+39 Trattoria & Pizzeria

The interior of +39 Trattoria & Pizzeria rests on calm Italian minimalism: white walls of a historic building, an elongated veranda, blue accents, ceramics, and decorative elements bearing the restaurant's symbol. The design project is by the Milan-based studio Remigio Architects, so instead of the usual trattoria density there is more light and air here. The details evoke Naples, Vesuvius, and the southern coast — not decor for decor's sake, but careful references to the place the cuisine grew out of.

In the view of our restaurant guide's team, it's calm and cozy here, and pizza from a real wood-fired oven is the main reason to visit.

The kitchen is led by Alessandro Simioli: he worked on the Sorrento coast, has lived in Moscow for more than sixteen years, and relies on family recipes he learned from his father and uncle. Pizza is handled by master pizzaiolo Alexander Slutu, who grew up in Naples and trained in the pizzerias of the historic center. This duo sets a clear course: a Neapolitan base, homemade mozzarella, good tomatoes, soft dough, and an oven around which the whole dining room essentially gathers.

The menu is not limited to pizza. It includes homemade pasta, southern Italian appetizers, and hot dishes: ravioli, pappardelle, scialatielli with tomatoes, eggplant and mozzarella, zucchini flowers with ricotta, fish and seafood, veal cheeks, and chicken cotoletta Milanese style. A separate section is devoted to Italian fried specialties — rice balls, pies with cheese and prosciutto, and fried dough with tomato sauce and mozzarella. Dessert options include rum baba, tiramisu, mille-feuille, and lemon tart.

For a longer dinner, the café offers three tasting sets: fish, meat, and one built around pizza. The wine list looks primarily to Italy but isn't limited to it: bottles from Russia, Georgia, and the New World appear alongside. The bar side is understated — classic cocktails and a few signature combinations like prosecco with limoncello. In summer a terrace is added to the dining room, making the place suitable both for lunch and for an evening with pasta, wine, and pizza from the oven.