Moscow Restaurants

  1. American Bar & Grill in Mayakovskaya

    One of Moscow's oldest expat hangouts, this place has lost some of its lustre over the years. With classic fare like big burgers and spicy chicken wings, it does not draw the crowds it once did. Nonetheless, it is always a pleasant place for cold beers, and you are bound to meet some other innostrantsy (foreigners) who are quaffing them too. The Zayauzie branch still has a great outdoor terrace.

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  2. American Bar & Grill in Zayauzie

    One of Moscow's oldest expat hangouts, this place has lost some of its lustre over the years. With classic fare like big burgers and spicy chicken wings, it does not draw the crowds it once did. Nonetheless, it is always a pleasant place for cold beers, and you are bound to meet some other innostrantsy (foreigners) who are quaffing them too. The Zayauzie branch still has a great outdoor terrace.

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  3. 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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  4. Artist's Gallery

    This fantastical restaurant inside the Tsereteli gallery is everything that you would expect from this over-the-top artist. The five rooms follow different themes, all equally elaborate; it culminates in a huge, light-filled atrium that is wallpapered with stained glass and primitive paintings. The place certainly lives up to its name. The menu is a fusion of European and Asian influences. While secondary to the art, the food is well prepared and artistically presented.

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  5. Avocado

    Less atmospheric than Jagannath, Avocado has a more diverse menu, drawing on dishes from the world's cuisines. Meatless versions of soups and salads, pasta and pelmeni are all featured. Grab a seat near the window to watch the passers-by on the boulevard, because the place is otherwise rather austere.

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  6. Beige Cafe

    Beige might sound boring, but subtle lines and soft colours render this romantic cafe anything but. The setting is so sensual due in part to the circular room, arched doorways and rounded ceilings. The lack of sharp angles is cosy and comfortable, but still sophisticated. Dine on grilled fish and steaks, pasta, soup and salad, with an emphasis on fresh vegetables - this place is a great find for the health conscious.

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  7. 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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  8. Café Des Artistes

    Restaurant and art gallery in one, this Swiss-owned establishment is an interesting and elegant place to enjoy a meal. The glitzy interior has rich red tapestries, marble walls and a frescoed ceiling. Even better, the leafy summer cafe is possibly Kamergersky pereulok's loveliest outdoor setting. The menu is full of delicious options, but the specialties of the house include cream of spinach soup and fresh oysters. Art exhibitions range from traditional crafts to contemporary photography.

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  9. 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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  10. Café Pushkin

    The queen mother of haute-russe dining, with an exquisite blend of Russian and French cuisine. Service and food are done to perfection. The lovely 19th-century building has created a different atmosphere on each floor, including a richly decorated library and a sunny rooftop cafe.

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  11. Che

    The revolution lives on at this popular, divey bar. The walls are covered with revolutionary graffiti and photos of the iconic hero. Patrons get their groove on the dance floor to salsa and meringue music. The cuisine is obviously more Tex-Mex than Cuban, but nobody is complaining about the huge plates of nachos and the spicy chilli. Bartenders also mix a mean mojito (rum drink with lime, sugar and mint) with Havana Club rum.

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  12. Cheese

    Not to be confused with its French neighbour, Cheese Hole, this place also has an interior resembling a block of cheese. The decor might seem silly, but the pizzas, pastas and other Italian dishes are expertly prepared. The salad buffet is hard to resist, overflowing with vegetables, olives, cured meats and cheeses - all the elements of an antipasto.

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  13. Cheese Hole - Kitai Gorod

    Fondue, fromage plates , and other cheesy specialties are the highlights of the menu at this hole-in-the-wall. Besides the warm basement with windows looking onto the Boulevard Ring, there is also a summer terrace in the back. Both are perfectly delightful settings for a romantic date or even a solo meal.

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  14. Cheese Hole on Ul Bolshaya Dmitrovka

    Where the original in Kitai Gorod is quintessentially quaint, this newer, second location is self-consciously stylish. The avocado and indigo colour scheme is bold, contrasting with the pale yellow walls and arched ceilings that evoke the inside of a cheese hole. This outlet is meant to be French, as opposed to Swiss, but that does not result in a dramatically different menu. It still features deliciously aromatic fromage in all its forms, including fondue, quiche, sandwiches and cheese plates.

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  15. Cibo E Vino

    Italian for `food and wine', Cibo e Vino is a classy but unpretentious restaurant and wine bar. The menu is short and selective - a few modern dishes accompanied by a modest selection of French and Italian reds and whites. The understated dining room is intimate enough to bring a date, but comfortable enough to dine alone (especially considering the free WiFi access). After dinner, slip downstairs to the exotic chill-out room to sip an after-dinner drink or smoke a hookah.

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  16. City Grill

    This once-pioneering Moscow institution is now nothing special in a city of such high culinary norms, but it's still a reliable and well-located place to grab a decent modern European meal of above average standard. The music can be quite loud.

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  17. Coffee Bean in Chistye Prudy

    One could claim that Coffee Bean started the coffee thing in Moscow, as the original outlet on Tverskaya has been around for years. It's still the coolest cafe in the city, with high ceilings, fantastic architectural details and large windows looking out onto the main drag. It's the rare place that does not allow smoking.

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  18. Coffee Bean in Pushkin Square

    One could claim that Coffee Bean started the coffee thing in Moscow, as the original outlet on Tverskaya has been around for years. It's still the coolest cafe in the city, with high ceilings, fantastic architectural details and large windows looking out onto the main drag. It's the rare place that does not allow smoking.

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  19. Coffee Bean in Zamoskvorechie

    One could claim that Coffee Bean started the coffee thing in Moscow, as the original outlet on Tverskaya has been around for years. It's still the coolest cafe in the city, with high ceilings, fantastic architectural details and large windows looking out onto the main drag. It's the rare place that does not allow smoking.

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  20. Coffee House

    Coffee House serves decent coffee and breakfasts.

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  21. Coffee Mania in Arbat District

    While it took off first in St Petersburg, the coffee culture in Moscow has grown into a huge industry. Our highest recommendation goes to Coffee Mania, with its delicious food and cakes.

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  22. Coffee Mania in Barrikadnaya

    Not quite as bohemian as Coffee Bean (and who can be surprised with a name like Coffee Mania?). But this is still a trendy spot, and the menu includes tasty soups, salads and sandwiches as well as coffee drinks.

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  23. Coffee Mania in Kuznetsky Most

    Not quite as bohemian as Coffee Bean (and who can be surprised with a name like Coffee Mania?). But this is still a trendy spot, and the menu includes tasty soups, salads and sandwiches as well as coffee drinks.

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  24. Correa's in Barrikadnaya

    This New York-style deli has become a Moscow institution in just a few years of existence, often known among the expat community as Isaac's, the name of its American chef. The sandwiches are wonderful, and the fresh supplies unrivalled. There's also a great and extremely popular breakfast menu (book on weekends) and a delivery service available. This is the original branch; there's another on ul Bolshaya Ordynka.

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  25. Correa's on ul Bolshaya Ordynka

    This New York-style deli has become a Moscow institution in just a few years of existence, often known among the expat community as Isaac's, the name of its American chef. The sandwiches are wonderful, and the fresh supplies unrivalled. There's also a great and extremely popular breakfast menu (book on weekends) and a delivery service available. This branch, south of the river, is just as good as the original but roomier.

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