Despite the war and the systemic challenges facing the restaurant industry, Ukrainian cities continue to expand their gastronomic map. August 2026 became one of the most packed months in terms of the number of launches: in Kyiv, Lviv and Kharkiv, restaurants, cafés, bars, bakeries and experimental formats opened, each reflecting a different slice of current trends — from compact spots with no seating to multi-level spaces exceeding 800 square meters. According to a Wave RBC.UA review, the capital led in the number of new gastronomic locations in August, but other cities also showed notable activity.
Kyiv: the largest Zavertailo and sushi in tubes
The most notable launch of the month in the capital was the opening of a new Zavertailo location, whose area exceeds 800 square meters. The team consciously moved away from the familiar bakery format and built a large space with a full-fledged restaurant section: the menu features breakfasts, pizza, plancha dishes, wine and beer. For families, a two-level children's room was provided, making the venue suitable for spending the whole day, not just for a quick coffee and pastry. In parallel, on August 9, Pushi Sushi opened on Nizhny Val — a sushi spot that bet on a compact format without a traditional dining hall: orders are taken away, and rolls are served in special tube packaging. The space is positioned as pet-friendly.
Tea, Asian cuisine and barista champions: new niches in Kyiv's coffee-restaurant scene
On Vozdvyzhenka, the tea house Just Punk Tea opened in August, specializing in Chinese farm teas — white teas and pu-erh. In addition to tastings, guests can buy tea to take home, as well as use tea rooms and hold a ceremony with a master. On Teremky, a new Umami Lab location opened, focused on Asian cuisine and working mainly on delivery and pickup: the menu features ramen, bao, dim sum, with a separate emphasis on fermentation and house-made sauces with a rich umami flavor. On Hoholetska, the café Hist opened, created by barista champions — a significant event for Kyiv's coffee scene thanks to the team's professional experience in coffee competitions.
Bar formats and double shifts: the trend toward flexibility
August brought Kyiv a new bar format — BAR 18, operating as an evening location with an emphasis on atmosphere and a music program. The Franika team launched a pairing of "Franika Daytime" and "Bar Evening": a single space switches during the day between a daytime café format and an evening bar. On Poznyaki, in early August, the venue Kyiv Si opened, created by entrepreneurs from Pokrovsk whose business survived relocation: some of the equipment was saved and transported, and the team fitted out the premises by hand. This case underscores that the restaurant market is being replenished not only with new projects but also with relocated teams that preserve their identity.
Lviv: book cafés, craft beer and Basque cheesecake
In Lviv, the shop-café Sens opened in August in the premises of a former cinema — the network's first Lviv location, combining a bookshop, a café and a space for cultural events: presentations, meetings and events. The third and largest venue of the Seven Restropab network also opened: the space includes several halls, a children's room, a stage and a terrace, and the concept combines a restaurant format with evening events and a wide selection of craft beer. In the Galas shopping center, San Sebastián Cafe opened with a focus on Spanish cuisine; the signature of the concept is the Basque cheesecake.
Kharkiv: gastronomic resilience under strikes
The appearance of new venues in Kharkiv in August 2026 is particularly telling: the restaurant business continues to operate and create formats even in a city that regularly experiences attacks. In the city center, the café-bakery Seredmistia opened in a historic building with large arched windows. The team positions the space not simply as a place for coffee and pastries, but as a venue for breakfasts, reading, conversation and intellectual relaxation. The chef and creative director of the project is Alexandra (in the provided materials the name is cut off).
Contradictory data
In the original Wave RBC.UA material, the name of the Lviv beer restaurant network appears in two variants: "Seven Restropab" and "Seven Restopub". The difference in spelling (pab/pub) may be either a typo in the editorial text or a reflection of the fact that the network uses both variants in different contexts. In addition, the introductory part of the review mentions Odesa and Dnipro as cities with new venues, however the provided text lacks detailed information about their August openings — presumably they were covered in the continuation of the material, which was not included in the fact-checking base.
