Lastochka: Description

Lastochka Bakery and Café takes first prize when it comes to baked goods in St. Petersburg. Although the city is now teeming with bakery chains, many of which offer high-quality products, nothing compares to the buns and pastries at Lastochka, which exceed expectations on all fronts. The reasonably priced selection at this bakery on Vasilevskiy Island comprises a mix of flaky, melt-in-your-mouth pastries that celebrate the St. Petersburg's baking traditions, while also experimenting with exciting new flavor fusions. The exquisite sweet cheese puffs (called sochen' in Russian) and delectable cinnamon rolls are complemented by a lunch menu, at the forefront of which are meals crafted around filling potato waffles drenched in savory toppings. The baristas here also know their coffee and serve up the perfect brew to accompany lunch or a snack. Bread and pastries are available to go at Lastochka, but the riverside location offers a cozy, low-key atmosphere perfect for a gathering friends or a few hours of work at the computer. The signature blue paint used on the walls brings a little brightness to often cloudy St. Petersburg days.