Where should I eat and drink?
St Petersburg has a varied dining scene, with trendy cafés and restaurants serving everything from Russian
blini (pancakes) to Japanese sushi and sophisticated Western fare. Dishes worth trying include
pirogi, small pies stuffed with cheese, cabbage or potatoes, and
borscht, a delicious soup made with beetroot and beef. For creative takes on traditional dishes, head to
Taste to Eat, a fashionable restaurant serving new Russian cuisine in warm interiors with leather seating and low lighting.
St Petersburg’s nightlife scene is fun and laidback, and is decidedly more sedate than Moscow’s. Tucked away along its canals are elegant bars and laidback student joints where youngsters gather over a few beers. For top-notch cocktails head to Poltory Komnaty, a small and intimate spot where experienced mixologists shake up creative cocktails served on little wooden boards. If live music is more your thing, The Hat Bar offers lively jazz jam sessions in cosy 1940s-50s American-style surrounds, with dozens of types of whisky and bourbon served until the wee hours.