Best restaurants Moscow, Russia - Lonely Planet (2024)

Danilovsky Market

Zamoskvorechie

A showcase of the city's ongoing gentrification, this giant Soviet-era farmers market is now largely about deli food cooked and served in myriad little…

Delicatessen

Moscow

The affable and chatty owners of this place travel the world and experiment with the menu a lot, turning burgers, pizzas and pasta into artfully…

Lavka-Lavka

Moscow

Welcome to the Russian Portlandia – all the food here is organic and hails from little farms where you can rest assured all the lambs and chickens lived a…

Darbazi

Meshchansky & Basmanny

The vast majority of Georgian restaurants focus on the most popular, tried-and-true fare, such as shashlyk (meat kebabs) and khinkali (dumplings). This…

Mizandari

Zamoskvorechie

Georgian restaurants in Moscow tend to be either expensive or tacky. This small family-run place is neither. Come with friends and order a selection of…

Elardzhi

Arbat & Khamovniki

Moscow's Georgian restaurants are all very tasty, but this one is also tasteful. You'll be charmed from the moment you enter the courtyard, where live…

Björn

Zamoskvorechie

A neat cluster of fir trees on a busy street hides a Nordic gem that deserves a saga to glorify its many virtues. This is not an ‘ethnic’ restaurant, but…

Cafe Pushkin

Presnya

The tsarina of haute-russe dining, offering an exquisite blend of Russian and French cuisines. Service and food are done to perfection. The lovely 19th…

Chemodan

Arbat & Khamovniki

A unique opportunity to sample Siberian cuisine (rare, that is, for those of us who don't frequent Siberia). The menu highlights game meat, regional…

Stolle

Presnya

The entire menu at Stolle is excellent, but the pirozhki (savoury pies) are irresistible. A ‘stolle’ is a traditional Saxon Christmas cake: the selection…

Dukhan Chito-Ra

Meshchansky & Basmanny

It's a blessing when one of the most revered Georgian eateries in town is also one of the cheapest. The object of worship here is khinkali – large, meat…

Brasserie Most

Moscow

Moscow's most venerated and erudite restaurateur Alexander Rappoport shares his love for regional French cuisine in this classy and expensive place on…

Kitayskaya Gramota

Meshchansky & Basmanny

Ignore the fact that the waiting staff are dressed as Mao's soldiers; this is the place to try outstanding Cantonese fare in an atmosphere echoing that of…

Khachapuri

Presnya

Unassuming, affordable and appetising, this urban cafe exemplifies what people love about Georgian culture: the warm hospitality and the freshly baked…

Twins Garden

Presnya

Swoon-worthy identical-twin chefs Sergei and Ivan Berezutskiy bring their contrasting tastes and creative talents to this delightful restaurant. The…

Varenichnaya No 1

Arbat & Khamovniki

Retro Soviet is all the rage in Moscow, and this old-style restaurant does it right, with books lining the walls, old movies on the B&W TV, and Cold War…

AQ Kitchen

Presnya

AQ stands for Adrian Quetglas, the Argentinian chef who is the brains behind this creative endeavour. With huge windows and stressed-wood details, the…

Batoni

Moscow

Among myriad Georgian places in Moscow, Batoni is about the loveliest and the most scrupulous at sourcing all the right ingredients for century-old…

Gran Cafe Dr Zhivago

Presnya

An excellent breakfast choice before visiting the Kremlin, this round-the-clock place mixes Soviet nostalgia with a great deal of mischievous irony in…

Vay Me

Zamoskvorechie

Georgian food has never been known to be fast, but this fledgling chain is bringing about a revolution. The stylishly designed little eatery has all the…

Levon's Highland Cuisine

Meshchansky & Basmanny

You might be distracted by the crazy wall paintings, which depict Darth Vader and Chewbacca mingling with characters from the Soviet comedy Prisoner of…

Lepim i Varim

Moscow

This cosy place touts itself as ‘the most visited boutique’ in the flashy Stoleshnikov per, but instead of Armani clothes it celebrates arguably the most…

Uzbekistan

Moscow

This place opened in 1951 by order of the Ministry of Trade of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. Six decades later, the place has expanded its menu to…

Pushkin Konditerskaya

Presnya

If you want to impress your date, but you can’t afford the Cafe Pushkin for dinner, head next door to the konditerskaya (confectioner) for dessert. It’s…

Usachevsky Market

Arbat & Khamovniki

An old market has been taken over by hipster foodies, who instantly filled the premises with little eateries serving Georgian, Uzbek, Italian, Israeli and…

Yuzhane

Meshchansky & Basmanny

A carnivore stronghold, Yuzhane (which means 'the Southerners') gets its meat from the Kuban area in southern Russia, hence the name. The chef's…

Madame Wong

Moscow

Suit-and-tie corporates from nearby business centres throng to this classy Hong Kong restaurant that celebrates Cantonese cuisine while also flirting with…

Dizengof99

Meshchansky & Basmanny

Threadbare walls half-covered by corrugated sheets and cacti on the tables make this kiosk-like structure look like an army outpost in the Negev desert…

Shell, Yes! Seafood Bar

Moscow

Not a gas station, this small place defies geography by teleporting guests from Boulevard Ring to an oceanfront tavern. Displayed at the entrance, fish…

Mitzva Bar

Zamoskvorechie

A baby of the recent Israeli food craze, this restaurant-cum-bar hides in an atmospheric vaulted cellar decorated with Judaic and Masonic symbols. The…

Fedya, dich!

Zamoskvorechie

Let's take a walk on the wild side of the Moscow food scene. This place gets fresh supplies of fish and game from faraway corners of Siberia. Sea of Japan…

Nikolai

Moscow

There are plenty of pie spots around Moscow, but Nikolai wins your heart (and stomach) with its selection and the delicious crusts. Featuring a wide range…

Volkonsky

Presnya

The queue often runs out the door, as loyal patrons wait their turn for the city’s best freshly baked breads, pastries and pies. It’s worth the wait,…

Voronezh

Moscow

Its darkened, scarlet-coloured interior makes this bistro look a bit like an oriental opium den, but it is in fact a carnivore temple, where patrons seem…

Cake Me

Presnya

As soon as you enter, the entire place lures you to go on a dessert rave. It offers a great variety of mouthwatering signature desserts, all-day…

Moscow

This quirky place, a cross between a corner shop and a hip falafel joint, also makes top-quality shawarma (grilled meat and salad wrapped in flat bread)…

Odessa-Mama

Meshchansky & Basmanny

Come here to celebrate Odessa, affectionately called 'mama' by the residents of this port city. What mama cooks is a wild fusion of Jewish, Ukrainian and…

Voronezh

Arbat & Khamovniki

When Voronezh first opened, foodies couldn't stop talking about how a classy new restaurant in the capital was named after a provincial town. Bold move by…

White Rabbit

Arbat & Khamovniki

Views from panoramic windows are breathtaking, but the real stunner here is the menu – playfully inventive, yet singularly Muscovite, marrying cutting…

Seven

Moscow

You'll find a pleasant mix of post-industrial and theatrical in this dimly lit space, where low-hanging chandeliers and comfortable chairs make for a long…