St. Petersburg Cafe is a long-running Russian beachfront restaurant on Jomtien Beach, popular with Russian tourists and expats but welcoming to all. The food is straightforward Russian comfort - borscht, pelmeni, beef stroganoff, blini, plus a Thai section for variety. The setting is the draw: tables sit directly on the sand under shaded canopies with the Gulf of Thailand a few meters away. Prices are honest, drinks are cold, and the atmosphere is unpretentious.
Our take
St. Petersburg Cafe occupies one of the best stretches of Jomtien Beach, smack in the middle of the main beach road, with tables set on actual sand under thatched shade. It's been there for over a decade, running quietly while flashier competitors have come and gone. The menu is genuine Russian home cooking, calibrated to expat tastes rather than tourist gimmicks. The borscht is dark beetroot-red, served with smetana (proper Russian sour cream, not the Thai approximation) and a basket of black rye bread. Pelmeni are made in-house daily - not the equal of Pelmeni Club's specialty selection but very respectable. Beef stroganoff comes properly creamy with mushrooms and tenderloin; chicken Kiev bursts butter on first cut; blini with red caviar is a perfectly executed brunch dish. The Thai side of the menu (added a few years ago to please mixed groups) is competent but not the reason to come. Drinks are where the place earns its locals: a long Russian vodka list, ice-cold imported and Thai beers, fresh fruit smoothies, and a fair selection of wines. Prices are honest - mains run 250-450 baht, soups 180-220, drinks the going rate. The seating is the real attraction. Wooden tables on sand, white canopies, the sound of the surf two meters away, sunsets that paint the bay orange, and the comfort of knowing you can stay for four hours and nobody's going to rush you. Service is in Russian and English; menus are bilingual with photos. Bring sunscreen for lunch, bring a light jacket for dinner (sea breeze gets cool after 19:00 in cooler months), and don't expect haute cuisine - expect good Russian comfort food in one of Pattaya's nicer beachfront settings.
The atmosphere
Beachfront setting with sea views, sand or terrace seating, and natural sea breeze. Long-established restaurant with a settled, regular-clientele feel. Casual atmosphere - unfussy, comfortable, designed for relaxed dining.
What to expect
Arrival: walk in or check at host stand. Service is efficient - allow 60-90 minutes for a full meal. Reservations recommended on weekends.
Menu highlights
Is it worth the price?
Mid-tier value. Fairly priced for the quality delivered. Per-person estimate: 300-700 THB.
Insider tips
- Tables under the central canopies stay coolest - corner sand tables are exposed to sun.
- Order the borscht to start - it's properly executed and uniquely Russian.
- Russian vodka shots come with proper chilled glasses - ask for them 'graphined'.
- Caviar blini is the splurge - 450 THB for genuine red caviar is fair value.
- Free wifi is decent for working a few hours over coffee.
- Sunset arrival around 17:30 lets you order drinks before the sun drops.
- Bring beach towel and sunscreen - the beach is right there if you want to swim before/after.
The story
St. Petersburg Cafe opened in 2010 on a Jomtien beach plot that has been continuously occupied by Russian-themed restaurants in some form since the late 1990s. The current operation has been the most enduring tenant. Survived COVID closures and reopened with the same staff and menu in 2022.
Getting there
On Jomtien Beach Road - walking distance from any Jomtien hotel. Songthaew baht buses run constantly along Jomtien Beach Road for 10 THB.