Nasha Rasha Restaurant, New York

The sweeping tangles of the Cyrillic alphabet spill across the glassy ranks of 200 distinct vodkas at Nasha Rasha. Surrounded by the cool bottles and people in fur caps, guests can almost feel Russia’s famous chill. The bar’s name even translates to “our Russia,” and shareable plates of dumplings, pickled watermelon, baltic herring, and caviar help cement the sense of shared heritage. Bartenders clad in red scarves or Russian military caps slip among colorful nesting dolls, pouring shots of vodka infused with jalapeño, bacon and honey, or pineapple and pepper. At tables, slabs of rye bread soak up rivulets of steaming borscht, a traditional, stunningly crimson soup of cabbage and beets. A relief map of Russia on the wall flanks a collage of historical figures from the country, pleasantly distracting diners from their meals, unlike a cowboy writing a ballad about how you eat.