Lenta: Moscow Supermarket and Hypermarket Guide

This Lenta supermarket Moscow guide covers a retail chain founded in St. Petersburg in 1993 that is better known for large hypermarkets in Russian cities. In Moscow it runs mid-size supermarkets and, according to company reports, some hypermarkets, and it also runs a small convenience-store banner called Monetka.

For a visitor, Lenta is a source of cheap bottled water, bread, dairy, sweets and household basics, with a wider range than a corner shop but fewer central branches than the neighborhood chains. The signs and labels are in Russian, and payment needs some planning, so this page explains the store types, what to look for, the hours and alcohol rules, and how to find a branch.

Quick Facts

Russian name	Лента
Opening hours	Moscow supermarkets have been reported open daily from about 08:00 to 23:00, and some hypermarkets elsewhere are open around the clock, so hours vary by location (as of October 2026 – check the official site).
Best time to visit	Mornings and the middle of the day are the calmest; the early evening after work and weekend afternoons are the busiest, especially in the hypermarkets. Supermarkets have been reported open from about 08:00 to 23:00, and some hypermarkets elsewhere are open around the clock, so check the hours of the store you plan to use. Alcohol is not sold after the evening cut-off.
Recommended duration	20 to 45 minutes, longer in a hypermarket
Website	lenta.com
Last updated	October 8, 2026

Why Visit Lenta?

Lenta is useful when you want a bigger choice at ordinary prices. A supermarket or hypermarket sells dairy, meat, bakery, sweets, grocery items, beverages, household goods, children’s items and stationery, much of it under the chain’s own labels, so it is a good place to stock up on picnic food, hygiene items or small gifts in one stop.

The small Monetka stores are a quicker option for water and snacks, with extended hours and a few self-service tills. The chain is mostly in residential districts and shopping centers, so it suits visitors staying outside the center or planning a day trip with a car, and its trolleys, wide aisles and car parks make it easier than a small shop for a large shopping trip.

Highlights of Lenta

Own-label groceries

Lenta sells much of its range under its own brands next to national and local products, which keeps prices modest. Look for the plain-packaged own-label tea, biscuits, pasta and canned goods on the lower shelves, which are the best value, and check the dates and ingredient lists on the labels, which are in Russian. They make cheap, light gifts and easy picnic food.

Tip: Compare the price per kilogram on the shelf label, not the pack price, since sizes differ.

Dairy, cheese and sausages

The dairy and deli shelves show the local diet: kefir and other fermented drinks, cottage cheese, sour cream, butter, cheeses and cured and cooked sausages. In larger stores there is a counter where staff weigh and slice cheese and meat. Check the printed dates, which are in the day-month-year order, and keep chilled items cool if you carry them for the day.

Tip: A small bottle of kefir is a cheap way to try a common local drink.

Bakery and sweets

Stores stock bread, rolls, pastries, cakes, biscuits and chocolates, and in larger stores part of the bakery range is baked in the store. It is the easiest breakfast to assemble with cheese or sausage from the next aisle. Look for the bakery shelf and the sweets aisles, where Russian chocolates and biscuits are cheaper than in souvenir shops.

Tip: Bread is freshest in the morning, and the choice thins out in the evening.

Household, hygiene and stationery basics

Beyond food, the chain sells toiletries, household goods, children's items, stationery and sports goods, with the widest range in the hypermarkets. This is useful if you forgot a charger, a notebook* or a toiletry item. Medicines are sold in pharmacies, though the company reports pharmacy products in its range, so look for a separate pharmacy counter.

Tip: Look at the non-food aisles in a hypermarket for travel basics at lower prices than in the center.

Small Monetka stores

Lenta owns the Monetka convenience banner, and its first Moscow stores were opened with sales areas of about 300 square meters, hours from 08:00 to 23:00 and two self-service tills each. They suit a quick stop for water, snacks and basic groceries, with a narrow range. The existing Mini Lenta stores were to be rebranded as Monetka, so you may see either name.

Tip: Use a Monetka for a quick stop and a Lenta supermarket for a bigger shop.

Online delivery through Utkonos

The group also runs the Utkonos online grocery service next to its own online services. These are in Russian and aimed at residents with local addresses and cards, so they are not practical for most visitors. If your accommodation has a Russian-speaking host, they may use it for delivery, but plan on buying in a store.

Tip: Ask your host rather than trying to set up delivery in the app.

Atmosphere

A Lenta supermarket is brighter and roomier than a corner shop, with wide aisles, trolleys, a bakery shelf near the entrance and long chilled cabinets. A hypermarket is much larger, with a car park, many tills and long aisles of food, household goods and clothes.

The busiest hours are the early evening after work and weekend afternoons, especially in the hypermarkets, while mornings and the middle of the day are calmer. Signs and labels are in Russian only, so a translation app helps, and staff rarely speak English.

History of Lenta

Lenta was founded in St. Petersburg in 1993 and grew as a chain of large, price-led hypermarkets across Russian cities, becoming one of the country’s largest hypermarket operators. The company has been listed on the London and Moscow exchanges and is run from St. Petersburg.

It opened its first Moscow store in 2013 and began building a supermarket format at the same time. Trade press reported that the chain later opened several Moscow hypermarkets in premises that had been operated under another banner, and in 2020 it opened further Moscow supermarkets in a long-term agreement with a developer, selling about 7,700 products in a Kavkazsky Boulevard store open from 08:00 to 23:00.

In the early 2020s the company expanded into convenience stores, buying the Monetka chain and opening the first Monetka stores in Moscow and St. Petersburg, with the older Mini Lenta stores to be rebranded. It also acquired the Utkonos online grocer and offers its own online services. The numbers of stores have changed with acquisitions and closures, so check the official site for current figures.

Tickets and Booking for Lenta

Payment. Cash in rubles is the safe option. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, and whether another card works depends on the issuer, so check this before you travel; your country’s sanctions rules may also restrict some payment services, and you must check this yourself. Russian Mir cards and local apps are common but are not for foreign visitors in general.

At the till. Supermarkets and hypermarkets have staffed tills, and some have self-service machines with a Russian interface, which are easier to skip. Carrier bags are usually sold at the till, so bring your own bag.

Alcohol. Shops are reported not to sell alcohol between 23:00 and 08:00, and local rules may differ; rules change, so check the current rules.

Finding a store. Use the store locator on the official site lenta.com or the app, both in Russian, or search a map app for the brand name.

How to Get to Lenta

Lenta is a chain, so there is no single address. In Moscow its supermarkets and small Monetka stores are mostly in residential districts and shopping centers, and the very center around Red Square has few of them; hypermarkets are larger and often reached by car or bus from a Metro station.

• Find the nearest store: use the locator on the official site or the app, or search a map service for the brand name.
• Hypermarkets: these are usually on the edge of the city or in malls, so check the route before you go.
• Near hotels: ask the reception for the nearest branch, which may be a short bus ride from a Metro station.

Accessibility

Supermarkets and hypermarkets generally have wide aisles, trolleys and car parks, which suits wheelchairs and strollers, while small Monetka stores may have steps or narrow aisles. Layouts vary by location and accessibility is not uniform across the chain, so check a specific store or ask on the spot if you need step-free access.

Food Nearby

The chain is itself a source of picnic food: bread, dairy, sausages, sweets and some packaged meals. Near most stores you will find small cafes and bakeries typical of the district, and shopping centers have food courts; for sit-down Russian dishes see the Moscow Food Tour: Russian Cuisine and Local Specialties itinerary, and for budget stops see Cofix and Stolovaya 57.

What to Bring

Bring cash in rubles, your own bag and a phone with a translation app for labels. Keep your valuables close in the crowded evening hours, and carry a small cooler bag if you buy dairy for the day.

Photography Rules

Taking photographs of the shelves for yourself is generally fine, but do not photograph staff or other customers, and follow any signs in the store. Flash and tripods* are not appropriate in a supermarket, and staff may ask you to stop.

Family Suitability

Suitable for families for a larger shop, with trolleys, wide aisles and car parks in supermarkets and hypermarkets, which suit strollers. Small Monetka stores can be cramped or have steps. The tills can be busy in the evening, and dates on dairy and baby items should be checked.

Moscow Vibes Tips

• Use a Lenta supermarket for a larger shop and a Monetka for a quick stop, since the two banners have different ranges.
• Check the day-month-year dates on dairy and baked goods, since the printed date is often the last day for sale.
• Look at the own-label shelves for the best value and compare the price per kilogram on the label.
• Check the route to a hypermarket before you go, since many are away from Metro stations.
• Buy any alcohol before the evening cut-off.
• Carry small bills and your own bag, since bags are sold separately.

Where to Find Lenta in Moscow

Lenta has branches across the city, so there is no single address to list. To find the closest one, search on Yandex Maps or Google Maps from your hotel or metro station.

More shops and store chains in Moscow

• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Azbuka Vkusa
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Bristol
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Chitai-Gorod
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Chizhik
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Citilink
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  DA!

Related guides

• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Pyaterochka: Moscow Supermarket Guide for Visitors
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Perekrestok: Moscow Supermarket Guide for Visitors
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Magnit: Moscow Convenience Store Guide for Visitors
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  VkusVill: Moscow Grocery Chain Guide for Visitors
• 
  AI

  Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  Moscow Food Tour: Russian Cuisine and Local Specialties: One-Day Route

Browse more: All Shopping · All Supermarkets

?

FAQ: Lenta

Is Lenta a hypermarket or a supermarket?

Both. It is best known for hypermarkets in Russian cities, and in Moscow it also runs mid-size supermarkets and small Monetka stores.

Can I pay with a foreign card?

Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, so carry cash in rubles; see the payment section for sanctions rules and other options.

Is Lenta common in central Moscow?

No. The chain is mostly in residential districts and shopping centers, so use the locator before planning around a branch; see the Pyaterochka and Perekrestok guides for chains with more central stores.

What are the opening hours?

Moscow supermarkets have been reported open from about 08:00 to 23:00, and some hypermarkets elsewhere are open all day and night; check the store you plan to use.

Can I buy alcohol late at night?

Shops are reported not to sell alcohol between 23:00 and 08:00, and local rules may differ; check the current rules.

Do the staff speak English?

Rarely, and the signs are in Russian, so use a translation app and point to items.

What is Monetka?

A small convenience-store banner owned by Lenta, with stores of about 300 square meters, reported hours of 08:00 to 23:00 in Moscow and a few self-service tills.

Is Lenta cheap?

The chain is described as price-led, and own-label goods are the best value; compare prices per kilogram.

Report an issue on this page

What is it about?
Opening hours or pricesDirections or metroClosed or movedWrong factSomething else

What is wrong?

The correct information (optional)

Send report

* Affiliate link: as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.