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More than two decades have passed since the fall of the Soviet Union and with it the days when dining choices in St. Petersburg, or any Russian city for that matter, were limited to traditional, often uninspired, but always inexpensive Russian-style eateries. In fact, dining is among the great pleasures in the city of Peter the Great these days. Yes, you can dine like a tsar, and in just about any other fashion and on any kind of cuisine you prefer. Top chefs have taken over the dining rooms of some of the best hotels—including the Grand Hotel Europe, the Kempinski, and the W—where they serve top-notch food in beautiful settings. You'll also find a growing number of ethnic choices, and even vegetarians, often at a loss to find a meat-free meal in Russian, have some options, too.
Traditionalists need not worry, however. Homey and jovial budget eateries serving quick, substantial, and good meals for less than 250 rubles have mushroomed around the city. Stands selling Russian blini, the hearty Russian cousin of the French crepe, are everywhere, and they make a great pit stop.
Here are a few things to keep in mind. Few restaurants in St. Petersburg have no-smoking sections; in fact, some places have cigarettes listed on the menu. But attitudes are changing and you'll sometimes be offered a seat in a no-smoking section. The dining sections of St. Petersburg Times and St. Petersburg in Your Pocket are worth checking out, for both the restaurant reviews and the ads for tempting business lunch deals, which are typically priced between 300R and 600R.
It's not necessary to plan ahead if you want to land a table in a nice establishment on weekdays, but it's generally a good idea to reserve ahead for weekend dining. Ask your hotel or tour guide for help making a reservation. Most restaurants stop serving food around 11 pm or midnight, although more and more 24-hour cafés are opening.
A youngish bohemian crowd flocks to this café furnished in pastel greens and creams and famous for its airy meringues—the Bizet, with chopped almonds and garnished with fresh raspberries, is especially popular. Some good soups and about a dozen salads are also available.
The location, on the second floor of the Dom Knigi bookstore, is one of the best people-watching spots in St. Petersburg, and the food is a notch above that usually on offer in cafés. The menu includes traditional Russian dishes, including pelmeni (meat dumplings) and borscht, as well as lighter and sweeter fare, such as sandwiches and quiches and cakes and ice cream.
Starbucks clones have sprung up on almost every corner in St. Petersburg, and many belong to the Coffeehouse chain. At any you can grab a good and inexpensive lunch with soup, salad, and coffee or tea, and a full range of reasonably well-made coffee drink is available.
A glass of kompot, an infusion of stewed fruit, is served as a welcome drink at this funky café where two dining rooms are furnished with vintage lamps, surrealist paintings, and bizarre curio items. The menu focuses on light fare—hummus, falafels, curries, and sandwiches—and breakfast is available at any hour. On weekdays between noon and 4 pm, you get two meals for the price of one.
This casual eatery combines the best of the old and new: the fashionable surroundings are comfortable, clean, and spacious, while the kitchen turns out an old favorite—fresh-baked traditional pies. Choose from sweet or savory fillings that make the most of seasonal fruit, beef, salmon, cabbage, mushrooms, and rabbit. The salmon is a dream, and the apricot is a suitable follow-up, but all the choices are extremely good. If you have a hard time finding a seat at this popular spot, try the branch just down the street at number 33.
Don't be put off by the spartan setting: the owners penny-pinch only on furnishings and presentation. Cooked in front of your eyes, their famous blinis are deservedly considered to be the best in town. Stuffed with mushrooms, ham, pork, grilled chicken, cream, honey, and a dozen other fillings, they're rich in flavor and never over- or underdone, always tasting just as your Russian mom might have made them. A single blini is so rich and hefty that it may leave you stuffed, so be conservative when you order. Teremok also operates a chain of 137 venues, including 41 street stands.
This tiny café (just six tables) is hugely popular with the local Italian community, who reserve well in advance for weekends and evenings. The draw is the best Italian sorbet and gelato in St. Petersburg, with 20 different flavors that rotate every day. The chocolate gelato—bittersweet, smooth, and dizzyingly rich—is renowned. Soups, pastas, and snacks are also served.
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