Russian Samovar Cafe

Borscht, Pelmeni, and Tea by the Samovar

Russian Samovar Cafe sits in Nikolaevsk, Alaska - a village founded by Russian Old Believers seeking religious freedom. The menu features homemade borscht, pirozhki, pelmeni, and Russian sweets, always served with tea from a real samovar. A gift shop next to the cafe carries jewelry, matryoshka dolls, photographs, and books from Russia.

Nikolaevsk is one of the few Old Believer villages left in Alaska, where Russian is still spoken on the street and families keep traditions carried from Russia generations ago. Russian Samovar Cafe is where that history comes alive: guests are welcomed with real Russian hospitality, seated with home-cooked food, and invited to try national dishes rarely found anywhere else in Alaska.

The cafe has drawn travelers and national travel coverage of Russian Alaska more than once. If you find yourself on the Kenai Peninsula, it is worth turning off the highway for a cup of tea - a rare chance to touch living Russian culture this far from home.