7 MAIN restaurant & bar districts of St. Petersburg

1.‘Writers' Quarter’

Locals call this area between Nekrasova, Zhukovsky and Mayakovsky streets ‘Writers' quarter’. Writers really used to live there and you can walk for hours between the atmospheric old houses. And, along the way, you will definitely want to visit a cafe, a bar or a restaurant. It is in this neighborhood that the largest number of bars in the city have opened in recent years. 

Where to go:

Atmospheric Soviet-style bars are ‘Mayak’ (Mayakovsky Street, 20), ‘Bazin’ (Nekrasova Street, 22) and ‘Zaliv’ (Nekrasova Street, 24). 

Signature cocktails and original appetizers can be found in the ‘Chroniki’ [‘Chronicles’] bar (Nekrasova Street, 26), ‘Pirs 28’ [‘Pier 28’] tropical bar (Nekrasova Street, 28), ‘Bar 812’ (Zhukovsky Street, 11) and ‘Poltori Komnaty’ [‘One & a Half Rrooms"] (Mayakovsky Street, 34/4).

Great choice of fruit and berry infusions are served in the ‘Zavod’ [‘Factory’] bar (Nekrasova Street, 40). 

And you can have a coffee and snack in the cafes ‘Brik’ (Mayakovsky Street, 44) and ‘Peshekhod’ [‘Pedestrian’] (Mayakovsky Street, 54-56). 

2. Rubinstein Street

This bar street has long been famous for its establishments. It intersects with Nevsky Prospekt and it is simply impossible to miss it! A distinctive feature is the large number of drinking places, where you can drop in after dinner. 

Where to go: 

You can try the hits of world cuisines in the ‘Geography’ restaurant (5), spend an elegant evening in the ‘'Schastye’ [‘Happiness’] restaurant (15-17) or try some seafood in ‘Zazazu’ (23).

Want to dance till the morning? Then you should go to the ‘Ministerstvo’ [‘Ministry’] nightclub (24), the atmospheric ‘BarSlona’ (26) or the ‘Story 28 Group’ karaoke bar (28).

And if you just want to have a tasty lunch, go for some ‘shakshuka’ in ‘Bekitser’ (40/11), try some Havana classics in ‘O! Cuba’ (36) or go for pilaf and chebureks in the ‘U Larisy’ [‘At Larisa's place’] cafe (29/28).

3. Nevsky Prospekt

St. Petersburg's central street stretches for 4.5 km and people roam on it all day and night. There are both major chain establishments, as well as small authentic cafes, where you can hide from the flow of tourists.

Where to go: 

Exquisite desserts named after precious stones are worth trying in the ‘Mineraly’ [‘Minerals’] restaurant (7-9). A classic of St. Petersburg coffee houses is ‘Sever’ [‘North’] with its famous cakes (72). And also ‘Bushe’ with tasty breakfasts and pastries (114-116). And if you like simple good bread, don't forget to visit one of the many F. Wolczek bakeries (78 and 151).

Fans of liqueurs and infusions will appreciate the quiet ‘Tvoya Ostanovochka’ [‘Your Stop’] bar with its retro interior (51). And those in love with mussels will appreciate the democratic ‘Midiynoe Mesto’ [‘Mussel Place’] restaurant chain (18).

4. Liteiny Prospekt

This is another major road in the city, where locals and tourists gather in the evenings. Brodsky, Nekrasov, Chernyshevsky all once lived on this street and, strolling along the avenue, you can feel as if you are part of the Russian classics.

Where to go:

You’ll find meat, meat and more meat – in the ‘Myasorubka Angus’ [‘Meat Grinder Angus’] restaurant (31), Asian menu and delicious mochi desserts in ‘Asiatiq’ (35) and fresh bread and pastries in ‘Ludi Lubyat’ [‘People Love It’] (38).

There’s a little bit of old America with milkshakes and fluffy pancakes in ‘Pancake House’ (40) and plenty of Italian traditions in trattoria ‘Limoncello’ (40).

And if you want a cultural program after lunch, then live blues music awaits you in ‘Hendricks’ (33).  

5. Vasilyevsky Island

You can spend the whole day on this island, strolling from one establishment to another. There's so much to see and do there that you'll want to come back again and again!

Where to go:

If you like gastromarkets, check out Vasileostrovsky Market (Bolshoi Prospekt, 16/14B).

Dine in total darkness at the ‘Dans Le Noir?’ restaurant (Birzhevoy Lane, 2).

You can try original sandwiches and liqueur infusions in the atmospheric ‘ButerBrodsky’ restaurant (Makarov Embankment, 16/2). 

You will find hearty Russian and European dishes in the ‘Grolle’ tavern (Bolshoi Prospekt, 20). And very refined desserts - in the ‘Erarta’ restaurant, located at the Museum of Modern Art of the same name (29 line, 2).

6. Karpovka

St. Petersburg's new trendy gastronomic quarter is located between the Karpovka River Embankment and Aptekarskaya Embankment. At first, there were only posh restaurants in these alleys, but, a few years ago, they were diluted with youth bars and authentic cafes.

Where to go: 

Desserts as an art is the motto of Anna Krasovskaya's confectionery. Cakes in the form of handbags, sculptures and fairy-tale characters look very unusual! (Akademika Pavlova Street, 7).

Another unusual confectionery is ‘Zabyli Sakhar’ [‘Forget the Sugar’] with healthy style cakes and gluten-free ‘syrniki’ (Medikov Avenue, 10, bld. 1). 

A popular place for a hangout with a glass of wine is ‘Vinny sklad’ [‘Wine Warehouse’] (Instrumentalnaya Street, 3B). Reviews of the food are also very positive, but it is worth remembering that the kitchen is only open in the evenings. In the summer, menahwile, live concerts are held there.

A trendy bistro with breakfasts and brunches is ‘Futura’ (Karpovka River Embankment, 5, k.36). 

7. Obvodny Channel 

Another new gastronomic cluster of St. Petersburg stretches along the entire Obvodny Channel and covers its alleys. 

Where to go:

If you love trains, but don't need to go anywhere, check out the ‘Vokzal 1853’ [‘Railway station 1853’] gastromarket – It is located in the historical building of the Varshavsky Railway Station (Obvodniy Kanal Embankment, 118). And it is the biggest in the city – there are about a hundred cafes there! 

The ‘Sybaristika’ loft-cafe, in the meantime, offers delicious coffee with pastries and also holds regular tastings. 

And you can have a delicious lunch on the roof of the former malting plant, where the ‘Solaria lab’ coffee house is located (Kurlyandskaya Street, 49).