Italian Restaurants in Moscow

Fidelio / La Grotta.
Two charming hideaways in the centre of Moscow in the Patriarshy Ponds area. Fidelio and La Grotta are fine Italian restaurants that donÕt charge a fortune. The two restaurants have the same menu so essentially the only difference is the decor. And neither restaurant is very outlandish in this field. Instead, the simple yet elegant designs make the food the main focus of a visit. The menu is based heavily on Tuscan recipes meaning that the dishes have an emphasis on meat and the desserts here are a real treat. There is also a good selection of cheaper pizza and pasta dishes. Both restaurants have a 20% discount on the entire menu (excluding alcohol) from 12pm to 5pm on weekdays. Average bill per person is $30-$40. The restaurants also do delivery inside the Garden Ring area.
Address: Bolshaya Bronnaya Ulitsa, #27/4 View on Map, metro Pushkinskaya. Tel: 200-5476. Open 12:00-0:00.
La Grotta: Same address but entrance is from Sytinsky Pereulok. Tel: 200-3057. Open 12:00-0:00.

Il Patio.
A large chain of pizzerias (there are more than 30 throughout the city) that serve surprisingly good food. Your best bet is to stick to the restaurantÕs specialty and sample one of their pizzas ø theyÕre filling and the more expensive ones are very tasty. Staff are also happy to remove or add any ingredients you request. Pizzas range in price from 120 rubles ($4) to about 400 rubles ($14). Drinks cost around $4 or $5. There are also pasta, seafood and other assorted Italian dishes on the menu but itÕs better to steer clear of them. There is a salad bar on offer that has a strong aura of potential food poisoning around it. Staff are generally quite efficient and the food is made quickly even though these restaurants are always busy. The atmosphere is lively but the restaurants do tend to pack tables in close together so this isnÕt exactly a private place. Average bill per person is about $20.
Address: Volkhonka Ulitsa, #13a View on Map, metro Kropotkinskaya. Tel: 298-2530. Open 12:00-0:00. More than 30 other locations. See il-patio.rosinter.ru/address/ for the full list.

Pasta Della Mama.
A quality mid-range restaurant that aims for the mom-and-pop homely vibe of little family-run restaurants that you might encounter in Italy. No young, pretty waitresses here ø theyÕre usually older but are friendly and efficient all the same. Formerly known as Borgo, the restaurant was redone in 2005. The prices are slightly lower than under its old incarnation in an attempt to attract a middle-class and family market. The decor is unimpressive in keeping with the simple, relaxed vibe. While the menu isnÕt extensive there are plenty of tasty options, but the pasta is naturally their specialty. There is also a small selection of pizza, seafood and meat dishes on offer (including steak from affiliated restaurant Goodman). An average bill per person will run about $35. The business lunch (from 12pm-4pm) costs 360 rubles ($13) and includes two courses plus a drink.
Address: Spiridonevsky Pereulok, #12/9, metro Tverskaya. Tel: 730-5600. Open 12:00-0:00.

Pasta Project.
A new chain of Italian eateries with the focus, obviously, on pasta. Many of the dishes have a more general Mediterranean flavor. Has a cool computer ordering system (in both Russian and English) where you can peruse the menu, complete with pictures of each dish, from the console at each table. When youÕve

made your choice you simply press the order button. The meals are prepared very quickly and the wait staff are quite good although the ordering system cuts down on your interaction with them anyway. But they do lurk around to snatch away your plate as soon as youÕve finished eating. ItÕs not the best pasta youÕll ever taste but the prices are reasonable, the portions are quite big and there is a great selection of dishes. All tables are in booths which makes for quite a private dining experience. The background music is well-selected and not played at an irritating volume. Average bill per person is about $20-$25.
Address: Pokrovka Ulitsa, #1 View on Map, metro Kitai-Gorod. Tel: 928-6767. Open Mon-Fri: 9:00-23:30, Sat,Sun: 11:30-23:30.
Verkhnyaya Radishchevskaya Ulitsa, #22, metro Taganskaya. Tel: 915-1048. Open 9:00-0:00.
Balaklavsky Prospekt, #5a (inside the Shtaer shopping center), metro Chertanovskaya. Tel: 310-0077. Open 9:00-0:00.

Syr.
If you ever thought about finding a restaurant in Moscow that would be exactly like some small cozy European family restaurant, this is the place. Well hidden in Kitai Gorod sidelanes, this is the best restaurant I visited in the last few months in Moscow. It has a very comfortable environment and delicious European, mainly Italian, cuisine. The smooth interior is made to look like you've walked inside a cheese hole, hence the name. A nice terrace outside. Average bill is about $30 for a person. The restaurant is very small, so reservations are highly recommended. A great place for any occasion, especially, if you want to relax.
Address: Sadovaya Samotechnaya Ulitsa, #16 View on Map, Bldg. 2, metro Tsvetnoy Bulvar. Tel: 209-7770. Open 12:00-0:00.

Da Cicco.
Just a good pizzeria. Used to have a location on Kamergersky Pereulok but now languishes down near metro Profsoyuznaya. Still worth checking out with most of their tasty pizzas less than $10 and a range of other Italian options on the menu.
Address: Profsoyuznaya Ulitsa, #13/12, metro Profsoyuznaya. Tel: 125-1196. Open 11:00-23:00.

Italyanets.
A nice mid-range Italian restaurant with all the classics on the menu. An average main course is 700-850 rubles ($25-$30) but the business lunch is a good deal at 400 rubles for an appetizer, soup and main course (from 12pm to 5pm).
Address: Samotechnaya Ulitsa, #13, metro Tsvetnoy Bulvar. Tel: 688-5651. Open 12:00-23:00.

Pinocchio.
A pizzeria and restaurant with two locations in inner-city Moscow. The more central location on Kamergersky Pereulok works only as a pizzeria and is therefore cheaper. Art deco interior and Italian chefs. Average bill is about $30 if youÕre only eating pizza.
Address: Kamergersky Pereulok, #5/7 View on Map, metro Teatralnaya. Tel: 629-7361. Open 11:00-0:00.
Kutuzovsky Prospekt, #4/2, metro Smolenskaya/Kievskaya. Tel: 243-5688. Open 11:00-24:00.

Teatro.
Features a renowned Sicilian chef who has created a menu filled with high-class dishes. If its location in the Metropol Hotel doesnÕt give it away, this place is expensive ø youÕre looking at $70 per person. That said, the food is damn good.
Address: Teatralny Proezd, #1/4 (Metropol Hotel), metro Ploshchad Revolyutsii. Tel: 927-6068. Open 12:00-0:00.

Viaggio.
Restaurants themed around different cities of Italy. So far there are two with an emphasis on Venetian dishes and cuisine from Naples respectively. There are plans to add more in the future. Surprisingly cheap considering the classy decor ø you could get out of there for less than $30. Business lunches are just 250 rubles.
Address: Viaggio Venezia: Bakuninskaya Ulitsa, #26/30, Bldg. 1, metro Baumanskaya. Tel: 223-3057. Open: 11:00-0:00.
Viaggio Napoli: Bolshoi Spasoglinishchevsky Pereulok, #9/1, Bldg. 16, metro Kitai-Gorod. Tel: 923-9723. Open 11:00-0:00.