René Café

René occupies a two-story bookshop in a building with a rich history, built in the early 20th century. The name "Dom Knigi" (House of Books) stuck in 1919, when one of its spaces became a bookshop run by the Petrogosizdat publishing house. René opened its doors on the second floor: climbing the stairs, you find yourself in a room with panoramic windows, where guests order coffee and pastries and browse books (publications from independent presses and local authors are on offer). You can settle at a table along the windows to eat, read and take in the beauty of Saint Petersburg. A little further is a second room: seats with views of Kazan Cathedral, semicircular scarlet sofas or ones upholstered in floral tapestry, marble tabletops and white tablecloths in the best tradition of delicate northern Art Nouveau. A vintage aesthetic runs through patterned tableware and elegant étagères.

The café continues into a third, largest room, whose highlight is an elegantly shaped bar counter and warm, muted lighting.

Breakfast is best enjoyed near the entrance, especially if you're in a hurry: guests order coffee and a bun to go, or take a seat among the bookshelves if they have time. In the evening, once Nevsky's lights come on, René draws in anyone looking for a cozy table for one or a spot to meet loved ones.