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There’s a massive black-and-white photograph of a Ukrainian woman plastered onto a building on Broadway in Chippendale. The words “Kyiv Social” are written at the bottom in butter-yellow with a royal-blue background. I love it for two reasons. Firstly, it’s a logical signpost to indicate you’re on the right track, and if you wander down the laneway right near The Lansdowne, you’ll find what you’re looking for. But mostly, I love what the photo says. Wearing a dark fur hat, the woman is smiling. She has kind eyes and looks like she’d host a ripper dinner party. She’s someone’s daughter, someone’s friend, perhaps someone’s mother. And after more than a year of devastating news coming out of Ukraine, she’s a beautiful and powerful reminder of the people behind the headlines.
This is part of Plate it Forward’s magic. A social enterprise spearheaded by the larger-than-life Shaun Christie-David, Plate it Forward employs, trains and supports people from marginalised backgrounds and those who have suffered adversity (including refugees from war) and shines a spotlight on their stories. They do this in their successful bricks-and-mortar restaurants: Sri Lankan diner Colombo Social, Afghan eatery Kabul Social, the (now-closed) Mexican spot Coyoacán Social, plus events and catering. Ukrainian restaurant Kyiv Social opened in late 2023, employing those who had been displaced due to the war. For every meal ordered, two meals are donated to those in need – one in Sydney and one in Ukraine.
Housed in a heritage building that was once the Reserve Bank, Kyiv Social is spacious with a towering ceiling. There are glittering chandeliers, parquetry flooring, and the colours of Ukraine feature all over. There’s both low and high seating, and I spot a few tables of solo diners. Overhead, I hear the sounds of The Notorious B.I.G, and I settle in.
Our waitress comes over to greet us and we start chatting. We find out this is her first job in Australia and when she started, she couldn’t speak any English. How good is that? I ask if she can recommend a drink, and she tells us Newtown’s Young Henrys has collaborated with Kyiv Social to create a Ukrainian beer, “Beloved Ukrainian Lager”, and you can’t get it anywhere else. How cool. Of course, I will have one, please. It’s crisp and clean with bitter notes.
Elsewhere, Little Marionette is supplying their small-batch Aussie Blue Krane vodka made using traditional Ukrainian methods, and there’s a solid selection of mostly-Aussie wines by the glass around the $15 mark.
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The menu has been created by the Plate it Forward team, including restaurant consultant Ukrainian Nadiia Mohylna, Julian V Cincotta, and executive chef Vincent Dyevoich, and is headed up by Ukrainian head chef Borys Chernyk. It features dishes you’d expect to enjoy in someone’s home in the Eastern European country.
We start with a bowl of borscht that arrives, steaming, with a dollop of sour cream. Traditionally made with beetroot, Kyiv’s is light, bright and green with sorrel, mint, dill and potato, and the seasoning is on point. It’s comforting and homey, and tastes like sitting in front of the heater on a cold winter’s night. I finish it all. Next, herring toast sees grilled rye bread loaded with a mixture of chopped egg and pickled herring and topped with sweet pickled onions and spring onions. It’s salty and crunchy and yum.
Every morning sisters Ruslana and Olha hand-roll cabbage leaves filled with porcini mushrooms, celeriac and rice, inspired by the ones made by their grandmother. The cabbage rolls are slowly cooked and then bathed in a rich and delicious tomato sauce and served with a squiggle of sour cream. They are soft and tender, and it makes me think of my grandmother’s cooking.
Hand-made dumplings are stuffed with potato and cheese and come with a scattering of chives, crisp fried onions and more sour cream, and it’s like Thins Sour Cream & Chive Chips in dumpling form. I’m also starting to realise they love sour cream in Ukraine, and honestly, there are no complaints from me. Though, I would have liked a bit more space between the starters so we could savour each plate.
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Chicken Kyiv gets a Kyiv Social twist – the crumbed, golden schnitzel arrives nearly as big as the plate, and instead of the usual filling, our waitress pours a buttery, garlic and herb sauce on top. The chicken is succulent and juicy, the sauce makes me think of garlic bread, and it’s the stuff of pub-grub dreams.
If you’ve got the extra stomach, the team has also collaborated with LP’s Quality Meats to create a Ukrainian sausage served with Dijon mustard and salsa verde, for their take on bangers and mash. And when it comes to the vodka-soaked prunes with chantilly cream, honey and walnuts – I’ll be seeing you next time.
At Kyiv Social, the team doesn't just talk the talk, or walk it, for that matter. Instead, they’re out there running: creating a real, tangible difference, helping people find their place through connection, community, and sharing their stories of home through food. And that food? It tastes really good, and makes you feel good, too. I reckon that’s something we can all get behind.
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