I’m on a hunger-inducing tour of Veselka’s kitchen at the venerable Ukrainian restaurant’s new outpost in Brooklyn. Massive pots of purple borscht are simmering, sizzling potato pancakes come fresh out of the fryer. Would I like to try some plump Pestrogi, the brand’s pastrami-stuffed-pierogi collaboration with Katz’s Deli? Don’t mind if I do. “But this time of year, you can’t go wrong with borscht,” proprietor Jason Birchard tells me as New York bakes in a heat wave outside. “The potato and short rib pierogies are amazing, too.”
Veselka is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, its original East Village location a Big Apple institution that became something more than a place to simply chow down. It seems everybody in New York has a story about a late night that began or ended at Veselka, from hungry NYU kids to the city’s artistic community, all wooed by affordable comfort food and its trademark frantic energy. Who among us hasn’t left there full and satisfied, bellies full of crisp chicken schnitzel or a bubbly Reuben sandwich?
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But aside from stories of hungry revelers devouring plates of kielbasa and platters of stuffed cabbage, the family-owned operation has since morphed into a bastion of Ukrainian culture; a safe space where natives of the European country convene to connect, reminisce, and, lately, vent.
“My grandfather who launched the business was a Ukrainian immigrant escaping Russian oppression in the late 1940s,” Birchard told me during a brief respite at his ever-bustling restaurant. “It’s sad to say, but that history is now repeating itself with this latest conflict between Russia and Ukraine.” Indeed, when Russian forces rolled into the nation in February 2022, Veselka found itself launched into the national spotlight and business boomed. However bittersweet, growth was in order. “We wanted to keep up with both the demand in the East Village and nationwide shipping,” Brichard notes. “So we knew we had to expand.”
That plan materializes this month with the opening of Veselka Williamsburg. Aside from an outpost in Grand Central Station, it’s now the nearly century-old operation’s second-ever location. Housed in a former abandoned auto body shop, Birchard and his team built out the space of their dreams which includes a sprawling dining room and their aforementioned shiny new kitchen. Outside, custom neon signs boasting Veselka’s yellow logo courtesy of Brooklyn’s Noble Signs woo customers. “I think they bring a lot of life to the building,” Birchard tells me. “The entire buildout was a big investment.” As a Williamsburg resident myself, it’s a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Sure it’s now technically a mini-chain, but it’s not often a business is built with passion from the ground up.
In tandem with their new location, a documentary encapsulating Veselka’s culture was released earlier this year to mark its anniversary. Narrated by the actor David Duchovny, Veselka: The Rainbow On The Corner at the Center of the World focuses on a tumultuous history, but gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the restaurant. For Birchard, the project served as an enticing way to honor his father. “He ran the business for fifty-something years after my grandfather,” he explains. “So I wanted to create something for him as a homage to ride off into the sunset with.”
What was originally conceived as a short film turned into something bigger as production happened to kick off around when Russia invaded their homeland. “It’s very poignant for me and I’m glad we’re able to capture the history of the business,” he muses. “But it’s not necessarily all roses.” As a result, the film also highlights the heartbreaking upheaval of the devastation that its Ukrainian staff still grapples with. “I’m going to need your help to (bring) my parents over here,” an employee asks Brichard in one emotional scene.
I ask Birchard about the prospect that now, beyond its cornerstones of food and culture, Veselka’s legend has become fodder for theatrical audiences. “I guess my life is now an open book,” he laughs. “I had some reservations about the documentary, but no regrets. I’m happy to share how this started, where we came from, and what the future is.”
For now, my future involves a hearty dinner. Veselka Williamsburg has only been open for a month, but kinks seem nonexistent. Shortly after me and my friend place our order, our choices appear at lightning speed: a dozen perogies, potato pancakes with sides of sour cream and applesauce, and two cups of that chilled borscht Birchard was alluding to. We successfully polish everything off, and naturally ask what’s for dessert. It’s just as Birchard told me earlier: “People definitely don’t leave Veselka hungry.”