Veselka
Ukrainian restaurant · East Village ·
Borscht and pierogi are menu highlights at this Ukrainian eatery
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20053768/20200517_GH_VESELKA_1013.jpg "Veselka by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20053640/20200517_GH_VESELKA_1012.jpg "Veselka by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20053710/20200517_GH_VESELKA_1017.jpg "Veselka by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20053787/20200517_GH_VESELKA_1016.jpg "Veselka by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20053554/20200517_GH_VESELKA_1019.jpg "Veselka by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20053801/20200517_GH_VESELKA_1028.jpg "Veselka by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20053538/20200517_GH_VESELKA_1003.jpg "Veselka by eater.com")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70567030/veselka.0.jpg "Veselka by Ryan Sutton/Eater NY")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20053686/20200517_GH_VESELKA_1025.jpg "Veselka by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23280832/veselka_sign.jpg "Veselka by Ryan Sutton/Eater NY")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66986492/20200517_GH_VESELKA_1006.0.jpg "Veselka by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20053634/20200517_GH_VESELKA_1011.jpg "Veselka by eater.com")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23280818/veselka_borscht.jpg "Veselka by Ryan Sutton/Eater NY")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20053739/20200517_GH_VESELKA_1026.jpg "Veselka by eater.com")
Borscht and pierogi are menu highlights at this Ukrainian eatery
"Comfort food takes many forms across cuisines—in Ukraine, and now, frankly, New York, the most comforting of them all is the pierogi. The dumpling’s proliferation in New York City can be attributed in no small part to Veselka, the East Village mom-and-pop that opened in the 1950s and has been churning out countless quantities of the handmade speciality ever since. The most popular variety, for its being a simple pleasure as well as a vegetarian and inexpensive option, is filled with potato and cheese and is so soft and luscious that it can turn any day around." - Kat Chen
"In the early 20th Century, the East Village was largely made up of Ukrainian, Slovak, Hungarian, and Polish immigrants, but there are only a few remnants of that history left. One landmark that's still around is Veselka, a well-known Ukrainian diner that opened in 1954. Despite its crowds, Veselka somehow retains the magic of an old-school neighborhood joint. Stick with the Ukrainian food—like the stuffed cabbage, borscht, or potato pierogi—for the best results." - will hartman, bryan kim, willa moore, kenny yang, neha talreja
"They say that the New York happy meal is fries and a martini, but we’d like to argue that an order of pierogi and borscht at Veselka is the truest form of New York comfort. The Ukrainian diner in the East Village has been serving hungry patrons exactly that, alongside solid burgers and weak coffee since they opened in 1952. If you come on the weekend, there’ll be a bit of a line, but during the week, it’s a super casual walk-in spot." - willa moore, bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, will hartman, sonal shah
"I love Veselka. I wish it was 24 hours still. First of all, the pierogies. Let's get into that, right? And those like fried potato pancakes, the latkes? They're so good. I love their chicken noodle soup. As comedians, we're night owls. We finish shows around 12 or 1 in the morning sometimes. So we would just go sit at Veselka, and you always run into another comic. Usually you're pulling tables together and just ordering a bunch of pierogis and eating and then you can get breakfast at any time of the day. They always have a great staff. They're Ukrainian. They're wonderful. It's such a New York staple and it's consistently good and I love them." - brennan carley
"A New York City icon, Veselka has been serving Ukrainian diner fare to the neighborhood since 1954. Pierogies are an obvious order, available in flavors like potato, cheese, and short rib. Other Ukrainian specialties like borscht and veal goulash are also offered, but we’d recommend a giant platter piled high with pierogies, meat-stuffed cabbage, and beet horseradish salad. Go at just about any hour for comforting nourishment and a slice of New York life. Yes, it’s touristy, but if you hit it at the right hour, there’s plenty of space to slip in the door for an easy-going affordable late-night option in the area." - Robert Sietsema