In every square, by every Metro station, on most side-streets, you’ll find little kiosks, stands, mini-pavilions, pumping out coffee in all weathers and seasons. Outside the Lomonosova building, for example, you’ll find three microscopic establishments, crammed together and vying for your caffeinated business. There are even mobile versions parked at strategic points along Nevsky - at the corner of Fontanka, near Dumskaya Ulitsa, and most notably right by Dvortsovy Bridge, just to keep you fortified if you miss the bridges and need to hang around for a couple of hours. It seems that “Peterburgtsy” must have their coffee right here, right now, with as few frills as possible.
The biggest chain of stands is Coffee Like, which you’ll find at an impressive 17 spots around the city, including Mokhovaya 23a, Moskovsky Prospekt 195 and Nevsky 54. It serves all the staples, including some unusual variations such as Raf with spicy berries or nuts and redcurrants, as well as protein bars to keep you fuelled up.
Other ‘mini-caffeini’ include Time for Coffee (Lomonosova 20, Spassky Perulok 6-8 and others) which does a suitably indulgent Oreo Cappuccino, Leon, (Sadovaya 38 and Lomonosova 20) which offers bubble-gum and gingerbread brews and Red Cup (Lomonosov 11) which does a very respectable Flat White. One stand we like in particular is Papa Grill, a kiosk on the corner of Sadovaya and Lomonosova that specializes in ‘Sausages and Coffee’ a culinary combination hitherto largely unexplored.
The coffee in most of these compact outlets is surprisingly decent - but that’s not the point. Coffee-to-Go is all about convenience and, of course, price. At Coffee Like, a small cappuccino will set you back 95 roubles. At Time For Coffee it’s cheapest of all at just 75 roubles - about half of what you’d pay in many cafes.
The Coffee-to-Go revolution is bringing lattes and mochaccinos to the masses, at the best value possible. Plus, it adds an intriguing urban ‘street’ dimension to the city’s already vibrant coffee microverse. Long may it continue to thrive!
