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Food & Drink

58 articles

Explore food and drink in Moscow through guides to individual dishes, pastries and beverages. The selection covers familiar meals alongside regional specialities, so you can learn what a name on a menu means before deciding what to try. Start with Manti (Манты) or Moscow Kalach (Московский калач) if you are curious about savoury food and bread. For something different, read about Pastila (Пастила) or Ivan Tea (Иван-чай). Use each article to compare ingredients, serving traditions and the kinds of flavours you might enjoy.

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Dish / DrinkBeef Stroganoff (Бефстроганов)A creamy Russian main course of tender beef strips with sour cream sauce, mushrooms and onions. Learn to make this 19th-century aristocratic…
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Dish / DrinkBorscht (Борщ)A sour soup common in Eastern Europe, made with meat stock, vegetables and seasonings, most often associated with the Ukrainian variant made…
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Dish / DrinkBlini (Блины)Thin, delicate pancakes from a leavened batter, traditionally made with buckwheat flour. Serve warm with sour cream, butter, caviar, smoked salmon, or…
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Dish / DrinkBuckwheat Kasha (Гречневая каша)A traditional Russian porridge made from toasted buckwheat groats, simmered until tender. Served savory with butter and mushrooms, or sweet with milk…
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Dish / DrinkBirch Sap (Берёзовый сок)A clear, lightly sweet traditional Russian spring drink collected directly from birch trees. Consumed fresh or fermented, it is seasonal and considered…
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Dish / DrinkCherry Nalivka (Вишнёвая наливка) [Alcoholic]Nalivka is a traditional Russian alcoholic beverage popular in Russia since the second half of the 16th century. Cherry nalivka is a…
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Dish / DrinkAyran (Айран)A cold, salty yogurt drink made from three simple ingredients: plain yogurt, water, and salt. Ready to serve in minutes, ayran is…
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Dish / DrinkPirozhki (Пирожки)Small baked or fried Russian pastries filled with savory or sweet fillings. Individual-sized hand pies made from yeasted dough, popular as street…
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Dish / DrinkHerbal Nastoyka (Травяная настойка) [Alcoholic]A nastoyka is a Russian alcoholic infusion, literally a tincture. Nastoyka is usually vodka infused with fruits, berries, spices or roots that…
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Dish / DrinkShchi (Щи)A hearty Russian cabbage soup simmered in beef or vegetable broth with potatoes, onions and carrots. Serves 2–4 and takes about 1…
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Dish / DrinkSolyanka (Солянка)Solyanka is a thick, hearty Russian soup with a distinctive sour and salty taste from pickled cucumbers, olives, and brined ingredients. Made…
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Dish / DrinkPelmeni (Пельмени)Small Russian dumplings made with thin dough wrapped around seasoned meat filling. Boiled and served with sour cream and butter, pelmeni are…
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Dish / DrinkSyrniki (Сырники)Syrniki are slightly sweet, cheesy Russian pancakes made from farmer's cheese, typically served for breakfast or as a snack or light lunch.
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Dish / DrinkOlivier Salad (Салат оливье)A traditional Russian potato salad with boiled vegetables, eggs, pickles and meat in creamy mayonnaise. Essential for holiday celebrations and family gatherings.
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Dish / DrinkHerring Under a Fur Coat (Селёдка под шубой)A layered Russian salad of pickled herring, potatoes, carrots, beets, onions and mayonnaise. A festive dish traditionally served at New Year celebrations…
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Dish / DrinkVareniki (Вареники)Vareniki are half-moon shaped boiled dumplings from Ukrainian tradition, made with unleavened dough and filled with savory or sweet fillings like potato,…
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Dish / DrinkShashlik (Шашлык)Marinated meat cubes grilled on skewers over charcoal. A Central Asian and Russian picnic staple, traditionally made with pork or lamb and…
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Dish / DrinkKhachapuri (Хачапури)Learn to make khachapuri, Georgia's iconic cheese-filled bread, with a soft yeast dough topped with melted cheese, butter and egg. A traditional…
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Dish / DrinkKhinkali (Хинкали)Large Georgian soup dumplings filled with peppery beef and pork, twisted at the top to trap their savoury broth. A hand-held dish…
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Dish / DrinkPlov (Плов)Plov is a layered rice dish with meat, carrots, onions and spices from Central Asia, now central to Russian cuisine. Learn how…
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Dish / DrinkGolubtsy (Голубцы)Golubtsy are traditional Russian cabbage rolls made with cooked cabbage leaves wrapped around a filling of ground meat and rice, then simmered…
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Dish / DrinkRassolnik (Рассольник)Rassolnik is a traditional Russian soup made from pickled cucumbers, pearl barley, and meat or vegetables, with a tangy, savory broth flavored…
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Dish / DrinkOkroshka (Окрошка)A refreshing Russian cold soup of finely chopped vegetables, boiled eggs, and optional meat, served with a chilled liquid base. Popular in…
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Dish / DrinkMedovik (Медовик)A multi-layered Russian dessert with thin honey cake layers and creamy sour cream filling. Requires patience and overnight resting, but its tender…
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Dish / DrinkNapoleon Cake (Торт «Наполеон»)A classic Russian layered dessert of thin, flaky puff pastry sheets filled with smooth vanilla custard cream. This iconic cake is traditionally…
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Dish / DrinkChebureki (Чебуреки)Deep-fried turnovers with ground or minced meat and onions, folded in a crescent shape. Popular as street food in Moscow since the…
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Dish / DrinkChicken Kiev (Котлета по-киевски)A pounded chicken breast rolled around cold herb butter, breaded, and fried until crispy. The melted butter bursts out when you cut…
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Dish / DrinkKvass (Квас)Learn to brew kvass, the traditional Russian fermented drink made from toasted rye bread, water, and sugar. A simple 2–4 day fermentation…
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Dish / DrinkMors (Морс)A traditional Russian non-carbonated berry drink made by boiling fresh or frozen berries with sugar or honey and water. Known in Russia…
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Dish / DrinkKompot (Компот)A traditional cold non-alcoholic drink consumed in Russia and Eastern Europe, made by simmering fruit with water and sugar.
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Dish / DrinkBlack Tea with Lemon (Чай с лимоном)How to make traditional Russian black tea with lemon, a simple hot drink that has been part of Russian tea culture since…
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Dish / DrinkRaf Coffee (Раф-кофе)A creamy, sweet Russian coffee drink made by steaming espresso, cream, and vanilla sugar together. Invented in Moscow in the 1990s, it…
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Dish / DrinkRussian Vodka (Водка) [Alcoholic]Vodka has been woven into Russian culture, celebrations, and social life for centuries. Learn the proper way to drink it in Moscow…
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Dish / DrinkMedovukha (Медовуха) [Alcoholic]A Slavic honey-based alcoholic drink made by fermenting honey with water, yeast and optional spices. Light, slightly sweet, and traditionally served fresh…
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Dish / DrinkUkha (Уха)A clear Russian soup made from root vegetables and fish such as sturgeon, cod, salmon, and catfish, and seasoned with herbs and…
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Dish / DrinkVinaigrette Salad (Винегрет)A salad in Russian cuisine which is also popular in other post-Soviet states, featuring diced cooked beets, potatoes, carrots, pickles and onions…
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Dish / DrinkRussian Meat Cutlets (Мясные котлеты)A pan-fried ground meat patty that is a staple of Russian home cooking. The key to tender, juicy kotlety is soaked bread…
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Dish / DrinkDraniki (Драники)Draniki are traditional Belarusian potato pancakes, celebrated for their crispy texture and rich flavor. The Belarusian national dish is draniki, a potato…
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Dish / DrinkKulebyaka (Кулебяка)A traditional Russian closed pie with complex filling, featuring layers of fish such as salmon, rice, mushrooms, hard-boiled eggs, and fresh herbs.
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Dish / DrinkRasstegai (Расстегай)Rasstegai are small Russian pastries with a distinctive open center, traditionally filled with fish and served with soup. The name means 'unfastened'…
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Dish / DrinkBorodinsky Rye Bread (Бородинский хлеб)A dark brown Russian sourdough rye bread with coriander, molasses and rye malt. Dense and slightly sweet, it is simple to bake…
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Dish / DrinkMoscow Kalach (Московский калач)A traditional bread baked in Russia since about the 14th century, Moscow Kalach is bread with a handle designed to be eaten…
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Dish / DrinkGuryev Porridge (Гурьевская каша)A layered semolina dessert from early 19th-century Russian aristocratic cuisine, combining creamy milk skins, nuts, dried fruits and caramelized flavors.
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Dish / DrinkPastila (Пастила)A traditional Russian fruit confectionery, pastila is light, airy puffs with a delicate apple flavor. Made with minimal ingredients and low in…
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Dish / DrinkTula Gingerbread (Тульский пряник)A traditional honey-based Russian dessert from Tula with a distinctive rectangular shape, spiced dough, fruit jam filling, and decorative stamped patterns. Baked…
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Dish / DrinkShawarma (Шаурма)A Middle Eastern street food with marinated meat cooked on a vertical spit, served wrapped in flatbread with vegetables and sauce. Popular…
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Dish / DrinkKissel (Кисель)A thickened berry and starch drink that blurs the line between beverage and dessert. Eat it warm or chilled, with or without…
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Dish / DrinkSbiten (Сбитень)A traditional Russian hot spiced honey drink served during winter. Sbiten combines honey, warming spices, and herbs to create a comforting beverage…
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Dish / DrinkIvan Tea (Иван-чай)A traditional caffeine-free Russian fermented tea made from fireweed leaves. Dating back centuries, it has an earthy, floral-fruity flavor resembling black tea…
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Dish / DrinkSea Buckthorn Tea (Облепиховый чай)A traditional Russian herbal drink made from bright orange sea buckthorn berries steeped with honey, citrus and warming spices. Simple to make…
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Dish / DrinkKefir (Кефир)Kefir is a tangy, slightly fizzy fermented milk drink with roots in the Caucasus Mountains, now a staple across Russia and Eastern…
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Dish / DrinkRyazhenka (Ряженка)A traditional fermented drink made from milk baked at low heat for hours until caramelized, then cultured with lactic bacteria. Popular across…
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Dish / DrinkBird's Milk Cake (Торт «Птичье молоко»)A classic Russian dessert with layers of sponge cake, airy soufflé filling, and chocolate ganache. This Soviet-era cake is beloved across Russia…
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Dish / DrinkSamsa (Самса)Samsa is a savoury pastry from Central Asian cuisines, a bun stuffed with meat and sometimes with vegetables. The traditional samsa is…
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Dish / DrinkZefir (Зефир)Zefir is a traditional Russian confection made by whipping fruit purée with sugar, egg whites and a gelling agent. Light, airy and…
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Dish / DrinkManti (Манты)Steamed dumplings from Central Asia filled with spiced minced meat and onions. A traditional comfort food popular across Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and…
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Dish / DrinkTarragon Lemonade (Тархун)A refreshing Soviet-era drink made with tarragon leaves, lemon juice, sugar and carbonated water. This homemade tarragon lemonade captures the distinctive mild…
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Dish / DrinkRussian Sparkling Wine (Российское игристое вино) [Alcoholic]A chilled sparkling wine with roots in 19th-century Russia, known for its semi-sweet character and industrial production methods. Serve well-chilled to enjoy…