Veselka
8.4Friend Score / 10#8 of 21 Restaurants in New York City
Known forborschtpotato pierogivarenykypotato pancakes (latkes)
The East Village's Ukrainian diner since 1954 — borscht, potato pierogi, and challah French toast served by a third-generation family in the heart of what's left of Little Ukraine. It brought back 24-hour Friday and Saturday service in April 2026. Beloved, affordable, and one of the warmest rooms in downtown Manhattan; expect a weekend brunch wait.
Key facts
| Hours | Mon–Thu 09:00–00:00 Fri–Fri 09:00–23:59 Sat–Sat 00:00–23:59 Sun–Sun 00:00–23:00 |
|---|---|
| Price | $$ |
| Phone | — |
| Website | — |
| Nearest transit | Astor Pl (6) or 8th St–NYU (N/W/R), about a 4-minute walk; 1st Av (L) about 7 minutes |
| Time needed | 45 minutes to 1.5 hours |
| Best time to go | Weekday mornings or late night; weekend brunch draws the longest waits |
| Last verified | July 12, 2026 |
Friend Score
8.4/10- Value8.5
- iconic7.5
- Freshness9.2
- Crowd level6.0
- Authenticity9.0
- Accessibility9.0
Frequently asked questions
- Is Veselka open 24 hours?
- On weekends, yes again — Veselka restored round-the-clock service Fridays and Saturdays starting April 2026, a return to its famous all-night diner roots. The rest of the week it runs roughly 9am to midnight, Sundays closing earlier.
- What should I order at Veselka?
- Pierogi (potato-cheddar is the classic, get them boiled or fried) and a bowl of borscht — that pairing is the house identity. The Ukrainian breakfast plates and challah French toast are the brunch sleepers.
- What does 'Veselka' mean?
- It's Ukrainian for 'rainbow.' The name came with the original 1954 candy store and stuck through seven decades of the neighborhood changing around it.
- What's the story behind Veselka?
- Ukrainian refugee Wolodymyr Darmochwal opened it as a newsstand-candy store in 1954, and it grew into the anchor of the East Village's Little Ukraine. His grandson Jason Birchard runs it today, and since 2022 it's also become a hub of support for Ukraine.
- How much do pierogi cost at Veselka?
- Plates run about $12-16 depending on filling and preparation, and most of the menu stays under $20. It's one of the better cheap-ish sit-down meals left in downtown Manhattan.
- Is Veselka vegetarian-friendly?
- Very — potato and sauerkraut-mushroom pierogi, borscht (there's a vegetarian version), latkes, and salads make it an easy stop for vegetarians, with meat-filled classics for everyone else.
- Does Veselka take reservations?
- It's mostly a walk-in diner, though it has appeared on Resy for some seatings — weekend brunch is when you'll actually wait. Off-hours you can nearly always walk right in.
- Is Veselka worth it or just nostalgia?
- The food is genuinely good diner-plus cooking at fair prices — nostalgia is the seasoning, not the whole dish. If a warm bowl of borscht at 2am on a Saturday doesn't sound like New York at its best, we can't help you.
Nearby in Ask New York City
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- McSorley's Old Ale HouseBar0.21 km · 3 min walk
- Death & CoBar0.4 km · 5 min walk
- Amor y AmargoBar0.43 km · 5 min walk
- Russ & DaughtersRestaurant0.72 km · 9 min walk
Where to stay near Veselka
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