Veselka

• Cuisine(s): Breakfast, Brunch, Diner, Polish, Ukranian
  Price: $$
  Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards
• Attire: Casual
  Features: Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Delivery, Wheelchair Accessible, Kid Friendly
  Serving: Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner, Late Night, Lunch
• Alcohol: Beer, Wine
  Reservations: Not Accepted
  Parking: No Parking

Description

This is a true East Village institution, opened by Ukrainian immigrant Wolodymyr Darmochwal in 1962. Its popularity hasn't dipped at all; the place is packed for almost all of the 24 hours it's open, especially during brunch. Handmade pierogies (filled with everything from potato to arugula and goat cheese) are especially popular, as are the grilled kielbasa and the veal goulash. The burgers are classics: huge charbroiled patties of lean ground chuck placed in sesame seed buns from Amy's Bread, available with cheese and thick slabs of bacon. Breakfast is served all-day long, resulting in plenty of late-night bar-goers indulging in fried eggs or challah French toast after last call. Despite the restaurant's rich history, it feels surprisingly modern, with an airy dining room decked out in polished wood and plenty of light let in from the floor-to-ceiling windows. A handful of sidewalk tables allows for great East Village people watching while a robust take-out service lets locals enjoy the Ukrainian comfort food without the perpetual lines.—Keith Wagstaff