Yizhak z Lisu Carpathian Teas, Truskavets

Truskavets, Lviv region, Ukraine

Yizhak z Lisu Carpathian Teas, Truskavets — 2

Yizhak z Lisu Carpathian Teas, Truskavets — 3

Yizhak z Lisu (“Hedgehog from the Forest”) is a small Truskavets brand of Carpathian herbal teas, jams and forest mushrooms that describes itself as “the Carpathians delivered to your door”. Its little shop and pick-up point is at 10 Pavla Skoropadskoho Street in Truskavets, though most customers know the “hedgehog” from its online shop: regulars say they have been ordering teas and jams here since 2020 and keep coming back for new blends.

Why drop in

Spa guests in Truskavets often look for “real Carpathian tea” to take home — and are often disappointed when the bag turns out to contain something resembling cut hay. Yizhak z Lisu focuses on large-leaf loose blends in which every berry, flower and leaf is clearly visible. In the shop you can look at and smell the blends, ask what to choose for an evening cup or as a gift, and buy a few packs in kraft-paper packaging. If you have already left the resort, the same products can be ordered on the website with delivery across Ukraine.

What to try and buy

“Carpathian Delight” berry tea — rosehip, hawthorn, black and red rowan, elderberry, juniper, bilberry, guelder rose, sea buckthorn and raspberry, plus thyme, heather, hawthorn blossom, nettle, mint, fireweed and cornflower. The berries are dense, so it is best brewed in a thermos for at least an hour.
Signature blends — “Your Inspiration”, “Girls' Get-Together”, “For the Paliianytsia Loaf”, “Feel the Calm”: floral and herbal mixes with different characters, from invigorating to soothing.
Jams — customers particularly praise sea buckthorn, raspberry and pine-cone jam.
Dried mushrooms and mushroom seasonings — for Carpathian soups, sauces and winter dishes.

Herbal tea drinking is an old Carpathian tradition: in Boyko and Hutsul mountain villages, infusions of thyme, St John's wort, linden, raspberry leaves and rosehips were drunk instead of ordinary tea, with herbs gathered in summer on mountain meadows and forest edges. Yizhak z Lisu turns this home tradition into neat gift sets that are easy to take home from the resort.

How to brew and what to give

Flower and herbal blends only need hot but not boiling water and 5–10 minutes under a lid; berry mixes open up more slowly, so they are best steeped in a thermos. A spoonful of jam or Carpathian honey goes well with the tea. As a souvenir of Truskavets, a set of two or three blends and a jar of jam is a handy choice: light, travel-proof and a reminder of a mountain summer even in winter.

Practical information

Address: 10 Pavla Skoropadskoho Street, Truskavets (north-eastern part of town, towards the Stebnyk exit).
Hours: Monday–Friday 10:00–17:30, closed Saturday and Sunday (per Google Maps).
Phone: +380 93 201 25 05; it is worth calling before you come.
Online: z-lisu.in.ua, Instagram and Facebook; payment by card, online or cash on delivery via Nova Poshta.
Prices: depend on the blend and pack size — current prices are listed on the website.

Getting there: from the central pump room and the Spa Park it is about a 20–25-minute walk or a few minutes by taxi along Stebnytska Street. By car it is easy to reach on the road from Drohobych or Stebnyk. Trains and buses run to Truskavets from Lviv, and minibuses from Drohobych and Boryslav.

A good idea is to buy several different blends to try — that makes it easier to find “your” Carpathian tea and come back for it next time.