Hermitage Restaurant, Restaurant and cultural heritage site in Tverskoy District, Moscow, Russia
Hermitage Restaurant stood at the corner of Petrovsky Boulevard and Neglinnaya Street, serving French dishes adapted to Russian tastes. The two-story building housed several dining halls and private rooms for smaller gatherings.
Lucien Olivier and Yakov Pegov opened the venue in 1860 and ran it until the revolution in 1917. After Olivier's death in 1883, Pegov continued alone, maintaining the French-inspired menu.
The name recalls the famous museum in Saint Petersburg, while the interior combined French furniture with Russian touches, creating a blend of both worlds. Writers and artists met here regularly, turning the venue into a gathering place for Moscow's intellectual circles.
The location on the boulevard allowed easy access from several main streets. The halls accommodated large parties, while smaller rooms could be reserved for private dinners.
Olivier created the namesake salad here, but the original recipe vanished with him, leaving later cooks to work only with approximations. Waiters received no fixed salary and divided all tips equally among themselves.
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