Though customary to the locals, this phenomenon can surprise the city’s visitors: unlike in other parts of Russia, here in St. Petersburg you can buy buns and cakes literally on every corner. If you search "bakeries" in the 2GIS mapping service, it offers you over 2,000 locations to choose from! There's no verified explanation for this trend, but be it the European vibe or recoupment for the lack of endorphins, the fact remains: it gave birth to both one-of-a-kind cafes and large bakery chains worth visiting.

The basics

F. Volchek’s Bakery 

• Price range: ₽
• Ed. team recommends: kartoshka (Russian truffle), apple pie, carrot pie.  

With about 125 shops in and around the city, it's no wonder Volchek’s bakeries are so popular. This chain is considered the most visited and affordable one. After 9.30 pm, the queue gets even longer because of the 30% evening discount on all goodies. It features savory (meat, cabbage, chicken, and mushrooms) and sweet (berries, cottage cheese) pies, cakes (by piece or whole), and practically all types of pastry you can think of. As it's a bakery, don’t expect complex meals or plenty of drinks. In the summertime, keep an eye on the fridges with homemade ice cream and sorbets. On average, everything costs up to 100 rubles yet fills you up enough to spend a class or two with no collywobbles. 

More like this: Lavka Pekarya, Lyudi Lyubyat.

TSEKH 85

• Price range: ₽₽
• Ed. team recommends: cheese balls, mushroom-and-potato pie, eclairs.

A nice option for those who like to have their cake in a quaint setting. Like Volchek, TSEKH 85 offers a wide range of pastry, but also includes vegan options as well as breakfast and lunch combos. Their cakes are fancy enough to get them for a birthday party, while sandwiches may surprise you with unusual (but yummy!) fillings. No worries, you don’t have to eat dry, since there’s always decent coffee and various seasonal drinks. Besides, the chain has a handy app where you can make orders, and more importantly, get points for your purchases and spend them on free buns – they saved me in broke times more than once!

More like this: British Bakeries, Korzhov.

Bushe

• Price range: ₽₽₽
• Ed. team recommends: raspberry venzel, mozzarella croissant, cinnamon bun.

Something between a restaurant and a bakery, Bushe has become a symbol of St. Petersburg, elegant and almost poetic, a place where people read books over a cup of coffee and a nice bun. In fact, things went so well that there are now several branches in Moscow, too. We love it for the bright-flavored pastry and bread made according to special recipes. The chain follows an eco-friendly agenda: in collaboration with 99 recycle they make table signs from recycled plastic and don’t use disposable tableware. Shortly, if someone brings you home a box from Bushe, they are good guests (and you’re a cool host).

More like this: O’petit.

Some gems

Now you know your way around the major city’s bakeries! In addition, here are some lesser-known and unique locations to grab a bite:

• Crypt. For those who’d like to have pirozhki inside the Kazan cathedral.
• Georgian bakery near the main campus. To smell and savor khachapuri between classes.
• Troika. Pastry with the Soviet traditions not far from  the Lomonosova campus.
• Pyshechnaya on Konyushennaya. Come here to try the legendary local doughnuts, pyshki.