Must-see restaurants in Moscow

  • Danilovsky Market

    Zamoskvorechie

    A showcase of the city's ongoing gentrification, this giant Soviet-era farmers market is now largely about deli food cooked and served in myriad little…

  • 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…

  • Darbazi

    Meshchansky & Basmanny

    The vast majority of Georgian restaurants focus on the most popular, tried-and-true fare, such as shashlyk (meat kebabs) and khinkali (dumplings). This…

  • Mizandari

    Zamoskvorechie

    Georgian restaurants in Moscow tend to be either expensive or tacky. This small family-run place is neither. Come with friends and order a selection of…

  • Elardzhi

    Arbat & Khamovniki

    Moscow's Georgian restaurants are all very tasty, but this one is also tasteful. You'll be charmed from the moment you enter the courtyard, where live…

  • Björn

    Zamoskvorechie

    A neat cluster of fir trees on a busy street hides a Nordic gem that deserves a saga to glorify its many virtues. This is not an ‘ethnic’ restaurant, but…

  • Cafe Pushkin

    Presnya

    The tsarina of haute-russe dining, offering an exquisite blend of Russian and French cuisines. Service and food are done to perfection. The lovely 19th…

  • Chemodan

    Arbat & Khamovniki

    A unique opportunity to sample Siberian cuisine (rare, that is, for those of us who don't frequent Siberia). The menu highlights game meat, regional…

  • Stolle

    Presnya

    The entire menu at Stolle is excellent, but the pirozhki (savoury pies) are irresistible. A ‘stolle’ is a traditional Saxon Christmas cake: the selection…

  • Dukhan Chito-Ra

    Meshchansky & Basmanny

    It's a blessing when one of the most revered Georgian eateries in town is also one of the cheapest. The object of worship here is khinkali – large, meat…

  • 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…

  • Kitayskaya Gramota

    Meshchansky & Basmanny

    Ignore the fact that the waiting staff are dressed as Mao's soldiers; this is the place to try outstanding Cantonese fare in an atmosphere echoing that of…

  • Khachapuri

    Presnya

    Unassuming, affordable and appetising, this urban cafe exemplifies what people love about Georgian culture: the warm hospitality and the freshly baked…

  • Twins Garden

    Presnya

    Swoon-worthy identical-twin chefs Sergei and Ivan Berezutskiy bring their contrasting tastes and creative talents to this delightful restaurant. The…

  • Varenichnaya No 1

    Arbat & Khamovniki

    Retro Soviet is all the rage in Moscow, and this old-style restaurant does it right, with books lining the walls, old movies on the B&W TV, and Cold War…

  • AQ Kitchen

    Presnya

    AQ stands for Adrian Quetglas, the Argentinian chef who is the brains behind this creative endeavour. With huge windows and stressed-wood details, the…

  • Batoni

    Moscow

    Among myriad Georgian places in Moscow, Batoni is about the loveliest and the most scrupulous at sourcing all the right ingredients for century-old…

  • Gran Cafe Dr Zhivago

    Presnya

    An excellent breakfast choice before visiting the Kremlin, this round-the-clock place mixes Soviet nostalgia with a great deal of mischievous irony in…

  • Vay Me

    Zamoskvorechie

    Georgian food has never been known to be fast, but this fledgling chain is bringing about a revolution. The stylishly designed little eatery has all the…

  • Levon's Highland Cuisine

    Meshchansky & Basmanny

    You might be distracted by the crazy wall paintings, which depict Darth Vader and Chewbacca mingling with characters from the Soviet comedy Prisoner of…

  • Lepim i Varim

    Moscow

    This cosy place touts itself as ‘the most visited boutique’ in the flashy Stoleshnikov per, but instead of Armani clothes it celebrates arguably the most…

  • Uzbekistan

    Moscow

    This place opened in 1951 by order of the Ministry of Trade of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. Six decades later, the place has expanded its menu to…

  • Pushkin Konditerskaya

    Presnya

    If you want to impress your date, but you can’t afford the Cafe Pushkin for dinner, head next door to the konditerskaya (confectioner) for dessert. It’s…

  • Usachevsky Market

    Arbat & Khamovniki

    An old market has been taken over by hipster foodies, who instantly filled the premises with little eateries serving Georgian, Uzbek, Italian, Israeli and…

  • Yuzhane

    Meshchansky & Basmanny

    A carnivore stronghold, Yuzhane (which means 'the Southerners') gets its meat from the Kuban area in southern Russia, hence the name. The chef's…

  • Madame Wong

    Moscow

    Suit-and-tie corporates from nearby business centres throng to this classy Hong Kong restaurant that celebrates Cantonese cuisine while also flirting with…

  • Dizengof99

    Meshchansky & Basmanny

    Threadbare walls half-covered by corrugated sheets and cacti on the tables make this kiosk-like structure look like an army outpost in the Negev desert…

  • Shell, Yes! Seafood Bar

    Moscow

    Not a gas station, this small place defies geography by teleporting guests from Boulevard Ring to an oceanfront tavern. Displayed at the entrance, fish…

  • Mitzva Bar

    Zamoskvorechie

    A baby of the recent Israeli food craze, this restaurant-cum-bar hides in an atmospheric vaulted cellar decorated with Judaic and Masonic symbols. The…

  • Fedya, dich!

    Zamoskvorechie

    Let's take a walk on the wild side of the Moscow food scene. This place gets fresh supplies of fish and game from faraway corners of Siberia. Sea of Japan…

  • Nikolai

    Moscow

    There are plenty of pie spots around Moscow, but Nikolai wins your heart (and stomach) with its selection and the delicious crusts. Featuring a wide range…

  • Volkonsky

    Presnya

    The queue often runs out the door, as loyal patrons wait their turn for the city’s best freshly baked breads, pastries and pies. It’s worth the wait,…

  • Voronezh

    Moscow

    Its darkened, scarlet-coloured interior makes this bistro look a bit like an oriental opium den, but it is in fact a carnivore temple, where patrons seem…

  • Cake Me

    Presnya

    As soon as you enter, the entire place lures you to go on a dessert rave. It offers a great variety of mouthwatering signature desserts, all-day…

  • Rynok & Obshchepit Shouk

    Moscow

    This quirky place, a cross between a corner shop and a hip falafel joint, also makes top-quality shawarma (grilled meat and salad wrapped in flat bread)…

  • Odessa-Mama

    Meshchansky & Basmanny

    Come here to celebrate Odessa, affectionately called 'mama' by the residents of this port city. What mama cooks is a wild fusion of Jewish, Ukrainian and…

  • Voronezh

    Arbat & Khamovniki

    When Voronezh first opened, foodies couldn't stop talking about how a classy new restaurant in the capital was named after a provincial town. Bold move by…

  • White Rabbit

    Arbat & Khamovniki

    Views from panoramic windows are breathtaking, but the real stunner here is the menu – playfully inventive, yet singularly Muscovite, marrying cutting…

  • Seven

    Moscow

    You'll find a pleasant mix of post-industrial and theatrical in this dimly lit space, where low-hanging chandeliers and comfortable chairs make for a long…