If you're forking out thousands of rubles on hot drinks in coffee shops in order to finish some work, socialize with friends or simply warm yourself up, here is a great New Year's resolution: Switch to anti-cafes.
Anti-cafes offer unlimited coffee, tea and sweets while charging you by the time you spend in the cafe. In the past few years this concept has taken the city by storm and evolved beyond just coffee and Wifi. Here are four of the best and most unusual anti-cafes in Moscow.
Kotiki i Lyudi
This is the anti-cafe for cat lovers. It's home to 11 in-house cats that you can play with, cuddle or gaze at as you munch on pastries, lie in hammocks, and surf the web on issued iPads. They offer coffee, tea and biscuits with the option to order dinner in. But be warned — greedy cats can make eating a difficult task. If your heart easily melts,? proceed with caution — all cats are available for adoption.
+7 495 699 7383
kotocafe.ru
24/7 Ulitsa Sadovaya-Karetnaya.
Metro Tsvetnoi Bulvar
The Wooden Door
Moscow's original anti-cafe remains one of the cheapest. But the two rubles per minute price is not its main draw. This cozy space calls itself an international language club, and the owners prefer customers to enjoy their food, board games, and library in foreign languages. You can bring your own beer, and the space stays open until 6 a.m. on weekends.
+7 (495) 748 9338
wdndoor.com
6 Milyutinsky Pereulok, Bldg. 1 (entry through arch). Metro Lubyanka
Kino House
An anti-cinema, Kino House is all about sharing the film experience in a relaxed space. Book a private room with a film projector and comfy couches. Watching a film this way will set you back less than a regular cinema ticket and give you loads more freedom. It also boasts private game and karaoke rooms. Hourly rates start at 250 rubles, and you can bring your own food and drink or order it in.
+7 (495) 699 7383
msk.kinohouse.me
7 Bolotnaya Naberezhnaya, Bldg. 3.
Metro Kropotkinskaya
Nulevoi Kilometr
For those who seek the convenience of a home office, this is your ideal anti-cafe. In addition to snacks, the café offers printing, copying and scanning services.? They hold events like an English speaking club, film and game nights and arts and crafts classes. The receptionist welcomes guests from behind a colossal bookcase stocked with tomes in various languages. Membership costs 5,000 rubles a month.
+7 (495) 621 3883
kmzero.ru
7 Ulitsa Sretenka. Metro Sretensky Bulvar