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Jean-Jacques
In a prime location on the Boulevard Ring, this friendly wine bar welcomes everybody in for a glass of wine, a bite to eat, a few songs and a few smiles. The basement setting is cosy but not dark, making it an ideal spot to share a bottle of Bordeaux and nibble on brie. Bottles of wine start at around Rbl350 , although most are priced around Rbl1000 - still refreshingly reasonable in this town where wine is ridiculously and prohibitively overpriced.
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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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Karetny Dvor
Moscow's most popular Caucasian place has a simple, relaxed interior and a green, leafy courtyard - both welcoming. 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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Khodzha Nasreddin in Khiva
Khodzha Nasreddin is an Uzbek literary folk hero who epitomises the exoticism and eroticism of the mystical East. The restaurant attempts to do the same. Dine upstairs and you will be invited to remove your shoes and recline on plush pillows around low tables. The house specialty is undoubtedly the plov (pilaf rice with diced mutton and vegetables).
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Kishmish in Arbat District
Serving simple spicy standards like shashlik and plov at the cheapest prices you will find. The dastarkhan , or salad bar is chock-full of veggies and salads to fill up the herbivores. This place is decked out like an Uzbek chaikhana, or teahouse, complete with plush Oriental carpets, waitstaff in national costume and painted ceramic place settings. All the decoration was imported from Tashkent, except the waitstaff, presumably.
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Kishmish in Barrikadnaya
Serving simple spicy standards like shashlik and plov at the cheapest prices you will find. The dastarkhan , or salad bar, is chock-full of veggies and salads to fill up the herbivores. This place is decked out like an Uzbek chaikhana, or teahouse, complete with plush Oriental carpets, waitstaff in national costume and painted ceramic place settings. All the decoration was imported from Tashkent, except the waitstaff, presumably.
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La Casa
This airy, elegant trattoria serves uses high-class (and high-priced) Italian fare - fresh pasta with homemade sauces, grilled seafood and steaks - with a wine list to match. The place is lovely: neutral tones, tile floors and plush couches create a sophisticated Mediterranean setting. However, you might get some attitude from the staff if they feel you don't complement the decor.
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Le Duc
One in a row of fancy theme restaurants along this stretch of ulitsa 1905 goda. This one re-creates the interior of a medieval castle, while serving diners exquisite French food and wine. Vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows and wait staff in costume lend this restaurant a Disney-esque air; but fear not, this place takes cuisine very seriously. You won't be disappointed.
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Le Gateau at Pushkin Square
This French cafe feels more European than its counterparts, with dark leather furniture and richly coloured walls. The attempt to bring Paris to Moscow carries over to the menu, which features dark coffee and fresh croissants. This is a charming place for breakfast, lunch or your daily dose of caffeine, any time of day.
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Le Gateau in Barrikadnaya
This French cafe feels more European than its counterparts, with dark leather furniture and richly coloured walls. The attempt to bring Paris to Moscow carries over to the menu, which features dark coffee and fresh croissants. This is a charming place for breakfast, lunch or your daily dose of caffeine, any time of day.
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Le Gateau in Paveletskaya
This French cafe feels more European than its counterparts, with dark leather furniture and richly coloured walls. The attempt to bring Paris to Moscow carries over to the menu, which features dark coffee and fresh croissants. This is a charming place for breakfast, lunch or your daily dose of caffeine, any time of day.
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Le Gateau in Tsvetnoy Bulvar
This French cafe feels more European than its counterparts, with dark leather furniture and richly coloured walls. The attempt to bring Paris to Moscow carries over to the menu, which features dark coffee and fresh croissants. This is a charming place for breakfast, lunch or your daily dose of caffeine, any time of day.
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Loft Café
On the top floor of the Nautilus shopping centre, next door to the luxury spa, you'll find this tiny, trendy cafe. An even tinier terrace gives a fantastic view of Lubyanka square. Innovative, modern dishes fuse the best of Russian cuisine with western and Asian influences - for example, grilled salmon with spinach, pine nuts and caviar sauce.
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Los Bandidos
Wide plank floors and dark-stained wood - not to mention the jamon (ham) suspended from the ceiling - create the romantic atmosphere associated with Andalusia. The menu does not disappoint, offering a wide array of Spanish red wines and lots of traditional tapas. The paella, chock full of spicy shellfish, is enough to feed two.
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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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Maharaja
Moscow's oldest Indian restaurant features lots of spicy Tandoori specialties, including several variations of kebabs and rotis hot from the tandoori oven. Vegetarians have no shortage of options. The decor of the lower-level restaurant is understated - a welcome change from the over-the-top theme restaurants that dominate Moscow's dining scene.
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Maki Cafe
With a menu ranging from its namesake maki rolls to fresh green salads to Italian sodas, the theme at the Maki Cafe diverse. It is complemented by its minimalist, industrial decor - clunky light fixtures, lots of brick and metal. The place appeals to a hip, urban crowd, who appreciate the unusually reasonable prices. Service is efficient but you still may have to wait for a table in the evening.
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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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Market
This innovative restaurant evokes the market in southeast Asia - you are invited to take your wicker basket and shop among the displays of colourful produce and fresh fish, choosing the ingredients of your meal. The chef will cook it up according to your instructions. Or, if you don't trust your culinary instincts, choose from the a la carte menu, which fuses contemporary European and Asian elements to show off the same ingredients.
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Meeting Place
The name aptly describes this club/restaurant, which attracts a constant stream of regulars. The food gets mixed reviews, but it's filling and affordable; the many varieties of pelmeni (dumplings) are particularly popular. Most people come for the friendly atmosphere, summertime garden cafe and free wi-fi access.
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Modest Charms Of The Bourgeoisie
The main draw of `Bourgeoisie' is the cool, casual setting. It's an attractive space, with its arched ceiling, tile floor and sun motif - ideal for settling into the comfy couches and reading the newspapers that are left lying about. The menu is reasonably priced and wide-ranging, from pizza to sushi to nice fresh salads, but don't expect gourmet fare.
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Mon Cafe
The hot-to-trot clientele is the decor at this otherwise minimalist French cafe. Vaguely European fare is tasty, if overpriced. Don your short skirts and black shirts and take a seat on the upper level for the best view of the activity below.
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Montana Coffee at Paveletskaya
Formerly Zen Coffee, this place offers breakfast and business lunch, besides the double espresso decaf cappuccinos. It is physically impossible to do a serious stroll of the trendy pedestrian strip on Kamergersky pereulok without stopping to sip a drink at this outlet.
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Montana Coffee in Belorusskaya
Formerly Zen Coffee, this place offers breakfast and business lunch, besides the double espresso decaf cappuccinos. It is physically impossible to do a serious stroll of the trendy pedestrian strip on Kamergersky pereulok without stopping to sip a drink at this outlet.
