12 Best Restaurants in Vladimirskaya (Lower Nevsky Prospekt), St. Petersburg

Dining alcoves that line the mezzanine of a former redbrick textile factory on the Neva are an atmospheric setting for a meal of inspired cuisine accompanied by mellow jazz and lounge music. Portions of expertly prepared sushi and other Asian delights are big enough to share and the cocktails are perfectly calibrated.

A refined restaurant with prerevolutionary flair has a tantalizing menu based on a famous 19th-century cookbook, A Gift to Young Housewives, by Yelena Molokhovets. Cooking is elaborate and highly traditional here, along the lines of baked venison fillet in lingonberry and juniper sauce, pan-fried foie gras with orange-flovored brioche, or Astrakhan sturgeon braised in champagne. Waiters show deference to the guests, serving them in a pleasantly ceremonial, but not genuine, manner. With only six tables, this dining experience is as intimate as it is expensive.

Nevsky prospekt is St. Petersburg's version of a Parisian boulevard, and this comfortable, Parisian-style bistro fits right in. From the first bite of baguette you'll be transported, and the seasonably changing menu is full of soups, mussels, quiches, and other bistro favorites. With fluffy omelets, buttery croissants, and good strong coffee, the breakfast here is one of the best in the city.

A youngish bohemian crowd flocks to this café furnished in pastel greens and creams and famous for its airy meringues—the Bizet, with chopped almonds and garnished with fresh raspberries, is especially popular. Some good soups and about a dozen salads are also available.

This haven for vegetarians and those seeking lighter dishes serves excellent soups, pastas, sandwiches, and dips. The airy dining room, done in shades of green, has an abundance of potted plants and is nonsmoking; the only alcohol permitted is beer.

Politicians, businesspeople, and television personalities are regulars at one of the city's busiest and most fashionable venues, where the two large, charmingly cluttered dining rooms are almost always packed. Whether it's a straightforward lasagna or more elegant fare, such as risotto with cuttlefish ink, everything the Italian chef sends out of the kitchen is delicious. The wine list is extensive.

Settle into one of the plush booths to enjoy simple Italian fare in friendly and comfortable surroundings. The pastas and pizzas are authentically delicious, as are the more ambitious meat and fish choices. A 15 percent discount for weekday dining between noon and 5 pm makes a meal here, reasonably priced at any time, a real bargain.

An unpretentious dining room decorated with Italian knickknacks and bare wooden tables is a good choice for an inexpensive lunch or post-theater dinner of pasta and salad (it's open until midnight). For an Italian shopping experience, stop at the retail counter to stock up on imported cheeses, cold meats, and coffees.

The city's most authentic Thai cuisine is served in modern black-and-white surroundings with a glass-enclosed terrace on the street that's great for people watching. You can follow up a meal of spring rolls and Bangkok duck with another authentically Thai experience—the building houses a well-known massage spa of the same name.

A glass of kompot, an infusion of stewed fruit, is served as a welcome drink at this funky café where two dining rooms are furnished with vintage lamps, surrealist paintings, and bizarre curio items. The menu focuses on light fare—hummus, falafels, curries, and sandwiches—and breakfast is available at any hour. On weekdays between noon and 4 pm, you get two meals for the price of one.

At the spacious branch of this famed blini chain, the signature dish is cooked right in front of you. New flavors arrive every few months, and other Russian dishes, such as pelmeni and a choice of soups, are also available.

This tiny café (just six tables) is hugely popular with the local Italian community, who reserve well in advance for weekends and evenings. The draw is the best Italian sorbet and gelato in St. Petersburg, with 20 different flavors that rotate every day. The chocolate gelato—bittersweet, smooth, and dizzyingly rich—is renowned. Soups, pastas, and snacks are also served.