Wine and Crab

Verdict: Book It for the Seafood Focus, Not Just the Address

Wine and Crab is one of the more purposeful restaurants on Nikolskaya Street — a Russian seafood specialist that has earned back-to-back recognition from La Liste (79.5pts in 2025, 76pts in 2026) and holds a 4.6 Google rating across more than 1,400 reviews. That combination of critical validation and sustained popular approval is harder to fake than a single award cycle. If you are looking for a Moscow seafood restaurant with a credible wine program built around the same logic, this is the most focused option in the city centre. If you want broader Modern Russian or a tasting-menu format, White Rabbit or Twins Garden are better fits.

The Space and the Format

Wine and Crab sits at Nikolskaya St, 19-21 — a pedestrianised street in central Moscow that draws both tourists and locals, placing the restaurant in a high-footfall location without the isolation of a destination-only address. The name does most of the work: the format is crab-centred Russian seafood paired with a wine list built to complement it. For a returning visitor, that clarity is an asset rather than a limitation. You know what you are coming back for, and the room and service are calibrated around that singular focus rather than trying to be everything to everyone. The spatial layout reads as mid-scale rather than grand , approachable enough for a business lunch, but with enough polish to handle a celebration dinner without feeling underdressed.

If you visited once and left thinking the concept was a gimmick, it is worth reconsidering. The La Liste scores across two consecutive years , and the volume of Google reviews at a 4.6 average , suggest consistent execution rather than a one-time spike. That kind of rating across 1,400+ data points typically reflects kitchen reliability, not just a strong opening.

How It Fits Your Evening

Wine and Crab works leading when the occasion has a clear brief: a seafood-led dinner with wine pairing, a mid-celebration meal where you want something specific rather than a sprawling tasting menu, or a reliable return visit when you want quality without the advance planning that Twins Garden or Artest can require. Booking difficulty is rated easy, which matters in a city where the top-tier tables fill weeks out. You can plan this one with a shorter lead time than most of its La Liste peers.

For context on what this tier of recognition means: La Liste aggregates hundreds of global critic scores, and a placement in the 75-80pt range typically positions a restaurant in the upper-mid tier globally , above reliably good neighbourhood restaurants, below the handful of venues with Michelin or 50 Best credentials. Moscow's seafood dining has historically been overshadowed by its Modern Russian and European tasting-menu scene; Wine and Crab occupies a distinct niche within that. For comparison, if you have been to Tartarbar in St. Petersburg and want something in a similar register in Moscow, Wine and Crab is the closest structural equivalent.

Practical Details

Explore More in Moscow and Beyond

If Wine and Crab anchors your Moscow dining, it pairs well with a broader city plan. See our full Moscow restaurants guide for how it fits the wider scene, and check our Moscow hotels guide if you are still sorting accommodation near Nikolskaya. For context on how Moscow's bar scene complements a seafood dinner, our Moscow bars guide covers the closest options worth finishing an evening at.

If you are travelling across Russia and want to benchmark against other serious restaurants in the country, Birch in St. Petersburg and Bourgeois Bohemians in St. Petersburg represent the northern capital's equivalent tier. Further afield, Leo Wine and Kitchen in Rostov and SEASONS in Kaliningrad show how Russia's regional dining scene is developing beyond the two main cities. For a seafood benchmark at global level, Le Bernardin in New York sets the standard the category is measured against internationally.

Within Moscow itself, Varvary offers a Russian cuisine counterpoint, while Chefs Table covers the Russian Fusion angle if the concept at Wine and Crab feels too single-note for your group. For a countryside departure from the city, Tsarskaya Okhota in Zhukovka and La Colline in Bolshoye Sareyevo are worth considering if you have a car and an afternoon free. For wine-specific experiences in the region, our Moscow wineries guide covers what is accessible from the city, and our Moscow experiences guide contextualises where a dinner at Wine and Crab fits a longer stay.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is Wine and Crab good for a special occasion? Yes, with one qualification: it works leading for occasions where the guest of honour appreciates seafood and wine rather than a broad tasting menu. The La Liste recognition and 4.6 Google rating across 1,400+ reviews confirm consistent quality, which matters when you cannot afford an off night. For a landmark birthday where you want something more theatrical or tasting-menu-led, Twins Garden or White Rabbit are stronger choices.
• What should I wear to Wine and Crab? No dress code is listed in available data, but the Nikolskaya address and La Liste positioning suggest smart casual is the safe default. Avoid athleisure; a collared shirt or equivalent reads appropriately. Moscow's central dining scene trends formal, so erring upward is not a mistake.
• What should I order at Wine and Crab? The name signals the priority: crab-focused dishes and the wine list built around them. No specific dishes are confirmed in available data, so follow the server's current recommendation on both the crab preparation and the wine pairing rather than arriving with a fixed order in mind. The concept is tight enough that the kitchen's strengths are unlikely to be off-format.
• Does Wine and Crab handle dietary restrictions? No specific dietary policy is available in current data. Contact the restaurant directly before booking if restrictions are relevant, particularly given that seafood is the menu's core logic , substitutions may be limited compared to a more broadly structured menu.
• What are alternatives to Wine and Crab in Moscow? For Modern Russian with more range, White Rabbit is the reference point. For a tasting menu format, Twins Garden. For Russian cuisine at a slightly different register, Artest and Varvary are worth considering. Wine and Crab is the only venue in this set with a specific seafood-and-wine focus, which is either its main draw or a reason to look elsewhere depending on your group.
• What should a first-timer know about Wine and Crab? The concept is narrower than most Moscow restaurants at this recognition level: it is a seafood-led room with a wine program, not a broad Modern Russian or European menu. That focus is a feature if you want something specific; book elsewhere if your group wants more format flexibility. Booking is rated easy, so you do not need to plan weeks out. The Nikolskaya location is walkable from central Moscow and easy to combine with other evening plans.
• Can Wine and Crab accommodate groups? No seating capacity or private dining data is available. For groups larger than four, contact the restaurant before booking to confirm table configuration. The Nikolskaya address and mid-scale room format suggest it handles small groups comfortably; larger parties should verify in advance.
• Is Wine and Crab good for solo dining? The easy booking and focused concept make it a practical solo option. A seafood restaurant with a serious wine list is a reasonable format for solo diners who want to eat well without the commitment of a full tasting menu. The central location on Nikolskaya also means you are not committing to a destination-only journey.