Cafe Pushkin Review (Moscow, Russian Federation)

The Cafe Pushkin in Moscow is arguably the best restaurant in town. Although it looks very classic, this restaurant is new to the Moscow scene as it only opened back in 1999. This place was actually made up by French singer Gilbert Becaud in the famous 1964 song "Nathalie" where Becaud talks about going to "Cafe Pushkin". It is rumored that many French tourists would want to pay a visit to Cafe Pushkin when in Moscow only to realize that the place did not exist. Finally, in 1999, Andrey Dellos gave life to this mythical place by opening a real Cafe Pushkin on Tverskoy boulevard where the food is influenced by both Russian and French cuisines.

The cafe consists of two different sitting areas: the Drugstore or Pharmacy Hall and the Library Hall. The former is supposedly a bit more casual than the latter. The pictures featured in this post were taken at the Library Hall. Here are some pictures of the menu and food:

I decided to have the roasted marrow bones for starters and was not disappointed, it was exquisite!

Of course, the tourist in me can't go to a restaurant in Moscow with taking a picture of a Borsch:

And delicious pickles:

 Grilled marinated lamb with bacon and herbs: tender and tasty

 Roasted leg of wild turkey with potato fritters and gherkins: great combination for this extremely tender cut of turkey:

 And finally profiteroles with caramel sauce: I just loved it:

The Library Hall at night:

All in all, dinner at Cafe Pushkin was a wonderful experience in a very classic and upscale setting. Pay attention when you sit down as the waiters will rush you to order a glass of champagne. Keep in mind that champagne is very expensive in Russia: US$40 for a glass of Moet & Chandon and US$130 for a glass of Dom Perignon.