Places to eat in St. Petersburg on budget - eat like a local in Russia (2024)

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This post's overview:

  • 1 So, what are the places to eat inSt. Petersburg on budget?
    • 1.1 1. Teremok
    • 1.2 2. Pirogovy Dvorik
    • 1.3 3. Stolovaya №1
    • 1.4 4. Cheburetchnaya «Brynza»
    • 1.5 5. ObedBufet
    • 1.6 Some of the other posts you might like:

What are the best places to eat inSt. Petersburg, Russia on a budget? Check this post for some insights.

With the exchange rate of the ruble (the official currency), Russia is now one of the cheapest places to go in Europe and also the one with the best price to quality value. Cheap doesn’t mean bad. Because for the Russian standards it might not be cheap at all.

However, in order to travel more, we all have to save on something. Even though in St. Petersburg with 12 euros you can afford a lunch/dinner in a fancy panoramic restaurant, some people don’t see the need for it and would prefer to enjoy very nice meals for 4-5 euros.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_color=”juicy_pink” icon_fontawesome=”far fa-grin”]If you’re new to this blog, hi, I’m Liza. I was born and raised in beautiful St. Petersburg, Russia and in the last 4 years of blogging, I created over 40 articles about travel to Russia, from the transport guides to the safety tips! Click here to access all the Russia posts >>>[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row]

So, what are the places to eat inSt. Petersburg on budget?

1. Teremok

This one is really my favourite out of the places to eat in St. Petersburg on budget. And almost all the Russians I know love this place. And not only Russians 🙂
Teremok is a Russian fast food chain, where you can order crepes (blini) with all sorts of fillings. e.g. sour cream, jam, banana and chocolate, feta cheese + bacon + dill, beef and potatoes and many, many more. There are so many different fillings that everyone will for sure find the one that he/she will like. Besides crepes, Teremok offers such traditional Russian dishes as buckwheat with sausage/chicken/egg; dumplings (pelmeni), Russian salad, Russian porridge and so on. Almost everything is really tasty in Teremok!

And what about the prices?

Well, the prices for one crepe vary from 1 to 4 euros (the ones for 4 euros will really make you full), while the rest of dishes is from 1.5 to 3.5 euros. However, Teremok offers 4 lunch deals available all the time during the working hours of the restaurant, which usually include a soup/salad, a crepe of your choice and a drink. The prices for the lunches start from 3 euros and the most expensive one costs 4.5 euros.

Where to find Teremok?

There are so many of them in the town. However, if you’re in the city centre, try the outlets on Bolshaya Morskaya Street, Nevsky prospect 60 or in the major shopping malls like Galeria and Sennoy.

Places to eat in St. Petersburg on budget - eat like a local in Russia (1)

2. Pirogovy Dvorik

Ever thought of trying traditional Russian pies (pirogi)? Head to Pirogovy Dvorak! That’s one of the best mentioned places to eat in St. Petersburg on budget. It is also a chain and you can find a few outlets in different districts of Saint Petersburg. The most remarkable one, though, in located right in the heart of the city, on the street called Griboyedov Canal Embankment, 22, (very close to Nevsky Prosper metro station) with the awesome view over the Kazan Cathedral.

The restaurant offers a variety of very delicious Russian pies, such as, for example, pies with egg and cabbage, potato and mushrooms, black currant and so on. Moreover, during the daytime the restaurant offers a business lunch deal for a very low price. Actually, all the prices in Pirogovy Dvorak are very low: for 8 euros you can at least 2 people really full.

Places to eat in St. Petersburg on budget - eat like a local in Russia (2)

3. Stolovaya №1

When people usually ask about some places to eat in St.Petersburg on budget, most commonanswer is: Stolovaya 1. Stolovaya Number 1 is a chain of low-cost canteens: it’s both very cheap and centrically located in the city and thus, quite easy to find. The biggest outlet is located right on the Nevsky Prospect (very close from the Hermitage Museum) and it’s always full – means you won’t die from the food there.

I am not the biggest fan of this place, but some of people I know totally rave about it! It’s cheap, fast and nicely decorated: yep, it looks more like a restaurant than a canteen. Also, everything you can order is displayed to you behind the show-window, so the only thing you need to do is to point on the dish you like (not that the staff speaks English anyways :D).

You can eat there for as low as 3-4 euros per person, and that would include a salad, soup, main dish and a drink (and maybe a dessert, too).

Address: Nevsky Prospect, 25

Places to eat in St. Petersburg on budget - eat like a local in Russia (3)

4. Cheburetchnaya «Brynza»

This one is really great, though, might seem a bit strange to the tourists. Even though Brynza offers all the traditional Russian dishes, its specialty are chebureks, traditional puffy fried pies with delicious filling inside. You can get one for less than 2 euros and you will probably get full with it.

There are plenty of Brynza outlets on the main street of Saint Petersburg, Nevsky Prospect and unlike all the previously mentioned places, Brynza is a not self-service chain: you’ll get seated, you can ask for an English menu (but most of the items in the Russian menu are translated to English anyways) and order a dish of your selection.

Addresses: Nevsky prospect 50; Pushkinskaya street 1/77

Places to eat in St. Petersburg on budget - eat like a local in Russia (4)

5. ObedBufet

ObedBufet is definitely not one of the cheapest places to eat in St Petersburg, however, there are some great lifehacks about this place. It is usually open from 9 to 23 and there are happy hours from 10 to 12 in the morning (when you can have almost everything with 30-50% discount) and from 9 to 11 in the evening, when you can buy food only (doesn’t apply to the drinks unfortunately) with 30-50% discount. ObedBufet belongs to the chain of the fanciest restaurants, Ginza Project, however, it’s the first buffet-style restaurant of the group.

Without the discount you can eat a soup + main dish + drink for around 8-12 euros. However, during the happy hours you can have a soup, roast beef, side dish and a beer for just 6-7 euros (or even cheaper). Moreover, the food in ObedBufet is quite healthy and the selection of dishes in just huge (more than 150 for sure).

Address: Nevsky Prospekt 116 (Shopping Mall Nevsky Center)

Places to eat in St. Petersburg on budget - eat like a local in Russia (5)

There are also plenty of other places offering special lunch offers (where you can have a set of meals for 200-400 rubles (3 to 6 euros), and usually they have this information written on their doors or somewhere else.

Some of the other posts you might like:

Where to try Russian food in St. Petersburg

Free things to do in St. Petersburg

10 best dishes to try in Russia

The best desserts to try in Russia >>>

How to travel to Moscow from St. Petersburg

Places to eat in St. Petersburg on budget - eat like a local in Russia (2024)

FAQs

Places to eat in St. Petersburg on budget - eat like a local in Russia? ›

Saint Petersburg is generally a relatively affordable city to travel to, and there are plenty of ways you can save money while you're there too.

Is Saint Petersburg Russia cheap? ›

Saint Petersburg is generally a relatively affordable city to travel to, and there are plenty of ways you can save money while you're there too.

What is popular food from St Petersburg? ›

Check out the local Russian specialties such as caviar, honey, wild berries, various dairy products and different zakuski (appetizers) such as cold cuts of meat, cured fish, selection of cheeses and much more. Russian cuisine is often associated with blini - a kind of pancakes or crepes.

Why is Saint Petersburg so cheap? ›

Petersburg's affordability is its proximity to other major cities, such as Tampa and Sarasota. This allows residents to enjoy the benefits of living in a smaller city while still having access to the amenities and job opportunities found in larger metropolitan areas. The Tampa-St.

Is Saint Petersburg Russia expensive? ›

A family of four estimated monthly costs are 1,873.8$ (173,335.7руб) without rent. A single person estimated monthly costs are 534.0$ (49,399.5руб) without rent. Saint Petersburg is 68.0% less expensive than New York (without rent). Rent in Saint Petersburg is, on average, 86.9% lower than in New York.

Is it safe for an American to travel to St. Petersburg Russia? ›

Russia - Level 4: Do Not Travel.

Is Moscow safer than St. Petersburg? ›

Speaking from personal experience, they are both safe. Moscow vs SPb crime stats show : Saint-Petersburg 12.0 crimes per 1000 in 2015. Moscow 14.3 crimes per 1000 in 2015.

What is a popular Russian meal? ›

Famous Russian Dishes You Have to Try. Borscht (Russian Beetroot Soup) Beef Stroganoff. Guriev Kasha (Semolina Porridge) Kholodets (Meat Jelly)

What food and drink is Russia famous for? ›

Top 10 foods to try in Russia
  • Kamchatka crab. Red king crab is a species that's native to the Bering Sea and can be found around the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia. ...
  • Borscht. ...
  • Pelmeni. ...
  • Blini. ...
  • Black Sea barabulka. ...
  • Kvass. ...
  • Varenie. ...
  • Sirniki.
Oct 19, 2019

What is the most popular street in St. Petersburg Russia? ›

Petersburg's most famous address, Nevsky Prospekt, is only one of dozens of broad, straight thoroughfares that cut through the city and act as the main arteries for traffic and for pedestrians. Most of these "prospekts" were carefully planned, and show St. Petersburg at its most formally magnificent.

Is St. Petersburg, Russia worth visiting? ›

St Petersburg is home to Russia's best preserved and most elaborate constructions from the extravagant Tsarist era. Brimming with baroque palaces, classical sculptures, royal gardens, and grandiose cathedrals, you can not simply miss to visit St Petersburg in your lifetime.

Why did Russia want St. Petersburg? ›

The founding of Saint Petersburg

The city was intended to be a place of great political and economic strength and an important seaport, so a strategic location on the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea was selected.

What is the crime rate in St. Petersburg Russia? ›

Crime rates in Saint Petersburg, Russia
Level of crime38.12Low
Worries attacked36.52Low
Worries being insulted36.74Low
Worries being subject to a physical attack because of your skin color, ethnic origin, gender or religion26.80Low
Problem people using or dealing drugs45.85Moderate
8 more rows

Can you spend US dollars in Russia? ›

All purchases in Russia are made in the local currency, which is the ruble. Transactions in dollars or euros are not allowed. However, you can always pay with a debit or credit card, as they are accepted everywhere in Moscow and almost everywhere in Saint Petersburg.

What is the average income in St. Petersburg Russia? ›

As of September 2021, the average monthly salary in St. Petersburg, Russia is around 57,500 rubles (approximately 780 USD). However, the salary range can vary greatly depending on factors such as industry, experience, and job type.

Can you drink the water in St. Petersburg Russia? ›

The advice is clear – you better don't drink tap water in St Petersburg, unless you have a special water filter installed or have water boiled for at least 5 minutes. The hotels usually have special bottled water in the lobby, as well as hostels have kitchen areas where you can boil it with no problem.

Is it expensive to visit St. Petersburg Russia? ›

A two week trip to Saint Petersburg on average costs around $902 (₽82,656) for one person and $1,805 (₽165,312) for two people. This cost includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing. Please note, prices can vary based on your travel style, speed, and other variables.

Is it expensive to live in St. Petersburg? ›

A: St. Petersburg is one of the cheaper metro areas to live in Florida with a cost of living only 0.4 percent above the nation's average. By comparison, Miami's cost of living is 22.4 percent higher than the national average.

Is Russia cheap for American tourists? ›

You should plan to spend around $64 (₽5,984) per day on your vacation in Russia. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average for one day: $14 (₽1,271) on meals.

Is Moscow or St. Petersburg cheaper? ›

Cost of living in Saint Petersburg (Russia) is 8% cheaper than in Moscow (Russia)

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