Bist

«Bist» is an Italian restaurant on Bolshoy Prospekt V.O., in the «Andreevsky Dvor» shopping center, near Vasileostrovskaya metro station. The name references bistecca alla fiorentina — a Florentine beef steak grilled over coals — and this dish sets the tone for the whole menu: it presents Italy's meat culture through familiar products in unexpected combinations. Prosciutto is served with eggplant caviar for 490 rubles, roasted peppers with smoked halibut rillettes for 690 rubles, and beef tartare with french fries for 790 rubles. Pasta here is made fresh every day from soft wheat, and this is definitely not about al dente — the dough is soft and homemade. Any pasta can be topped with meat specialties: machete steak, 'nduja, and others. The carbonara is also unconventional — it comes as ravioli with parma ham for 690 rubles. Steaks — from flank steak for 1090 rubles to ribeye for 2950 rubles — are served with sauces matched to the specific cut of meat. The restaurant's interior features frescoes, Tiffany-style stained glass, and paintings by young St. Petersburg artists, a collection the restaurant plans to keep expanding. The menu also includes raw dishes and a cocktail list. For dessert, there are graffe doughnuts for 490 rubles and espresso. The average check at the restaurant is 3000 to 6000 rubles.