BIST

Two rooms with distinct characters: the first with original frescoes on the walls, the second with handmade Tiffany-technique stained-glass windows. The space is rounded out by a collection of works by young Saint Petersburg artists — the team builds it deliberately, turning the restaurant into a constantly refreshed exhibition. Luxurious chandeliers and a vintage aesthetic set the tone for evening, though mornings here are lively too.

Our guide's team finds that on Friday evenings the restaurant feels like a European spot — festive, loud, friendly and full of atmosphere.

The name BIST is short for Bistecca alla Fiorentina, the Tuscan steak grilled over coals. That image shaped the whole concept: italy&co. positions itself as an expert in two things at once — meat and Italian culture — and in this project the two lines meet. The menu features steaks and grilled dishes, house-made pasta with unconventional ingredient pairings, and the focus isn't so much on the classics themselves as on unexpected takes on the familiar.

The bar menu is built around a concept borrowed from music: "groove" — the state where a listener involuntarily locks into the rhythm and loses the distance between themselves and the sound. The team applies that same logic to drinks: what matters isn't just precision of flavor but how a cocktail looks and is served. The list mixes original creations with classics.

Our undercover guests rated it 8 out of 10 for breakfast — fast service, attentive plating, and a surprisingly varied morning menu for a place focused on meat. They singled out the salmon fritters for their bold presentation and the coconut-milk cappuccino. For dinner, also 8 out of 10: the halibut with beurre blanc and the tiramisu with coffee baba, assembled tableside, were the most memorable items.

The restaurant is located in "Andreevsky Dvor" on Bolshoy Prospekt of Vasilyevsky Island. Contact: +7 (931) 994-75-15.