Turandot
Disneyland meets baroque palace
What could be more romantic that the opera? An opera-themed restaurant of course. Turandot recreates all the ostentation of Puccini's masterpiece with unbelievably extravagant gold finishings and a frescoed cupola ceiling to boot. The menu is pan-Asian, which may seem surprising until your remember that Turandot is set in China. While the food doesn't quite live up to the setting, you can't fail to be impressed by the overall ambience of the place. Deep pockets needed.
+ 7 (495) 739 0011
turandot-palace.ru
26 Tverskoi Bulvar, Bldg. 3
Metro Tverskaya, Pushkinskaya, Chekhovskaya
Mandarin Combustible
Beautiful venue and killer cocktails
Mandarin Combustible is one of those places that seamlessly transitions from relaxing tea-room to achingly beautiful bar to restaurant. While it has a cocktail list to die for and some truly innovative pan-Asian bites, the most charming aspect of this place is the interior. Dark wooden lounge chairs, sumptuous draped curtains and mandarin-colored table lamps all create a natural intimacy, however busy the bar is. Settle into a corner with your loved one and let the world melt away.
+7 (495) 745 0700
facebook.com/MandarinCombustible
2 Maly Cherkassky Pereulok
Metro Lubyanka, Kuznetsky Most, Kitai-Gorod
Pavilion
Waterside romance
Pavilion is a restaurant in one of the most romantic spots in Moscow. Situated overlooking Patriarch's Ponds, literary types will find themselves entering a reverie as they relive scenes from Bulgakov's "The Master and Margarita." In the winter you can watch skaters and in summer admire the elegant swans gliding past. The restaurant serves refined Russian cuisine and features white-tuxedo clad waiters. Start the evening with a glass of Prosecco as you watch the sun set over the lake. Once the weather warms up, a terraced seating area right next to the water's edge opens.
+ 7 (495) 697 5110
facebook.com/pavilionpatriki
7 Bolshoi Patriarshy Pereulok
Metro Tverskaya, Krasnopresnenskaya
45 Bar and Cafe
Wine-lovers paradise
Any place where the wine list is in the head of the sommelier is a place you know takes wine seriously. Here you don't get a wine menu to peruse, but hear the sommelier rattle off your options. This intimate bar has space for around 25, with plush bar stools organized in twos along the counter and back wall. The kitchen serves charcuterie, olives and tasty bites to to compliment your tipple of choice. Ambient lighting, soft music and exquisite wine make this the perfect spot for the oenophiles out there. A word of advice—if this is your first date make sure you brush up on your knowledge of grape types and wine regions beforehand. You wouldn't want to be shown up by the sommelier when he takes your order.
+7 (495) 953 1564
facebook.com/winebar45
17 Gogolevsky Bulvar
Metro Kropotkinskaya, Arbatskaya
Brix Bar
Understated yet elegant bistro
Brix has two locations, and while both are lovely, there is a particular romance to the branch tucked at the end of an attractive side street near Patriarch's Ponds. Discreet signage — blink and you'd miss it — beckons you in to an intimate dining room with space for just 20. Candles on every table cast flickering shadows on the exposed brick walls and draw your eye to the bistro's focal point — an alcove piled high with wines from around the world. The wine list is balanced, varied in origin and price. A simple menu with light meals and salads compliments the pared back simplicity of this place, allowing you to fully appreciate the good food, good wine and hopefully, good company.
+7 (495) 925 9594
brix-bar.ru
10/1 Maly Kozikhinsky Pereulok
Metro Tverskaya, Chekhovskaya, Pushkinskaya
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