Where to Drink Tea from a Samovar
Tea Time, Russian-Style
Tea has long been a daily ritual in Russia. It was brewed in a samovar, a traditional metal urn used to heat and boil water for tea, and served with sweet preserves, baranki (ring-shaped dry biscuits), or warm pies. Today, Moscow still has cafés and restaurants that keep this tradition alive, pouring fragrant tea and setting the table the old-fashioned way.
For travellers planning a Moscow sightseeing route or looking for authentic local experiences in the city, visiting a traditional tea spot can become one of the most memorable things to do in Moscow.
In this guide, we share where to try pine-cone tea, sip a hot beverage from a samovar, and pair it all with blini — a small but atmospheric part of any Moscow food guide and a cosy addition to your Moscow travel itinerary.
RUSKI — One of the Best Restaurants in Moscow with Skyline Views
For a panoramic taste of Russia, head to RUSKI on the 85th floor of Moscow City’s OKO Tower. The menu travels across regions: baked potatoes with northern pike caviar, crab-filled pirozhki (little boat-shaped buns), and zander dumplings, among other dishes.
Desserts include cheesecake baked in a Russian-style oven, honey cake (medovik), and an orange-and-berry pie. The restaurant also serves a special Moscow Tea Time set.
Beyond the food, RUSKI is also known for its spectacular skyline views, making it one of the most impressive Moscow panoramic spots for travellers exploring modern Moscow architecture and city views.
Address: 1st Krasnogvardeysky Drive, 21с2
Ivan-Chainoye Kupe — A Hidden Gem Cafe for Moscow Local Experiences
You can step into an old-style train compartment and drink tea right in the centre of Moscow — no ticket required. Just walk into this café on Sadovnicheskaya Street. The interiors recreate the feel of railway travel during the days of the Russian Empire more than a century ago.
The menu includes dishes inspired by historic recipes, over 50 varieties of ivan-chai (traditional fermented fireweed tea), and sbiten, a traditional, often honey-flavoured hot beverage, served in classic glass holders (podstakanniki).
You can also book a full samovar tea ritual — call or text in advance so the samovar is heated up beforehand. Depending on the set, tea comes with preserves, baranki, and pastila (a traditional Russian fruit confection).
For travellers interested in historic Moscow sights and authentic cultural experiences, this café feels like a small journey back in time and easily fits into a Moscow city guide or Moscow cultural routes itinerary.
The café also takes part in the Moscow Tea Time project, serving Moscow tea with sweets.
Address: Sadovnicheskaya Street, 80
Karamzin
Once a stopover for tsars, the Petrovsky Travel Palace is now home to a boutique hotel and Karamzin Restaurant — a beautiful setting for a slow, classic meal.
The menu includes Olivier salad with crayfish tails (true to the original recipe created by Lucien Olivier), duck breast with wine sauce, and beef Stroganoff with porcini and pickles. For dessert, choose honey cake or an éclair with berry sauce, and pair it with tea served as part of the Moscow Tea Time project.
Located in one of the historic palace complexes of the city, the restaurant offers a refined stop for travellers exploring Moscow’s cultural attractions or planning a relaxed Moscow weekend trip.
Address: Leningradskiy Avenue, 40с5
Uhvat
Uhvat specialises in dishes cooked in a wood-fired oven — a cornerstone of old-style Russian home cooking — and some recipes require a slow bake for up to 18 hours! The restaurant was recognised by the Michelin Guide in 2022.
On the menu you’ll find historic classics like kandyurmy (an old-style dumpling once served at Ivan the Terrible’s feasts), fish kulebyaka pie, and varenets (a traditional fermented dairy drink).
For tea time, try the pine-needle sbiten, oat-milk kissel, or herbal blends with chamomile, mint, blackcurrant leaf, linden, or thyme.
For travellers following a Moscow food guide or looking for unusual things to do in Moscow, Uhvat offers a rare chance to taste historic Russian recipes prepared in traditional ovens.
Uhvat also offers a special set as part of the Moscow Tea Time project.
Address: Rochdelskaya Street, 15с41
Kolomenskoe Museum-Reserve — Tea Traditions in One of the Most Scenic Moscow Parks
A Moscow Tea Time “tea station” operates in Kolomenskoe until the end of February, offering free tea from a samovar to anyone who stops by.
You’ll spot it easily: the tea service is set up on bright red sledges marked “Moscow Estates.” Tea is served on weekends from 15:00 to 21:00.
Kolomenskoe itself is one of the most scenic historic Moscow sights and a favourite destination for travellers interested in Moscow parks and gardens or quiet Moscow sightseeing away from the busy city centre.
Address: Andropova Avenue, 39
Shinok — A Traditional Restaurant Featured in Moscow Food Guides
Opened in 1997, this cosy restaurant recreates a small slice of village life — complete with chickens and pheasants wandering the atrium.
Order borscht with pampushki garlic buns, smoked salo, fried chanterelles in sour cream, and the house blini with red caviar.
For the full experience, ask for tea from a samovar: it comes with three types of jam — choose from pine cone, blackcurrant, or apricot with almonds — plus blini, floral honey, and sweetened condensed milk.
Restaurants like Shinok are often mentioned in Moscow food guides as places where visitors can experience traditional cuisine in an atmospheric setting.
Address: 1905 Goda Street, 2
Nitka — A Modern Tea Room and Moscow Cultural Space
Visit Nitka, a small chain of tearooms, if you're looking to learn about Russian tea traditions with a modern twist. The first location opened inside the Andrei Voznesensky Cultural Centre on Bolshaya Ordynka with the idea of reviving classic Russian tea culture through a carefully curated collection.
Here you can find blends that were once popular in Imperial Russia, and some of them can be brewed in a samovar.
For travellers interested in Moscow's creative spaces and modern interpretations of traditional culture, Nitka offers a unique stop during a Moscow walking tour.
Address: Bolshaya Ordynka Street, 46с3
Forest Tea House
Hidden among the trees of Meshchersky Park in southwestern Moscow, this cosy wooden café is made for winter walks. A samovar sits right on the veranda for hot tea on the spot, or you can take a cup to go — buckwheat tea, ivan-chai, or smoked tea — and continue into the pine forest. For something sweet, order blini with apple, condensed milk, or chocolate.
Address: Meshchersky Park
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