Need to Eat Cafe, a Ukrainian-influenced cafe currently operating in Poway, is planning to open a second location in Downtown San Diego.
The new location hopes to introduce the brand’s Eastern European-style offerings to a broader urban audience, though an exact address and opening timeline have not yet been disclosed, according to San Diego Magazine. While final details are still in development, the Downtown location is expected to differ slightly from the original in both concept and design.
The cafe is co-owned by two Ukrainian couples: Anton and Mariia Ocheretin and Taras and Natalie Alipin, who first met as students in Kharkiv, Ukraine. In addition to offering a menu rooted in Ukrainian flavors, the original Poway cafe is also known for its house-made pastries and casual, welcoming atmosphere.
Need to Eat Cafe currently features a blend of traditional and modern Ukrainian dishes, with items such as syrniki (cottage cheese pancakes), shakshuka, borscht, and handmade vareniki (dumplings with various fillings). The cafe also rotates its pastry menu seasonally, offering unique flavor combinations crafted by Mariia Ocheretin, the cafe’s head pastry chef.
The four co-owners bring a range of experience to the concept. Mariia and Anton previously operated a pastry shop in Ukraine, while Taras and Natalie worked on various food ventures before immigrating. In the U.S., they have aimed to share their cultural background through accessible and high-quality food, drawing from both tradition and innovation.
Chef Taras Alipin, who leads the kitchen, also offers private cooking classes and catering services. The team has built a following for their event catering, with services ranging from wedding banquets to gourmet chef boxes, all reflecting the same approach found in their cafe: high standards, seasonal ingredients, and dishes rooted in cultural identity.
Though the owners have not confirmed whether certain design elements, like their signature goose mascot, will appear in the Downtown location, the expansion represents a significant next step for the team’s continued growth in San Diego County.
