Salone pasta&bar

St. Petersburg's Salone on the Fontanka had already built up a loyal following long before its move to the capital. The Moscow location, a minute from the Hermitage Garden, turned out more spacious and more ambitious, but the spirit is unchanged: honest Italian cooking built around handmade pasta.

Our restaurant guide's team considers Salone pasta&bar one of Moscow's best Italian restaurants, both for its food and its atmosphere — a versatile spot equally suited to a date, a business lunch, or dinner with friends.

The kitchen is run by brand chef Evgeny Engelke and chef Denis Lukyanenko. Every day the team hand-rolls dough for tagliatelle, maltagliati and ravioli, using recipes gathered on trips through Emilia-Romagna. Especially worth trying are the pappardelle with San Daniele D.O.P. prosciutto and gorgonzola, and the caramelle with crab and mascarpone. Beyond pasta, the menu includes Roman-style pizza, pizza pazza in the spirit of southern Italian street food, burrata, beef tartare and pepper steak. Every table is greeted with airy focaccia and olive oil.

The two-floor space was designed by the St. Petersburg studio Neymand. The walls are covered in original frescoes, crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and Italian phrases are embroidered on the linen napkins — a detail that sets the tone for the whole evening. The ground floor is split between a dining room and a bar area with a brass counter, while the second floor is given over entirely to a large room for groups. In summer a terrace is added — floor-to-ceiling windows thrown open, white curtains, and one of the best views in the neighborhood.

The wine list runs to around two hundred labels, with a clear lean toward Italy, Burgundy and Champagne. The cocktails carry an Italian character too: aperitivo classics, original mixes and seasonal specials. In the morning the restaurant serves as a breakfast spot, with the menu refreshed from season to season.

Service at Salone strikes the right balance: staff know the menu and help with choices without being pushy. The crowd is relaxed and well put-together, without fuss or showiness. All of this makes Salone pasta&bar a rare example of an Italian restaurant in Moscow that works equally well for a date, a work meeting, or a long Saturday lunch with friends.