The best bars and cafés Russia

Initially opened just off Red Square, the bar recently moved to New Arbat for an even bigger and cozier space, with a large, contemporary wooded area organized around a massive island bar. Among the founders is Ilya Lagutenko, singer and leader of the legendary Russian rock band Mumiy Troll. The stage at the back of the room frequently hosts concerts. There is also a large cocktail list, reasonably priced for the location (from 490 RUB for cocktails).

A victim of its own success, the Pain et Vin bar-restaurant launched a chain that now has two other establishments in the capital. As a result, prices have gone up and portions have gone down in the kitchen on their Portuguese-inspired dishes. Fortunately, we recommend you go there instead for their wide range of good Portuguese, Russian and other wines, as well as their selection of craft beers. The setting is pleasant, relaxed and designer. However, the prices have also been revised upwards in this area.

A family burner opened by the creators of Bolshe Koffee Roasters, creators of several reputable coffee spots in the city. Its privileged location, an intimate cocoon in the historic Aleksandovskiy Park, is tastefully decorated. The menu of coffees on offer changes almost every day. The menu also includes milkshakes, smoothies and light dishes. You can leave with packets of ground or bean coffee blends and other items that will delight aficionados of the precious nectar.

A nice discovery! It must be said that the place is quite singular. Located on the roof of a former manor house of a company of German craftsmen, converted into a loft, it offers a clear view of the historic centre of St Petersburg. The wine bar offers a wide selection of local, European and world wines. On the food side, pizzas and pastas are in the spotlight, as well as salads, starters, soups and a choice of breakfasts. Don't forget to check the weather forecast before you go to get the best view.

Bar with a minimalist decoration. There is a selection of Scandinavian spirits, some house cocktails ("Ingrie liberée" and "Nordique"), ciders and beers as well as Danish smeurebreud for healthy cravings (large slices of buttered rye bread topped with fish or cold cuts and condiments). DJ sets at night and continuously rotating vinyl decks. A mandatory stop on the neighbourhood Barathon route!

If you had only one good reason to visit St. Petersburg's infamous "thirsty street" (Doumskaya Street), it would be for the Apotheke Bar. To find the entrance, locate the red cross in the window, then press the doorbell above the door. Once inside, no draught beers but only very good cocktails and spirits. Experienced bartenders will inevitably inquire about your tastes and preferences, so stimulate your imagination. "Think what you drink", the slogan of the place, then becomes clear.

If you want to combine your shopping trip with the romantic atmosphere of the St. Petersburg courts and a glass of good wine, this is the place to go. This wine bar located on the ^2nd floor of the Fligel creative space is the meeting place for the trendy shoppers and offers a nice little wine list and affordable entrance tickets. It offers two areas, one of which has a warm atmosphere and is transformed into a terrace open on sunny days, a particularly pleasant spot to take a break before attacking again.

A bar with a cosy atmosphere, ideal for tasting good spirits. The Dead Poets Bar is particularly well stocked with whiskies (it offers some 80 references from Scotland, Ireland, Japan, the United States, etc.) and beers. No room here for noisy parties, the music is not played too loud and that's a definite plus! The audience is trendy but older and quieter than in the neighbouring establishments, so you won't have to elbow your way through the bar to order your drink.

One of the oldest and best known ryumochnayas in the city. Here people eat and drink simple things, like at a Russian grandmother's house, cheaply and until late. As an anecdote, the local cook used to work on a boat. It is also the haunt of artists and musicians of the Museum of Non-Conformist Art and the nearby Art Centre (Pushkinskaya 10, don't miss it). A real neighbourhood spot.

Friendly and trendy, a trendy bar-club with very frequent parties, lives and DJ sets of excellent quality. Several rooms with different atmospheres (cocktail bar, lively bar, dance floor or restaurant). A sure value of the Petsbourgian night that never fails to fill up. For food lovers or night owls with cravings: they serve the best burgers in town (or even in the world!), the meat is perfectly grilled and juicy to perfection, and the products are impeccably fresh. Literally to damn themselves...

We might as well warn you right away, as its name suggests (Хромой синий кот-the lame blue cat), this place is out of the ordinary. Also note that siniy, the Russian word for blue, can also mean "drunk". It is well hidden in the back of a grocery store. Go through the first room, then turn right and immediately left. They serve draught Russian beer and homemade nastoïkis (try the homemade Limoncello for the anecdote). Most guests are neighbours and regulars.

Although Petrogradka, as the locals affectionately call it, cannot boast the same profusion of restaurants and bars as the city centre, you can easily find something to eat and drink there. Located in a rather quiet street, The Wall is a sure bet. The festive atmosphere in the evening contrasts with the calm of the surroundings. An island of good humour irrigated by 12 springs of draught beer and daily specials served at all hours around the huge wooden counter. But don't forget the bridge-raising time!

A ryumochnaya as we like them. The alcohol is cheap, it is accompanied by small Baltic sprat fish sandwiches while the pictures hanging on the walls awaken nostalgia. The audience is very local and rather young. The bar fills up quickly at weekends. Come a little early to take your place at the counter and make new acquaintances. The barmen are not the warmest bartenders, but that's part of the decorum.

To enjoy an evening in a festive atmosphere with live concerts and delicious cocktails, it's this way. Strategically nestled between the MKhAT and Bolshoi Theatres, the Hidden Bar is a multi-faceted venue. At first glance the decoration reminds one of a classic English pub, until one discovers the cocktail menu! At the beginning of the evening, you can attend a concert, then the place quickly turns into a nightclub with a DJ until 6 o'clock in the morning. Moreover, most of the waiters speak English.

Denis Simachev is a designer-stylist who recently opened his first boutique-restaurant-bar in one of Moscow's upmarket districts. It is one of those trendy places that attract a select clientele. The place in any case is worth the detour and surprises with its rooms equipped with washbasins and flushing toilets! You can visit the shop on the ^first floor, but you'll soon come back to the bar: T-shirts cost twice the average salary in Russia.

Nestled in a once abandoned industrial zone, the team at AF Brew, which is growing in popularity every year, has opened this taproom with its huge selection of beers, adjacent to its own beautiful brewery. Homemade beers, local brands and a fine selection of foreign productions are sold at factory prices, both draught and bottled. On the kitchen side, a street food with Indian influences is served. An unmissable beer-gik landmark.

Located on the ground floor of the Gogol house-museum, this small café has won over tourists and locals alike. Opened and run by a passionate Italian couple, this is the place in Moscow where you can taste the true flavours of Italian coffee, from 7 different types of coffee. The reputation of the place was formed mainly thanks to the kindness and attentions of the barist-owners, so don't hesitate to come and chat! Finally, their pastries and croissants are also very good. Be careful, the place is very small.

Dom Kultur is the name of this cluster, where you can also find a bar, THE trendiest hair salon in the capital, and the brasserie on the first floor we're talking about. You'll find cuisine by chef Sergey Rakhmanin, good vodkas and great cocktails by Daria Solovieva. Go there to eat as well as to take a break at the end of the day in the bar, or even dance the night away on Fridays and Saturdays.

Every weekend there are brunches from various local urban culture leaders (MMOMA).

600 m ² on six floors in the heart of Moscow with Internet space, a restaurant, games room (billiards, Uno, etc.), shisha, short it is also a place to warm up, a place of "pre-party".

A small alternative café that combines the services of a bar and a laundry. Settled like at home in an old sofa, you can drink a coffee or a beer, and even smoke a chicha, while waiting for your laundry. Good music, some DJs of the district come to mix the weekends. The public is quite young, we often meet foreigners (expats and tourists).

An original place inspired by the cat bars so popular in Japan and recently in France. In Russia, where the situation with abandoned animals is more than complicated, this establishment is more than useful. All the cats present, mainly males, are available for adoption. The Republic is part of a project that brings together three places: the Cat Republic (Yakubovicha 10, mainly females) and the Cat Museum in Vsevolojsk (20 km from SPB).

Defacto, Defaqto is a typical Moscow multifunctional bar where you can have lunch during the day, a drink in the evening, enjoy a live concert from 10pm and then stay dancing until dawn. It has several rooms with different atmospheres for those who want to get a head start or are behind schedule. The strength of this place is that the cocktails and food are excellent, with very pleasant staff and bartenders, all for rather reasonable prices for the city centre.

Two good reasons that have attracted the public to this place since 2000. First, the excellent rock concerts (the sound is good and the bands are promising). Second (a little less glorious) the face control is very soft where in general Moscow bouncers often become very selective. Here you always enter with the other partygoers who want to land softly or put a little layer on. New friends for breakfast. Isn't life beautiful?

The enthusiast is a small bar nestled with its small courtyard on the garden belt. The place was a real favorite for us because of its atmosphere and its relaxed setting that lasts throughout the evening. It feels like being in a local bistro in a French movie, where everyone knows each other and has a good time. This is where you will find the best selection of beers in the capital, with many small breweries and craft beers. Be careful though, they close early and as a result there are quickly crowded.

Located in the spectacular cultural wasteland of Sevkabel Port, a former Siemens & Halske cable factory at the mouth of the Neva River, Machti is a concert hall, bar and party venue. Rather quiet during the day, the place can be appreciated at any time of the day thanks to its location facing the Gulf of Finland, its huge volumes with impressive ceiling heights, its large windows and its industrial design. Parties and concerts every week. Programming available on the venue's Facebook page.

This jazz bar/club looks like it's straight out of a 1950s American movie. Founded in 2012, The Hat quickly became a must for music lovers in the city. Word of mouth worked so well that a The Hat opened in Berlin and then in Moscow. Here you can easily meet world-famous musicians who come to the Hat after their concert (the Tiger Lilies when we were there) to have a drink and play 2-3 compositions. The program is unpredictable but always very festive. A place that smells of love for music.

This mythical underground concert hall of the 1990s, which is located at Pushkinskaya 10 (Artistic Centre/Museum of Non-Conformist Art) still welcomes the supporters of the alternative rock scene, but also all the young people who follow their example. The evenings without concerts are less fun but we always come across local regulars or artists and musicians who still live in the squat of Pushkinskaya 10. On concert evenings, don't hesitate to arrive an hour early.

This famous wine bar on Petrogradskaya Island offers a well-stocked and carefully selected wine list (France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, Greece, Chile, Russia, Slovenia, etc.). Warm decor and excellent cuisine. Every Thursday at Wine Freaks is Sea Food Raw Bar day with beautiful seafood platters accompanied by live music. The main menu includes antipastis, tapas, tartars, excellent dim sums and breaded vegetables. A nice address!

In the continuation of the lipki park and not far from the quays you will find this small café, ideal for a stop in the middle of a walk (summer, we recommend it). As evidenced by its permanently full room, this young establishment has been a dazzling success. It is thanks to the excellent service and the very good coffees that you can find there, a regularly changing menu of home-made sweets and desserts and thanks, it must be said, to the lack of competition in the neighbourhood. So it's literally a must stop if you want to settle down in the area.

Bro.We is a Moscow café not belonging to any chain that attracts by its interesting presentation - the guys are focused on promoting espresso, the one you should drink here and now, a strong drink full of caffeine and a thousand flavors. In addition to coffee, you can enjoy alcoholic tea cocktails, as well as desserts, among which the homemade Berry Pavlova deserves a special mention. This espresso bar states that communication with customers is just as much a part of the barista's job as the preparation of the coffee. Perhaps it's time to find out if they speak English.