Folk

Folk is one of those Moscow restaurants that set the tone for the capital's entire ethnic-cuisine scene. Behind the project are Dmitry Romanov and Veniamin Ivanov. Instead of the usual khachapuri and khinkali, the Caucasus and Central Asia are reimagined here through an original lens — familiar ingredients turn into dishes with their own character. The team built a genuinely great concept: cuisines from nearly every CIS country are represented here, but adapted so skillfully that every dish stays simply delicious food, even in its contemporary interpretation. Since opening in spring 2022, the restaurant has firmly established itself among Moscow's top culinary addresses.

One of our favorite places in the city. It still hasn't lost its edge and remains among Moscow's best restaurants.

The kitchen's main tool is a wood-fired open-flame oven. It's where the signature matsoni flatbreads, lahmajun and shashlik are born. Nearby, a josper and robata grill work in tandem, adding a smoky, recognizable signature to the dishes. The green salad with plum, broccoli and zucchini deserves special mention — according to restaurant critic Alexey Polikarpov, it's the best green salad in Moscow: some of the vegetables are served hot right on the skewer, mixed with the cold ones at the table. And the beef-tongue shashlik with potatoes is a dish people keep coming back to Folk for, again and again.

A particular point of pride at Folk is the house-made preparations: dried herbs, narsharab, tkemali, satsebeli, pickled Abkhazian lemons and wild plum. These homemade sauces and marinades give the kitchen a flavor unlike anyone else's. The tartare is served here with salted lemons, and sea bass is baked in grape leaves — a contemporary dolma that's become a signature of the menu. The bar menu follows the same philosophy: distillates on ryazhenka and matsoni, cocktails with tkemali-and-feijoa cordial, poppy-and-halva liqueurs. The wine ranges from Armenian orange wines to Burgundy biodynamics.

Folk's space is built from stone, wood and live fire. Painted panels hang on the walls, wooden lamps under the ceiling, and clay art objects and macramé fill the niches. The most coveted seat is the communal table right by the oven, where you can watch the cooks at work. The panoramic windows run floor to ceiling and open onto the summer terrace — one of the most pleasant spots on Tsvetnoy Boulevard in warm weather. Breakfast is served here in the mornings: mini lahmajuns with mortadella, an omelet with Uzbek tomatoes and Chechen brynza, and a matsoni bake with cherry jam.

Folk is a rare example of a restaurant that hasn't lost its edge over the years. Consistent kitchen quality, attentive and pleasant service, a cozy atmosphere, and a team for whom ethnic gastronomy isn't decoration but the whole point. It's a place you always want to come back to. Our team's rating: 9 out of 10 for dinner and 8 out of 10 for breakfast.