Ukrainian restaurant Veselka will open two new establishments in New York

Veselka, a beloved Ukrainian restaurant in the East Village, plans to expand into Brooklyn. The institution will open two more outlets in New York before the end of the year, reports Brooklyn paper.

The restaurant, which has been operating in New York for almost 70 years, plans to occupy a 465-square-meter space in Williamsburg.

Jason Birchard, co-owner of Veselka and grandson of the founding owners, said the deal is still pending. But he expects everything to be ready "very soon." Once the lease is signed, the team will announce the exact location of the new restaurant.

“We've always talked about how we're going to take Veselka to the next level, beyond a simple refurbishment here,” Birchard said, referring to Veselka's flagship restaurant on 2nd Avenue. “Another lifesaver for us would be a larger facility in Brooklyn.”

Prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, the family planned to temporarily close the 2nd Avenue establishment for long-needed repairs and renovations. The restaurant has been operating in the same premises since it opened in 1954. But when the war broke out, Veselka—one of the few Ukrainian businesses left in the part of the East Village that used to be known as Little Ukraine—became a hub for the local Ukrainian-American community and its supporters.

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Veselka started raising money to help Ukraine. New York officials dined at the restaurant in a show of support. And often the queue to get into the restaurant turned the corner. Veselka is a semi-finalist for the James Beard Outstanding Restaurant Award. And this is due to its cuisine, atmosphere and contribution to the development of society.

When the “flurry of love and support” began, the family decided to postpone the closing of the restaurant for a while

Birchard's cousin, Justin, has recently returned to the city from Los Angeles to help run the restaurant. And they started brainstorming ideas for expansion. They decided to bring to life the idea of ​​opening a new full-fledged restaurant and a new fast food kiosk.

In 2018, Veselka, a fast food restaurant with a limited menu, opened at The Market Line on Delancey Street. A second fast food restaurant is scheduled to open later this year at the Grand Central Terminal. Now there is a large-scale reconstruction.

They decided to open a second full-fledged restaurant in Williamsburg. As soon as the Brooklyn establishment opens, the restaurant on 2nd Avenue will finally be closed for renovations.

“We've always dreamed of having a location in Brooklyn or Williamsburg,” said Birchard. – I have different suppliers and friends who have opened their own establishments in Williamsburg. And they all feel very good there. Maybe I'm a little late, but I'm very happy to be there."

According to Birchard, Williamsburg is in close proximity to the East Village. So the transportation of goods there will be easy, and the devoted fans of the restaurant will also be able to easily get there.

In addition to a larger kitchen and dining room, Williamsburg will have a larger retail space. They will sell goods similar to those offered on the Veselka website. Among them are clothes, water bottles and much more, decorated with the yellow and blue Ukrainian flag, as well as Veselka branded plates and utensils.

Brooklyn is home to one of the largest Ukrainian settlements in Eastern Europe

Brighton Beach, located in the southern part of the city, was nicknamed “little Odessa”, and Ukrainian support spread throughout the area. About 14 IDPs have settled in Brooklyn since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to the governor's office.

Birchard hopes the Williamsburg restaurant will open before the end of the year. But he can't promise anything given the slow pace of permits and construction. He'll have more information as soon as the treaty is signed and the case gets off the ground.

“We are very excited,” he said. – What is happening in Ukraine is tragic and depressing. We really hope for a peaceful end, so we plan to continue cooking and serving Ukrainian cuisine.”