Small Family Businesses is where its at - Zavivanets Family Restaurant

An alluring smell of irresistible freshly baked bread fills the air every time I pass by this restaurant in the summer. During the days there is a suspiciously long line of eager customers outside. I had wondered, for the longest time, what was so special about it?

I was passing by the restaurant, and the oven outside in which fresh bread is baked was covered in snow. No long line either. But what really caught my eye was the signboard. A very bold advertisement of confusing prices. Vegetable dishes cost more than meat? I have to see this!

I was welcomed with a very enthusiastic greeting and a giant smile. A smile? That's sus. The stereotypes about Eastern Europeans being stone faced exists for a reason, because it's true. And when you are very used to the stone faces, a smile can be very confusing.

Turned out, it was a rare sight. Not many foreigners venture into unknown and unrecommended businesses. But maybe we should. If I hadn't, I'd have missed out on a very lovely experience.

This restaurant has been around for over a decade. Just a few years before I stepped into Ukraine. They are most popular in the residential area for their freshly baked bread. Who'd have guessed, right? I also think smaller family businesses demand a larger clientele simply because of how genuine and hearty the service is.

The decorations inside were...unique. There were these shelves with vases and bread on them. Curiosity got the best of me and I did try touching a piece of bread, a prompt "nastayashi" followed the action. Which means "real". I don't think I've seen such a decoration before.

There were some real pumpkins lying around, the ceiling had hanging candy canes, and decorations for new years were also stuck to the wall. Everything screamed "family business" and everything felt very valuable to the business owner.

The restaurant has a very diverse menu. It is a Cafe, a bakery, and a dine-in, all in one. They have coffee, tea, fresh squeeze, bottled drinks. They have cakes, pastries, sweets, and bakery. For meals, they have soups, pizzas, burgers, rice, and more. Most of it is made in the kitchen. A very extensive process, I believe.

I genuinely enjoyed the vibe. It was a very friendly and homey experience. I ordered a chocolate brownie, green tea with lemon, a potato bun, and a chicken pizza. All of which was made in house.

I believe this visit has made me very excited to visit more family businesses in the city. I can recall how exclusive my experience was at Emily Cafe (another family business) and this was nothing short of it.

The food was incredible. It had so much flavor compared to the bigger names and franchises. The pizza was a thin crust bread, with cheese, chicken, sauce, and mushrooms. It was really good.

The potato bread really set the bar. Now I know why people line up for such long times to get their hands on their bread. If this was so good, I can only imagine how satisfying a whole loaf would be.

The brownie was excellent. Probably the best brownie I've had yet. Although it has a slight advantage since it was fresh out of the oven. Can you imagine how heavenly a fresh brownie feels on a cold winter day?

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