Probka Tsvetnoy

A bright, unified space with display windows onto Tsvetnoy Boulevard is the first thing you notice on entering. Oak tables by Belgium's St. Paul, lamps by Britain's CTO Lighting, and at the center of the room an open kitchen custom-built by the Florentine factory Gullo, which industry insiders compare to a Rolls-Royce among kitchens. On the walls, white plates painted by guests: signatures include Baz Luhrmann, Miuccia Prada, and Nikita Mikhalkov. Above the bar counter glows a neon sign, "Capitalism Kills Love," rendered in Aram Mnatsakanov's own handwriting — an original take on an installation by the French art group Claire Fontaine. Nearby hangs a work by artist and sculptor Aidan Salakhova. By the bar is a lounge area with sofas and a YAMAHA grand piano.

Our guide's team considers the rye crisps with caraway and cheese mousse one of the best chef's compliments to be found in Moscow: you dip the crisp in the cheese and don't want to stop.

The menu is built on Italian classics, executed precisely and without deviation. Vitello tonnato — thin slices of veal under a tuna-and-anchovy sauce — has stayed on the menu since day one and remains one of the most-ordered dishes. Tortelli with burrata and black truffle is a favorite, tested by twenty-five years. Tagliolini with cuttlefish ink and red caviar is a dish people photograph before they eat it. Among the Moscow-exclusive items are finanziera, a classic Piedmontese risotto with chicken liver and sage, and San Leonardo doughnuts with pastry cream and grappa.

Our guide's team especially recommends the classic tartare and the risotto with beef cheeks — items worth ordering without hesitation here. The tiramisu is served generously, straight out of a large bowl — no restaurant modesty, just like an Italian grandmother would do it.

The wine list is a story of its own. Probka's collection is recognized every year by Wine Spectator and FINE WINE ratings, and sommelier Nikita Chekmasov is ready to help with the choice. Our undercover guests rated it 8 out of 10 for dinner, for consistent kitchen quality, professional service, and an atmosphere that doesn't let you get bored on a weeknight or a weekend. For breakfast — 7 out of 10.

Some evenings there are live performances at the YAMAHA grand piano — friends of Mnatsakanov, the band FRUKTY, or The Phly Boyz. A free table isn't easy to find here at any hour — and that alone says something about the place.