MoszkvaTéЯ Bisztró

MoszkvaTéЯ Bistro has found a new home in Víziváros, on the ground floor of the Monastery Boutique Hotel. The team behind it is captivating: it’s a more relaxed venture from the owners of Arany Kaviár, one of Hungary’s oldest fine dining restaurants. Here, the spotlight is on Russian cuisine—but in truth, the kitchen draws freely from the broader culinary traditions of the former Soviet Union, with dishes from the Caucasus, Georgia, Uzbekistan and Ukraine all showcased. The signature dish is chicken Kyiv, a recipe they’ve been perfecting for decades, complete with a handy little flag to point out where to cut to hit the herbal butter. Rarely will you find a better pelmeni or pirozhki in the city, and during our visit the syrniki for dessert offered a sublime warm-and-cold contrast. Crisp on the outside, soft and delicate within, it was served with a tangy curd ice cream. The tightly curated bistro menu is complemented by four kinds of caviar, while the drinks list is a real highlight: there are mocktails, a line-up of gin & tonics made with nine different gins, thirteen vodkas, and an impressive range of spirits and champagnes. The wine list ventures from Eger to Puglia to Chile. Cheerful, attentive and well-informed, the staff are well-versed in both food and drink. Following the closure of the Hold street market, MoszkvaTéЯ has clearly found its footing in the bistro genre too. Its Eastern-leaning kitchen and relaxed attitude fill a welcome niche in the local dining scene.