Russkaia Vipechka, St. Petersburg

Marrying spotlessness with rustic earthiness, Russkaia Vipechka fully exploits a key national resource, by panelling its walls and seating its customers almost entirely with wood. It offers a decent enough range of dishes, though surprisingly no potato or rice accompaniments, and the soups include spicy kharcho (spicy) from the Caucasus and shchi from Ukraine, along with the usual Russian choices. Though you won't exactly trip over the place as you're heading down Ulitsa Vosstania, as everything happens below eye-level, you should find yourself in the company of a good smattering of fellow customers, who obviously appreciate the cleanliness and value for money.