Citronelle

Citronelle is a long-standing French bistro at Bohdana Khmelnytskoho Street 23 in central Kyiv, in the Zoloti Vorota area. It is popular for business lunches and for Easter baskets, a Ukrainian tradition in which prepared food is blessed and eaten at Easter. The restaurant has been part of the city's dining scene for many years, and its reputation rests on consistent bistro cooking rather than novelty. The cooking follows the French bistro repertoire. French bistro classics are the signature of the menu, and the business lunch offers a set-price way to sample them on weekdays. Pastries from the kitchen add to the appeal for coffee and a light bite. The dishes are traditional in style and suit diners who want familiar comfort food in a central setting. The room has the relaxed, convivial atmosphere typical of a bistro. There is no formal dress code, noise levels are moderate, and the mood is busiest at weekday lunch, when office workers fill the tables. Evenings are calmer and suit conversation. Mains cost roughly UAH 400-800 (USD 9-18). Opening hours are Monday to Friday 9AM-11PM and Saturday to Sunday 10AM-11PM, so the restaurant works for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Reservations are recommended, particularly for weekday lunch and around Easter when baskets are ordered in advance, and booking a day ahead is usually enough. Bookings are taken on +380 67 217 14 20. The Bohdana Khmelnytskoho location is close to the Golden Gate, the Zoloti Vorota metro station and the Opera House, so it is well placed for visitors who are sightseeing in that part of the old centre. It suits business diners, couples and anyone seeking a French meal without a fine-dining price tag. Those planning a visit near Easter should ask the restaurant about basket orders.