One of the readers has recommended me Moscow2 - Russian cafe and grocery store. It is located in Spring, TX, only a few miles from Houston. Here is a quote from their website: “Moscow2 is located at the corner of Sawdust and Borough Park.  We offer 100% authentic Russian food in a comfortable home-style setting. One need only try our famous Chicken “Kiev” or Borsch and one of our elite Georgian wines, all of which are affordable, to escape to Russia and enjoy its food.”

Moscow2 also has a good selection of Russian books and movies.

www.moscow2houston.com

202 Sawdust Road
Spring, TX 77380
(281) 298-6236
Directions

Open Monday - Saturday 11 am - 9 pm, Sunday 11 am - 8 pm

Another great Russian food store in Manhattan. Named after a TV-famous store, this one carries a broad selection of foods, drinks, herbs, and souvenirs. This store also delivers and caters around NY area.

The website is http://moscowonhudson.com/

If you are in Manhatten and not sure where to go for the Russian food - I would definitely recommend checking out Moscow On The Hudson.

801 W 181st St
New York, NY 10033
(212) 740-7397
Directions

Open Mon-Sat 9am-10pm; Sun 9am-9pm

Not too long ago I was notified of a new internet Russian food store russianfooddirect.com

It has a great selection of all the necessities and more. The prices are reasonable, shipping is almost free or very discounted across the US. The categorization is great, it even features kosher and diet selections.

A new restaurant called Sadko recently opened up in San Francisco Richmond district. It is a very cozy place with great home-style cooked meals. Very affordable too. Something to definitely try at Sadko are filled blintzes. 

Sadko is located on Clement street between 23rd and 24th. Give it a try if you are in the area.

Sadko Restaurant
2229 Clement St
San Francisco, CA, 94122
415-666-3420

In response to an inquiry of one of the readers I found Eliseevsky Russian restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is rated the best Ethnic restaurant in the area and offers a good selection of traditional Russian dishes for a moderate price.

I have found somewhat contradicting reviews, so if you get a chance to visit, please let me know what it is like.

Artem Eliseevsky Restaurant 
4825 W Flamingo Rd # 10
Las Vegas, NV 89103
(702) 247-8766
Directions

One of the readers has sent me quite a few restaurants around LA area. I have started putting them up one by one, but realized it would be much easier to just quote them. The reviews are great and very comprehensive.

Please let me know if any of these spots closed or if anything is worth mentioning here in addition to the information I have.

“Crystal

An authentic modern Russian dining experience awaits above a Starbucks. The restaurant has only one seating per night, so calling ahead is recommended (bar seating is possible later). In between courses, well-dressed (and increasingly tipsy) diners hit the dance floor. Dress code is enforced (no jeans) and there is a $20 cover charge.

7901 Santa Monica Blvd., 2nd floor
LA, CA, 90046
(323) 654-1188
6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Weekends only.

Bar Lubitsch

Although not Russian-owned, this bustling hot spot pays homage to its West Hollywood location with Soviet-inspired design. Cocktail waitresses here are decked out in Pravda red, and 1930s posters hang next to mirrors etched with Cyrillic to flesh out the Soviet chic concept.

7702 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 654-1234
6 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

Russian Nights

Appearing more like a strip club than a restaurant, Russian Nights’ bizarre design scheme will amuse some. The odd pairing of neon (both outside and inside) and murals depicting rural Russian 18th century life gives diners a bit of kitsch with their chicken Kiev.

13325 Moorpark St
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
(818) 981-0089
11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (till 2 a.m. on weekends)

Little New York

Located near a busy Trader Joe’s, Little New York caters to a younger Russian crowd on weekends. But this hidden gem is mostly known as a cozy getaway that serves up classics like sturgeon and pelmeni, set against a somewhat garish wall mural of the New York skyline.

7316 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 874-0727
7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Weekends only

Red Square

Red Square offers up Russian fare such as hearty mignon stroganoff and sweet wild black cherry blintzes. A one-man band sings Russian Top 40 songs with the help of a laptop and reverb-laden microphone on weekends, when things can get wild.

17209 Ventura Blvd
Encino, CA 91316
(818) 783-6300
Noon to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (till 2 a.m. on weekends).

Russia Restaurant

New owners took over this Hollywood restaurant, which sits adjacent to the famed Knickerbocker hotel, in 2005. On Saturday, Las Vegas-style showgirls take over the stage. Popular food choices at Russia include Chicken Tabaka and Karsky (lamb chops). Massive historical wall murals of Peter the Great stare down diners.

russiarestaurant.net

1714 Ivar Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 464-2216
Noon to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday (till 2 a.m. on weekends).

Troyka

Open for more than a decade, Troyka is located in an otherwise nondescript strip mall. The menu offers an array of Russian and Ukrainian food — from solyanka soup to blinchiki (pancakes with red caviar). Other popular dishes include vareniki (stuffed dumplings), Ukrainian borscht and cold herring salad.

7300 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 851-5531
Noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Romanov Restaurant

Restaurateur Mikayel Israyelyan’s new high-end Russian steakhouse has been impressing L.A. foodies of all stripes since it opened in March. Twenty-four-carat gold-leaf ceilings gleam above; Russian haute cuisine dishes like quail Kiev dazzle below. If you have a craving for real Osetra caviar, this is the place to get your fix.

romanovla.com

12229 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 760-3177
5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Odessa

Don’t let the tacky décor fool you; Odessa’s limited menu of fish and meat kebabs keeps the faithful coming back year after year. The adjacent deli also is a must for those seeking real red Russian caviar from Kamchatka and other assorted imported foods.

18525 Burbank Blvd
Tarzana, CA 91356
(818) 705-6630
11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Palm Terrace

This second-floor eatery (open only on weekends; call ahead) has been open since 1971, serving lavish Russian fare such as baked flounder fillet to thousands over the years. Banquet-style dining only, so reservations are a must (usually $45-per-person minimum).

531 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 653-7820
Weekends only, call for reservations.

Uzbekistan

Massive portions are the norm at Uzbekistan, where Russians, Armenians and curious Hollywood tourists “man up” to tackle hearty fare like plov with chicken and manti (steamed Uzbecki lamb dumplings). Live bands play on weekends.

7077 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 464-3663
11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Daily.

Someone has just sent me an email about the Russian Tavern located on the Isle of Bute, off the coast of Western Scotland. It is inside the Port Royal Hotel, overlooking the port. Russian Tavern serves not only traditional Russian dishes, but also excellent selection of exported wines and beers along with Scottish delicacies. 

Here is a quote from someone affiliated to this restaurant: “We take the preparation of our Tsarist Russian cuisine very seriously, prepare everything freshly from fresh ingredients, and have the finest local Scottish seafood and beef at our disposal.”

Russian Tavern at the Port Royal Hotel
http://www.butehotel.com/index.htm
37 Marine Road, Port Bannatyne,
Isle of Bute PA20 0LW, UK
Tel: 01700 505073

Il Paradiso is located in Encino. It seems to be a night club more than anything else, since it’s opened 7 p.m. to 2 a.m  on the weekends. A quote from the referrer gives a great description of Il Paradiso: “If you are seeking a true wild Russian night in L.A., look no further than Il Paradiso. This otherwise nondescript restaurant attracts a well-heeled, good-looking crowd on weekends (late at night usually). Don’t be intimidated by the veal-tongue salad, the Glock-toting security guards or the BMWs out front — just dress to impress and dance the night away.” I also found a few very positive reviews. Seems like an interesting place to spend an evening and relax.

Il Paradiso 
15627 Ventura Blvd
Encino, CA 91436
(818) 981-9293
Directions

I have been getting unbelievable feedback from the readers about the Russian food places around the world. I will be adding them as fast as I can. Thank you all so much!

Here is a quote from one of the emails I got about Premier Russian restaurant in Studio City:

“This cavernous restaurant in Studio City can feel empty when not packed with a party crowd. Avoid this fate by coming late on Saturdays, when the chicken Kiev is hot and the crowd dances the night away to live Russian music. A dress code (no jeans) is enforced (for men, anyway).”

I also found a few reviews online. This restaurant is mentioned along with all sorts of top notch places in the area. I’ve noticed that Russian restaurants that are being mentioned among non-Russian restaurants - the ones that gained popularity and high scores among non-Russian speakers - usually are better ones.

Premier Restaurant
12743 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 623-8844
Directions

While in my search for Russian food places I missed Moscow Deli Russian store in Orange county (Costa Mesa). One of the visitors of my website has recently told me about it (many thanks!). This place has been around for over a decade and has raving reviews by the OC residents as well as travelers from LA and San Diego. This store features a good selection of Russian traditional dishes that are always fresh along with books and videos.

Moscow Deli of Orange County 
3015 Harbor Blvd
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 546-3354
Directions

A reader has informed me of a newly  Russian food store in San Jose on Almaden Expwy called Kalinka. It is a very new store and I couldn’t find any information about it online. I will definitely check it out myself as soon as I come back to bay area from vacation. Meanwhile, if you already visited Kalinka, please let me know how is it.

Kalinka
5025 Almaden Expwy
San Jose, CA 95118
408-723-1861

A friend of mine who doesn’t speak Russian has recently learned the meaning of the world Kolobok. Today on the way to work he saw this place in Carmichael called Kolobok and immediately decided to give us a call. I looked up Kolobok online and found that it is one of the best not just Russian supermarkets, but grocery stores in Sacramento area. Kolobok might have another name - Ararat European Market. It is currently in consideration for being put on an A List of the best stores in the area. To that point, if you walk in and mention the code “KCRA3 A*List” they will give you a free German Artisan Bread Loaf (according to http://kcra.cityvoter.com/details.aspx?business=20506).

Kolobok European Market
7307 Fair Oaks Blvd
Carmichael, CA 95608
(916) 473-0306
Directions

Europa Food Market is a grocery store located in West Sacramento. It was recommended to me by one of the visitors of my website (thanks, this is very helpful!). The feedback they had about this store that it has a nice deli section and fresh produce. However, what makes this store unique is availability of Lithuanian ice cream, according to the reporter.

Europa Food Market
3049 W Capitol Ave
West Sacramento, CA 95691
(916) 376-0142
Diretions

I just read a very entertaining review of Nikita’s Russian restaurant in London: http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/restaurants-cafes-national/nikita-s-russian-restaurant-london/ . I found a few more reviews, Nikita’s seems like a popular place. Some terms people use to describe this place are “very Russian”, “lots of reds and golds”, and “good quality”. The menu is on the upper price range, but reasonable. Nikita’s has a website: http://www.nikitasrestaurant.com/ .

Nikita’s Restaurant
65 Ifield Rd
London, SW10 9AU, UK
 

I found a Russian general store in Houston with two locations: 5406 Birdwood (713-665-1177) and 9629 Hillcroft St (713-665-1177). I found a couple of reviews about these stores - generally positive, but dated beginning of 2006. I couldn’t check if these stores are still around and open, so if someone had any information about them - please let me know and I will update this post.

Russian General Store

9629 Hillcroft St
Houston, TX 77096
(713) 665-1177
Directions

5406 Birdwood Rd
Houston, TX 77096
(713) 665-1177
Directions

Cafe Europe is a cozy Russian restaurant in Houston that has a friendly atmosphere and a good menu selection. It’s the place to be for people nostalgic of Russian traditional dishes and a good tea. Cafe Europe located in the heart of Houston is my friend’s favorite place to relax after a hard day of work.

Cafe Europe
2711 Fountain View Dr # C
Houston, TX 77057
(713) 532-2220
Directions

My mom and my sister went to San Francisco last weekend. While walking around the downtown, they stumbled upon Samovar Tea Lounge located just across from Yerba Buena Gardens. Mom said that their she had the best Russian tea she ever tried. And my mom knows tea. Especially Russian teas. She grew up in Russia.

They also told me that Samovar Tea Lounge has a nice selection of deserts and appetizers including blinchiki. Surprisingly, there is a plenty of Asian dishes in the menu as well. Samovar Tea Lounge has 2 locations - 1 in Castro and one in Mission district. I am definitely going there next time I am in the city…

Samovar Tea Lounge
http://www.samovartea.com/

498 Sanchez St
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 626-4700
Directions

730 Howard St
San Francisco, CA
(415) 227-9400