Must-see restaurants in Eastern Europe

  • Delicatessen

    Moscow

    The affable and chatty owners of this place travel the world and experiment with the menu a lot, turning burgers, pizzas and pasta into artfully…

  • Lavka-Lavka

    Moscow

    Welcome to the Russian Portlandia – all the food here is organic and hails from little farms where you can rest assured all the lambs and chickens lived a…

  • Nineteen18

    Vilnius

    Helmed by renowned chef Matas Paulinas, this is one of Lithuania's most memorable dining experiences. The pared-down decor contrasts vividly with the…

  • black truffle mushroom on a wooden table with space for your text.Top view

    Kukuriku

    Kvarner

    At slow-food pioneer Nenad Kukurin's wonderful hotel-restaurant there's no menu, so you need to be prepared to place your trust in the staff. Tell them…

  • Baczewski

    Lviv

    Here's how you compress your Lviv cultural studies into one evening out. Start with Jewish forschmak (herring pate), eased down by Ukrainian nalyvky …

  • Spotykach

    Kyiv

    Spotykach shed its retro-Soviet theme in 2014 and adopted a Ukraininan revolutionary theme, with pictures of Taras Shevchenko and Bohdan Khelmytsky (and…

  • Kanapa

    Kyiv

    Sneak away from the busy uzviz into this beautiful old wooden house with sliding-glass doors overlooking a lush ravine out back. Kanapa serves modern…

  • Banshiki

    St Petersburg

    Attached to a renovated banya (public baths) complex, this is currently the place to sample nostalgic Russian fare at affordable prices. Everything is…

  • Mayka

    Belgrade

    Among Belgrade's slim offerings for vegetarians, here's a gem right in the city centre. Mayka serves up worldly vegetarian specialities in a Serbian way…

  • Ostannya Barikada

    Kyiv

    Hidden in a 'secret bunker' under maidan Nezalezhnosti, this is both a nationalist shrine and one of Kyiv's best restaurants. Everything – from the…

  • Musafir

    Kyiv

    One of Bakhchysaray's best restaurants, Musafir relocated to Kyiv in May 2015. The unmistakable scent of Crimean cooking wafts from the kitchen, where a…

  • Fish i Zeleniš

    Novi Sad

    This character-filled, snug little nook serves up the finest vegetarian and pescatarian meals in northern Serbia. Organic, locally sourced ingredients?…

  • Pekara Trpković

    Belgrade

    The fact that this family business has existed for over a century in Belgrade’s competitive bakery market is quite an achievement. The Serbian tradition…

  • Osteria Pantagruel

    Kyiv

    Kyiv's best Italian restaurant has been around seemingly forever, churning out legendary homemade pasta and risotto in a whitewashed cellar smack next to…

  • Šaran

    Belgrade

    Šaran (meaning 'carp') is rightfully renowned as Zemun's best quayside fish restaurant for its exceptional fish dishes, professional service and welcoming…

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    Konoba Ćatovića Mlini

    Bay of Kotor

    This rustic former mill masquerades as a humble konoba (simple family-run establishment), but they doth protest too much: this is one of Montenegro’s best…

  • Shoti

    Kyiv

    This is modern Georgian cuisine at its finest. Try the fork-whipped egg-and-butter khachapuri (cheese bread) and a shoulder of lamb or charcoal-grilled…

  • Artist

    Bucharest

    Located in a restored, eclectic 1880s villa on posh Calea Victoriei, this is the top fine-dining locale in Bucharest thanks to chef Paul Oppenkamp and his…

  • Little Bay

    Belgrade

    Little wonder locals and visitors have long been singing the praises of this gem: it's one of the most interesting dining experiences in Belgrade. Tuck…

  • Chekhov

    St Petersburg

    Despite a totally nondescript appearance from the street, this restaurant’s charming interior perfectly recalls that of a 19th-century dacha and makes for…

  • Ratusha

    Lviv

    For a bit of tranquil, understated elegance amid the tourist bustle of pl Rynok, head to this oh-so-central European cafe within the town hall. Order from…

  • Green

    Lviv

    Lviv's best vegetarian eatery has a relaxing, spacious dining room where you can tuck into meat-free, vegan and raw food. In the upstairs chill-out area,…

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    Konoba Matejuška

    Split

    This cosy, rustic tavern, in an alleyway minutes from the seafront, specialises in well-prepared seafood – as epitomised in its perfectly cooked fish…

  • Crna Ovca

    Belgrade

    This cheerful and always busy gelato shop sells some of Belgrade's best and boasts some wacky flavours (gorgonzola, peanut butter and chocolate-covered…

  • Caru' cu Bere

    Bucharest

    Despite a decidedly touristy-leaning atmosphere, with peasant-girl hostesses and sporadic traditional song-and-dance numbers, Bucharest’s oldest beerhouse…

  • Bugenvila terrace

    Bugenvila

    Cavtat

    Not just the best place on Cavtat's seafront strip, Bugenvila is one of the culinary trendsetters of the Dalmatian coast. Local ingredients are showcased…

  • The main entrance to the restaurant 360° from Sv. Dominika street

    Restaurant 360°

    Dubrovnik

    Dubrovnik's glitziest restaurant offers fine dining at its best, with flavoursome, beautifully presented, creative cuisine, an impressive wine list and…

  • Kyivska Perepichka

    Kyiv

    A perpetually long queue moves with lightning speed towards a window where two women hand out pieces of fried dough enclosing a mouth-watering sausage…

  • Pantarul sits at the busy Lapad crossroads

    Pantarul

    Dubrovnik

    This breezy bistro aligns its menu with the seasons and has a reputation for exceptional homemade bread, pasta and risotto, alongside the likes of steaks,…

  • Kvartira 30

    Vladivostok

    This fantastic treasure is hidden away in an extremely unlikely location amid a hilltop housing estate. Run by the charming Olga Gurskaya, who also uses…

  • Hotel Tutto Restaurant

    Mavrovo National Park

    The owner of Tutto is a founding member of North Macedonia's Slow Food organisation, and his enthusiasm for local produce is infused in the restaurant…

  • Iris New Balkan Cuisine

    Belgrade

    Belgrade's best foodie bang for the buck is this newcomer clandestinely occupying a 1st-floor apartment south of the old train station. Courses from the…

  • Buter Brodsky

    St Petersburg

    Shabby chic has never looked so good as it does at this cafe-bar dedicated to the poet Joseph Brodsky (the name is a pun on buterbrod, the Russian word…

  • Letna Bavča Kaneo

    Ohrid

    Of the three terrace restaurants by the water at Kaneo, this one is the best – the atmosphere is right, the food is fantastic and the service professional…

  • Ribarsko Selo

    Bay of Kotor

    Wherever you're staying and whatever you're doing, make a stop at Ribarsko Selo a priority. Less a mere eatery than an all-encompassing experience, this…

  • Soma Book Station

    Pristina

    Soma is a local institution among the young, and nearly all visitors to Pristina end up here at some point. The shady garden hums with activity at…

  • Restoran Abas

    Northern Montenegro

    Don't be put off by the alarming intergalactic-castle exterior; this is possibly the best restaurant in Montenegro's north. Inside, its elegant decor sets…

  • NOA

    Tallinn

    It's worth the trek out to the far side of Pirita to reach this top-notch waterside restaurant, which consistently backs up its elevated reputation…

  • Onufri

    Berat

    In the pretty village-like cobbled streets of the kalaja (fortress), Onufri is the closest you'll get to a homestyle Albanian feast without actually…

  • Teplo

    St Petersburg

    This much-feted, eclectic and original restaurant has got it all just right. The venue itself is a lot of fun to nose around, with multiple small rooms,…