For now, the bulk of the BURO editorial team. Concentrated in Moscow and already actively isolating, editor Eva El-Bayaa and designer Violetta Shepitko are spending the hot August exploring bustling, southern and gastronomic Rostov-on-Don. We have compiled establishments worth a visit if you decide to extend the warm season (here you can count on it until November) or find yourself in the middle of the black earth on the way.
French pastry oasis
Opened on Kirovsky Prospekt (which relatively recently became the noisiest and busiest in the city), the café is nothing like the establishments around it: it is quiet, elegant and beige, and the opening hours are limited to 11pm on Friday and Saturday and 10pm on other days. We had, first of all, of course, the pastries and, secondly, the breakfasts. We also came here for dinner and a Pear Gimlet cocktail with a small group.
Cocktails at a loud party
If we’re just going to Brioche for cocktails, then we’re going to Chi-Chi for them. The multi-level open-air space combines a bar and a concert hall, so be sure to check out the poster: on Fridays and weekends there’s sure to be something to dance to, and closer to sunrise you can head down to the embankment – it’s very close.
Contrasts of Chinese street food
Donskaya street, 30 years old
+7 (988) 588–03–34
We are not in the mood for fancy evenings and dancing until the morning (or before that we need a dose of dopamine in the form of junk food): we go to the Chinese bistro Fudog, a stone’s throw from the musical Chi-Chi. The small establishment opened a long time ago and has since won the affection of the locals, and recently it expanded to the second floor, noticeably renovated the first floor and became very large. Here we do not ignore the chicken in orange sauce and try everything else with great mistrust: we are afraid of falling irrevocably in love.
In pastel colored clouds
Gazetny Lane, 52 years old
+7 (999) 691–52–52
In April, a pastel-coloured wine bar Geologist opened in Gazetny Lane almost simultaneously with Parasite. In May, between these two projects, which, by the way, were created by the founders of the well-known Khrustal, Ura Dvor was launched. Moreover, right on the spot where the beloved Shine wine bar used to gather Rostovites. The successor is coping with the task just as well, and he is given breakfast all day long and allowed to play table tennis as much as he wants.
Energy replenishment point
Kirovsky Avenue, 53
+7 (918) 536–96–69
Another transformative place: in the mornings and on weekdays there are colleagues with laptops, runners and cyclists who close the carbohydrate window, and on Friday and Saturday evenings there is loud music and dancing. All in the atmosphere of the old Surf Coffee, but in red and blue colours. At the end of June, the project (to support the sporting idea) was expanded to a second location: now “Priboy” is also located on the Rowing Canal. So we run (or ride) the coveted 6.3 km and take home a filter cup as a reward.
French classics in a magical interior
Semashko Lane, 51 years old
+7 (988) 569–44–09
This intimate restaurant with a large terrace near Bolshaya Sadovaya has been chosen by many, and as is not always the case, for a reason. Everything here is wonderful: the kitchen, the bar, the interior, the service and, of course, the most photogenic shell. We devoured the delicious tartare and mentally stuck the must-visit label right under the Age sign, so that not a single guest of Rostov-on-Don would lose sight of it.
endless pasta
Kirovsky Avenue, 51
+7 (988) 991–16–06
We return to the noisy Kirovsky, to the busy inner courtyard with many establishments. Among all the others (also wonderful), the Italian restaurant Di Pasta by Dmitry Drobyazkin shines. There are 22 options of pasta and ravioli to choose from, taking into account the seasonal ones. On Wednesdays, these dishes are complemented by another one – a very creamy formaggio, which is cooked in a “cheese head”. By the way, everything is handmade.
Neorumochnaya with the best sandwiches.
Sokolova Avenue, 28/21
@lunapark.vecherom
For those who are embarrassed by the crowds in the Shroom courtyard or bored by Kolyuchka’s exclusively vegetarian menu, businessman Maxim Polivanov has opened another establishment – Lunapark, where you cannot drink. Be sure to drink a tincture that suits your taste (there are sweet, fruit and berry, and gastronomic ones) and have a sandwich. But, if you still can’t get Kolyuchka’s sweet potato fries out of your head, you can go and find them – the establishments are located in the same courtyard on Sokolov Street.
The best traditions of European cuisine.
Soborny Lane, 22 years old
+7 (993) 993–60–81
There has long been a lack of a beautiful and versatile restaurant serving Western European cuisine in Soborny. The need was filled by Vladimir Bektimirov, who at that time had already been launching the successful meat project “Larisa Zharit” for several years. Clear and at the same time unique dishes, a calm atmosphere and a pleasant view from the windows of Sisi’s restaurant brighten up a meeting with a friend, the celebration of an important event or a family dinner.
smash burgers
street. City of Volos, 16
+7 (999) 698–33–27
Every self-respecting city should have a great local burger joint. In Rostov, this title is passed down from one establishment to another year, but so far it has been awarded to Jam Burgers on Volos Street. The cutlets are prepared using the crushing technique: a ball of minced meat is crushed on the grill using a special press, resulting in juicy and well-cooked cutlets. And they pack it all in potato buns. We know, it sounds very guilty.
Fabulous Brewery
Servant Lane, 183
@osminogets
And again we remember Maxim Polivanov, who enriched Rostov-on-Don with many chic drinking establishments. But “Octopus” is not a bar or a glassworks – it is a real beer hall, which, by the way, is located almost in the city centre. You can’t come here whenever you want, but you can follow the updates – the team periodically organizes open days with music, food and, of course, homemade beer.
Italian combinations and signature doughs
street. Socialist, 68/19
+7 (960) 451–16–54
With its relaxed pace and climate, it’s easy to mistake Rostov for Italy. That’s probably why people here love the cuisine (and traditions) of the Apennine Peninsula so much. Especially its southern part. Oven-baked pizza, handmade pasta, orange tiramisu – all of these can never be refused at Luigi’s, and as the restaurant’s team rightly points out, you can rarely say domani (“tomorrow”).
Tom Yum at the heart of Pan-Asian cuisine
Pushkinskaya street, 169
+7 (863) 270–91–99
Tom yam has made it onto the menus of many restaurants, but few make it a mainstay. The creators of Tom Yum Originals (as the name suggests), on the contrary, took exactly this path. The establishment with the orange color in the center of the palette is located on the main pedestrian street of the city, Pushkinskaya, not far from the Public Library. The Thai soup here comes in different variations in terms of spiciness and filling. You should definitely try it – a classic with salmon and seafood. But be careful: the portion is for two (or even three).
A trip to the past
Suvorova street, 7 years old
+7 (989) 552–29–30
Every taste is a memory. At least this philosophy underlies the Memories restaurant, which opened in May and has already received many praises: for the food, the signature cocktails, the team and the interior. We will return here not only for the roasted peppers with stracciatella, but also to notice the waiters’ uniform again: black shirts with fringes embroidered with gold beads.
