Italian Route: 10 Best Restaurants

Wicker furniture, majolica, a vintage blue cabinet — at Marcello, you can imagine dining at a villa somewhere near Siena. Artem Marchenko, aka Marcello (as friends called the head of The Chef Group in his youth), serves twists on Italian hits: arrabbiata with chicken and zucchini, pizza with horse meat pastrami, and a fish patty in truffle sauce. There’s classic Italy here, as well as broader European influences. The best plan? Order a bit of everything and leisurely share it with friends on the glass-enclosed terrace overlooking the Botanical Garden.  

*Felice* means «happy» in Italian. Here, happiness lies in the details: the «fresh catch, ” elegant plating, and the Michelin-starred status of executive chef Giuseppe Riccobuono. The menu focuses on fish and seafood — lobster, wild sea bass, crab, and sole, all served on ice. Hot appetizers feature Ligurian-style octopus tentacles and baked oysters with farm cheeses, while pastas include crab spaghetti and *cacio e pepe* with salmon. The *pizza salmone*, of course, is baked in a wood-fired oven.  

A European-style restaurant, delightfully old-school and free of gimmicks. Wine racks are stocked with bottles from around the world, sourced directly from producers, and the walls are adorned with life-size versions of Picasso’s *Les Demoiselles d’Avignon*. The menu offers simple, honest Mediterranean flavors: truffle cheese, *crostini* with bresaola, seafood risotto, and — for a special dinner — pasta dramatically prepared in a wheel of cheese. To take a piece of Italy home, browse the gourmet shop: you’ll find everything from tomato sauce to capers with anchovies.

Amid the bustle of Turan Avenue, a little Rome suddenly emerges — this is *La Mia Piazza*. The restaurant, with its spacious hall styled like an Italian piazza, stands in stark contrast to the city’s rhythm. Cobblestones underfoot, greenery all around, trees indoors, and flowers in clay pots. The menu continues the theme: 16 varieties of thin-crust pizza with fluffy edges, plus pasta, risotto, gnocchi, and salads, just like in classic trattorias in southern Italy.  

Lugano resides in the old town, its glass-enclosed veranda reminiscent of a winter garden, where light and greenery blend with wicker furniture and views of the city. The menu is a postcard from Italy: handmade pasta, thin-crust seafood pizza, creamy risottos, light salads, and tiramisu to finish. The wine list follows a classic route, from northern whites to Tuscan reds.

This spot has the vibe of a pizzeria tucked away in Naples’ alleys: fanatical dedication, a great oven, its own in-house creamery, and even a farm supplying all the ingredients — and you can taste it all in every slice. Thin dough with airy edges, 18 topping options, 3 minutes in the oven — *perfetto*! Classics like *Margherita*, *Four Farmer Cheeses*, and *Pepperoni* are on the menu, but the signature piesare the real advenutre: pizza with chicken thigh and shiitake in kimchi sauce, or a star-shaped pizza with salmon, cherry tomatoes, and artichoke sauce.  

On Turan Avenue’s restaurant row, amid the city’s bustling food scene, sits a branch of the famous Novosibirsk franchise, *Perchini*. The interior has a subtle Florentine flair, with fragments of Botticelli’s *Primavera* and *The Birth of Venus* on the walls. The menu is all about timeless favorites: pasta is made in-house (*fusilli*, *casarecce*, *rigatoni*, *tagliatelle*, and spaghetti), and pizza is baked on 72-hour-proofed dough. Try not just classics but also the original combos — beef with persimmon, kimchi shrimp, or cheese with mango chutney. And be sure to save room for *limoncello tiramisu*: the citrus bitterness of the zest adds a bright twist to the classic flavor. *Perchini* is a great option for a family lunch with an Italian touch.  

La Bottega’s kitchen sticks to tradition, while the interior whispers *benvenuti* from the doorstep: warm wood, soft lighting, and display cases where house-aged cheeses mature (their burrata, mozzarella, stracciatella, scamorza, and *caciotta* can also be found on the shelves at Galmart supermarket). The menu is solid Italywith no fuss: *spaghetti chitarra* with pesto, burrata, and pine nuts, shrimp in garlic-basil sauce, osso buco with risotto. After a successful shopping trip at *Keruen*, make sure to stop by for a dose of proper carbs.  

On the right bank, near the Ishim River embankment, Provino Is tucked away in the shade of the trees. The vibe is laid-back, the food hedonistic: antipasti with artichokes and jamón, bruschetta with roast beef, sardines in tapas, pasta, and risotto. Here, wine isn’t an accompaniment — it’s a way of life. Light Soaves, silky Pinot Noirs, bold orange wines — all can be picked straight off the shelf. Dinner here easily turns into a tasting that’s hard to end: leaving Provino without a charming bottle is a real challenge.  

On Round Piazza stands *Del Papa*, styled like an old Roman trattoria: terracotta walls, checkered tablecloths, and photos in ornate frames. The menu sticks to theclassic: spaghetti carbonara, lasagna Bolognese, porcini mushroom risotto, tiramisu. Mornings bring breakfasts with an Apennine twist: *shakshuka arrabbiata*, omelets with stracciatella, and panini. Del Papa is especially good at sunset: the light streaming through the piazza’s glass arches, a glass of Chianti in hand — all that’s missing is a quiet sigh: *la vita è bella*.  

Photos: restaurants’ websites and social media, Yandex Maps