Restaurants in Southern Buryatiya & Chita
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Baatarai Urgöö
Two carved Mongol warriors guard this unusual collection of restaurant yurts near the Ethnographic Museum. The central dining hall is how you’d imagine Chinggis Khaan’s spaceship, powered by a central dragon-stove. The menu includes many Buryat specialities: liver and onions, battered omul, shangi (scone-bread) and khuushuur (meat turnovers) washed down with astringent arsa (a warm, sour milk concoction). Take marshrutka 8 from pl Sovetov to the Yurt stop.
reviewed
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Chingiskhan
A huge carved portrait of Chinggis himself offers a stern welcome to this upmarket restaurant crafted in the shape of a traditional circular yurt. The steppe bon vivant and conqueror of half the world would no doubt approve of the eclectic Eurasian menu of expertly fused Russian, Buryat and Chinese dishes and the finely tuned feng shui. The restaurant is situated in the Sun Tower, south of the river Uda. Take any tram heading south from the market and alight at the Sayany stop.
reviewed
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Khmelnaya Korchma
Plastic sunflowers, dangling onion strings, folksy embroidered tea towels and a menu of borscht, salo (pig fat), vareniki (sweet ravioli-type dumplings) and holubtsi (cabbage rolls stuffed with rice) teleport you to rural Ukraine. Live music, liberal helpings and a low-priced lunch menu (R150) makes this arguably Chita’s best option.
reviewed
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Marusya
A coy 19th-century makeover with polished samovars, matryoshka dolls and waitresses trussed up in pseudo folk costume has brought the Ulger Theatre restaurant back from the dead. Enjoy inexpensive Russian meals at tightly packed tables to the sound of dreamy 1970s Russian chansons on CD, or flee the chintz for the pleasantly sunny terrace.
reviewed
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Kafe Russkaya Dusha
The unwelcoming Kafe Russkaya Dusha sadly vacated the Trading Arches when it was gutted by fire in 2006. It relocated to a pink building in a madly out-of-the-way location, 20 minutes’ uphill walk from the centre. It’s the only café around so ask for directions.
reviewed
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Zelenaya Rosha
A canopy of plastic foliage covering the ceiling and a tackily dribbling water feature make this a low-lit retreat from the scorching sun outside. Down a few cheap beers or tuck into some basic Siberian comfort food. Chita’s most accessible semipublic WC is in the entrance.
reviewed
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Fast Fud
.The future is orange at Fast Fud, a garishly decorated McDonalds rip-off, situated on the 1st floor of what will one day be the Alexandrovsky Sad Hotel. Choose mediocre burgers, chips and salads from the picture menu – portions are stingy.
reviewed
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Stolitsa
This elegant upstairs restaurant has red, black and gold décor, modernist Buddhist-influenced art and old photos of Ulan-Ude. There's a menu in English and a vastly cheaper zakusochnaya (café) around the side. Handy for the train station.
reviewed
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Samovar
Friendly, costumed staff add to the old-Russia atmosphere of this cute basement restaurant with wooden ceiling beams, spinning wheels and garlands of medicinal herbs. The menu is firmly traditional Russian, heavy with pelmeni and bliny.
reviewed
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King’s Food
So-so food, striking pillar-box red and jet-black decor and crass Russian MTV; on hot days use the cutlery to slice a hole in the air to breathe through. On the plus side it’s cheap, clean and conveniently central.
reviewed
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E
Kafe Minimo
Genuine, if somewhat underspiced, Georgian food is easy to select from helpful picture menus. Dine in the beamed upstairs restaurant-hall or in the small, pleasant bar area. Khachapuri takes 25 minutes to cook.
reviewed
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Tsiplyata Tabaka
Floral murals and fake stone carvings contrast intriguingly with Austin Powers–style lighting. Roast chicken priced by weight is the only main course (R36 per 100g). Add salads, vegetables and reasonably priced wine.
reviewed
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G
Zolotoy Drakon
Redecorated in contemporary scarlet-and-white chinoiserie, Ulan-Ude's best predominantly Chinese restaurant usefully offers choices of portion sizes plus several European options. One room has an open fire in winter.
reviewed
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Serp i Molod
A tongue-in-cheek Soviet theme, a menu in English and live music most nights make this a fun place to eat. The atmosphere improves the later it gets. Hidden just off pl Sovetov; follow the hammer and sickle signs.
reviewed
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Kafe Traktyr
Russian home-style cooking is served at heavy wooden tables in this rebuilt wooden-lace cottage, with a quietly upmarket Siberian-retro atmosphere. The summer beer-and-shashlyk tent is a popular drinking spot.
reviewed
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Kafe Kollazh
A laughing Buddha welcomes you to this mood-lit and cosy place adorned with spinning wheels, old samovars and dried flowers. The international-themed food is tasty but overpriced.
reviewed
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Happyland
This everything-with-chips canteen in the cinema foyer is the cheapest source of empty calories in the city centre. Popular bar with Baltika and Carlsberg on tap.
reviewed
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Poznaya Altargana
If pozi are your thing, Poznaya Altargana is your place, but the tasty plov and meatballs are an equally filling alternative.
reviewed
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Evrika
From behind a historic façade, this plain but well-kept stolovaya doles out very cheap chebureki (meat turnovers) and pozi.
reviewed
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Kafe Morozhenoe
In primary blue and yellow this striking ice-cream parlour serves cheap meals, wine by the glass and trendy terracotta pots of Chinese green tea.
reviewed
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Modern Nomads
Join student drinkers, snackers and diners at this clean-cut and very popular place serving Mongolian dishes with a contemporary twist.
reviewed
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Sloboda Zakusochnaya
Sloboda Zakusochnaya, is a run-of-the-mill pozi joint popular with cross-border truck drivers.
reviewed
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O
Zakusochnaya Real
A friendly, unadorned, ultracheap snack-café facing the cathedral. Next door is a gorgeous wooden-lace house.
reviewed
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Restoran Plaza
Restoran Plaza is surprisingly smart but few travellers stick around long enough to see it open.
reviewed
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Troika Café
Troika Café serves reasonably priced Buryat and Chinese fare opposite the museum.
reviewed
