Showing 1-19 of 19 results
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Aiva
Aiva may seem out of the way, but all the cool kids come here to sit on the covered terrace and sip sophisticated cocktails. Rag-rug pillows accent the rustic décor, giving the place an exotic Eastern ambience. The menu is a mixed bag, with dishes from Europe and Asia, as well as Russian and Georgian standards. The service at this trendy café gets decidedly mixed reviews, but everyone agrees that the setting is super fine.
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Biergarten
Dark wood furnishings and beamed ceilings enhance the Bavarian atmosphere at this German beer hall. Select a table in the dark, inviting interior or on the porch overlooking Vasilevsky Island's main thoroughfare. Both are ideal spots to enjoy traditional German biergarten fare and a nice selection of beers.
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Bistrot Garçon
The more casual of two outlets, this gorgeous little bistro is smart and unpretentious, with low lighting, upscale but still charming décor, and professional staff. Prices are reasonable given the excellent standard of the cooking (and Parisian chef). See for a review of the other Garçon.
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Face Café
Despite the name, this little café on the banks of the canal does not exercise face control; indeed, it is one of the city's more welcoming venues - especially notable considering its cool minimalist décor and excellent menu. The subterranean space is well lit, with arched doorways and an unusual engraved Art Deco bar. The menu offers a little bit of everything, but the food is well prepared and artistically presented.
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Fidelio Café
Pressed white linens and serious scrubbed waitstaff lend an upscale atmosphere to this surprisingly affordable café. The menu is not extensive, but what the café does, it does well: crispy pizzas and pastas with various tomato- and cream-based sauces. The three-course business lunch is a steal.
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Garçon Restaurant
While most French restaurants in town are painfully upscale, this gorgeous little bistro is both smart and unpretentious, and prices are reasonable given the excellent standard of the cooking. The interior is quaint yet romantic, but on a summer evening you can't beat the lovely outdoor patio overlooking the Griboedov Canal. Incidentally, the patio opens early on Sunday, making this an excellent choice for brunch.
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Il Patio
Patio Pizza was one of the first post-Soviet restaurants to gain widespread popularity for its tasty pizza and extensive salad bar, all at prices that were manageable for Olga and Ivan Russian. Branches quickly spread around Moscow, and then across the country. Now this tried-and-true favourite has gone slightly upscale, with a new, more Italian name, and a new, more stylish look. Wood-oven pizzas and fresh salad bars are still the highlights of the menu.
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Il Patio
There are not too many places to eat at the far end of Nevsky pr. Fortunately, Russia's favourite pizza place comes through for hungry travellers who want to grab lunch after visiting the monastery.
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La Strada
The atrium-style dining room, accented with tile floors, streetlights and mural-painted walls, evokes la dolce vita . And somehow, the otherwise Soviet-looking buildings that are visible through the glass ceiling are rendered more romantic in this context. It's an exceedingly pleasant atmosphere to feast on fresh pasta and delectable pizza - not too trendy and certainly not too cheap, but so satisfying.
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Le Paris
Sumptuous yet understated, this French restaurant sits just across the Moyka River from the Yusupov Palace. The three rooms include the main wood-panelled dining room and a smaller, simpler wine and cheese tasting room. No matter where you choose to indulge, you will not be disappointed by the excellent French fare and wine list. Apparently, this class act is a favourite with city governor Valentina Matvienko among other local dignitaries. Reservations recommended.
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Les Amis De Jean-Jacques
You can't beat this delightful wine bar for eating and drinking like they do in Paris. The menu boasts excellent, affordable bistro fare, including breakfast (served all day on weekends), as well as a huge selection of French wines. The cosy, comfortable interior and the sidewalk seating are equally inviting, so take a seat and pour yourself a glass of Bordeaux.
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Mama Roma
Mama's menu is almost too long, as it's hard to choose between the grilled meats and fish, the hardy homemade pastas drowning in delicious sauces and the crispy thin pizzas topped with your favourite meats and cheeses. The latter is the hands-down favourite, because it is so affordable, but all of Mama Roma's offerings are fresh and delicious and prepared to order.
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Mama Roma
Reliable Italian fare from decent pizza to risotto and pasta, not to mention an excellent breakfast.
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Oyster Bar
Four kinds of oysters are on the menu at this rather unlikely basement bar, along with complementary wines (which your knowledgeable server will recommend) and other seafood specialities. If you are yearning for a truly decadent and ostensibly aphrodisiac experience, look no further.
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Taverna Olivia
Greek-themed photographs and folkloric art bring the requisite Mediterranean atmosphere to this cavernous hall. (The atmosphere is also 'enhanced' by live music, which can be a bit much.) Nonetheless, the place is extremely popular, and with good reason. The traditional Greek cooking is excellent, as attested to the Greek expats who seem to frequent this place. There is also a pleasant sidewalk café which offers a partial menu.
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Terrassa
On the top floor of the chic Vanity shopping centre, this too-cool café and bistro is the latest and greatest on offer by St Pete's culinary creatives. The centrepiece is the namesake terrace, a wide porch which boasts unbelievable views of Kazan Cathedral, Nevsky pr and the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood. It is a spectacular setting. And indeed, at the time of research, reservations were necessary to sit on the terrace any time of day, any time of week.
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Testo
Take your pick from a wide range of homemade pastas and top them with your favourite sauce, whether tomato-based bolognese or a rich, creamy salmon sauce. A few options for soup, salad and pizza round out the menu, but the pasta is the main drawcard. The modern space is not too fancy, but low light and Italian accents provide just enough ambience that you could bring a date here.
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Vox
On a quaint corner of the pedestrian-friendly Stolyarny per and ul Pestelya, Vox has a prime spot for a sidewalk café. It's a delightful setting to sip a cool drink on a summer afternoon, especially when the Museum of Decorative & Applied Arts has a street exhibition, as it is sometimes prone to do. The interior is equally appealing and very upscale. Dim lighting, white linens and stripped-down décor provide a suitably sexy environment for antipastos, pastas, meats and seafood.
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Zoom Café
Leather-bound menus include several pages dedicated to maps and geographic descriptions before they get to the goods. And they are good: Russian and European soups, salads and sandwiches, as well as fresh-squeezed juices, exotic coffee drinks and a seemingly endless tea list. Light pink walls are adorned with B&W photos, while well-stocked bookshelves and a range of board games (not to mention wi-fi access) encourage lingering. This is the kind of place where it's easy to become a regular.
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Showing 1-19 of 19 results
