10 Traditional Meals To Try In Moscow

Moscow is best known for its squares, towers, and beautiful architecture, but there are also plenty of delicious traditional meals to try in Moscow. Writing about top meals to try in Moscow is not easy. But not because there’s not much good stuff to choose from; absolutely not. It’s hard because they have a wide range of mouth-watering appetizers, vegetarian and meat dishes.

Prior to traveling to Moscow, I didn’t know much about Russian cuisine and Russian food culture. By doing some research and talking to relatives of mine who have already been there, I had a great introduction to all of the best foods to eat in Moscow.

I was pleasantly surprised by all that Moscow had to offer and I’d be happy to eat here again! With the new twist in global politics, the Russian way of cooking might have gotten the second breath. As contemporary Russians are clearly reinventing traditional meals, there are tons of places to eat in Moscow and the culinary scene is very diverse.

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From fatty meat, pancakes, and cabbage to hearty dumplings and pierogi that come with various fillings, Russian food has a reputation for being very affordable. Even the tastiest meals are often quite cheap and can be found everywhere – from Soviet-themed canteens to upscale restaurants.

Here’s a list of popular Russian food meals and my favorite restaurants for traditional Russian cuisine that remind me of my recent trip to Moscow. Enjoying local food can be a great introduction to Russian culture but beware. Russian food is appetizing, filling and addictive, so make sure you reserve enough time to walk off those calories. I’m going to tell you a secret – it’s making me so hungry right now. Why did I do this to myself?

1. Pelmeni (Russian Meat Dumplings)

When people think about what to eat in Moscow, Russian meat dumplings are almost always on top of the list. Dumplings may have originated in China, but this dish has been adapted to become a staple food item in Russian cuisine. Unlike the Chinese Jiaozi, Russian meat dumplings are often smaller and semicircular, rectangular or triangular in shape.

While the local legend has it that Pelmeni originated on the slopes of the Ural mountains, dumplings, as well as, their vegetarian version – vareniki are extremely popular in Russia.

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Vareniki are just delicious if you are vegetarian. Wrapped in an envelope of unleavened dough, vareniki are commonly filled with potatoes, apple puree, or sweet cottage cheese.

In contrast to vareniki, traditional Russian dumplings are stuffed with minced meat, onion, and herbs and enjoyed with sour cream, tomato sauce, or vinegar. Locals just love to keep dumplings in the freezer, adding them into boiling water when they don’t have an hour to spend simmering dinner over the stove.

Where to get them: Lepim i Varim (Stoleshnikov lane 9/1). They claim to use meat that is fresh and has never been frozen, and you’ll need to eat a lot of dumplings if you want to prove them wrong.

2. Blini (Russian Pancakes)

Aside from dumplings, a stack of plain and hot blini (pancakes) is still the most popular thing on the menu in Moscow. Similar to classic French crepes, traditional Russian pancakes are paper-thin. Made from wheat, eggs, and milk, blini are thicker and greasier than crepes and served either sweet or savory.

If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll be in heaven here. Russian pancakes can be filled with blueberry jam, strawberry sauce or honey. Although there are also a ton of great traditional recipes that require using additions such as caviar, sour cream or smoked salmon.

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Where to get them: While the city is dotted with eateries where you can try blinis, Breakfast Cafe (M. Nikitskaya 2/1) is definitely a place to find a budget-friendly selection of blini which includes sweet options, fruity options, meat options, or the classic savory.

3. Pierogi (Pies)

Enjoyed as an on-the-go snack, pierogi can envelop pretty much anything – from the minced meat, cabbage, and potatoes to apple jam and cottage cheese. A smaller version of this Russian appetizer is known as pirozhki and comes at a very affordable price, often for less than $1.

Where to eat in Moscow

4. Shchi (Cabbage Soup)

When it comes to naming staple foods of Russian cuisine, shchi would be at the top of the list. This cabbage soup is a large part of Russian culture mostly due to its simplicity. With a quick and easy recipe, shchi has become a quite common meal at all levels of society.

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If you are vegetarian you will love this soup because it is traditionally made from cabbage or sauerkraut, potatoes, carrots, onions, and various spices with optional meat add-ins. Modern Russians use meat broth and sauerkraut in winter, preferring light vegetable broth in Summer. I was lucky enough to compare and try homemade shchi with restaurant shchi. So I liked the idea of adding a little vinegar flavor in the soup.

Where to get them: All over the country, but I first sampled it in Grabli Cafe (Arbat 1). And now I’m completely addicted to it. Send help.

5. Borscht (Beet Soup)

When people hear “Ukrainian traditional food” they immediately think of borscht. But hey, don’t we supposed to talk about Russian food here? Yup, you’re right! Borscht is a bit of an international celebrity and has so many different versions, including vegetarian, that I can’t help but mention it here!

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Traditional borscht is one of my favorite Russian soups. It’s simple, hearty, and filling. Normally, it’s just a meat broth with vegetables like cabbage, carrots, potatoes, onions, and beetroot that gives the soup its distinctive red color. This soup is served both hot and cold depending on the season, and in some regions, they might also add kidney beans, turnips, vegetable marrows.

When in Moscow, you’ll want to try their version of borscht – expect to spot beef, ham, and sausage pieces in the broth. For a decent version of borscht, visit Taras Bulba tavern (Petrovka str 30/7) that is a ten-minute walk from the Tverskaya subway station.

6. Salad Olivier (Russian Salad)

Nothing is more evocative of the influence of French culture in Russia than in the effects on the traditional cuisine of the country. Salad olivier is, perhaps, the most apt example. Originally invented by the Belgian chef Lucien Olivier, the salad has become an iconic food during the Soviet and Post-Soviet period.

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Authentic Olivier salad contained veal tongue, caviar, lettuce, crayfish, gherkins, and smoked duck. But times have changed and the ingredients now tend toward the boiled eggs, bologna sausage, potatoes, and pickles all bound with mayonnaise.

An update of Olivier version, known as Stolichny, became a staple of Russian cuisine and a typical dish served at the New Year’s Eve tables. If you want to try original, more exquisite Olivier salad, you should eat Dr.Zhivago’s (Mokhovaya str, 15/1) version. It is not the original recipe but has some of that imperial richness.

7. Beef Stroganoff

I don’t know what could be more synonymous with Moscow then beef stroganoff. Walk down any block in Central Moscow and you will come across a restaurant serving it. I was somewhat skeptical at first but now I have to admit – nothing beats a plate of beef stroganoff topped with sour cream sauce together with onions and mushrooms. Yum. I had some of the best beef stroganoff of my life in Moscow.

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According to a widespread belief, this dish as we know it originated when French chef Andre Dupont served it to please his boss – the Russian Count Alexander Stroganoff. Another legend has it that lightly floured beef cubes (but not strips) sauced with prepared mustard and broth served specially for the guests of Count. Since the dish could be easily divided into portions it became incredibly popular among nobles and commoners.

The beef stroganoff at Villa Della Pasta (Pyatnitskaya, 26) is all of the unapologetic excesses of the years before revolution sautéed into one mouth-watering, hearty, rib-sticking dish. And like the Hermitage Museum or the Red Square, you really shouldn’t say you hate beef stroganoff without giving it a go first.

8. Kvass

This is where my Moscow food guide becomes a Moscow drink guide because Kvass is… *drumroll*… a drink! Who’d have thought? But you shouldn’t leave Russia without giving the country’s version of Coca Cola a try, because, in my opinion, it’s better than the Red and White.

Russian food culture inevitably connected with drinking kvass. This fermented beverage has been known since the 10th century AD according to ancient Russian text. At that time kvass was the alcoholic drink, and it was stronger than beer we know today.

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The alcohol percentage in ancient Russian kvass could achieve 16%. Everything has changed so kvass today only contains up to 1% alcohol, so even kids are allowed to drink it.

This traditional fermented drink is very popular in summer so you will find countless brands to choose from. It is widely available at grocery stores. But you really have to try homemade kvass at the local market or restaurants that brew their own kvass. The taste is so much different from the brands you’ll find at the supermarket.

Where to get it: While there are plenty of grocery stores to grab a kvass, I got mine at Burgermeister restaurant (Teatralnaya square, 5/2). They have a strong focus on beer, their kvass’s just as good.

9. Buckwheat Porridge

Yet another staple food of Russian cuisine. While I’m not a big fan of buckwheat porridge (or “gretchka” as locals call it), boiled buckwheat is definitely something that keeps Russians on track! It provides more protein than rice, wheat, millet, or corn and completely gluten-free.

From ancient times this nourishing, but cheap and easy, the dish is something you can find just about everywhere in the country. If you would ask me why do Russians have it with almost every meal, I would tell you that it has a nutty flavor and because one serving of buckwheat set one up for a long day.

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I had buckwheat porridge for breakfast that kept me full until lunch owing to the slow release of energy. The classical buckwheat dish is crumby may resemble brown rice. You can eat it as a side dish to meat, pairing particularly well with offal and wild game. But my favorite is to serve it with fresh cold milk and sugar as I had for breakfast.

The best part of my meal was the honesty of my waiter at GrechkaLab (Pushechnaya str, 7/5). When I ordered buckwheat porridge with onions, he looked at me funny, “No, that will not be good.” I was a bit taken aback and he explained that the buckwheat porridge is too mild and dry to eat on its own and needed to go with piquant meatballs or milk. I said I wanted to try it anyways and he reluctantly put the order in. Sure enough, buckwheat porridge was tasteless on its own and I should have trusted his judgment. It was refreshing to have the honest opinion of a waiter and he turned out to be completely correct.

10. Solyanka Soup

This thick and spicy soup is an incredible mixture of incongruous ingredients can be served as the first and the second course. Solyanka is a Medieval Russian dish was especially popular among the peasantry. Made with various types of sausages, potatoes, carrots, onions, pickled cucumbers, the soup is very hearty and will definitely keep you nice and warm when it is chilly outside.

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Definitely, traditional Russian food is great and it was hard for me to narrow down the list to just ten. I haven’t even begun to touch on the classic dishes that need to be tried. Stroganina, okroshka, borodinsky bread, kholodets. Not to mention vodka. That will require a list all its own.