Maritozzo

Maritozzo occupies the second floor of the Davidoff cigar club building on Malaya Bronnaya — a little off the tourist route around Patriarch's Ponds, which largely defines its character. Aram Mnatsakanov's osteria works on the model best described as a "neighborhood" restaurant: regulars know the team by name, and the team knows the regulars. The interior by Sundukovy Sisters studio is built on smart zoning — large tables, an open kitchen, warm home-like light — with no excess decor, but a real sense of being lived in.

Our guide's team says the place clearly deserves attention, like all of Aram Mnatsakanov's restaurants.

The name traces back to an old Roman custom: instead of a formal proposal, a groom would present his bride with a sweet bun with an engagement ring hidden inside the soft dough. That image isn't just decoration here — the menu cover features a still from "Marriage Italian Style" with Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni, and the bun itself appears in two roles: an appetizer with Kamchatka crab, burrata and seeds, and a dessert with traditional fillings. The most romantic table is on the balcony, which in summer is buried in flowers overlooking Patriki — by local tradition, this is where people propose.

The kitchen is led by brand chef Simone Gobbi and chef Dmitry Bargan. The menu is built on the classics — sea bass ceviche with citrus dressing, parmigiana, Sicilian-style octopus in tomato sauce, tonnarelli with AM Collection black caviar in cream sauce. The pasta is cooked al dente, and gluten-free options are available too — guests say they're nearly indistinguishable from the standard versions. A section of its own goes to Neapolitan pizza: baked at temperatures above 400°C to recipes by Manuel Suraci, whose name appears in the European 50 TOP PIZZA ranking. Gluten-free pizza and pizza made with lactose-free mozzarella are reason enough to cross the whole city.

Our undercover guests rated it 8 out of 10 for dinner, for the consistent quality of the classic dishes, attentive service, and an overall atmosphere that's hard to reproduce deliberately. The wine cellar, run by sommelier Sergey Golubev, earns double recognition every year from Wine Spectator and FINE WINE. A separate room is available for regular guests hosting private events: business lunches, intimate weddings, anniversaries.