TO EAT
RUSSKY DVORIK
РУССКИЙ ДВОРИК
About
Russky Dvorik is one of the most upscale restaurants in town, located in a fairytale wooden house with traditional decorations known in Russia as 'wooden lace'. The restaurant has several rooms, including a large room in the adjacent building. Regardless of the room, most of the tables have excellent views over the Trinity Lavra. Part of the restaurant is designed to look like a medieval Russian palace, the other was meant to look like a 19th-century estate of some Russian count or prince. It may sound kitschy, but in fact, the whole space of the restaurant is tastefully designed and looks very integrated. The food is traditional Russian, and you may find some of it a bit too exotic to your taste (think of veal brains and giblets, for example) even the most dubious Russian dishes they manage to make tasty and well-presented. The menu is very large so you'll definitely find something to your taste, even if not too exotic.
Info
134/2 Krasnoy Armii Av. (пр. Красной Армии, д. 134/2)
+7 495 786 87 88
Go to Website (only in Russian)
Mon-Thu 10am-10.3opm, Fri-Sat 10am-1am
Menu in English
English-speaking staff
Best for lunch/dinner
Order this: Pickled cucumber with honey from Pereslavl, soused apples, Old Russian-style vareniki (dumplings) with giblets, Old Russian-style cabbage rolls, Siberian sauerkraut, Griboedov shchi (cabbage soup) with mushrooms, Russian berry drink mors, kvass and sbiten.
GOSTEVAYA IZBA
ГОСТЕВАЯ ИЗБА
About
It is a traditional Russian restaurant, not overly kitschy but rather well-designed and cozy, located in the former wine cellar of the Old Lavra Hotel. The restaurant is not too touristy, in fact, you're most likely to find youself sitting among locals, priests from the Lavra and pilgrims from all over Russia. The menu has recently been updated, and now includes dishes made by the monastery recipies, as well as signature dishes of the chef. Some dishes may sound exotic and unusual to your taste but if you're ever going to try traditional Russian food, this place may be one of the best options. Soused apples, pears, plums and berries are delicious, as well as traditional soups such as fish soup ukha and Russian cabbage soup (shchi). Oh, and Russian monks have always been good at making pies and pastry, so you should definitely try those!
Info
1, Aptekarsky Lane (Аптекарский пер., д. 1)
+7 496 541 43 43
Go to Website (only in Russian)
Mon-Sun 11am-1pm. The kitchen is open until 10pm.
Menu in English
English-speaking staff
Best for lunch/dinner
Order this: Soused fruites and berries, fish soups ukha and kalya, fried potato with white mushrooms, the Lavra cutlet from Onega lake trout and pikeperch, vareniki (Russian dumplings) with mashed potato and mushrooms, potato or courgette draniki, traditional Russian drinks sbiten and mead.