You know that Belarusian cuisine is not just about pancakes, right? No? Then this article is especially for you. Today we will figure out where to try Belarusian cuisine in Minsk – drink cocktails based on rustic herbs, eat mushroom sauce in bread, lard on coals and many other traditional dishes (in modern processing). Are you ready to start? Then let’s not waste time.
Letters
Belarusian cuisine with an unusual serving. Everything here is smoking, burning, smells of fir cones and is simply amazing. Even the menu in this institution is decorated in a very unusual way – in the format of a book with images of grand dukes, stories about the secrets of the Radziwills and mythical demigods inhabiting Belarusian fairy tales. You place an order, and then you scroll through the stories about Vseslav the Magician and the Neuras who lived in dense forests and, according to legend, could turn into wolves.
Recently, the restaurant even has its own souvenir shop with “lesavik tinctures” (~60 BYN) and tea “zborami damavukhi” (~25 BYN). Therefore, “Litvin”This is more than just a restaurant. For tourists, a trip here can become a real gastronomic journey into the history and culture of Belarus.
Where can I see the menu? On the websitelitviny.by , as well as in social networks at the same address.
Location. At the moment, the structure of “Litvinov” includes several restaurants in Minsk and Grodno. But personally, I recommend visiting the establishment at Sverdlov 2. This is the flagship restaurant of the chain.
“Bulbashy”
Another restaurant that focuses on traditional Belarusian dishes in modern processing. The establishment is located in an old building of the 20th century. The interior has only Belarusian materials (from Grodno crystal on the tables to three hundred clay pots on the ceiling, specially made in Radoshkovichi).
The menu includes original dishes made from Belarusian products. There are Braslav eel, Vitebsk trout, and Belovezhskaya cheeses, and much more. The place of origin of the products is indicated directly in the menu. And the famous Belarusian chef Artyom Raketsky is in charge of the kitchen.
You can view the menu and prices on social networks @bulbashy.minsk. The same chain also includes another institution — Bulbashi brewery at Herzen 4. Conceptually, they are very similar, but in the first they focused on the cuisine, and in the second on the beer assortment.
OWN
“Litvin” and “Bulbash” are beautiful in everything except one thing – it’s quite expensive there. Therefore, if you need something simpler, you can go to the restaurant “Svoi”, which is located in the very center of the city (right next to Oktyabrskaya Square). The menu includes mushroom sprinkling in bread, lard with lard, branded “rustic pans” and a dozen variations of pancakes. Lunch for one person will cost you around 20 BYN.
The address of the institution: 22 Independence Avenue. The detailed menu can be viewed on social networks @restoransvoi and on the website restoransvoi.by .
Gastronomic excursions
You can beautifully immerse yourself in the world of ancient gastronomy in one of the most famous “skansens” of Belarus – the Dudutki museum complex. It is located about half an hour’s drive from Minsk and recreates the life of Belarusian villages. Here you can climb the mills and see how bread is baked right in front of you; drink moonshine made according to old recipes for free, and try various unusual dishes – like black bread with honey and pickled cucumber.
As a rule, all tastings (and master classes) already included in the ticket price. You can view excursions to Dudutki at the links below.
- Option #1
- Option #2
Their programs are quite similar, so choose the one that is currently cheaper.
Gastronomic excursions. Part Two
Many interesting excursions with a gastronomic bias can be found in Minsk.
- For example, a very inexpensive tour of the farmer’s market “Use Svae”, where you can taste dozens of types of craft cheeses, exclusive breads, sausages, famous smoked bacon, fish from Belarusian lakes and raw butter.
- And here is an interesting walk through the Minsk bars, within which you can not only get spectacularly drunk, but alsofind out how the drinking culture has changed in Belarus over the past centuries.
I can also recommend to family companies an excursion to the Kommunarka factory, where famous candies, chocolates and marshmallows are made.
Over the years, these legendary sweets have already become a real brand of Belarus. Therefore, we will assume that this excursion is also suitable for the topic of the article (albeit with a serious stretch).
Pan Hop
But let’s return to the story about the establishments in Minsk where you can taste the national Belarusian cuisine. Another similar place is the Pan Hop Restaurant, located in a historic 19th century building. The institution itself belongs to the Garni hotel, therefore it focuses more on guests and corporate receptions. The design is quite simple, but the prices are nice.
For example, Pinsk pancakes with soaked cucumber and sauerkraut can be tasted here for 15 BYN, and rustic borscht in kachan with lard and rye bread will cost you 12 BYN at all.
You can view the detailed menu on social networks @panhmelu. The address of the institution is 11 Internatsionalnaya Street.
Cook
Another specialized restaurant of Belarusian cuisine. In my opinion, the place is pretty average, but Tripadviser users disagree with me, and the restaurant even has a Traveler Choice 2021 award.
The special feature of the “Cook” is several tasting sets of Belarusian cuisine. Therefore, if you do not know what to order, you can take a whole set of dishes – from fried brisket chips to branded black pudding. The menu also has its own set of alcoholic tinctures, seasonal cocktails (with gin and birch juice), and even traditional desserts (for example, “khrushchy” with berry puree).
You can view the menu on the websitekuhmistr.by . The address of the institution is Karl Marx, 40.
“Cornflowers”
Probably, here you can still remember the chain restaurant “Cornflowers”, which is in many parts of Minsk. The most interesting establishment of this chain is located in the mall Gallileo. If you’re lucky, you can pick up a table there with a beautiful view of the Forecourt.
And for the rest, “Cornflowers” is the most typical institution. It’s inexpensive here, but it’s not cheap either. The menu has several variations of pancakes, homemade hodgepodge, cabbage soup with wild mushrooms, potato babka, “village pans” with sausages and several other types of traditional dishes. You can check prices, scroll through the menu and find out the addresses of establishments on the websitevasilki.by .
Bonus #1. Bistro O.Da.
The restaurant of the author’s cuisine, which received the title of the best in Minsk in 2022. The menu is based on European dishes. But some time ago, the institution launched a special line of cocktails “Serza is native to the region” based on Belarusian herbs.
The cocktail list includes 6 drinks: Ramonak, Yadlovets, Chabor, Valoshka/Buzina, etc. You can try them before the end of the year at address Petra Mstislavets, 18. The cost of one cocktail is 24 BYN. You can view the details on the websiteo-da.by .
Bonus #2. Legendary
Coffee can hardly be called a traditional Belarusian drink, but if you can’t live without cappuccino and, having arrived in Minsk, you want to try something unusual, then go to a coffee shop called “Legendar”. There is a special card of coffee drinks with a national flavor.
It can be “Asaloda” with salted peanuts and hazelnuts, “Turbota” with currants and needles, “Zaplenne” with cranberries; “Zakahanas” with raspberries and strawberries. The cost of all drinks is 13 BYN. It’s quite expensive, but the place itself is very colorful. You go there – and it’s like you get into the magical world of Belarusian legends and legends.
Address: Revolutionary, 14. Look for all the details on social networks @legendar_minsk.
A few tips before traveling to Minsk
That’s all. As a final chord, I will share with you a couple of useful tips that will help you during your trip to Minsk – and we will gradually wrap up.
- I recommend renting an apartment for a day in the capital here on this site (there are a lot of different housing options).
- And my TOP 9 cheapest hotels in Minsk can be found here at this link.
- It is most convenient to lay public transport routes using the Yandex Maps website. And if you don’t have a permanent Internet connection, then download offline navigator MAPS.me . It will help you quickly find your hotel or the desired attraction.
As a small self-promotion, I also recommend you to read my review of the most interesting places in Minsk and Minsk region. There you will find many interesting ideas for inspiration. In the meantime, let’s say goodbye. All bye. If you liked the article, please like me and write a nice comment.
