Eating cheap in Moscow is easier than it looks. The Russian capital still keeps the tradition of the stolovye (the Soviet self-service canteens), now joined by modern chains, food halls and charming spots where you can fill your plate for very little. In this guide I’ve picked 10 places to eat cheap in Moscow, almost all for under 800 ₽ for a simple meal, and all close to the big sights in the centre.
Map: where the 10 restaurants are
1. Столовая №57 (Stolováya 57): the GUM canteen on Red Square
Where: inside the GUM department store (Red Square, 3), 3rd line, top floor. Metro Ploschad Revolyutsii, Okhotny Ryad or Teatralnaya. Website: gum.ru. Open daily, 10:00–22:00.
Price (heads-up): this is the most famous stolovaya in Moscow, a self-service canteen with Soviet styling right on Red Square. Careful: prices have gone up recently and a full meal can climb to 1,000–1,900 ₽. But individual dishes are still affordable (schi soup ≈ 280 ₽, main 290–370 ₽, side ≈ 160 ₽, tea ≈ 120 ₽, pastries 80–270 ₽): if you eat light —one dish, a side and a drink— you’ll stay under 800 ₽.
What recent reviews say (Yandex): people fall for the nostalgic atmosphere (period music, posters and decor), the unbeatable location and the huge variety; the queue moves fast and the pastries and homemade drinks (kompot, kisel) get the praise. On the downside, many warn that “it’s no longer cheap”, that quality is uneven (sometimes a bit cold) and that there are queues at peak times. There’s also no toilet inside the place (the GUM ones cost 50 ₽, but you get a free voucher).
2. Му-Му (Mu-Mu): Russian home cooking next to Red Square
Where: Okhotny Ryad shopping mall (Manezhnaya Square, 1), level -2. 60 m from Okhotny Ryad metro and 160 m from Red Square. Website: cafemumu.ru. Open until 23:00.
Price: average bill ≈ 450 ₽. It’s a very recognisable Russian home-cooking self-service (the little cow in its logo). Borsch ≈ 275 ₽, Pozharskaya cutlet ≈ 250 ₽, medovik honey cake ≈ 250 ₽.
What recent reviews say (Yandex): people like the varied home cooking, the central location, the good value for money, the desserts and the friendly service; they appreciate that it’s clean. As weak points, the meat or cutlets sometimes come out tough, the odd dish is greasy and there’s a queue at peak times.
3. Грабли (Grably): charming free-flow near the Tretyakov Gallery
Where: Pyatnitskaya 27 (Zamoskvorechye district). 100 m from Novokuznetskaya metro and close to Tretyakovskaya and the Tretyakov Gallery. Website: grabli.ru. Open until 22:00 (Fri–Sat until 23:00).
Price: free-flow format (self-service where you control the spend). With one dish and a drink you stay comfortably under 800 ₽; if you fill the tray, the bill goes up to 600–900 ₽. More than 200 dishes: borsch ≈ 299 ₽, Greek salad ≈ 299 ₽, chicken with peppers ≈ 349 ₽, “French-style” meat ≈ 419 ₽.
What recent reviews say (Yandex): the multi-floor interior (with real plants and an art deco feel) wins people over, the food arrives fresh and hot, the service is fast and the variety is huge; the location is a plus too. Against it, the meat dishes and cutlets sometimes disappoint and the friendliness at the till is hit and miss.
4. Теремок (Teremok): blini and Russian fast food
Where: Novy Arbat 17 (Arbatskaya metro). It also has a very central branch at Nikolskaya 15, the pedestrian street that leads to Red Square. Website: teremok.ru. Open until 22:00.
Price: average bill ≈ 500–700 ₽. A Russian chain of blini (crêpes) and home cooking: kasha, soups, salads, pelmeni, syrniki and Russian drinks (mors, kvas, tarhun). Blini ≈ 250–385 ₽, Olivier salad ≈ 310 ₽.
What recent reviews say (Yandex): people highlight how cheap it is (≈ 550 ₽), how fast they cook (around 8 minutes) and how tasty the blini are; good location too. As niggles, it’s self-service (you order at the till, grab a tray and they call you), they use disposable tableware, at peak times the tables and bins get a bit neglected and some find the blini greasy.
5. Вкусно — и точка (Vkusno — i tochka): the USSR’s first McDonald’s, on Pushkin Square
Where: Bolshaya Bronnaya 29, on Pushkin Square (Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya or Chekhovskaya metro). Website: vkusnoitochka.ru (branch map on their site). Fast food with an English menu, WiFi and a toilet.
Price: bill ≈ 300–400 ₽, among the cheapest on the list. A fun fact for travellers: this very branch was the first McDonald’s in the Soviet Union, opened on 31 January 1990; since 2022 it has run as the Russian chain Vkusno — i tochka.
What recent reviews say (Yandex): the location next to the square and the fountain is unbeatable, the place is nicely decorated and clean despite the crowds, and the staff are friendly. As with any big fast-food chain, there are queues at peak times and the odd order takes a while, and the interior isn’t cosy for everyone.
6. Депо.Москва (Depo.Moscow): the biggest food hall in Europe
Where: Lesnaya 20 (Belorusskaya, Mendeleevskaya or Novoslobodskaya metro). It’s north of the historic centre, about 10 minutes by metro from the Kremlin. Website: depomoscow.ru. Mon–Thu and Sun 10:00–23:00; Fri–Sat until 02:00.
Price: varies by stall. It’s a giant food market (around 75 stalls of cuisines from all over the world, communal tables and a stage) in a former trolleybus depot. At many stalls you eat for under 800 ₽, though some products and the gourmet shop are pricey.
What recent reviews say (Yandex): it impresses with its size and its buzz, the range of cuisines and the events; it’s an experience in itself and very handy if you’re staying nearby (it won “best food hall 2025”). Against it, it can be hard to find a table at peak times, prices are uneven and it’s a bit far from the city centre.
7. Prime (Прайм): healthy fast food on Tverskaya
Where: Tverskaya 15 and many other branches in the centre (Lubyanka, Kuznetsky Most, Okhotny Ryad…). Tverskaya or Pushkinskaya metro. Website: prime-star.ru. Opens from 8:00.
Price: bill up to ≈ 700 ₽. Healthy grab-and-go food from the Novikov group: sandwiches, salads, soups, bowls, pastries and breakfasts, with the calorie count on each item. Ideal for a light lunch between sights.
What recent reviews say (Yandex): it’s one of the few “fast food” spots people actually recommend: salads (the Scandinavian and the Mimosa are legendary), fresh ingredients and an unusually healthy option. Against it, there are queues at midday and dishes run out in the afternoon; some branches are more for takeaway than for sitting down.
8. Воккер (Wokker): Asian wok in a box
Where: Tsvetnoy Boulevard 15 (Tsvetnoy Bulvar or Trubnaya metro); it also has a point in Gorky Park, very touristy. Website: wokker.ru. Open 10:00 to 22:00–23:00.
Price: bill ≈ 400–700 ₽. Wok-fried noodles and rice served in the classic “red box”, plus pad thai, tempura, spring rolls and soups. A cheap Asian option for a change.
What recent reviews say (Yandex): fast and cheap, they cook it to order right in front of you, the portions are filling and the salads and sauces go down well. Against it, it’s mainly fast takeaway food (disposable tableware) and the odd customer has complained about timings or an undercooked dish at peak times.
9. Крошка Картошка (Kroshka Kartoshka): the stuffed potato, iconic street food
Where: Nikolskaya 4/5, on the pedestrian street 5 minutes from Red Square; also in the Okhotny Ryad mall (level -3). Okhotny Ryad or Ploschad Revolyutsii metro. Website: kartoshka.com. Open until 22:00.
Price: bill ≈ 350–500 ₽ (set lunch from ≈ 289 ₽), really cheap. It’s iconic Russian street food since 1998: a giant baked potato with fillings (cheese and mushrooms, prawns…), plus soups, salads and sandwiches.
What recent reviews say (Yandex): cheap, filling and very “Russian”, with a hot potato and varied fillings; practical, fast and with friendly service in many branches. Against it, it’s shopping-mall fast food (quality varies by location) and seating is limited.
10. Чебуречная СССР (Cheburéchnaya USSR): chebureki with a Soviet flavour on the Arbat
Where: Arbat Street 44, on the legendary pedestrian street (Smolenskaya metro). Also at B. Bronnaya 27/4, next to Pushkin Square, and at Sretenka 21/28. Website: chebureky.ru. Open 11:00 to 23:00.
Price: bill from ≈ 396 ₽ (≈ 300–700 ₽). A Soviet-canteen vibe —propaganda posters, old film posters, a Gagarin figure and a pyramid of old TV sets— with chebureki (fried turnovers) of beef, lamb, chicken, cheese or potato-and-mushroom, handmade pelmeni, Soviet salads (Olivier, “herring under a fur coat”) and draught beer.
What recent reviews say (Yandex): the best part is the Soviet atmosphere and the freshly made, juicy chebureki; cheap and very photogenic. Against it, the rest of the menu is weaker (“so-so”), the filling is sometimes scant and the service can be brusque depending on the branch (the Pushkin Square one has a reputation for being “Soviet” in the bad sense; the others are nicer).
Tips for eating cheap in Moscow
Payments: carry some cash just in case, though you can pay by card at almost all these places. Important for foreign travellers: Visa and Mastercard cards issued outside Russia don’t work, so you’ll need cash in rubles or a Russian card (MIR).
The set lunch: on weekdays the cheapest option is the set lunch (biznes-lanch, usually 12:00 to 16:00): soup, a main and a drink for a fixed price. At the self-service and free-flow places you control the spend by picking only what you’re going to eat.
Peak times: avoid lunch between 13:30 and 15:00 if you don’t want queues, especially at the places next to Red Square. Many of these spots are open all day, so eating a bit earlier or later is more comfortable.
Prices are approximate and may change; check the menu on the venue’s website or on Yandex Maps before you go.
