St. Petersburg: Take a Walk down Rubinshteyna street
Some of you have probably heard of, or already been on Rubinshteyna street (на Рубинштейна) – the hip street of central Saint Petersburg. Today I want to share with you a few of my favorite places there. I had the fortune of living on this street for one blissful (but costly!) month, and I stumbled into a few gems I still go out of my way to visit whenever I am in the center.
My top 5 places on Rubinshteyna street:
Ulitsa Rubinshteyna spans from the пять углов [pyat’ uglov] – the famous five corners where Zavorodnij prospekt, Ulitsa Razyezzhaya, Ulitsa Lomonosova and Ulitsa Rubinshteyna meet – up to the Nevskij Prospekt.
Right at the beginning here you will find Bekitzer, on your right: delicious Israeli food (try the daily combos!) and interesting cocktails. You can come for dinner and end up staying ‘til morning, banging on the piano and dancing with your friends – the bartenders don’t mind at all. *snort
Nurse your hangover at Fartuk’s! Complete American Breakfast (plus many other brunch options) and amazing Bloody Mary’s. For the greasier needs, City Grill Express makes some really nice burgers, but better yet: Corner Kebab! I have been a regular since it opened in February. 
My favorite: falafel v labashe (in a wrap), but the chicken shawarma is also one of the best I’ve had in the city. All come with an abundance of veggies, the sauces are clean and tasty and the oven potatoes are crispy and well-seasoned.
If you are looking to kill some time, stop for a coffee or tea and home-made baked goods at Ogonyok – a tiny café run by youngsters where they also sell tobaccos you usually can’t find at the larger stores. Sit there two hours and you are guaranteed to make at least one new friend with whom to play a game of chess.
Back up towards Nevskij: Corner Kebab corners (ha) with an alleyway which leads to my own private piece of heaven (despite its being, in fact, in a basement). The reason why I always come to Rubinshteyna. My home away from home. The place where I’ve spent more money than on rent. [Drum roll…] Бир Гик! Beer Geek!
Found after two months sadly wondering if all they ever tapped in this city was Baltika 7, I followed the promising name down to a veritable treasure chest of craft beers from all over the world – latest addition: Japanese craft Hitachino! I was so stoked to find beers from Holland and Italy too, but I have come to think that, in this sector, too, the Russians do it better. AF, Iskra, Jaws and many more – all concoct delicious, interesting brews with often hilarious names and beautifully designed labels. Each and every beer is an experience, and worth every kopek.
There are a few other such places scattered around the city (e.g. Redrum, Pivnaya Dyeta, and Bakunin, all around Ploshad’ Vosstanya), but the atmosphere at Beergeek is the best, and not only in my opinion. Wherever you choose to go, though, remember: nothing bad can happen where people are drinking good beer.
Have a great weekend!
This blog was brought to you by Esther, currently studying Russian at Liden and Denz
