Food feast of Afisha Eda (Афиша: Праздник Еды)

I spent this whole Saturday at the Food feast (Праздник Еды) - food festival, organized by Alexey Zimin and Afisha Eda magazine in Moscow for the first time this year. When I found about the event a week or two ago and looked through the agenda I was amazed. All day was filled up with master classes of some of the most interesting Moscow chefs - Ivan Shishkin of Delicatessen restaurant, Isaac Correa, Suki Maman of Upside down cake and Montalto pizza, Iyia Shalev of Ragout etc. as well as Alexey Zimin himself. I new I had to be there whatever happens.

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Le Pain Quotidien Moscow bakery

Since I started working several weeks ago Le Pain Quotidien (Хлеб насущный) bakery has become a place of my almost permanent residence. It is a brilliant international bakery originating from Brussels. Since they opened in Moscow I loved their shops for their beautiful fresh (mostly Italian) bread and no least beautiful fresh salads and appetizers served with it.
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Sweet home Moscow cafe

I met my friend a couple of days ago and she suggested we go to the Sweet home cafe. That was my first time to the place. It turned out to be quite a new cafe on Myasnitskaya street right next to MuMu restaurant, I frequented while I was still an undergrad student at HSE. The place is nice, but it's more about the setting than about the food.
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Upside down cake Moscow bakery

Yesterday I was meeting a friend and she suggested we check out the Upside down cake Moscow bakery. I felt really lucky with this finding. We spent 2.5 hours there and since then I can't help thinking about when I'm going back to try more desserts.
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Orloffsky hleb (Орлоffский хлеб) Moscow bakery

Since I tried my last almond croissant in Paul bakery I got more lucky. I found Orloffsky hleb (Орлоffский хлеб) bakery on Novyy Arbat by chance. It is not very visible, so I'd probably never know about if I didn't pass by. I knew I had to try their pastry as soon as I entered.
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Moscow restaurants guide

It's fine with Italian restaurants in Moscow. Good French, Spanish, Chinese or Japanese places are harder to find. Picking a right Indian or Thai restaurant can be really hard. If you are an expat in Moscow, plan travelling to Moscow or simply live in Moscow, here’s are the restaurants that might be of interest to you. These are simply places I like and keep visiting. Browse the list below or read the blog posts about Moscow restaurants. For interesting cafes and bakeries, check out the Moscow cafes and bakeries guide.
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Moscow cafes and bakeries guide

To me Moscow is the city of cafes and bakeries. It is packed with small and large "kofeynya's" (the name we use most often to describe these places) with pretty cake vitrines, small tables, espresso, cappuccino etc. Some of them belong to huge chains, some are stand alone. Some are completely disappointing and some are welcoming and delicious. The thing I love about these is that they are comfortable and informal. You are welcome for breakfast, lunch or even midnight snack if you wish.
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Nash hleb (Наш хлеб) Moscow bakery

Once I saw Nash hleb (Наш хлеб) bakery next to Cinnabon on Arbat I knew I'll have to check it out sooner or later. Looks like I'm starting to get seriously interested in finding good bakeries in Moscow. Yesterday night I went in and set down for a cup of really nice cappuccino. I couldn't find the web site of Nash hleb but it looks like they might be part of my favorite Le Pain Quitidien.
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Almond croissants in Moscow bakeries

Since I came back from France I'm in search of good almond croissants in Moscow bakeries. I got addicted to these delicious puff pastry pieces filled with soft almond paste as soon as I tried one in a Fontainebleau bakery next to my house. Especially I loved "pain au chocolat aux amandes" (another piece of puff pastry filled with marzipan and chocolate). I can't tell how amazing they are when freshly baked and still warm. At the same time they normally look completely careless and do not attract those who don't know about their taste.
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Prime Star Moscow cafe: English tea and carrot cake

I was passing by Prime Star and went in to get something for breakfast. After looking at the sweets I decided on the carrot cake. Almost every time I come to this cafe I end up taking it. When I was going to ask for a cappuccino I noticed an ad on their wall. It was offering "English tea" (Earl Grey or Darjeeling with milk).
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Cinnabon Moscow bakery: life needs frosting?

Yesterday I commented on Максим Сырников's post about blini with my orange crepes. Unexpectedly I got convicted in using his blog to promote "some fast food chain" (Creperie de Paris, mentioned in my post I suppose). I wasn't really promoting any "fast food" yesterday. Today I am.
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Coffee bean Moscow cafe - Pokrovka branch moved

I recently found from a friend that my favorite Coffee bean on Pokrovka street changed its location. In 2005 my university classmate took me there. Coffee bean was almost the place of her permanent residence. Whenever she was upset or just wanted to skip a class she always ended up there, in the noisy, light and friendly hall of Pokrovka Coffee bean.
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Gogol-Mogol Moscow cafe

For yesterday lunch I met my mom to visit Gogol-Mogol a Moscow cafe she found recently. Male part of the family skipped as they do not go to "you girly cafes". It's located near Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on Gagarinsky pereulok 6. It's been a long time since I had such a nice finding.
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Beard papa's Moscow bakery cream puffs

I found about Beard papa's last winter after they opened their first Moscow shop on Gogolevsky bulvard 6. The Japanese making something very French (puffs filled with vanilla cream)... the idea sounded a bit weird at first. They were so good though! Light and crispy dough. The cream is cool, smooth and very rich with its natural vanilla aroma.
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Coffee bean Moscow cafe - my sweet home

I can't tell you how much I missed this place. I've never been especially consistent with restaurants and cafes I go to, but I keep coming back to Coffee bean one for several years. I come out to the pretty Pjatnitskaya street. Crispy winter is around me. I used to complain so much about Moscow cold. Now it's the first time in many years that I notice how beautiful the snowy winter is.
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