How a Ukrainian refugee built a Dream Cafe in London

How a Ukrainian refugee built a Dream Cafe in London

When Yelyzaveta Tataryna left Ukraine after the outbreak of war, she had no idea her flight would lead to opening one of the most talked-about cafes in a fashionable central London area.

She spoke little English, knew no-one, had no idea about England, and had never heard of one of the city’s most popular shopping, eating and tourist spots, Covent Garden.

"I had no expectations," says 24-year-old Tataryna. "I was raised on Jane Austen novels. I'd never been to the UK before. It's so different from Ukraine — crazy different. Almost everything is different."

Landing in London with her life packed into suitcases, the first few months were tough. "I didn't have anyone at all. No friends. I was living in an Airbnb, far from central London, paying £80 a month for a mattress on the floor. To open the door I had to move the mattress!

"People didn't want to rent to me. I didn't have any UK credit or a local job. The landlord wanted me to pay a year upfront. Eventually, I paid six months in advance, thanks to my savings."

As a pastry chef, she quickly realised there was something unique about London's food scene. "Everywhere I walked I saw gluten-free options. My goodness, in Ukraine it's hard to find that. But in London, it's everywhere. I thought, maybe there's something for me here."

The eye-poppingly pink and flowery Cream Dream Vegan Pastry Cafe (“every dessert is a labour of love”) was on the way.

She made a bold move.

"I Googled how to open a cafe in London and started from scratch. It said, Make a business plan and find a location near the Thames. So I made a business plan and I found that Covent Garden might be a good venue. I just followed a map and got off the tube. The first time I saw the cafe space, I thought, 'This is it.'"

It wasn't smooth sailing.

"I had to build it up from nothing," she remembers. "The space needed a lot of work. I did it all myself. I couldn't afford to hire anyone. But then, through Instagram and TikTok, a group of girls and women with kids, none of them professionals, came to help. They were incredible."

Tataryna opened the shop on Valentine's Day 2023.

"On the first day, hundreds of people came, they were queuing down the road. I had posted every step of the journey online, and people were so excited to see it come to life."

She smiles as she recalls the chaos. "We didn't have enough pastries ready, and I even forgot sugar for the coffee! But the British people were so friendly and supportive. We had a sign: ‘English is our second language. Please speak slowly’. The customers were patient, explaining what they wanted. It was amazing."

She encountered the usual online snarkiness. "I got a lot of negative comments online. People said things like, 'Oh, she's a refugee, but she has more than me. She's taking taxpayers' money.'

“That's just not true. I've paid £30,000 in taxes already and haven't earned any money from the business yet. My teenage sister [who followed her from Ukraine] helps manage the place, and we employ 15 people, almost all Ukrainians."

Tataryna works 12 hours a day (“I got burnt out, so I’m doing yoga”) but remains positive. "There will always be haters, but I focus on the good. People who come to my cafe are so supportive."

Originally, she says, she wanted just a coffee and pastry shop, “but I quickly realised it wasn't enough. People wanted sandwiches and hot food, so I expanded the menu to include vegan sandwiches, potato pancakes, borscht, dumplings and even chicken Kyiv — vegan-style!"

The cafe has become a hotspot for Ukrainians in London: "Every month we host charity events to raise money for Ukraine. We donate food and sell lottery tickets for cool prizes like UK wine. It's our way of giving back."

It’s not a cheap cafe, but Tataryna offers cut-price coffee for health and social workers, road sweepers, mounted police and others serving the community.

Her sister, a budding filmmaker, is social media manager and does a score of other jobs: “She’s incredible. She was in Ukraine when the war started, and despite the bombings, she was posting on Instagram for me. I wouldn't be here without her."

Tataryna is already looking ahead.

What’s next? “Work work work. I want to open a ‘dark kitchen’ [a commercial kitchen that prepares food exclusively for delivery or takeaway]. We don't have enough space right now. I'd love to bake bigger orders, like birthday cakes, in a separate space and deliver them to the cafe. It's a big plan, but I'm working towards it."

Does she hope to return to Ukraine? "I want my business to be independent here, but I want to return home someday."

Photo by Kristina Sälgvik