Try Ukrainian Cheese Pancakes and Orange Juice With Espresso at This Lakeview Cafe

A new all-day breakfast and brunch spot has landed in Lakeview, and the owners say it’s already feeling like home. For husband and wife Roman and Maria Semeniv, Kazka City Cafe represents a fresh start, following their relocation from Ukraine in 2023 with their two kids. The couple operated several restaurants back in their home country before selling everything and moving abroad.

“We moved due to the [Russian-Ukrainian] war, and we wanted to bring our understanding of hospitality and modern food to the United States,” Roman Semeniv says. “Kazka is a daily people’s place, so everyone can find something for themselves here.”

Kazka serves breakfast and brunch daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., complemented by pastries, specialty drinks, and coffee by Metric. With a background in baking, Maria Semeniv turns out croissants, pecan rolls, macarons, breads, and desserts like pistachio cheesecake. The menu was developed in partnership with Daria Trofimenkova and Oleksandr Trofimenkov, a pair of Kyiv chefs that the Semenivs have previously worked with on their other restaurants. Among the early hits are syrnyky, traditional Ukrainian farmer’s cheese pancakes.

“I was honestly surprised, but it’s our top seller. Everybody wants to try it, and people love it,” Roman Semeniv says.

Another favorite is the shakshuka, built on a sauce with a secret ingredient Roman Semeniv is keeping under wraps. There are classic options as well, like avocado toast, pancakes topped with berries, and eggs Benedict. Kazka is also collaborating with friends in the Ukrainian community to sell black caviar. Eventually, a dish featuring sturgeon roe may make its way onto the menu.

The beverage lineup centers on specialty coffee drinks, plus teas and colorful matcha lattes in flavors such as mango-passionfruit and rose. For something unexpected, Kazka offers cappuorange — fresh orange juice blended with a double shot of espresso, served hot or cold. Popular in Ukraine, Roman Semeniv says the drink is starting to win over Chicagoans, too.

The word kazka translates to “fairy tale” in Ukrainian, reflecting the owners’ vision of creating a warm, inviting cafe. Similar to the menu, the 30-seat, counter-service space was designed by a team based in Kyiv, Rizdvo Design Bureau. Sunlight pours in through large windows, highlighting wood-paneled walls and leather-backed seating that soften the industrial-minimalist interior. A green communal table sits in the main dining area, punctuated by a living lime tree that grows straight through the center.

It’s been a long journey for the Semenivs. They were drawn to Chicago for its sizable Ukrainian community and four-season climate that reminded them of home. The couple had initially planned to open a restaurant soon after arriving in the U.S., and once they secured the right location — previously home to Michelin-starred Entente before it relocated in 2019 — they spent roughly 15 months transforming the space. Although Kazka has only been open a short time, Roman Semeniv says customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, especially on weekends when the cafe is at capacity.

“We wanted to create a place where people can stop by for coffee, meet for breakfast, or even sit with a laptop,” Roman Semeniv says. “We already feel that support. Everyone has been really nice, and we’re so happy to finally be open.”

Kazka City Cafe, 3056 N. Lincoln Avenue. Open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday.