The Host of Soulful European Fusion Food in New York
Enter Sveta’s doors, and you won’t be at a NYC Ukrainian restaurant, you’ll be home. Or, that’s what it feels like.
Ukrainian Cuisine’s seat at the table has a little bit of extra space. Where else would you place the abundance of warmth that devotingly follows it? Nudged slightly to the left of your chest is always a good place to keep it, but Ukrainian food tends to wear its heart on its sleeve; or rather, on the plate.
No plate is the same, though they all share the same dedication to flavor – the bold, the bright, the grand, and the genuine. Sveta’s menu, without pretense, takes a moment to pause at each dish, offering guests an inimitable Contemporary Eastern European feast for the senses.
In the ever-present company of our founders, mother and son – Svetlana Savchitz (the intimate spot’s namesake) and Alan Aguichev – Sveta’s arms are stretched wide open for a tender embrace of its cultural heritage, whether it’s a vibrant gourmet cocktail, a classic Ukrainian dish (often with a Sveta twist) for lunch, or a bursting-with-comfort space to settle in as you await your food.
On the Ukrainian Menu: Noshes of Home
Sveta exists as a sincere gesture to explore the corners and depths of Eastern European Fusion food, seasoned with heritage and marinated in creativity. Let’s taste.
Timeless Borscht
An iconic dish in Ukrainian cuisine, Borscht is a traditional beet soup that is often served with Pampushki (bread with garlic). Like the most wholesome of recipes, passed down for generations, every family has their own variation, twist, and perhaps a secret ingredient or two.
Nourishing in every way, it can be served as a starter or main and celebrates the meeting of humble ingredients like beets, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, onions, and the option of meat, such as beef or pork. It’s typically served with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill. You might even find some Salo (salted pork fatback, often thinly sliced) on the table to indulge in, too, pairing lovely with Borscht.
Svetlana grew up in her mother and grandmother’s kitchen and has been making Borscht since she can remember. Naturally, it would be a must-try on this Ukrainian menu, pleasantly delighting its tasters with subtle, yet sumptuous surprises in the way Sveta so often does.
Fulfilled Vereniki
A Ukrainian right of passage, every daughter is taught how to make Vereniki dumplings from yea tall; the family kitchen imitates a lively afternoon with several hands contributing to the feast on the horizon. With a growing satisfaction in each bite, Vereniki is a familiar Christmas dish in Ukraine that flaunts its ability to nurture bountiful, tasty bliss.
Ukrainian food inherently has deep family bonds that almost know no limits, and so, flavors develop to carry their own familial interpretations of traditional recipes. With Vereniki, it’s no different; there are different stuffings to try – cabbage, cottage cheese, meat, or sour cherry.
This family-owned Ukrainian Restaurant in NYC lovingly hand-makes classic potato dumplings, served with sour cream and melted butter.
Signature Syrniki
Cheesy and sweet? You bet. One of Ukrainian Cuisine’s sweethearts are small pancakes made from a mixture of farmer’s cheese (Tvorog), eggs, flour, and sugar. They are fried until golden brown and served warm with sour cream, jam, or honey.
Word on the New York streets is correct, Sveta has a soft spot for life’s simpler little delights, be it our famous craft cocktails, or the rich, sweet notes of the dessert menu. Soft and pillowy, the full flavor palette of Syrniki is breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner ready.
Syrniki also pairs very well with coffee, tea, or our Homemade Compote – a traditional Ukrainian fruit punch. Its natural sweetness and fruity flavors make it the ideal Syrniki companion.
Sipping Surprises
With a good sip in your hand, New York is yours to roam. With grand tastes that carry just as much potential as the big city itself, Sveta’s drinks menu has something for everyone. At Sveta, we raise our glasses to celebrate, join, break bread, find more, and laugh a little louder.
From traditional Ukrainian pours like ‘Obolon’ Beer, to reimagined classic flavors like the Beet Kyiv cocktail with Belvedere Vodka, Lime, Fresh Beet Juice, Muddled Mint, and Fever Tree Ginger Beer, as well as other seasonal drinks that are inspired by freshness and invention.
Always More to Savor at Sveta
Made to be enjoyed together. That is what this Ukrainian Restaurant in NYC is all about. Have a seat at Sveta and immerse yourself in a comfort cuisine that feels like home. So much so, that you are considering hosting your next event here. Our doors are open, and reservations are always welcome.
