The People's Tavern
A divey Eastern-European bar brims with homey refuge, Soviet-issued knick-knacks, and old world charm.
Photos: Will Blunt
“It’s hard to choose name for a business,” Bartender Lisa Malinovskaya explains. “So I went with Korochka to signify my background.” Malinovskaya came to the United States at age 10 as a refugee from the Soviet Union.
Her mother gave her the nickname “korochka,” meaning the crust or hard outer layer of foods like bread and pie, because she was insensitive as a child. At Seattle’s Korochka Tavern, Malinovskaya and longtime friend and business partner Kendall Murphy offer the charm of old world Eastern Europe in the heart of the Pacific Northwest.
While Malinovskaya’s early years were spent in Moscow, Murphy grew up in nearby Bothell, Washington. Aside from Murphy’s previous work at an IHOP and local restaurant The Tin Table, neither had culinary experience. Monkey Grind Espresso Bar would provide their first opportunity to learn how to run a business—Malinovskaya as a co-owner, Murphy as a barista. But in 2016, Malinovskaya decided that there’s more money in alcohol than coffee, and opened Korochka Tavern in the eclectic Lake City neighborhood. (The tavern would relocate to the Wallingford neighborhood in 2019.) The concept was rooted in Malinovskaya’s desire for the comfort food and drink of her home. While the pelmeni and vareniki were not made in house (“I’d have nightmares if I had to do all that meticulous work,” says Malinovskaya), customers loved the food, including the borscht adapted from her father’s recipe.
As for the cocktails: “We’re both self-taught bartenders,” says Murphy. “We’d continually create new drinks and test them on each other, workshopping them until ready for the public.” Former bartender Miriam Milena came up with a drink that especially enchanted Malinovskaya and Murphy. “She was from Poland, where pickled soup is popular,” says Murphy. “We already had a beet mule that was like an evolution of the Moscow mule, so she took it further by combining horseradish-infused vodka with ginger beer and pickled cucumber juice.”
The brine balances the booze, and like Korochka’s other drinks, it packs a punch (and a spicy one at that). Somewhat hidden on the menu, the Miriam’s Mule is now a staff and customer favorite for those in the know, served in a Korochka-labeled mule mug or—if lucky—in an adorable orange version that’s vintage Russia.
The owners take pride in having a uniquely Eastern European space. “Seattle already had Mexican, Vietnamese, and other such places to eat and drink,” says Murphy. The duo wanted to offer something different, creating a connection between Eastern Europe and the Pacific Northwest. “What I really enjoy is having a place where Eastern Europeans can gather but also mix with Americans to interact and better understand each other, especially in today’s times,” says Malinovskaya. “I like exposing people to my culture, cutting any stigmas regarding Eastern Europeans.”
“We’re also a little unique in being a women-owned, women-run establishment,” Murphy adds. “Hiring women and queer people is a priority. The industry can be hard for women and queers to break into, so our place provides an opportunity to hold a space that usually isn’t given to you—to be empowered and have a better future.” Inclusion is a driving force for the two owners. “Korochka is a reflection of us, being ourselves, challenging each other and even pushing people a little to try new things. Rabble-rousing is part of the spirit of the bar, just like the name of our place, Korochka, is a little mischievous,” says Murphy. “But with a goal of doing good,” adds Malinovskaya.
Along those lines, Malinovskaya and Murphy are committed to raising funds for a multitude of causes, like Ukrainian war relief, lawyers who are helping Russian-speaking detainees, and assistance for people living with HIV and even individuals with specific medical needs. Commitment to service at Korochka happens both inside for customers and outside the tavern for the community at-large.
