Brera, Alexander Oganezov's New Restaurant, Has Opened

An antique restaurant in the style of Italian palazzos, with collectible interior details, a domed ceiling painted with frescoes, and a triptych mosaic with folkloric scenes on the theme of fertility and the power of fire. With a wood-fired oven at the heart of the kitchen, a vertical wine list — as is customary in Italy — skillful cocktails, and an extensive menu by Ruslan Polyakov, Luigi Magni, and Nicanor Vieira.

Brera is a composite image of Italy. Utterly varied — bohemian, like the Brera quarter of the same name in the historic center of Milan; refined, like the fashionable streets of Rome, steeped in the spirit of La Belle Époque, like Venice or Bologna; and sunny, joyful, the kind that stops time, like Sicily. The restaurant is marked by a marble plaque typical of centuries-old Italian buildings. It announces that a new island of beauty and art, Via Brera, has appeared on Bolshaya Nikitskaya. Elegance is everywhere — from the brushstrokes on the frescoes to the refined culinary techniques. At the same time, it's a space of freedom, with a relaxed atmosphere, lively conversation, and a cozy, intimate feel. All just like the Italian streets, in constant motion, in step with the rhythm of Moscow's Nikitskaya.

Three recognizable chefs preside over the kitchen — Ruslan Polyakov (Remy Kitchen Bakery, Pino, Amy, Muse), Nicanor Vieira (Olluco), and Luigi Magni (Pinch). Nicanor, true to form, brought Peruvian intensity, focusing on herbs and spices. Luigi added classic recipes, layering them with seasonality and current trends. Ruslan reworked the classics with ease, giving the dishes a signature reading. 

Brera's cuisine has character, spicy notes, and recognizable accents. But it's no less comforting and versatile for that. Ingredients are chosen at peak season. This spring-summer, the starters include fennel with stracciatella and bottarga (1100 r.), zucchini flowers with ricotta and truffle (900 r.), a salad with young stracchino cheese and corn (800 r.), and burrata with tomatoes of different colors (1300 r.). From the wood-fired oven come marbled steaks (premium beef is also grilled), fish (such as the exotic turbot — 1900 r./100 g), seafood, poultry, and lamb. And, of course, pizza and focaccia. For instance, a flatbread with sea urchin (2500 r.), calzone with vongole (2100 r.), or the canonical "Margherita" (1200 r.). Variations on the classics — a fish or meat tartare mix (1300/1600 r.), a visually stunning crudo assortment (1800 r.), veal Milanese (2600 r.), saffron risotto with bone marrow (1400 r.), octopus in tomato sauce (2600 r.), cacio e pepe pasta (1100 r.), or aglio e olio (2100 r.).

Ilya Zamogilin-Sudzilovsky (Rémy Kitchen Bakery, Pino, Amy, Muse, Cutfish) wrote Brera's dessert chapter. Among Ilya's signature legends: crispy cannoli (550 r.), Torta della Nonna with lemon cream and crumbly pastry (1300 r.), and tiramisu (1300 r.). Head baker Anna Malikova (Remy Kitchen Bakery) is responsible for the fresh bread and the legendary panettone.

Dmitry Bazashvili filled the wine cabinet. He put together a vertical wine list — one that lists samples from the same estate but different vintages. The main selection principle is classic and current trends. The collection includes wines from Piedmont, Tuscany, Bordeaux, and Burgundy (Taittinger Champagne — from 18,800 r., Burgundy wines — from 9,500 r., German wines from key regions — from 4,500 r. per bottle).

The cocktails are Italian-style inspiration. Vitaly Skripchinsky developed not just a cocktail list but a genuine guide to the sunny country. The welcome aperitif Salve (literally translated as "Hello!") is mixed with truffle gin, prosecco, and limoncello, with a chamomile-and-lychee cordial. Palermo is a Mediterranean mix of bacon-infused gin with coffee grappa and sagan-dailya. In Bassano del Grappa, dedicated to the town of the same name, the gin is infused with parmesan, and the cordial with peanut and banana. Via Roma feels like ending up somewhere at the intersection of Rome's Piazza Magnanapoli and the Castro Pretorio district. In the glass — apple liqueur, a peach-and-strawberry cordial, vermouth.

Evgenia Uzhegova (Living Now Studio) handled the space's design. Handmade tile on the floor, painterly frescoes on the walls, a mirrored art object by Dutch artist John Franzen, and collectible palm-leaf Uchiwa sconces by Ingo Maurer. The centerpiece is a surreal triptych mosaic by workshop Dirty Hands, depicting scenes from European folklore. Even the chairs aren't just furniture — they're a tribute to history, a modern allusion to the swivel chairs that Charlotte Perriand introduced to the world in 1927.

Brera is steeped in the spirit of art, freedom, and lightness. Exactly what we look for in the back streets of that same Italy — colorful, alive, vivid. And it's now right nearby — in the center of Moscow.