Feed Me French: 8 Places to Try French Cuisine in Moscow

French restaurants in Moscow are experiencing a renaissance. This is the kitchen of a dreamy life where the morning starts with the aroma of a croissant and the evening does not end with a glass of wine.

The restaurant operator Anton Pinsky and Pigeon, who seems to have recently decided to cover the whole of Moscow with their restaurant and hasn’t stopped for a month, came into play, and Andrey Dellos, who recently opened Shanoir on the Volna site in Tverskoy. The Boulevard, about which there are many conversational questions.

The Fashion Vibes columnist Anya Baturina is slowly learning French – bonjour, merci – and instead of homework she writes down all the most delicious pays de la gastronomie mondiale restaurants (world gastronomic countries).

Anya Baturina, author of the Telegram channel “Gastrology”

“Shanuar”

The name of the restaurant was designed to increase recognition among fans of France, art and savoir vivre, as Le Chat Noir (i.e. the black cat pronounced “Sha Noir”) is a famous cabaret that opened in Montmartre in 1881. There is no sign of a cabaret at Shanoir in Moscow, but there are wooden arches with faceted glass, handmade tiles, white tablecloths, dim lights, lots of wood and antiques.

The team of Andrey Dellos did their best and you can easily get to the center of Paris if you don’t go out of the French pub in the center of Moscow. Chef Eduard Arkhipov reinforces this impression with pate en croute, foie gras torch and pear tart tatin. By the way, new breakfasts have started here, every meal seems like you want to reach for your phone and take a photo even if you are not a blogger. This menu has a special three-course section in collaboration with “Hedonist Cat” Yulia Surova from the Hedonistcats telegram channel (and here is another reference to Le Chat Noir’s original name).

Address: Tverskoy Boulevard, 26, building 2

bijou

In Montmartre, there is still a nice little bar with French cuisine, emerald marble bar counter, soft high sofas and cafe atmosphere, where you can just spend the evenings and hide from work for lunch. Chef Dmitry Orlov also surprises with classics like tartar, escargot, pate, bean mash and soft rabbit fricassee with morel gravy, and a spring combination of crispy asparagus and fried bacon.

Behind the bar, Igor Kokoulin got together and introduced a few seasonal innovations – mango-bianco and grano-daiquiri sour. We will not describe it, it is better to imagine and try it yourself.

Address: St. 2. Brestskaya, 39с3

Pigeon

Le Pigeon restaurant has two chefs at once (and both are handsome) – Anton Kovalkov and Georgy Troyan. The guys admitted that they wanted to work together for a long time, and now the Universe tried and fulfilled their desire. Now, they are jointly responsible for the French cuisine – la kitchen romanticique: Troyan – for the classics, and Kovalkov – for the twists and experiments.

Of course you should try “Eggs Mimosa” (same egg with mayonnaise) with crab, truffles and black caviar (choose what you need), foie gras terrine, onion soup and the classic inspired unsweetened Pate Paris-Moskva. sweet “Pari-Brest”, but with chicken paste instead of sweet filling (if there is one, there is also a dessert version here).

Address: Tsvetnoy Boulevard, 2

Rebecca Bistro

This place in the “Garden Quarters” residential complex is only half French. Restaurateur Svetlana Drobot and chef Grigory Chunikhin chose a challenging location and an unusual concept. They show Franco-Israeli cuisine – such a fantasy for a trendy cafe opened in Paris by representatives of the Jewish community, as well as in Khamovniki. We know we’re confused, but this is just an excuse to come and try it yourself.

The dishes on the menu don’t scream their nationality, but each has delicate references, such as the tenderloin with aubergine and za’atar, the beef cheeks with roasted roots bourguignon. A special pride of the bistro is fresh bread and pastries, and here, of course, Israel and France appeared in all their glory, with crispy baguettes and fluffy shawls in the window. Well, a personal recommendation – get “Chunikhin eclairs” for dessert (on the menu it is called “date, hazelnut”).

Address: St. Efremova, 10, building. 1, LCD “Garden Fields”

geraldine

A corner of France was also found in the Kropotkinskaya district on Ostozhenka, in the non-bistro Geraldine. And the veranda of the restaurant is completely hidden from the eyes of passers-by – it is located in the courtyard and is surrounded by greenery. Seems like the perfect place to turn off your phone and have a lazy breakfast as much as you want.

By the way, Geraldine has recently changed chef, now the kitchen is headed by Roman Palkin (who gave us France at Ladurée à-la Russe). We look forward to her making gentle experiments in the kitchen. Little barbazhan with duck confit (you can feel like a foot in Monaco), julienne with crab, celery root puree and Uzbek tomatoes, velouté with white asparagus and red Saint-Jacques scallops with asparagus and French toast with brioche are definitely worth a try. If you’re here for breakfast, with a fried banana and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Address: St. Ostozhenka 27 k.2

Champion Bistro

Champ Bistro chef Arina Zhuravleva seems to want to mix things up a little with each new seasonal update by combining French cuisine with familiar Russian produce. And now the restaurant has hosted a number of “long Russian breakfasts”, and the updated main menu includes mussel tartlets, artichoke and tomato mousse, sea bass crudo with black chanterelles, grapes and gooseberry, and the famous signature bone marrow with salted chocolate. The ganache is back.

In Neglinnaya the restaurant has a small and cozy veranda, from which it is always pleasant to watch those in a hurry while having a glass of wine or at least coffee.

Address: Neglinnaya, 14

Le Carre

A very French restaurant where Chef Eric Le Provost cooks from the usual Russian products, but still in French! If you want to speak the language of quiche, tartar, terrine and snail, at least take a quick glance at the restaurant’s menu.

Saturday is veal kidney day (the chef loves them and cooks them literally like himself), so if you’re up for gastronomic exploration, put off your reservation until the weekend.

Address: Sadovnicheskaya street, 69

Mom

In early June, a new Lucky Group project opens at Bolshaya Nikitskaya, the Mamie restaurant serving French cuisine (which means there will be delicious and impeccable service). There are few details yet, but I managed to snap a few photos. The menu promises references to Provence, and the atmosphere is relaxed, like visiting a French grandmother (that’s how the restaurant’s name is translated).

Address: St. Bolshaya Nikitskaya