Simple, but at the same time, exquisite Italian cuisine has always been close to the Russian soul, and more precisely, to the stomach (after all, this is obviously the shortest path to the heart). The traditional menu plays a role, and just associations, because Italy is the sun, wine, positive, fun. That is why Moscow is replete with various institutions (restaurants, bars and cafes), which in their own way beat this topic.
The competition among such holiday destinations is just crazy, especially in the center of the capital. Some of them are literally in the neighborhood, others are just on the opposite side of the street. By the way, this is convenient for visitors: if there are no empty seats or something doesn’t suit you at one of the establishments, and you don’t want to give up gastronomic plans, you can simply cross the road.
Il Forno (Moscow): location
This is a chain of 4 restaurants, three of which are located in the capital of Russia, and one in Astana. In Moscow, these institutions are located in iconic places. The first of the restaurants was “registered” in the historical center of the capital on 8/10 Neglinnaya Street, the second took root on Ostozhenka, 3/14 - one of the most expensive streets in Moscow, and the third is in front of the Ukraina Hotel on 2/1 Kutuzovsky Prospekt.
Restaurant on Neglinnaya
The location is more than successful, because this street is the center of the tourist route. Accordingly, there are many foreigners.
A restaurant in the Meshchansky district is ready to serve customers from 8 am from Monday to Friday, and on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00. Every day, work ends at midnight. Il Forno has two halls, which are located on the first and second floors: the lower one seats 35 people, the upper one can accommodate 60.
Greens in bright red pots in front of the entrance as if inviting to go inside. The institution looks very cozy, especially in the evening outside thanks to a glass door and plenty of light inside.
As for the interior, in this case the form perfectly matches the content and emphasizes the charm of Italian haute cuisine. Large windows, comfortable furniture in bright colors immediately set in a major mood. From square colored pillows, funny pictures on gastronomic themes, it simply shows through with positive. Solid wooden tables are not burdened with tablecloths. Many spices in transparent containers adorn the bar. The wine theme was also remarkably beaten: bottles of dark glass stand on shelves along the walls. Paintings and photographs depicting pasta or pizza are an appetite. Creative yellow oval lights fill the room with warmth and cordiality. There is no excessive pomposity, but there is a refined simplicity.
Restaurant "Il Forno" on Ostozhenka
The schedule is the same as that of his "brother" on Neglinnaya. Unlike other nearby restaurants, which usually open their doors only at 11:00, you can have a delicious and satisfying breakfast, thereby setting yourself up for positive on the eve of a busy day, which makes many regular customers.
True, this Italian restaurant in the center of Moscow is slightly larger than the other two: both halls are designed for 110 seats.
The interior here is almost the same as on the Meshchanka. But since the halls are larger in size, this seems less comfortable for many guests, and they prefer to spend time on Neglinnaya.
Restaurant on Kutuzovsky
This pizzeria restaurant begins its work at 11:00, and ends at midnight. Its capacity is 95 people. At rush hour, guests can sit on the summer terrace.
The local interior is more restrained than on Ostozhenka or Neglinnaya. All the same pastel colors prevail here, but with the dominance of cappuccino color in the upholstery and in imitations of brickwork on the wall. Tiled columns and a stove are designed in the same gamut.
Concept
The institution positions itself as a restaurant-pizzeria, which is what the sign says. Of course, this place is fully consistent with the declared name. The creators of the institution wanted to combine the chic of the restaurant with the democratic pizzeria. And they succeeded. There is no excess pathos and glamor, but there is no hint of any cheapness. Therefore, the institution is equally suitable for business lunches and evening gatherings with a noisy company of friends. And family celebrations with children on weekends will be unforgettable.
There is absolutely everything that contributes to success and popularity on the gastronomic field: a delicious and satisfying national menu in the author's processing, a cozy atmosphere created by modern design and relaxing Italian music of the sixties, virtuoso chefs who prepare their masterpieces in front of customers. Italian restaurants in Moscow, whose rating is quite high, can not always boast of the presence of a wood-burning stove, and here it is the highlight of the program. Here for an hour or two you can escape from the rainy Moscow weather and imagine yourself somewhere on the Mediterranean coast.
Restaurant Chips
Since the competition among such establishments is just going wild, everyone wants to attract visitors with something special that others do not. What makes Il Forno stand out from other Italian restaurants? First of all, an unforgettable culinary and acrobatic show. It is impossible to take your eyes off of how the best chef (or, as he is called, pizza pizza) spins huge circles of dough, reaching a diameter of one meter, like a feather.
A trip to a restaurant with children will be not only tasty, but also useful. Young guests will be able to learn the basics of the art of working with dough in the school of a small pizza pizza: stretch it without a rolling pin, combine different fillings, and also serve guests.
Main menu: salads and snacks
As befits an Italian restaurant, you can’t do without pizza, pasta and risotto. Also, separate items in the main menu are salads, side dishes, hot and cold meat snacks, seafood, grilled meat and fish, soups, homemade desserts. All dishes of European cuisine are adapted to the gastronomic preferences of Muscovites and guests of the capital.
The list of salads opens with a special dish called IL Forno (it includes a mix: salad, green pepper, red onion, tomatoes, royal olives, cucumbers and homemade sauce). There is Caesar with chicken breast or shrimp to choose from, and Caprese with traditional ingredients.
Roman salad and arugula with tiger prawns are also often ordered. But for fans of experiments, chefs have three suggestions. These are warm salads with veal or octopus, as well as crab and avocado tian. True, they cost almost twice as much as Caesar or Caprese, but they come here not to save money.
The highlight of cold snacks are Italian antipasti (tomatoes, olives, artichokes, mozzarella, prosciutto), which decorate the table unmatched. They can start not only any meal, but also an acquaintance with Italian cuisine in general. Also, lovers of meat dishes will enjoy carpaccio with beef or veal to choose from.
In addition to oysters and Sakhalin shrimps, the sea bar will surprise with tartar from salmon or tuna and dorado in different interpretations.
Hot meat and fish snacks are one of the most successful menu items. Tuna fillet with baked pepper, chopped beef steak with potato cream and truffle, Moroccan chicken with couscous, salmon fillet with vegetables, octopus tentacles in tomato sauce - and this is not a complete list.
You can order grilled halibut, dorado, sea bass, rack of lamb, Sakhalin scallops, king prawns. And all this will cook the best chef of the institution.
Soups, pasta, side dishes
Among the first courses, the most popular is tomato soup with mozzarella.
Varieties of pasta just run their eyes, and it’s very difficult to make a choice: here are the usual spaghetti, and tagliatelle, and tagliolini, and linguine, and bucatini. Risotto is presented in several positions (with truffle cream, seafood or sun-dried tomatoes).
Side dishes are mostly standard (rice, boiled and baked potatoes, grilled vegetables, porcini mushrooms, stewed spinach, steamed broccoli).
Dessert
Sweet tooth will be delighted to see such a variety of goodies in the menu: cheesecake, milf, honey cake, tiramisu, marshmallows, meringues - and this is not the whole track record of confectioners of this institution. You can also order a fruit plate and assorted berries.
Special offers
Breakfasts are closer to traditional Russian cuisine: there is an omelette made from eggs, pancakes, oatmeal, buckwheat with milk, and cottage cheese pancakes. Anyone who wants to feel in sunny Italy can order a toast with veal roast beef or salmon, a croissant with ham, cheese and tomatoes.
This network of restaurants in Moscow offers a children's menu, which is not only useful and varied, but also has a creative presentation. Even the most fastidious customers will not be able to refuse a children's burger with a beef patty, Fish and Chips snacks, tempura shrimps with potato emoticons, chicken skewers with french fries and cherry tomatoes, broccoli penna and grana padana.
Also, with a minimum order of 1,500 rubles, food delivery in the city is free.
Pizza
She deserves special attention. The menu has about 20 items for every taste. Not all the best Italian restaurants in Moscow can boast such a variety. In addition to the traditional Margarita and Neapolitano, the restaurant offers pizza with artichokes, truffles or seafood. "Italy" will appeal to those who love the dominant taste of tomatoes, "Diabolo" - to those who are not afraid of the thrill that chili peppers will provide. Anyone who wants something unusual can order "Calzone" - a closed pizza.
Also, for lovers of unusual combinations of products, Il Forno will offer pizza with pear and gorgonzola, tuna and artichokes, salmon and tomatoes.
The most popular positions are Four Seasons (tomatoes, mozzarella, ham, champignons, olives, peppers, artichokes) and Gigante Mysta. The visitor chooses the ingredients for the second one from the proposed options, for example, you can take either grano padano, or salami, etc. But this name is not given in vain: its diameter reaches half a meter, and the filling is distributed unevenly. Each portion piece is beaten in a special way: on one will be laid salmon with champignons, on the other - olives and ham. So who wants to try different combinations of tastes, can safely order "Giant".
In Ile Forno, the famous Mediterranean dish is cooked exclusively in a wood-fired oven, and its taste is radically different from the same, but from the oven. An additional offer from the restaurant is pizza made on rye dough. Each visitor can choose either this option or the traditional one. True, rye pizza costs 100 rubles more.
Service Features
Cold snacks here are made from under the knife, so they will need to wait a bit. But Italy is Italy, it teaches you not to rush anywhere and enjoy a measured life. Although these are cooking features, the staff themselves are very efficient, and even when there’s nowhere to drop an apple in the hall, the waiters cope very quickly.
Although the restaurant "Il Forno" is designed for fairly well-off customers, it is encouraging that the staff treat all visitors without too much snobbery.
Reviews
It is interesting that if guests talk about the shortcomings of the restaurant, then this in no way affects the quality of the food itself. On the contrary, many enthusiastic guests, describing their impressions of the kitchen, use the adjectives "amazing", "delicious to the point of insanity," "just a jumble" and others. Pizza and pasta are especially praised, many boldly say that they cook here most deliciously in the city.
This place has become a landmark for many foreigners, and for those who visited Italy. It allows you to truly plunge into the magical world of the Mediterranean. Most grateful guests note that this restaurant is included in the best Italian restaurants in Moscow. Of course, there is one “but”: pricing policy. The average bill is 3,000 rubles. Although almost all guests say that it is worth it.
But what they openly complain about is cramped: it seems to many that the tables are too tight. However, despite this, the restaurant is almost always crowded, and it is advisable to reserve a table in advance so that there are no uncomfortable moments. It is necessary to take into account the complexity of the parking: the center, after all.
So, is it worth going to Il Forno? The answer is unequivocal: by all means. A genuine love of Italy is born there.