As you discover St Petersburg, there is a vast array of restaurants and cafes from which you can choose. But which ones merit long waits?
St. Petersburg offers something to satisfy any appetite – the Hermitage or Russian cuisine! Explore high-end restaurants and cozy cafes: take advantage of its culinary scene by sampling these local delicacies!
Pelmeni
Pelmeni, or meat-filled dumplings, are a beloved tradition in Russian cuisine. Made in large batches and then frozen for later consumption, pelmeni has also been featured prominently in literature and films in Russia, including Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel Master and Margarita as well as Russian musician Zemfira’s song titled “Pelmeni,” recalling them fondly as homey memories.
To create pelmeni, begin by rolling out a portion of dough onto a flour-dusted surface and rolling it into a 1″-diameter long snake before cutting it into circles of approximately 1/32″ thickness. Fill each process with one teaspoon of filling before folding its edges over to seal them shut.
If you want to prepare the pelmeni immediately, bring a large pot of water to a boil with salt before dropping it and simmering it until it floats to the top of the pool.
Koryushka
St Petersburg restaurants and cafes know it’s spring when trays of katyusha (smelt) arrive – this tiny river fish with an aquatic scent that reminds many people of cucumbers spawns each May on the Neva River, becoming an obsession for many residents.
Legend has it that Koryushka influenced Peter the Great’s decision to establish this city in 1703, as Peter believed locating near an abundance of these fish could reduce starvation during a famine. These hearty little fishes can be fried, smoked, salted, or canned.
Hot push from St Petersburg is the ideal treat to accompany any cup of coffee – an airy little ring of dough sprinkled with sugar offers comfort food with every bite!
Cabbage Rolls
These tasty rolls, known locally as sarmale or kielbasa in the Moldovan dialect, are a delicious national delicacy. Stuffed with cabbage leaves or grape leaves (known locally as kozlabia), they’re served warm with sour cream as part of Moldova’s culinary offerings and represent an essential element in their cuisine.
According to Tried & True, the original recipe came from Turkish cooks and spread across Eastern Europe before reaching Sweden, where they are known as “kaldolmen.” Swedish cabbage rolls differ by using barberries for a more tart flavor instead of lingonberries for an equally delicious experience.
Kaldolmen requires some work but is worth every minute spent making it yourself. Boil a whole head of cabbage until soft before stuffing it with ground meat, rice, and vegetables for your homemade version of this tasty treat!
Blini
Blini, similar to small pancakes, are an integral part of Russian cuisine. You’ll find sweet or savory versions, making the ideal carrier for an array of toppings. While traditionally yeast-risen versions offer their distinctive flavor, modern recipes often call for them to be prepared using baking powder as the leavening instead.
Blini are also an integral part of Russia’s traditional Maslenitsa festival (or Butter Pancake Week), held during the last week before Lent and celebrated with music, food, family gatherings, snowball fights, and snowball fights. Blini can be made using wheat or buckwheat flour; wheat flour-made blini is the most popular in Russia. They’re typically served stuffed with butter, sour cream, jam, or caviar fillings.
Kvass
Kvass is a fermented beverage produced from bread that undergoes natural fermentation. Depending on its ingredients (wheat, rye, or barley), it may be flavored with raisins, berries, or vegetables for extra flair. Once considered the staple summertime beverage in Russia, it has since become a household favorite and is used as the basis for cold soups such as okroshka, bovine, and Surya.
Bakeries that produce kvass typically use stale sourdough rye bread and allow it to ferment over several days; once popular among peasants, soldiers, infirmaries, hospitals, and regimental infirmaries until 1905, when hospitals switched over to tea production. Since then, some high-end restaurants are again producing this drink – offering it with mustard, black pepper, or pickle brine for an unforgettable flavor experience!
Khachapuri
Khachapuri (Georgian: khachapuri, from ‘curd’ and puri ‘bread’) is a leavened bread molded into various shapes before being filled with cheese and sometimes an egg before baking. This dish resembles pizza but adds Georgian flair since tomatoes were not imported until the 16th century.
Adjara, Georgia’s Black Sea coast region renowned for its palm tree-lined beaches and Turkish influence, is where this dish first became infamous and exotic. The dough is usually formed into boat/gondola shapes before its raised edges are torn off to be used to dip into molten suluguni curds (suluguuni imeruli) and runny egg yolk.
Imeruli khachapuri may not be as widely recognized, but its delicious taste is against any version from Adjara. This variation features an enclosed flatbread filled with salty brined cheese from Samegrelo that has the texture of mozzarella but boasts similar flavors as feta.
Kissel
Kissel is a delicious dessert enjoyed across Russia, Poland, Scandinavian countries, and Belarus. Made with cooked-down berries and sugar thickened with cornstarch, this treat can be served in several ways, from thick drinks to dessert soup – you could even add coffee and chocolate into its composition!
Kissel can provide numerous health benefits and be an all-natural remedy against colds, bronchitis, gastritis, and diarrhea. Furthermore, it helps remove salts from heavy metals with a diuretic effect and has antimicrobial qualities. However, one must remember that Kissel contains preservatives, which may cause digestive issues in high doses, so it is best consumed only when freshly prepared by oneself.
