In this series, we introduce the establishments across Bukovel that support sustainable development and inspire their guests to make more conscious choices for the future of our planet.
There are more than thirty places to eat across the resort, offering something for virtually every taste. From Japanese and Georgian cuisine to Mediterranean dishes, Ukrainian classics and local Hutsul specialities, from American favourites to quick bites on the go – Bukovel’s culinary landscape is remarkably diverse.
Today, we are visiting Felicita, an Italian restaurant at Bukovel’s lower residence. Anna Potapchuk, the restaurant manager, welcomes us inside. I order my favourite latte, along with a panna cotta served in an elegant glass bowl.
— Anna, hello! This is my favourite dessert here (panna cotta — Ed.). It’s incredibly yummy!
Hello, Bohdan! I’m glad to hear that. Did you know that panna cotta has a little story of its own? It is a traditional Italian dessert from Piedmont. There is a lovely legend that it was invented in the early 20th century by a woman of Hungarian origin living in the Langhe region.
The name panna cotta literally means “cooked cream”. What I like about it is its simplicity: cream, a delicate texture and nothing unnecessary. Perhaps that is exactly why it has found such a natural place at Felicita.
— But you are a pizzeria, and pizza is your main focus, isn’t it?
Not quite. Pizza is certainly one of our key focuses, but Felicita goes well beyond the traditional pizzeria format. Our concept is Pizza e Cucina – “pizza and cuisine”.
Our pizzas are baked in a wood-fired oven, and that is certainly one of the things guests remember us for. But at the same time, we want Felicita to work for every kind of occasion. You can stop by for a quick pizza, settle in for a full dinner, come here on a date, or spend an evening with family or friends.
That is why the menu goes far beyond pizza. We have appetisers, salads, hot dishes, desserts, wine, cocktails and other drinks – everything you would expect from a full restaurant experience.
For us, Felicita is an Italian restaurant with a strong identity built around pizza. But we never want guests to think of us solely as a pizzeria. Our aim is to offer a complete restaurant experience.
— Tell us a little about Felicita’s history. When did it all begin?
We were among the first establishments to open in Bukovel. It all started in the mid-2000s, when the resort’s first skiing and snowboarding infrastructure was taking shape and the first lifts were beginning to operate.
Later, we moved from Parking Area No. 1 to our current location at the lower residence. We even opened a tiny four-room hotel on the second floor of this building. It was what you might call a home-style hotel (a small hotel with a homely atmosphere – Ed.).
Those were fascinating times. Most importantly, you had enough time for every guest. We knew people by sight, welcomed them personally and saw them off when it was time to leave. It was an incredibly valuable experience.
We also had a 9.4 rating on Booking.com. I remember that Radisson opened around the same time, and the two of us were the only hotels with ratings that high!
— Wow, 9.4 is an impressive score! So how long did the hotel operate?
Roughly until the 2010s. After that, we changed the concept and decided to focus on the restaurant.
— How many people are on the team today?
Twenty. We have pizza makers, bartenders, waiters, chefs and our technical staff, whom we jokingly call our “cleaning fairies” (smiles – Ed.).
Our team is one of our greatest assets because a beautiful interior or delicious food cannot create the entire experience on their own. People create that experience.
When the restaurant is running at full capacity, the challenge is not simply to get food to the table quickly. You also have to preserve that sense of care for the guest. Even at the busiest moment, we want every person who comes through our doors to feel noticed and looked after.
— All right, let’s move on. What would you say is Felicita’s defining feature?
Winter and summer give you two very different versions of Felicita, but the atmosphere, warmth and service remain at the heart of both.
In winter, Felicita becomes a warm, lively restaurant filled with people and energy. There are Christmas decorations across the façade, a Christmas tree, a special seasonal playlist, firewood crackling in the oven, warm lights and snow falling outside the windows.
During the day, we become something of a recovery stop for guests. You can have a good meal, warm up, charge your phone or another device and head happily back out to the slopes.
In the evening, everything changes. You might find a family or a group of friends gathered around a large table, or a couple tucked into a cosy corner by the window for a romantic dinner.
Summer brings an entirely different Felicita. The terrace turns green and cosy, surrounded by flowers and birdsong. There are even little squirrels you can watch as they hide their nuts. And however hot the day has been, the evenings here remain pleasantly cool. You can wrap yourself in a blanket, sit down with a glass of something nice and good company, enjoy a cocktail or have some gelato.
So if you ask me what makes Felicita special, my answer would be the emotions. Winter and summer may feel completely different, but that sense of simply feeling good here always remains.
— Felicita is pet-friendly too, isn’t it?
Yes. We have little treats, which we offer to dogs, and naturally we are always happy to bring them a bowl of water.
We decided not to introduce a separate pet menu because every animal has its own diet and individual dietary requirements. Instead, we offer dogs a complimentary treat — duck fillet shaped like a bone and supplied in cellophane packaging (Ed.). It is always up to the owner to decide whether the treat is suitable for their pet.
And if a guest asks us to prepare something especially for their four-legged companion – perhaps boiled brisket, chicken or something else – we are happy to do that too, at a reasonable price.
— Anna, thank you for this conversation. We’ve finished our lattes, and I thoroughly enjoyed the panna cotta. I have one more question: what do guests themselves usually say about Felicita?
Oh, that’s a great question. When I read our guest reviews, what makes me happiest is that people rarely talk only about the food.
Pizza comes up very often, of course – it is probably the first thing most people associate with us. But almost alongside it, people mention the atmosphere, our friendly staff, quick service and the feeling of cosiness.
What I value most is when someone writes: “We came here several years ago, and now we’ve come back.” To me, that is the best review we could receive. It means they remembered more than a pizza or a plate of pasta – they remembered Felicita itself.
And that is ultimately what we want. We want guests to leave feeling that everything was great, so that the next time they find themselves in Bukovel, someone says: "Let’s go to Felicita."
— Indeed. I also have to mention all the live plants on your terrace – there are so many of them, and they really transform the space.
Oh, I’ve grown all of them myself. I look after these flowers every day. From the very beginning, I wanted this place to feel a little like an Italian courtyard.
And right next door is the small park that you and your colleagues at the Sustainable Development Office named Art Square, where two wonderful events have already taken place.
One of them was an open-air classical music concert (Ed.). Because of the rainy weather, it ended up taking place on our terrace, and we were delighted to support the event and provide everything the organisers needed.
The second was an evening dedicated to Lina Kostenko’s poetry in the square. It inspired some of our colleagues so much that they now want to take part in the next poetry readings themselves.
— Anna, thank you for your time. And we would also like to thank Felicita for always supporting our events and welcoming the artists who come to Bukovel with their cultural projects. Until next time!
Thank you, Bohdan. We’ll be delighted to welcome you back again and again. And next time, make sure you try the tiramisu. I’m certain you’ll like it (laughs — Ed.)!
Interview by: Bohdan Krasavtsev, Head of the Sustainable Development Office at Bukovel Resort
Felicita address and contacts
Lower residential area, GPS location
Opening hours: daily, 13:00-22:00 (delivery and takeaway orders are available slightly earlier).
Phone: +380673328888
Bring your own cup initiative
In August 2026, Felicita joined an initiative launched by Bukovel Resort’s Sustainable Development Office and now offers guests a 10% discount on hot and cold drinks when they bring their own cup.