Best Restaurants of Saint Petersburg.
Hello, Dear Friends!
Eating out is very important when travelling in other countries.
Here are my recommendations based on my preferences, on my experience as a guide, on my experience as a traveler.
For your convenience I have decided to divide restaurants into few categories.
In every category there is a choice of price rates (from low $ to high $$$$)
Please read carefully the description!
Enjoy your meal!
Russian cuisine
The most common request that I hear from my clients is to recommend them a nice Russian restaurant for a dinner or lunch.
First of all I must tell that Russian cuisine is very diverse. Depending on where you travel in Russia you will be able to try Russian meals with a flavor of Tatarian cuisine, Uzbek cuisine etc –a part of the heritage left from the Soviet times.
So, please do not be surprise if you find some Armenian, Georgian, etc dishes in the restaurants listed here.
Restaurants are listed according to the prices from low to high.
Dachniki
It is designed as a Russian dacha (a typical Russian, often still Soviet, country house for the summer time)
A nice and cheap place with a wide range of typical Russian dishes Russians love to it even today: Pelmeni(dumplings), draniki, pancakes, shashlik (it is like s
It might be busy during the lunch time.
Address: 20 Nevsky prospect
Price: $
Pelmenya( Russian dumpling place)
Dumplings with meat: pork, beef or both etc are still very popular in Russia!
We cook them at home, buy dumpling in the supermarket.
It is really as popular here as pancakes!
So, Pelmeni in Russian means “dumplings”.
Pelmenia is a place in the downtown where you can find a full range of home-made dumplings! (not from the supermarket BUT home-made)
Located next door to the famous Faberge museum, near the Fontanka River, it is a perfect place for a quick and nice and filling lunch!
Location: 25 Fontanka River embankment
Prices: $
Stolle
You know, being a Russian person I hardly ever go to any truly 100 % Russian place. I prefer Italian cuisine, Mexican, Chinese , American burger places to dine out!
But there are some Russian places I really love!
Stolle is one of them.
It is far from being called a restaurant, so I call it simply a pie place!
Russians love their pies! There so many types of them! Here you will have a chance to try all typical Russian pies: meat pie, fish pie (salmon pies are my favorite), seasonal berry pies, apple pies …what not!
Stolle is a chain of pie places. The most centrally located is the one on the Nevsky prospect – 5 minutes from the Hermitage museum.
Location: there are many places. The most centrally located –Nevsky prospect, 11
Prices: $
Russian vodka-room
A nice restaurant with a lovely Russian cuisine and traditional music (recordings) located in the center of the city (5 minutes from the cathedral of St. Isaac’s)
Great beef Stroganoff! Do not forget to order mashed potatoes as a side dish. We do not eat Beef Stroganoff with noodles=))
The restaurant is located just next door to the famous museum of Russian vodka and also offers you a nice choice of the most traditional Russian Vodka.
Address: 4, Konnogvardeyiski boulevard
Prices: $$
Koryshka
Despite the fact that it is getting really very popular among the tourists in the summer, I would go there myself for a nice dinner indeed!
Because the restaurant offers the best view of St. Petersburg and wonderful cuisine!
It is a mixture of the Russian cuisine with Italian dishes and some famous Georgian dishes!
It is not really centrally located. But if you have a city tour and passing by the fortress of St. Peter and Paul (which is a must-see indeed), you decide to stop for a lunch- it is really the best choice!
Just imagine having lunch or dinner right in the heart of the city, on an island where the city was born, overlooking the Neva River, the Hermitage museum…
Incredible view! Breathtaking….
Location: Zayachiy Island, 3 Petropavlovskaya Krepost (on the territory of St. Peter and Paul fortress)
Price: $$
Katusha
Located in the Nevsky prospect, just opposite the Kazan cathedral there is a nice Russian Restaurant from a very famous local chain –Ginza project –called Katusha.
Waitresses dressed in the traditional Russian style, lovely Russian cuisine, nice service.
Location: Nevsky prospect, 22-24
Prices: $$
Tsar
Another famous restaurant opened by Ginza project.
A beautiful interior, life music, imperial cuisine!
Feel yourself a guest of the Russian Tsar.
Location: 12 Sadovaya str.
Prices: $$$
Palkin restaurant
Palkin Restaurant offers you a nice choice of the Russian imperial cuisine.
It is really famous for being a posh, exclusive place with great food and service.
Location: 47 Nevsky prospect,
Prices: $$$$
View restaurants
Did I tell you I am amateur photographer?
For me, the view is really important!
There are many places in St. Petersburg famous for its nice cuisine and great view.
Koryshka
Despite the fact that it is getting really very popular among the tourists in the summer,
I would go there myself for a nice dinner indeed!
Because the restaurant offers the best view of St. Petersburg and wonderful cuisine!
It is a mixture of the Russian cuisine with Italian dishes and some famous Georgian dishes, and, a lot of fish dishes indeed! (Koryushka –is a Russian name of a fish)
It is not really centrally located. But if you have a city tour and passing by the fortress of St. Peter and Paul (which is a must-see indeed), you decide to stop for a lunch- it is really the best choice!
Just imagine having lunch or dinner right in the heart of the city, on an island where the city was born, overlooking the Neva River, the Hermitage museum…
Incredible view! Breathtaking….
Location: 3 Zayachiy island, Peter and Paul Fortress
Price: $$
Mansarda
A restaurant located on top of the local business center 5 minutes from the cathedral of St. Isaac’s.
Russian cuisine mixed with some nice European dishes! I love risotto there!
The best view of St. Isaac’s cathedral!
Location: 3-5 Pochtamtskaya str.
Price: $$
PMI bar
Music bar with an amazing view! The second best view after the one in Koryushka!
Great cocktails, good food, a breathtaking view!
Location: 7 Moika river embankment
Prices: $$
Terassa
Mixed cuisine restaurant! Great view of Kazan cathedral and the domes of the church of the Savior on spilled blood.
To have table on the terrace itself one needs a reservation.
Location: 3 Kazanskaya street
Price: $$$
Local’s choice
Well, you know, tastes of the locals are so different.
Nevertheless, I would say most locals love places listed here:
Teplo
A very cozy place, as if you are visiting a friend’s house!
Such a hospitable and a friendly atmosphere, nice cuisine and very good location!
Needs a reservation!
Location: Bolshaya Morskaya, 45
Price: $$
Café Italia
Russians love Italy! But who does not?
Who does not love an Italian, a family-run restaurant?
Famous for its reasonable prices, big portions and some young Italian men working there: ))
Location: 5 Bakunina
Price: $$
Mamaliga
It offers a wide range of dishes from Georgian, Armenian cuisine! Try famous shashlik (pieces of meat: pork, beef, lamb marinated overnight, cooked on grill);it is loved by Russians even more than pancakes and even Borsch!
We always cook them in the summer at the weekends in our dachas (Russian summer house)
Location: 2 Kasanskaya street
Prices: $$
Vinostudia
My beloved wine place! A wide range of wines available by glass!
Great food !
Location: 38 Rubinshteina street
Price: $$
Koryusha( read above) and Stolle (pie place) are loved by locals very much! So they are definitely included into this list.
Vegetarian Restaurants and cafes:
Botanika
Located near the Summer Garden of Peter the Great, Botanika is one of vegetarian places in St. Petersburg. It offers a variety of vegetarian dishes which is so hard to find in other restaurants.
Location: 7 Pestelya str.
Prices: $$
Ukrop
Centrally located and really nicely –decorated café offering local and international vegetarian dishes.
Location: 14 Konushennaya str.
Prices: $$
Jewish restaurants
Bekitser
A place loved by local young people. Located in the heart of the city on a famous bar street.
It is not a Kosher place but offers really nice Jewish street food and it is also famous as a bar.
Location: 40/11 Rubinshteina str.
Price: $
Lekhaim
A kosher restaurant located by the Synagogue of the city. Menu controlled by the Rabinner.
Location: 2 Lermontovsky prospect
Price: $$
Please never hesitate to ask me if you have any questions!
All the best to You!
The selecion was made by Maria – one of the best private guides in St. Petersburg.
