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Moscow’s Best Sushi Bars

These days it’s easier to find sushi than borsch in Moscow, here are our top five. Warning: some come with a hefty price tag. Words by Tatyana Leonov.

1. Misato

This is the place for Moscow’s sushi connoisseurs. It’s expensive (most dishes cost more than $32), it’s swish (windows are fish-filled aquariums), and it’s huge – a whole three levels with VIP and karaoke rooms.
Dish to try: Sashimi – choose the location of your  fish – Scottish, Spanish and Canadian…The Japanese sayori is worth trying.
Myasnitskaya Ulitsa 47

2. Laluna

Head towards Laluna and you’ll bypass crumbling building facades. So the sophisticated interior is a nice surprise, and the outdoor patio a great spot to spend sunny afternoons. The hot rolls are the thing to try here, washed down with sake.
Dish to try: Turbot fish with caviar sauce.
69 Sadovnicheskaya Ulitsa

3. Yakitorya

One of the oldest Japanese chains in Moscow, the first Yakotorya sushi bar opened in 1999 when sushi was very new to Moscavites – and this is where many of the socialites came and learned how to use chopsticks and got to know their wasabi from their ginger.
Dish to try: The Yakotorya roll – Norwegian salmon and tuna with omelette, lettuce, caviar (the Russian touch) and crab meat. The mix works!
yakitoriya.ru

4. Tanuki

Tanuki is a Japanese racoon dog. Luckily the name of the enormous chain has nothing to do with the quirky cartoon character. The menu is extensive and incorporates some interesting fusion dishes. Kids’ options plus a home delivery service are nice added extras.
Dish to try: Italian roll, just because it’s weird and not at all Japanese (or even Italian). The roll comes with Gouda, Cheddar and soft cream cheese – and rice thank God.
tanuki.ru

5. Nobu

The restaurant (there are branches all over the world including ones in Melbourne and Perth) — a union between Robert De Niro and chef Nobu Matsuhisa — became legendary in Moscow a long time before its arrival in 2009. Fitted with dark wood and burnished gold light fixtures, it’s located in one of the most luxurious areas of Moscow – with prices to match.
Dish to try: Live sturgeon jalapeno. It’s alive, chilli and odd, but great!
Ulitsa Bolshaya Dmitrovka 20
noburestaurants.com

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What the European heatwave means for your summer travel plans

    Rachael Thompson Rachael Thompson
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    Temperatures are soaring this summer, breaking records across Europe and the UK. 

    Euro summer is a feeling like no other. But when a heatwave hits? The dream trip quickly turns into a sweaty mess. Extreme heat is sweeping Europe and the UK this week, with record-high temperatures impacting travel plans across the continent.

    And while Australian summers are typically hotter in absolute temperature, many European cities aren’t equipped for high temperatures, resulting in unbearable weather.

    Why is it so hot in Europe?

    Signs of a hot summer loomed in May, when the mercury hit unprecedented spring highs. Now, extreme high temperature warning alerts have been issued in countries such as Spain, Italy, France, England, the Netherlands and Germany.

    France saw its hottest day on record on Wednesday, with an average temperature of 30°C across the day and night. This surpasses the average temperature for June, which is 15°C to 25°C. Dozens of people have died, including 40 from drowning.

    In Spain, 212 deaths have been linked to the heatwave.

    The UK recorded its hottest June day ever on Wednesday with temperatures soaring to 36.1°C. In an article published by the Met Office – the UK’s national meteorological service – Professor Stephen Belcher CBE, Met Office Chief Scientist, shared his concerns about June’s heat. “To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply,” he said.

    Heatwaves are becoming increasingly common in Europe and the UK, neither of which is prepared for such extremes. The World Meteorological Organization reported that in 2025, at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures and that the continent was heating up twice as fast as the global average.

    How travel is impacted

    A pharmacy sign displaying 40 degrees Celcius
    A pharmacy broadcasting local weather data. (Credit: Getty/Dragoncello)

    During a heatwave, power grids, water systems and transport networks can be affected, resulting in disrupted itineraries for travellers. In France, power outages have left thousands without electricity and early closures have been implemented for two of Paris’s biggest attractions, the Eiffel Tower (early afternoon rather than late at night) and the Louvre (two hours early). Eurostar cancelled its London to Paris and Paris to London services from the 22nd to the 25th, and major UK rail companies have been advising travellers to avoid using trains where possible, or to travel during early hours.

    If a heatwave is predicted, being flexible with your itinerary and having fully refundable/changeable tickets is key, as extreme heat can force the cancellation of outdoor activities, impact rail and flight services and change the opening hours of sites and eateries.

    Why does summer in Europe often feel hotter than summer in Australia?

    people swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris
    People swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris to cool off. (Credit: Rachael Thompson)

    With some of the highest UV levels in the world, Australians are no strangers to the heat, adapting well to intense weather. But our infrastructure is largely equipped to withstand soaring temperatures with climate-responsive passive design, refrigerated air conditioning or evaporative coolers, as well as swimming spots aplenty.

    Buildings in Northern and Western Europe and the UK, however, are constructed to retain heat and handle frosty winters. The lack of universal air conditioning means it generally feels hotter even though the temperature on your app might not look it. During a heatwave, it can feel like you’re in a sauna as cities act like heat traps.

    How to stay cool and prepare for another heatwave

    Relief is expected across Europe and the UK later this week, but more heatwaves are still possible in the coming months. Summer heat typically peaks in July and August.

    Public transport often doesn’t have air conditioning, and buses in particular can be swelteringly hot. If you’re heading outside or your accommodation has no air conditioning, it’s worth buying a spray bottle and a handheld fan from a pharmacy or tourist stand. Check ahead of time if restaurants and cafes have air conditioning and make a booking in advance. The highest temperatures typically hit between 3pm and 6pm, so aim to head outdoors outside of these hours.

    Rising temperatures invite travellers to enter a more intentional era of seeing the world. Now more than ever is the time to embrace lower-impact “coolcations” and off-season getaways.