An East Village staple for 61 years, this coffee shop serves traditional Ukrainian fare along with good ol’ diner comfort food 24 hours a day.
Basics:
| Cuisine: | Ukrainian |
| Address: | 144 2nd Ave @ 9th street |
| Neighborhood: | East Village |
| Phone: | 212-228-9682 |
| Hours: | 24 hours |
| Price: | $$ |
| Menu: | LINK |
Kid Friendliness:
| Stroller parking: | LIMITED |
| Room Around Tables For Stroller: | LIMITED |
| Accessible (No Stairs): | YES |
| Double Stroller Friendly: | YES *See notes |
| Table Activity: | NO |
| Kids Menu: | NO |
| Half Portions Available: | YES |
| Changing Table Men’s: | YES |
| Changing Table Women’s: | YES |
| Booster Seats: | YES |
| High Chairs: | YES |
* hard to maneuver inside if it’s crowded
The Verdict:
Good for all ages.
Appropriate for any meal.
Sippy Cup Rating:
(3.5 / 5)
Blintzes Baby!
Veselka (which means Rainbow) in Ukrainian is like a little pot of gold for parents (sorry, I couldn’t help the pun, won’t do it again, promise).
Over my 16 years in the city, Veselka has been the location for many memorable girlfriend brunches, post-partying 3am food runs, a safe place to meet a blind date (pre-husband of course!) and now as a parent. While it doesn’t meet all of the Fork+Bib criteria, I’m very pleased to say that it does quite well on our Sippy Cup rating.
In terms of accessibility, while the restaurant is large it does get very crowded and loud at peak times. There is limited stroller parking and when it’s packed, maneuvering a stroller, with a sleeping baby no less, isn’t easy…but it’s not impossible. The staff is helpful and there are a number of tables that can accommodate a stroller or two. The service is quick and very friendly. There is no kiddie menu but they do include certain child-friendly touches like spill-proof plastic kiddie cups complete with bendy straws.
Now, get ready to do a jig or a Ukrainian Folk Dance because one of Veselka’s bathrooms has a changing table! WHOHOO!
As for the food, if you like pierogies or other traditional Ukrainian fare, Veselka can’t be beat. Maybe that’s why it’s been around for SIXTY-ONE years! They also have lots of kid-friendly options and traditional diner offerings like awesome chicken noodle soup, grilled cheese and burgers.
Bonus Points:
- Open 24 hours – if your baby is having a sleepless night 🙂
- Breakfast is served all day, expanding the options for the kiddies
- They source a lot of their food from small family-owned purveyors
Insider Tips:
- Don’t let the crowds deter you – the service is fast and they cycle people through quickly!
Fun Fact:
- Veselka makes 3,000 pierogies every day, 2500 potato pancakes each week and 5,000 gallons of borscht every year.
Bib on and ready to feast
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