DINING/FOOD/DRINK

In Tver, as with Russia in general, it is often difficult to categorize establishments as “cafe/restaurant” or “bar/club” as the lines are often blurred to the eyes of a westerner. Some of the city's best restaurants, for example, are in dance clubs, and while there are full bars in most cafes, not one bar lacks a food menu. You can more or less drink a beer and eat something at any one of these places, however, they are categorized here according to the predominant activity that takes place at each of them, with special consideration to the major dance clubs with restaurants which are described in both “restaurant” and “club” sections.

If you are into discovering culinary treasures at quiet, “hole-in-the-wall” type restaurants, we highly recommend this tiny little Georgian place located on the 3rd floor of the Hotel Tourist near the train station. Although the interior doesn't provide much to look at, it's not exactly offensive either. The food, on the other hand, is absolutely OUTSTANDING!!! Authentically prepared shashlik practically drips off the fork and nearly melts before it gets into your mouth. Chase that down with some Georgian cheese-bread and Adjika sauce (similar to a picante salsa), a cold beer or glass of wine, and you are sure to be pleased with yourself for taking the road less traveled by. Moderate prices overall make this one of the best bargains in town considering the quality and portions of food. Service is efficient, friendly, and even grateful in the way one would be when they take pride in what they serve. The wine selection, however, is very limited and jumps into the $10+ per bottle range very quickly (which is expensive for Tver).

(Closed for reconstruction at present.) One of the few Asian/Chinese restaurants in the city, Asia delivers a nice twist to dining out in Tver. While not exactly the most imaginative menu (many standards such as spring rolls and kung-pao chicken are missing), they do what they do fairly well, albeit at a stiff price ($8-10 per dish). The comfortable tables with lazy-susans in two ornate dining rooms, however, provide the setting for a real treat to the average Russian who is usually unfamiliar with Asian cuisine (and more than likely priced out of this restaurant). Located on Bulvar Radishcheva, near Tverskoy Prospekt.

Located in a popular downtown location near the Tverskoy Bridge and City Park , Arzee boasts one of the best shavarma in town (Middle Eastern style “burrito” stuffed with chicken, cabbage, and a pinch of garlic). They also serve a decent chicken sandwich and a sub-par pizza. Outdoor seating near the Volga is available during the summer months. A great place to get a midday snack or a quick and inexpensive meal.

While the atmosphere of this non-smoking coffee house is unlikely to inspire a “wow” from anyone, it is however, likely to inspire good conversation over their vast selection of coffee drinks, teas, and deserts. Situated on the quiet, tree lined street of Ulitsa Volnogo Novgoroda (one block off the busy Ulitsa Sovetskaya, and one block from the Volga River ), Cafe Town provides a nice peaceful retreat within the city center. Also has a full bar.

Another contender for the title of best shashlik in Tver, City Club also has an excellent selection of salads, soups, meat dishes, and desserts. Food is served in any of the many different areas, including the main lounge, jazz room, dance club, and karaoke room. Beautiful outdoor garden cafe in the summer months, complete with gazebos and the occasional presence of the owner's rabbit, provides a great place to enjoy the 11pm sunset. Moderate to slightly expensive prices are mostly tamed by credits received at the door when paying your cover charge, although entrance fees are usually waved before 9pm. Located on Sovetskaya across the street from the Drama Theater, Philharmonic, and City Park . (See more about City Club in Bars and Clubs )

A wide array of tasty teas, coffee drinks, and cocktails to consider as you flip through their menu. They also serve non-mayonnaised salads, open-faced sandwiches, and sweets for moderate prices. Perched on the 3rd story of the Olymp shopping center, their cafe boasts beautiful views of the busy Tverskoy Prospekt and T'maka River below with sheer curtains to mute the light and comfortable couches to relax in. A great place to converse over a warm beverage.

Excellent selection of wines, tasty fish, pork, and special omelet dishes. Moderate to low priced, Dobrynya is an excellent value and a nice place to sit for a meal in its small, but open dining area. Special bonus: one table has a big fish tank (complete with a stealth bomber shaped rock-licker!). Located in the heart of downtown on Tverskoy Prospekt at Sovetskaya.

Perhaps one of the most romantic places in the city, Fortuna Cafe is definitely the place to take someone special. The quiet dining room contains less than a handful of tables in a very warm and cozy atmosphere –perfect for intimate conversations or just gazing into the eyes of the one who sits across from you. The service is excellent, as is the Russian-European food they serve. Through a separate entrance on the Trekhsvyatskaya pedestrian street, you will discover a fine dining experience that is rarely topped, if at all, in the city. Adorned with pleasantly calming classical Greek decor, Fortuna's restaurant offers exquisitely prepared meals and an excellent selection of wines to accompany them. While there are a few crossovers between the two menus, the restaurant is practically in a world all its own, both in atmosphere as well as the food they serve (not to mention the prices, which are on the expensive side for Tver). Whether you eat in the cafe or the restaurant, you are almost guaranteed that your food will be excellent, as every single menu item is extremely well done. Located on Trekhsvyatskaya, near the Olymp shopping center.

Located a bit outside the city center on Nogina Bulvar, Joongo serves delicious Chinese and Russian cuisine, though at high prices. The interior sports a strange blend of Soviet and Chinese decor (possibly Red Chinese?). Highly recommended are the fish and shrimp dishes, however expect them to be more of a Russian interpretation of traditional Chinese. Live music in the evenings as well.

A very uniquely styled modern European restaurant, sealed off from the pulsating beats of the dance floor, serves a variety of delightful Euro-Russian, Georgian, and Italian meals (which is very rare in Tver). In the summertime, they also have comfortable outdoor seating on the patio with excellent live music. Prices tend to be a bit on the expensive side, but certainly not outrageous, especially considering their food is among the best in the city, and their service is excellent. A cover is charged in the evening, as it is, after all, a dance club. Located on Ulitsa Trekhsvyatskaya, one block from Ploshchad Lenina (Lenin square) and the Volga River . (See more about Kultura Club in Bars and Clubs )

Situated in the very center of town, just around the corner from our office, this modern, yet quite coffee house is a great place to take your date. Offers a cozy relaxing atmosphere as well as a wide variety of coffee and tea drinks, milk shakes, full bar, snacks, deserts, cakes and pies. Has smoking and non smoking sections.

Children absolutely LOVE this restaurant because the decor brings Pushkin's fairy tales to life. You can dine at a table on the second level overlooking the entire scene as if on a theater balcony. Although they have a nice selection of German wines, the traditional Russian cuisine is just OK and the service is kind, but spotty. Some evenings provide live music for your entertainment, however when musicians aren't in the house, there is a strong inclination to roll out the karaoke machine, which coupled with the cavernous acoustics of the space, could reinforce the notion that some people should just hum to the radio in the privacy of their own homes. Located on Ploshchad Lenina (Lenin square).

Need to relieve your pizza fix? Milano serves as close to an authentic Italian-style pizza and as you will find in Tver. Highly recommended for those who are having difficulty adjusting to food designed for the Russian palette or just nursing a hangover. Located near Arzee, the main movie theater, City Park , and the Volga River . A sparkling new second location in the downtown area, only a few blocks away, occupies a basement near the Circus.

Although there is some debate over whether this nice little restaurant serves the best shashlik in the city, there is, however a consensus that it ranks within the top three. Served in a non-smoking subterranean dining room, every single one of their soups, salads, meat, and fish dishes are superb both in taste as well as in price. Live musicians in the evening provide music for dancing with that special someone between courses. Outdoor garden tables available during the summer months provide for a peaceful retreat from the busy Ulitsa Sovetskaya that lies just beyond their front door. Friendly service too! Located on Sovetskaya, one block from Ploshchad Lenina (Lenin square) and across the street from the Zebra Club.

Quietly located on Svobodniy Lane , across the backside of Drama theatre, this café and coffee house offers the enjoyment of wonderful soups, salads, deserts as well as a wide variety of coffees and teas at very moderate prices.
Stylish décor and a great menu is what makes the attraction of this place. at very moderate prices enjoy , low prices, style, centrally located.

A Tver institution, Nadezhda serves fine Russian cuisine in a cozy non-smoking dining room. Although there are little to no risks taken with the dishes on their menu, each one of them is prepared consistently well. With excellent food and service, this is a great choice to bring someone special or meet with good friends. An occasional jazz band adds just one more touch of class to a restaurant already well stocked with it from floor to ceiling. Moderate to only slightly expensive prices don't threaten the size of your wallet too much for such a wonderful dining experience. Located on Ulitsa Sovetskaya, near City Park , City Club, and the Drama Theater.

Located inside the Osnabruk Hotel (on Ulitsa Saltykova-Shchedrina), this recently remodeled restaurant stands out as one of the finer dining establishments in the city. Its modern European styled dining room, with walls washed in a calm, muted salmon hue, reflect its German ownership and management –not a hair out of place. Excellent contemporary Russian, German, and Continental European dishes will without a doubt paste a smile of satisfaction on your face. We highly recommend the Osnabruk Salad as well as any of their fish dishes, which are always cooked to perfection. As you would expect, prices are a bit higher than the average restaurant in Tver, but then again, Osnabruk is certainly on the top tier. Live music in the evenings, and breakfast is served from 7-11 am , which is rare in this city, as few people tend to go out for their morning meal.

Another new and modern styled coffee house, Terentyev is located in the heart of the city's downtown at the corner of Tverskoy Prospekt and Sovetskaya. Relax with a mocha and a tasty dessert on one of their two levels and watch the rest of the world hurry past you from the wall of glass windows that separates you from it all. Inexpensive coffee drinks and teas, moderate prices for sweets, and painfully expensive imported bottled German beer.

Located within the club itself (often requiring that you pay the nightly cover charge to enter), Zebra's small, tiki-hut themed restaurant serves a decent variety of sushi and a few other Japanese favorites along with some Russian dishes for the novice raw fish eater to safely back out at the last minute. Although a bit pricey, it is still a good choice to fuel up before a night of dancing. Food also available at your table inside the club. Located on Sovetskaya, one block from Ploshchad Lenina (Lenin square). (See more about Zebra Club in Bars and Clubs )

Join Tver's elitne crowd in this super-hip, European-styled restaurant and cocktail lounge located in the front of the Zerkalo Club. Sip a martini and cock a smile as you flip through their surprisingly large menu listing a plethora of brilliantly prepared European, Russian, and Sushi dishes. The delicious food plus the hyper-moda atmosphere equals, yes you guessed it, a relatively hefty bill on the way out. Expect each meal to run about $10 or more, and drinks to be on the high end of what you will generally find in Tver. If, however, this doesn't faze you, we highly recommend Zerkalo as you are sure to be impressed. Located on Prospekt Pobedy, near Ploshchad Kaposhvara and Victory Park . (See more about Zerkalo Club in Bars and Clubs )