Pravda Brewery & Pub, Lviv

Pravda is probably the best-known name in Lviv craft beer. The independent brewery grew out of the “Beer Theatre” that opened on Rynok Square in December 2014: its first beer, “Svitlo”, was brewed here on 20 December, and the famous Pravda Orchestra played for the first time the same month. Today Pravda offers travellers two places: the Pravda. Craft Beer & Friends pub in an old townhouse at 32 Rynok Square, and a separate brewery with a taproom at 24-26 Staroznesenska Street, where you can join a guided tour.

History and character

The idea of a craft brewery for Lviv — a city known mostly for coffee and chocolate — took shape in 2012–2013. By 2015 Pravda had won its first European Beer Star bronze for an imperial stout, and its beer was being exported. In 2018 production moved from Rynok Square to a larger brewery at !FESTrepublic, and in the same year The Guardian named Pravda one of Europe’s ten best beer pubs. The brewery now produces around 1.8 million litres a year and has brewed more than 300 beers in ten years — from classic lagers and hoppy IPAs to Belgian-style lambics, wild ferments and barrel-aged beers. Pravda brewed Ukraine’s first Wild Ale and introduced bottle refermentation.

The war wrote its own chapter. In 2022 the brewery paused brewing, while hundreds of breweries around the world brewed its recipes under the “Brew for Ukraine” programme, raising millions of euros for Ukraine. Its labels with sharp political slogans, drawn by well-known Ukrainian illustrators, became famous far beyond Lviv, and one bottle even entered the collection of the British Museum.

What to try

• Beers on tap at the Rynok pub — Pravda lagers, IPAs, stouts and seasonal releases, plus a selection from other Ukrainian and foreign craft breweries.
• Limited and barrel-aged beers — wild ferments, bottle-conditioned beers and collaborations; the range changes all the time.
• Beer to take away — bottles, cans and gift sets are sold at the pub, the brewery and the Pravda Craft Mission micro-pubs (seven in Lviv).

Brewery tour and taproom

At 24-26 Staroznesenska Street Pravda runs a brewery tour: guests walk through the brewhouse, see how the beer is made and hear about malt, hops, fermentation and ageing without heavy theory. The tour ends with a tasting of five Pravda beers. Next door, the taproom is a relaxed place for a glass of fresh beer right where it was brewed. Tours are by prior booking — ask the brewery by phone about the price, language and next dates.

The pub on Rynok Square

Pravda. Craft Beer & Friends is the heart of Lviv craft beer, set in a historic building on the main square. Expect red shelves lined with bottles, a stage for live Pravda Orchestra shows and a kitchen serving beer snacks. It is an easy first stop for Lviv beer during a walk around the Old Town, and in the evening a place to catch a concert.

Practical information

• Pub: 32 Rynok Square, daily 12:00–23:00, tel. +380 50 374 4986.
• Brewery and taproom: 24-26 Staroznesenska St; brewery Mon–Fri 10:00–17:00, taproom daily 13:00–22:00, tel. +380 50 373 0353.
• Website: pravda.beer (beer catalogue, news, tour booking).
• Rating: the Rynok pub has 4.5 on Google Maps (over 8,000 reviews).

Getting there

The pub is on the west side of Rynok Square, a few minutes’ walk from the Town Hall; trams run from the railway station to a stop next to the square. The brewery on Staroznesenska Street is in the Znesinnia area in the north-east of the city, on the site of a former factory now home to !FESTrepublic; the easiest way there is a taxi (about 10–15 minutes from the centre) or city transport. Car access to Rynok Square is restricted, so leave your car in a car park outside the historic centre.

At a glance

• Address: Lviv
• Opening hours: Pub on Rynok Square: daily 12:00–23:00. Brewery: Mon–Fri 10:00–17:00; brewery taproom: daily 13:00–22:00
• Season: All year round
• Prices: Brewery tour with a tasting of 5 beers — ask for the price and times by phone +380 50 373 0353
• Phone: +380503744986, +380503730353

Website and social media: pravda.beer · instagram.com

Photos: lh3.googleusercontent.com.