If you’re looking for a funky spot to sip vodka and get an eyeful of Moscow’s young artistic crowd, this is it. The décor is eclectic; picture black-and-white striped sofas mixing with an antique book-covered piano and stone walls embedded with chunks of raw turquoise and chalcedony. Grab a seat at the backlit bar and strike up a conversation with a university student, or just wander through this multi-level loft space and check out the modernist, cubist and expressionist art. Jazz musicians, folk singers and local indie rock bands put on nightly shows; kick back and enjoy this upscale version of Russian coffeehouse culture. Arte FAQ turns into a dance club on Friday and Saturday nights; if you’re not a fan of pulsing trance or house music, come back for a Sunday night concert and sip a local mulled wine.
Arte FAQ
32 Bolshaya Dmitrovka
Moscow 125075
Russia
011 (+7) 495 650 3971
artefaq.ru
As a tourist from America, it may seem disingenuous to visit a bar named Wall Street, but this Russian watering hole has a lot to offer. With a slogan of “In drink we trust,” this bar takes a cheeky approach to American culture; inspect the drink menu and you’ll find libations such as “Redemption,” “Merrill Lychee” and “Lemon Brothers.” It looks and feels like an American bar, with dark colors and cherrywood furnishings in the restaurant above, and exposed brick walls in the bar area below. Every Friday night, the bar’s resident DJ spins international rock and dance music. There’s also a dinner menu filled with the Russian version of soul food: milk-soaked veal, cabbage and mussels, and goose liver served over lettuce.
Wall Street Bar
9 Volkhonka
Moscow 110919
Russia
011 (+7) 495 916 5731
wallstbar.com/index.php
Located in northwest Moscow, this hard-rockin’ club is like the House of Blues and Hard Rock Café rolled into one. It’s an unusual venue in that it hosts large concerts (a fundraiser for political prisoners in December 2009, for example) and much smaller, intimate shows when no big names are in town. Past performers include Manu Chau, German rock band In Extremo, and British chillout group The Orb. There’s a balcony and a main dance floor where you can get your groove on. If you like what you hear, step outside to the Rynok Gorbushka, the city’s massive CD and DVD flea market. To find out who is scheduled to play, check The Moscow Times' online event calendar.
Gorbunov House of Culture
27 Novozavodskaya Ulitsa
Moscow
Russia
011 (+7) 495 145 8974
frommers.com/destinations/moscow/N29466.html
