Gastronomic Tours Across Russia — a Vacation with Flavor

What Is Gastronomic Tourism

How to Plan a Gastronomic Tour in Russia in 2025

• Choose a region. Study the culinary features of different parts of the country and decide where it will be more interesting and tasty for you.
• Make a list of dishes. This way you won’t forget any specialties that caught your interest.
• Learn in advance about regional traditions and dining etiquette. You will feel confident even if you encounter something unusual.
• Find out about gastronomic events. Your trip might coincide with a festival, harvest celebration, or a season when local products are especially delicious. 
• Plan your schedule. It is better to book tables at good restaurants and tours of production sites or farms in advance to ensure access to your chosen places.
• Check whether cafes and restaurants in the region hold gastronomic dinners with fixed menus. This is a great opportunity to get acquainted with the variety of local cuisine in one evening and even chat with the chef.
• Read reviews of establishments and recommendations from experienced travelers. This will help you understand what to expect from a particular gastronomic spot.
• Choose a hotel and pay attention to its restaurant menu. You might be able to try something from the local cuisine right at the hotel.

Popular Cities and Regions for Gastronomic Tours

Moscow Region

Gastronomic tourism in the Moscow region offers a chance to immerse yourself in nature and culinary delights. Visit eco-farms and cheese dairies, enjoy fresh farm products, and relax in the countryside.

Guests of the Moscow region can attend cooking workshops, tastings of craft cheeses, aromatic tea, or honey. Local eco-products are distinguished by high quality and exquisite taste, made according to unique recipes.

One of the most impressive stops on the gastronomic tour can be the «Pobeda» chocolate factory. Treat yourself to an exciting journey through the world of confectionery art. You will see how chocolate turns into familiar sweets, learn the factory’s history, and get answers to all questions about the production process. Interesting workshops are organized here for children under 16.

It is most convenient to start a gastronomic tour of the Moscow region from Moscow itself. Here, you can also book one of the Accor group hotels. We offer comfortable and modern rooms suitable for large groups, couples, and families with children.

Far East

Gastronomic tours in this region are especially interesting for those who love seafood, Asian cuisine, and want to discover new flavors. This Russian region is famous for its unique blend of cultures and culinary traditions.

Here you can bring home vivid impressions and tasty souvenirs. For example, the legendary «Primorskiye» candies, local sauces, or even fresh seafood. The main thing is to have time to visit all the interesting places and pack a bigger suitcase.

The center of gastronomic tourism in the Far East is Vladivostok. People come to this city for the freshest crabs, scallops, oysters, shrimp, and red caviar. These delicacies can be tasted in restaurants or during tours of farms and production sites.

Other gastronomic highlights of Vladivostok:

• Some products and features of the local cuisine are celebrated with entire festivals and fairs. For example, «Koryushka i Ko», the «May Mussel Festival», and the «Far Eastern Taiga Festival». During these celebrations, you can try dishes prepared by the region’s best chefs.
• Thanks to its proximity to Asia, Pan-Asian cuisine is widely represented here. On the streets, you will find street food spots with Korean pyanse buns, Japanese gyoza dumplings, and ramen noodles. In summer, the city hosts the Asian Night Market festival, where you can dive into the atmosphere of an Asian market and taste dishes prepared right before your eyes.
• You can combine a gastronomic tour with active recreation. For example, go fishing with a professional guide. A boat trip to the best fishing spots followed by cooking your catch over a campfire is the best way to feel part of nature and enjoy the freshest gifts of the sea.

You can stay at Novotel Vladivostok. This four-star hotel is located near the historic center—convenient for reaching all activities. The hotel has a Japanese cuisine restaurant and a 24-hour bar.

Another interesting destination for gastronomic tourists in the Far East is Blagoveshchensk, a city right on the border with China.

Here you can get acquainted with a unique cuisine that closely intertwines Russian and Chinese traditions. Local establishments will treat you to Peking duck, stewed beef with vegetables and tofu, and Harbin-style eggplants.

You can combine exotic dishes with familiar ones in one lunch or dinner at the VOSTOK restaurant, located in the four-star Mercure Blagoveshchensk hotel. They serve European, Russian, and Asian cuisine.

Krasnodar Krai

Gastronomic tours in this region offer the chance to discover the rich culinary culture of southern Russia. Traditional Russian dishes here are prepared according to recipes passed down through generations.

In addition to delicious food, Krasnodar Krai is famous for its excellent wines. To taste various kinds of this drink and visit vineyards and wineries, come to the annual «Black Sea Wine Week» festival. It is held in different cities of the region from late September to early October and lasts a week.

In other months, embark on a gastronomic journey to Krasnodar. Here you can taste dishes that have become the hallmarks of Kuban:

• Kuban borscht. Distinguished by its special golden color and rich taste. It is served with fluffy pampushki rolls and thick homemade sour cream.
• Cossack-style solyanka. A hearty soup with meat, sausage, pickled cucumbers, and potatoes, often enhanced with tomato paste for a brighter flavor.
• Vareniki. Here they are made with unusual fillings, for example, potatoes with pork cracklings.
• Kuban strumby. Rolls made of dough and minced meat, similar in taste to dumplings but spicier.

Traditional Kuban treats and European cuisine dishes can be enjoyed at the ibis Kitchen restaurant in ibis Krasnodar Center. This four-star hotel is located in the city center, suitable for family vacations or combining leisure with business events.

Besides Krasnodar, other interesting gastronomic destinations in the south include Anapa. Here you can enjoy the freshest shellfish at an oyster farm. Oysters are caught right in front of you and served with sparkling wine. Such a meal will be a true pleasure even for the most demanding gourmets.

Also near Anapa is the famous village of Abrau-Dyurso. It takes only about an hour to get there. Arrange a sparkling wine tasting and enjoy lunch or dinner in one of the fine dining restaurants—all with wonderful views of Lake Abrau.

We recommend staying in Anapa at Mövenpick Resort & SPA Anapa Miracleon. At the GRAPE restaurant here, you can complement your impressions from the oyster farm. The menu features seafood and meat dishes, Mediterranean cuisine.

To try homemade wines, chacha, Black Sea rapans, pickles made from burdock and bamboo, chestnut honey, and aromatic cheeses, go to Sochi. This city is famous for its variety of local products, wineries, and tea plantations.

You can appreciate the richness of Sochi’s cuisine at the «Sel Maran» restaurant located in Pullman Sochi Center. To complement the taste of dishes, order wine from Vinoteca by Pullman.

Other hotels in Sochi can be found on this page.

Next slide Previous slide

Kaliningrad Region

Gastronomic tours to the Kaliningrad region provide an opportunity to immerse yourself in the culinary traditions of Russia’s westernmost region. Here Russian, German, and Baltic influences have blended.

The Kaliningrad region is famous for unique dishes that can surprise even seasoned gourmets. Gastronomic features of the region:

• Many restaurants offer authentic dishes in interiors that transport you to the atmosphere of Germany. Here you can try pork knuckle and stewed cabbage, German sausages prepared according to traditional recipes. Special attention in the menu is given to klops — veal cutlets often stuffed with fish and served with a thick sauce resembling béchamel.
• The gastronomic symbol of the region is fish. The Baltic Sea provides residents and visitors with many delicacies: smoked eel, fresh mackerel and horse mackerel, pelamid sashimi (thin slices of frozen fish). In spring, be sure to try fried smelt and Baltic herring, and at any other time of the year — the famous Kaliningrad sprats, considered among the best in Russia.
• The Kaliningrad region is renowned for sweets. Here, legendary marzipan candies are made with special craftsmanship. You can take them home as a delicious souvenir.
• Large-scale gastronomic events are held annually in Kaliningrad. If you plan a trip in late August — early September, visit the city picnic Kaliningrad Street Food. Here you can try street food from around the world and dishes prepared according to local family recipes. Around the same time, the Ostmark Fest festival dedicated to food, drinks, and music takes place.

For a comfortable stay, book Accor group hotels. One of them — Mercure Kaliningrad Center — has the Si.M.patio restaurant. Here you can order European cuisine and specialties made from local seafood and fish.

Irkutsk Region

In this region, every dish tells a story that connects people and natural wealth. Gastronomic tours in the Irkutsk region allow you to immerse yourself in the amazing atmosphere of one of Russia’s most picturesque regions. Here you can enjoy unique landscapes and a variety of traditional dishes reflecting the blend of Russian and Buryat cultures.

Be sure to try:

• Omul. A fish inhabiting Lake Baikal. Omul is served salted or smoked and used to make fragrant fish soup (ukha). Another dish is «raskolotka», made from frozen omul.
• Sagudai. Raw, freshly caught omul marinated in onion, vinegar, oil, and spices. Sometimes grated apple is added to sagudai. Variations of this dish use salmon, trout, mackerel, whitefish, and other fish.
• Pine nuts. Served as a standalone dish, added to pastries or salads.
• Buuz and khushur. Buuz are traditional Buryat steamed dumplings resembling khinkali. Khushur is a local equivalent of the familiar cheburek. These dishes will delight meat lovers and fans of hearty food.
• Boovy. Deep-fried dough pieces somewhat similar to fritters. Boovy are served with condensed milk, sour cream, powdered sugar, or jam. This dessert will please those with a sweet tooth and is a perfect end to a meal.
• Taiga tea. Made from local herbs and berries such as juniper, fireweed, and hawthorn.

Taste local delicacies at the ibis Kitchen restaurant located in the ibis Irkutsk Center hotel. Relax between excursions and tastings in cozy hotel rooms suitable for business travelers, families with children, and solo tourists.

Krasnoyarsk

This is the gastronomic capital of Siberia. Krasnoyarsk attracts tourists with its natural beauty and a wide range of traditional Siberian dishes. Gastronomic tours in this city appeal to all lovers of tasty and diverse food.

The must-try menu for a gastronomic traveler in Krasnoyarsk includes:

• Angara fish soup (ukha). Made from three types of fish at once: burbot, sterlet, and crucian carp. The soup is cooked over an open fire, which gives it a special flavor, and vodka is added to soften the aroma.
• Chylkaan and stroganina. Chylkaan is boiled fish mixed with fresh berries. Stroganina is served with various sauces.
• Traditional dumplings. In Krasnoyarsk, they are made with a filling of three types of meat: beef, lamb, and pork. This familiar dish in such a variation brings special pleasure to fans of hearty food.
• Venison carpaccio. For those who prefer delicacies. It is recommended to add sweet and sour northern berries to the carpaccio. 
• Traditional desserts. For sweets, try blueberry pie or jam made from young pine cones. Pay special attention to taiga honey with a rich taste, which has coniferous notes and a slight bitterness.

For lovers of exotic dishes, Krasnoyarsk restaurants offer bear kebabs, elk cutlets, and other specialties. By trying them, you will feel the true spirit of Siberia. Some establishments offer cooking classes where you can learn to prepare traditional Siberian dishes under the guidance of a chef.

You can restore your strength for new gastronomic achievements at Accor group hotels. You can choose and book suitable rooms here.

Arkhangelsk

This city is famous for the variety of local baked goods and the richness of traditional dishes. Popular here are fish pies, berry pies, and shangi — open pies with savory fillings. Local jam, Pomor herbal balsam, and specially prepared mushrooms also deserve attention.

Due to the proximity of the White Sea, every resident of Arkhangelsk and the entire region has a love for fish since childhood. Salmon, halibut, and cod constantly appear on tables in various forms:

• Fish pies. This is the first thing guests are treated to in Arkhangelsk. The pie filling consists of different types of fish mixed with onions and spices.
• Ukha. A traditional soup made from freshly caught fish, potatoes, carrots, onions, and spices. This rich flavor leaves no one indifferent.

To immerse yourself in the spirit of the Russian North, be sure to try dishes with local mushrooms and berries. For example, kalitki — open pies with various fillings. Kalitki are filled with blueberries, lingonberries, cloudberries, milk mushrooms, saffron milk caps, and much more.

Another type of traditional Arkhangelsk baked goods is kozuli. These are northern gingerbread cookies made from rye or wheat dough with added honey and spices. They are baked in the form of animal or human figures and decorated with icing.

You can wash down sweets with Mezen-style coffee. It is prepared in a samovar with added spices.

To properly relax and rest, you can stay at Novotel Arkhangelsk. The hotel is located in the historic part of the city on the Northern Dvina embankment. It is convenient to get to all attractions from here. Guests have access to comfortable rooms, a restaurant with a river view, a fitness center, and a conference hall.

Conclusion

• Don’t be afraid to experiment. Be ready to try new flavor combinations, even if they seem unusual. Such dishes can become a real discovery. But experiment only in trusted places. Read reviews about cafes, restaurants, food courts, and markets.
• Try local cuisine in all its variety. Main dishes, snacks, drinks, homemade preserves — don’t refuse anything. This way, you definitely won’t miss the most interesting and tasty.
• Take care of your health. Learn the ingredients of dishes in advance, especially if you have allergies or special dietary habits. Vegetarian and fasting travelers may find some regions less suitable.