sarahkay

We're off on Sunday for two weeks. Travelling with a group but will be free to go where we want for meals. Any special recommentations for any of the above? We would love to go local, but if there are any other restaurants that stand out it would be good to hear about them too! Thanks in advance.

katya_NY

There are a million great restaurants in Moscow- it depends on your budget and interests.

I love Georgian food, which is not easy to find where I live in the US- there are some great places for Georgian places around Moscow. Try Guria for some inexpensive, great food.

If you are held to more touristy places, there are some great restaurants in the hotels along Nevski in StPb- but my favorite is a little vegetarian cafe called " the idiot". It's easy to miss, but great!

Give us some more info. about what interests you-- it will be easier.

Have a great trip!

sarahkay

Hi Katya - thanks for the response! I guess at home we eat pretty much anything, we're not vege but would enjoy a vegetarian meal.

Our favourites here would be indian or thai, so if there is something spicy that would be interesting. I guess my least favourite expectation would be dumplings, but maybe this is a sterotype which is no longer such a reality in russian cuisine! We would definately like to eat outside of westernised hotels - well for most of the time!

Happy to take in on the chin largely with budget. Thanks again!

Lolo12

There is a nice restaurant in Helsinki, very local cuisine and rustic ambience called Lappi ( I think that's the name). It was within a 15 or 20 min walk from the Hotel Kamp where we stayed. Some people would take a taxi, but we loved to walk.

katya_NY

Hi SarahKay-

Well, some Georgian food is fairly spicy. As far as Russian dumplings, there are many kinds and can be plentiful- but are usually far from the only option. (Although I do have one friend in Moscow who is a bachelor and basically LIVES on pelmeni!) I would still recommend Guria, on Komsomolski Prospect #7/3. It is near the metro station Park Kultury. Not expensive, but the food is diverse and fun.

If you are interested in nicer places, take a walk down Tverskaya Ulitsa (street) and see what strikes your fancy. It is a nice street, and there are quite a few good restaurants there.

One that is quite interesting is "Beloe Soltse Pustine" (White Sun of the Desert). It has Uzbek, Chinese and Arab style foods, in a very nice setting. It is on Nedlinnaya ulitsa, # 29/14.

One of my favorite St.Pb places is a restaurant/brewery called "Tinkoff". It is not fancy, but has a nice menu and a great variety of foods. It is located on Kazanskaya Ulitsa, d. 7.

Also- any of the nice hotels have good restaurants, but they tend to be expensive.

I leave for St.Pb in about a month- I can't wait!!!

Enjoy your trip!!!