Restaurants in Moscow

It's almost impossible to imagine a more gorgeous interior than the Oak Hall at CDL, a stunning recreation of an aristocratic residence from Russia's Silver Age. It's worth visiting just for the lavish interior design, so the fine menu of expertly prepared traditional Russian cuisine is an added bonus. A regular stop for visiting dignitaries, it has the face control to match.

This historic café offers the chance to dine out in full Tsarist style. The food and service are impeccable, with delicious and beautifully presented Russian-French dishes that have prices to match the elegant setting. The ground floor is styled like an old pharmacy, complete with apothecary's bottles and scales, while the exclusive second floor is set in a handsome classical library.

Turandot lets you eat like a Tsar for the evening, though you'll need a royal wallet when the bill comes. Gorgeous ceiling murals and baroque flourishes create a dining experience fit for Peter the Great, and the menu of fine Russian cuisine is exemplary, but face control are strict, so dress smartly.

Restaurants serving the meaty cuisine of the Caucuses tend to be chintzy and unsophisticated, but Barashka breaks the mould. The graceful dining room is spread over two levels, joined by a spiral staircase. The imaginative menu is dominated by modern Azeri cooking, which bears some subtle similarities to Turkish cuisine.

Japanese food is hugely popular throughout Russia and every second Moscow restaurant seems to have sushi on the menu. This trendy basement establishment in the Nautilus shopping centre is a good place to lunch on quality sushi. Colour-coded plates make the bill easier to sort out at the end too.

Set in a modernised 19th-century mansion, this self-service stolovaya (canteen) has an enormous selection of main courses, salads, soups and desserts to choose from, all at budget prices. The surroundings are really quite stylish, making this one of the best cheap eats in Moscow. There are several branches across the city.

Beer halls are a Russian institution and this cheerful chain does the concept proud. The logo of the Kruzhka (which means mug) is a distinctive foaming beer mug set between a knife and fork, and the house brews are full-flavoured and satisfying. The simple but tasty food covers a broad spectrum from hearty soups to roast trout and chicken wings. There are branches all over Moscow.

It’s hard to miss the life-sized model of a Friesian cow outside this popular canteen. All the classics are here, from borshch and otbivnaya (cutlets) to shashlik (shish kebabs) and salads. Its best feature is the cafeteria counter where you can point to dishes that appeal, even if your Russian is limited. There are branches throughout Moscow.