Where to Try Authentic Russian Blini in Moscow
The best restaurants to discover Maslenitsa through your taste buds
In 2026, Maslenitsa, one of Russia's most loved traditions, runs from 16 to 22 February. It's a whole week dedicated to eating blini, among other things. And yes, you can have them every day. For travellers planning a winter visit to Moscow, Maslenitsa is one of the most colourful cultural events and a delicious way to experience local traditions.
There are countless blini recipes from all around the country, from thin and delicate ones to rich and fluffy ones, so you can always try something new. Trying different blini fillings — from sweet honey and jam to red caviar and smoked fish — is easily one of the most enjoyable things to do in Moscow for food lovers.
Towards the end of winter, Moscow’s most popular restaurants welcome guests with special blini menus — the perfect excuse to taste your way through the city and find your favourite Russian pancake. For anyone exploring the city with a Moscow travel guide or looking for authentic Moscow local experiences, Maslenitsa offers a warm and festive introduction to Russian cuisine and seasonal traditions.
Matryoshka — Traditional Russian Blini
In this stylish restaurant on Kutuzovsky Prospekt, blini get their own section on the menu. For travellers exploring the city through a Moscow food guide or looking for authentic Moscow local experiences, Matryoshka is a great place to try traditional Russian pancakes in a classic setting.
Try classic savoury kinds with meat, buckwheat and duck, or with millet and brined cheese — some of the most traditional flavours you can taste when you visit Moscow. Save room in your tummy for the raspberry blini cake for dessert.
You can also order plain blini (known in Russia as pustye, “empty”) and dress them up your way: with caviar, berries, or even alongside a bowl of soup. Sampling blini like this is one of the most delicious things to do in Moscow, especially during the Maslenitsa season.
Matryoshka participates in Moscow Tea Time, so you can pair your blini with a proper pot of tea.
Address: Kutuzovsky Avenue, 2/1с6
Cafe Pushkin — One of the Most Famous Restaurants in Moscow
One of Moscow’s most famous and most luxurious restaurants, where classic Russian recipes are served amid richly old-fashioned interiors. Often featured in a Moscow food guide and recommended to travellers who visit Moscow for the first time, Cafe Pushkin is known for its elegant take on traditional cuisine.
Start with lightly salted salmon paired with rye blini, then move on to blini with delicious fillings for your main, such as veal or buckwheat and duck. Tasting different blini fillings here is one of the most memorable things to do in Moscow for anyone curious about Russian food traditions.
And if you still have room, order blini with a creamy filling and warm berries for dessert. Trust us: each one tastes completely different. For visitors exploring Moscow’s cultural attractions in the city centre, this historic restaurant offers a refined way to experience classic Russian dishes.
Address: Tverskoy Boulevard, 26А
Dr. Zhivago Grand Cafe — A Classic Moscow Restaurant for Authentic Russian Blini
This restaurant on Mokhovaya Street is named after the protagonist of Boris Pasternak’s novel, and the team describes its menu as “a novel about Russian cuisine”. Located near some of the most famous historic Moscow’s sights and popular Moscow’s attractions, Dr. Zhivago Grand Café is a favourite stop for travellers exploring the city centre and looking for traditional Russian flavours.
Here you’ll find blini in every form — rye or wheat, thin or fluffy, plain or filled. For visitors following a Moscow city guide or discovering Moscow’s local experiences, the best way to enjoy them is the classic Russian way: paired with caviar. Choose from pike, trout, sturgeon, or even herring roe for a rich and memorable taste of Russian cuisine.
Address: Mokhovaya Street, 15/1с1
#SibirSibir — Siberian Cuisine and Authentic Blini in Moscow
Located inside the AZIMUT hotel on Smolenskaya Street, this restaurant is proud of its Siberian cuisine, both traditional and modern. For travellers exploring the city with a Moscow food guide or looking for new Moscow local experiences, #SibirSibir offers a chance to discover regional flavours rarely found outside Siberia.
Blini have their own section on the breakfast menu and are served with pike, red or black caviar and sour cream, or with meat, house-cured trout, or cottage cheese with lingonberries. The main menu continues the theme with more blini-and-caviar options, and if you want to turn it into a full Russian meal, you can add classics like fish soup (ukha) or cabbage soup (shchi) — a hearty choice for visitors interested in traditional dishes while exploring Moscow’s restaurants.
Address: Smolenskaya Street, 8
Niki — Modern Russian Blini in a Historic Moscow Cinema
This modern Russian restaurant is tucked inside Khudozhestvenny Cinema, Moscow’s oldest movie theatre. For travellers interested in Moscow’s cultural attractions and creative spaces, Niki offers a stylish setting where food, cinema, and contemporary Russian cuisine come together in the heart of the city.
On weekends from 10:00 to 13:00, you can craft your own blini-based breakfast: choose thin crêpe-style blini with beef or fish, or go for fluffy pancakes with jam, plus classic oladyi (small thick pancakes). Thin blini also appear in the restaurant’s tea set, available from 12:00 to 17:00. For a more indulgent option, the main menu features blini with caviar and sour cream, as well as sweet Crêpes Suzette with sea buckthorn and cloudberry — a memorable stop for visitors exploring Moscow’s local experiences and modern takes on traditional cuisine.
Address: Arbatskaya Square, 14с1
BURO TSUM — Panoramic Dining and Blini in the Heart of Moscow
An elegant panoramic restaurant on the fifth floor of Moscow’s TSUM department store. It's a lovely place to wrap up a day of shopping or simply take a break with a view over the city centre. Located inside one of the most famous Moscow shopping malls, BURO TSUM combines modern Russian cuisine with a stylish dining atmosphere and sweeping skyline views.
Breakfast here comes with plenty of blini options: filled with Nutella or sweetened condensed milk, pike caviar, avocado cream and crab, or lightly salted salmon. You’ll also find blini with cottage cheese and blueberries, plus gluten-free berry pancakes if you prefer something lighter. For visitors exploring Russian food traditions, this is a relaxed place to enjoy classic blini with both sweet and savoury toppings.
Address: Petrovka Street, 2
Yan Primus — A Hearty Maslenitsa Blini Feast
For a generous, no-fuss Maslenitsa feast, head to Yan Primus, where the star offering is a stack of beer-buckwheat blini paired with a full jar of sturgeon caviar — sold at cost price. This relaxed spot is popular during Maslenitsa, the traditional Russian festival that celebrates the end of winter with endless plates of blini and festive gatherings.
The deal is simple: pay a fixed price and enjoy as many blini as you like, with no extra charge for refills. If you’re not going for the full caviar experience, you can also order blini à la carte and dress them up with add-ons like trout with butter, berry sauce, honey, sour cream, or sweetened condensed milk. With its generous portions and flexible options, it’s an easy place to explore classic blini flavours and seasonal Russian dishes.
Address: Gruzinsky Val Street, 11с3
