European Restaurants in Moscow

Amsterdam Cafe.
A cozy little cafe and restaurant which doesnÕt quite live up to its name but is pleasant enough nonetheless. Set on two stories, the downstairs area is unimpressive in terms of decor but upstairs is very nice with dim lighting and comfortable couches set around the tables. Not a bad budget option for a date as long as you know she wonÕt order the most expensive thing on the menu as prices for different dishes vary a lot. Amsterdam Cafe is appropriately conformist with a sushi menu in addition to the standard European fare. Prices are higher than you would expect considering this is essentially just a cafe. An average main course costs 700 rubles but there are some cheap options on the menu. Most pasta dishes are only 250 rubles ($9) although they are also only a maximum of 250 grams. The business lunch served from 12pm to 4pm is good value with an appetizer, soup, main course and mineral water for just 280 rubles. The food is basic but it fills. Every Friday from 9pm Amsterdam Cafe hosts a ÒRed Light DistrictÓ DJ session.
Address: Ilyinka Ulitsa, #4 (Gostiny Dvor) View on Map, metro Kitai-Gorod. Tel: 956-2772. Open 12:00-last guest.

Breeze (On the Alexander Blok Ship).
Perhaps the best thing about this restaurant is that itÕs on a boat on the Moscow River. Inside, corniness is taken to a new level with wait staff dressed as pirates and an interior thatÕs meant to resemble an old wooden pirate ship. There are cheap breakfasts with most costing about $2 but theyÕre nothing to write home about. Naturally, due to its location (the Moscow River being a haven for fresh, quality fish) Breeze has a heavy emphasis on seafood. The various fish on offer are cooked Mediterranean style. The meals are reasonably priced at an average of $15 and come in good-sized portions. The restaurant also features karaoke every night from 8pm to 6am which may be a positive for some people...
Address: Krasnopresnenskaya Naberezhnaya, #12a (on the Alexander Blok Ship), metro Ulitsa 1905 Goda. Tel: 255-9310. Open 24 hours.

Dolf.
Run and named after the man behind Cafe des Artistes, Dolf Michel, this relatively new restaurant also functions as a bar and art gallery. Its walls have played host to the works of some famous Russian artists in its short existence. Otherwise Dolf has a simple but slick design which feels both trendy and elegant. There is an outdoor eating area in the summer months. The menu is certainly a creative and eclectic one. It draws on cuisines from all over Europe and even has some dishes with Eastern influences. The bar is very well-stocked with a high-class wine list and all the other alcohol you could dream of. Not quite as expensive as you might expect but youÕll still pay around $50 per person. Or you can sample what the restaurant has to offer with their 300 ruble ($11) business lunch.
Address: 1st Smolensky Pereulok, #3/2 View on Map, metro Smolenskaya. Tel: 241-6217/747-8187. Open 12:00-1:00.

La Casa.
La Casa is a stylish and beautifully designed restaurant, yet it manages to maintain a comfortable and homely atmosphereÉ at least as much as is possible for a restaurant built in a former mansion. The eatery has three halls including a dining area with wall-length views onto the street and an incredibly relaxing chill-out area downstairs. The young head chef Dmitry Malyshev has worked with renowned Italian and Japanese chefs in the past and at La Casa he presents options from both these cuisines. Bills per person can run up to $70 but the business lunches are more reasonably priced. La Casa is one of the best breakfast spots in the city with meals costing no more than 200 rubles ($7) and nice, strong coffee. You can sit and watch the city pass by out the windows and take in the majesty of either the church across the street or the serenity of Sretensky Bulvar. At the moment this remains undiscovered with the restaurant practically empty in the mornings. La Casa is particularly renowned for its desserts which are made with obvious pride.
Address: Sretenka Ulitsa, #4/1 View on Map, metro Chistiye Prudy. Tel: 923-6687. Open 24 hours.

Scandinavia.
The Swedish management of this Moscow mainstay pride themselves on the highest levels of service and understated excellence in everything they do. Designed as a cozy Swedish country house, the soft music and barely noticeable wait staff add to the comfortable and welcoming atmosphere. The menu is European with a Scandinavian bent and the restaurant is especially renowned for its steaks which are prepared on a grill in the middle of the restaurant. Scandinavia is pricey although you can eat lunch here for about $30. The restaurant also features an ice bar during winter.
Address: Maly Palashevsky Pereulok, #7 View on Map, metro Pushkinskaya. Tel: 937-5630. Open 12:00-1:00.

Discovery Club.
Essentially French and Italian cuisine featuring many of the classic options from these countries. Average bill is around $50-$60 per person. Worth checking out mainly for its interior. Set in the wing of a mansion, it is filled with artifacts from around the world and the top floor is designed to look like the inside of a luxury yacht. ItÕs a good idea to reserve a table.
Address: Novokuznetskaya Ulitsa, #24, Bldg. 2 View on Map, metro Novokuznetskaya. Tel: 953-3863. Open 12:00-2:00.

Mekhana Bansko.
A lively restaurant with dancing and live music. Believe it or not it specializes in Bulgarian cuisine which is actually quite tasty. But apparently itÕs also expensive to make since an average bill here will run to $50. The business lunch (from 12pm to 5pm) costs just 320 rubles ($12).
Address: Smolenskaya Ploshchad, #9/1, metro Smolenskaya. Tel: 241-4132. Open Sun-Thur 12:00-0:00, Fri,Sat 12:00-2:00.

Shatyor.
Located right on Chistiye Prudy, Cafe Shatyor is a relaxing place to spend a few hours. The outlook onto the not so chistiye pond may not be exquisite, but, as far as water-side settings go, you take what you can get in this city. The waiters, dressed all in white like sailors, are friendly and efficient. The door staff arenÕt overly pleasant but thatÕs to be expected in Moscow. ItÕs a decent place to enjoy a meal or a few drinks but in summer you could do the same much more cheaply anywhere around Chistiye Prudy. The European food is good but basic. An average bill is $30.
Address: Chistoprudny Bulvar, #12a View on Map, metro Chistiye Prudy. Tel: 916-9486. Open 24 hours.

Shtolts.
An attractive and trendy European restaurant that isnÕt overly expensive. There are three different halls in the restaurant. Each has a separate menu and one functions as a bar. A bill could come in anywhere between $30 and $60 depending on what you order ø there are lots of cheap options and quite a few expensive ones, too.
Address: Savvinskaya Naberezhnaya, #25-27, metro Kievskaya. Tel: 246-0253. Open 12:00-last guest.

Temple Bar.
Essentially this is an English pub with the standard food you would expect from such a place. Only worth mentioning because the Baumanskaya outlet has English breakfasts starting at 135 rubles ($5) from 8am-12pm and these are a rarity in Moscow.
Address: Ladozhskaya Ulitsa, #2/37, metro Baumanskaya. Tel: 267-5730. Open 8:00-0:00.
Mitinskaya Ulitsa, #41, metro Tushinskaya. Tel: 751-3500. Open 12:00-0:00.
Osenny Bulvar, # 9, metro Krylatskoye. Tel: 414-5198. Open 12:00-0:00.