Eating Out
Eating out in Moscow is a warm and gratifying experience. There are ample restaurants serving traditional Russian cuisine such as beef stroganoff, borscht, and blini, as well as many offering international or seafood menus with local favourites like caviar.
Generally the best restaurants specialising in local fare can be found inside the Garden Ring and Kitai, or near Poklonnaya Hill. There are excellent seafood restaurants in both Red Square and Kiev Station Square, while international cuisine is available from restaurants in Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya and on Teatralny Proezd. The Taganskaya area is also well-known for its wealth of restaurants.
While some restaurants actually stay open 24 hours a day, most establishments require reservations. Some restaurants add a service charge to the bill and if not, 10 percent gratuity is acceptable. Moscow is an expensive city with many impressive fine dining options that will set you back substantially, but it's possible to enjoy traditional Russian cuisine on a budget.
Shopping
Shopping in Moscow is surprisingly rewarding. This previously-deprived nation loves shopping and Moscow's city centre has numerous malls and upmarket boutiques, offering all the big name brands and some pricey local goods.
The GUM building in Red Square hosts names like Hugo Boss, Dior and Calvin Klein. Tverskaya Ulitsa is Moscow's most trendy shopping street. More modest, high-street fashions such as Benetton, Guess, Nike and Reebok are available from Okhoktny Ryad, under Manezh Square. Izmailovsky Park has a market at the weekends, which sells traditional Russian arts and crafts, such as nesting dolls, which make for good souvenirs.
Eliseev Gastronome was a palace in the 1880s and retains many of its original features, such as curling marble pillars and candelabras. Today, it's an exclusive supermarket where visitors can find the finest Russian vodka or caviar; the Cheremushinsky Rynok market also sells fresh local produce. Warehouses in the suburbs sell cheap electronic goods, DVDs and software, as do vendors at the Gorbushkin Dvor market.
Shops are generally open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 6pm; some larger retailers stay open until 8pm, and many smaller shops are closed between 1pm and 3pm. Ensure that all necessary export permits are in order, and beware of purchasing illegally manufactured or pirated goods.
Nightlife
Moscow's nightlife features an amazing selection of bars, clubs and concert venues, as well as its fair share of casinos. The most popular party scenes are generally found in and around Kitai Gorod, Arbat and Garden Ring, and a stroll along 1905 Goda Street is a must if you're on the lookout for the latest hot spot.
Be aware that many Moscow bars and nightclubs operate on strict face and dress control systems, meaning that the bouncers will actively turn away people they don't find attractive or fashionable enough. There are a handful of prime nightlife spots near Red Square, as one might expect, but travellers should be wary of tourist traps - often the clubs and bars frequented by locals are the best.
For those who fancy a flutter, Moscow's casinos include Carnival and Casino Desperado, and bowling alleys and billiard rooms are numerous. Luzhniki Stadium hosts massive international music concerts, while Hermitage Garden is good for open-air performances and contemporary electronic concerts, and also boasts the Novaya Opera Theatre and an ice rink. Good live music is not hard to find in Moscow and the city is famous for its performing arts.