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Samovar Deli & Catering
Categories: Restaurants Delis Restaurants Russian Event Planning & Services Caterers Delis, Russian, Caterers [Edit]
1077 Independence AveMountain View, CA 94043
(650) 469-3592
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
46 reviews for Samovar Deli & Catering
Review Highlights
"Take time to stop and have the soup and Cabbage rolls."
(in 7 reviews)
"Oh man this is the stuff of my eastern european dreams."
(in 5 reviews)
"Will have to check in for some fresh piroshki someday."
(in 5 reviews)
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46 reviews in English
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Review from viola c.
Santa Clara, CA
2/6/2012
Not really a restaurant, more like a store that you can get hot food. There's a couple of tables and the lunch menu is by the register. I had the meat ball soup and cabbage roll, both fantastic. You get 2 cabbage rolls per order, I ended up taking one home.
While waiting for my meal, I browsed around the store. The owner is super friendly and offered to help with any questions. There's a nice selection of cold meats and dumplings. I ended up getting some candies, blintzes (frozen), and some pastries from the fridge..all yummy. On the way out I notice there's a cart with a plate of meat pies, fresh from the kitchen, so I picked up a couple. They are very tasty and for $3.5 a piece, a bargain.
Definitely a place I would stop by again. -
Review from Eric M.
Mililani, HI
Off the beaten path but a great place for European food. This Russian grocery and deli is a hidden jewel in Mountain View. Take time to stop and have the soup and Cabbage rolls.
Also the owner is more than eager to share with you everything about his native foods. -
Review from Julia A.
Mountain View, CA
10/7/2011
This place is as good as it gets.
Wide variety of great Russian/European food and a very friendly owner who makes the experience even more enjoyable. An overall positive vibe that will leave you smiling.
They also have a venue next door called Samovar Hall where they hold parties, events and concerts. The food is always incredible and the presentation is unique and unforgetable.
Highly recommended! -
Review from Adam W.
Santa Clara, CA
1/9/2012
Dizzz place has yummy chocolate. With bubbles of air in it... It's quite g00d
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Review from Nick S.
Gilroy, CA
8/25/2011
OK So here's why some reviews are good and some reviews are bad.
Samovar is not a restaurant and is not a deli in the normal sense of the word. It is more of the pantry for a catering business. Do not expect table service, it is not a restaurant.
Think of Samovar as a Russian 7-11, and when I say Russian, I mean Soviet without the lines. They have food like a 7-11, but it is set up on shelves that may be sparsely populated depending on the time of the month/year, and you never know what is going to be there. They have frozen food, refrigerated fresh food, and imported spices and candy from all over Eastern Europe. But not a lot of it. Like a 7-11 there is a self serve microwave to heat the food you buy from the refrigerator. The expectation is that you will take your food and leave. They are not really set up for eat in. Though there are two small tables and if you do choose to stay, the owners are very happy to answer any questions you have and make recommendations.
I had a couple of different peiroshki and a cheese pie, a soda, very good, satisfying, very cheap. I also brought back a poppy seed roll for my office to try. All that for less than $10.
I will be going back, but probably not tomorrow. -
Review from Mark B.
Bainbridge Island, WA
3/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
What a funny place. It is NOT a restaurant. More like a store with 2 tables and uncomfortable chairs. The cashier speaks little English, but the food was yummy and very affordable. Just ask for a lunch menu. I spent 10 dollars for a massive plate of pirogies (sp?) plus a drink from the case and really tasty farm cheese dessert.
The gentleman that served me appeared to be the owner or manager. In any event he was very friendly, charming and tolerated my efforts to try a little Russian translation from my Droid Translator.
Highly recommend. -
Review from Diane C.
12/30/2010
It's a small deli and they do carry European items you can't find in most supermarkets. They do have ready made Russian and Jewish side dishes.
Last time I came here, the bakery had just dropped off fresh warm Russian bread which was as good as the best bakeries in Russia.
They carry books, magazines, souvenirs and DVDs in Russian. The lady that runs the store is very helpful and friendly.
If you end up paying in cash, they give you a 10% discount. I never remember this before I go so I never take advantage of this offer. -
Review from Magda M.
Mountain View, CA
1/21/2011
I live in Mountain View and was looking for Polish/Eastern European ingredients to make home made beet soup with my mom's recipe. I needed some spices and smoked meats and was very successful at finding them at Samovar. The owner was incredibly friendly and helpful-- he took the time to walk me through their aisles and point out every Polish item they had. A really nice guy that does an exceptional job serving his customers.
I will definitely be back to buy more of my Polish soups, meats and sweet treats! I'm so happy I came into Samovar today!
Also, note: there is a discount if you pay in cash, so make sure to bring some! I bought so much I didn't have enough but will make sure to bring cash to support this small business next time. -
Review from Sanket A.
Palo Alto, CA
7/24/2011
Usually too complacent to write a review, but every now and then a place surprises you. That was the case, when looking for a quick bite near Costco.
Pros:
1. Extremely friendly husband / wife owners. They spent well over 20 mins explaining various aspects of Eastern European foods and we browsed through the grocery store cum cafe
2. The food. We tried the Red Borscht and Cabbage rolls and its says something when your 11 yr old who generally avoids straying from pasta proclaims this is the best food they've every had.
Cons:
I really have a hard time critiquing such a neighborhood establishment, but here goes.
1. Location/Signage: Despite its proximity to both Costco and REI, you would never know they place was open for business by driving past. Between the tinted windows and surrounding light industrial neighbors it does not jump out to the casual passerby. I suggested they put a banner of some sort, beside the neon sign which is unreadable in daylight.
2. Seating: There is limited space (total capacity about 6 people). mostly geared to take out or catering. So don't plan on a group outing. -
Review from Gadi C.
Providence, RI
12/14/2010
Is it just me, or have I landed on Brighton Beach? Err, I mean, Richmond District?
Samovar can totally make the American-Russian experience feel like heaven. That is if you like your heaven reheated, and not as cheap as it feels when you grab a small lamb pocket wrapped in tin foil from the fridge, pop it into the microwave, walk it over to the cashier, wait as the woman helps the Russian family having a picnic on the lunch tables, tell her four times that you don't speak Russian and then watch as you pay 3 dollars for something (delicious!) that takes up thirty seconds to eat on the way to the car.
Authenticity at its most treasured. Plus a Russian/Commie book store! Love love love! -
Review from reese w.
San Francisco, CA
8/19/2010
Cabbage piroshki, stuffed cabbage, sesame rolls? Oh man this is the stuff of my eastern european dreams.
I've only had the cabbage piroshki (OMG tasty) and the potato piroshki (meh) and the apple pie (yum...). I was going to get the stuffed cabbage, but I don't know if it will begin to compare to my grandma's.
Oh and they have a really good selection of jams, pickles, cookies, and coffee. I will definitely be back here to try the stuffed cabbage again soon! -
Review from vera g.
San Francisco, CA
8/13/2011
We went to this place for lunch based on the Yelp reviews and I was puzzled about them to say the least...I am of Russian heritage and my parents still are immersed in the community, so i thought i knew what to expect - especially since I've lived in San Francisco for awhile and there are plenty of nice Russian cafes there... This place was a disappointment, I'd give it 1 star, but i am just a little too nice for that ;-)
1) the place indeed is a store, and not greatly kept store at that - there are a couple of tiny dirty looking tables next to the window, so I guess that's a restaurant part of it that people reviewed :-)
2) there were literally 3 things on the menu - 3! ;-)..Cabbage rolls, Russian Pot Stickers and Rice with Chicken...
We ordered Russian pot stickers for my husband and although i asked specifically if they make them there, and they said 'yes', in reality it was clear that they took them out of the freezer and boiled them for us :-)...I actually saw them doing it, and although they tasted just fine, I'd expect a little more of a restaurant i guess, call me picky..
3) I ordered Rice with chicken which i was hoping to be like the Georgian 'Plov", but in reality it was indeed..rice with chicken..can't blame them i guess and it wasn't bad, just nothing to write home about...they covered it with some dry tasteless spice, so it did look home made at least ;-)
4) drinks - noone offered us any, so we wondered around the store to find some juice in the fridge and took it. then the lady asked if we wanted anything else to drink and i asked for "Kvas'; she found a bottle and gave it to me - no glass, no opener, nothing ;-)
The place wasn't hard to find despite what reviews said - they have a large building on the corner with a sign upfront..
Interesting experience i guess, especially since there are no restaurants i know of in the south bay... i just wouldn't call it a restaurant i guess.. it was cheap thouugh, indeed. -
Review from Jay Y.
Mountain View, CA
7/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
It was all-in-one style store. I had warm borscht and yummy chicken pilaf here. It was tasty and cheap. Paid around 12 dollars for lunch and chocolate. Both dedushka and babushka were very kind. (I could not type Russian characters here.)
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Review from Eteri K.
Mountain View, CA
1/2/2011
From Eteri and Co.
Love the PLACE, love the PEOPLE, love the FOOD!!!
EXCELLENT SERVICE!!!
THANK YOU, HOSTESSES!!! -
Review from Nana K.
San Francisco, CA
4/8/2011
I am munching on their FRESHLY pickled Persian cucumbers now alongside their healthy Vinegrette salad, warm buckwheat, and smoked fish. NOMNOMNOM.
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Review from Archie R.
6/16/2009
I am part "Russian."
Why the quotes?
Well, I have never been there.
My dad, also never been there.
So, to maintain my soviet street cred, I have to visit spots like Samovar.
This place is in a weird corporate park so it's hard to find.
Once you do, you'll find a large selection of damned delicious Russian treats.
Do not miss the sour cream.
Deliciously filthy.
Perestroika. -
Review from Jasmine L.
San Jose, CA
2/12/2009
I was introduced to Samovar by my good ol Russian friend, Dan. He took me here once to eat a Russian lunch one summer day. I remember the soups being pretty interesting, and would go back for those - the yogurt soup in particular was refreshing and memorable. The main entree I ordered was not impressive (it was a rice dish, and I remember everything on the plate being pretty dry).
I recently visited Samovar again with my good ol friend Dan. I needed help because I was invited to a Russian pot luck, and had no clue what to bring (couldn't afford to provide enough caviar and vodka for the group). I was welcomed by the lady with the words "This is a Rrrrussian Store" (me obviously not looking at all Russian). Dan quickly stepped in and blurted out a whole bunch of Russian with the words "pot luck" somewhere in his sentence. Lady directed me towards the cold storage at the back and pointed at the Olivier salads (basically potato salads with peas, pickles and egg) and ready-made pelmeni. At this point, I realized I didn't need my good ol Russian friend and could have approached the store all by myself - despite the curt welcome, the lady was helpful.
Tidbit - I came across the definition, and thought I would share:
Samovar - (sm'-vär') n. A metal urn with a spigot, used to boil water for tea and traditionally having a chimney and heated by coals. -
Review from Matt C.
Sparks, NV
5/25/2011
If your looking for an eastern European cultural experience, this is the place to go. Essentially part restaurant, part grocery store and part book store, Samovar was a fun place to visit. Their menu is very small, maybe only 10 items at most. I ordered the cabbage rolls, potato dumplings and a potato cake. All of which were very good. I loved the cabbage rolls, and would definitely order them again.
The restaurant is very small... and definitely not fine dining. For lunch on a business trip, I actually prefer it that way. See other reviews for a better description of the ambiance.
I can tell you, what ever image you have in your head about how this place looks... your wrong. Must be seen to be believed :-) -
Review from Kes D.
Updated - 4/10/2011
I've been informed by one of the staff members that "deli" means that they serve fresh cooked food, all the way from 11 am until 9 pm. Still a little confusing, but no reason to dock 2 stars (especially since they took the time to explain to me personally what they mean by "deli" in a very nice way). Will have to check in for some fresh piroshki someday!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/2/2011
The cashier was very friendly, but there wasn't much stock in the refrigerators. Not as many… Read more »
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Review from shannon c.
San Jose, CA
12/9/2007
Seriously, what's better than Russian food ? It's so savoury and delicious, and I can't tell if it's good for me or not; Butter, potatoes, pork fat ? It's definitely not low-fat or low-carb, and that's just the way I like it.
The last time I was in Mountain View, I started craving pelmeni (little tortellini-like pasta stuffed with meat) and piroshki (a light, flaky pastry with savoury fillings like mushrooms, meat, cabbage, or potatoes). I remembered seeing Samovar on Yelp and took my Polish friend along with me to check it out.
Upon entering we were greeted by a sweet Russian woman, who naturally, spoke to us in Russian. My verbal skills are not what they used to be (most of my Russian is relative to such necessities as "Where is the bathroom?", "I would like a beer, please"), so I had a hard time responding. Luckily my reading skills are much better; I found my favourite Russian chocolates (Belochka-of course, it looks a little different in the Cyrillic on the packaging); a variety of sausages, pates, and meats; frozen pelmini, chebureki (sort of like little meat pies), and verenki (pasta-wrapped desserts containing cherries or cheeses); an AWESOME variety of farmer's cheeses; kasha, oatmeals, biscuits, cookies, and more chocolates and candies. The prices were reasonable for imported and traditional Russian-style groceries, but definitely not Trader Joe's value.
The absolute treat about this place are the a la carte fresh food, like piroshki. Well, honestly, they weren't called piroshki but since my Polish friend kept calling them that, I can't think of the Russian word for them. We had mushroom, potato, and cabbage ones. DELICIOUS! Also surprisingly filling.
Samovar also has a section for Russian (ie, not in English) music, magazines, books and DVDs, ranging from the classics of Russian literature (my beloved "Master and Margarita", the works of Chekov and Dostoevsky, poets Blok and Tsvetaeva, Pushkin) to translations (um, I found the Atkin's Diet book) and children's books. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything related to my favourite Soviet-era cartoon character, Cheburashka, but that's not surprising).
I even received 10% off for paying cash ! It's a special offer valid through 31 December. There were signs around the store proclaiming this special, and I liked it very much.
I will definitely be coming back, because my pelmini cravings are frequent, and I'm too lazy to make my own. Besides, these are much better than the ones I make.
Oh, and I found a strawberry rhubarb tea called Pure Lust. I bought it just because of the packaging. When we got home, my friend and I noticed it was made by the German tea company Pompadour. The English label on the side of it reads "Pompadour Pure Lust". That is quite possibly the most appropriate item I have ever purchased.
PS. The location is now at 1077 Independence, still in Mountain View but now closer to Costco and all that good stuff. -
Review from Viktoria G.
Atwater, CA
4/9/2011
Oh my god. I am soooo happy i went! I LOVE IT! The best things i have put in my mouth in a long time. The sour cream is delicious (the non prepackaged one, can't speak for the other), the olivie is amazing, an eggplant sauce/spread is suuuper good, and everything else (including some guilty pleasures like viola that i haven't seen anywhere but russian stores) were exciting. oh, the halvah is really good too...and the belochka (squirrel) candy! My american boyfriend got excited just seeing me so excited about everything. Some of the things aren't especially cheap (like vareniky and pelmeni) though, but it happens :)
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Review from Christina M.
Mountain View, CA
7/27/2009
The food here at Samovar is phenomenal, and so is the service.
When I and my (Russian-speaking) companion walked in on a hot, lazy Sunday afternoon, the owner walked right up to us and offered to give us a tour of the food offerings. There was no awkwardness at all in his approach-- he was jovial and charming.
He patiently took us through the refrigerated aisles to talk about the frozen pelmeni, vareniky, cakes, and freshly made borsch, sausages, and filled pastries. I was introduced to kvass and drank a can of it as we walked and talked.
Before long, we dined in on absolutely delicious beef-filled cabbage rolls and borsch, along with an apple turnover for me, a tea for him, and a Turkish coffee for me. They have a limited number of cafe tables there, but they serve you on real plates with real silverware.
I repeat - you simply *must* try the cabbage rolls if you're a fan of beef, even if you think you're not into cabbage.
There's a staggering collection of Russian-language books and DVDs, too, on the whole right side of the store.
I was completely unfamiliar with Russian cuisine prior to my tour and tastings. An hour and a half after we first walked in, we walked out, my mind full of new knowledge and interest.
They also offer catering, rent out their banquet hall, and sell jewelry and silks and paintings on consignment.
Samovar is a community store where everyone who comes in becomes a friend, even if you are not Russian yourself.
I will be back again and again.
Spasiba, Samovar! -
Review from Sasha T.
Santa Clara, CA
4/9/2011
Can you say the best darn Russian restaurant in the Bay Area? Yes, it is. I've been to several different Russian restaurants in recent times and this one beats all the others by far. Not even close.
I'm sure you're wondering if the food here is any good. Let's just say that I've never been that fond of Russian cuisine (I'm Ukrainian for what its worth), but man, this gave me a whole new perspective.
I've been here a total of two times. The first was with a small group of coworkers (about 6 of us). We didn't know what to expect so we never made a reservation. Samovar is divided into two sections: one a grocery store dealing with various kinds of Eastern European delicacies, and the other is a fairly large banquet hall that can fit roughly 75-100 people. It was to our luck, amazement and surprise that the owner, a very nice and friendly Russian speaking gentleman, was able to accommodate us in the large banquet hall.
They served all kinds of Eastern European food during our hour and a half lunch break. They started us of with appetizers. The usual Salat Olivier, bread, regular salad with an interesting and delightful dressing, an eggplant dish that was a favorite among the vegetarians. Yes, at least half of the dishes were vegetarian friendly. A win win in my book if everyone in the group is satisfied.
Once we were finished with the appetizers (and yes, there was still plenty left because we all gorged on the delicious bread), we were all taken aback when they started bringing out the soup. Wait, what? Soup? We're already full from the appetizers. I could barely eat another bite, but man, I couldn't say no to the beef and rice stew.
Seriously? There is more food? Yup, no meal is complete without various types of pilmeny. Some filled with meat, others filled with potatoes (vegetarians loved these). By the time the dessert came out (Yup, no Russian meal is complete without dessert), I called it quits on the gorging... and so did everyone else. "Check Please!"
So when the check came out. I was more than happy to pay the $40-50 that I expected the meal to cost. I almost fell out of my seat when it came out to less than $20 a person. For all that food, I still can't believe it!
Did I mention that with every dish that was served, the owner explained the history of it? No? then I must have also forgotten to mention that the background music that was playing definitely made the outing an event to remember.
So in short. Definitely check this place out. Definitely bring your closest friends here. Definitely make a reservation. And definitely bring your appetite as you'll definitely need it. -
Review from Rachel N.
Menlo Park, CA
4/6/2010
Dumpling meal for $5.99, how can you beat that?!
The store is small and very quaint. You are greeted by two very sweet Russians happy to assist.
There are a few tables to the side for eating there, otherwise it's take out. They suggest calling ahead as it takes about 15min for the dumplings. If you have a party of 5 or more you can sit in the catering hall next to the shop.
The atmosphere is odd, but totally worth the experience. -
Review from Alex R.
San Francisco, CA
1/2/2011
Dear Alex,
I wanted to thank you for a great place. Excellent quality of food products,
great selection of movies and how you always greet me when I come through the door. You make every customer feel good! It's so different from other places. Keep up good work and I wish you lot's of happiness and prosperity in 2011. -
Review from Lyzbeth S.
San Francisco, CA
3/2/2007
I haven't been to Samovar since it moved to a larger location in November.
The baked goods are the best Russian baked goods in the entire Bay Area. Great blueberry turnovers and tiny croissant shaped apricot pastries. Russian potato tasted like uncooked chocolate cookie dough filled with chopped nuts
The borscht, is wonderful, a deep ruby colored broth full of shredded beets, tender beef cubes, pieces of potato, onion and sprinkled generously on top was fresh dill. -
Review from Aliset S.
Sunnyvale, CA
2/16/2008
The shop owner doesn't know English, but she tried to wish us happy new year anyway :)
They have a good brand of Potato and Onion vareniky, and an assortment of other foods, some meat and dairy, and then cookies, candies, and sauces....
Also, lots of russian books and stuff. I don't believe they sell alcohol here. They do have a restaurant (I think it is mainly catering) but they have some of that food in the store, and it's really good.
The shop owner's husband is very very friendly as well and does speak English, so if you have a question and you can't speak Russian definitely say hi if you see him and he will help you out. I've only run into him twice but my fiance has seen him a few times now. -
Review from victoria a.
San Jose, CA
9/3/2011
I 've been to this place twice so far with my co-workers with different cultures. Everybody loved it. We tried different salads, soups, kebabs with pallaw and everything tasted superb. Definitely recommend for lunch and special events
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Review from Meg R.
Pacifica, CA
8/28/2010
VERRRRRYYY hard to find, but worth it. Go for their special meals, especially anything with cabbage. Stay away from porky stuff that is made with pig fat; bad for the arteries. MUCH better than the Russian place near Burlingame. Better food selection than the place on El Camino.
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Review from Olga K.
San Jose, CA
8/16/2010
Always great food! Fantastic ''shuba'' and piroshki! Great selection of magazines and books in Russian - even the books of pictures like 'Namedni' (which could make great gift for any Russian).
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Review from grey h.
San Diego, CA
10/7/2008
Nestled in a business area, this was definitely a one-of-a-kind store! It's kind of weird passing by a store that is lit within, but with NO lights whatsoever outside of it, not even a sign. But it's produce speaks for itself. My friend and I are asian, so as we go in, we recieve a smile, but it's more of a "Hiiiii.. Are you lost?" type of friendly smile. We wander through the isles and look at the cheeses and meats in the refrigerator... Barely any of the produce was in English.. We were like whoa.... what nationality is this??? I saw the Baklavah so I though Oh, maybe some kind of Mediterranean? When we walked toward the front the Lady said "Can I help you with anything" and with her kind eyes we knew she was warming up to us. We told her we were trying to figure out what store it was, and when she said Russian we were like OH!!! From there on in the shopping got easier.
I ended up buying a whole mess of Piroshkis (YUMMY but expensive here- $1.30 for a little pastry) and a meat Pie. They had quite an array of cheeses to choose from- I think maybe 3 refrigerator sections. I got the smoked sulmuni? It is a hickory smoked part-skim mozzarella. Pretty tasty. And also picked up these healthy but Tasty cookies: Cookies Spartak Style. They are made with whole wheat flour and look like powdered sugar covered Logs, but they are good-must be the cocoa in them! -
Review from Alex T.
Palo Alto, CA
1/1/2009
I am reviewing the deli, not a restaurant.
If you are after authentic Russian food, this is one of the better places on the Peninsula. The food is excellent, the service is quite good, and the closing hours (9PM) allows an engineer to shop there. -
Review from Natalya D.
Mountain View, CA
8/18/2010
It's less expensive than Euromart but more expensive than Crossroads world market in those products that overlap. But they also have their own unique products that are worth a visit.
* Fresh bread, I believe baked on Fridays but please verify with them
* "Golubtsy" - cabbage leaves wrapped around ground meat - excellent
* Herring dish called Shuba - good, but for me would have been better with less salt and less mayo.
* Farmer's cheeses
The staff is wonderful. -
Review from Anna M.
San Francisco, CA
5/30/2008
It is probably my favorite store in Mountain View. They always have great fresh bread and the store owner is super-nice. The prices are also very reasonable compared to other international stores in the area.
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Review from Oksana T.
San Francisco, CA
4/11/2005
This is a tiny space next to Russian movie rental store. They always have something awsome cooking. Nice choice of sweets.
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Review from Bone S.
Mountain View, CA
2/19/2006
Here is the article from San Jose Mercury News:
http://ae.mercurynews....
written by the famous restaurants critic Sheila Himmel.
Delicious food and nice selection of fine sausages, cheeses, groceries.
They also do catering!
Enjoy! -
Review from pui-yun c.
Mountain View, CA
12/15/2009
Samovar Deli & Catering is hidden in a row of office buildings behind the Costco complex.
We came in for lunch today and were greeted right away by the owner. He was extremely friendly and helpful and guided us through the store showing us their selection of foods and telling us little stories of the food from "back in the day." It definitely made the place seem very homey and cozy despite the setting.
We mentioned the special currently going on and continued to browse the store as we waited for our dumplings to cook. They seem to have a wide variety of Russian foods that I am eager to go back and try.
The meat dumplings we had were served fresh with some sour cream and were really filling. We actually ended up buying some frozen ones (in a different flavor) to take home and eat. On a gloomy, cold day like today, it hit the spot.Listed in: Quick Bites
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Review from Beth H.
New York, NY
4/17/2010
A great, reasonably priced Russian deli south of SF! They have a huge selection of Russian foods, comparable to Euromart but definitely more affordable.
Great for canned goods (spreads, pickles, etc.), baking supplies, frozen things (pelmeni, etc.), and cookies/chai items. They also cater, which is a definite plus - if you look in their fridge case, you'll even find individual servings of homemade food like Vinagret or Pirogi. The only thing weirdly expensive is their chocolate, but I guess one could buy that elsewhere. Also worth noting that they don't sell alcohol, but there is an excellent store with Russian alcohols just down Middlefield that they can direct you to.
The true hidden secret is that they make their own bread - the woman working behind the counter informed me that if you call in advance, they'll have it ready for you when you arrive, but in my experience they seem to always be pulling breads out of the oven when I get there anyway.
I would also add that their service is extraordinarily friendly for a Russian establishment - always a pleasant surprise, since norms of customer service are decidedly different there. -
Review from KYRGYZ K.
Sunnyvale, CA
2/26/2011
Excellent!! Best russian store in BayArea for this moment for ME!! Smells good inside, looks good, lady was very good with us! Only one minus BIIIIG MINUS for me that they don't have bounty chocolade!!
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Review from Nazad N.
San Jose, CA
4/15/2010
Beware of that place!
I called them a week ago asking if I can reserve the table for several people and the owner told that I should call them one day ahead to make sure the table is reserved. Whaen I called them a day before the event, the owner just refused my reservation telling that the restaurant will be busy. What a dumb place! I would never ever try to go there again! And I tell you, if you want a decent service look somewhere else.
