Trespassers-W Посторонним В.

You might feel like you’re entering forbidden KGB zones when walking off a quiet street into this three-room basement bar. In fact, the establishment takes its name from something far more whimsical—Winnie the Pooh.

The owner operates the bar and pint-sized kitchen with deft ease, cooking up traditional Russian fare like blini and borscht that are a marvel considering they are derived from a humble hot plate. A pelmeni (a kind of Russian ravioli) is on offer at the bar in a build-as-you-please arrangement. Such snacks make for wise accompaniments to the true star of Trespassers-W: the long list of home-distilled vodkas. Flashy enough to warrant a menu of their own, vodkas range from cranberry to Thai basil and go down so smooth it feels almost criminal.