This guide to the 10 best places to try Russian food in Moscow is for visitors who want to taste dishes such as borscht, pelmeni, blini and herring under a fur coat without guessing where to go. It has 10 entries, ordered from classic restaurants to inexpensive canteens and chains, so that a visitor can choose by budget and mood.
The list mixes a grand dining room, a Soviet-style canteen on Red Square and several chains found across the city. Menus, prices and branches change often, so each entry gives the stable facts and points to the official site for the rest.
At a Glance
| # | Place | Best for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cafe Pushkin | Best classic restaurant | Tverskoy Boulevard 26A, near Pushkinskaya and Tverskaya; upscale, check the official site for the menu and booking. |
| 2 | Stolovaya 57 | Best Soviet canteen | Third floor of GUM, Red Square, near Okhotny Ryad; inexpensive, check the official site for hours. |
| 3 | Varenichnaya No. 1 | Best for dumplings | Several branches across central Moscow; mid-range, check the official site for the nearest branch. |
| 4 | Grand Cafe Dr. Zhivago | Best with a Kremlin view | Hotel National, near Okhotny Ryad and Teatralnaya; mid- to upscale, check the official site for booking. |
| 5 | Grabli | Best value buffet | Many branches across Moscow; inexpensive, check the official site for the nearest one. |
| 6 | Mu-Mu | Best budget buffet chain | Many branches across Moscow, including airports; inexpensive, check the official site. |
| 7 | Teremok | Best for blini | Many branches across Moscow; inexpensive, check the official site. |
| 8 | Kroshka Kartoshka | Best Russian fast food | Many branches across Moscow; inexpensive, check the official site. |
| 9 | Yolki-Palki | Best for a family meal | Several branches in Moscow; mid-range, check the official site. |
| 10 | Mari Vanna | Best for a nostalgic dinner | Moscow; upscale, check the official site for the address and booking. |
How We Chose
The entries were chosen from official information and reliable sources found online, not from personal visits, and each is described as an operating place serving Russian food in Moscow.
- Russian food: the menu centers on Russian or Soviet-era dishes, not a general international menu.
- Range: upscale, mid-range and inexpensive, so that every budget is covered.
- Location: most entries are in the center or have many branches.
- Practicality: menus, hours and prices change, and some places need a reservation, so check the official site before going.
1. Cafe Pushkin – Best classic restaurant
A well-known restaurant on Tverskoy Boulevard, set in a dining room that recreates a nobleman's house, with formal service and a menu of traditional Russian dishes, including borscht, beef stroganoff, blini and pirozhki, according to travel sources. It is also known for its desserts, which are sold separately at its patisserie. Reservations are advisable.
Good to know: Tverskoy Boulevard 26A, near Pushkinskaya and Tverskaya; upscale, check the official site for the menu and booking.
Tip: Book ahead and try the desserts or the patisserie if the dining room is full.
2. Stolovaya 57 – Best Soviet canteen
A self-service canteen on the third floor of GUM on Red Square, styled as a Soviet canteen with period posters and steel counters, serving home-style dishes such as borscht, Olivier salad, herring under a fur coat, cutlets, chicken Kiev and pelmeni, according to travel sources. It is cheap and quick for the location.
Good to know: Third floor of GUM, Red Square, near Okhotny Ryad; inexpensive, check the official site for hours.
Tip: Take a tray and choose dishes by pointing, since menus are mostly in Russian.
3. Varenichnaya No. 1 – Best for dumplings
A chain of restaurants decorated to look like an old Soviet home, serving vareniki and pelmeni with many fillings alongside borscht, Kiev cutlets and herring salad, with dishes from Russian and Ukrainian culinary traditions. The menu is in English as well as Russian, according to a local guide.
Good to know: Several branches across central Moscow; mid-range, check the official site for the nearest branch.
Tip: Try the Siberian pelmeni, which travel sites recommend.
4. Grand Cafe Dr. Zhivago – Best with a Kremlin view
A restaurant on the ground floor of the Hotel National, across from the Kremlin, serving Russian dishes such as beef stroganoff, solyanka and kasha in a setting with a Soviet-era wink, according to travel sources. It is mid- to upscale in price and popular, so book early.
Good to know: Hotel National, near Okhotny Ryad and Teatralnaya; mid- to upscale, check the official site for booking.
Tip: Reserve a table well in advance, especially for dinner.
5. Grabli – Best value buffet
A buffet chain, described by a travel site as probably the best-value buffet in Moscow, with branches smarter than the older buffet chains and sections for soups, salads, grill, pasta, wok and desserts, so a visitor can try Russian dishes such as herring under a fur coat cheaply. Check the nearest branch and its hours on the official site.
Good to know: Many branches across Moscow; inexpensive, check the official site for the nearest one.
Tip: Start with the soup and salad sections for the most Russian dishes.
6. Mu-Mu – Best budget buffet chain
The most widespread buffet chain in Moscow, where visitors queue and choose from soups, salads, meats, pelmeni and vareniki, in a style more modern and clean than a Soviet canteen, according to travel sources. It is a cheap way to meet Russian family cooking, and branches are found around the city, including airports.
Good to know: Many branches across Moscow, including airports; inexpensive, check the official site.
Tip: Point at dishes you want, since staff may not speak English.
7. Teremok – Best for blini
A Russian fast-food chain known for blini with sweet and savory fillings, also serving soups such as ukha, according to travel sources. It is a quick and cheap stop for a Russian snack. Check the nearest branch on the official site.
Good to know: Many branches across Moscow; inexpensive, check the official site.
Tip: Try a sweet blin for a quick dessert.
8. Kroshka Kartoshka – Best Russian fast food
A Russian fast-food chain of stuffed baked potatoes, listed with Teremok as a typical local fast-food option, according to a travel guide. It is cheap and fast and suits a snack between sights. Check the nearest branch on the official site.
Good to know: Many branches across Moscow; inexpensive, check the official site.
Tip: Choose a filling by pointing at the display.
9. Yolki-Palki – Best for a family meal
A chain of restaurants with a Russian menu, listed by a travel atlas among places for beef stroganoff and solyanka, in a rustic setting. It suits a relaxed sit-down meal at moderate prices. Check the nearest branch and the menu on the official site.
Good to know: Several branches in Moscow; mid-range, check the official site.
Tip: Order a soup and a hot dish to share.
10. Mari Vanna – Best for a nostalgic dinner
A restaurant mentioned by travel sources among the upscale places for Russian cuisine, known for a home-like, nostalgic Soviet interior and dishes such as blini, pirozhki and honey cake. It is a place for a special dinner. Check that it is open, the menu and the booking on the official site.
Good to know: Moscow; upscale, check the official site for the address and booking.
Tip: Reserve a table, and try the honey cake for dessert.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Mix one grand restaurant with a canteen or a buffet, so that you taste the range of Russian food at different prices.
- Look for the dishes of the day written on boards or displays, since canteens often have little English.
- Try borscht, pelmeni, blini and herring under a fur coat, which are on most of these menus.
- Check accepted payment methods before ordering, as cards issued abroad may not work at every restaurant.
- Eat lunch rather than dinner at the upscale places, since lunch menus are often cheaper.
- Book Cafe Pushkin and Dr. Zhivago in advance, since both are popular with visitors.
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FAQ
What Russian dishes should I try in Moscow?
Borscht, pelmeni, blini, beef stroganoff, herring under a fur coat and honey cake.
Where can I eat cheaply on Red Square?
Stolovaya 57 on the third floor of GUM, a Soviet-style canteen.
Do I need to book Cafe Pushkin?
It is advisable, since it is popular.
What is the cheapest way to try Russian food?
Buffet and fast-food chains such as Mu-Mu, Grabli, Teremok and Kroshka Kartoshka.
Are menus in English?
Some are, such as Varenichnaya No. 1's, according to a local guide; many canteens are not.
Can I pay with a foreign card?
Acceptance of foreign-issued payment cards has not been verified. Carry sufficient cash in rubles and confirm available payment methods directly with each venue before visiting.
Is there a good place for vegetarians?
Buffets and Varenichnaya have vegetable and dairy dishes, but check each menu.
Which place is best for dumplings?
Varenichnaya No. 1.
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Last updated: October 10, 2026.
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