VEGANBUNKER

Though this tiny shop is pretty hard to find, whoever does it will be rewarded with a very impressive selection of various superfoods ranging from nut butters and vegan cheeses and chocolate to various teas and a mind-blowing selection of plant-based milk (it feels like they have everything that’s on the market).

Adi

A sibling of our previous diner reviewee Rada&K, Adi is one of the oldest health-food stores in Russia, and, like any other shop in our list, they sell a lot of stuff, food and otherwise, though more with an ethnic-cuisine focus. Look out for their vegan salamis, an impressive variety of spices, oils, sauces, and, wait for it, vegan cakes and mulled punches. As an added perk, Adi is one of the few shops in town offering the incomparable Oatly and Choice vegan ice-cream, and the cost is more than alright. Yes please.

Credit: Courtney Cook (@courtneymcook) on Unsplash

Credit: Courtney Cook (@courtneymcook) on Unsplash

Veganika

Apart from offering a large (possibly the largest of all the options on our list) choice of typical health-food-store nosh like plant-based milk, quark and yogurts, nut butters, sweets, snacks, cereals, pasta, sauces, superfoods and faux cheeses and meats, Veganika does great own-brand ready meals like falafels and patties (all vegan of course). They also sell Oatly ice-cream, in loads of flavors too. A sign of a quality vegan food shop right there.

Green Point

We may well be the best online health food shop in St. Petersburg and Moscow, enthusiastically says Green Point’s website, and there is some truth to their claim: the choice is considerable and the prices aren’t that bad. But in our view, what sets Green Point apart is their nuts, seeds, and dried fruit offerings; there are heaps of them, all promised to be of the newest harvest possible. They also sell the Vegetarian Card which yields discounts in a range of health food stores, amounting to 6% off in Green Point.

4fresh

Out of all the health shops listed, 4fresh may be your best bet for cruelty-free skincare and other self-care products, the choice they offer being so substantial. They also have tons of food and a variety of aromatherapy products like candles and essential oils, if that’s your thing, and make a great destination for buying presents. Plus there are always lots of bargains going on. The only thing worth noting is that their marketing can be a tad too aggressive, so prepare for a gazillion emails pestering you on an almost-daily basis. Not a major fault, but a fault nevertheless. The prices are okay, but Klever for the most part is cheaper.

Lavka Edoque

Craving for some fresh fruits and vegetables? With Edoque, you can get them even in the middle of winter! Sweet, luscious mangos you won’t find in your local supermarket, juicy pineapples, ripe, sweet-smelling melons and date plums, and many other exotic and top-quality ‘basic’ fruits and veggies, coupled with nuts, dried fruit, cool tea mixes, and exquisite oriental sweets, such as vanilla-flavored khalva, banana crisps, and apricot khashtak.

Credit: Julia Zolotova (@juliazolotova) on Unsplash

Credit: Julia Zolotova (@juliazolotova) on Unsplash

Klever and Zeleniy

Boasting a breathtaking selection of eco-friendly cosmetics and foods, this store is heaven on earth for vegans, vegetarians, and eco-enthusiasts of all sorts. Whatever eco-product you’re looking for, you can be sure that you’ll find it here: nut butters, plant-based milks, carob chocolate, all kinds of seeds, grains and legumes, superfoods like spirulina, maca and raw cocoa, and lots and lots of organic beauty products. The very same products are presented in Klever’s partner Zeleniy on Gorokhovaya St. 49, and Antonova-Ovseyenko St. 25.  

Kompas Zdorovya

Kompas Zdorovya isn’t as fancy as Klever; think minimart rather than a hip store reeking of eco-friendliness like Lush reeks of essential oils. But they still have a wide choice of products that are often much cheaper than their green counterparts can offer. Seeds, cereals, breakfast cereals (like Coco-Pops but healthy), a wide selection of plant-based milk, vegan yogurts and tofu, teas, oils, snacks, vitamins, ready meals (including tasty vegan pelmenis), skincare, shampoos and things to clean your home with; there’s everything you can think of and more. Be sure to invest in a loyalty card to get a permanent 7% discount.  

B12

B12 is an eco shop with a strong ethical vibe. It’s run by vegans who are always there for you if you can’t wrap your head around choosing the products, or just want to chat about the nuts and bolts of the plant-based lifestyle. They also strive to offer only the best provender in town (quite literally too, because they prioritize ordering from local businesses), so you can be sure that you’re not buying a cat in the bag. Speaking of bags, all of their packaging is recyclable, and there’s even an option of purchasing products without it - see below. They also pass our Oatly-availability test (do try their Barista oat milk, aka the best thing that will ever happen to your coffee).

All in all, you just feel more zen and grounded even as you walk into the shop, and happy as you tearfully gaze at the shelves stockpiles with varied plant-based goodness. We think you guessed it: B12 gets our firm seal of approval.

Credit: Boxed Water Is Better (@boxedwater) on Unsplash

Credit: Boxed Water Is Better (@boxedwater) on Unsplash

B12 Zero Waste

B12’s sister shop, B12 Zero Waste has everything to make all of your zero waste dreams come true. And by that we don’t only mean package-free dried fruit and veg, pasta, beans and pulses, cereals and rice, vegan patties and faux meat, nut butters, jams, sweets, cakes, and other vegan-friendly comestibles. This is a real treasure trove full of ethical lifestyle gems such as reusable hospital boot covers, cool tote bags of all shapes and sizes, metal straws and eco-cloth bags to kick the ubiquitous plastic bags and packaging goodbye. 10/10 recommend.

Organica

Organica is a health food shop which stocks a variety of exciting products. From no-added sugar jams, gluten-free pasta, and a mind-blowing selection of superfoods to organic oils and nut butters, this store has it all. If you need something to wash it down with, they also stock lots of eco-friendly cleaning products, coupled with beauty products and aromatherapy items. Apart from that, they have a cozy smoothie bar on Gorokhovaya 45, where they serve er, smoothies (duh), fresh juices, herbal teas, and coffee with plant-based milk, and host various lectures about the environment and healthy lifestyle.

Read the previous articles of the series:

Written by Anastasiia Labunskaia and Anastasia Krasilnikova.