A journalist from Fontanka.ru recently visited the “Central Canteen” at St. Petersburg’s Unified Document Center (ECD) and was surprised by the high prices and mediocre quality, despite the canteen’s otherwise thrifty appearance. The canteen, resembling a shopping mall food court, serves a large volume of customers given the ECD’s crucial role in document processing.

While the canteen offers a wide variety of food options, including pizza, salads, and hot dishes, the journalist found the pricing inconsistent and generally high. A slice of Margarita pizza costs 130 rubles, nearly the price of a whole pizza at a top-rated restaurant. The journalist also noted spelling errors on the menu and illogical placement of food items.

His lunch, consisting of borscht, smoked cod salad, a chicken cutlet with baked pumpkin, and tea, totaled 890 rubles. The borscht was lukewarm, and the salad’s listed price differed from the checkout price, and its ingredients weren’t accurately described. The chicken cutlet and baked pumpkin were the most enjoyable items, but the main course was served cold, and no one offered to heat it up.

Despite the canteen’s shortcomings, the baked goods, such as an orange rose with chocolate, were praised. The journalist also noted that a deli connected to the canteen offered similar items at lower prices, especially an hour before closing, but lacked seating. The “Central Canteen” is open weekdays from 9 AM to 5 PM.