Named after the most prosperous year in Russia's history, this elegant restaurant is an almost ideal place for a pleasant talk over a good meal, a leisurely business lunch or a romantic dinner by candlelight. Reservations, while rarely essential, are a good idea. The service is attentive but practically invisible, and the music remains in the background. Appetizers include several mushroom based soups and borscht while the main courses focus on seafood like Sturgeon in Tomato Sauce. The wine list includes several from Georgia.
The James Cook Cafe and Pub breathes life into the newly renovated Malaia Koniushennaia. The cafe offers a huge selection of coffees from all over the world: Ethiopia, Guatemala and Kenya, among others. The pub side has an excellent selection of drinks and a hearty, expensive menu. Despite the name and the obvious attempts at traditional English pub decor, the setting is rather modern. They serve coffee, salads and burgers along with beer. Prices are in dollars.
This is a plush, pricey restaurant (incorporating a bar and nightclub) but it's not aiming to be anything less. The building has been beautifully refurbished and the restaurant caters to both tourists and wealthy Russian clients. The menu is bilingual, as are the staff. The menu and wine list are undoubtedly impressive, with generous portions of Russian and other European cuisine. Service is generally excellent, a touch obsequious. Enjoy the jazz music in the evening.
The calm before the band gets going, is unsettling here. The student crowd sits around chatting in reflective mood, while the first group runs through its last soundtrack. Then they start playing their rockabilly classics for real and then couples get up and start jiving. The polite hum of the bar is about to become the swinging limbs of a rock & roll club. And as the night progresses, the grooving music and the energetic vibe set the ball rolling for an ultimate party.
Percorso is an Italian fine dining house with a focus on regional Italian recipes. Chefs Valerio Andrisani and Andrea Accordi combine fine Mediterranean herbs, spices, meats and vegetables into innovative dishes worthy of royalty. If you are dining in a large group, you are given a choice of silver, gold, platinum and diamond menus. Enjoy creations like Roasted Sakhalin Scallops with clams sauce and warm barley, and Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Sweet & Sour Shallots and Gorgonzola Polenta. The restaurant is divided into the main dining room, private dining room, lounge and bar area. All four spaces boast ultra-luxurious decor and some even afford a view of Saint Isaac's Cathedral.
Come to the Gogol restaurant for tasty Russian food. The menu options are ample and the food is deliciously prepared and beautify presented. The décor is sophisticated and there are hints of literary influences, such as a pot of quills instead of flowers. The menu is created like a book where each chapter is about a different course. All in all, enjoy a tasty meal while learning about the region's past at the same time.
Hidden away in an inner courtyard, Kopen is a local treasure that is hard to find, but well worth the effort. This Scandinavian cafe offers a modest selection of vegetarian sandwiches, alongside coffee, cider, beer, wine and a few cocktails. During the week, the cafe is simply is friendly place to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, while over the weekend DJs take the stage and keep the party going well into the night. During summer, a few tables are set-up outside to allow guests to make the most of the lovely whether, while in summer the charming cafe is a place to escape the biting cold and enjoy a glass of mulled wine. Simple and quaint, Kopen is a fine choice for those who favor simplicity over flash.