Korochka Tavern

"Settle down into your grandma’s floral-print living room and prepare to get trashed, Soviet-style. This lovely Wallingford parlor features Slavic snacks — pelmeni, borscht, housemade pickles, and many-layered honey cake — as well as stiff drinks served in beautiful glassware. See, they don’t really have a cocktail culture in Russia, where folks mostly take their vodka straight, so Korochka co-owners Kendall Murphy and Lisa Malinovskaya set out to create Russian-themed cocktails, then named their bar after Malinovskaya’s childhood nickname. (Korochka means “heel of the bread,” a loving Russian epithet for stubborn people). Cottagecore vibes are strong here, with lots of earthy-foresty flavors on the cocktail list like beets, mushrooms, walnuts and birch syrup. A Korochka classic, the Bonfire, brings together mezcal, green walnut liqueur, pine liqueur, Benedictine, and Ango bitters, for example. Or you can just keep it legit and clean out your sinuses with a shot of horseradish-infused vodka. —Meg van Huygen" - Mark DeJoy

"This cozy Russian drinking parlor has a rep for its Soviet-themed cocktails and steamy bowls of dumplings — which, totally understandable. But it means that folks sometimes miss their hearty borscht, and it deserves equal billing. In the summer, Korochka serves a chilled version with yogurt and dill; in fall, it switches over to the warm, meaty, bone-sticking version. The blood-red, beet-based stew is loaded with brisket, carrots, onions, and cabbage, all simmering under a delicious garlic cloud — perfect for the cold seasons, whether in Siberia or Seattle." - Jenise Silva, Eater Staff

"For Eastern European dumplings, Korochka Tavern is the grand champion. A big bowl of their boiled pork pelmeni covered in sour cream and a few drops of housemade hot sauce is one of the most comforting dishes you can eat. If you are still (yes, still) mourning the 2015 loss of Vostok Dumpling House like us, know that these pelmeni are even better. Especially chased with something ice-cold that involves their beet-infused vodka. " - aimee rizzo

"This former Lake City bar is now in Wallingford after changing locations, and a big bowl of their boiled pork dumplings covered in sour cream and a few drops of housemade hot sauce is one of the most comforting dishes you can eat. If you are still mourning the 2015 closing of Vostok Dumpling House, know that these pelmeni are even better. Especially chased with something involving beet-infused vodka." - aimee rizzo

"The Deal: $35 Dinner, $50 Dinner (Daily) Restaurant Week at this Eastern European bar in Wallingford has a different layout than the rest. What's typically the price for one person is actually for two people, so this is one of the most cost-effective specials of the bunch—especially considering that their pork pelmeni and potato vareniki are stupendous. For $50, the same menu applies, but you’ll also get two cocktails. Cross your fingers for lemon drops made with their beet-steeped vodka." - Kayla Sager Riley, Aimee Rizzo