Where to go in Moscow tonight

The basement bar that kick-started Moscow's cocktail scene, where pioneer Slava Lankin's infusion-driven drinks meet a proper bistro kitchen.

Tip: Enter through the courtyard into the basement; closed Sundays and Mondays, and waits can be long when busy.

A Jewish-themed cocktail bar mixing mysticism, inventive high-tech drinks and modern Israeli food, regularly named among Moscow's best — with English-speaking staff.

Tip: Reserve via the bar's Telegram bot or website, especially for weekend evenings.

A tiny, precise Japanese-style bar from the team behind Butler in Tokyo, named Yandex Ultima's Bar of the Year, pairing meticulous classics with surprisingly authentic ramen.

Tip: It's just a bar counter and two tables, so book ahead; opens at 19:00.

A semi-secret 'members only' teahouse bar, once on the World's 50 Best Bars list, where serious tea and inventive tea cocktails are sipped at cushioned low tables.

Tip: The entrance is hidden in a courtyard facing Belorussky station; call or message ahead to reserve and get directions.

A warm basement bar steeped in Soviet-cartoon nostalgia, loved for witty cocktails, bartenders who mix off-menu on request and a hearty kitchen serving until late.

Tip: Right by Tsvetnoy Bulvar metro and open until 3am; if you want a classic, just describe it to the bartender.

A punky wine bar-shop from St Petersburg with 300-plus mostly natural bottles for every budget, amphitheatre seating on velvet steps and cheeky snacks from sausage sandwiches to fried chicken.

Tip: Weekends turn into parties with DJs; come on a weeknight if you want to talk wine.

A nostalgic, affordable revival of an '80s Soviet shashlik joint, with charcoal-grilled skewers, retro snacks and house infusions, open until 5am at weekends.

Tip: Order at the counter; it's small and cramped at peak hours, so it works best as an early bite or a very late last stop.

A moody, boudoir-style French bistro-bar near Belorusskaya with an emerald cocktail bar, pastry-inspired drinks and unpretentious classics like escargots and onion soup.

Tip: Weekends get loud and packed; book a table in the quieter dining room for a date.

A loud, joyful basement cantina for mezcal and tequila, with punchy cocktails, cheap tacos and late-night dancing — one of the most popular bars among Yandex Maps users.

Tip: The space is tiny — book the main bar via the website; its Avtomoyka patio offshoot is walk-in only.

A bright loft-style gastro bar near Kuznetsky Most with near-perfect scores for creative house infusions, quirky cocktails and a bistro menu far better than typical bar food.

Tip: Opens at 16:00 daily — a strong place to start the evening with dinner before moving on.

An art-deco gastro bar on the Boulevard Ring where a serious wine list and signature cocktails sit alongside tartares, grill dishes and late-night cheese and charcuterie.

Tip: The kitchen serves until about 1am at weekends, making it a good late-dinner spot; book via the website.

A cheerful basement craft-beer pub off Tverskaya with 20-plus rotating taps from Russia, Europe and the US, fair prices and hearty burgers and wings to soak it up.

Tip: Come for the beer first — reviewers rate the drinks well above the food, which can be uneven.

One of Moscow's best rock bars: cover bands on a proper stage five nights a week, two floors of brick and graffiti, and doors that never close, so the night runs as long as you do.

Tip: Bring ID and skip the sportswear: the door checks both. Groups of six or more pay a deposit in advance, so book on the website.

The Belgian brasserie where we held our first Dinner & Drinks: a lamp-lit brick room, close to 600 Belgian beers and hearty dishes from Belgium's east that suit a long shared table.

Tip: Book ahead for a group, especially at weekends.