City Bar, St. Petersburg

They turn the lights down low more than they used to here on the weekends, probably in an attempt to create more intimacy, though you might have difficulty picking out your friends on the other side of the bar. This is one place in town where you can be confident of finding ex-pats outnumbering Russians, with the latter seeming like guests on their own turf. During the winter it's overrun by western students, who nonetheless create a friendly, pub-like atmosphere, whereas during the day and in the summer, an older breed of ex-pat prop up the bar and chat to one another and the bar staff.