Savva

Restaurant Savva occupies a room at the Hotel Metropol — directly across from the Bolshoi Theatre, in the very historic core of Moscow. The project is named after Savva Mamontov, the patron and industrialist who essentially shaped the cultural identity of this district in the early 20th century. Restaurateur Arkady Novikov and brand chef Andrei Shmakov are responsible for the concept and the kitchen.

Our guide's team considers Savva the ideal choice for showing a guest Moscow's culinary side, whether they're a traveler from the Middle East or from the Russian heartland — dinner here leaves an impression.

Shmakov joined the Metropol in 2013 with experience on European cruise ships, at Tallinn's Le Bonaparte and RIBE restaurants, and at Saint Petersburg's Laplandiya, one of the first New Nordic cuisine projects in Russia. Stints at Copenhagen's Noma and Helsinki's Chez Dominique rounded out his style — technically precise but without deliberate over-complication. In 2015, Shmakov launched Savva around the idea of modern Russian cuisine, where formality meets restraint.

The menu refreshes every season and is built on original dishes the brand chef personally recommends to guests. The ingredient philosophy is seasonal produce, work with farmers, and an emphasis on vegetables and greens. The dessert menu is curated by pastry chef Artem Grachev, winner of the "Pastry Chef of the Year 2025" award from "Palme d'Or." His approach rethinks classic recipes: fermentation, reduction, dehydration — techniques from the savory kitchen carried over into pastry.

Savva's wine list runs to more than five hundred labels: from tried-and-true classics of Bordeaux, Burgundy and Tuscany to biodynamic wines and Russian labels. A selection of fifty Russian labels deserves special mention — sparkling wines, mineral whites, velvety reds. The restaurant is an ambassador for the Henri Giraud wine house. Head sommelier Yanina Martynyuk handles the pairings.

After a major renovation, the interior became brighter and visually lighter, while the main historic elements — the painted ceiling and marble columns with gilded capitals — remain preserved as protected heritage. The ground floor is set up for formal dinners and tastings; the second floor feels like a private club, with a fireplace, rugs and deep armchairs. This is also where the chef's table sits, where Shmakov cooks for small groups in an informal setting — as if you'd come to his home.

In 2021, Savva received a Michelin star. It has repeatedly topped the WHERETOEAT rankings, both for Moscow and nationwide. It's included in the international La Liste Top 1000 and has earned three stars from the Russian Wine Awards for its wine list. But behind the accolades is a concrete value: this is the place to bring a visitor to the city to show them Russian cuisine at its best, contemporary form, in a single dinner.