Where to eat in Moscow: Ultimate guide to Russian restaurants (and where to find them) (2024)

If you happen to walk around Moscow and see Teremok, Grabli, Mumu, Varenichnaya or Shtolle – don’t hesitate and drop in for a light lunch and snacks. These are chains with very typical and easy Russian cuisine that you might try in any Russian home.

But if you are looking for something special – here is our guide and map.

$$$$ (From 2,500 rubles, or $40)

Cafe Pushkin

Feel like a nobleman from the pages of War and Peace and try 'bourgeois pike head' and their flagship dessert.

26a Tverskoy Blvd
+7 (495) 739 00 33

White Rabbit

One of the world's top 50 restaurants, White Rabbit serves traditional cuisine with such extravagant delicacies as Yalta rapa whelk, caviar, Black Sea oysters and Crimean truffles.

3 Smolenskaya Sq., 16th floor
+7 (495) 510-510-1 / +7 (495) 782-62-62

Beluga

With views over the Kremlin this restaurant boasts a dozen types of caviar, hundreds of vodkas, and delicacies from all over Russia served in crystal glasses and silver vases. Try their tasting sets.

15/1 Mokhovaya St., “National” hotel, 2nd floor
+7 (495) 901 03 36

Matreshka

An old Russian merchant-style restaurant that offers sour cabbage soup with lamb meat, beetroot cold soups and variety of pelmeni - Russian dumplings.

2/1 b. 6 Kutuzovsky Avenue
+7 (495) 154 65 68

Oblomov

A very traditional restaurant with 'khokhloma' paintings, samovars and lazy (just like its title character) cooking: main dishes are oven baked and cucumbers are pickled right on the premises.

5 1st Monetchikovsky Lane
+7 (495) 953 68 28

Savva

A restaurant not far from the Kremlin, based in the historic Metropol hotel. Oysters, pickles A-la-Russe, Far East sea food and borsch with duck. As a side dish don't miss young potatoes with garlic and herbs, just like a Russian babushka would cook.

2 Teatralny Driveway
+7 (499) 270 10 62

$$$ (1,500–2,500 rubles, or $24-40)

Glavpivtorg

Russian salads with black caviar and a Soviet apparatchik atmosphere, right next door to the KGB building at the Lubyanka.

5 Bolshaya Lubyanka St.
+7 (495) 628-25-91

C.D.L.

A kind of Club House for writers, this restaurant will show you classic Russian hospitality, and rabbit meat with cranberry sauce and sweet turnip.

50/53 Povarskaya St.
+7 (495) 663 30 03

Grand Cafe Dr. Jhivago

Another place with a Kremlin view, it offers great breakfasts, caviar and delicacies from Siberia, the Far East and Sakhalin.

15/1 Mokhovaya St.
+7 (499) 922-01-00

Twins Garden

The only place in Moscow where you can find nine varieties of crab – all from Russian waters.

8a Strastnoy Blvd
+7 (499) 112 33 00

LavkaLavka

A farmers’ cooperative and restaurant that serves borsch, cod with beans, beetroot Panna cotta and much more, with everything from the Russian regions.

21 Petrovka St.
+7 (495) 621 20 36, +7 903 115 50 33

Selfie

An appreciation for Russian products such as pork from Kursk, halibut from Murmansk, veal from Bryansk, asparagus from Tver and Crimean truffle.

31 Novinsky Blvd, 2nd floor
+7 (495) 995 85 03

Yar

Gypsies and an atmosphere of pre-revolutionary wild partying - dishes include sterlet soup and Russian salads prepared from ancient recipes.

32/2 Leningradsky Avenue, "Sovetsky" hotel
+7 (495) 960 20 04

Teatr Korsha

Situated in the building of the Theater of Nation, this restaurant opened in 1885, serves quails, Pozharsky cutlets and traditional buckwheat porridge with mushrooms.

3 Petrovsky Lane
+7 (495) 694 50 38, +7 (495) 694 50 42

Voronezh

Situated in an ancient mansion, it has a separate menu for each of its three floors: a snack bar, a restaurant reflecting different types of ingredients (dishes from vegetables, fish, grains) and a meat club with 30 different meat dishes.

4 Prechistenka St.
+7 (495) 695 06 41

Tchaikovsky

Situated in the building of Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, it's a place to reflect on your musical evening with borsch, fish soup and pirozhki (stuffed Russian pies).

4/31 Triumfalnaya Sq.
+7 (495) 699 92 41

Ottepel

Soviet-era park VDNKh's restaurant Ottepel, designed in the style of Khrushchev's Thaw, has panoramic windows and terrace and offers traditional cuisine with a modern take that includes Russian summer soup okroshka, pelmeni and pike.

119 Mira Avenue, VDNKh, pavilion 311
+7 (499) 650 00 28

Golubka

This retro restaurant is not far from the beautiful Novodevichy monastery. It has a pure Russian breakfast menu with pancakes, porridge and eggs. Confit duck and chebureki from lamb are coupled with European dishes on the menu.

53/55 Bolshaya Pirogovskaya St.
+7 926 245 42 44

MariVanna

Probably the most well-known Russian restaurant internationally with an interior like that of a Russian apartment. Stuffed cabbage rolls, sandwiches with Russian 'borodinsky' bread and raspberry soup.

10a Spiridonevsky Lane
+7 (495) 650 65 00

Severyane

Severyane means people from North, so they serve cozy and warm modern Russian cuisine from a huge traditional Russian oven - they even bake their own bread. Kamchatka crab éclairs, homemade Camembert in ash with poppy brioche and asparagus soup with chanterelles.

12 Bolshaya Nikitskaya St.
+7 (499) 348 83 32

$$ (700-1,500 rubles, or $10-24)

Dacha na Pokrovke

For those who want to experience a Russian country house, or dacha, but have yet to receive an invitation - come here and try seasonal offerings, 'dachny' salad from fresh vegetables and chichenkiev.

16-18 b. 4-4a Pokrovsky Blvd, entrance from Podkolokolny Lane
+7 (495) 542 62 30

Fedya, dich!

Literally translated as "Fedya [a Russian man's name], game meat!" the restaurant serves boar cutlets, venison with forest berries sauce and braised beef cheek. This place is situated on the territory of the trendy Danilovsky food market.

74 Mytnaya St.
+7 916 747 01 10

Nikolay

This bar and buffet's main dish are pies with different fillings, ranging from trout&spinach, turkey&dried plum and the more traditional potato&mushrooms to sweet pies with berries, cottage cheese, pumpkin and more.

53 Pyatnitskaya St.
5 Staraya Basmannaya St.
30/2 Tverskaya St.

+7 (495) 258-45-59

$ (500-700 rubles, or $7-10)

Lepim i varim

Shaping and boiling – that’s the title and main concept of this chain. They prepare pelmeni with multiple fillings – the favorite dumplings of Russians. You can also buy freshly frozen to cook at home.

9/1 Stoleshnikov Lane
26/1 Prospekt Mira St.
26 Leninskaya sloboda St.

Stolovaya No. 57 in GUM

Where to eat in Moscow: Ultimate guide to Russian restaurants (and where to find them) (25)

Maria Ionova-Gribina

This is a Soviet person’s favorite type of dining place - a canteen with lots of stereotypical gastronomic pleasures (borsch, pelmeni, and mayonnaise salads such as herring under the fur, Russian salad and more).

3 Red Square, level 3, line 3
+7 (495) 620 31 29

Read more: Why Russians greet guests with bread and salt

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Where to eat in Moscow: Ultimate guide to Russian restaurants (and where to find them) (2024)

FAQs

How much does it cost to eat out in Moscow? ›

Prices: At a modest restaurant, you can expect to pay about 500 roubles ($8) for a meal; at a mid-range restaurant, a three-course meal will cost around 2000 roubles ($35). A Business lunch option which includes a multi-course meal and a drink is offered at many restaurants – usually between 300-500 roubles.

What is the most popular food in Moscow? ›

Aside from dumplings, a stack of plain and hot blini (pancakes) is still the most popular thing on the menu in Moscow. Similar to classic French crepes, traditional Russian pancakes are paper-thin.

What is the most expensive dish in Russia? ›

Caviar. The luxury food most closely associated with the Russian aristocracy's love of decadence, high-grade caviar (eekra) is the world's most expensive food item, with the most exclusive varieties costing several thousand dollars for a single teaspoon's worth.

Is Russia cheap for American tourists? ›

On average, visitors spend about $67 per day during their visit to Russia (U.S. Dollars). Prices vary dramatically by travel style and length of trip, but if you stay at moderately priced hotels, eat at affordable restaurants, and use public transportation when possible, you can expect to stay close to this budget.

How much is a Big Mac in Moscow? ›

How much is a Big Mac in Russia in the ruble versus the US dollar? A Big Mac costs 135 Russian roubles in Moscow, Russia. Right now, that's $1,87.

What meat do Russians eat the most? ›

The most popular meats in Russia are pork, beef, chicken and lamb. However you can also sometimes find on the menu rabbit, duck, goose and in some specialist restaurants even wild boar, moose, venison and bear. In restaurants you normally need to choose a side dish separately to your main.

What is a typical Russian lunch? ›

The classic Russian lunch includes a vegetable or meat salad, steaming hot soup, and a main course.

What is a typical breakfast in Russia? ›

Traditional Russian breakfast features their famous big & thin pancakes (Blini), cottage cheese pancakes (Syrniki), buckwheat porridge (Kasha), and more goodness!

Do you tip waiters in Russia? ›

In Russia, tips are usually not included in checks, but at the same time tips form a significant part of waiters' salaries. So if you like the service, it will be a good idea to leave gratuities. Russians tend to leave 5-15% off their check; on average tips for waiters are 10%.

What is the dining etiquette in Russia? ›

Dining Etiquette in Russia

Unlike the US, the knife is held in the right hand and the fork in the left. Do not put these down while eating. Polite dining etiquette also means resting your wrists or elbows on the edge of the table. Your hands should always be in sight.

How to call a waiter in Russia? ›

The Russian word for “waiter” is “официант” (ofitsiant). It is related to the latin word “opificium” and its numerous descendants in European languages (office, official, etc.).

How much does a nice dinner cost in Russia? ›

Visiting a restaurant for a dinner was the most expensive type of eating out in Russia, with an average consumer price of a meal for one person reaching nearly 3.1 thousand Russian rubles in 2022. To compare, a lunch meal at a restaurant cost approximately 1045 Russian rubles for one person in the same year.

What is the national dish in Russia? ›

Pelmeni is considered the national dish of Russia. They are pastry dumplings are typically filled with minced meat and wrapped in a thin, pasta-like dough. They can be served alone, slathered in butter and topped with sour cream, or in a soup broth.

Is Moscow cheap or expensive? ›

Moscow is home to a thriving and well-established expat community. As the nation's capital, it has the highest cost of living of any Russian city. Surveys often cite Moscow as one of the most expensive cities in Europe.

How much money do I need per day in Moscow? ›

You should plan to spend around $65 (₽5,802) per day on your vacation in Moscow. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average for one day: $15 (₽1,315) on meals.

Is Moscow cheaper than NYC? ›

Cost of living in New York City (United States) is 166% more expensive than in Moscow (Russia) How much money will you need in New York City? Find out with your own Salary Calculation. This comparison is based on abundant and consistent data.

How much does it cost to go to Moscow Nightlife? ›

Most clubs in Moscow don't charge for entrance, but apply strict face control and dress code. Some clubs have entrance fee starting from about 300 Rubles (7.38 Euros or 9.54 USD). Women often enter for free or pay a lower price.

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