Must-see restaurants in Russia

  • Delicatessen

    Moscow

    The affable and chatty owners of this place travel the world and experiment with the menu a lot, turning burgers, pizzas and pasta into artfully…

  • Lavka-Lavka

    Moscow

    Welcome to the Russian Portlandia – all the food here is organic and hails from little farms where you can rest assured all the lambs and chickens lived a…

  • Banshiki

    St Petersburg

    Attached to a renovated banya (public baths) complex, this is currently the place to sample nostalgic Russian fare at affordable prices. Everything is…

  • Chekhov

    St Petersburg

    Despite a totally nondescript appearance from the street, this restaurant’s charming interior perfectly recalls that of a 19th-century dacha and makes for…

  • Kvartira 30

    Vladivostok

    This fantastic treasure is hidden away in an extremely unlikely location amid a hilltop housing estate. Run by the charming Olga Gurskaya, who also uses…

  • Buter Brodsky

    St Petersburg

    Shabby chic has never looked so good as it does at this cafe-bar dedicated to the poet Joseph Brodsky (the name is a pun on buterbrod, the Russian word…

  • Teplo

    St Petersburg

    This much-feted, eclectic and original restaurant has got it all just right. The venue itself is a lot of fun to nose around, with multiple small rooms,…

  • Duo Gastrobar

    St Petersburg

    Boasting a minimalist Scandinavian design scheme, Duo Gastrobar wows diners with its outstanding cooking that showcases quality ingredients with global…

  • Schengen

    St Petersburg

    A breath of fresh air just off Liteyny pr, Schengen represents local aspirations to the wider world. The wide-ranging menu is packed with temptations,…

  • CoVok Sovetskoe Cafe

    Western European Russia

    This nostalgic cafe recalls the days of the USSR, not with kitsch propaganda posters, but with cosy nooks, antiques, black-and-white TVs flickering on the…

  • Severyanin

    St Petersburg

    An old-fashioned elegance prevails at Severyanin, one of the top choices for Russian cuisine near Sennaya pl. Amid vintage wallpaper, mirrored armoires…

  • Gräs x Madbaren

    St Petersburg

    Anton Abrezov is the talented exec chef behind this Scandi-cool meets Russian locavore restaurant where you can sample dishes such as a delicious corned…

  • Garmoshka

    Western European Russia

    Housed in a historic building, and done up like a wealthy merchant's home, Garmoshka is the fanciest night out in town. The atmospheric tone is…

  • Brasserie Most

    Moscow

    Moscow's most venerated and erudite restaurateur Alexander Rappoport shares his love for regional French cuisine in this classy and expensive place on…

  • Zuma

    Vladivostok

    A stylish welcoming place, this two-floor restaurant-lounge is decked out in an elaborate but classy Angkor Wat theme, replete with a massive black…

  • The Soho

    Sakhalin Island

    Inside a small but fancy mall, this upscale minimalist place is unashamedly aimed at an international crowd, with English-speaking waitresses and an iPad…

  • Studio

    Vladivostok

    In a courtyard in the heart of Vladivostok is this smart and appealing two-floor restaurant and lounge bar that attracts a young, well-heeled and in-the…

  • Pyongyang

    Vladivostok

    Staffed by waitresses from nearby North Korea who periodically break out into karaoke, this unique establishment is just strange enough to be considered a…

  • Zoom Café

    St Petersburg

    A perennially popular cafe (expect to wait for a table at peak times) with a cosy feel and an interesting menu, ranging from Japanese-style chicken in…

  • Yat

    St Petersburg

    Perfectly placed for eating near the Hermitage, this country-cottage-style restaurant has a very appealing menu of traditional dishes, presented with…

  • Pozharka Tavern

    Western European Russia

    Although no longer in its riverside location, Pozharka still draws the crowds for its carnivore-pleasing menu that stars grilled meat and various treats…

  • Genatsvale

    Northern European Russia

    Despite a somewhat gaudy facade, Genyatsvale is a laid-back, tastefully decorated Georgian cafe with blown-up photos of the motherland on the walls…

  • Kvartira na Prospekte

    Yakutsk

    This fun place makes a noble effort to resemble a babushka's living room, which is no mean feat since it moved to bigger premises and is now housed inside…

  • Karelskaya Gornitsa

    Northern European Russia

    Claiming to be the first Karelian restaurant in the world, this ye-olde hot spot boasts excellent, hearty fare, including rabbit borsch and rich, gamey…

  • Vershina 2200

    Black Sea Coast

    Sup a warming soup as you sit by the toasty fire and watch the snow fall on the ski slopes outside. Located at 2200m (the highest point in Gorki Gorod),…

  • Kalitka

    Northern European Russia

    This tiny, cosy cafe takes its name from the ubiquitous kalitki (open-face pies) found all over the region. Choose from tasty potato, meat, cheese and…

  • Cococo

    St Petersburg

    Cococo has charmed locals with its inventive approach to contemporary Russian cuisine. Your food is likely to arrive disguised as, say, a small bird's egg…

  • Restoran

    St Petersburg

    Nearly 20 years on the scene and this excellent place is still going strong. Stylish and airily bright, Restoran is somehow formal and relaxed at the same…

  • Izba

    Northern European Russia

    Don't let Izba's cutesy log-cabin-with-folky-embroidered-curtains interior fool you – this restaurant at Solovki Hotel serves the most sophisticated fare…

  • Chochur Muran

    Yakutsk

    In a Cossack-style lodge filled with antiques, Chochur Muran is an atmospheric and fun lunch stop if you are heading out to the nearby Permafrost Kingdom…

  • Makhtal

    Yakutsk

    In the old town, Makhtal is one of Yakutsk's most atmospheric options, with thick log walls adorned with traditional tapestries and handsomely attired…

  • Chum Restaurant-Museum

    Western Siberia

    Inside a faux Siberian hunters cabin lined with furs and skis, this unusual restaurant specalises in the cuisine of northern Siberia. Dishes include…

  • Pyotr Petrovich

    Western European Russia

    Sitting pretty in an exquisitely restored mansion near the entrance to Central Park, this merry brasserie should not be missed by anyone with taste buds…

  • Food Like Food

    Vladivostok

    While it might sound like a fast-food joint, this charming little white-painted basement restaurant is anything but. The menu takes in classical Russian…

  • San Marino

    Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

    When you're just back from a hard trek, San Marino is Petropavlovsk’s best splash for an excellent, exotic meal of Kamchatka crab, scallops, halibut and…

  • Khachapuri

    Yakutsk

    Georgia's culinary colonisation of even the farthest-flung parts of Russia continues apace, and this gorgeous place is easily one of Yakutsk's best dining…

  • Pogrebok

    Northern European Russia

    Hands down the best place to eat in town, this atmospheric vaulted cellar serves up large platters of beer snacks and imaginative mains, such as chicken…

  • Rusakov

    Western European Russia

    Sitting on the riverside, plush upmarket Rusakov does classic Russian cuisine with a side of up-close kremlin and Trinity Cathedral views. Sink into comfy…

  • Da Vinci

    Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

    Considered to have the best food in town by many locals, Da Vinci offers a full menu of Italian delicacies, including sumptuous risottos, crab ravioli,…

  • Romanov Restaurant

    Western Siberia

    Housed in the Hotel Slavyanskaya, the very refined Romanov restaurant is in a class above everything else in Tobolsk. Dress sharp and tuck into a menu…

More destinations you need to see