The Best Restaurants In Kherson (recommended by locals)

When people think of visiting Ukraine, Kherson (6 things to do in Kherson) is rarely on their lists. And to be honest, the city doesn’t offer much. It’s quite boring and unlike Lviv the architecture is primarily Soviet commie blocks. However Kherson region is rich with beautiful places and fun things to do. From kayaking through the reeds in the Dneipro to visiting the only proper wine chateau in Ukraine, you can stay in Kherson and have a different activity every day for weeks. Since we usually spent our days outside the city, we had to come back to base for dinner and sleep. My first day in Kherson I walked down the main street and asked some locals what are the best restaurants in Kherson, and went to all of them.

Corbett Pub

This was the first restaurant we went to in Kherson, and after a 7 hour train ride from Kyiv I probably would have enjoyed anything. However this was the restaurant every since person I asked recommended.

It is located in a park with a nice fountain, and the outside terrace seating is quite nice in the summer. We started with a couple of dark craft beers which were quite good. I did find the beers expensive for Kherson though at 90UAH/$3.75 per half liter.

For our meals I ordered a salmon and perch Wellington (basically fish en croute) which was served drizzled with basil oil. It was tasty and much more filling than I thought it would be. Cody got a tandoori chicken breast with turmeric rice which was very delicious.

Price for 2 beers and 2 mains plus tip: $25

Location: Provulok Uspensʹkyy, 25, Kherson, Kherson Oblast, 73003

Rock Burger Bar

This was recommended as the best burgers in Kherson and I knew going in, it would be hard to beat Epic Cheeseburger Cafe in Lviv.

This restaurant is on the main walking street so the outdoor seating has great people watching potential. We got some more craft dark beer here (many places in Ukraine make their own beer, our craft beer scene is on par with the best in the world in my opinion). We also got two sparkling waters since we came here right after drinking quite a lot on our trip to Trubetskoy winery.

The burgers were…good. I do believe they are the best in Kherson, but I have to say I was disappointed in the bread. The meat and toppings were quite good (Cody got a blue cheese burger), but the bread was a bit dry and oversized for the size of the burger. Go for the beers and the atmosphere (maybe they just had an off day making their buns, I may be a bit too critical).

Price for two burgers with salads, two sparkling waters, and one beer plus tip: $14.50

Location: Suvorova St, 22, Kherson, Kherson Oblast, 73003;

Restaurant Michel

This was highly recommended by a lot of locals, and it happens to be number one on TripAdvisor. While I never put too much weight in TripAdvisor since it is a bunch of marketing, this was probably our favorite meal of our time in Kherson.

Restaurant Michel is a French restaurant, and it’s probably the most exceptional place in the city. It’s located on an unassuming street with nice outdoor seating, and the staff are very well trained. This is also the restaurant where we spent the most.

Restaurants In Kherson Michel — The Best Restaurants In Kherson (recommended by locals)

Michel Restaurant has a full hard alcohol and cocktail menu, but as usual we enjoyed some cold beers to start. We also decided to split a sesame crusted tuna on salad with a poached egg. This was served with a honey mustard vinaigrette with a bit of sesame oil (I think) for an Asian flair.

Cody ordered the rack of lamb which came with feta stuffed and breaded peppers This meal came with three dipping sauces and everything was fantastic. We both agreed the meat should have been more rare, but as we didn’t specify how we like it, that’s on us.

I ordered beef tongue on polenta which came with an amazing demi-glace. Cody makes real good tongue, but this one was something else.

We also ordered two desserts. I got a PAVLOVA with mixed berries and Cody got a Snicker’s Tort. Again, both desserts were perfect.

Price for two beers, ahi tuna salad, two mains, and two desserts plus tip: $44

Location: Yaroslava Mudroho St, 31, Kherson, Kherson Oblast, 73009

John Howard Pub

Named after the famed English prison reformer who lived and died in Kherson, this pub is is a popular local hangout. They classify themselves as an Irish Pub but I think that’s a mistake. It reminds me more of a ‘spoons in England, with better food.

The owners also started a craft brewery called Drofa on the Taurian Steppe. In fact, they have a good selection on their menu and if you’ve never had unfiltered beer before then this is a good place to try it.

Cody got some German style cheese wurst with fried potatoes. They were good, but be prepared. The hot mustard served with them is really, really hot. I wonder if they add a bit of wasabi because it shot straight to my sinuses.

I ordered pork ribs with a cherry sauce. The sauce was served on the side which is a good decision on the pub’s part because I found it a bit too sweet. So I just ate the ribs without the sauce (they still had a glaze from cooking) and the meat was so flavorful and juicy.

On Tuesdays they do a kilo of crawfish for 299UAH/$11 which is a great bar snack if you are coming to watch a game.

Price for three beers, two mains, and a side plus tip: $18

Location: Ushakova Ave, 30/1, Kherson, Kherson Oblast, 73000

Muscat

Muscat is actually a hotel restaurant, but don’t let that deter you. Their prices are fair and it deserves a spot as one of the best restaurants in Kherson. We came here after visiting Askania-Nova so we were quite hungry.

Muscat doesn’t have any particular craft beer, so we just got a couple of Kozel lagers to start. The service is wonderful and the menu is large but organized.

I ordered the veal medallions with pomegranate sauce which was good, however I should have specified (again) to cook it rare. In my opinion most Ukrainians like their meat cooked through which is a mistake, so you should always specify how you want it cooked.

Cody got a mutton stew which had a good amount of lamb. It also has peppers, eggplant and zucchini, and tomatoes. We got a dish of homestyle fried potatoes to share as a side.

Price for two beers, two sparkling waters, two mains, and a side plus tip: $27

Location: Yaroslava Mudroho St, 10, Kherson, Kherson Oblast, 73003

Well there you have it. The best restaurants in Kherson as told by locals. I hope this article was informative, and if you have any questions feel free to drop a comment down below.