In the house of the zinger was a restaurant confectionery. “I work at the Singer House on Nevsky Prospekt

The house of the Singer company - a prominent building with a corner tower and a glass globe - can be called one of the symbols of St. Petersburg: it is located in the tourist center and is familiar to everyone who has ever been to Nevsky Prospekt. After the October Revolution, the Book House was opened here - today any visitor to the store can appreciate the interiors restored in the first half of the 2000s. Another major resident is the VKontakte team: the company's head office is located on five floors (plus the famous dome). The Village spoke with the staff of the House of Books and VKontakte about how the building is arranged, what is located in places inaccessible to ordinary visitors, and whether it is possible to work directly in the dome. And Marina Zubkova, historian and curator of the Petersburg Through the Eyes of an Engineer project, told how the Singer House was built and what makes it unique.

House of the Singer company

Address: Nevsky prospect, 28

Architect: Pavel Yulievich Syuzor

Years of construction: 1902–1904

Residents: Book House, VKontakte and others

The building of the house of the Singer company was built in 1902-1904 by the architect Pavel Syuzor. For the construction, they chose a place with maximum trade and business activity at the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt and the Ekaterininsky Canal. A venerable architect with a 30-year career behind him took on a project for a generous customer and decided to work in the Art Nouveau style, leaving one of the most controversial buildings in St. Petersburg as a result.

At the beginning of the 20th century, public buildings strove for voluminous spaces, light, and functionality. Since the profit depended on the number of rented premises, and the land in the city center was expensive, the balance between space and spaciousness was found in the number of floors. In New York and Chicago, this led to the construction of the first skyscrapers. But on the swampy soils of St. Petersburg it was not possible to make a powerful foundation. In addition, there was a height limit of 11 sazhens (23.47 meters), which was determined by the height of the main dominant of the city - the Winter Palace. All these arguments are not in favor of the fact that the Singer House was conceived as a skyscraper: they will write this way after the tower was added to the original Singer Building in New York and it was 53 floors, becoming the tallest in the world (the construction of the tower will end in 1908).

It is noteworthy that in both New York and St. Petersburg, the height requirements were effectively bypassed: the ban on high-rise construction applied specifically to the facade standing on the red line, and the attic and dome are no longer part of it. So, in the Singer House, the attic of the seventh floor began already above the level of 11 sazhens. There is one similarity between Pavel Syuzor and Singer Building architect Ernest Flagg: an affinity for the canons of the Paris School of Fine Arts and French architecture. For the building in St. Petersburg, the initial project was developed by Flagg, and then Suzor continued the work.

The Singer house is a mixture of two styles. The cartouches, the Valkyries on the rostras, the unexpectedly appearing shells refer to the Neo-Baroque. On the contrary, floral ornaments that form “scourge strikes”, dragon heads growing from sheets of irises, mascarons, glazed tiles - lead us into modernity. Baroque brings uncomplicated allegories: one Valkyrie holds the rod of Mercury (a symbol of trade), the other has a spindle in her hand (a symbol of light industry), and under her right elbow is a sewing machine. For all the refinement of the taste of the architect, it is sometimes heavy: the facade of the building is overloaded.

At the same time, Suzor was actively interested in the technical innovations of his time. The outstanding engineering solution of the Singer House was its metal frame - I-beams and beams, which are not afraid of fire. The beams themselves were mounted using the riveting technique - this is a progressive method of installation (I immediately recall Charles Ebbets' photo essay on the construction of Rockefeller Center). Suzor collaborated with the artel of the roofer Alexander Vereshchagin. The attic is designed as an arched truss supported by reinforced concrete, and the dome is part of the entire attic structure. With a high probability, during its design, they were based on the well-known example in Russia of the dome of the World Building in New York.

Frame parts, cast-iron batteries (heating, as now, was autonomous) were manufactured at the San Galli plant. Another technical novelty from F.K. San-Galli - mechanisms for self-cleaning of the roof by supplying steam - unfortunately, did not find wide application in St. Petersburg. Decor and technical innovation at the same time - products from forged bronze from the workshop of Karl Winkler. They decorate the facade from the outside, and stairs and elevator doors - inside.

To understand the architect's priorities, the example of an elevator is also typical: the Singer company planned to place four elevators in the main lobby from Nevsky Prospekt and duplicate them with a fire escape, but Suzor considered it optimal to make two elevators and a bright baroque marble staircase. Decorated with hammered bronze with modern ornamentation, it seems excessive. Although the building is woven from remarkable engineering solutions, they are hidden behind the peculiar art nouveau aesthetics in the interpretation of Suzor.

Definitely, the reconstruction of the building at the beginning of the 2000s emphasized the technical side of modernity. Light courts have been awnings above the attic, and we can now appreciate the riveted snow melter boxes and glazed tiles from Villeroy & Boch. During the restoration, the lost tiles were replaced with specially ordered ones at the same factories that are still functioning. The solid glazing of the superstructured floors, which appeared after the reconstruction, adjacent to the five-story glazed tiles in the atriums, makes the room even larger and brighter.

The Singer company and its tenants in this building will be replaced by the Book House in December 1919. The store will occupy the first two floors, numerous publishing houses - from the third and above. In fact, the building has never changed its function, remaining retail and office/office. Today, thanks to the restoration, the aesthetic component of functional details and the potential of Art Nouveau are revealed. On the façade, only the dome and huge windows will remind us of this dynamics: square solid glass to the floor on the ground floor is a bold decision for 1904.

The Singer House is, first of all, the author's vision of the St. Petersburg architect Pavel Syuzor at the time of the transition from eclecticism to modernity and unprecedented progress in construction technologies. All the novelty, lightness, functionality of modernity - mainly inside, in the light-filled ordinary St. Petersburg courtyards-wells. The façade outside, on the other hand, gravitates toward eclecticism and seeks to dominate. This contradiction is fraught with great potential for constant rethinking. For the same reason, it is impossible to remain indifferent to the Singer House.

Book House

Natalia God-fearing

chief accountant of the House of Books

I have been working at the House of Books for almost five years. The working day, like any top manager, is irregular. My office is on the third floor. I usually eat at a restaurant nearby. There is a Singer cafe in the building, you can sometimes go there and have a cup of good coffee.

The Book House has three floors. In addition to public spaces, these are office premises: they are divided according to the principle of the departments that are located in them. They look like ordinary service rooms - the public Book House is much more interesting, especially the first floor. Much has been restored inside. (as part of the reconstruction of 2000–2006. - Ed.), but there are also original elements: for example, a column has been preserved in the hall on the first floor; many crystal lamps (absolutely stunning!) are original. Maintaining the interiors of a building requires a lot of work. Repairs are constantly going on - both small and large: for example, a few years ago, floor coverings were restored in certain places. For our part, we are very kind to the building.

The Book House lives together with the city, Nevsky Prospekt: ​​we constantly observe how the flow of visitors changes. Often this is due to external factors. For example, this year there were very few tourists from China and significantly fewer tourists from Western Europe than before. But the flow of Russian tourists is stable: they always come seasonally, in “flashes”. In addition, we have a favorite loyal group - this is the St. Petersburg intelligentsia, they have been with us for many years, supporting us, despite the fact that they have difficult times.

In my opinion, the Singer House is a building of fantastically beautiful architecture. This is a magical place. Every day, when we come to work, we look at this beauty and get a positive charge.

Zhanna Leontieva

Lawyer House of Books

I have been in the House of Books since last autumn. My responsibilities include full legal support of the company's activities - from economic to supply contracts (we have about two thousand suppliers).

My working day is from 10 am to 7 pm. I am bodybuilding; in the morning, if there is no evening workout, I have time to run to the gym and come to work by ten. Lunch from 13 to 14 hours - I prefer to go out at this time, take a walk, free my head. And so I have every two and a half hours - a mandatory meal: this is the regime that I follow. It is not difficult to organize it, everything is on stream: I cook food at home in advance and bring it in containers, or I have a snack in a cafe, or I buy it in a store.

My workplace is standard, it is located in the general director's office. I like that in the Book House I am close to interesting people and novelties. Usually, when I come to work, I use the main entrance to the store: to see what new items are there, to inhale the book aroma. The last thing I read was Dan Brown's Origin, now I'm re-reading The Brothers Karamazov.

Favorite place in the Singer House is the atrium. Here we are negotiating. Its atmosphere invites contemplation. Very nice in style.

We are located in the very center of the city, and the flow of visitors is constant here. In any case, we preserve the historical elements of the premises in the form in which they were at the time of construction. The Singer House is an architectural monument that belongs to the city; As a result, there are various burdens. The main one is the intended use of the premises: for example, we cannot sell any goods other than those sold in the Book House. In addition, we must observe the safety of all elements, we have encumbrances on covering walls and floors. Compliance with these requirements is monitored by KGIOP: they have the right to come in at any time and see if everything is in order.

Oksana Belova

senior salesman at House of Books

I have been working at the Book House for three and a half years. I believe that the seller is the face of the store, so our main task is customer service. We must turn every visitor into a permanent one: find an approach, identify needs - keep. Our customer base is stable, many older people have been going to the store for several decades. Of course, I really want to see, in addition to this contingent, a permanent audience of 30-40-year-olds - these are people engaged in self-realization, financially secure: we could be a cultural base for them too.

Our responsibilities include constant maintenance of order at the workplace, timely replenishment of stocks, operational calculations on tables, "cubes", at the ends. Plus, you should keep an eye on the tables that are located in the entrance area - they are very important: there is a table of novelties, a table "Choice of the Book House" and a table of the bestsellers of the store. Naturally, we are obliged to update the assortment, monitor prices, participate in the inventory, and so on.

I work on the ground floor of the House of Books. Here are the departments of history, philosophy, psychology, religion, business literature, socio-economic, as well as books on cooking, leisure, computer literature and so on.

Some customers like to sit with a book: there is a table and three chairs in the art department, but there are not enough of them for everyone. On the one hand, I understand that this is a problem for people, on the other hand, we do not have a library. We can advise - a person will buy a book and calmly read it at home. I only read at home. At some point, we stopped taking books for lunch: they need to be preserved. Who likes to buy a tattered book?

The store is open from nine in the morning until midnight, and in the summer - until one in the morning. This is very convenient for visitors: you can go before or after work. We work on a staggered schedule: someone two days after two, someone five days a week for eight hours. The schedule is drawn up so that people overlap as much as possible during working hours. On my floor, two people work in the department of psychology, two in medicine, and three in socio-economic literature. It is not enough. The team is not purely female: we have three young people on the floor, very good boys work in the entrance area. The legend of the House of Books is Alexander Gennadievich, who has been here for 40 years.

If we work on the morning shift, we arrive before the store opens: we go through the service entrance on the Griboyedov Canal embankment - there we are met by a security guard who will check that no one else has leaked. If I arrive at a time when the store is already open, I go through the main entrance.

As for lunch: we always agree on who leaves at what time, since even two sellers leaving for lunch at the same time is already critical. Many people go to Pirogovy Dvorik or to the canteen on the Griboyedov Canal. The Polyanka gift shop sells coffee and pastries. If you wish, you can use the cafe "Singer" (located on the second floor of the Book House. - Ed.), this is one of my favorite places, especially a table by the window overlooking the Kazan Cathedral.

The Singer House is a symbol, a brand of the city. Probably, it would not fit into the development of Nevsky Prospekt if the architect had realized the original idea - a building similar to the New York Singer Building. But our authorities intervened and, in order not to spoil the ensemble, they adjusted it a little to the general style. It seems to me that Suzor got out well: the building is modern, above the sixth floor there is an attic, which ends in a light dome and a sphere. By the way, the favorite question of visitors: is it possible to get on the roof? I was there: I chose the best day, May 9, to see the fireworks. You can go there only with security, not in winter, in a small group. As far as I know, you can also get into the dome.

"In contact with"

Pavel Kalaidin

Lead Developer at VKontakte

I usually work somewhere from 12 to 22 hours. I live near the Singer House, five trolleybus stops away. With food, we have organized a cool scheme that I have not seen anywhere else: there are special cards to which money is transferred, you can pay with them at the nearest establishments. For example, I really like the Hamlet & Jacks restaurant in Volynsky Lane - if I had my way, I would go there every day (and I would go, but it's boring alone). On Fridays, everyone eats something ordered for the whole office - usually pizza and burgers. This is an opportunity to see all the colleagues with whom we usually meet only at very large meetings. Naturally, you can always have a snack in the kitchen: there is round-the-clock access to vegetables and fruits, bread, sausage, cheese, red fish and more.

We have super friendly security at the entrance to the business center, which is cool. Despite the fact that they are very harsh guys who constantly fight off tourists (they try to get into the Book House, the door to which is located 10 meters away), the guards are always very friendly and know all the employees by sight. I communicate with them regularly, especially in the summer - there is a bike parking in the courtyard, and to get into it, you need to call the security guard and ask them to open the gate.

It’s convenient with the House of the Book that there is an ATM I need there. And I also know this life hack: if you place an order in the Dom Knigi online store (with pickup on the spot), it will be 10% cheaper. At the same time, you just go downstairs, go to a separate cash desk, where there is never a queue, and pay. I do this regularly.

I think that the Singer House is a very beautiful building. Another equally beautiful one is the Department Store near the Red Bridge (Au Pont Rouge. - Approx. ed.). There are no alternatives at all.

Alexander Shvets

Senior Developer at VKontakte, Head of Antispam Department

I joined the team seven years ago: I started with remote work in moderation. Three years ago, when I became a developer, I started working in an office. When Pavel Durov left (in 2014. - Approx. ed.), and with him part of the team, we had to change a lot. Now we have 90 developers with us - and VK is developing very rapidly.

I moved a lot inside the office: I used to sit on the seventh floor, then on the fifth, in the end - on the fourth. This is the last office on the right with a view of Kazansky, six developers are sitting there. We have two teams: mine and Misha Koshkin, each with two people. Almost the entire floor is connected with the backend - we are called the "back office": this is the inner side of VKontakte. We are working on sections and interfaces for the team to make it easier to manage the site and help users. For example, anti-spam, moderation, support, profile recovery and other areas. Something that is not visible at all or indirectly visible to the user.

I don’t have an exact daily routine: I don’t know what it’s like to wake up at 08:30 and run to work by nine in the morning. Depending on what time I went to bed (and because of work I go to bed quite late), the working day can start at 10, 12, 13 hours. I live on Vasilyevsky Island, I get there by public transport. Inside the building, we practically do not use elevators: you can reach the fourth floor on foot. I move mostly inside the building: if I need to talk to system administrators, I go to the seventh floor, if I have meetings, I go to the conference rooms on the fifth floor. On the sixth floor, on Thursdays, English classes are held for everyone (there is also French and German). And so I mostly sit near the computer at my workplace. But there are days when you have to run between floors - then you see on your iPhone that today you ran 29 floors.

Passage in the office - by fingerprints (they are removed when applying for a job). There is also a pass on cards, but more often everyone uses prints. Such a system, it seems to me, has always been. Now the devices have been updated and they read fingerprints faster. We don't have separate smoking areas and I don't think there will ever be. Our neighbors, I noticed, go out to smoke next to the building.

The security guards at the bottom of the business center have an eternal problem with people who are trying to get through the "twist" (revolving door - Approx. ed.) to the souvenir shop or the Book House. The guards have to let them through, explain that they didn’t get there ... When I pass, I understand that a person not from Singer is following me (I know roughly who works here) - and I see the sad face of the guard.

What I like most about the Singer is the dome. From it you can see almost all the sights in the center of St. Petersburg: Kazansky, Admiralty, Petrogradka, Savior on Spilled Blood, Gostiny Dvor. You can bring friends here after hours (of course, not excursions for 15 people).

On the one hand, the building is quite old, but there are no restrictions on interior design - we can influence how the office looks. For example, take and hang a large VKontakte logo. Cool? Cool.

Irina Denezhkina

Head of Technical Integrations at VKontakte

I have been working at VKontakte since 2011 (then I was a fourth-year student at the Faculty of Applied Mathematics at St. Petersburg State University). Initially, she was engaged in communication with users in our support, which is famous for its love for people and the quality of answers. A little later - communication with users who develop something on our platform. As a result, she reached her current position. I am engaged in communication with developers, helping to integrate third-party services, for the last two years - at the VKontakte headquarters in the Singer House (most support specialists work remotely).

The office is constantly changing, because the team itself is changing, new divisions are appearing. The number of employees is growing and the space is regularly remodeled. We have this common joke about how hard it is to find an HR department that has moved several times. Now there is a sign on the fifth floor: “Congratulations, you have found the head of the personnel department!” As the team itself evolves, so does the space in which it is located.

It usually takes a couple of months to remember exactly who is sitting where. I work on the fourth floor with colleagues who are responsible for the technical part of the development of VKontakte. Here they deal with API, payments, utility services like access restoration and support. There are no open spaces here - separate cozy rooms for four to seven people.

I come to the office by metro, I usually take the elevator - I'm too lazy to walk even up such luxurious stairs. I go in for tea (the kitchen is nearby on the floor) and get to work. From time to time I go up to colleagues on other floors to discuss something, but for the most part I spend the day in my office or at meetings.

The most iconic and my favorite place is the dome, which offers a beautiful view. As a rule, we ourselves do not go there, only if we bring guests. I once almost broke my leg when we were taking a tour of the office for new support staff: I stumbled and almost flew into the stairway - I was saved at the last moment.

On the fifth floor, where the windows overlook the Griboedov Canal, in the evenings you can always hear street musicians very well. It seems that we have already memorized their poor repertoire. Sometimes several bands play at the same time. Basically something from Spleen, Tsoi. There are groups that perform good foreign jazz, but rarely.

The location of the Singer House is just perfect. This is the center of the city, from here you can see various events, parades - you can watch them from the best spectator seats. You come here as for a holiday: a red carpet, solemn stairs - I think it motivates. And, of course, the very fact that you work in a building that is one of the symbols of St. Petersburg, which is looked at in admiration, adds responsibility and gives strength.

Pavel Knyazev

Head of Design Department at VKontakte

I've been working here for three years now. He participated in design competitions, which Pavel Durov began to hold in 2012, for several years he tried hard to get into the team - then he was still in high school. I have always shared the idea and values ​​of the project; for me it is very personal, because all my friends, family (well, and another 100 million people, of course) use the product. He won several competitions in a row, received prizes, but not an invitation to work. At some point, I wrote to Andrey Rogozov (Managing Director of the social network "VKontakte". - Approx. ed.). He offered me a job on one project as a test assignment.

I am responsible for the design as a whole: from product interfaces (how the site and application look like) to working with artists who draw stickers and illustrations for us. We also design merch, promo videos, banners. For example, we recently bought a corporate font, which should be associated specifically with VKontakte. As a manager, I have to solve a lot of issues: not only draw by myself, but also interact with a team of designers and developers.

We are located on the fifth floor of the Singer house: almost the entire development team is also located here, there is a large kitchen, a gym with a shower, meeting rooms, and places to relax. And even a bed. I personally did not use it, but some employees stay overnight in the office before major launches.

I start my working day with breakfast in the large kitchen: it is very beautiful there, especially when the sun is shining. There are fruits, vegetables, yoghurts, various dry breakfasts. Usually at breakfast you can discuss working moments, come up with ideas. Then I go to the workplace, it is quite simple: most people only need a laptop and Internet access to work. Some guys make their workplaces more comfortable by decorating them with plants, toys, posters. On my desk you can find a postcard from Sri Lanka, magnets from London and California, a toy car, a comic book, and three different figures of Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy. We all sit side by side, constantly talking to each other. In between work we sometimes go to the gym. It is not very big, but everything is there: table tennis, table football, equipment, a punching bag, a massage chair. If this is not enough for someone, the company can pay for a subscription to any gym in the city.

The company also has agreements with nearby restaurants. My team's favorite place is the Biblioteka restaurant. It's nice inside, cozy, always fast and friendly service. And they have big tables - and we often go out to dine in large groups, it's very convenient.

We don’t communicate much with other residents of the Singer House - we have a very different schedule. And in the tower, except for us, now there is not much anyone. Of course, we visit the House of Books: we often buy books there as a gift - and the choice is larger, and close, and in spirit it suits. And recently, colleagues gave me an electric scooter for my birthday - one of the main means of transportation both around the city and in the office. We have large open spaces, long passes - sometimes we arrange races.

The Singer house is very beautiful. It can be interesting to find a place inside it where you haven't been yet. The building is located in the city center and is the main meeting place for many citizens and tourists. This is the heart of the city. In principle, the same can be said about VKontakte.

Tried to reserve a week in advance for a table at lunchtime for my guests from Spain
I really liked the communication with the manager on the application left in the tone of the best Soviet traditions. Consultations on the menu "See on the site", "you need a deposit, otherwise there will be no places and you will stand in line" All the best "Singer"! My guests will never go to this establishment!

Another early breakfast in town...
Circumstances simply turned out in favor of this cafe for breakfast, since from the very morning the first and foremost thing on the list was a visit to the House of Books, for the next packing of bookshelves with new bestsellers of printed materials. And all because I still prefer to hold a heavy bound volume in my hands and feel the type on new pages than to be brainstormed through new electronic media.
So, having made all the necessary purchases, I go straight to the cafe in the hope of a good breakfast, with perhaps the most panoramic view of the Kazan Cathedral and the ever-moving Nevsky Prospekt.
Summer is, of course, the time for tourists who, from the early morning, flood all possible places on the Nevsky in the hope of having breakfast. Here, of course, the percentage of foreign guests of the city per square meter went off scale ... But I was incredibly lucky and, by some miracle, I managed to take the last and perhaps the most delicious table by the window, with that very enchanting view. Exactly five minutes later - there was no place to sit at all ...


There is nothing to say about the interior, the view from the window is behind it ... Everything else is ordinary tables with a white mini-tablecloth and flowers in a vase, quite comfortable chairs and armchairs upholstered in green leather and a confectionery display case, the display on which is not the most presentable I have seen .



There is nothing more to catch attention for, if only on a rather beautiful scarf, on which the waiter's station is so lovingly placed ... An indescribable Russian flavor is in everything ...
The menu was a little late to appear on the table, as was the attention of the staff to my appearance as a guest. I was already tired of admiring the view, looking at the green walls and counting the pistils in the flower on the table, when they nevertheless noticed me and presented the coveted menu ...
There are various breakfast options. You can take something complex, in a European or American way ... Or you can simply order your favorite dishes from the list in the breakfast section. I am not a fan of complex offers, so the choice was individual:
Cheesecakes with sour cream (300), I had to wait 20 minutes ... Tolerable, but still quite a long time. As a result, three ruddy cottage cheese pancakes from pretty good cottage cheese arrived on the table. In addition to them, sour cream and raspberry jam. Fine.


Fruit salad (260), at first glance looks good, but digging deeper, one gets the feeling that it consists entirely of orange pieces, in which the number of seeds was catastrophic. I'm really tired of putting them back on the plate...



Croissant with chocolate (170), I had to be reminded about it twice... But still, he made me happy with his appearance. The first thing that killed... He was icy! In my understanding, a croissant should be hot, airy and fragrant. All this is not about this instance. It wasn't until I tasted it that I realized why it arrived in pristine condition. For starters, this is a chocolate chip, which is certainly beautiful, but definitely grows with any heat. And then also orange confiture, on which this crumb is glued, which will also flow at any positive temperature. In general, she choked on this frozen miracle, as is, drinking at least hot Green tea (280). And this is probably the most wonderful croissant in my lifetime.



Total: this light breakfast cost me a little more than 1000 rubles, which, of course, is not at all cheap for such a quality. Yes, and in principle, this is not the most budget option and place, but there's nothing to be done. The tourist season is in full swing, and Singer is the epicenter of the "profit" on tourists, so, as they say, for lack of a stamp, we write in simple ...
The service also leaves much to be desired. The guys are mostly young, but already tired in the morning, as if they were hanging out until the morning, like me, the day before ... The girl who served me was generally a little out of her mind, because she even needed pauses to remember the familiar words for communication. But with all this, you can’t refuse them goodwill, they try to be nice, even at the moment when another homegrown "landowner", visiting from the local outback, for a solid hour with all possible expression and squeals, scolds the already tired waitress that the sausage in okroshka, cut into not such pieces ...
At such moments, I even feel sorry for the guys, since at the same time you need to have iron nerves and not stop smiling, which they do with success ...
But still, as a place for a good breakfast, for the local inhabitants of the northern capital - I do not recommend ... Eat - eat, but the pleasure from all this will be doubtful. Although if you are a fan of free circus performances... U are Welcome, as the surrounding insanity grows stronger, and here you can see it in full growth, getting the whole range of possible emotions. From sweet surprise to black anger...

Form of service: a la carte

Every time we are in St. Petersburg, we go to Singer to drink coffee. Our tradition is this: take a break from walking around the city, drink a cup of coffee, eat a cake, admire the magnificent view. In October, during the next trip, within two days we went to Singer 5 (five) times. There were no window seats in the near hall, and the far hall was fenced off with chairs. To our question, is it possible to sit down in the far room, a pretty blonde, trying to think, answered: it is closed. Of course, I understand that with a price of 200 rubles for a cup of coffee, you can not really strain, but not to the same extent as to keep the hall empty every day and send customers out! By the way, besides the three of us, other people wanted to sit in the back room. Realizing that neither we nor our money were welcome in Singer, we went to the Viennese cafe, where we were greeted very friendly and given delicious coffee. In general, goodbye tradition, goodbye Singer!

Form of service: a la carte

Singer. What associations come to mind? For all Russians - sewing machines and elderly ladies, and only for St. Petersburg residents Nevsky Prospekt and the Book House. And rightly so, because it is in it on the 2nd floor that there is a cafe with a unique city view. This is not a roof-panoramic view from fashionable new-made glass and not a flickering of the first floors of the "historical center", this is a classic - a chic frontal view from huge panoramic windows to the main attraction of the main street of the city. And this in itself is the main thing here, and everything else is subordinated to this feature of the place, it is part of the interior, part of the concept. This is not a restaurant or a cafe, this is a cafe with a view or a view from the cafe. You can get there by going up to the second floor of the bookstore, then turn right and after a couple of racks of classics you are already at the entrance to the catering hearth. Ideally, there is a hostess girl standing there, but anything can happen, the place is popular. The interior is laconic, green walls, good furniture, fresh flowers in vases, huge windows. Did I mention the view from the window? Then I continue. It's crowded, there are a lot of tables, the seating is tight, there are a lot of foreigners, etc. "knitted hats". Looking at all this motley crowd of trolls, in corduroy pants and colorful sweaters, sometimes you feel like in a brasserie on the Champs Elysees or a coffee shop in an Alpine resort. The service is consonant, polite, energetic, professional, multilingual. Somehow he simply raised his hand up and the waiter immediately appeared. A menu without gastronomic delights, they are inappropriate here, two-thirds are hot drinks and pastries and a third of the traditional "Russian type" cuisine. These are several salads from (220) for Stolichny and up to (480) for Caesar with shrimps, Sandwiches (380), Pancakes with fillings (370), Russian Soups (260) and two hot dishes Pelmeni and Stuffed cabbage (380). No vinaigrette! But there are 3 breakfasts from 9-11 at prices (370) for French (coffee / tea, fresh, croissant, jam), Continental (570) plus cheese and sausage slices and a boiled egg, and Singer (1300) plus others salmon and caviar for cutting, yogurt, minus an egg and plus scrambled eggs or oatmeal, pastries. Baking in general is a huge choice - cakes, pies, puffs, croissants, muffins, snails, strudel and cakes (130-300). In expensive drinks, a good set of coffee (160-230) incl. with 20g of alcohol (360), tea (220/0.3) incl. berry and herbal, water from (190) for 0.33 Bonacva and up to (380) for 0.5 Vittel. Pepsi (130/0.25), fresh juices (260/0.25), milkshakes (300/0.4). In alcohol from (170 / 0.05) for RusSt vodka and up to (260-300) for a portion of other things, wine (370/1850) a glass / bottle of middle France, Ros. Champagne (260/1300) and (1250) for a glass of Ruinard. The kitchen is unpretentious, but solid and of high quality. Of the proposed tested: Caesar (420) large portion, good leaf and parmesan, good sauce, but cold breast. Borscht (260) is small in portion and rather weak in spirit, but overall not bad. Mozzarella with pesto and tomatoes (320) is pleasant and light, excellent Pesto, large portion, winter-winter tomatoes. Stuffed cabbage rolls (380) two large handsome men, good presentation, excellent sauce, for my taste a little fresh with minced meat and a surplus of cabbage in a wrapper. Baking basket Mini trio (160) good luck for three tastes, Apple with almonds (220) is more modest, cool, but also not bad. Excellent drinks, on the cap of Latte (230) there was a sugar cube for 20 seconds, a delicious caramel Cappuccino (210), and the waitress Katya Kalinina was a laughing darling.
Outcome. A tourist place, with all the consequences - prices, traffic in the hall, random guests, but not devoid of individuality and European charm, in any weather and season. Central location, historical building, great view. Recommend for meetings, a light afternoon lunch or an evening cup of coffee with ... If there is a cup, there will be those who wish. Liked.

There is a legendary cafe. "Singer" in the "House of Books" on Nevsky is one of them. Probably all the tourists have been there or are going to go. So my husband and I were no exception. Chose this hyped place for breakfast. The cafe is located on the second floor of a building with a glass globe. From the stairs, go to the right towards Nevsky Prospekt. And at the very wall - again to the right. There was a spacious hall with tables.

The main advantage of the cafe, in my opinion, is the arched panoramic windows overlooking the Kazan Cathedral. If you take a table nearby, you don’t need anything else and you can forgive everything. But it's not easy. Already a lot of people are in a hurry to go to the Singer.

The hall is large with high ceilings and minimal decor. The interior is in green tones. On the tables are vases with fresh flowers. Next to it is a newspaper. My husband decided to attach importance to our walk and took Vedomosti.

I want to note the design of the menu: the embossed leather binding looks just as important as Vedomosti in my husband's hands! What's inside? The cafe offers a breakfast menu, lunch menu, salads, sandwiches, soups, pancakes, various desserts - the choice is large, there is even a wine list. We were intrigued by the breakfasts.

First, the waiter brought bread. Its aroma was divine and seemed to reach all corners of the cafe. There is nothing that whets the appetite like freshly baked bread!

When we almost lost our minds from the smell of these beautiful buns while waiting for the rest, tea and coffee were brought to us. But the food had to wait quite a long time. Unfortunately, the impression is incomparable with the emotions from the aroma of bread. The most ordinary omelette and the most ordinary spring roll.

The food is good, but still very overpriced. I did not feel anything special during breakfast - neither the taste nor the serving impressed me. The omelette is generally just dumped on a plate and that's it. I did not catch any special atmosphere of one of the most famous St. Petersburg cafes. Maybe this is a good place, since tourists love it so much, but not cozy in my opinion. And it's noisy in there. Or is it because we didn't get a table by the window?

My conclusion is that you can only come to Singer for a view of Kazansky. Take a selfie by the window. Order coffee and a croissant. It will come out somewhere around 300 rubles. Wouldn't recommend for breakfast or lunch.

Time of visit: November, 2016

Address: Saint Petersburg, Nevsky prospect, 28,the second floor of the shop “Dom Knigi”

Working hours: 9.00 -23.00

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Saint Petersburg is certainly a very popular city among tourists. Our compatriots and citizens of other countries come here to see numerous sights, on business trips, for treatment, etc. The tourist infrastructure in St. Petersburg is developed, according to many visitors, very well. Convenient hotels have been built in this city, restaurants, clubs are open, and recreation parks are waiting for vacationers. And of course, there are numerous cafes here. Some of these establishments have recently opened and offer visitors cheap food and drinks. Other, more expensive ones are located in the historical part of the city and are almost cult places. It belongs to the latter category and is popular with guests and residents of Singer.

Where is located: the history of the place

The premises of this institution are located in one of the most famous historical buildings of St. Petersburg - in the "House of the Book". This famous sixteen-storey shopping center is located on Nevsky Prospekt. Petersburgers often call it also the house of "Singer".Directly opposite the building is another very popular tourist attraction - the Kazan Cathedral. This cult old building, like Nevsky Prospekt itself, is clearly visible, including from the windows toafe "Singer"(Saint Petersburg).

For the first time, a building on the site of the building "House of the Book" was erected in the Northern capital in 1737. It was an arena designed by engineer Hermann van Boles. The building had a stone foundation and wooden walls. For a long time this building housed the city theater. However, in 1749 the building burned down.

In 1777, a three-story house was built on this site, in which the archpriest of the Russian church I.I. Panfilov subsequently lived. Also in different years, the owners of the building were officials of Borozdin and the pharmacist Karl Imsen. In even later times, this building housed offices of firms, a banking house, music and bookstores.

In 1902, the site on which the house is located was acquired by the American company Singer, which produces sewing machines. Initially, the new owners of the land planned to build an 11-story skyscraper (at that time) on the site of the old building. However, the construction of such a large building in front of the cathedral was not allowed by the authorities of St. Petersburg. In their opinion, such a huge building could "overshadow the temple." Ultimatelyfirm erected"only" a six-storybuilding. 23.5 m - this height hashouse of the Singer company in St. Petersburg.Cafewith the same name is located on the second floor of the building.

PAfter the revolution, the "Singer House", like many other buildings that belonged to the "bourgeoisie", went to the state. But he has retained his name to this day. Many guests and residents of the city fell in love with this building (this also applies to the cafe located here), primarily for the special “Petersburg” mood that reigns within its walls.

Appearance

From the outside, the House of the Book, including the part where the cafe is located, looks just great. This building was built in a spectacular Art Nouveau style. Its walls are finishedgranite, and the corners are crowned with turrets.

The interior of the cafe "Singer" is made in European style. Visitors to the institution can appreciate the efforts of designers who used mainly Viennese motifs in decorating the premises. Trees in tubs are placed throughout the cafe, and the floor is covered with colorful spectacular tiles. Visitors to the establishment have the opportunity to have breakfast sitting on comfortable soft round tables.

The interior of the cafe is quite simple, but at the same time, according to many visitors, it is pleasant and rather original. But the main decoration of this institution is, of course, simply huge (from the floor almost to the ceiling). Through them, breakfast visitors can admire the Kazan Cathedral.

Drinks at the establishment

The main cafe "Singer" offers its visitors non-alcoholic drinks, snacks and light meals. Coffee in this establishment is brewed by professional baristas. The same employees prepare hot chocolate and various kinds of cocktails.

Most often, visitors go to cafes"Singer"(Saint Petersburg), of course, in order to take a break from sightseeing and drink a cup of coffee while admiring the Kazan Cathedral. It is this drink that is the most popular among the customers of the institution. For coffee in the Singer cafe, you can order such, for example, food as homemade pies, strudel. They also serve delicious muffins (cupcakes). Of course, many visitors drink coffee or tea and other sweets in this establishment. Desserts here are exclusively exclusive, prepared by pastry chef Zaller.

Menu at the Zinger cafe (St. Petersburg)

Of course, if you wish, in this institution, as in any other similar one, you can not only drink coffee, but also have breakfast or dinner. The cafe's menu is quite varied. If desired, visitors can order both first courses and second courses or snacks.European and Russian cuisines are offered to choose from.The chefs of the cafe prepare, judging by the reviews, very tasty soups and omelettes. Also in the institution you can order, for example, dumplings, cabbage rolls, pancakes with different fillings. Of course, cafes offer various kinds of salads, as well as sandwiches.

Complex breakfasts

Usually visitors order one or two dishes in this cafe.and But if you wish, you can take a complex breakfast, lunch or dinner in this institution. Many cafe customers do just that. For example, the complex “Breakfast at the Kazan Cathedral” deserved very good reviews from visitors. Lunch is served in the cafe from 12:00 to 16:00, the total cost of which is about 600 rubles. Visitors who ordered such a service can choose dishes at will.

Restaurant traditions

There are no special rules for cafe visitors by the administration. The only thing - in the institution, of course, you can not smoke. If you wish, you can even go to the cafe with a small pet (for example, with a dog). It is allowed to pay for the dishes ordered in the institution both in cash and with cards of almost any type. If desired, visitors have the opportunity to use Wi-Fi.The very atmosphere in Singer, judging by the reviews, is very calm, cozy and conducive to relaxation.

Workscafe in the House of Books. And therefore, his administration, of course, simply could not fail to pay attention to lovers of reading. At the entrance to the institution, a small reading room is specially equipped for visitors.Here you can sit for a while with a book or some magazine.

Menu incafe"Singer" (St. Petersburg) placed directly on the tables. These "little books" in their leather binding, according to most visitors, look very solid.The average cost of a check in this institution, as noted by many of its former customers, is about 1200 rubles.

Cafe "Zinger" in St. Petersburg: reviews

The opinion about this institution among its visitors was very good. The cafe menu is considered by most customers to be quite diverse. The food, according to many guests and residents of St. Petersburg, is served here not as a restaurant, but still delicious.In any case, visitors have the opportunity to order dishes always fresh and hot.

In particular, customers praise local pastries. The smell of buns and bread offered in the cafe, according to many of its visitors, is simply delicious.And yes, they taste very good.Also, many visitors advise to order pancakes in this cafe. Portions of this Russian national dish are served very large.