Ukrainian restaurant Sino adds to London's diverse food culture with warming traditions that feel familiar yet new

Ukrainian-inspired food is at the heart of new London restaurant Sino. Nestled in Notting Hill the new foodie hotspot is founded by Polina Sychova and chef Eugene Korolev who have taken Ukrainian cuisine and incorporated it with western cooking techniques. Their contemporary menu plates up British and Ukrainian ingredients and nods to London’s diverse food culture, while remaining entirely independent.

The mood: quaint and casual, intimate and refined

The restaurant's facade is elegant and minimal, slotting nicely into its All Saints Road address. The interiors, honest and raw, were designed by Sychova. Pronounced “see-no”, the restaurant is named for the Ukrainian word “сіно”, meaning hay, which has a cultural significance within the country, a quality which is embedded within the design of the restaurant.

‘Textured walls recall the whitewashed mazanka homes of Ukraine,' shared the founder 'And hay gently cascading from the ceiling evokes the countryside in a tactile, almost poetic way. In Ukrainian culture, hay symbolises the intimate relationship between people and naturea reminder of our roots, the rhythm of the land, and the beauty in simplicity.’ The small space brings a sense of intimacy and quiet focus.

Each design element is cultural and symbolic. Suspended above, clay lamps delicately hang in the shape of bells which gently nod to tradition and echo the quiet resonance of village life and rituals. This visual storytelling trickles down into the finer details, including black smoked ceramics, which were shaped by hand and fired with smoke in a centuries old technique native to Ukraine. Ancient jars from Sychova’s hometown are placed on shelves to create an atmosphere which whispers from the founder's past in a subtle yet powerful way.

‘Designing the interiors was one of the most emotional parts of creating Sino,’ Sychova told Wallpaper*. ‘I wasn’t just choosing textures and colours – I was trying to express memory, place, and feeling through space. We worked with Ukrainian craftsmen whose hands carried the knowledge of generations, and whose work brought a deep sense of authenticity and soul. We also collaborated with numerous craftsmen here in the UK, which meant sharing stories about Ukraine – its textures, its spirit, its quiet poetry – so they could help translate that into form.’

The food: welcoming contemporary cuisine that feels familiar, yet new

Local produce and traditional recipes from the foundation for Sino’s a la carte menu. Starters vary from hay infused wild mushroom broth to aubergine marinated with dill flowers, fennel and garlic served with Kyyrma bread (a traditional unleavened bread stuffed with cheese).

While mains include Kovbasa (a traditional Ukrainian sausage spice with paprika) dried grated mussels and bell pepper sauce to Vareniky (dumplings) with ox tail, spicy beef broth, and homemade mushroom garum. For Sychova, she always chooses the catfish. ‘It was the first dish I tasted during our initial tasting with Eugene, and it instantly struck a chord. The dish embodies what we stand for—bold, rooted in tradition, yet reimagined with elegance and intention.’

The kitchen is headed by Eugene Korolev, whose tastebuds are partial to something sweet. ’The honey cake has to be my favourite. I’ve always had a sweet tooth, so dessert has a special place in my heart – and this one is deeply personal. Honey cake is something I grew up with. For so many people from Ukraine, it’s more than just a dessert; it’s tied to family traditions, celebrations, and comfort. We use soft, honey-soaked layers, but we’ve added house made buckwheat chocolate to bring a nutty depth and balance to the sweetness.’

Although tempting to tuck into this sticky dessert at all hours, for Korolev the biggest challenge lay within the realties of running a restaurant in the UK versus in Ukraine, as he told Wallpaper*, ‘In Ukraine, there’s a shared cultural context. The food, the flavours, the rhythms of the kitchen – everyone instinctively understands them. There’s a kind of unspoken language in the way we cook and work. Here in the UK, especially with a team that’s new to Ukrainian cuisine, I’ve had to learn how to communicate that culture from the ground up. It’s not just teaching recipes – it’s translating a mindset, a history, a feeling. So the challenge has been adapting – not just logistically, but emotionally and creatively – to two completely different worlds, while still staying true to the soul of what we’re trying to do.’

The biggest takeaway from Sino, other than a doggy bag full with delicious leftovers, is a new understanding of Ukrainian cuisine, as Sychova shares, ‘I hope guests gain new associations with Ukraine itself – not just as a place marked by war, but as a country in renaissance. The menu is designed to feel both innovative and familiar – dishes that challenge assumptions while awakening something instinctive, even ancestral. And more than anything, I hope Sino becomes part of their routine, a place they return to regularly because it continues to speak to them in new and unexpected ways.’

Sino is located at 7 All Saints Rd, London W11 1HA