Pastel de Nata | Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
The café Te Amo Lviv, Spanish for «I love you Lviv,» has become a hub for Lviv’s expats and English-speaking locals. Joe Lindsley, Lviv Now’s editor, invites Te Amo regulars to offer their perspectives on the city of Lviv.
By Beatriz Abrantes
This is the story of how a Portuguese girl learned to enjoy Portuguese sweets while in Lviv.
It was June 2021 and I had just started a two-month-long internship in Lviv. It was pretty much like starting a new life. It had been roughly 2 weeks since I’d arrived in the city and one morning, after sleeping over at my friend Nur’s apartment, we desperately needed coffee. Mr. Google referred us to a small cafe located on the next street, that went by the name «Te Amo Lviv.»
Read more: Te Amo Lviv Café Becomes English-Speaking Hub
The first challenge was finding the place – at the time there was no «Te Amo Lviv» neon sign like the one you can find today, and my geographic orientation skills are not so amazing. The second challenge, after finding a cozy table outside, was finding the English menu. After looking around like drunk squirrels, a man named Dew – being the wonderful host he is – eventually came to our aid and introduced himself. Two things stood out the first time I met Dew: First, his warm way of greeting clients and treating them like old friends. And second… his snazzy blue suit! Turns out, Dew was the owner of the newly-opened café.
The author at Te Amo Lviv
Very quickly I realized that most visitors of Te Amo were not even Ukrainian. It was a unique and lively concentration of diverse individuals from every continent. The cafe became a place that I would visit regularly. I felt welcomed everyday, made a bunch of friends there and, most importantly, I learned to like Pastel de Nata.
Oh, about that… Pastel de Nata is the most iconic Portuguese sweet pastry and, somehow, you can eat it in Te Amo Lviv. But here’s the shocker: I previously didn’t like Nata. I’m very picky with sweets.
When Dew told me about their Pastel de Nata I felt honoured and curious – what was Nata doing in Lviv? He asked me to try it. They warmed it up for me and brought it in a small plate. I went in for a bite and started preparing my «I-dont-like-it-but-i-dont-want-to-be-rude-so-i-will-pretend-it’s-delicious» face. I chewed and swallowed it.
And then, a miracle: It was … good! I actually liked it.
And with that, I didn’t need to live in shame anymore. I could live as a real Portuguese now. I no longer brought dishonour to my country (excuse the drama). Later, I made my Lviv friends try it too. I suspect it’s only a matter of time until everyone in the city becomes addicted to Nata.
When it was time to go back to Portugal, I was very emotional. My heart felt heavy, even though I knew I would eventually go back to that place. My love for Lviv grew each day I lived there and, suddenly, it was easy to understand what motivated this cafe’s name. Te Amo Lviv seems to carry the city’s spirit with it, while embracing everyone, no matter your origin. That being said, you should totally visit it and try their Pastel de Nata.
You can see the Te Amo event schedule here; the café is located here.
You can read previous Café Society columns here.
by Beatriz Abrantes
Does your Lviv café or restaurant have an interesting group of regulars? If so, please write to us via Facebook messenger.
For more information about Lviv:
Lviv Live Music: Here, always at the same page, is the weekly listing of live music events in Lviv, from cellar clubs to the grand Opera House.
Midnight in Lviv: The Story of Ukraine’s American Exiles
«The Americans in Lviv are looking for new ideas»: an essay by Lauren Spohn, American Rhodes Scholar
Virtual Tour of Lviv: A City of Spiritual Nourishment
With a mix of Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, and Jewish temples, Lviv is a city that appeals to seeking souls. And it also gave birth to a legendary Muslim thinker.
From the swans of Stryiskyi to the views of the High Castle, Lviv is a city full of varied parks: some landscaped, some wild.
Top Ten Lviv Attractions: Like Paris in the 1920s
Here are things to see and do in a city of conversation culture.
Arriving in Lviv: Practical Tips
Here’s what to do at the airport, along with some suggestions about cash, tip etiquette, SIM cards, event schedules, and info to orient you to the city.
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Lviv Now is an English-language website for Lviv, Ukraine’s «tech-friendly cultural hub.» It is produced by Tvoe Misto («Your City») media-hub, which also hosts regular problem-solving public forums to benefit the city and its people.
To receive our weekly email digest of stories, please follow us on Substack.
Lviv Now is an English-language website for Lviv, Ukraine’s «tech-friendly cultural hub.» It is produced by Tvoe Misto («Your City») media-hub, which also hosts regular problem-solving public forums to benefit the city and its people.
