Zio Vini

Zio Vini: A Family Restaurant with a Warm and Cozy Atmosphere

* "Zio Vini" translates to "Uncle Winnie" in Italian.

Zio Vini, a family restaurant with a warm and cozy atmosphere, is located in the Barrin House residential complex at 8 Malaya Pirogovskaya Street, in the historic district of Moscow. This is a unique location, within walking distance of the historic "Trubetskoy Estate in Khamovniki" park and the Ponds, offering a rare balance of tranquility and the vibrant energy of a metropolis.

The concept of the restaurant, which opened in November 2024, is based on Italian family values, traditions, and gatherings. The name was chosen deliberately. If you imagine the restaurant as a person, it would be a warm, attentive, and witty Italian uncle who is genuinely happy to welcome every guest. This image is the foundation of Zio Vini's hospitality philosophy: cheerfulness, respect, care, and attention to detail.

The restaurant's design was created by the studio 11.11, which skillfully combined historical context with modern aesthetics. The interior features natural stone and wood. The bar counter is made of solid slabs of blue marble, a rare and valuable natural stone with a distinctive texture. The light walls are decorated with hand-painted plates in the traditional Italian majolica technique, featuring natural motifs and lions, a common element of family heraldry in Italy, symbolizing strength, protection, and the continuity of traditions. Patinated mirrors on the columns visually expand the space and create an antique effect. The color scheme is based on soft shades of light, gray, and wine. The dining room, with its 60 seats, is filled with numerous live plants in pots, and large panoramic windows let in natural light. A niche houses a "balcony" with a painted wall that alludes to significant moments in the lives of the project's owners. The fresco depicts a cozy and secluded courtyard with a small Zio Vini sign, a friendly uncle with bottles of wine, children riding bicycles, a cat strolling along the pavement, and a young couple on the stairs. The final scene depicts the Italian honeymoon of the project's creators. A light projection complements the fresco, changing with the time of day, showing the sun, a rainbow, the moon, a light rain, and depicting a large dining table in a fictional street called Lev Street, named after a beloved son. Modern Italian music plays in the background.

A special feature is the wine room, which offers a wide selection of classic wines, Champagnes, rare bottles, and vintage wines. The wine list at Zio Vini is curated by head sommelier Igor Perepelitsa, who has received 2 stars at the Russian Wine Awards for the best original wine list and the best wine list for a national cuisine restaurant. "With our wine selection, we want our guests to feel 'just like they are in Italy'," says Igor. "We focus on wines from this country, both classic and cult, as well as avant-garde wines. We also offer a wide selection of Champagnes, a variety of wines from Piedmont, including Barolo and Barbaresco, a good selection of Brunello, and several rare bottles that have received 100 points from Robert Parker (Sassicaia 2016, Gaia Gaja 2016, Cos d'Esturnel 2018), as well as vintage wines from Agrapart, Jerome Prevost, and Cedric Bouchard."

The menu at Zio Vini features comfort food with a focus on seafood. Chef Vincenzo Di Lillo, who is responsible for the pizza and pasta, welcomes guests with Italian hospitality. He is particularly known for his troccoli pasta, which is made by hand in the restaurant and served in a 32-month-aged Parmesan cheese rind.

Since May 2025, chef Alexei Polyakov has been leading the kitchen, developing a balanced menu that allows guests to choose dishes to their liking. "Every meal is a celebration, so at Zio Vini, we use only the highest quality ingredients, selected with love and great care," says Alexei. The menu opens with a seafood section featuring Gillardeau and Fin de Claire oysters, scallops, sea urchin, Kamchatka crab, and carabineros shrimp. Next is a selection of crudo dishes, including wild fish with a citronette sauce and tomato concasse, or octopus carpaccio with grated Uzbek tomatoes and gremolata. A great starter is a platter of cured meats with duck prosciutto, cison de vaca, mortadella, bresaola, arugula, olives, marinated peppers, and Roman-style artichokes, served with a basket of bread including rye focaccia, cheese bread, grissini, and whole-grain tartine, along with smoked salted butter. Fried artichokes with grated Parmesan, parmigiana eggplant, and a warm octopus salad in the classic Italian style with potatoes, fresh celery stalks, and a dressing of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and capers have already become a hit. For a boost of energy and color therapy, try the asparagus cream soup with crab or the Tuscan seafood soup. No Italian concept is complete without a variety of pasta dishes. The menu features 13 different types, from classic pomodoro and cacio e pepe to mafalde with beef tail ragu, caramelle with lamb, and ravioli with crab. "I would also like to mention our vongole pasta, which I personally love," says Alexei Polyakov. For a main course, guests can have wild fish baked in salt with a grilled vegetable garnish. It's worth mentioning the diverse pizzas created by chef Vincenzo, featuring classic ingredient combinations such as Margherita, salami, four cheeses, or black truffle with white mushrooms. The dessert menu features traditional Italian desserts such as tiramisu, cannoli with ricotta, chocolate fondant with ice cream, and ricotta donuts.

In the mornings, the restaurant serves breakfast from 8:00 AM on weekdays and from 9:00 AM on weekends. "We offer a classic selection with high-quality ingredients. Every morning, we bake poppy seed braids, sugar sticks, and make a berry crumble, which we display on vintage silver-plated trays at the bar. We also prepare porridges, bruschettas, syrniki (cottage cheese pancakes) with sour cream, and blini (thin pancakes), which we serve with caviar," says Alexei Polyakov.

Zio Vini is a place where different personalities and temperaments come together, just like in a large Italian family. The goal is to bring the warmth of Italian hospitality to the lives of Moscow residents, so that everyone can relax and enjoy their time with loved ones. The focus is on returning to important values: simplicity, delicious food, and genuine connection.