Sochi

Location: 50 65 Let Pobedy Street, Sochi

Average bill: PPPP

Cuisine: Adyghe/Caucasus

Tel.: +7 (938) 888-56-42

Open: 11 am-11 pm daily

If you are looking for haute cuisine in Sochi, you needn't go too far: the 5642 Vysota (Altitude) seaside restaurant, owned by the famous Moscow restaurateur Arkady Novikov, is in the very heart of the city. Fantastic seascapes are almost eclipsed by panoramic views of the kitchen where chefs stage thrilling gastronomic shows. The light interior of airy terraces contrasts with the vibrant colors of the seating in the indoor area. The locals say the place is never empty.

Adyghe cuisine shares the culinary traditions of the region, yet it is unique in many ways, and 5642 Vysota meticulously preserves its spirit, even in such well-known dishes as khichiny, which is wrapped in paper-thin dough with a filling that melts in your mouth, or khachapuri pies baked in a wood-fired oven using various recipes: Adzharian, Megreli, Imereti and countless others. Spinach khachapuri is highly recommended by the waiters. Classic Caucasus cuisine is also widely present. Homemade lemonade will be a nice refresher during a hot meal. The restaurant offers a rich choice of lemonades, some pretty unusual as, for example, a sorrel-and-cowberry drink. Despite the haute cuisine status, prices are surprisingly moderate: the average bill is 700 rubles.

Though the establishment opens at noon, breakfast goers are welcome at its bakery from 9 am for a cup of fragrant coffee and French pastries. At 11 am, the restaurant's burger house will offer American sandwiches, the best in Sochi, made from fresh and juicy natural ingredients.

Location: 11 Teatralnaya Street, Sochi

Average bill: PPPP

Cuisine: Georgian

Tel.: +7 (999) 655-33-44

Open: 2 pm-midnight daily

Two cultural and culinary traditions are encoded in the restaurant's name. While Caucasus cuisine is rich in juicy meat, fragrant mountain herbs and Abkhaz spices, Black Sea cuisine offers fish (including Caspian) and seafood. All ingredients come from local farms. The restaurant positions itself as a conceptual premium-class establishment, so be ready for bold gastronomic experiments and an expensive bill.

The concept is matched by the interior: a combination of rock, wood and metal. The first floor with an open kitchen and a concert stage is connected by a shell-shaped spiral staircase to a cozy room upstairs: with a charcoal grill, a bar and a wine repository offering exclusive wines. Some dishes look like true works of art: for instance, imperial shellfish with Abkhaz lime in lilac, emerald, yellow-green and silvery tones, or a saddle of lamb with sautéed artichokes and truffle mousse in violet, red, coral and cream shades. Portions are small, as in any haute cuisine: customers are supposed to please their palates, rather than merely satisfy their hunger.

Location: 11 Navaginskaya Street, Sochi

Average bill: PPPP

Cuisine: Italian

Tel.: +7 (928) 880-10-21

Open: 9 am-1 am daily

At the Sicily pizza restaurant you can have a nice, cheap and hearty meal. The menu boasts all classic varieties of pizza and other Italian dishes, among them mouth-watering penne with three kinds of mushrooms and focaccia. The establishment also serves Japanese cuisine (rolls and sushi), as well as Russian dishes: we recommend fried potatoes with mushrooms. Burgers and soups are served too. The kids' menu deserves special mention: unlike common popular dishes for adults, recipes for kids are merry and creative. Each restaurant has a Kids' Corner playground so that the parents can enjoy a calm breakfast, dinner or supper… and even late night supper. Sicily pizza restaurants are open from 9 am till 1 am.