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Restaurants in Moscow

Since the demise of Communism, all the cuisines of the world have found their way to Moscow. Dining out is a thoroughly cosmopolitan experience, although fine food often comes with a stratospheric price tag. At the cheaper end of the market, there are plenty of inexpensive shashlik (shish kebabs) and Sushi cafes catering to ordinary Muscovites rather than oligarchs.

You should be aware that some of the more upmarket restaurants in Moscow also have a rather snooty door policy known as ‘face control'. To fit in with the Muscovite high flyers, it pays to observe the local dress code when dining in the smarter places. For men, jeans and jumpers can be acceptable as long as you have proper footwear - leather shoes, never trainers. At more expensive places, diners are expected to dress expensively. Women are always expected to look ultra-feminine - which usually means make-up, showy dresses and high heels.

The Moscow restaurants below have been grouped into three pricing categories:
Expensive (over Rb2,500)
Moderate (Rb700 to Rb2,500)
Cheap (up to Rb700)

These Moscow restaurant prices are for a three-course meal for one, including half a bottle of house wine or equivalent, tax and service.

Restaurant prices in Moscow are subject to VAT (18%), which is always included within the prices stated. A service charge of around 10% may be added to your bill in some restaurants. If service is not included, a tip of 5 to 10% is customary.

Expensive

CDL

Cuisine: Russian

It's almost impossible to imagine a more gorgeous interior than the Oak Hall at CDL, a stunning recreation of an aristocratic residence from Russia's Silver Age. It's worth visiting just for the lavish interior design, so the fine menu of expertly prepared traditional Russian cuisine is an added bonus. A regular stop for visiting dignitaries, it has the face control to match.

Address: , Povarskaya ulitsa 50/53, Moscow, 121069
Telephone: +7 495 663 3003.
Website: http://restcdl.ru/en

Café Pushkin

Cuisine: Russian and French

This historic café offers the chance to dine out in full Tsarist style. The food and service are impeccable, with delicious and beautifully presented Russian-French dishes that have prices to match the elegant setting. The ground floor is styled like an old pharmacy, complete with apothecary's bottles and scales, while the exclusive second floor is set in a handsome classical library.

Address: , Tverskoi bulvar 26a, Moscow, 125009
Telephone: +7 495 739 0033.
Website: http://www.cafe-pushkin.ru/en

Turandot

Cuisine: Russian

Turandot lets you eat like a Tsar for the evening, though you'll need a royal wallet when the bill comes. Gorgeous ceiling murals and baroque flourishes create a dining experience fit for Peter the Great, and the menu of fine Russian cuisine is exemplary, but face control are strict, so dress smartly.

Address: , Tverskoi Bulvar 26, Moscow, 125009
Telephone: +7 495 739 0011.
Website: http://www.turandot-palace.ru/en

Moderate

Barashka

Cuisine: Azeri

Restaurants serving the meaty cuisine of the Caucuses tend to be chintzy and unsophisticated, but Barashka breaks the mould. The graceful dining room is spread over two levels, joined by a spiral staircase. The imaginative menu is dominated by modern Azeri cooking, which bears some subtle similarities to Turkish cuisine.

Address: , Petrovka ulitsa 20/1, Moscow, 127051
Telephone: +7 495 653 8303.
Website: http://en.novikovgroup.ru/restaurants/barashka

Sushi Vyosla

Cuisine: Japanese

Japanese food is hugely popular throughout Russia and every second Moscow restaurant seems to have sushi on the menu. This trendy basement establishment in the Nautilus shopping centre is a good place to lunch on quality sushi. Colour-coded plates make the bill easier to sort out at the end too.

Address: , Nautilus Shopping Centre, Nikolayskaya ulitsa 25, Moscow, 142704
Telephone: +7 495 937 0521.

Cheap

Grably

Cuisine: Russian

Set in a modernised 19th-century mansion, this self-service stolovaya (canteen) has an enormous selection of main courses, salads, soups and desserts to choose from, all at budget prices. The surroundings are really quite stylish, making this one of the best cheap eats in Moscow. There are several branches across the city.

Address: , Pyatnitskaya ulitsa 27, Moscow, 115035
Telephone: +7 495 545 0830.
Website: http://www.grably.ru

Kruzhka

Cuisine: Russian

Beer halls are a Russian institution and this cheerful chain does the concept proud. The logo of the Kruzhka (which means mug) is a distinctive foaming beer mug set between a knife and fork, and the house brews are full-flavoured and satisfying. The simple but tasty food covers a broad spectrum from hearty soups to roast trout and chicken wings. There are branches all over Moscow.

Address: , Nikolskaya ulitsa 15, Moscow, 109012
Telephone: +7 495 710 7199.
Website: http://www.kruzhka.ru

Mu-Mu

Cuisine: Russian

It’s hard to miss the life-sized model of a Friesian cow outside this popular canteen. All the classics are here, from borshch and otbivnaya (cutlets) to shashlik (shish kebabs) and salads. Its best feature is the cafeteria counter where you can point to dishes that appeal, even if your Russian is limited. There are branches throughout Moscow.

Address: , Arbat St 45/24, Moscow, 119002
Telephone: +7 495 118 2294
Website: http://www.cafemumu.ru
A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

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Constructed to accommodate visitors to the 1980 Olympics, the concrete towers of the Izmailovo boast a staggering 8,000 rooms. Institutional in atmosphere, and located far out in the northern suburbs, the hotel is handy for the enormous Izmaylovo Market and has decent city centre links. There are several onsite restaurants and in-room Wi-Fi is available too.

Peking Hotel

Built in 1956 as a little sister to Stalin's Seven Sister skyscrapers, and intended as post-war headquarters for the secret police, Moscow's Peking Hotel is a heritage hotel with a small 'h', in a good location just northwest of the centre. Although slightly old-fashioned, its 130 rooms are comfortable enough, with satellite TV and en-suite bathrooms.

Warsaw Hotel

Although its location may not be one of Moscow's most picturesque, the Warsaw Hotel is convenient for Gorky Park. Considering the quality of the competition, this is one of the best cheap options in the city, with clean and comfortable rooms, albeit in a rather dated style. Wi-Fi is complimentary and the Oktyabrskaya Metro station is right next door.

Golden Apple

A boutique hotel on a refreshingly human scale, the Golden Apple offers imaginative styling and a personal touch that many 5-star hotels lack. Behind the baroque facade, its minimalist rooms are cosy, and there's an onsite restaurant and an open-plan bar too. Staff speak excellent English and there's Wi-Fi access, a gym and a sauna.

Historical Hotel Sovietsky

In the 1950s, Joseph Stalin decreed that the famous Yar restaurant should be upgraded to a hotel and the Historical Hotel Sovietsky was born. It quickly became a showcase for the image of sophistication that the Soviet government wished to present to the world, and its 107 rooms still conjures up the nostalgia of this period in history.

Hotel Danilovsky

It's hard to imagine a more atmospheric place to stay than the 12-century precincts of the historic Danilovsky Monastery. Set amidst chapels and gardens, the hotel is a modern construction, but the rooms are comfortable and all have a view of the stately monastery buildings. There's a sauna and bar onsite too.