Home-Cooked St. Petersburg and Market Tour

St. Petersburg has drastically changed over the years, from Imperial Russia through to the Soviet power and onto today’s modern area. But despite all those changes, one thing has stayed the same: the food! On this tour, you’ll learn about the culinary traditions before digging into an authentic home cooked meal in a local home.

Once you meet your local St. Petersburg guide, we’ll head off to explore the oldest food market in St. Petersburg. Here you’ll get your first lesson in Russian food culture as you browse the variety of local products on sale. Ever heard of salo? Well, it’s pork fat, and trust us, it’s one of the tastiest treats in the Russian diet. (Note that any snacks you want to try in the market, including salo, are not included in the tour price.)

From there, we’ll move into the city’s younger eras as we discover the unique atmosphere and architecture of the former Soviet Union, before reaching the St. Petersburg of today. We’ll head into a modern residential quarter, where we’ll visit with hospitable St. Petersburg locals in their own home.

We’ll share a traditional dinner, plus tastings of vodka, Crimean wines, kvass (a fermented rye-based beverage) and birch juice (a soft drink). If any of the dishes have your taste buds wanting more, don’t worry — we’ll send you home with recipes of the dishes so you can recreate them for your friends and family.

We’ll spend the evening cooking, eating and playing a few rounds of traditional table games, and you’ll come away with an intimate understanding of the true culinary culture of St. Petersburg!