Where to Eat, Sleep and Shop in St. Petersburg, Russia

Plus:

Classic Russian Cuisine in St. Petersburg

Hotel

Grand Hotel Europe

This historic hotel has 301 plush rooms with amenities like heated bathroom floors. The Caviar Bar is terrific; the breakfast buffet is legendary.

Restaurants

Stolle

This café, which is part of a chain, serves amazing Slavic pies with fillings ranging from lingonberry to rabbit.

Chekhov

Across the Neva River from the historic city center, Chekhov restaurant specializes in carefully researched 19th-century Russian recipes. Don’t miss the airy pirozhki (pies).

Podvorye

Despite the log-cabin setting, this country restaurant has some of Russia’s best traditional cooking, plus brilliant infused vodkas and jams. It’s an ideal pit stop for those visiting the Catherine Palace.

Shops

Chocolate Museum (Muzei Shokolada)

This ornate shop sells whimsical figurines made of chocolate (including Lenin busts) and French-style cognac-spiked truffles.

Imperial Porcelain Manufactory

The prices and selection here justify the expense of the taxi ride to the outskirts of St. Petersburg; there’s also a small, fascinating museum upstairs.

Tsarskoye Selo Amber Workshop

This store, run by the artisans who restored Catherine Palace’s Amber Room, has museum-worthy pieces at prices to match, as well as affordable jewelry like amber necklaces.

Getting There

Exeter International

America’s top Russia travel specialist helps visitors navigate the country’s arcane visa bureaucracy and books trips and guides. 800-633-1008 or exeterinternational.com.

Published December 2008