Russian cuisine is hearty, flavorful, and deeply tied to the country's history and climate. This lesson covers food vocabulary, ordering at restaurants, iconic Russian dishes, and the all-important culture of toasting and tea.
Estimated Time: 45–60 minutes
| Russian | Transliteration | English | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| борщ | borshch | borscht | Beet soup with cabbage, potatoes, meat; served with сметана |
| щи | shchi | cabbage soup | Traditional soup, hundreds of variations |
| пельмени | pil'myeni | dumplings | Meat-filled dumplings, Russia's comfort food |
| блины | bliny | crepes/pancakes | Thin pancakes with sweet or savory fillings |
| пирожки | pirazhki | filled pastries | Baked or fried buns with meat, cabbage, or potato |
| каша | kasha | porridge | Buckwheat, oat, or rice porridge — a breakfast staple |
| окрошка | akroshka | cold soup | Refreshing summer soup with квас or кефир base |
| оливье | aliv'ye | Russian salad | Potato salad with peas, pickles, and mayo — a New Year's essential |
| сметана | smitana | sour cream | Goes on EVERYTHING — soup, dumplings, pancakes |
💡 Cultural Insight: Сметана (sour cream) is arguably Russia's most essential condiment. It goes on борщ, пельмени, блины, salads, and even into cake recipes. If you order soup in Russia and it doesn't come with a dollop of сметана, something has gone wrong. Many Russians consider a meal incomplete without it!
| Russian | Transliteration | English | Russian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| хлеб | khlyep | bread | масло | masla | butter |
| мясо | myasa | meat | рыба | ryba | fish |
| курица | kuritsa | chicken | яйцо | yiytso | egg |
| молоко | malako | milk | сыр | syr | cheese |
| рис | ris | rice | картошка | kartoshka | potato |
| овощи | ovashchi | vegetables | фрукты | frukty | fruits |
| сахар | sakhar | sugar | соль | sol' | salt |
| вода | vada | water | сок | sok | juice |
| Russian | Transliteration | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| чай | chay | tea | The national drink — always offered to guests |
| кофе | kofye | coffee | Increasingly popular in cities |
| квас | kvas | kvass | Fermented bread drink, mildly sweet |
| компот | kampot | compote | Stewed fruit drink, served cold |
| кефир | kifir | kefir | Fermented milk drink, probiotic |
| пиво | piva | beer | |
| вино | vino | wine | |
| водка | vodka | vodka | Always drunk with food, never alone |
| Russian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| Меню, пожалуйста | Minyu, pazhalusta | Menu, please |
| Я хочу заказать... | Ya khachu zakazat'... | I'd like to order... |
| Мне, пожалуйста... | Mnye, pazhalusta... | I'll have... (lit: for me, please) |
| Что вы рекомендуете? | Shto vy rikaminduyetye? | What do you recommend? |
| Счёт, пожалуйста | Shchyot, pazhalusta | Check, please |
| Очень вкусно! | Ochin' vkusna! | Very delicious! |
| Я вегетарианец / -ка | Ya vigitarianets / -ka | I'm vegetarian (m/f) |
| У вас есть...? | U vas yest'...? | Do you have...? |
| Без мяса | Byez myasa | Without meat |
💡 Cultural Insight: Russian toasting culture is elaborate. At gatherings, someone (often the host) proposes toasts before each round of drinks. The first toast is usually "За здоровье!" (Za zdorov'ye! — To health!). Toasts can be long, poetic, and deeply personal. Just clinking glasses and drinking without a toast is considered uncultured. And never toast with an empty glass — it's terrible luck!
— Здравствуйте! Меню, пожалуйста.
(Zdrastvuytye! Minyu, pazhalusta.) — Hello! Menu, please.
— Вот, пожалуйста. Что будете заказывать?
(Vot, pazhalusta. Shto budyetye zakazyvat'?) — Here you go. What will you order?
— Мне борщ и пельмени, пожалуйста.
(Mnye borshch i pil'myeni, pazhalusta.) — I'll have borscht and pelmeni, please.
— С чем пельмени? Со сметаной?
(S chyem pil'myeni? Sa smitanay?) — With what? With sour cream?
— Да, со сметаной! И чай, пожалуйста.
(Da, sa smitanay! I chay, pazhalusta.) — Yes, with sour cream! And tea, please.
— Хорошо!
(Kharasho!) — Great!
1. What is борщ?
2. What condiment goes on almost everything in Russian cuisine?
3. How do you ask for the check?
4. What is the traditional first toast in Russian?