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Annyushka
Actually a tram car that circles the Chistye Prudy. Patrons can get on at several stops along the way, the easiest being at the island at the intersection of Chistoprudny bulvar and Myasnitskaya ulitsa. Food is simple - obviously, they prepare it on a streetcar - but the bar is fully stocked. It's a fun concept, but karaoke is uncalled-for in such close quarters.
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Bukloe
This little, light-filled shop is something of a boutique-cafe, selling trendy clothes along side soup and sandwiches. The fare is varied, but the menu has a Georgian twist, including favourites like khachi puri, kharcho and dolmas. Unlike most Caucasian restaurants, this place keeps it light, so you just might squeeze into that mini skirt on the mannequin.
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Café Margarita
On Patriarch's Ponds, the gorgeous square immortalised by the opening chapter of Bulgakov's Master and Margarita , is this great place. Its prices are rather high, but there's nowhere else like it in the city, with its well-read crowd and literary connections, books lining the walls and live music nightly. The set lunch is good value, too, and comes with a glass of red wine.
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Delis
You might go in just for the rich, dark and addictive coffee; and who could blame you. But once you spot the salads and pastries, you're likely to stay a while. The menu also features a few simple mains - grilled salmon, tiger shrimp in garlic and lemon sauce etc. Fresh ingredients guarantee delicious results, as promised by the name.
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Expedition
This outrageous theme restaurant takes diners on an expedition to the great white north, capturing the adventure and excitement of Siberia. You can imagine you arrived by helicopter, as the vehicle is the centrepiece of the dining room. Feast on typical `northern cuisine' - famous Baikal fish soup ukha ; pelmeni stuffed with wild boar or Komchatka crab; venison stroganoff. There is also an expensive but authentic Siberian banya on the premises.
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Kafe Karetny Dvor
Kafe Karetny Dvor offers a wide range of Russian and Georgian dishes, all reasonably priced. The interior is cheerful and relaxed, and you can enjoy the courtyard if the weather is fine. Go for classic Azeri fare like dolmas in grape leaves and lamb kebabs, accompanied by a bottle of Mukuzani (red wine).
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Lyudi kak Lyudi
Lyudi kak Lyudi 'Everyday people' is a tiny but great little refuge popular with after-hours clubbers as well as young workers who swear by the excellent business lunch.
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Mama Nina
Formerly Mama Zoya, this dark and divey place has changed its name but little else. This Moscow institution serves up tasty, filling Georgian food - possibly the cheapest in town. Famed for slow service and bad music, which is all part of the charm.
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Mama Zoya
Mama Nina and Mama Zoya have been serving cheap shashlik and other Georgian favourites for years. This branch is on a floating platform on the Moscow River, opposite Gorky Park.
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Novy Yar
The 90-year-old restaurant was once a favourite among Moscow's elite, including the opera singer Fyodor Shaliapin and the merchant Savva Morozov. These days, an evening at Yar means dining on gourmet fare and taking in a glittering cabaret, complete with showgirls. Even if you don't stay for dinner, stop by this historic spot for peak at the gold-gilded, chandelier-strewn dining room. Inside the Sovietsky Hotel.
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One Red Square
Appropriately, chef Alexander Filin is something of a historian, and he successfully recreates the cuisine that was enjoyed in the days of yore, including specific meals in history, such as Nicholas II's Easter dinner in 1900. The only drawback is the dark basement setting - a drab venue for an otherwise exciting eating experience.
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Pelmeshka
A post-Soviet stolovaya (cafeteria), serving many different kinds of pelmeni, the most filling of Russian favourites. This place is packed at lunchtime, a sign that it is tasty as well as cheap.
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Prisoner Of The Caucasus
Moscow's favourite Georgian restaurant is this joint, named for a popular Soviet film. Feast on lavash straight from the oven, cheeses from the restaurant's own dairy, and shashlyk from every animal. Come with a group and enjoy the classically cheesy Georgian music.
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Red Bar
On the 27th floor of a skyscraper overlooking the Moscow River, Red features funky decor and a fabulous view. The name refers to its colour, not its politics: the whole place is draped in swanky red, except the glistening white piano. The menu is mostly small plates - overpriced, but tasty. The real draw is the floor-to-ceiling windows and their vantage point of the city skyline. Come for a sundown drink before heading out to paint the rest of the town red.
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Shield & Sword
In an all-too-appropriate location opposite the former Lubyanka prison, this novelty place is also known as the `KGB bar'. You can't miss it, with the emblem of the former security service hanging prominently in the windows. Inside, the Soviet paraphernalia continues: the centrepiece in the dining room is a replica of the Felix Dzerzhinsky statue that once graced Lubyanka Square.
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Sindibad's
The previous entirely Lebanese and Arabic menu here has been adapted to Muscovite taste and now includes sturgeon and pikeperch. However, you can still enjoy the excellent hummus, baba ganoush and pitta, among other Levantine specialities, in a cosy, convivial setting. Bookings advised on weekends.
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Soup
This aptly named restaurant takes the most appetising element of Russian food to new heights, offering 12 hot and six cold varieties on any given day. The atmosphere is loungey: dim lights, modern furniture and DJs spinning house music from .
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Taras Bulba in Zamoskvorechie
Servers dress up in traditional embroidered outfits and Ukrainian tapestries and wood floors provide a homey atmosphere. There's no salad bar, but specialties like pork stuffed with vegetables and spicy smoked beef are tender and tasty.
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Taras Bulba on Ul Petrova
Servers dress up in traditional embroidered outfits and Ukrainian tapestries and wood floors provide a homey atmosphere. There's no salad bar, but specialties like pork stuffed with vegetables and spicy smoked beef are tender and tasty.
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Tiflis
Moscow is the best place outside the Caucasus to sample the rich, spicy cuisine of the former Soviet republic of Georgia. And Tiflis is the best place in Moscow. The name comes from the Russian word for the Georgian capital, Tblisi, and when you enter this restaurant, you might think you are there.
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TsDL (Central House of Writers)
The acronym stands for Tsentralny Dom Literatov, or Central House of Writers, which is the historic building housing this fancy restaurant. A glittery chandelier above, plush carpets under foot and rich oak panelling all around create a sumptuous setting for an old-fashioned Russian feast.
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Vremya Yest
Specialises in cold beer and unusual cocktails. If you can't decide, try the 'pivovar' , which mixes vodka with beer. This place is deservedly popular, considering the free-flowing drinks and reasonably priced food. During the dinner hour, expect to wait for a table - an excellent excuse to sidle up to the bar and check out that cocktail menu.
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Yolki-Palki in Arbat District
This excellent Russian chain is beloved for its country cottage decor and its well-stocked salad bar. Outlets all over the city specialise in traditional dishes and cheap beer. This particular location boasts an outdoor seating area that is often packed at lunchtime.
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Yolki-Palki in Zamoskvorechie
This excellent Russian chain is beloved for its country cottage decor and its well-stocked salad bar. Outlets all over the city specialise in traditional dishes and cheap beer.
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Yolki-Palki in Zayauzie
This excellent Russian chain is beloved for its country cottage decor and its well-stocked salad bar. Outlets all over the city specialise in traditional dishes and cheap beer.
