When in Russia, you may want to try some of Russia’s culinary specialties. Traditional Russian cuisine is delicious. Food sold in Russian shops and at bazaars is usually fresh and healthy. Fast food isn’t popular in Russia yet and Russians prefer more traditional dishes. While they are prepared from natural products, they tend to be high-calorie.
Ordering Meals in Russian
In Moscow’s restaurants, most of the time, menu will be written in both Russian and English. Waiters and waitresses will be able to speak some basic English and accept your order. However, in smaller restaurants and buffets, you may need to communicate with the staff in Russian.
We’d like to book a table for 2 – My hatim stol na dva chlovieka, I’m having… - ya hachu zakazat…, for main dish – na piervoye, for dessert – na sladkoye;
I’d like something… - Ya hatielby…; hot – gariachi, cold – halodni, sweet – sladki;
Do you have a menu? – Daite mnie meniu, pazhalsta;
Tea – chai, with lemon – climonom, without lemon – biez limona, with sugar – s saharom, without sugar – biez sahara;
I’ll have vodka – ya hachu vodku, wine – vina, beer – pivo.
In many small Russian restaurants and cafes, all offered dishes are exposed behind a glass pane installed below the bar. In this way, customers can choose different foods and ready meals according to their appearance. In order to choose one of such dishes, you can point at it and say daite mnie eta, pazhalsta.
Buying Food and Eating in Russian
Russian food shops sell a variety of products including fresh sandwiches and ready salads. Food prices are relatively low in Russia – especially considering the high-quality and taste.
How much is it? – skolka stoit?, Do you have +product ? – product + yest?
Do you have fruits? – Frukty yest? Do you have bread? – Hlieb yest?
How much? – ckolka? How much is it? – ckolka stoit?
Food Products in Russian
Sandwiches – buterbrody, bread – hlieb, meat – miyaso, cheese – syr, milk – malako, fruits – frukty, water – vada, alcoholic drinks – alkagolnyi napitki;
I’m hungry – ya galodnyi, I’m thristy – ya hachu pit, delicious – vkusnyi, to eat – kushat, to drink – pit.
Visiting niche cafes in Russian, whether you are visiting Moscow or some smaller city, is really worthwhile. First, you can practice your pronunciation and see how easy (or hard) it is for you to communicate with Russians in real-life situations. Second, you try unique culinary specialties that include a variety of coffees, soups, and fried beefsteaks. Bigger and more expensive restaurants offer more international meals that usually won’t remind of anything traditional.
For more information, consult Vacation in Russia – Travel Tips, Formalities, and Communication; see also Travel Vocabulary in the Russian Language. For additional tips on the Russian language, see the below pictures containing useful words and phrases written in the Cyrillic alphabet.
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