St Petersburg
Repa may be Russian for turnip but this delightful restaurant, cheek-by-jowl with the Mariinsky, is anything but rustic. Beautifully painted murals of…
Must-see restaurants in Russia
Moscow
A typical white collonaded VDNKh pavilion contains a restaurant which draws inspiration from the Stalinist utopia that surrounds it without overdoing the…
Zamoskvorechie
Correa’s has outlets all over the city, and though none are quite as cosy and quaint as the original in Presnya, a restaurant with a bit more space has…
Moscow
Casual, friendly and focused on taste, rather than trying to impress with shocking exoticism, Technicum is one of the places that shape the modern outlook…
Kaliningrad
With a Ukrainian peasant-hut theme and a firm commitment to carbs and salo (smoked lard), this place does borsch really well (get the chef special with…
St Petersburg
Amid big fur hats, a lion (lev) mural, decorative wooden chandeliers and other curious design elements, this friendly spot has a loyal local following for…
Arbat & Khamovniki
After taking the Moscow culinary world by storm with its farm-to-table restaurant, LavkaLavka has opened a network of small 'farmer's shops' like this one…
Presnya
If you feel the need to get back to nature, this restaurant has recreated a Ukrainian peasant farm in central Moscow. The house speciality is vareniki …
Volga Region
A charming spot to sample the Central Asian cuisines of the former Soviet Union, including Uzbek, Tajik and Kazakh national dishes. There are big plates…
Presnya
Ring the doorbell at No 10 and you'll be ushered into the homey environs. Inside, the shelves are stuffed with books, photographs and mismatched tea sets,…
Arbat & Khamovniki
A great spot favoured by locals and foreigners alike, 21 Food Market offers a wide variety of cuisines, from Georgian to Mexican, Vietnamese, Dagestani,…
St Petersburg
This tiny, family-run hideaway offers an intimate atmosphere and delectable food. Try classic recipes such as beef in plum and nut sauce or foil-baked…
Nizhny Novgorod
This literary cafe with antique furnishings, stucco ceiling and the feel of a living room is part of a Nizhny Novgorod project called ‘Eda i Kultura’ …
Ulan-Ude
This heritage wooden izba painted in a rather psychedelic shade of green is a local institution run by Buryats who have been returning from Chinese exile…
Northern European Russia
This rustic-effect nostalgia restaurant serves top-notch food such as duck in apple sauce, draniki (potato fritters) and goose with a honey crust. The…
Moscow
With a reputation as a bohemian hang-out, this place specialises in modern Moroccan cuisine. Prominently on the menu are four types of tajine (slow-cooked…
Irkutsk
For a quick introduction to native Siberians' food, check out this little eatery that serves Buryat buuzy dumplings, bukhlyor meat broth and suguday …
Moscow
The two upper floors of Tsvetnoy Central Market shopping mall are filled with refined delis and cafes, some of them outstandingly good. Little snacks…
Zamoskvorechie
Domestic cheese production is all the rage in Russia, which has banned cheese imports from the EU in retaliation for Western sanctions. This restaurant…
Black Sea Coast
This popular restaurant serves generous portions of Caucasian dishes, including kharcho, the spicy Georgian soup that inspired its unusual name ('Huh?…
Irkutsk
You might have already been introduced to Siberian fish, but for fundamental ichthyology head to this upmarket restaurant on the outskirts of the old town…
Kaliningrad
The northern section of Kaliningrad is notoriously short of good restaurants, and this hybrid Russian-Uzbek-Italian option stands out as the best around…
Krasnoyarsk
Its wood-rich interior strives to convey the ambience of old Europe. The menu at 'Pig & Beads' is carnivore concerto grosso, with pork playing the first…
The Urals
You can try Bashkir, Tatar, Russian and Finno-Ugric cuisine at this quirky and newly refurbished restaurant-museum. The manager is passionate about…
Kaliningrad Region
A pretty seaside setting and good fish dishes are a winning combination at one of the few above-average restaurants in town. Excellent fish soup, a…
St Petersburg
A hip little gastrobar with warm ambiance, tables made of converted sewing machines, and a record player providing the tunes. Stop in for creative market…
Presnya
Chef Luigi Magni lends his creative flare and Italian accent to this casual, cosmopolitan joint. The menu combines fresh ingredients with true innovation,…
Kaliningrad
Excellent ingredients and attention to detail in the pizzas, pastas and grill dishes move this self-described trattoria a notch up over the usual pizza…
Black Sea Coast
Located high atop Roza Peak, the aptly named 'Altitude 2320' is the perfect place to kick back after skiing and snowboarding. The floor to ceiling windows…
Arbat & Khamovniki
This place is one of Moscow's best-kept secrets. Rico serves, hands down, some of the best and freshest seafood in the city, from Russian Far East crab to…
Moscow
A mishmash of cuisines found across Russia, this restaurant by Novikov Group sits right next to the Kremlin. It serves a variety of dishes from Russian,…
Kazan
The hushed, overly formal setting and mandatory coat check lend a faint whiff of tourist trap, but don't let that dissuade you. The menu is filled with…
Black Sea Coast
Tucked away in the far southern corner of the seaside promenade, this classy restaurant offers a good wine list and plenty of local seafood choices,…
Moscow
Yes, it's expensive – but it’s also a sophisticated setting, done up as an understated Baku courtyard, adorned with jars of pickled lemons and blooming…
St Petersburg
Delightfully off the beaten path, Paninaro is a gem set inside one of the Petrogradky's most striking apartment buildings (don't miss the murals up top –…
Kaliningrad Region
Considered the best of many restaurants on the seafront promenade, Ambar sits on the far eastern end of the beach. It's meant to evoke a seafront log…
Moscow
Newly minted, this old-style cafeteria offers a nostalgic recreation of dining in post-Stalinist Russia. The food is good – and cheap for such a fancy…
Ulan-Ude
A nationwide chain run by a national culinary show celebrity, Shashlykoff wins the battle for the hearts and stomachs of young Buryatians with the simple…
Irkutsk
Blown into central Eurasia by Pacific winds (along with myriad secondhand Japanese cars), this tiny joint churns out delicious pies with unusual fillings,…
Meshchansky & Basmanny
On the grounds of ArtPlay gallery, this is an appropriately artistic venue, where creative types come to socialise or poke away on their laptops. The…
