Food tourism in Ukraine: 7 gastronomic routes as impressive as in Italy

There are many places in Ukraine where you can not only rest but also enjoy authentic cuisine, local delicacies, and a unique food culture.

Gastro-tourism is one of the latest trends, and our country already has plenty to impress even the most experienced gourmets. We've gathered the most interesting routes where a region’s flavor is revealed through its traditions, products, and people.

Bessarabia (Odesa region): wine and Black Sea cuisine

The Danube coastline is a paradise for lovers of seafood, wine, and unique Moldovan-Bulgarian dishes. Here you can try Black Sea goby, mussels, mamaliga, and the famous Bessarabian bryndza cheese. Be sure to visit the villages of Prymorske or Vylkove, where cuisine is paired with exotic nature.

Visit Bolhrad and Shabo for incredible wine tours that already rival many European wine regions.

Mamalyha with bryndza (photo: Wikipedia)

Hutsul region (Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi regions): cheese, banosh, and Hutsul magic

Traditional banosh with bryndza, smoked sausage, mushrooms, and Carpathian teas—Hutsul cuisine is simple but rich. In Verkhovyna, Kryvorivnia, and Yavoriv, you can visit cheese dairies or go on food excursions where dishes are cooked over an open fire.

Banosh with bryndza (photo: Wikipedia)

Poltava region: dumplings, slyv'ianka, and heartfelt hospitality

Poltava is a true brand in Ukrainian food culture. Local dumplings (halushky) come in dozens of variations, and local hosts are masters of combining flavor with warmth. Don’t miss the Dumpling Museum and ethnographic estates with tastings.

Memorial to Poltava's halushka (photo: Wikipedia)

Lviv and Lviv region: coffee, syrnyky, and restaurants with stories

A city where every neighborhood has its own philosophy of flavor. Coffee shops with in-house roasting, themed restaurants, Lviv cheesecake (syrnyk), and liqueurs—all guarantee unforgettable taste impressions. In the suburbs, you’ll find cheese farms, wineries, and family-run producers.

Add to that craft beer, meat masterclasses, and authentic Galician cuisine, which truly has no equal in the world.

Lviv Coffee Mine (photo: LeoSfera hostels)

Zakarpattia: multinational cuisine on the table

Uzhhorod, Mukachevo, and Khust—and especially the villages of Bushtyno and Nyzhnie Selyshche—are centers of culinary fusion between Hungarian, Czech, and Ukrainian cuisines. Bohrach, lecho, homemade wines, and cheese platters are easy to find at local festivals and family estates. Be sure to try real Zakarpattian lekvar and attend at least one wine tasting.

Bohrach (photo: Wikipedia)

Chernihiv region: mead, pickled treats, and history

An underrated food region that surprises with ancient recipes and local produce: pickled pears, mead, sour cherry borscht, and bulany. Local tours often combine food formats with historical landmarks—from Baturyn to Sedniv.

Bulany (photo: Cheline)

Volyn: Polissia traditions, mushroom cuisine, and homemade infusions

This region stands out for its simplicity and authenticity. Volyn cuisine features garlic-drizzled potato pancakes, white mushroom soup, pickled vegetables, beet kvass, cabbage soup, smoked meat, and traditional fruit drinks.

In villages near the Shatsk Lakes and Kolodiazhne, you can join traditional food evenings with songs, homemade horilka (moonshine), and dishes prepared from old family recipes. Liubeshiv and Kovel are new hotspots on Ukraine’s gastronomic map. It’s a region of wild nature, peace, and true Polissia hospitality.

Deruny (photo: freepik.com)

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Sources: Wikipedia, Cheline, Ukraine.ua, VisitUkraineToday, Center for Tourism Development of Ukraine.