Secret Restaurants in St Petersburg Only Locals Know About

EM is a concept restaurant with a menu designed by famous chef Olesya Drobot, who creates a weekly menu with poetic names for each course and a wide selection of matching wines. You can only get in with a reservation. Further, mobile phones are not welcome and there’s no Wi-Fi, so diners much focus on their food and their company. Those who have been there consider it one of the best restaurants in St Petersburg, and always come back for more.

Apteka is a secret place and you can only get a table by reservation. The food is Indian, and many dishes are prepared with products and spices brought from India. The atmosphere isn’t of a typical restaurant in Delhi though – it more resembles an alchemist’s laboratory. The cocktails are in-line with the menu – the main focus is on herb and berry liquors, and they’re served just like medicine.

Tre Bicchieri is a wine boutique and a haute cuisine restaurant in one space. The space is small and there are only several tables in the restaurant, but the demand is high. The selection of wines is impressive, and the menu is based on original combinations.

This place is famous for its pizzas – not only the classics, but some exclusive combinations, like pear and cheese. All pizzas are prepared right in front of guests, in the open kitchen. The alcohol menu features some classic strong drinks, as well as a selection of wines and beers.

This vegetarian café is the best place to have a falafel in St Petersburg. It’s located in a flat and is promoted as a “place for friends”. It really looks like someone’s house, and often you can meet the founder, Fadi, who came to St Petersburg from Damascus.

Chinese food lovers shouldn’t miss this place – it’s authentic as you can imagine at Chufal’nya. Chinese cuisine from Chinese chefs, using imported products. The whole atmosphere makes you feel like you stepped in off the street from Shanghai or Beijing.

This place is dedicated to one of the most famous dishes of Arabic cuisine, falafel. This place is recognised as making the best falafel in town, and uses traditional recipes. It’s also extremely popular with vegetarians, as the menu features many dishes that don’t have meat or products of animal origin.

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