Best places to eat when doing the Trans Siberian Express
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So you have decided. Or at least thinking of taking this unique train. Maybe you are wondering how the food will be in these places or where to sleep. Or you first, as a real foodie, you want to know if the food is any good. No worries, I was very fortunate to take this train twice and along the railway I experienced great things. In this post I will share some gems with to you.
Maybe most important tip, you are in Asia, so just try. Especially on the streets and the different markets. You almost can’t go wrong. Exempt for the markets, you also have the very old ladies on the different train tracks selling food. Just the whole experience is worth spending your roebels. I hope you are not that hungry…
China – Beijing
Just to make sure to say it twice, enjoy your breakfast at Orchid, even if you are not staying with them. You can make a reservation at Toast Restaurant. In case you do not fancy breakfast, they also offer lunch and dinner.
Please do not skip Mr. Shi’s Dumplings. Delicious dumplings! Worth the search, because it’s in an alley. Far the best so far in Beijing! You have a lot of choice in fillings. You can also choose between fried or boiled. The best part of this all: they make it fresh! The menu is in English. What else do you want. There is a lot of variety. So go with a group and share them. One of my favorite was the ‘dessert dumpling’. Try de banana chocolate fried dumplings.
In case you are vegetarian or vegan, please skip this part. If not, when in Beijing you need to try the Peking Duck. I went to two places and my favorite was the Beijing Dadong Roast Duck Restaurant. Not only the taste but the whole experience is just waow. In many of these places it is possible to order something different from the menu, but why would you?
Because Crescent Moon is such a hype, we went to check it out. The food was good, but too be honest I thought it is a bit too exaggerated to say that this restaurant has it all. Staff was not really friendly exempt from one girl. The atmosphere was not waow and inside it was cold. Overall it is a fine place, but if you don’t have a lot of time in Beijing there are absolutely better places to go.
One of my favorite places to go, anywhere on this planet is a market. Donghuamen Night Market is a chaotic market exactly how you expect it to be in Asia. And enough of local food to try. My advice, just point at what you want, ask for the price and enjoy.
Russia – Irkutsk
Eating in a USSR style room, Rassolnik most not be missed. Sometimes there is a singer otherwise they play films made in the time of USSR. It’s really cute and cozy. On Saturday it’s really busy so reservation is needed. We went on Sunday and there weren’t a lot of people. The food is really good! The waitresses are dressed like old school. Even the bathroom is fun and clean! Tip: try the traditional Rassolnik soup! It’s enough to have that as a main meal!
Russia – Yekaterinaburg
Nigora is a restaurant with simple food in a very cozy place. Overall, I would say the food was good. The bread is delicious (it is served warm!). I would only return for the bread and the bread only. Don’t order the chicken, I believe their specialty is lamb. Because the chicken was served undercooked but the rest of the table had delicious well prepared food.
If you fancy a good steak Stroganov Grill is the place to go! First of all staff is very polite and friendly. Then, the atmosphere is lovely. Very cozy. On top of that the food is delicious. The steak was perfectly prepared. Prices are a bit higher than average and WiFi does not really work well, but that is not the main activity in a restaurant. However, can absolutely recommend this place. And as a bonus we received a discount through our hotel.
Russia – Moscow
In the bigger cities of Russia you can eat at Marketplace. This place has an amazing and innovative concept. When you enter they give you one card per person with which you can go and get the food you what. You will pay all of it afterwards. You can go for, breakfast lunch and dinner. It is kind of pricey but worth it.
Russia – St. Petersburg
If you fancy nice, simple and cheap Russian food go to Stolle. Try the pie or soup! In case you are in search of a cute coffee place, make your way to COFFEE ROOM Street. Service is good and quick. They speak a little bit English. The tea is good and really something different. Food is good. Nearby the Hermitage.
For a romantic dinner, or a cozy one, go to Teplo. They are super nice and speak English. The restaurant is veryyyyyy cuteeee and the food is good. What else do you need? Make sure to make a reservation.
Are you during winter time in Russia, make sure you stop for a cup of tea. I enjoyed my tea and cake break at Gosti. Good location and friendly staff, they speak English! The prices are a bit higher for Russian standards, so if you are on a budget, just share your cake. The interior is cute and cozy.
It doesn’t matter if you want to have lunch or dinner or just in my case enjoy a hot choco. You need to go to the Singer Café. Fantastic views. Just wait for a good seat at the window (or make a reservation).
Do you want to feel royal? Do you fancy fancy? A lovely surprise for us was Tsar. Very kitsch, affordable but still good.
Still looking for a place or place to sleep? These are the 8 best places to sleep during the Trans Siberian Express.