Ukrainian and Belarusian Entrepreneurs Redefine Warsaw’s Café Scene with New Standards

What happened

The Kyiv Independent reports that Ukrainian and Belarusian entrepreneurs have significantly influenced Warsaw’s café culture since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and Belarus’s political crackdown after its 2020 elections. A prime example is Milk Bar, a popular café chain originating from Kyiv, which reestablished itself in Warsaw in 2023 and expanded to Baku by 2025. This café, operated by displaced Ukrainian owner Anna Kozachenko, exemplifies how war and political repression forced many to start new lives and businesses abroad.

Poland has absorbed nearly 1 million Ukrainian refugees since February 2022, with over 100,000 new businesses opened by Ukrainians in the country, many in hospitality. Similarly, more than 100,000 Belarusians fleeing political repression have contributed to elevating design standards and quality in Warsaw’s café offerings. Marcin Ksiazka, a Warsaw-based chef and restaurateur, credits these entrepreneurs with setting higher expectations around coffee, seasonality, and freshness.

Milk Bar’s concept draws from the traditional Polish bar mleczny but is reimagined for contemporary Ukrainian customers and beyond. It serves as a social and emotional anchor where Ukrainians and their Polish acquaintances gather for milestones and everyday moments. The café’s manager, Anastasiia Reva, emphasized that the focus is as much on ambiance and experience as on food, creating memorable, welcoming spaces that helped refugees feel at home.

Known from the source

• Poland has accepted close to 1 million Ukrainian refugees since February 2022.
• Ukrainians have opened more than 100,000 businesses in Poland since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
• More than 100,000 Belarusians have fled to Poland after political repression following Belarus’s 2020 elections.
• Milk Bar, founded in Kyiv by Anna Kozachenko, opened its first Warsaw location in 2023 and a third in Baku by the end of 2025.
• Milk Bar integrates elements of the traditional Polish bar mleczny concept but caters to a contemporary Ukrainian diaspora.

What remains unclear

Ksenia Mazur, a Belarusian entrepreneur behind the Warsaw restaurant Sour, highlights a broader shift introduced by these communities from prioritizing mere cuisine to emphasizing aesthetics, atmosphere, and social media appeal. This new approach has broadened customer demographics and transformed Warsaw’s café landscape into a reflection of Eastern European diasporic influence.

What remains unclear: Validation of the number of Ukrainian refugees (close to 1 million) and businesses opened (100,000+) from official Polish or international migration sources. Verification of the count of Belarusians (100,000+) in Poland related to Belarus’s political repression. Confirmation of the expansion timeline and current operation status of Milk Bar locations in Warsaw and Baku. Check authenticity of quotes attributed to individuals to ensure accuracy.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has treated the source material as confirmed within the supplied source context, while retaining attribution to the original publisher.

Original source: Kyiv Independent. Open the source.