicken dumplings and dip them into their garlic sauce. Throw in a side of pickles. The restaurant was clean and the servers brought my kids a juice and coloring pages. 5 out of 5, too bad I live 400 miles away. Wonder if they deliver?

Delicious dumplings and sides! Great hidden gem in an alley with other bars. We ordered the potato / potatoes and cheese dumplings, sides of pickled veg, and handpies. If you get a full order of dumplings, you can get two flavors. I loved the potato and cheese especially - the filling was so delicate, perfectly salty, and creamy. The cabbage hand pie was also yummy - thick doughy crust and lightly spiced. Didn't get to try the dessert but it's on the list for next time!

Flavorful Ukrainian dishes and though menu is limited, each item is well executed! We ordered the potato dumplings, Borsch, marinated carrots and beef hand pie. Everything was delicious and rivaled the homemade Ukrainian dishes our friends have made us. The dumplings are a large order of 15-20 and I wish they offered a 6 and 12 order option, as well as the ability to mix and match without having to commit to 30 to 40 dumplings if you want to try two flavors. Friendly service with indoor and outdoor seating located in an alley with a bit of dingy alley vibe. Despite the ambiance flaws, the food is definitely worth the visit.

In a small back-alley behind Kearny Street, Leleka is one of my favorite dumpling spots in the city and the perfect place to go if you're looking for a comfort meal with a home-cooked atmosphere. When visiting, you have to get the dumplings. While the menu says each comes with 20 pieces, you can mix them (i.e. get 10 beef and 10 chicken). With a slightly thicker dough, each bite is chewy and incredibly satisfying. You can also enjoy them by dipping in the special spicy garlic sauce, giving the dish an extra dimension of flavor. I would recommend the beef, chicken, and potato cheese dumplings in particular. In addition to the dumplings, Leleka has amazing soups. Both the borsch and chicken bone broth are rich in flavor and hearty, a perfect compliment for the dumplings. You can either get the soups on the side or have the dumplings mixed in, both are excellent. Dessert-wise, Leleka has a great Napoleon cake, a classic Ukrainian dessert. The layers of puff pastry are flaky and light while being sandwiched by pastry cream that isn't overly sweet. The flavor is rich while not being too heavy. A perfect post-meal treat. While not one of the most common cuisines in the Bay, Leleka shines a light on classic Ukrainian food and proves that just because it's less well-known, doesn't mean it's any less delicious.

I have been searching for the Napoeon cake in my childhood memmory forever and Leleka is the best I have had in the states! so creamy and fluffy, delightfuly sweet but not overwhleming The honey cake and Kyiv cake are great too! I can't describe in words but the honey and nutty flavor in them are so rich love the mint seasoning in lamb dumpling (orange ones) and the gouda in the beef dumpling. I brough frozen dumplings for my mom.

I've never had Ukranian food. When I saw this, I didn't think twice about going. Leleka is spacious. It's also almost full self service. You pretty much put your orders on a screen, seat yourself, get your utensils and sauces. Beef dumplings were fine. They were boiled; you have to tell them if you want them pan fried. They have to be dipped in sauce. Soy sauce or spicy mayo are available. The apple pie was good. It was not super sweet; the poppy seeds gave it additional texture. The farmers cheesecake Zapekanka was also not that sweet. Soft but still a little crumbly texture. Goes well with chocolate sauce. Overall experience was good. Giving it a 4/5.

I love borscht, so I always go to this place when I'm around here as there are only a handful of places in the city that have it. The restaurant is convenient if you work in the financial district otherwise there aren't any easy parking options. I'm not sure why it's not open on the weekends but I can only guess it's more for office workers during the day. I've tried the cabbage rolls which are very good, the sauce is not too sweet which I like. Sometimes if you get them in a store there is a more sweet ketchupy taste instead of a savory tomato sauce. I like sitting outside if it's nice enough weather, it' on Belden street so there's always foot traffic.

Sometimes advertising can be misleading online, especially when your favorite restaurant is closed even though its advertising is new and well-invested and accompanied by a tempting video. That's why I recommend adding another $20 and eating at this Eastern European restaurant. They're not always open but they're a better and slightly more expensive alternative to fine gourmet food. I recommend a main course of slow-cooked meat goulash, which gives the meat a really melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. The main course comes with a very respectable weight of meat. I recommend choosing a side of mashed potatoes and paying another $3 for soft-boiled peas. Simply a gastronomic delight that soothes the discomfort

The beef and Gouda dumplings are so good with the garlic and spicy sauce! I also really liked the chicken dumplings and plov. The beef hand pies are another favorite. With all that said, you absolutely must try the Kyiv cake- I'm not normally one for cakes, but this is so good I ordered one for my birthday this year. Great food, friendly staff- Slava Ukraini!

A friend took me here and I can't wait to go back! We got the Chicken Hand Pie, beef Borsh , lamb dumplings! It looks basic but I tell you nothing basic about the flavors! We got here a little before noon and glad we did the place filled up! They even have a nice outside patio. Highly recommend

The chicken dumplings (20) with chicken broth is amazing and so are the cabbage and Kiev cake. Order at the counter and they bring the food to you.

The food is amazing! Service is quick and super friendly! Dumplings and meat pies were top notch! Don't miss out on Kiev cake.

Well I went for the pelmeni of course, and quite liked the cheese+potato ones, but what really got me hands down with my knife and fork was the hand pies (piroshki, not to be confused with polish pierogi, which are more like pelmeni). The spinach one amazing to the last bite, better than any spinach quiche or pasties I had had before. The sweet piroshkis were calling to me, but I saved them for next time. The kompot was interesting, an acquired taste probably. Didn't stick with me but worth experiencing. The staff is caring and helpful.

I walk by Leleka, every week. I work close to it. The smells from inside, are so inviting. Exotic is what Ukrainian food is to me. I finally caved in. On a busy Friday evening. People (Locals & Tourists) are flowing in, as large groups. There is plenty of seating. Inside and out. Thankfully. This place is located in a food plaza that is frequented by throngs of people, especially at dinner time. The chairs inside are small and wooden, with magnetized legs. It's tough to move the chairs around. Kinda cool. The legs are almost one with the floor. I spent more money than was intended. Ordered multiple items. Cheese pancakes, that come with a delicious raspberry puree to drizzle over them. A Spinach hand pie. Borsh that was savory and full of stewed beef. Also a slice of Caramel Honey Cake. I read many reviews raving about how fluffy, filling, and flavorful this cake is. I am truly a fan of it. So good. The level of service might suffer a bit, if there are many people here at once. A sense of frustration may arise, if one is new and unfamiliar with the items on the menu. I indulged fully and ordered a drink called Kompot. It was a lovely burgundy color, tasting like a sangria without alcohol. The staff was hard at work making sure the guests were well fed and wanting for nothing. I will return to try the cabbage rolls and potato (or the cherry) dumplings. Maybe a beer too and possibly the beet salad.

I had Ukrainian food at another restaurant in the past but wasn't that good. I'm glad I went to this place. It closes at 8pm, a little early for me but wanted to try the food. I had: Kompot. Not sweet, perfect drink. Borscht is tasty. Potato and cheese dumplings. Honeycake. Beef Hand pie. I liked the dough. I wish it had something else like onions and bell peppers like in a regular beef empanada, but I guess the flavor is different in this Ukrainian version. Loved the mural, the staff is friendly. I'll comeback!

I've been experimenting with cooking, and wanted to improve my borscht recipe I had theirs, and it was delicious. Absolute worth the 2 hour drive.

Delicious lamb (my favorite) and chicken dumplings! I like that they have a large selection of sauces as well. Recommend the garlic sauce. You can get two different flavors

At this point in my life it's hard to find food I've never tried before, so I was pleasantly surprised to find this place next to my hotel. The food was perfect and hit the spot. As I'm Korean and have had plenty of dumplings, I wasn't expecting anything that different but I liked that the flavors were very balanced and the wrapper had a nice bite to it. Make sure to experiment with the different sauces to see what tastes best to your liking. I'm also glad I got it in the chicken broth- it had a deep, comforting flavor and the sprinkling of dill gave it a fresh contrast. Never had food made from a Ukrainian grandma but it tastes like this food was made by a Ukrainian grandma. I'd come back for the food alone but also want to give a shoutout to the server (manager?) who was very kind. Highly recommend if you're looking for something comforting!

delicious homey ukranian food in fidi area! the dumplings are a must try here. they come with 20 pieces but they are small, i think it's a good portion for even one person! the hand pies are also quite good, i tried both the beef and cabbage and the stuffings were very flavorful. the exterior could be a little more crunchy but otherwise delicious. service was friendly/standard and ambiance is casual. the restaurant is located in an alleyway next to an italian restaurant, i got confused which place was leleka when approaching. overall, would highly recommend and i love supporting local businesses!

I actually really loved this place. The service was great; my friend was running late so I asked the workers if they could bring out the food once he's here. I also love the simple, casual vibe with the whimsical painting on the wall and Ukrainian flags on each table. The food was PERFECT for a rainy San Francisco night. We ordered the beef dumplings which were chewy and had just the right amount of carb to meat ratio. The borsch soup was also warm, flavorful, and filling. They also have sour cream, soy sauce, garlic mayo, and spicy mayo sauces for the dumplings. I'm coming back here !!

This was my first time ever trying Ukrainian food. We ordered the beets salad and dumplings. It looked and tasted like the polish pierogi. My co-worker and I enjoyed the food. The owners were very nice and the restaurant was clean.

the honey cake was the driest thing I've ever eaten- actually shocked that honey and caramel could ever produce something so dry!!!! Must have been a bad batch. Tasted like sandpaper. Other than that the dumplings were yummy and good

Delicious food and friendly staff! Food came out quickly, and portions were huge. Don't skip out on the sauces on the side counter

Dumplings from ukraine Support these guys Eat tasty dumplings And definitively in the broth !! JYW heartedly recommends

Awesome fresh vareniki/pirogies with multiple different flavors and fillings cooked to perfection If you never tried this yummy dish you absolutely have to

My first time trying Ukrainian food and wow it was such a good experience! This restaurant is located in a lowkey, quiet alley so I almost missed the entrance but the inside is very clean, simple and minimalistic. There were so many types of fillings for the dumplings that I struggled to narrow down which ones to order, but the staff was very kind and said I could order multiple types of dumpling fillings in my bowl. I got the dumplings with beef, chicken, and pork fillings in the chicken broth. So simple, but very comforting and homey. The soup was hot and rich, while the dumplings had great flavor and texture. The dough wasn't too thick, and I liked how each filling was distinct enough that you could taste the difference between each one. It reminded me of my grandma's wonton soup and it was perfect for a cold fall day. Service was very fast and the food was very affordable.

Stayed in the area for a week and ended up here 3 times. Can't say I've had Ukrainian food before so this was a first for me. I enjoyed the salmon dumplings, chicken hand pie, and Kyiv cake. Also had a beer that was good. Prices are fair and they have plenty of self serving sauce to go with your food. Plenty of tables each time I went and if you're not familiar with Belden lane there are plenty of other options if it's not your cup of tea.

Came here for lunch during work because I was curious about Ukrainian food and wanted more than a sandwich to fill me up. I was eyeing both the dumplings and the cabbage rolls, but opted for dumplings because I learned you can mix and match (would be helpful if that tip was on the menu). I ordered the chicken dumplings and beef gouda dumplings, and I also got the spinach hand pie. While I wouldn't really recommend the spinach pie, I did like the flavors of my dumplings! The chicken one tasted like classic pasta because of its classic Italian ingredients, and the beef gouda had a strong gouda flavor. The beef filling itself was a bit dry, though, so I couldn't fully enjoy it. I feel this would've been better if I had added on the chicken broth because then it would've felt more nourishing. Otherwise, it was a pretty comforting meal, and service was good as well. Would come back again to try some veggie dumplings.

When it's cold and muggy out, this place makes it all better with their borsh and dumplings. Since it was my first visit at Leleka, I was not sure which dumplings I'd like better. I'm glad they allowed me to get a mix of different dumplings. It's hard to choose a favorite dumpling, but I liked the beef one best. The borsh was so flavorful and paired well with the dumplings. Last but not lease, the staff was also very friendly. I'd definitely return!

I really wanted to support a Ukrainian-owned business after seeing all the good reviews, but the experience was awful. The borscht tasted like red water, no bread was served, and the chicken dumplings were terrible. Tried the beef ones -- even worse. The $6 compote wasn't worth it either. I didn't eat anything, my mood was ruined, and they refused a refund. For a place serving Ukrainian food, you'd expect at least one person in the kitchen familiar with Slavic cuisine I didn't see anyone from our (Russian-speaking) countries. Never again.

Tasty borsch that comes with a very good rye bread. Make sure to get the marinated carrots they are bursting with flavor and only $1.50. The large borscht ($16), marinated carrots ($1.50) and a few extra pieces of bread (.25 ea) is enough for 2 meals for me.

Another favorite lunch spot prepandemic. Since then, they moved their location from the underground food court to the food alley nearby. I always get the lamb dumpling with soup and load it up with the different sour cream and sauces. I just love dumping the dumpling with the different sauce. However, I think the soup recipe changed slightly where is it more cilantro heavy so knocking down one star since I'm not a fan of cilantro.

Stopped by for a quick lunch and such a satisfying meal. I tried their boiled dumplings and my brother tried their pan fried. Both taste really nice. My favorite was the beef as the boiled dumplings have a little bit of soup in them. They have a couple sauces for you to mix with including sour cream. You get to choose between small or large but you can let them know if you want to mix two flavors. Walk in and order at the counter type of place. They'll bring out your food for you and service was pretty quick. Need another visit to try their borsh and hand pies!

I was excited to try this Ukrainian spot since I realized it's the only Ukrainian restaurant in SF. And even though the interior and vibe of this place is very simple (I'd say it's more like an eatery) the food is really good and authentic. Our party of 5 was interested in trying everything they have to offer and it seemed to be feasible because the menu is not large. The only option we skipped was pelmeny (as their origin isn't really Ukrainian). So the summary is: - Borscht 5/5 Very rich taste, tender vegetables and good amount of meat - Cabbage rolls 5/5 My personal favorite! Very juicy, good quality of meat in the filling and well cooked cabbage leaves - Vareniky (dumplings) 5/5 We got vegetarian versions (potato and potato with cheese) and love them. Delicate dough, well balanced filling. - Hand roll with mushrooms 5/5 Lots of filling, good thin crust - Beets salad 5/5 Fresh and zesty! - Syrniky (cheese pancakes) 5/5 Delicate and fluffy. Raspberry jam matched perfectly for them. - Honey cake 5/5 Moist and creamy. With the honey taste in layers. - Kompot 5/5 Bright fruits flavor, not too sweet - Beer good but nothing special The service was fast and friendly and prices are more than reasonable. Definitely recommend this place for the quick intro to traditional Ukrainian food.

We ordered this on Uber Eats and got the beef/gouda and chicken dumplings combo with organic chicken bone broth, bacon and beef hand pies, and some marinated cabbage and pickles on the side. All were very good, but the meat pies and bone broth were especially awesome. My husband is Midwestern and these were just like the pasties he remembers from out there. The filling is savory and flavorful and it's wrapped in a buttery pillowy dough similar to a croissant. The best part? They use organic wheat flour and grass fed beef, and do not use seed oils! That alone makes my heart sing. The bone broth being organic was a plus, it was so flavorful and had delicately sliced scallions in it for the perfect touch. I will definitely be back to try the borscht and the lamb dumplings!

It's probably not a coincidence that my only two Ukrainian dining experiences happened in just the past few months. The first was breakfast at the highly popular Vaselka in NYC's East Village back in October (review: https://bit.ly/3IU7TEo), and the second was here when I had supper in the middle of Belden Place. I had heard about this spot when the war first broke out in Ukraine since it's the only Ukrainian eatery in town. Last year, owner Sergei Shukailo wisely changed the name from the decidedly Russian name of Pushkin to the Ukrainian word for a native stork. It's a straightforward order counter cafe serving dumplings and piroshki as well as a borsh, a couple of salads, and a cabbage roll house special. Since it was my virginal visit, I felt a need to try the Boiled Dumplings of which they offered five different kinds in batches of 13 and 26. Even thirteen sounded like a lot, to me but they were much smaller than their dim sum cousins, and they were color coded to indicate what filling was inside. For $11, I was able to mix and match Lamb (pink), Chicken (green), and Beef Gouda (yellow) (photo: https://bit.ly/3Xlqiy4). The pink came from a tomato dough filled with ground lamb, mint, ginger, and beets. The green came from a spinach dough filled with chicken, basil, and parmesan cheese. The yellow came from a turmeric dough filled with beef and smoked gouda cheese. They were all pretty tasty bitefuls especially dipped in the dollop of sour cream provided with them. An $8 bowl of Borsh was a hearty accompaniment consisting of beef, cabbage, potato, onion, carrot, dill, and the beets that gave the soup its deep purple color (photo: https://bit.ly/3ZBuQlw). Pretty satisfying and not nearly as heavy as I was expecting. Definitely worth a return trip especially for those dumplings. FOOD - 4 stars...tasty boiled dumplings and borsh fit for any comfort food craving AMBIANCE - 4 stars...casual and spacious with a big patio SERVICE - 4 stars...helpful in explaining the dumpling colors and Ukrainian cuisine in general TOTAL - 4 stars...support Ukraine! RELATED - Exploring the FiDi? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2F02OZN

Love this place so much! If I can't get to Ukraine, this is the next best option. Highly recommend!

This is an order at the counter joint. Service is very fast. We got our food within 10 minutes of ordering. We ordered cabbage rolls and borsch. Both were delicious but the highlight was definitely the borsch. It's sweet and savory from the beets and broth but a bit tart as well. I'm addicted! It reminds me of a Vietnamese soup -- Canh Củ Dền. Awesome find while visiting the city. Hope to be back in the future.

A coworker suggested dumplings, Ukrainian dumplings, to be exact for lunch and I had no idea what to expect! Such a simple lunch and tasted so good! The dough is a bit more doughy unlike Asian dumplings which are a lot thinner almost translucent. Seems like more of an Italian-like dough. I ordered the butternut squash and the beef gouda dumplings--13 bite sized pieces each to share was plenty for 2 people. We also ordered chicken broth to go with it. The broth is served on the side, the dumplings are not swimming in it. Bite of the dumpling and a spoonful of broth, felt like comfort food to me. The butternut squash was delicious...creamy, sweet and a little nutty flavor. The beef was a nugget sized meatball with gouda, although the gouda flavor was very subtle. I enjoyed my meal so much that I ordered another full order (26 pcs) of beef dumplings and piroshki's to take home for dinner. I got the beef and the sausage piroshki's and an apple one. These were baked and not deep fried. I really like the baked version over the deep fried version--doesn't seem as greasy and I really like the crust--reminded me of hand pies. I preferred the sausage over the beef, but both were delicious. The apple was a nice ending...not too sweet and great apple flavor. The staff behind the counter were helpful with the descriptions and really friendly! I would definitely come back and I highly recommend this place to anyone who hasn't tried Ukrainian dumplings!

Came here for lunch because this spot is close to my office. Maybe I'm not too knowledgeable about Ukrainian food, this was good but not out of this world. The dough was soft and the meat filling good. I got the Beef Gouda + Lamb Pelmeni (you can mix and match, I couldn't tell them apart too much), and the sauces were tasty but it was best with sour cream. They were empty at 11:30am on a Thursday, had a few more customers by 12:15pm or so. The staff was nice and our food came out quickly.

For many years I've attended a medical conference every February at the Ritz, and take the opportunity to discover new restaurants. The pandemic resulted in two years of virtual conferences, but this year I was able to return for an in-person event - and to see what new places might have sprung up in the meantime. I reached out to a prolific Yelper for suggestions, and she suggested this place. Leleka is located on Belden Place, one of my favorite little alleys in the city. There used to be a great place for mussels here - Plouf - but that has since closed up shop. If I'm not mistaken, this restaurant now occupies the same location. Anyways, I was on my own for lunch today; normally I'd be here with a companion but she had other plans for today. So, I was only able to sample a small part of the traditional Ukrainian fare. Nevertheless, it was excellent. The menu here is simple - a variety of boiled or pan fried dumplings, a couple soups, and piroshki, which look like a kind of empanada. Based on Yelp photos, it appears they recently added a new specialty item, holubtsi, cabbage rolls stuffed with beef and rice. For my lunch I feasted on: Beef gouda boiled dumplings - this comes in two sizes, either 13 or 26 dumplings. This was a little daunting to me as it seemed like a lot, but the people behind the counter assured me that this was manageable for one person. Indeed, it was. These were fantastic little flavor bombs of beef and cheese, nicely seasoned and encased in a dough not dissimilar in consistency to a Chinese potsticker. I believe it was boiled in a chicken broth, which added to the flavor. Eaten with just a touch of sour cream, this was really enjoyable. And yes, 13 was not excessive for one person. Borsh - a traditional Ukrainian beet soup with vegetables and small bits of tender beef. I was a little apprehensive about getting this, because while I like beets they are sometimes just a little too earthy. Fortunately, that was not the case. This, too, was very tasty with a hearty flavor, delicately seasoned with salt and spices. I liked this a lot more than expected. The rye bread provided was good for dipping, but it seemed a little dry and I could have used a little more. I was tempted to get a piroshki - the people at the table next to me were downing them in great quantities - but by the time I had finished my two dishes I was beyond satisfied and I still had to stay awake for three more hours of the conference. I do hope this place sticks around for a while because I'm looking forward to a return visit. (BTW thanks Cherylynn for the tip!)

My fiancé and my mother went here on 4/18/25 and it was fantastic! See, my fiancé is from Romania and I have gone to visit him there multiple times and we both agree that the cabbage rolls taste exactly like the sarmale from Transylvania, minus the tomato sauce over it. It was nice to get a taste of my home away from home in LITERAL San Francisco! The atmosphere was wonderful as well, it really did remind us of Romania and or Italy due to the little alleyway it was tucked in. I had looked up good eastern european restaurants in San Francisco and this is a great start to them -- one down and three to go, now. I think this is in my top favorite restaurants in California! The service was kind and always smiling and or laughing. Everything about this place is welcoming and homey. This really is a hidden gem and we will be coming back again soon!