I often say that if there is New York in this world, then why go anywhere else? In these words, of course, there is a share of maximalism and yes, I go to New York every year, but in exactly the same way once a year I cheat on my favorite city with another country, because this world is beautiful!
But in this article we will talk about how you can meet the whole world in one city. If we speak in the words of a guidebook, then New York is a unique city that has absorbed many cultures and nations. If in ordinary words, there is everything and everyone here!
A little prehistory
A huge number of emigrants who, by good tradition, began to master America именно through New York, stayed in the city, found their fellow countrymen and organized national communities and societies. Each of them created on their small patch of New York a place that would remind them of their homeland — people, architecture, cuisine, traditions, etc. Thus, China Town, Little Italy, Ukrainian Village, Russian Village (Brighton Beach), Korean Town, Mexican Village and many others appeared in New York. Moving through these neighborhoods, you kill two birds with one stone — you travel around America and at the same time you go on journeys to other countries and continents.
Well, shall we start? In this piece I will tell you about the Ukrainian neighborhood of New York.
Ukrainian neighborhood
The Ukrainian neighborhood is located in Manhattan, in its south-eastern part, which is called East Village. This is a fairly popular party place, so willy-nilly even those who know little about this European country get acquainted with Ukrainian culture here.
Marina, yesterday after the club we ended up in the place “Veselka”. And you know what? It’s Ukrainian! We tried borscht and after a night filled with alcohol and dancing — it’s an excellent relief!
On the territory of the neighborhood there are a large number of Ukrainian restaurants, shops and other institutions. The neighborhood also has a Ukrainian name for one of the streets. This is Shevchenko place. From here we will begin our journey!
Opposite this very sign with the name Shevchenko place there is a beautiful Ukrainian Catholic church of St. George. On Sundays services are held here, to which the entire believing Ukrainian community of New York comes. After the service, you can cross the road back to the Shevchenko place sign and have lunch in the Ukrainian cafeteria Stricha.
Address: East 7th Street, between 2nd & 3rd Avenues
About Stricha I want to tell separately. Imagine, you are in New York, where at the word cafeteria you imagine a diner from American movies: red-yellow seats are arranged like a railcar, one after another, and the waitress constantly comes up to your table and offers to top up coffee. And then you go to Stricha and understand that after all a cafeteria is not quite new and modest furniture, a white or transparent oilcloth on the table and aluminum cutlery. This is all to say that in Stricha you find yourself in native and familiar conditions, remember childhood and, if you have been in New York for quite a long time, you feel nostalgic for your homeland and such native and familiar cuisine.
In general, in a nutshell, Stricha is a classic Ukrainian canteen and to meet such a phenomenon in New York is to great surprise and delight. Besides the fact that Stricha is a true Ukrainian diner, it is also a place where you can eat the most delicious borscht in the city! And the prices here are very democratic. Borscht for 2 dollars — that’s wonderful!
Address: E7th Street, between 2nd & 3rd Avenues
Here, near Stricha and the Shevchenko place sign, there is a Ukrainian souvenir and gift shop Surma Book&Music Co. The assortment of the shop is quite large and everything here is Ukrainian — embroidered shirts, bulavas, wreaths, postcards, kobzars and other Ukr-lit, newspapers, dishes, рушныки, flags, candles, honey, icons and much more. A very sweet granny works in the shop who, despite many years of life in New York, speaks in sincere Ukrainian.
The shop will be useful for those who forgot to take gifts from their homeland with them.
Address: 11 E 7th St
Every May, on 7th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenue, an annual Ukrainian festival takes place. I would say that this event can be interesting to three categories of visitors:
Ukrainians who are separated from their homeland;
children of those same Ukrainians who were born in the States and know about their homeland and its traditions only from their parents’ words;
people for whom Ukraine is not a native country and they are interested to look at Ukrainian national dances, listen to music, get acquainted with traditions, etc.
Because if you are Ukrainian and you arrived in New York a few weeks ago, then watching dances in national costumes and listening to the song “Chervona Ruta” will not be very interesting for you.
But if you are in New York for a long time, then here is the festival page.
Let’s go further and come out to 2nd Avenue.
The Veselka cafe, which I mentioned earlier. If about 10 years ago it was truly a Ukrainian place, then today only the name, borscht and varenyky in the menu remain of the Ukrainian. The waiters are Americans or Poles, the menu has french fries, burgers and other non-Ukrainian food. Prices at “Veselka” are not high, however much more expensive than at Stricha.
I like being inside “Veselka” — it’s quite cozy here. However, if your goal is to eat native food or a more responsible goal — to introduce your foreign friends to native food — go to Stricha or Ukrainian East Village Restaurant.
Address: 144 2nd Ave
Continuing the topic of restaurants, one cannot help but remember Ukrainian East Village Restaurant in Ukrainian National Home. With the Ukrainian menu things are better here than in “Veselka”: borscht, varenyky, Chicken Kyiv, deruny, mashed potatoes, buckwheat, cabbage rolls, bigus, filled pancakes, pies with cherries and berries and many, many other Ukrainian dishes. Prices are average, the interior of the restaurant resembles a restaurant in the Ukrainian outback. But the borscht at Stricha is still tastier)))
Address: 140 2nd Ave
Ukrainian National Home is a Ukrainian cultural center where evenings of national music and dances, readings of poetry and prose, exhibitions of paintings or objects of applied art take place. In other words, events related to Ukrainian culture and art.
Bar “Mykyta Lys” or Bar “Karpaty” is a small bar in the basement of Ukrainian National Home. Ukrainian music plays here and you can buy Ukrainian beer, horilka and other drinks.
A meat shop or Meat Market J.Baczynsky. I still have not managed to clarify whether Mr. Baczynsky is Polish or Ukrainian (or both), but if you want salo, boiled pork, pacherivka and other Ukrainian meat products — you should come here. Prices are adequate, the product will not disappoint.
Address: 139 2nd Ave
Ukrainian sportovy klub — I thought Ukrainian strongmen do sports here and remember their faraway homeland. Everything is not so. “Sportovy klub” is a sports bar where they watch sports competitions. Often Ukrainian athletes, just as often athletes of other nations. I managed to talk with several people who work in “Sportovy klub” — an elderly American and an elderly Ukrainian granny who spoke Ukrainian very poorly with me and I had to switch to English.
Address: 122 2nd Ave
Ukrainian Museum — the museum is located a little lower than all Ukrainian institutions, however in the same area — on 6th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenue. Back in 2012 I watched there the premiere of the film “The one who passed through fire” and this gives me reason to conclude that Ukrainian cinema is shown in the museum. Besides cinema, permanent exhibitions of Ukrainian embroidery, pottery art, fabrics, traditional clothing and much more work here.
Address: 222 E6 str
That’s what Ukraine is like in New York! Very soon we will continue traveling through other countries in the wonderful and so spacious city of New York)