Mari Vanna St Petersburg

Mari Vanna in St. Petersburg is a truly exceptional restaurant that I had the pleasure of visiting twice. The food here is outstanding, and I would like to give special thanks to the chef for the incredible flavors. Nowhere have I tasted a better "Herring under a Fur Coat" than at Mari Vanna. The same goes for their "Medovik" and "Napoleon" cakes—absolutely divine. The fried potatoes with wild mushrooms brought back childhood memories with their comforting, familiar taste. Every dish on the menu deserves a five-star rating. The interior adds to the experience, evoking the atmosphere of a "thieves' den" from the iconic Soviet film The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed. It feels as though if you turn around, you might see the character Promokashka at a nearby table, or Volodya Sharapov playing the piano. This unique ambiance, combined with the exquisite food, makes Mari Vanna a place you don’t just dine at—you experience it. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting St. Petersburg.

Blast from the past! For those familiar with the Soviet era this place is a must to visit! Conveniently located just north of Vassilievsky island the restaurant offers many delicious and relatively affordable sit down food options, mostly from the aforementioned era. Highly, highly recommended for a Russian citizen and expat alike

This place is literally a tourist trap. They drag you in off the street and sit you down in this pimped-up supposedly historic parlour. Unfortunately my wife liked the place with its family photos on the walls, gingham tablecloths and twiddly dolls house furniture. The grumpy red-nosed old dad who takes your coats seems to hate his job and hates foreigners (who are his main customers). The food was actually quite good (especially the pancakes) but the same traditional country fare you can eat elsewhere in the area at half the price. Unfortunately they are listed in the Eyewitness Guide. We eschewed the overpriced drinks in favour of still water but found at the end we'd been charged $10 for a small bottle of water! The waitress is adept at sticking her chest out. The waiter fancies himself as a bit of a lothario. The photos are interesting. The furnishings I found nauseating. I doubt many Russians ever lived like this. Entertaining and a good photo-opportunity but be prepared to be fleeced.

My husband and I stopped here for an impromptu lunch after a visit to the Peter and Paul fortress, because I'd read online that they were one of the best spots to get dumplings in the city. We loved the decor, homey and eclectic, even the bathrooms which were lined with books. The service was good, and the food was delicious! We both had soup since it was a cold day, I had the pea soup with ham which was warming and comforting. We followed that with some crispy duck pastries that were very tasty, and the siberian dumplings which were the highlight of the meal! Tender and full of flavour, we loved these bite-sized treats, especially with the accompanying sour cream. I ended on a high note with the divine rhubarb pie, full of sweet rhubarb and with the most delicious cakey buttery crust. Loved it! I wish we'd had time to return for another meal during our stay, a shame we didn't find this place until our second to last day in the city!