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With the influx of new investors and highly trained chefs in the post Soviet era, bland Soviet versions of traditional dishes (both imperial and peasant) have been banished to the dustbin of history, to be replaced by fabulously expensive eateries frequented by oligarchs, and growing numbers of more affordable restaurants and chains catering to the growing Russian middle classes.

Restaurants range from cosy cafe-bistros to lavish multi-roomed halls more befitting of royalty, and menus have expanded far beyond traditional Russian and 'near abroad' (former Soviet states) cuisine. Sushi has become a major St Petersburg fad and there are restaurants serving Mexican, German, Italian, Japanese, French, and Asian food to local foodies.

We have selected some of the best restaurants in St Petersburg, which we have listed under five categories: Gourmet, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. These restaurants are listed alphabetically within four different pricing categories:
$$$$ (over US$80)
$$$ (US$50 to US$80)
$$ (US$30 to US$50)
$ (under US$30)
The prices quoted here are for a three-course meal and for a bottle of house wine or equivalent, including VAT and a compulsory 10% service charge, unless otherwise stated.

Gourmet

Dvorianskoye Gnezdo (Noble Nest)
Located in a former tea house in the grounds of the Yosupov Palace, Noble Nest combines excellent cuisine with elegant service and a truly sophisticated ambience. There are two distinct menus - one Russian, one French. Tantalise your taste buds with delicacies such as stuffed venison steaks and baked pheasant. The sense of dining in the opulent era of the Tsars extends to the attentive servers in white gloves, but smart dress - including a shirt and tie for men - is essential.

Dekabristov ulitsa 21
Tel: (812) 312 0911.
Price: $$$$
L'Europe
As you might expect from St Petersburg's grandest hotel, this elegant restaurant has an opulent interior, with a stunning stained-glass ceiling. The creative Russian menu (with French flourishes) offers well-prepared sturgeon, caviar and pheasant, and there is an elaborate Sunday jazz brunch. Prices reflect the high quality of the food and the surroundings.

Mikhailovskaya ulitsa 1/7
Tel: (828) 329 6000.
Price: $$$$

Business

The Old Customs House
Tucked behind the Kunstkamera museum, this restaurant has catered to heads of state and royalty. Built as a customs house, the 18th-century building has an impressive exterior, but manages to retain a certain cosiness inside with vaulted ceilings and wood floors. The sophisticated menu is based on upscale French cuisine with Russian flourishes.

Tamozhenny pereulok 1
Tel: (812) 327 8980.
Price: $$$$

Trendy

Imbir Cafe
Lavishly decorated with botanical prints and Tsarist trim, this trendy club-cum-restaurant manages to be cool without feeling snooty or intimidating. The name means 'ginger' and the menu features some interesting Asian and Middle Eastern fusion dishes, as well as modern Russian cooking. DJs begin spinning early every evening, and keep at it until early in the morning (usually about 0200). There's a 30% discount off menu prices on weekday afternoons.

Zagorodny prospekt 15
Tel: (812) 713 3215.
Price: $-$$$
Magrib
Part restaurant, part cafe, and part nightclub, this happening spot near the southeast end of Nevsky Prospekt is a popular hangout for the young and trendy. Vaulted ceilings, mosaic tiling and rich red walls create the illusion of dining in a sultan's palace and the menu features plenty of Caucasus-style grilled meats and Armenian dolma, as well as Russian staples. The excellent cocktail menu and adjacent dance club (an additional charge applies) make this an excellent hang-out late into the evening.

Nevsky prospekt 84
Tel: (812) 275 7620.
Price: $$-$$$
Sukawati
Authentic-tasting Asian food is hard to find in St Petersburg, but Sukawati fills the gap with an innovative menu of Japanese and Indonesian fusion dishes, served in a sleek modern dining room decked out with Lombok-style furniture. The business brunch is particularly good value.

Kazanskaya ulitsa 8
Tel: (812) 312 0540.
Price: $$

Budget

Blini Domik
The humble pancake is elevated to new heights in Russia and Blini Domik is a great place to try this Russian staple. This little hole in the wall serves various soups and salads, but the blini is king - try them with smetana (sour cream), fruit fillings or savoury toppings.

Kolokolnaya ulitsa 8
Tel: (812) 315 9915.
Price: $
Coffee House
St Petersburg is peppered with branches of this popular coffeeshop chain - there are several just on Nevsky prospekt. Some branches offer Wi-Fi access and all offer good coffee, cakes and patisserie items and good-value set breakfasts and business lunches. The rival chain Shokoladnitsa (Chocolate Girl) offers similar drinks and food at slightly higher prices.

Bolshaya Konyushennaya ulitsa 13
Tel: (812) 571 2630.
Website: www.coffeehouse.ru
Price: $
Shinok
This Ukrainian themed restaurant fills the belly with tasty vareniki (dumplings stuffed with soft farmer's cheese), blini (pancakes), meats, salads and glasses of gorilka - a homemade vodka. It's good hearty food and you'll be served by staff in mock-up national costumes at rough-hewn tables and chairs.

Zagorodny prospekt 13
Tel: (812) 571 8262.
Website: www.shinok.ru/eng 
Price: $$
Stolle Cafe
This old-fashioned cafe near the Church on Spilled Blood specializes in just one item - stolle, the traditional Russian pie, stuffed with fruit or savoury fillings. The crowds of eager regulars are a good indication of the skills of the house bakers. There's a branch on Vasilevsky Island.

Konyushennya pereulok 1/6
Tel: (812) 312 1862.
Website: www.stolle.ru
Price: $
Yolki-Palki
This Moscow chain is a favorite with locals for its low prices, homestyle Russian cooking and endless buffet of salads, roasted potatoes, soups, fish and more, served in a chintzy Russian village-themed dining room. The menu features all the Russian standards - grilled meats on the skewer, cutlets, blini (pancakes), and pelmeni (Siberian meat-filled dumplings). There are several branches around town, as well as this one on Nevsky prospekt, and all are open late, though not always 24 hours as advertised outside.

Nevsky prospect 88
Tel: (812) 273 1594.
Website: www.elki-palki.ru
Price: $

Personal Recommendations

Bistro Garçon
French food is all the rage in St Petersburg, but Bistro Garçon is one of the few restaurants to recreate the ambiance of a real French bistro. A perfect choice for a romantic dinner, the restaurant is hidden away on the Griboedova canal near the grand Kazan Cathedral. The menu is delightfully authentic and the atmosphere relaxed and uncontrived.

Naberezhnaya Kanala Griboedova 25
Tel: (812) 570 0348.
Website: www.garcon.ru
Price: $$-$$$
The Idiot
Inspired by the Dostoevsky novel, The Idiot is a rare vegetarian choice in St Petersburg, but patrons are just as excited by the quirky décor. Set in a moody basement, the four rooms are decorated with eclectic antique furniture and oil paintings, and bookshelves are stacked with Russian and English books. Many locals come here to while away an afternoon playing chess and backgammon. It's easy to miss the entrance - look out for the stairs leading down off naberezhnaya reki Moyki.

Naberezhnaya reki Moyki 82
Tel: (812) 315 1675.
Price: $$-$$$
Kavkaz
This cosy Georgian cafe serves the flavorful fare of the Caucasus - meats grilled on the spit, hot cheese breads, rich and filling stews, garlicky dips, and more. Clay bowls of fresh herbs, garlic and spices are placed on the table so you can pep up your meal as you see fit. This is a small, hole-in-the-wall kind of place so reservations are advised. 

Karavannaya ulitsa 18
Tel: (812) 312 1665.
Price: $-$$



Nightlife:

St Petersburg has a vibrant, varied nightlife. Depending on your tastes, you can visit the ballet or opera, take in a play at the theater or dance the night away at bars, clubs, music venues and dance parties. However, the scene is constantly changing, so check the weekly events listings in the St Petersburg Times (website: www.sptimes.ru).

Most of the nightlife is concentrated in the city center. Bars open from 1100 and start closing around midnight, although some remain open until 0200 or 0400. Drinking regulations are strict, with the minimum drinking age set at 21 years. Nightclubs have varying hours but most open from the afternoon through till dawn. Smart-casual dress is the norm in bars and clubs, though some places ban jeans and trainers. Russian women generally wear dresses and heels for a night out, while Russian men prefer button-up shirts to T-shirts.

Although many nightspots in St Petersburg are controlled by the so-called Russian mafia, most visitors will have no contact with this undesirable aspect of Russian life. Most clubs, bars and venues are indistinguishable from similar places in the West, though you should be very cautious when visiting casinos, which are a notorious front for criminal activity.

Bars & Cafes: Most of St Petersburg's bars double as clubs or venues for live music (see the headings below), but there are numerous beer halls in the city, many mimicking traditional English or Irish pubs. Expats frequent venues such as Mollie's, Rubensshtyena ulitsa 36, the Office Pub, Kazanskaya ulitsa 5, and James Cook, Shvedsky pereulok 2, for draught beers and a reminder of home.

Many locals prefer the quieter drinking environment of a cafe. Look out for poetry readings, DJ nights and live acoustic music at Stray Dog Cafe, Iskusstv ploschad 5, and Che, Poltavskaya ulitsa 3. Another popular cafe hangout is The Idiot at naberezhnaya reki Moyki 82, with its board-games and shelves of reading material.

The alternative set still frequent the smoky and grungy Cynic, hidden away in a courtyard at Goncharnaya ulitsa 4 while punters seeking the downright weird visit the bizarrely named Sakvoyazh dlya beremennoy shpionki (A Briefcase for a Pregnant Spy), Malaya Konushnaya ulitsa 11, with its dangling suspended tables and chairs.

Clubs: The best clubs for younger revelers are arranged in a line along Konyushennya pereulok near the Church on Spilled Blood. Neighbours Achtung Baby and Bubble Bar throb nightly to live dance DJs. The biggest all-night party is offered by Revolution on Sadovaya ulitsa - many punters stay till dawn to watch the sunrise from the top floor. Set in a basement at Apraksin dvor 13, Money Honey (website: www.moneyhoney.org) attracts a young, party crowd with boisterous rockabilly music. Located in a former bomb shelter, Griboedov, Voronezhsakaya ulitsa 2A, stages everything from rock and ska bands to hardcore techno and house nights.

Live Music: Set in the alternative arts center at Pushkinskaya ulitsa 10, reached via an entrance on Ligovsky prospekt 53, Fish Fabrique hosts an eclectic line-up of rock and alternative bands. Next to the dance venues on Konyushennya pereulok, Club Mod has a nightly program of live bands that appeal to a young, student crowd.

Jazz fans make a beeline for the Jazz Philharmonic Hall, Zagorodny prospekt 27, founded by the legendary jazz violinist David Goloshchokin. Jimi Hendrix Blues Club, Liteiny prospekt 33, has live blues bands on at midnight, every night.

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