Garda Caffè Opens in Moscow.

Garda Caffè, a new Italian-style café by the founders of restaurant Garda, is opening at Patriarch's Ponds. The venue is conceived as an urban café, a place to come not just for dinner but also on the way to work or during a lunch break. It's located at 2 Bolshoy Palashevsky Lane and opens as early as May. The project drew inspiration from typical cafés in Italian towns — with a familiar, homey atmosphere, simple ways of connecting with people, and attention to every guest.

Garda Caffè's interior aims to convey a sense of comfort and Italian lightheartedness. The space is done in warm light, chocolate, and golden tones, with furniture that nods to a maritime palette: a brown leather sofa and blue bar stools recall Mediterranean landscapes. At the center of the room is a round bar counter, equally suited to discussing plans with friends over a glass of Bellini or grabbing a quick espresso. Palm trees, vintage photographs of Italian scenes, and soft diffused lighting round out the decor. The tableware is done in vintage tones, creating a sense of coziness and a homey atmosphere.

The menu at Garda Caffè leans on antipasti, pasta, and desserts. In the starters section, you'll find vitello tonnato, stracciatella with strawberry, a vegetable salad with pesto sauce, or a classic assortment of Italian cheeses and cured meats. The mains include handmade pasta: spaghetti alle vongole, popular in Venice, for instance, as well as dishes like chicken alla diavola and veal cheeks. The meal can be rounded off with desserts from pastry chef Akmal Rakhimov, a nominee for the 2022 "Palm Branch" award. The dessert menu has both classic cannoli and chocolate mousse, as well as more unconventional items: the "Stone from Lake Garda," a panna cotta with salted caramel and popcorn, or a lemon dessert built on Uzbek lemons, yuzu, and white chocolate.

The bar and wine lists were put together with particular care. On the cocktail side, the emphasis is on Italian classics and signature combinations. Among the drinks: a creamy Garda Bellini, an Umami Negroni with tomato notes, and the Siesta cocktail with strawberry soju and watermelon. Non-alcoholic options are on hand too: mocktails, herbal teas, and coffee drinks. The coffee list includes both classics and rarer items, like caffè corretto with grappa or an iced latte with peach. The wine list runs to more than 60 labels, mostly from Italy, ranging from traditional Antinori to more contemporary wines like Lucente.

Garda Caffè is conceived not as a venue for celebrations or rare nights out, but as an everyday café. Its creators want people to come without any special reason — simply because they want to be somewhere calm, delicious, and beautiful.