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Food & drink

Don’t drink the tap water (especially in St Petersburg) and be careful about ice. A lot of the water is fizzy so make sure you ask for ‘bez gaza’ if you want it flat.

Russian food has a bad reputation outside Russia, but Russians themselves think it’s the best thing since sliced black bread and if you choose well you can enjoy a good and filling meal. Dishes to try are:
Soups - the best food in Russia, especially on a cold winter’s day. Particularly Borsch (red coloured from beetroot and cabbage), Solyanka (meat, olives) and Ykha (white fish). Usually they will add a spoon of sour cream for good measure.
‘Blini’ - pancakes with any filling, especially ‘smetana’ (sour cream), ‘ikra’ (caviar) and ‘meod’ (honey).
Pelmini’ - like raviolli with different meat fillings.
'Plov’ - rice with meat and vegetables fried together, very filling.
Salads - though they can be stodgy compared to our salads, if you don’t mind a bit of mayonnaise you’ll enjoy them.
Cakes / chocolates - Russians have a very sweet tooth and are always having a wee cake with a cup of tea (no milk though). How they don’t get fat I still haven’t worked out.

Russians have a lot more contact with the countryside than ourselves and it’s common to have a ‘dacha’ - a little country cottage with a patch of land - where they grow their own produce. You’ll see old grannies standing at the side of the street selling their bucket of fresh tomatoes and apples - the nicest organic fruit and veg you will ever taste.

Vegatarians be warned, Russia is a major meat and fish consumer.

To chose a good restaurant or café just go to where the most people are. In the major cities there are no shortages of places to eat but it can be more difficult in the provinces. McDonalds has spread through most of Russia, other western chains are less common. If you like sushi you’re in luck, it’s very popular.

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You have to try some street food. While a lot of people would advise against this on hygienic (smgenic) grounds, I think that’s where you find a lot of tasty food. Try a ‘sharma’ (‘shaverma’ in St Petes), a kebab in a wrap, or ‘shashlik’, pork or beef marinated and roasted over a barbaque. While not ethnically Russian dishes, you’ll see people eating them everywhere and they’re a perfect snack when on the tear!

Supermarkets vary. In Moscow and St Petes western style supermarkets sell most western brands at a higher price (e.g. Stockmans, Sedmoi Kontinent). Most other shops are old school, basically all the products are behind a counter so you have to tell the assistant (or point to) what you want - no chance of getting your grubby little paws on a tin of beans. A few still have a separate counter (‘kassa’) for paying. Markets are still very popular in Russia and that’s where you’ll find the cheapest food prices

Vodka, Vodka, Vodka! It is true, Russians are demons for the vodka and why not? At only 150 roubles for a decent bottle it makes sense. I’d recommend ‘Gzhelka’ for a good mid range, or for the best ‘Russkiy Standart’. Drinking is a very serious business here and to refuse a shot in Russian company is brave but futile: you will be forced to drink, like it or not, especially as the previous five minutes have been spent giving a lengthy toast on international friendship, love or to the parents! Don’t even think about mixing your vodka. It can only be knocked back straight and then followed by a chaser if you want.

If you’re not a vodka fan, don’t worry: other drinks do exist. Beer is very popular. Try the local brew like ‘Baltika’, ‘Starri Melnik’ or ‘Nevskoe’. The ‘Sovietskoe Champanskoe’ champagne is excellent and very cheap, at 100 roubles. Wines are growing in popularity but aren’t always the best quality. Western spirits are expensive.

Just be careful. In a country where drink is so cheap, widely available and encouraged, it can be easy to overdo it. Drunken foreigners are an easy target and not a pretty sight.

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