Omela

Omela is a project by Sofia Meladze. It values tradition and nostalgia for a bygone era where etiquette, elegance, and honesty were paramount. The menu features European classics made with high-quality, flavorful ingredients.

The symbol of the restaurant is the mistletoe plant. It rises above the ground, growing on trees, and is associated with many traditions and legends. Guests are introduced to the Omela project as they enter through a branch of mistletoe adorning the restored facade of a 1903 tenement building on Ostozhenka Street. Inside, the space feels like a blank canvas, with carefully chosen and elegant details: artwork by artists Lev Efimov and Boris Chaik, and a mirror from Fresh Glass. The tableware is unconventional for a restaurant, resembling a refined private collection.

Omela is an intimate restaurant with 56 seats. The menu offers European classics reinterpreted by Vladislav Porodnin (formerly of "Beluga," Lucky izakaya bar, and Chō asian bistro). These are conceptually understated dishes made with the finest ingredients, featuring clean flavors that are enhanced by unexpected combinations. For example, carrots with feta and sage are complemented by ginger shoots.

The wine list was curated by Omela's head sommelier, Dmitry Kirstein (formerly of Zuma, Grape, and "Lefkadiya"), and Felix Jermann, an expert and heir to the Italian wine house Jermann. It features exclusively wines from small, family-run farms in rare regions: the island of Tenerife, Tasmania, Cyprus, the mountainous regions of Styria and Manchuela, the Leida Valley in Chile, and volcanic vineyards in the Americas and Germany. The wine list itself is a journey: 130 selections are organized by the origin of the grapes, categorized by landscapes such as hills and terraces, meadows, rivers and lakes, mountains, oceans and seas, depths, and volcanoes.

The cocktail menu features classic cocktails with vibrant accents: the head bartender adds elderflower, cardamom, jasmine, palo santo, chamomile, and lavender to them.