In the face of blackouts and missile strikes, Ukraine’s cafés have not only kept their doors open—they’ve built systems of solidarity and resistance.

BY ISABELLE MANI
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE

Featured photo courtesy of Optima-Klassic

I first reported on Ukraine’s blooming specialty-coffee scene back in 2020. At the time, the country’s cafés were expanding rapidly: symbols of youth, culture, and growing international engagement. Five years later, I am reporting on those same communities under a very different context.

When I first spoke to Iryna Makukha, communications coordinator for Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Ukraine, I asked for her feedback on how I wanted to write a story that reflected how they see their own daily lives in this segment—what truly matters to them, within their own context. She told me we were fully aligned. From the beginning, she and others in the community were clear:  “We don’t want pity.” 

What follows is the story they chose to tell—through cafés that never closed, competitions that carried on, creatives who kept inspiration alive, and a culture of hospitality that continues to hold people together.

An Unbreakable Culture

Coffee in Ukraine has long been tied to cultural identity, hospitality, and social life, and shaped by centuries of geopolitical influence. In the 16th and 17th centuries, during the expansion of the Ottoman Empire, the cezve (or ibrik) method of brewing coffee spread across Eastern Europe, becoming part of domestic life in many regions, including what is now southern and central Ukraine.

By the 18th and 19th centuries, under Austro-Hungarian rule, cities like Lviv and Chernivtsi developed vibrant café cultures inspired by the Viennese model. These cafés became gathering places for intellectuals, artists, and political thinkers—mirroring similar spaces in Vienna, Budapest, and Kraków—where coffee-drinking was associated with dialogue, literature, and social commentary.

That legacy continues today. In conversations with Iryna, it became clear how contemporary coffee culture in Ukraine has taken on an essential role in offering care, comfort, and social connection. 

According to SCA Ukraine, the number of coffee shops in Ukraine has increased by 35% since the start of the full-scale war, making specialty coffee one of the few expanding sectors in the country’s hospitality industry. That would be a striking figure in any European country—but in this context, it speaks to how collective effort has driven unexpected growth.

“At the beginning of the full-scale war in 2022, cafés and coffee shops became the main volunteer hubs in many cities,” Iryna shared with Barista Magazine. “They provided food and beverages for the local military and civilians, mostly for free. Many turned into public kitchens, cooking meals to deliver to de-occupied areas.”

“In Kyiv alone, over 500 people from almost 30 cafés united under a large gastronomic organization called Kyiv Volunteers—and in March 2022, they were feeding about 15,000 people a day,” Iryna continues. “That feeling of unity and involvement helped us get through the hardest moments. And it still does.”

According to Iryna, around 10% of baristas have left the country since the start of the full-scale war, but many continue to support from abroad, sending equipment, gear, and moral support.

In 2024, 68% of Ukrainian coffee businesses (per SCA Ukraine) reported difficulties in hiring and retaining staff, along with repeated blackouts and power outages. More than 25% also cited emotional fatigue and a loss of motivation directly linked to the war.

Still, baristas and roasters keep going, and customers continue to show up for them. The community has launched pop-ups, cocktail evenings, and fundraising events to support those on the front lines. In one campaign, they raised funds to buy a pickup truck for military use. Many also prepare drip bags to be sent to the front.

One of the most impactful initiatives Iryna described was the roasters’ co-working facility organized by the !FEST Coffee Mission (opened in June 2018 in Lviv, Ukraine), in a garage-like space that brought together displaced roasteries into a shared roasting hub. At a time when many had lost their equipment and locations, the community built a new backbone for itself.

Meanwhile, neighboring countries like Slovenia and Poland have become crucial buyers of roasted-in-Ukraine coffee, helping keep supply chains moving.

A Time for Innovation

Facing closed borders and limited access to global trends, the Ukrainian coffee community has developed internal structures to keep learning and growing. SCA Ukraine’s Coffee Villages became mobile hubs for education, covering everything from roasting and latte art to sensory analysis.

Since 2023, the SCA has supported the Ukrainian chapter’s participation in global competitions, covering travel and accommodation. This year, the Ukrainian team attended the SCA Expo in Houston in April, and World of Coffee in Jakarta, Indonesia, in May. The team is also set to attend the World of Coffee event in Geneva, Switzerland, in June.

In 2024, Ivan Bilousov of Kyiv’s Idealist Coffee Co. won third place at the World Cezve/Ibrik Championship. A year earlier, Andriy Vasiliev earned bronze in the World Cup Tasters Championship, and that same season marked the first time a Ukrainian competitor reached the semifinals of the World Barista Championship.

“Since 2023, we’ve had nearly 200 participants each season in the national championships across all seven SCA disciplines,” says Iryna. “Last time, registration filled up in less than a day. And we’re happy to see more and more new names among the finalists.”

Even under siege, Ukrainian coffee professionals continue to create. The Dotyk dripper (pictured below), which was developed during the war, became a symbol of functionality and emotional resilience. Its namesake event, the Dotyk Battle, raises funds for the military while highlighting Ukrainian innovation and design.

And in 2025, Ukraine launched its first master’s program focused on coffee: part of the Technology of Subtropical Products degree at the National University of Chernivtsi. With a dedicated research lab and its first cohort already underway, the program brings formal academic infrastructure to the country’s growing body of coffee knowledge.

The way that the Ukrainian coffee community has come together in the midst of war is a reflection of how coffee is more than a beverage: It’s a symbol of collective care and community, capable of bringing people together regardless of circumstance. Our thoughts are with Ukraine’s coffee community and the resilience and fortitude they’ve displayed, one cup at a time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Isabelle Mani (she/her) is a writer, journalist, and communicator specializing in the international coffee industry. Since 2017, she has focused on writing articles and features for various international coffee news outlets. Isabelle has traveled to coffee-producing countries such as Colombia, Kenya, Rwanda, China, and Brazil to study and research coffee. She holds training certifications from the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and the Coffee Quality Institute (Arabica Q Grading).

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