Visiting Russia restaurants is a great way to enhance your vacation and experience in this vast country, and as Moscow and St Petersburg are the two largest cities in the country, visitors will find an abundance of restaurants and dining venues in these cities.While there are various types of vegetables and other ingredients that go into the food in Russia, there are five main elements that are found in many kinds of food in Russia: potatoes, bread, eggs, meat, and dairy. Due to the extreme weather in many parts of the country, it is essential that the food provide plenty of energy and warmth, requiring lots of carbohydrates and a significant amount of fat in order to do so.

Depending on the region and time of year you visit in Russia, the cuisine will vary slightly, but there are several domestic specialties that visitors should certainly try, ranging from breakfast to drinks. Blini is an interesting dish consisting of pancakes filled with caviar, fish, and melted butter or sour cream. Pirozhky is similar to a fried meat pie, and its fillings are often varied. One of the most popular soups in Russia is borscht, which is beet soup served with sour cream and sometimes beef.

Vodka, of course, is the very well-known national drink, and as such, it has become a staple for a variety of drinks. Some of the most popular vodka varieties among locals include Zubrovka, which is flavored with a type of grass; Ryabinovka, with Rowan tree berries; Starka, an aged vodka; and Pertsovka, consisting of hot peppers. Krushon, Nalivka, and Nastoika are other popular wines and drinks that can be found at many Russia restaurants.

Russia Map

Moscow and St Petersburg offer an abundance of Russia restaurants, and visitors can choose from a variety of foods, including traditional Russian, Tibetan, Italian, American, and Japanese cuisine. The attractions in the capital city offer a host of things to do, but to complete the experience of your visit, eating at one or two of the Moscow restaurants is an essential part of your vacation. A varied selection of Moscow restaurants top the list, and while some of them are high end, many of them will be quite friendly to your pocket book.

For the equivalent of about ten dollars per person, the Mu-Mu Café, with six locations across the city, is one of the most popular self-service restaurants in town. Considered to be the very best in all of Russia, Pushkin Café offers an early twentieth-century atmosphere, excellent fare, and 24-hour service. Red Square, which shares is name with the popular attraction, is one of the Moscow restaurants that is packed nearly every day of the year; it is so popular that reservations are almost an absolute must, even during the day.

Several of the St Petersburg restaurants offer a variety of intriguing atmospheres and excellent cuisine, including Davidov's, fine dining at the Hotel Astoria; Kalinka, a traditional selection on the island; Europe, with is the epitome of luxurious dining; and Bread and Salt, bringing back the old fashioned Russian Inn.

Dining in Russia is an exciting adventure that can take you across the entire country. Trying the various types of traditional food in Russia will add to the exquisite charm of the complete experience of your vacation. From traditional Russian cuisine in Moscow to seafood in Vladivostok, visitors are sure to find an array of culinary delights.