Literary Cafe in St. Petersburg is located almost on the Moika Embankment. This is an amazing institution, which stores the cultural heritage of the Northern capital. Once there was a pastry shop, where creative celebrities often visited, now there is a restaurant that attracts many, occupying two whole floors. At the first level, guests will find a grand cafe, and in total there are four rooms at the disposal of visitors, in each of which you can hear live music.
The menu presents classic Russian cuisine, desserts according to old recipes. On the second level is a restaurant in the best traditions of the 19th century.
Institution History
The Literary Cafe in St. Petersburg is worth a visit to everyone who loves domestic culture, admires the beauty and architecture of the Northern capital.
At the beginning of the XIX century on this site there was a confectionery Beranger and Wolf, which was famous throughout the city. Famous writers and poets met regularly in it, Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin himself was here. It is believed that it was from here that he went to the fateful duel on the Black River.
In general, the history of the Literary Cafe in St. Petersburg dates back to 1741, when the building in which it is located passed to the tailor Johann Neumann. If the house is not architecturally interesting, then the history of the people who have been here deserves attention. It was here that for the first time in St. Petersburg a wax museum was opened, however, it lasted only a year. Neumann himself was selling amazing stone services.
Over time, the building became the decoration of the city center. To do this, the architect Stasov tried, who designed the majestic portico, four columned loggias appeared in the corners. By that time, the house already belonged to Kotomin. It was then on the corner that same candy store opened, which became one of the most famous on the whole Nevsky Prospect.
Towards the middle of the 19th century, a bookstore appeared on the second floor, and the famous Eliseev family led the trade, until it built a separate building on the same Nevsky Prospekt, which, incidentally, was very grandiose.
In 1846, in order to expand the sidewalk, the portico and loggias were removed from the building, after which it immediately seemed to fall out of the Pushkin era. Only a few decades ago he was restored to its former charm. As a result of large-scale reconstruction, the porticoes were restored, some details of the decor were returned.
Institution Concept
Most visitors are attracted to the second floor of the Literary Cafe in St. Petersburg. It is made in the style of the best restaurant salons that existed in Russia in the 19th century. These are the very institutions that were so loved and appreciated by domestic aristocrats.
Every evening from 19 to 23 hours live music sounds for visitors - this is an accordion, piano, double bass, trumpet.
A distinctive feature of the entire institution are dishes of national Russian cuisine, as well as French delights, which were loved by the nobles in the century before last. Most of the dishes here are prepared exclusively according to the recipes of the Pushkin pore.
It is believed that the Literary Cafe in St. Petersburg is an original combination of Russian cuisine and culture with a modern level of comfort and service, the romantic traditions of the city on the Neva, its unique atmosphere of antiquity.
How to get there
In this article, we will talk in detail about where the Literary Cafe is located in St. Petersburg, which transport is better to use to get here. Many travelers will come here on the way, taking a break while exploring vibrant city attractions. The address of the Literary Cafe in St. Petersburg is Nevsky Prospekt 18.
This is the very center of the city, the restaurant is located on the embankment of the Moika River. Walking distance from here is Alexander Garden, Giant's House, St. Isaac's Square, Kazan Cathedral, St. Petersburg Book House, Mikhailovsky Garden.
If you are looking for information on how to get to the Literary Cafe in St. Petersburg using public transport, then know that it will be most convenient to use the subway. The station closest to the restaurant is called Admiralteyskaya.
Menu
Restaurant "Literary cafe" in St. Petersburg is ready to offer visitors a varied menu. You will definitely be advised to start a meal in this restaurant with cold appetizers. Here you will find a mixture of barrel pickles from sauerkraut, wild garlic, garlic, pickles, tomatoes with pickled red onions (for 290 rubles). Mini herring sandwiches with butter and boiled potatoes, baked beets with fried porcini mushrooms and a pear will cost the same price.
Believe me, not only the photo of the Literary Cafe in St. Petersburg will amaze you, in real life it is no worse. Particularly surprising menu. It was written here in the style and traditions of the 19th century, with the same vocabulary and spelling that existed during the time of Pushkin.
The waiter will definitely advise you to try carpaccio from artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella or from raw smoked Yamal venison with baked apples and sea buckthorn oil - 590 rubles each.
A separate place in the menu of the institution is occupied by a section with caviar, as was customary in the 19th century. For 690 rubles you can taste the Ladoga pike caviar. Baikal omul caviar will cost 940 rubles, salmon fish - 980 rubles, and Volga sterlet - 6 400 rubles. If you believe the feedback from visitors about the Literary Cafe in St. Petersburg, it makes sense to order a tasting caviar assortment to try everything at a time that is presented in this section. But you need to be prepared for the fact that this position in the menu will cost you 8,200 rubles.
Caviar is necessarily served with pancakes, butter, sour cream and fresh herbs.
Salads
You can always make an impression of any institution by the salads that guests offer in it. Respectable restaurants must include several author's and original recipes in the menu along with well-known and well-known classics.
In the Literary Cafe, you will be advised to try Petrovsky salad with tongue, pickles and bacon, baked apples and sour cream under vegetable oil (430 rubles), Gourmet salad with trout, shrimp, avocado, grapefruit, red onion and tomato ( 750 rubles), a warm salad with fried brie cheese, herbs, orange, sweet peppers with sesame dressing (630 rubles).
The special pride of this section is the Olivier salad according to the recipe of Lucien Olivier of 1860 with red caviar, quail, shrimp and veal for 750 rubles.
Hot snack
Of the hot snacks in this restaurant are ready to offer you:
- buckwheat porridge with mushrooms, onions and sour cream under a bread cap (310 rubles),
- mushroom julienne from oyster mushrooms and mushrooms (440 rubles),
- foie gras with pear and ginger sauce, fresh berries, fried celery and young herbs (990 rubles),
- tiger prawns in honey-mustard sauce, served in the French style with herbs (1,240 rubles).
First meal
If you came to the Literary Cafe for a full dinner, then be sure to try the first dishes. The waiter will advise you on mushroom soup with mushrooms and sour cream (310 rubles) or duck noodles with poached egg (390 rubles).
In addition to the classic hodgepodge (440 rubles), you can taste traditional Russian dishes:
- borsch with domestic duck, beans, porcini mushrooms and prunes (390 rubles),
- Spinach and sorrel Botvinnik with crayfish and poached egg (390 rubles).
Particularly popular here are daily cabbage soup with beef, which is served in a clay pot (440 rubles), as well as salmon and pike perch seasoned with fresh herbs (540 rubles).
Fish delicacies
In the century before last, in Russia, fish dishes prepared from the domestic catch were in high esteem. So in the "Literary Cafe" you can try several items that are rarely found in the menu of other institutions.
This is Murmansk cod with baked potato cream puree with cream sauce, pike caviar and poached egg (640 rubles), pikeperch fillet in champagne with green peas, mint and onion puree (650 rubles), fried salmon with chopped stewed cabbage and sauce from blue cheese (1 390 rubles).
Meat on the second
The main course of each dinner was, of course, meat. In Russia of the 19th century they knew how to cook and loved it, there were original recipes. For example, fire patties. They are made here according to an original recipe with potatoes, fried mushrooms and berry sauce (720 rubles). For 490 rubles you will taste the classic Demidov cutlets from the meat of young boars and bulls with celery, crushed potatoes, parmesan, slices of bacon and lingonberry sauce.
For 840 rubles you will be served the famous beef stroganoff with mashed potatoes, steamed turnips, pumpkin, asparagus stalks and fried celery root. A special delicacy is the Yamal venison fillet, cooked in a special marinade with mashed pear and baked apples (890 rubles), beef rhomsteak with crispy crust and a side dish of fried mushrooms (1,250 rubles).
For a special occasion, you can order a rack of lamb with grilled vegetables and lingonberries for 1 990 rubles.
Dessert
Our aristocratic ancestors, no matter how plentiful the dinner, preferred to end it with special desserts. An amazing variety of goodies is presented in the menu of the Literary Cafe.
Here you will find:
- apple pie (190 rubles),
- eclair (240 rubles),
- beetroot cake with rosemary served with sea buckthorn jelly (240 rubles),
- souffle "Delight" from sweet Italian cheese, jelly from fresh berries (310 rubles),
- “Napoleon” cake from puff pastry with fresh berries (330 rubles).
In addition to the above, there are:
- the famous Pavlova dessert with cloudberries, caramelized pumpkin, sea buckthorn (340 rubles),
- sweet baked pear stuffed with granular cottage cheese with berries and caramel (350 rubles),
- Gogol nut cake with a double cream of cocoa and cognac (380 rubles),
- an apple baked in puff pastry with prunes and vanilla, (390 rubles),
- Chocolate muffin with honey-nut paste, garnished with fresh berries and vanilla ice cream.
Reviews
In reviews of the Literary Cafe in St. Petersburg, visitors note that they often go here on occasion. Indeed, the institution regularly organizes creative evenings dedicated to the works of domestic writers and poets. The restaurant is great for holding such events, and the audience gathers accordingly.
An amazing evening can be spent on Akhmatova’s favorite poems with hodgepodge and grog. Special attention in the reviews of the Literary Cafe in St. Petersburg deserves an exquisite presentation of dishes. Service and maintenance are always at a high level.
Many specifically seek to visit this place in St. Petersburg in order to enjoy the noisy companies inspired by the latest literature. Everything is lively and colorful. Here you can order just coffee and dessert and enjoy the Pushkin atmosphere. For example, there are truly divine eclairs and a baked pear, which is liked by all visitors without exception. Particularly pleased with live music, tunes in a pleasant and romantic way. So some recommend going here on a first date. In this case, it is highly likely that you will remember it for life.
Of the minuses, guests note somewhat overpriced, noise, too long waiting for dishes. The latter is considered unacceptable for institutions of this level, so the owners promise to reform.