While in NYC, S and I met with some friends from our Minamishimabara ALT days. As friends do, we ended up telling stories and drinking late into the night. Before heading back to S’s apartment, our friend W took us all to one of her favorite diners in East Village.
It’s name was Veselka (веселка), which means “rainbow” in Ukrainian. A 24-hour diner, Veselka has been serving up Ukrainian specialties like borscht, goulash, and handmade varenyky (or pierogies) since 1954.
After asking W for recommendations, I went for a plate of eight fried pierogies. For fillings, I requested pairs of the following: meat, truffle mushroom, arugula and goat cheese, and sweet potato.
As we waited for our food, I enjoyed taking in the diner’s menagerie seated around us. There were cheerful college kids drinking, subdued 30-somethings in suits, decked out club hoppers refueling, and a table of philosophizing college professor types that gave me some serious Beatnik vibes. It felt like a microcosm of New York City.
Once our orders arrived, we chowed down in that drunk stupor sort of way, your gut telling you it needs grease to stave off a hangover down the road. Of the four flavors I ordered, the arugula and goat cheese combo was my favorite. All the flavors were delicious and the plate was the perfect food to cap off the night properly.
While I visited Veselka in the middle of the night, I imagine it’s a great place to go no matter when you head there. If you find yourself in the East Village, it’s not to be missed.
※ Information:
- Site: Veselka
- Location: 144 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003
- Borough: Manhattan
- Neighborhoods: Ukrainian Village, East Village
- Price Range: $$
Laurel, Annotated 
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