I've been dying to try this place so I walked over to pick up some lunch today. Omg, it was SO GOOD!!!! I had the small potato/onion vereniki? They're like pierogies to me. There are 10 of them, they are steamed and then minimally pan fried. Sooo delicious. I also got a small chicken noodle soup. Meh. Will skip that in the future and try a piroshki instead. They are pastry pockets with meat and look yummy. Can't wait to come back! read more

Mushroom piroshki ...loved it. Unique restaurant and cuisine. Hole in the wall kinda place.

First foray into Ukrainian cuisine. Dumplings were very tasty. It was a bit pricey. They charge you _2.50 of you want broth on your dumplings. ...broth. read more

This unassuming SF restaurant in an alley way is perfect for a cozy, affordable dinner. I had never had Ukrainian food before so I was excited to try it. The cashier was very friendly and helped us pick our dishes. I got the borsch, chicken piroshki and apple piroshki. The borsch was very filling and flavorful. The chicken piroshki was a little dry but the apple piroshki was the perfect way to end my meal. Totally worth the price. Enjoy a quiet and lovely meal away from the crowded restaurants near Market. read more

Leleka - Borsch and piroshki - Ukrainian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Tried the Holubtsi (cabbage rolls filled with rice and beef, covered in tomato sauce and dill) = FIRE! Home run hit! Definitely would love an option for more than 2, maybe 3 or 4. Picked up a bag of frozen Organic Beef Pelmeni and chicken broth. Looking forward to letting my family try! read more

Leleka - Holubtsi (stuffed cabbage rolls) #glutenfree with 3 of their free sauces (spicy mayo, sour cream, and garlic herb mayo) - Ukrainian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Pushkin is a family-run restaurant with fantastic Russian and Ukrainian food. They were originally based in the underground International Food Court; however, earlier this year, they moved to a great new location nearby on Belden Place, which has both indoor and outdoor seating (perfect for dining during COVID). FOOD: + Honey cake: yes, I'm starting with dessert because it deserves one of the top shout-outs! Pushkin's honey cake consists of multiple thin sheets of honey cake, layered with a tart sour cream-based frosting that perfectly complements the delicate sweetness of the honey. $7 for a slice = worth it. It's a hefty-sized slice that would be great for sharing, though I had to exercise significant self-restraint to stop myself from gobbling it all down immediately. + Potato Mushroom Vareniki: one of the pan-fried dumpling options; the small option was a perfect light lunch for only $8. Loved the caramelized onions on top as well! + Pelmeni (beef, chicken, salmon): honestly I feel like you can't go wrong with any of these. I have yet to try the beef gouda and lamb versions, so I'm looking forward to the next time I'm in the area! Their chicken broth is also delicious and comforting on those chilly SF days. + Borscht: one word to describe this soup: yum. + Pirojki: I've tried the apple and beef buns a while back and didn't think they were particularly outstanding in comparison to everything else above. FROZEN / TAKE-HOME: I love that they have both hot cooked food and frozen versions that you can easily save and cook later. The frozen pelmeni dumplings are super easy to cook (literally just boil them) and a great option for a quick & easy work-from-home lunch. I recently bought a few pounds of frozen dumplings and hauled them all the way back home with only slightly sore arms. If you're not down for an arm workout, they also deliver within the Bay Area! Check out their website to order some. OTHER NOTES: ~ I highly recommend trying their various sauces with the dumplings -- the traditional option, sour cream, complements the dumplings perfectly. Garlic mayo and spicy mayo were also pretty good. If they have pickle slices, get those too -- it's great for cutting through the more rich flavors between bites. ~ There were about 20 outdoor seats when I last went in November 2020. They have a decently-sized indoor area as well for when indoor dining can resume. I can see this being a super popular weekday lunch spot once people are working in the office again. ~ The staff here is super friendly and sweet! Makes me happy to support local businesses with great people :) read more

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Can't believe I hadn't tried this place after 3 years in sf. The chicken dumplings were the dumplings I've had in my life. With spicy sauce and sour cream was mwah read more

Love this place! I had never tried Ukrainian food before but was pleasantly surprised. The dumplings are the main attraction. There's a few different fillings you can choose between and typically people get the chicken broth with it. I've tried both eating the dumplings with the soup and on the side, I prefer on the side better since then you can use the garlic/spicy mayo to dip it in. They give you a large number of dumplings in the large so it's a pretty satisfying meal. The dumplings always taste fresh and have a solid texture on the outside with tender filling. My coworkers got mad when I called them tortellini's but hey I'm just saying there's a strong resemblance. They also have a beer with a funny name referencing a certain Russian figure haha. Overall great spot, will continue to come here for lunch. read more

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The international food hall at the basement of some random building is pretty pretty cool. This Russian spot has a few Pelmenie and Pirogi options, as well as a few more things on the menu. I had the borscht, chicken pelmenie, and beef perogi. Yes I know, that is a lot of food. But I just wanted to try a little of everything. I really enjoyed all of the dishes and thought they were very authentic. read more

My wife (who's Ukrainian) and I stopped to get some dumplings (beef, lamb, and cherry), borscht, a beef hand pie, and a honey cake to go. The borscht was amazing according to my wife. The lamb dumplings were my favorite. I thought the beef hand pie was tastier than the beef dumplings. My wife thought the cherry dumplings needed more cherries (but good otherwise). The honey cake was okay... I guess we just prefer LeMoon Zest's honey cake. We'll definitely be going back to try more things and get more lamb dumplings! read more

A low key Ukrainian cafe for dumplings, soup and cabbage rolls that is a bit folksy vibes. The borscht soup was nice and sour with lots of beets and cabbage. The chicken dumplings were probably the best menu item were succulent and flavorful with a spinach coating which was unique. The potato dumplings were soft filling and pan friend in butter and onion which added a nice touch. Fast service and reasonless priced for 2 in the city, as we paid 25$. One of the few Ukrainian restaurants in Bay Area so definitely check it out to try something different. read more

I love this name "Pushkin." In San Diego and Sacramento, there's a Russian shop called Pushkin. And on our bookcase, we have a book called "Pushkin's Fairytales." On Wikipedia, you can find Pushkin the name from Russia. Pushkin is the Pushkin. Today, I went all the way to the deep recesses of the Financial District to a street food eatery spot that you would never notice..unless you search the internet for Russian street food. This is exactly Russian street food in San Francisco! They offer borscht, peerooooshkiiiiiiis, pelmeni dumplings(Russian spelling), and some other items I am not sure. But here you can buy Russian dumplings in a bunch homemade for $15. Also, the Russian dumpling is like any other dumpling on the planet, including RAVIOLI. In Italy, it's called ravioli like Chef Boyardee, but it's not Boyardee. Peeerooooshkiii...Repeat: Piro-sh-ki. read more

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Tried the beef and onion, beef and cheese dumpling, and the beef and onion empanada type thing. All their dumplings were great; fantastic dilly or cheesy flavor, great juice from the meat and well seasoned. The empanada thing was decent; dough was good but the meat despite being the same filing was lacking flavor from the dumplings. Would also recommend the garlic sauce or any of their specials as they looked good/garlic sauce was good read more

First off SLAVA UKRAINIAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!‍‍‍‍‍ Okay... now I got that outta the way . Their beer is fantastic! I got the highest % Deep Red Lager. , I can tell Ukrainians have a lot of FUN. I also ate the Beef Gouda Pelmeni , all and each of their pirosohskis all in one sitting ! Oh! And their Borsch!!!!! No photos because I ate it so Fast !!! #StandwithUkraine #SlavaUkraini Long live Ukrainians !!! read more

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I heard Pushkin was the only Ukrainian restaurant in SF. I wanted to show my support so in the spur of the moment, I ordered lunch today, via delivery. I have been to Veselka in NYC about 7 years ago and it was such an unforgettable experience. Today's food from Pushkin brought back all those tasty, beautiful, wonderful memories. The food was well packaged, plenty of sour cream for dipping and even Sriracha sour cream as well. I ordered every pelmeni they offered (beef, beef gouda, chicken, salmon and lamb), minus the one with bacon. I also ordered fresh potato & onion vareniki, along with frozen cherry vareniki for later. I loved all of it, except the beef gouda pelmeni (which is my own fault because I am not a fan of smoked cheeses, which it had a lot of inside). You cannot go wrong with the authentic beef pelmeni but all the meats worked so well, even the lamb and salmon were very impressive. Potato & onion vareniki was so satisfying, the perfect sized bites of carbs within carbs. I only wish I could have tried the honey cake but it was not available when I placed my order. And I am saving the cherry vareniki for a rainy day. Thanks so much for the delicious, satisfying food, Pushkin! read more

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Support the outstanding and very tasty food from this local Ukrainian business! We absolutely loved our food from Pushkin. We ordered online, and they were hand delivered to our home very promptly. We got 2 boxes of their piroshkis, which we finished in 3 days :-D, as well as their frozen potato varenicki and chicken pelmeni. The standout was the sausage and cheese piroshki-- it's soft, pillowy, and the filling is outstanding. We also loved the apple piroshkis-- it's like an apple pie in your hand! It's no surprise that they have sold out online, but we will definitely keep checking back!!! We hope to visit their brick and mortar restaurant in SF soon. read more

Leleka - Apple piroshki - Ukrainian Near Me - San Francisco, California

good food. thank you to the peeps here i pray they get good sleep everyday and forehead kisses

Highly recommend this establishment if in San Francisco. This is one of those places that you should go out of your way visit. Every portion of the meal was incredible. It was even better than I could have expected. The customer service was fantastic as well. I ate outside and lots of people stopped by while walking by to check out what the big deal was about. Everyone was excited to try out this restaurant as well. Yum! read more

Leleka - Ukrainian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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In a word... AUTHENTIC! Super casual clean place. The Borscht soup is to die for! The chicken dumplings super flavorful and delicious. This place is cozy and the service is fast friendly and efficient. Highly recommend. read more

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We were visiting from San Diego and decided to try this place. We ordered lamb dumplings, potato dumplings, and a couple piroshkis (beef and sausage). Everything tasted wonderful and we didn't have to wait long to get our food. I've read previous reviews that this place can get busy, but we went around dinner time on Thursday and thankfully we didn't experience this. I'm not sure when we'll be back in San Francisco, but if we are there again, we'll definitely stop by here. Hopefully I'll remember to ask if they have honey cake (yum!). read more

We were walking past this alley when we saw the sign that said 'best dumplings in the city'. Well, why not stop and try them. We got a bowl to share, half beef and half beef gouda. Both were good and I liked the dipping sauces (garlic, spicy, sour cream or soy). They had water cups readily available. I should have asked if they had ice though since I like my water really cold. Seating both inside and outside. read more

New favorite! Amazing food and super friendly service. I can't wait to come back and try everything on the menu! Our party of 3 arrived on Thursday night (7:45?) and it was pretty full, but there was still plenty of indoor and outdoor seating for us. The menu in-store is smaller than what I saw online, but that didn't bother me. We shared a bunch of stuff: - Chicken Piroshki (5/5) - MMmmm. Such a flavorful little pastry with delicious filling. Come earlier if you want to try the beef, because they were sold out! - Spinach Piroshki (5/5) - So good!!!! It was our fav. Tastes like spanakopita, but less feta-y - Borscht (4/5) - I'm not the authority when it comes to borscht, but this was yummy. Could've been a little hotter imo. Comes with sour cream and rye bread - Cabbage Rolls (3/5) - My dinner mate LOVED this, but I thought it was alright. Guess I'm not a cabbage roll person?! The potatoes were really delicious though. And we subbed the coleslaw for pickles! - Chicken Dumplings (5/5) - The standout! One serving was enough for us to share with everything else we ordered. SO AMAZING! Dough is chewy, and filling is delightfully spiced with fennel (?). I can't wait to try the other flavors. - Honey Cake (5/5) - This was dope. Get this read more

Leleka - Ukrainian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Their dumplings were so delishhhhh and their chicken broth so perfect if you are sick, this place is near my house so also super convenient and they have a cute little eating spot outside read more

We got a large mixed pelmini with 2 bowls of chicken soup, plenty of sour cream, garlic aioli, and spicy mayo! Enough for lunch for 2. Really nice staff and fun atmosphere. I enjoyed each flavor and am glad they let us try a mix. Would love to come back any day, and to try their pan-fried dumplings and honey cake! read more

Leleka - Large mixed pelmini - Ukrainian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Stumbled upon this place and didn't know what to expect but was blown away. It was my first Ukrainian food experience and I was a little intimidated by the menu. I should have looked at photos first but I just guessed and it turned out just fine. I ordered the borsh and two piroshki (beef and mushroom). Borsh - the soup came out luke warm (not sure if it's supposed to be like that), but it was yummy. I didn't read the description and for some reason thought this had tomatoes in it but it doesn't. The redness from the soup is from beets so the beet flavor was pretty strong. They also top the soup with dill so that's the other stronger flavor. Next time I'll have to try their chicken noodle soup. Mushroom piroshki - this one was a little dry for me. The description says mushrooms and caramelized onions but mine was mainly just plain mushrooms. It was ok but I'd other a different one to try next time. Beef piroshki - this was the star. I could eat a dozen of these myself. It is definitely a must try. It is delicious by itself or smothered in some of the sauces they offer. I tried it with some sour cream and their garlic sauce, both were excellent. The filling is well seasoned and balanced. These pastries are small enough to eat more than one! I also took a bite of my coworkers chicken dumpling and it was delicious! It was well flavored and cooked perfectly. They offer their dumplings without soup but you can add chicken broth for an additional charge. My other coworker ordered their Olivier salad. It was our fault for not asking but it wasn't a traditional salad, more like an egg or potato style salad with Turkey. It was interesting but felt like it should have been a sandwich. read more

Leleka - Borsh with mushroom and beef piroshki - Ukrainian Near Me - San Francisco, California

My biggest complaint is that I didn't order more. This was my first time having this style of dumpling and it was so good. I wanted to try them all but didn't want to buy a small portion of every flavor. I also appreciate the different dipping sauces they have readily available. Wish they had some sort of "try them all" option. But I'm so glad this place is a few minutes from my work. read more

Great pelmeni and vareniki (with potato). Always great to support a Ukrainian place :) It's a pretty laid back place that I think closes pretty early, so ideal for lunch. They also have pretty good peroshki. Came here with a friend to have her experience the Soviet food I grew up with, overall good experience! read more

It feels like dining in a bathroom. Slow service. Employee was rude. Would not recommend.

Great spot! They did not have cabbage rolls or a couple flavors of vareniki available when I visited, so I hope to go back soon. The kompot was good, too. Maybe I'll try a Ukrainian beer next time. I don't think I've ever had one. read more

What a treasure!! My Ukrainian friend brought me to Leleka to sample his traditional food and it was fantastic!! Borsh was so delicious! Dumplings with different sauces just fantastic. Tucked down Belden Street off Bush, worth the trip!!! read more

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Needed a quick lunch during a work day and decided to try this spot after seeing it pop up on my Yelp page! I've never had Ukrainian dumplings before so I was excited to try it out. I ordered a small (13 pieces) beef dumplings and a small beet salad on the side as well. There were 3 different sauces to choose from that you fill up yourself, definitely get all three since it makes the dumplings taste so much better! The beef dumplings are super meaty and flavorful. It wasn't dry at all and it was so interesting to dip it in each of the sauces. My friend got the chicken dumplings and I got to try one of hers which was also delicious! The beet salad was okay, I was just looking to add some veggies for lunch but will definitely skip it next time. This is a quaint little restaurant hidden in an alleyway of downtown sf so it might be easy to miss, but I definitely recommend checking it out! I will be returning to try their hand pies and other dumplings for sure. read more

I never had pirojki before so gave it a go! Their prices are pretty reasonable, considering it is in the FiDi and I wanted a light snack before my early dinner. The best part was going up, ordering and paying and then getting my buns under a minute! Verdict - I'll be back! Reminded me a little bit of the BBQ buns I would buy in Chinatown for $1.25 Next time I will try their other flavors, since I only got their beef. read more

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I've been coming here for the past couple of years, since before when they were called Pushkin. And ever since I've started going, Leleka has provided a deliciously comforting experience that keeps me coming back. At face value, and especially in San Francisco, you've more than likely tried dumplings. With Chinatown and Little Italy nearby, there are many contenders. But at Leleka, pelmenis grip your attention with unique flavors that take you to Ukraine with each savory bite. I've tried every flavor they have at least twice, and their grass-fed lamb is so good that I have a frozen bag of them in my freezer at all times. They warm the soul in the same way each time I have them. But if you want more options, the vareniki and borsh have that same comforting and homey feel that the pelmenis give you. You want some warm boiled dumplings on a cold day? They got you. You want the BEST deal on like 20 lightly fried dumplings? They got you. You want a nicely spiced soup that will inspire you to search for more Eastern European cuisine? They got you. Leleka will make your day better, now matter what you get. read more

"Yesterday I bought my first pair of American shoes. They were made in Italy." - Vladimir Ivanoff I always had this "thing" for Russia. When I was a young boy I either wanted to be a pilot, a fireman, astronaut, or... cosmonaut! I was first introduced to Piroshki when I was seven or eight. In my teens my Pravda CCCP t-shirt was a fav.. hey, I never turned to communism, but I did love the hammer & sickle, it had nothing to do with politics, just rebellion! As communism fell I got my first Russian fetish when I saw Anna Kournikova playing tennis. Oh gurl. I still... Getting back to Piroshki! I've had all types of Piroshki from the American version to legitimate Russian. From the ones filled with beef, to the ones with cheese & potatoes, from savory to the sweet ones, and yes, even my share of greasy ones. Get it fresh and hot... no silly, no Russian bride talk here! So getting back to Piroshki! I have a favorite Russian bakery called Cinderella found in the Inner Richmond of San Francisco. And the neighborhood has one of the largest Russian populations in the Bay. But I can't always play Moscow on the Hudson! One day I'm in the financial district of San Francisco It hits me.. that Piroshki urge again. *sigh* Yet, I'm on the opposite 'hood from my beloved Cinderella! I then peruse my yelp app... "Russian Piroshki"... and boom! A place called "Pushkin" pops up with incredible reviews! So of course, I have to try it! Pushkin is located on Bush St. near the Lions Gate of Chinatown. It's somewhat off-the-grid found downstairs in the International Food Court. After walking down a long flight of steps it's on the immediate right side. So don't expect much ambiance, but do expect clean and polite comrades. When I arrive two people are ahead of me. In the meantime I eye the menu and like what I see. Piroshki, Pirozhki, and more Piroshki! Pushkin also serves Russian Dumplings and Borscht. However, I'm here for the 'Ski.. the Piroshki! I'm about to order my Piroshki, but before doing so, I'm informed by the cashier on what they DO have left.. whoa what?! I'm told that just so many of each are made each day until it's sold out. And of course, the Apple one I wanted was sold out. Hey, no worries... at least I can get my Savory on! I order the Beef (beef, onions, sesame seeds) and the Mushroom (button mushrooms, onions), $4 each! Once I claim my Piroshki I find a seat in the busy food court. No KGB, no secret Soviet Union meetings... just Mr. Smith's in business suits. Finally the time to bite my Piroshki... hmm mmm hmm. It's definitely delicious, but different too. How can I explain? It's not as greasy and seems healthier? Lol. Again it was delicious just not exactly the type I expected growing up with Russian neighbors. In the end, I do recommend Pushkin! Just don't expect a fancy restaurant or getting exactly what you want. Pushkin has short hours and they sell fast! I was happy with what I got, a couple of good healthier Piroshkis, sans the Espionage fun and making a ton of kids with Anna Kournikova... *sigh* read more

Leleka - A "different" kind of Piroshki. It was good, just seemed too healthy? Glad I finally made it before it sold out.. - Ukrainian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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When I was introduced to Pushkin, I was jus hooked on to it! I have tried all of their pilmenis and pirojkis! And really everything is just great! I use to head this place frequently while I worked in SF! I miss it for sure! And I hope to visit this place again... P.S: I did drive for an hour and half to get their pilmenis and pirojki! So you can imagine how good it must be! Pro-tip you wanna grab sriracha mayo and sour cream as condiments for the pilmeni! read more

Leleka - Organic Chicken Pelmeni + Beef Pirojki - Ukrainian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Best Ukrainian/Eastern European food I've tried in the South Bay now. My family's favorite things I recommend to try: 1. Hand pies (pirogki / pirogi) - chicken 2. Dumplings ( pelmeni ) - we can go for any meat selection, any day 3. Cheese pancakes ( sirniki / syrniki ) - mmm, kids are crazy about them too Their San Francisco location has been my absolutely best go-to choice for Ukrainian/Eastern European food for years now. I also would like to comment on the "consistency" of the food quality and the overall experience. With various restaurant/cafes some time you get a variation in the quality of the production based on the day of the week, season, different chef/stuff working, etc. It just the nature of the hand-made food production. Leleka's food has been top-notch EVERY SINGLE TIME. This is amazing. Every piece of pirogki/pelmeni/syrniki we get are consistent in flavor, texture, packaging, etc. My complements go to their delivery/catering organizers. I always know what I will get today and how it will taste. Leleka's food is also a very good definition of a "comfort food", always bring our family's mood up. Kids got excited like its Christmas when we make a surprise delivery coming. Totally recommend any day of the week! read more

The dumplings, potato, beef are very good. Cheese also excellent. And can grab bags to go to stock in your freezer to make at home.

Came here on a weekday for lunch and it was decently crowded. I tried the chicken dumplings and I liked the basil flavor. I've never had Ukrainian food before but I thought it was interesting that they had Asian flavored dipping sauces like sriracha mayo and soy sauce. Regardless I thought it was pretty good and would return to try some of the other items. read more

Leleka - Chicken dumplings - Ukrainian Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is easily the best pelmeni I ever had. Hint: try the lamb pelmeni. When you come in here you'll see people back in the kitchen making them fresh. They've got a great supply of Russian and Ukrainian beers, and both heated outdoor and indoor seating. It's just all around awesome. read more

I ordered the beef perojki, beef pelmeni, cabbage vareniki, and the cherry vareniki with honey cake for delivery. I live in Sunnyvale, so it was great to get the delivery in my city. And I am so satisfied! The food was amazing, the delivery was perfect! I can't wait to order more and actually come to visit SF! read more

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