Hangout spots near Liden & Denz in Moscow

If you study (or plan to study) Russian at Liden & Denz in Moscow, you should know that there is more to #studentlife beyond having classes! Make sure to get to know your fellow students. Once you are done asking each other why you want to learn this complex Russian language, go hang out after class to have lunch, relax and chat. 

Where can you go? Belorusskaya area is a quite hip neighbourhood, so it is nice to walk around and there are plenty of good cafes nearby. There are both Russian and foreign places. McDonalds’ and Burger King are around too, but it’s better to try something new while in Moscow!

So here are three places I would recommend. It is easy to drop by after class and have a biznes lanch (Бизнес ланч)* there. You can also just have coffee or tea. The main criteria for me is that the places are cozy and suitable for a group of people to gather and talk.

Even if you are not studying, you can still head there if you are near Belorusskaya. All three are within 10 minutes walk from both Belorusskaya metro and the school. Google Maps or Yandex these and you will get there fast.

Cafe Saigon (Кафе Сайгон) a Vietnamese restaurant. You can have a set lunch for 270 rubles. The place is calm so it is easier to talk to people, too. This is an important criteria because it’s always nice to have lunch with classmates and practice some Russian. Choose one main dish + soup + salad + drink, adapted to Vietnamese cuisine. The food is authentic and tasty. If you just want a drink, there are authentic Vietnamese drinks too. I was first tipped about this place by my Russian teacher at school. It was a good tip!

Yakitoriya (Якитория) has a very diverse lunch menu so you can pick and choose and have a lunch that suits your wallet, big or small. You can have a set lunch starting at 245 rubles. Japanese food is popular here in Moscow, and this chain is a case in point. Choose two or more of sushi + soup + salad + main dish + dessert. If you are hungry, you can have one of everything and it will be about 600 rubles. But for half the price you can have a smaller lunch. I can recommend sushi + (Japanese) soup as these two you won’t find as lunch options elsewhere. 

Teremok (Теремок) a popular Russian chain. You can have a set lunch for 270 rubles. Teremok focuses on Russian cuisine, so unlike the other two, this is a very Russian food experience whatever you order. If you are new in Russia, go here first to try local food. Russian pancakes and soup often features on the business lunch menu, so start here. You can also just have some tea, a favourite drink for Russians (more than vodka actually).

A bonus mention goes to FARSH Burger (#FARШ). There is no business lunch here but you can have a burger for lunch. The classic FARSH burger is 290 rubles. The restaurant design is appealing and their burgers taste very good, if also not the most healthy! I still recommend this place as it fulfills the main criteria of having delicious food. 

*A biznes lanch is not in fact a business lunch in the way foreigners may think. People don’t have business meetings over these lunches. Rather, it means lunch for people who are in a hurry in general. You can find these at a good price, since it is a fixed menu for all guests.

Posted by Nick Nguyen

I am Nick from Liden & Denz Saint Petersburg, spending the summer improving my Russian. Follow me on a journey into Russian culture, the beautiful and the strange.