St. Petersburg, Russia is best known for the sprawling Hermitage. But now, there’s a new café –– and Internet café –– scene in this very walkable city that’s attracting locals and Western tourists. One of the most popular is called Zoom Café Club which opened earlier in 2005. Zoom is a literary café that seats about 40, offers a sleek look, a nice atmosphere, white walls, glossy black tables and couches, book-lined walls, and card catalog drawers for that extra special library touch.
The food is a mix of soups, salads and main courses that are extremely inexpensive — about $9 for an entire meal. Their cutesy slogan is: “Tell me where you eat and I’ll tell you what you read.”
Zoom features acoustic concerts on Fridays, including rock to jazz & blues to classical music.
• Open daily, 11 a.m.-midnight.
• Concerts at 8 p.m. on Fridays.
• Entrance fee when a band is playing: 100 rubies.
• Literary readings, 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
• Dance parties, mostly salsa, 9 p.m. on Saturdays.
• Address: 22 Gorokhovaya Ulitsa, M.: Nevsky Prospekt.
• T: 011-7-812-972 1805.
• Wi-Fi Internet access.
• Website: Zoom Café Club.