Podpisnye Bulochki

Here we're talking about "Podpisnye Bulochki" (Subscribed Buns), tucked inside the "Podpisnye Izdaniya" (Subscribed Editions) bookshop on Liteiny Prospekt. A bun, coffee and hand-picked literature — a can't-lose combination for an early Sunday morning or a carefree summer evening, wouldn't you agree?

Saint Petersburg knows exactly which combinations make for perfect leisure.

"Podpisnye Bulochki" is two in one — a coffee shop and bakery by Kirill Ivanov and chef Evgenia Danilova. The baking (from kneading the dough to the final touches) happens in the basement, while hot drinks and pastries are ordered on the bookshop's second floor. Everything looks the part: croissants loaded with cream, buns full of whipped cream, and tartines served with grilled camembert and jam. Fans of dry whites are covered too — there's a sommelier-recommended wine on offer.

You can sit at a table by the panoramic window or lose yourself among the books — the shop's huge floor space makes it easy.