St Petersburg
Gran is a great little neighbourhood cafe that prepares excellent cups by your brew method of choice – Aeropress, Chemex or Hario pour-overs. Of course,…
Must-see nightlife in Russia
Moscow
By day it’s a boutique and cafe, owned and operated by the famed fashion designer of the same name; by night, this place becomes a hip-hop-happening…
St Petersburg
What looks like a small suburban house sits rather incongruously here amid repurposed warehouses in this vast courtyard. There’s a cosy indoor bar and a…
St Petersburg
Loud, lewd and lots of fun, this is the coolest gay place in town. Take your pick from the main bar, where the uninhibited crowd is often quite literally…
St Petersburg
An easygoing newcomer to the nightlife scene, Eto is a cosy, brick-walled space with a wooden bar (recycled from the theatre stage next door) and live…
St Petersburg
Tucked inside the Golitsyn Loft, this is one of St Petersburg's loveliest spots to while away an afternoon. Elegant furnishings, huge windows and a piano…
St Petersburg
Tired of the usual mojitos and margaritas? Head over to this intimate cocktail bar with a heavy Russian accent. Its cocktails menu has five sections, each…
Western European Russia
Dark-wood booths, plaid wallpaper and stained glass give this brewery bar-restaurant an inviting British gastropub feel. They brew their own German-style…
Moscow
Cool cats from Flakon, notably journalists from Dozhd, Russia's only independent TV channel, congregate here after work to sip cocktails and chat. As…
St Petersburg
Griboyedov is hands-down the longest-standing and most respected music club in the city. Housed in a repurposed bomb shelter, this one was founded by…
St Petersburg
Duck into the courtyard to find this very cosy basement bar that's recommended by local beer fanatics for its regularly updated range of 12 local and…
St Petersburg
If the idea of going to a 'Belgian gastronomic pub' makes your eyes roll, you're in good company, but this pleasant basement space overcomes its heavy…
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
There are a number of Harat's pubs in Russia, and we imagine that this one has comforted many a homesick traveller. There's a terrific range of brews on…
Western European Russia
Boris' tiered, polished wood parliament-style bench seating, aimed at a cinema-sized sports TV screen, is the ultimate in sports bars. The long dark-wood…
St Petersburg
When you see the smart, chatty crowd here you'll understand why the bar's name is a casual reference to Faust. Brimborium is a charming, upscale place,…
St Petersburg
On bar-lined ul Belinskogo, Farsh & Bochka stands out for its wide-ranging line-up of craft brews, with over 30 on draft, including SPB and Russian…
St Petersburg
With its large range of coffees, sumptuous selection of cakes and – best of all – freshly made Belgian waffles, this small but friendly cafe is a great…
St Petersburg
A dapper boxcar-sized spot with old-time music and black-and-white films playing silently in the background, wryly named Bolshoy serves up good coffees by…
Western European Russia
When the weekend comes, this is Oryol's premier party place, with quaffing crowds going bonkers to live bands. The rest of the time, it is a fairly…
Moscow
On the top floor of the Nautilus shopping centre, you’ll find this small surfer beer bar. An even smaller terrace gives a fantastic view of Lubyanskaya pl…
St Petersburg
Occupying several of the lofty upper-floor rooms of this grand building, you pay R3 per minute for the time spent at this spacious cafe covering as much…
St Petersburg
Only good-quality Russian wines are served by the glass or bottle at this compact wine bar with a view across the Moyka River. Try the light, sparkling…
Western European Russia
With a ground-floor summer terrace and a mix of rooms and nooks on the second floor, this bar offers something for all tastes. Grab a velvet bar stool…
St Petersburg
'Abandon hope all ye who enter here,' warns the sign on the door – and it's putting no one off cramming into this popular club that occupies a former…
Northern European Russia
Local hipsters make their way to the 5th floor of Oasis shopping centre on weekend nights to hear the resident DJs and guest talent from across Russia who…
Vladivostok
Facing the marina, the Old Captain has an excellent selection of draft beers, such as German Weihenstephan. The delectable seafood dishes (pan-seared…
Western European Russia
Decorated with bulldog statuettes, Union Jack flags and portraits of QEII and Churchill, this baronial-sized pub attempts to re-create a bit of England…
St Petersburg
One of Petrograd Side's best coffee spots is this hip little cafe on busy Kronverksky pr. Staff can make you a perfect brew with all the essential…
Vladivostok
Where the cool kids can be found hanging out on the seafront boardwalk on summer evenings, this black-painted brick warehouse is a simple bar with a pool…
St Petersburg
Resurrecting the time-honoured St Petersburg practice of dancing on the tables, this friendly bar does indeed become more of a disco than a bar after…
St Petersburg
This friendly joint, whose name means 'washing', has three washing machines, so you can drop off a load and have a few beers while you wait. A novel idea,…
St Petersburg
Huge, with several bars and dance floors, as well as a men-only dark room, this is a stalwart of the St Petersburg gay scene. There are events on…
St Petersburg
Beloved by beautiful young things, this is the dance club of the moment with a shabby-chic indoor space beneath a lofty vaulted brick ceiling and plenty…
St Petersburg
Hipster ground zero in St Petersburg is this two-room basement place that is massively popular with a cool student crowd. The frenetic front room becomes…
Western European Russia
Heading down pedestrianised ul Lenina away from pl Lenina, on the right before you hit the bridge, you'll find this cosy basement beer bar with stuffed…
St Petersburg
Tucked down a narrow lane off busy Kronverksky, Yasli makes a fine retreat on chilly nights, with its excellent craft brews on tap and satisfying pub grub…
St Petersburg
One of the city's largest dance clubs offers a hangar-like space hung with crystal chandeliers, wrapped in swathes of satin and gauze and padded with faux…
Moscow
If you're getting tired of craft beer and gourmet burgers, here is something different: cider and tapas. Choose from 90 different types of cider and a…
St Petersburg
A mecca for beer lovers, Pivnaya Karta has over 400 varieties of beer from around the globe, with some 20 different rotating draft selections. That said,…
Western European Russia
This corner tap room and brasserie comes with comfy armchair seating, exposed brick walls and a fantastic range of local craft beers on tap. Service is…
