A trip to Crimea and getting to know Crimean cuisine is the most interesting part of traveling around the peninsula. However, some holidaymakers believe that Crimea, which has become part of Russia, can offer the same dishes as the rest of the country. If you are of the same opinion, we hasten to dissuade you! Crimean cuisine will offer many delicious and unusual dishes, any of which you will love so much that you will go to Crimea not only to relax on the Black Sea, but also to eat a dish whose taste you cannot forget!
A trip to Crimea will not be complete without trying the national dishes of the peoples living on its territory. Of course, we are talking about Greek, Karaite, Armenian and Crimean Tatar cuisine. But among vacationers it is the national cuisine of the Crimean Tatars that is in demand. And for good reason. Having tried baked goods made from puff pastry or shortcrust pastry, no one will remain indifferent! And what are the Crimean aboriginal drinks worth: wines, champagne, cognacs!
But first things first. As you understand, in this collection we will tell you what food is worth trying in Crimea.
First meal.
Since we are talking about Crimean Tatar cuisine, it is worth talking about lagman, - a hot dish cooked with beef. A delicious rich beef or lamb broth with the addition of the right amount of herbs and spices will not leave any gourmet indifferent! Thick, rich Tatar-style lagman combines two dishes at once - the first and the second.
Azu– a favorite dish of Tatar cuisine. You will be offered to try it at any national restaurant. This is a satisfying, and most importantly, tasty dish. The basics are prepared from meat (lamb, beef or horse meat), potatoes and stewed vegetables: pickles, tomatoes.
Second courses.
Pilaf- the head of everything. Real Tatar pilaf is prepared exclusively from lamb or beef. The highlight of this dish is Samarkand peas. Fragrant spices will give the dish a unique taste and aroma.
Khanum- a steamed roll that tastes like dumplings, but is much juicier, since it is not prepared in boiling water. The dish is served with sour cream or tomato sauce.
Bakery.
Samsa- one of the most popular dishes in Central Asia, which has become loved by many in our country. Samsa has conquered Crimea, where it is sold on every corner. And as we know from the laws of economics: demand creates supply. The special taste of samsa is indeed in great demand.
Samsa is often baked in a tandoor - this is a kind of barrel-shaped oven, at the bottom of which a fire is lit, and the samsa is attached to its hot walls. Since the dough is not fried, but baked, it turns out to be low-fat. The filling inside remains juicy.
You can buy samsa from the tandoor without fear for your health, because it is impossible to be poisoned by it. After cooking, the samsa is not removed from the oven, but is left in the oven, where the constant high temperature prevents the appearance and proliferation of pathogenic microbes.
Yatnyk- a kind of puff pastry pie, cheburek-shaped and baked on a hot surface without oil. It is filled with minced meat. Pieces of tomato, pepper, cheese and fresh herbs can also be added to the filling. The finished yantik is greased with a piece of butter and served with ketchup or adjika.
Chir-chir- This is a traditional Karaite dish, the filling of which can be meat, vegetable or cheese. Chir-chirs are somewhat reminiscent of the pasties we are used to. But they don't have the crispy crust that we all love so much. Since they are fried in oil, they turn out a little oily. Chir-chirs are inexpensive. They are taken as a snack or for a snack.
Tandoor samsa
Fish and seafood.
When it comes to seafood in Crimea, you should definitely try mussels, crabs, brine and oysters. Seafood and fish are delicious everywhere. And in soups, and in salads and in hot dishes. Many restaurants will offer you an amazing seafood solyanka. Don’t rush to refuse, it will be delicious!
If your wallet does not allow you to go to restaurants, then you can collect some seafood, for example, mussels yourself, by diving with a mask. But since not everyone knows where the hot spots are, this activity can become a waste of time. Mussels, like rapana, are inexpensive. You can buy them frozen in any supermarket.
Note: mussel pulp contains a large amount of high-quality protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, iodine, etc. This shellfish is a source of vitamins B2, B6, B12, PP, C, A, D.
If you come to Crimea on vacation and don’t know what to try, we recommend that you try the Black Sea red mullet fish. The ancient Romans appreciated it for its delicate taste. Most often it is sold fried. It is not expensive, but for the money you will be pleasantly pampered.
Black Sea flounder and mullet are fish that can be seen on the shelves of fish stores. Where can you eat delicious fish in Crimea? In every seaside town and village in any restaurant you can taste the most delicious dishes of Crimean cuisine, watch the fishermen and enjoy the magnificent view of the sea!
On a note: The red mullet cooks quickly. It takes a little time to prepare. You don't even have to gut the red mullet, since this fish has no bile.
Red mullet is not only tasty, but also very healthy: the fish contains magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin B. Unfortunately, not only people eat red mullet. Others are hunting her predatory fish and dolphins. Perhaps for this reason its numbers in the Black Sea are decreasing.
Warning: When buying ready-to-eat fish and seafood at the beach, make sure they are fresh. Although, according to statistics, cases of poisoning are practically zero, you should not neglect the rules of hygiene and neglect vigilance!
Dairy products.
Brynza- this is nothing more than homemade cheese or even something between cheese and cottage cheese. This environmentally friendly product costs several times less than cheese from the store. Cheese cheese is made from cow's and goat's milk, but the second one is quite specific.
Bryndza is made in the form of a disk, from which slices are cut, like ordinary cheese in our understanding. The market will definitely let you try it. By the way, every housewife has a different cheese. Some have more salt, some have less. Everyone has their own signature recipe. Bryndza can be plain or with herbs, for example, dill and basil.
Crimean cheese
Alcohol-containing drinks.
Wine. Crimean wines have become known far beyond its borders. Their taste is unique. The aroma differs in notes of Crimean herbs. Among the best, it is worth highlighting the Crimean wines of the plant. Tasting enthusiasts can go on a wine tour around Crimea. You will certainly get pleasure and a lot of positive emotions from such a pastime!
What wine to try in Crimea? Try everything! Wine tours are organized in Crimea and during tasting you will appreciate the bouquet and taste of Crimean wines. Wines made from local grape varieties are highly valued. After all, they simply don’t exist in other places.
Before you buy wine, first try what this winery offers you, and only then buy the drink.
Inscription in the basement of the Solnechnaya Dolina winery
Champagne. Sparkling wines deserve no less attention. Crimean champagne from the House of Champagne Wines called “ New World"will captivate you with its unique sweetish taste.
Semi-sweet red champagne “Crimea” is worthy of the highest praise. A smart decision would be to bring home a bottle of this drink as a souvenir.
Inkerman champagne will surprise you with its unusual ruby color and taste. After tasting it, you will feel pleasant freshness and an original complex bouquet.
Cognacs. Crimean cognacs are worth trying, if only because they international exhibitions many of the representatives of the peninsula turned out to be no worse than the French “original”. The most famous Crimean cognacs are produced under the brands “Koktebel”, “Golden Amphora” and “Bakhchisarai”.
Warning: Any Crimean alcohol is often counterfeited even on the territory of the peninsula itself, so do not buy alcoholic beverages from random people. Buy drinks with excise stamps at factories or in branded stores, which are located in every coastal city!
Another delicious authentic drink that few people know about is booza- a low-alcohol drink made from raisins.
Fruits
Of course, you should eat fruits that are in season. Delicious figs grow in Crimea. Its ripening time is June, August.
On the serpentine streets of the South Coast - in Yalta, resort Alushta, quiet Alupka, colorful Gurzuf, picturesque Miskhor and Koreiz - you will certainly see bright orange persimmon fruits. On the south coast, virtually all subtropical crops thrive and are not treated with pesticides. If you want to get a dose of vitamins, be sure to replenish your body's reserves by tasting persimmon. The berry will take care not only of your vision and heart muscle, but also of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary system, raise hemoglobin and give you a good mood!
Persimmon, fig and pomegranate
Tea from Crimean herbs
Since you are in Crimea, be sure to try it tea from Crimean herbs.
Crimean teas are a storehouse of microelements. This tea is a collection of dried mountain and field herbs, fragrant endemic flowers and fruits. It's not quite what you're used to. Crimean herbal tea calms, activates vitality, strengthens the immune system and even has healing properties. They are also taken for colds. Brezhnev himself came to Crimea to taste chebureks with thyme tea.
By the way, Crimean honey or jam made from Crimean rose petals is ideal for herbal tea. In Crimean markets you can find fresh flower honey, both in containers and in honeycombs. Linden, lavender, buckwheat, acacia honey, sage and mixed - for forbs. It is also worth trying special sweets - dried fruits and nuts in honey.
We take chak-chak, baklava and parvarda for Crimean tea
A special place in the tea drinking culture in Crimea is given to local sweets, which include honey baklava, parvarda, chak-chak and brushwood. Sweet baklava with delicious dried fruits and grated walnuts is baked in the oven and then poured with honey.
Crispy brushwood sprinkled with powdered sugar or drizzled with honey and decorated with nuts.
Baklava. Delicious puff pastry with honey and nuts. In Crimea it is sold everywhere.
Parvarda are small sugary-sweet colored pillows that are served with tea or coffee. Parvarda is a great alternative to sugar.
If you want, eat!
While vacationing in Crimea, do not forget to follow basic hygiene rules: wash your hands immediately before eating, do not eat unwashed fruits bought at the market, and supervise small children. But you shouldn’t deny yourself the consumption of Crimean delicacies!
Don't worry! You definitely won't leave there hungry! The number of catering establishments per unit area there is simply off the charts. That's understandable! Popular place, lots of tourists. At the same time, the city itself is very compact. Everyone usually goes to the embankment. All local life is concentrated there. You can also eat there. And not necessarily in an expensive restaurant. Although it is possible in one of them, because we only live once. In fact, even if your budget is very limited, you can still find a place to eat. And most likely you will want to have a snack. Fresh sea air, you know, helps to awaken your appetite. On my last trip to this glorious city, I walked along the embankment and took pictures of prices in different places. If anyone is interested, welcome to the cat!
The season is over, but there are still a lot of tourists. I noticed a large number of Russian pensioners who walk in organized groups. Sometimes with guides. They dine in expensive places. Who are they? Don't know. Maybe some former oil workers.
I've never been to Italy, but it seems to me that Balaclava is very similar to a typical coastal Italian town. Architecture, boats rocking on the waves, Genoese fortress on a hill, nature - completely different from Russia.
Thank you for this!
In summer you can go to the beach. Mix business with pleasure. 200 rubles for a round trip. I was told that the swim would take about 20-30 minutes.
I suggest you go through the prices. Let's start with democratic places. Here, for example, is a mini-coffee shop on wheels. This is a car with a built-in coffee machine. They are popular in Crimea. Prices are usually written in chalk on the inside of the door. I myself have never bought anything from them, but I suspect that the quality of the drinks there is the same as in the vending machines. Be that as it may, 150 rubles for half a liter of cappuccino is practically nothing.
Shawarma, hot dogs, hamburgers. 150 rubles is the standard Crimean price.
There are also analogues of McDonald's. The cashiers react aggressively to the camera, but I still managed to take a photo.
All these establishments are located directly on the embankment. Agree, given this circumstance, the prices are simply ridiculous. But go to Balaklava, which is famous for its excellent fish restaurants, and dine at fast food? No, this is not our way. We got hungry and, like white people, we went to eat some fresh fish. We chose the Kapral restaurant. It was my first time eating there. Seems like a normal place. There are several restaurants nearby. I think their prices and menus are not much different. This is what the restaurant looks like when viewed from the embankment:
The weather was good and the sun was shining, so we decided to sit on the terrace. View from the restaurant:
Be sure to get something fishy! The fish is fresh, caught in the surrounding waters. For example, when we ordered, the waitress told us that the bluefish had only been caught an hour ago. Prices for fish dishes are as follows:
I took Balaclava fish soup for the first course and fried pork with blueberry sauce for the second. I liked the soup! The fish on the plate was different and was not spared. The portion is normal. They gave me a pie with red fish to go with my ear. Everything is according to the canons.
I don't know what to say about pork. These were two nice, lean pieces topped with blueberry jam. I don't know why it's called sauce. In my opinion, it was ordinary jam. The meat itself was not marinated in anything. And there were no spices at all. In general, it’s somehow too simple-minded. Apparently, it would still be better to take fish for the second course. I'm attaching a photo of the pork. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo right away. First I cut off and ate a piece, and then I remembered. Well, at least the way will be like this.
And here is the score. 2000 rubles for two. This is despite the fact that we did not take wine. Actually it's inexpensive. But with Crimean salaries it’s expensive. The establishment is clearly designed for tourists.
I would advise you to have lunch or dinner at good restaurant. When will you be in Balaklava again? And so at least pleasant memories will remain. And order fish! Balaklava is famous for its fresh fish. Bon Appetit everyone!
Ukrainian authorities have banned the export of almost all food products to Crimea. Food is brought to the peninsula from mainland Russia through the Kerch ferry crossing. Because of this, food in the republic is more expensive than in other regions Russian Federation. This year, due to the low number of tourists, establishments Catering all categories began to reduce their prices and now in Crimea you can find cafes with affordable prices and high-quality dishes. But it should be remembered that in each city canteens, cafes and restaurants have their own characteristics. Which? – In the review below.
The most expensive cafes in Yalta are located on the city embankment. The dishes they serve are very expensive and therefore, if you are in the mood for... budget holiday, then it is better to refrain from visiting such establishments.
2-3 quarters higher sea coast There are simpler and cheaper canteens and self-service cafes.
Prices in canteens in Yalta
In the canteens itself famous resort You can easily eat Crimea for little money. The main thing is not to be tempted by the beautiful signs by the sea and don’t be lazy to walk 200-300 meters away from it towards the mountains.
When buying wine in Yalta or any other city in Crimea, you need to be careful - some drinks are counterfeited. It is better to purchase alcoholic drinks on the peninsula in local branded stores. wineries. They are open at all resorts of the republic and in Simferopol. Their addresses and telephone numbers can be easily found on the Internet.
Food in Alushta
In Alushta, as in Yalta, establishments in historical center cities and near the sea are the most expensive. Their prices are fabulous, and the quality of food does not always match them. 2 inexpensive canteens with affordable food prices are located near the central market of Alushta. The cost of dishes in them is the same as in similar establishments in Yalta. 
Also in the resort's dining rooms, lunch boxes are available to guests - boxes with a set of ready-made products. About the same as airplane meals. They can contain buckwheat, cutlet, beet salad and bread (set for 155 rubles) or vegetable soup, rice, a piece of pink salmon, cucumber and tomato salad and 200 ml of juice (set for 570 rubles). Such sets are convenient for excursion groups, as well as for those who want to eat in their own room.
A little exotic
On the tops Crimean mountains, which are often visited by tourists (Ai-Petri, Roman-Kosh), tea-khanas are open - cafes decorated in the Tatar style. They offer visitors to judge traditional dishes Crimean cuisine: pilaf, Karaite-style lamb, sugar handkerchiefs, buzu, kubete.
The latter is present only on the Tatar table and they know how to cook it correctly only in Crimea. Kubete is a layer cake filled with young lamb loin. In addition to meat, rice, potatoes, eggs, and green onions are used to season the pie. Usually kubate is prepared in a frying pan up to 30 cm wide, but in some establishments they make large pies with a diameter of about 50 cm. 
The teahouse is a wonderful establishment where you can taste real Crimean dishes. Lunch in it will take 500 to 800 rubles out of your wallet.
Food in Sevastopol
Sevastopol – major port and base Black Sea Fleet Russia in Crimea. In the city of Russian glory, catering establishments of all categories and classes open their doors every day.
Cafes and canteens are open to sell set lunches and breakfasts in Sevastopol. The cost of a meal there ranges from 200 to 350 rubles. Bistro cafes, cheburek shops, and pirogue shops offer light snacks to guests and residents of the city. They sell khachapuri, pasties, pies, pastries, and cakes. The price of one serving of delicacy in such establishments is 50-150 rubles.
80% of cafes and canteens with affordable prices are located on the main streets of the city. They are easy to distinguish by their bright signs with appropriate inscriptions.
Prices in cafes in Sevastopol
Food in Evpatoria
Evpatoria is a health resort known since Soviet times in the western part Crimean peninsula. The food there differs from the food in other cities of the republic due to the presence of a large number of canteens at sanatoriums and boarding houses. The quality of food in such establishments is controlled by state sanitary and epidemiological supervision, and prices are always kept lower due to wholesale purchases of products. A set lunch in the dining room costs 250-350 rubles. When paying immediately for meals for 10 or more days, the establishment provides a 10-15% discount. 
There are also a large number of cafes in Yevpatoria. Their price level is slightly higher than in canteens, but the range of dishes is somewhat larger. Cafes also have brighter signs and are easier to find on streets full of inscriptions.
Prices in cafes in Evpatoria
Summary
In Crimea you can find cafes and canteens with affordable prices. The main thing is not to be lazy and go for a walk. In order not to put extra meters on your legs, it is better to find out the addresses of catering establishments using the Internet. There are several chains of canteens and cafes on the peninsula. They have their own websites, which provide a detailed menu with prices for all dishes, phone numbers and addresses of establishments. For organized groups, such establishments offer discounts and serve a pre-selected set of products at a predetermined time. 
The average cost of lunch in Crimea is 250 rubles. This is not bad, considering that the average cost of lunch in Russia is the same. Bon appetit!
Restaurants
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Based on the results of the 2016 season, one of the most frequent complaints from tourists is the high cost of food in Crimea. The Localway editors carefully studied the menus of cafes and restaurants, including the most expensive and most visited ones, and found items in it that allow you to dine for no more than 500 rubles.
Restaurant
Undoubtedly, one of the most fashionable establishments in Yalta is the panoramic restaurant on the Embankment. It unfairly scares off some visitors with excessive pathos, but it’s completely in vain: the inside is spacious, pleasant, and no one bites, not even the prices. Menu items include salads, traditional Georgian dishes, chicken and fish. The most interesting item is Stroganoff-style rapana (460 rubles), they are served with mashed potatoes and watermelon radish - a very successful combination of local products and the principles of Chaika’s original cuisine. With a 300 gram portion you can easily fill yourself up, because rapana is a dense protein food. Chicken cutlets with mashed potatoes and lightly salted cucumbers for 370 rubles are suitable for those who do not like too fussy culinary experiments, as well as chicken kebab with aioli sauce, which can also be accompanied by a bread basket, the total price will only slightly exceed the price indicated by us barrier: 510 rubles. Most soups and salads also fit within the specified limit, even if you order pita bread or a bread basket with them. Yalta borscht with veal tongue, cream cappuccino of porcini mushrooms and Crimean salad in the Greek style - all for 380 rubles. Chicken dark broth with Asian-style meatballs and vegetables, chicken satsivi and country salad with oyster mushrooms, fennel, potatoes and Yalta onions are even cheaper: 310, 360 and 370 rubles, respectively.
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The famous cafe with seafood cuisine on Massandra beach also has a decent assortment of budget dishes. Among the local seafood specialties, you can afford julienne with mussels for 190 rubles or fried mussels with onions - 270. For lunch you can take spaghetti with mussels, rapana and zucchini for 390 rubles. The threshold of 400 rubles is normal for pasta in Yalta. There are also plenty of salads in the economy category: Chuka, Panzanella and baked beet salad for 170, 270 and 250 rubles. It will be more interesting with ceviche: the cheapest is salmon, 390 rubles, and for tiger prawn ceviche you will have to pay 450 rubles; the scallop barely fits into our target amount: 490 rubles. Of the oriental dishes that are prepared here out of nostalgia for the previous Siam Paradise restaurant project, without burdening your budget, you can try almost all the dishes presented, except those that contain seafood. Tom kha, however, is a little thin for 450 rubles.
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There is, perhaps, not a single Crimean who has not heard about this restaurant at the beginning of the Historical Boulevard of Sevastopol. It doesn’t matter where you learned about it: from visitors’ reviews or from news about disputes with the city administration, but its popularity cannot be denied. If there were a Michelin Guide in Crimea, then “Ostrov” would probably be the first to take a place in it. The main concept of this restaurant was what was missing in Crimea for so long - local products in the original cut haute cuisine. What can you inexpensively enjoy here to partake in haute cuisine a la Crimee? The Island is famous for its seasonal menus. In the spring, you should definitely go here for spring rolls with duck: inside, in addition to the duck, there will be fresh julienne vegetables and a delicious sauce with which you can probably eat a plate. Naturally, I want to try the marine theme, Black Sea mussels in any sauces are exactly 500 rubles, Pontic fish soup - for 490 rubles. The fish soup here is unusual because the broth is prepared with tomato, and it turns out much thicker than what many people imagine when they think of fish soup. Alas, 500 rubles is not enough for meat dishes, but you can try a salad with roast beef for 480 rubles - the meat is tender, the sauce is delicious. Thrifty vegetarians have plenty of room to roam here: lentils with mushrooms or mushroom parfait with apple chutney (served with island bread) easily cost half a thousand. You can even pair hummus with an inexpensive dessert. “Ostrov” is also famous for its desserts, and many of them fit within the designated limit. First of all, you need to try ice cream - truffle or black bread; carob (breadfruit) cake for 350 rubles is popular. By the way, a bread basket and a bottle of drinking water are complimentary here, this is a nice nuance. And on Mondays, oysters here cost 250 rubles apiece!
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The first difficulty is getting into this restaurant - as a rule, in the evening all the tables are occupied, despite the large number of rooms. Next, decide on the choice of cuisine: do you want Japanese, Italian or homemade? But the menu is expansive, all salads, appetizers and even soups fit within our limit. Each pizza with a diameter of 30 centimeters is also cheaper than 500 rubles. With pasta it’s more complicated, as usual - carbonara in the economy segment, but even for pasta with seafood you won’t have to pay too much: 450 rubles. Here, for 500 rubles you can afford even most of the grill menu, if you keep yourself within the limits of 200–250 grams of chicken kebab, pork ribs, beef liver, mussels with prunes or a rabbit leg on the grill.
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This Yalta restaurant professes a love for local cuisine and products. There are many dishes on the menu with a note that they are prepared according to the recipes of the peoples of Crimea. On the peninsula, in addition to the Slavic ones, several culinary traditions were found: these are Turkic influences, and Armenian, and Balkan, and even Italian, all this was gradually mixed into its own Crimean cuisine, the principles of which the local chef knows and uses very well. What can you try and still stay within your budget? From the national: Lagman with lamb tongues for 450 rubles, Crimean lamb sarma with tomato salsa for 400 rubles, the only thing is that these cabbage rolls made from grape leaves are nothing at all per serving - the yield is 150 grams. Also here you can enjoy Chebureks with rustic suluguni and tomatoes - 4 small chebureks for 300 rubles. You can also go through the salads, the limit is: Caesar, apple and celery salad with blue cheese and Crimean vegetables with olives from Nikitsky Garden, how did you not know that they are the most delicious there? You can also afford seafood: Black Sea mussel paste for 470 rubles. For those who are not too hungry, we recommend trying an elegant appetizer - mincemeat made from Black Sea garfish with Yalta onions and pike caviar. And when it’s hot, it’s good to try cold tomato gazpacho with blue cheese and strawberries for 380 rubles.
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