Plunging into the freezing, chaotic, and hyper-capitalist reality of a post-Soviet powerhouse requires a strong constitution and an even stronger liver. When No Reservations arrived in Moscow in 2007, the city was in the throes of a dizzying, oil-fueled economic boom, a place where staggering oligarch wealth aggressively collided with lingering Cold War shadows. The culinary objective was to navigate this extreme juxtaposition, seeking out the comforting, hearty soul of traditional Russian food amidst the blinding neon of exclusive, billionaire-packed nightclubs. The gastronomic landscape is a study in survival and excess, ranging from sizzling skewers of street-side shashlik in sprawling markets to delicate, opulent plates of caviar and blini meant for the ultra-rich. It is a fascinating, vodka-soaked exploration of a society rapidly reinventing itself while desperately clinging to the classic, heavy flavors required to endure the brutal winter months. To understand the wild, unpredictable energy of the New Russia era, one must look at what was being served on the plate. Here are the essential locations that defined this surreal, frosty expedition.
When Anthony Bourdain visited Moscow on his show No Reservations, he and his crew picked many restaurants. Here are all the addresses and the dishes showcased in a convenient list.
This is No Reservations, season 3, episode 5. It first aired on January 29, 2007.
READ MORE: TAIPEI: ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED BY ANTHONY BOURDAIN ON THE LAYOVER
DISH – “Russian Street Food” – Anthony Bourdain Moscow
WHAT IS IT?
They had Russian kebab or shashlik made of chicken and salmon with lavash bread and beer.
“Mmm…Sizzling hunks of meat on a stick. Always a shortcut to enlightenment and satisfaction.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
Izmailovo market
3Ya Parkovaya Ulitsa, владение 24, Moscow, Russia, 105043
Moscow, Russia
READ MORE: ANTHONY BOURDAIN ST. PETERSBURG : ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED ON A COOK’S TOUR
DISH – Vodka – Anthony Bourdain Moscow
WHAT IS IT?
They had vodka.
“Welcome to new Russia. Bottle service in the VIP lounge, oligarchs on the dance floor, gorgeous women falling from the rafters, luxurious logos flashing from the jumbotron, laser lit Sodom and Gomorrah to molar rattling techno from…well, last year.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
Club Dyagilev
Moscow, Russia
NOTES – Anthony Bourdain Moscow
Unfortunately, this bar has since closed its doors.
DISH – “Russian Cuisine” – No Reservations Moscow
WHAT IS IT?
Anthony Bourdain visited Gorki restaurant located at Moscow.
First: Caviar with whipped potatoes and truffle oil.
Second: Foie gras, salmon, tuna and shrimp.
Third: Rabbit legs stuffed with basil and liver soaked in cognac.
“Russia’s changed man. But now anything’s possible.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
Gorki Restaurant
Moscow, Russia
NOTES
Unfortunately, the exact location of this restaurant is unknown.
READ MORE: ANTHONY BOURDAIN UZBEKISTAN : ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED ON NO RESERVATIONS
Moscow in the mid-2000s offered a surreal, slightly menacing, and deeply fascinating playground, making this episode an incredible historical time capsule of Russian excess. It is memorable not just for the staggering wealth on display, but for the heavy reliance on vodka to survive both the biting cold and the absurd situations the crew found themselves in. Within his broader travels, this journey perfectly highlighted his ability to find the relatable, human element—a simple skewer of meat or a warm bowl of soup—in a city that often felt alien and hostile to outsiders. It is a brilliant, chaotic hour of television that captures a specific, fleeting moment in modern Russian history. Bundle up, pour a shot of the good stuff, and dive headfirst into the bold flavors of the East.
