Restaurants and places to eat
in Saint Petersburg

Soviet-style menu
A Soviet tradition has drifted onto many modern St. Petersburg restaurant menus. A snippet of an actual St. Petersburg restaurant menu is shown:

The set of numbers shown on the menu (e.g. 210/30/60) are nothing to do with the price but indicate the weight (in grams) of the items to expect on the plate.

Read about Russian rubles and how prices are displayed in Russia


Sushi-mad St. Petersburg
Russians, especially those from St. Petersburg, always liked fish dishes so when sushi was introduced to the St. Petersburg restaurant scene it was an instant hit. For this reason, many bars and restaurants in Saint Petersburg will have their own sushi menu and even a special corner fully manned by a Karate Kid look-a-like!

Seasoning
A quick tip that has caught many St. Petersburg restaurant diners out; the salt and pepper pots may be the reverse to what you’re used to. Salt is often dispensed from the pot with 3 or more holes, while the pepper occupies the single-holed pot. It’s always worth testing before sprinkling!

Smoking
Many Russians are walking chimneys, and will smoke everywhere, including at tables while eating in restaurants in St. Petersburg. This is obviously not good for fellow diners in the immediate vicinity, especially as non-smoking areas in St. Petersburg restaurants are not wide spread.

Further reading…
Tipping in St. Petersburg restaurants
Pubs and bars in St. Petersburg, Russia