Vereshchagin
Eastern cuisine in quiet comfort
Feast yourself on an assortment of eastern dishes at VDNKh’s Vereshchagin. With seating available on the outdoor veranda or inside the comfortably-decorated, two-story cafe, it’s the perfect spot for an al-fresco lunch or cozy dinner. Try the Arabic meat-stuffed safiha or the popular and filling kebabs (500 rubles) and manti (70 rubles). A field is conveniently located next door so that your kids can let off some steam while you enjoy your post-dinner coffee.
+ 7 (985) 803 77 99
facebook.com/cafevereshchagin
Building 131
AnderSon Na Dache
Eat and play
AnderSon Na Dache is the kind of place that makes you wish you were 5 years old again. Designed specifically for kids, the fun-filled restaurant features a play room with toys, a slide, and best of all, a humongous ball pit. The food is good — much better than you expect in a kiddie cafe. They serve a wide range of dishes from burgers (620 rubles) to a chicken fillet in white sauce (440). The ice cream is the perfect treat for tiny tummies (170-350 rubles).
+ 7 (967) 166 62 05
cafe-anderson.ru
Building 136
Food court
Not your run of the mill pit-stop
Taking after trendy Moscow food markets like Danilovsky, VDNKh’s food court boasts some of the leading players on Moscow’s street food scene. Greek grill Gyros for Heroes sells a killer chicken gyro for 250 rubles — follow it up with a Stoyn ice cream in the shape of a movie villain (Darth Vader is the all-time favorite). Meanwhile Pho offers the eponymous Vietnamese noodle soup for 250 rubles and noodles with chicken, tofu or stewed beef for 300 rubles. If you fancy some seafood, head to Shrimp Box for the eponymous grilled shrimp with rice and vegetables (12 shrimp for 550 rubles). Krymsky Cheburek (Crimean “cheburek”), which sells the dough pockets with a variety of tasty fillings, is another popular pit-stop.
vdnh.ru/en/food-court
Pavilions 64 and 66
Svadba Soyek
Georgian food in the park
Svadba Soyek (Jay Bird wedding) looks like the dining hall of a large countryside dacha. Named after a Georgian folktale, it serves guests the traditional Georgian food so beloved by Muscovites. The khinkali (Georgian dumplings) come in three incredibly additive varieties: a traditional mix of pork and beef (55 rubles each), lamb (55 rubles) and suluguni cheese (65 rubles). Pair your meal with some highland tea (160 rubles) or try one of the restaurant’s excellent wine offerings, also from Georgia.
+7 (495) 117 8297
facebook.com/svadbasoek
Building 550
Leto
Lunch by the pond
Leto’s terrace offers great views of the pond with the famous Zolotoi Kolos (Golden Wheat Head) fountain located in the very back of the VDNKh Park. The menu is simple but well executed. Try seasonal fare such as the grilled meats or shashlik and svekolnik cold beet soup (300 rubles). It’s the perfect spot to escape the heat and enjoy a glass of beer or wine as you watch the world go by. Don’t fancy a tipple? They also make delicious homemade lemonade and summery non-alcoholic cocktails.
+7 (495) 621 0756
facebook.com/cafeleto
Building 461
Moskovskoye Nebo
Light, airy cafe serving up the classics
With three summer terraces and two expansive dining rooms, it’s never hard to find a spare table at Moskovskoye Nebo (Moscow Sky). Wide arched windows, cream furnishings and chandeliers hark back to a former grandeur, while the menu focuses on revamped classics from across the Soviet Union. Try the classic Olivier salad made with pastrami (320 rubles) paired with a glass of Crimean white wine. On Sundays there are special cookery classes and activities for children. Given its size the restaurant is also the perfect venue for big group gatherings.
mosnebo.ru
Building 422
Ottepel
Soviet-era cuisine with a twist
Ottepel is named after the “Thaw,” a period when Nikita Khrushchev was in power and censorship and repression relaxed. Housed in the refurbished silk industry pavilion, next to the architecturally domineering Zelyony Teatr (Green Theater), the restaurant serves innovative, high-end takes on Soviet classics. Try the “shchi” (cabbage soup) with calamari (420 rubles) or “okroshka” with pastrami (360 rubles). The Mondrian-inspired aprons of the waiters add to the restaurant’s romanticized version of the Soviet Union. You’ll recognize the restaurant by a plaque bearing Chaika, the Communist nomenklatura’s favorite car, on the facade.
+7 (925) 317 4315
ottepel-restaurant.ru
Building 311
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