Muscovites with a sweet tooth have never had it so good. Gone are the days when every pastry was filled with tvorog and a croissant was a rare find. For perfectly iced cupcakes to decadently indulgent desserts, we've picked the best spots where you can treat your pastry-loving companion on March 8 or any day.
Wolkonsky
Upmarket bakery with a French twist
Wolkonsky cafe and bakery is a bit of an institution in Moscow, and the chain has over a dozen branches across the city. Wolkonsky is owned by French pastry chef extraordinaire Eric Kayser, meaning that there is plenty of continental flair to the breads and pastries for a Moscow bakery chain. In fact, many of Moscow's upmarket restaurants source their bread directly from Wolkonsky. Think beautifully formed baguettes, buttery croissants and authentic creme patisserie. While coffee and cake can be a little on the pricey side, the bakery is a lovely cozy spot for a catch-up.
wolkonsky.ru
Various locations
Upside Down Cake
American-style cupcakes and cookies
Upside Down Cake has the feel of a New York bakery, with all the cupcakes and sweet treats prepared on site using British and American recipes. The owner is restaurateur Isaac Correa, best known for his hugely popular cafe "Correas" which — by the by — also serves up a wonderful pastry-laden continental breakfast. The bakery's interior is a Pinterest lover's dream, with gleaming counters piled high with cupcakes, beautiful white brick walls and mint green finishes. You can eat in or buy a dozen cupcakes to go. Perfect for treating your co-workers.
upsidedowncake.ru
Various locations
Cafe Pushkin Patisserie
Coffee and cake in a decadent interior
Next door to legendary restaurant Cafe Pushkin is a patisserie by the same name. As you'd expect of Cafe Pushkin's little brother, the interior is luxuriously decorated in the Baroque style, giving you the impression you might well be in the drawing room of a French palace rather than a cafe off Tverskoi Bulvar. Even the wait staff is decked out in vintage aprons and accessories and address clients with 19th-century honorifics. While there are plenty of classic Russian treats on offer, the patisserie has a continental drift, as the head pastry chef is renowned Franco-Italian confectioner Damien Piscioneri.
sweetpushkin.ru
26/5 Tverskoi Bulvar
Metro Tverskaya
Kulinarnaya Lavka Bratyev Karavayevykh
Laid-back, youthful cafe
This canteen-come-cafe bakes its bread and cakes fresh each morning, attracting a regular crowd of students and young professionals on the way to and from work. While all branches serve hot meals, the chain is best loved for its sweet treats, including tasty croissants, traditional Russian pirozhki (pies) and indulgent cakes. All branches have a pleasant, relaxed vibe and feature plenty of exposed brick and graffiti-decorated walls for their hipster clientele. Try the homemade tiramisu or the tasty lemon tart. There are long queues at peak times, so make sure to plan ahead as this spot doesn't take bookings.
karavaevi.ru
Various locations
I Love Cake
Bright, fun and friendly
I Love Cake is part of the Friends Forever group, which has several cafes and a cult following in central Moscow. You may have already been to Brownie or Conversation cafe, but if you have a sweet tooth, you definitely need to check out I Love Cake. A floor-to-ceiling display cabinet showcases the cakes, cookies and puddings on offer. Slices are so large it's best to order one between two to start or risk a pretty extreme sugar high. Free Wi-Fi, friendly staff and a lovely location near Patriarch's Ponds make this the perfect spot to spend the afternoon buried in a good book.
friends-forever.ru
4 Bolshoi Patriarshy Pereulok. Metro Tverskaya
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