Food & Drink - Belarusian

• Grand Cafe

  Lenins str., 2
  Tel: (+375-44) 7031111
  

• Pan Khmeliu

  The badly lit 1980s interior, the black light lamps, the bored-stiff staff and the live music were surprisingly all compensated for by the excellent food served in lavish portions. The Slav cuisine on offer has everything from pierogies to delicious fish dishes like trout with mushrooms. So shut your eyes, plug your ears and switch on your taste buds.

  Internatsionalnaya 11
  Tel: (+375-17) 226 78 74
  

• Staroje Ruslo

  This horrid little green and white monstrosity in the middle of a patch of wasteland won`t be winning any design awards in the near future, although once you`re inside things are considerably better. You can come to rearrange your brains on the deadly home brew (currently retailing at a respectable 1,654br), or to eat some of the best food in town. Notable are a range of traditional Belarusian soups made from all manner of seemingly incompatible ingredients, and a selection of mouth-watering pork dishes, garnished with lashings of cheese and fresh mushrooms. The spicy rice is excellent. Note the lady with the jugs on the wall.

  Ulyanovskaya 7
  Tel: (+375-17) 217 84 70
  

• Syem Pyatnits

  Translated as Seven Fridays, a Russian idiom implying indecisiveness, any hesitation is usually resolved by the welcoming stink on the staircase. Strangely, there`s a minor dress code here, although it`s usually too dark to see anybody anyway. Alongside the local dishes sits a menu of Polish cuisine, and to their credit they do serve up some exceedingly fresh mushrooms. Grown on the stairs perhaps?

  Skoriny 19
  Tel: (+375-17) 227 69 01
  

By night - Clubs

• NEXT

  Night Club "NEXT" in Minsk Belarus It is premium-class club, the only one in Minsk, where every single client is pure VIP. “Next” means fresh breath into Minsk night life. Large dance flour, elegant bar, modern interior, up-to-date music, original show-programme and hospitable atmosphere – that is all about “Next” club.

  Kirova Str., 13 (3rd floor in Crown Plaza Hotel)
  Tel: +375 17 218-34-35, +375 44 718-77-77
  

• Alkatraz

  So, you pay, and then get frisked by ersatz prison guards on the way in. The tiny dance floor is heaving with young ladies trying to get a good place in front of the large mirror, and the waitresses dress in prison-issue hot pants. The major novelty, which can be good fun if you`re with a group of people, is found in the private drinking rooms, which have iron bars and can be locked. The music is always funky, and generally of the grin-inducing variety. A rare treat, where people really have fun.

  Nezavisimosty Ave, 25 (beneath the Trade Unions Culture Palace)
  Tel: (+375-17) 226 06 45
  

• Barberry

  It`s so damn loud in this so-called industrial club that it`s tempting to write this review in capital letters so you can hear it. Quite good fun, although it can fill up with single males drinking champagne solitaire, and generally enjoying their leather waistcoats. This is the hardest techno venue in town, featuring the double-edged curiosity that is friendly and appalling service. Note, a ticket bought at the Madison club next door (see below) gets you into this place for free.

  Timiryazeva 9
  Tel: (+375-17) 226 06 45
  

• Madison

  After dishing out the steep admission fee (also valid for the Blindage club next door - see above), cross the bridge over the psychedelic pond to enter the bar and dancing area. Late Saturday night, we found a rather upscale and meek audience, not really into partying to the mainstream music. More than just a club, Madison also entertains with 10 bowling lanes, computer games and of course a florist.

  Timiryazeva 9
  Tel: (+375-17) 219 00 10
  

• Africa

  Africa" is a fresh African style nightclub. Africa Club is a disco with the original design, three bars, VIP-zone, and a large dance floor. Capacity of the club is around 1000. Main music kinds are house, electro, techno. Almost every night is a special party with some different program and music style. Disco is technically well equipped. Powerful sound and the lights allow you to enjoy the club atmosphere. The main feature of the Africa Club is the interior, which makes us feel like we're on the hot climate continent (palm trees, drawings, sculptures, natural materials). Average enter fee on the weekend - 15 usd.

  Timeriazeva Str., 9
  Tel: +375 17 307 47 90, +375 29 360 76 06
  

• Overtime

  The face controll makes this place filled with good-looking people; no prostitutes, the biggest bar in Minsk, nice music. The entrance fee is 10-15 USD. They often do not let you in because the club is overcrowded or some special party is held.

  Pobediteley Ave., 4
  Tel: (+375-17) 203 02 24
  

• West-World Club

  Minsk`s most popular nightclub is a veritable monster of a semicircular affair with a bar at either end and podiums for semi-erotic dancing. At about 24:00 the place goes ballistic and fills nightly to capacity with a whole range of characters, from the elegant prostitutes at the bar to the 40-something divorcees hell-bent on having a good time until the sun comes up. If you run out of money, just nip downstairs to the casino where a 24-hour currency exchange will happily provide you with more roubles to waste. Ghastly, fun, and yet ever-so essential.

  Storozhevskaya 15
  Tel: (+375-17) 239 17 98
  

• Yula

  The three principal reasons for any self-respecting idiot to visit are (in no particular order) 1: to pick up a bit of totty. 2: to play pool on one of two tables in the lobby. 3: to marvel at the little cakes and biscuits dancing in an erotic manner around their little silver poles on the stage.

  Surganova 26
  Tel: (+375-17) 232 80 71