
I recently went to Russia for the World Cup(Moscow & Sochi) and was surprised on how incredibly delicious the food was. I wasn’t expecting Russian food to be anything interesting, but I was wrong. Russian cuisine is very diverse influenced by European, Asian, & Middle Eastern cultures.
Russia is not known to be a foodie destination and it should be. Below is a list of Russian foods that you must try if you visit Russia.
Blini(Russia):
A thin, crepe-like pancake made from buckwheat flour. Blini's can either be folded or rolled into a tube with different types of fillings that include; fruits, vegetables, different types of meats, & varenye(whole-fruit preserve).
A good place to try Blini is Teremok. It’s a popular fast-food chain in Russia that specializes in Blinis.


Pelmeni(Russia):
Dumplings which are either filled with minced meat(lamb, pork, chicken, or beef) served with smetana(sour cream).

Borsht(Ukraine):
A sour soup that can be served hot or cold. Its main ingredients include beets, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, & garnished with smetana and parsley. Almost every restaurant in Russia has it on their menu.

Lamb/Chicken Shashlik(Caucasus Region):
A dish of skewered and grilled meats similar to the shish kabob. It’s often served with onions, cucumbers, dill, and lavash.

Qozon Kabob(Uzbekistan):
Seared lamb & potatoes served with vegetables and a special sauce.

Nigvziani Badrijani(Georgia):
A Georgian dish made with fried eggplant stuffed with spiced walnut paste. It is often topped with pomegranate seeds.

Churchkhela(Georgia):
A candy-shaped candy made out of grape must, nuts, & four. Almonds, walnuts, chocolate, & raisins are threaded onto a string, dipped in thickened grape juice, and dried in the shape of a sausage. Below is a video of me trying out churchkhela for the 1st time!