HANGOUTS IN LVIV
Local lowdowns about places I know in Lviv that may make your evenings more interesting. They are not visited on our tours but you should definitely check them out before or after touring with In Lviv Tours. Lviv is a very fast-moving city and new places open all the time. Watch this space.
TRAVEN
Traven is a safe space for students, young punks, antifas and LGBTQs, but a very broad mix of people hang out there and not all of them agree with the Traven status quo.
Traven kitchen is vegetarian and beers are mainly Brater with a few extras on the board. Music is diverse and whoever works there will decide what you listen to (you will not have a choice).
When I first visited the establishment in 2014, it was a Right Sector bar (far right political group), then it became Dante, then Kerouac.
Now, as Traven, evenings spent downstairs will likely include live music, a lively debate, an art exhibition or film screening. During the day you can play table football.
Previous and current staff are generally musicians in the Lviv punk and stoner scenes, representing bands such as Breath Control Play, Planet Bit, Mauser and Suicideburg. Traven is a good spot in which to take stock before heading to Bar Deli Club or further afield in Lviv old town.
BAR DELI CLUB
The most notorious pubs have been around for a while and Deli qualifies with flying colours. It closed for a while in the COVID years when someone rented the space for massage services. Let's call that a blot on an otherwise unblemished landscape.
Bar Deli Club has always had attractive and attentive bartenders, old school game consoles that you can play for free (Sega Megadrive, Dreamcast), vinyls that you can spin, Star Wars stuff, a room dedicated to Tottenham Hotspur (I don't know why either), and a back room that is dedicated to Beer Pong.
Deli kitchen stuggles to feed hungry people so eat anywhere else before visiting. Half a dozen excellent bistros and restaurants sit very close nearby, namely Kumpel, Stargorod (directly opposite), Kabinet, Meat and Justice, Traven (see above), and a Lviv Croissants.
Music is YouTube and Deli will play what you want, be that Death in June, Bauhaus or Baby Metal. Beers by Brater brewery which means taste, value and variety.
BUFFALO PUB
A family pub founded in 2018 that delivers Ukrainian and British rock music to loyal locals. The kitchen is excellent, their borscht one of the best in Lviv. Beers, shots and snacks are all trusted staples.
Buffalo Pub (вул. Богдана Хмельницького, 15) is located in between what is left of two synagogues that were destroyed by Nazis and Ukrainian nationalists in 1941, on a street that was the scene of murderous pogroms during the first days of July that year.
Their wheat beer is gluten concentrate, so if you suffer from gluten intolerance as I, stick to the lagers and darker beers to save yourself a high pulse rate. One of my favourite pubs in Lviv.
CANTONA PUB
Founded in 2015 by FCKL fan Andriy Markovets, Cantona has since become basecamp for Lviv Reds (Manchester United supporters). Expect an acceptable selection of beers and one of the best pub kitchens in Lviv. It gets busy and the atmosphere is always lively. Cantona is all about the match with a hefty does of Britpop and Indie music.
Andriy is a serving soldier and his pub has long supported the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Please do your bit by visiting Cantona for a meal and some beers.
Cantona Pub likes stickers of football firms and football clubs (the lesser known the better, i.e. lower league teams), interesting football paraphernalia, and beers that are unavailable in Ukraine (especially white beers). If you plan on visiting Cantona, deliverance of any of those would be appreciated.
FACET
A place with history and status tucked away at the top of Virmenska, Facet can be found on a cosy cobbled corner in the heart of Lviv old town.
Popular with musicians, artists and academics down the years, you can expect a very warm welcome from the owners and staff.
Facet walls are adorned with paintings of 70s rock bands by Andriy Pavliv and rather a lot of mirrors for the vain amongst us.
Andriy's homemade spirits are a Lviv staple and the kitchen serves traditional Galician fare. Local beers and wines are also available.
Twin sister Fazetka opened a few years ago in front of Facet. It's an equally charming bar with an eclectic menu and entirely different ambience.
One, the other, or both are a must when walking through the Armenian quarter of Lviv old town.
PORCO MARCO
It's always worth paying a little more for quality, and that's exactly what will happen if you decide to eat at Porco Marco.
Nastya Gren has put her heart and soul into her Armenian alcove, the result being a Lviv success / survival (pandemic, war) story.
Lviv has always struggled with proper pizza, we've had "Bella Ciao", "Ciao Bella", and all manner of in betweens. Nothing good happened until Nastya arrived.
Given that the closest most Ukrainians get to Italy is chewing on dough from the likes of Celentano and IQ Pizza, Porco Marco is a breath of fresh air.
It's somewhat pricey for Ukraine, $13 for a pizza is a king's ransom but they are big and absolutely Italian. Expect variants of all the classics and pork wrapped in focaccia with rosemary and olive oil.
At time of writing, and after 5 years in business, Porco Marco has yet to publish their menu in English or Italian on Instagram. Something to work on.
You can follow Porco Marco on Instagram.
✍ June 16th, 2026.