It really does feel like a social club at Kyiv. Like, a proper social club, rather than an on-trend name. This is a place people come to to meet, to relax, to feel at home among friends. And why shouldn’t they, when the welcome is so warm, the food so hearty, the concept so admirable.

Kyiv Social is the third venue for Plate It Forward, which merges hospitality with social change, in this case providing employment for Ukrainian refugees, while funnelling profits into meals for those in need.

There’s also a smart pairing of traditional recipes with local legends: find Pepe Saya butter drowning the Chicken Kyiv; its sour cream slathered on potato and dill dumplings; a whopping LP’s kovbasa sausage with mash; and Young Henrys Beloved Ukrainian Lager to help it all down.

Food, and dining, doesn’t get any more comforting than this.

Good to know: For each set menu served, Plate It Forward donates two meals to the needy.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.