Pelmeni are a meal in themselves, but the right toppings and drinks pull the whole thing together. The essentials are sour cream, fresh herbs, and something caramelised — fried onions or crispy bacon. For drinks, kompot or kissel are the traditional choices. Simple, generous, Eastern European.
Classic toppings and sauces
Pelmeni don’t need much. They just need the right things.
The Eastern European tradition is to eat pelmeni with toppings added on top — not as a dipping sauce on the side, but spooned generously over the bowl. The heat of the dumplings warms everything through, the sour cream loosens slightly and coats each dumpling as you go.
Sour cream (smetana)
Non-negotiable. The tang cuts through the richness of the meat filling. It cools the dumplings to eating temperature. It adds creaminess without heaviness. If you do nothing else, do sour cream.
Fresh herbs
Dill is the classic. Parsley works well too. Added just before you eat — the heat wilts them slightly and brings out the flavour. Don’t underestimate this one. A generous handful of fresh dill over a bowl of pelmeni is one of the simplest pleasures in Eastern European food.
Fried onions
Slowly cooked until sweet and golden. The sweetness plays against the savoury filling and the tang of the sour cream. Particularly good with lamb and beef pelmeni.
Crispy bacon
Salty, crunchy, a little smoky. Adds texture against the softness of the dough. Not traditional everywhere, but very much at home here.
Sautéed mushrooms
Earthy and substantial. Excellent with pork varieties, and particularly good if you’re building a bigger, more filling bowl.
With us, all six of these toppings come included with every bowl. Pile them on. Mix and match. There’s no wrong combination.
Sides that work
Pelmeni are filling. They don’t need a lot alongside them.
Bread
Good, dense rye bread — the kind with a slight sourness — is the most natural accompaniment. You eat it between spoonfuls to clean the bowl. Not served at our bar, but at home it rounds out a meal.
A simple salad
A sharp, vinegary salad of cucumber, dill, and a little sour cream cuts through the richness beautifully. Or shredded white cabbage with vinegar and caraway. The point is acidity — something to balance the meat and dough.
Pickles
Sour gherkins, pickled cabbage, fermented anything. Eastern European food has a long tradition of using fermented and pickled vegetables alongside rich, filling dishes. They wake up the palate.
Keep the sides light. Pelmeni are the main event.
Drinks to pair
The Eastern European dumpling table doesn’t usually involve wine. The traditional drinks are fermented, fruit-based, and non-alcoholic — and they work.
Kompot
A lightly sweetened fruit drink made by simmering dried or fresh fruit in water. Mild, slightly tangy, deeply refreshing. The acidity cuts through the richness of the filling and cleanses the palate between bites. We serve it at our bar.
Uzvar
An Eastern European dried-fruit drink — deeper and more complex than kompot, with a darker colour and more concentrated flavour. Traditionally made with dried pears, apples, and prunes. Warming and slightly sweet without being cloying. On our menu.
Kissel
A thickened fruit drink — somewhere between a juice and a light pudding in consistency, made with berries and a little starch. Smooth and slightly sweet. Works particularly well as a finish to the meal rather than throughout. We serve this too.
At home: a light herbal tea or cold sparkling water both work well if you’re eating pelmeni at home. The carbonation in sparkling water cuts through richness in the same way the fruit drinks do.
Make it a feast
If you’re cooking pelmeni at home and want to make a proper spread of it, here’s how to think about it:
Start simple: a bowl of pelmeni with sour cream, dill, and fried onions covers the essentials. Everything else is addition.
Add contrast: pickles or a vinegary salad give you the sharpness that balances the richness of the dish.
Drink something fruity: kompot, uzvar, or kissel are the right accompaniments. They’ve been paired with dishes like this for generations for good reason.
Finish with sweet: if you’ve got vareniki with cherry or strawberry, serve them last. The move from savoury to sweet without changing the format of the meal is very much the Eastern European way.
With us you get the toppings, the dumplings, and the drinks in one place. Take what you want, pay for what you take. Average bowl runs £10–12.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you serve with pelmeni?
The classic accompaniments are sour cream, fresh dill, and fried onions — served on top of the pelmeni rather than on the side. Crispy bacon, sautéed mushrooms, and fresh herbs are also excellent additions. For a full meal at home, add a sharply dressed salad or some pickled vegetables on the side.
What drink goes with dumplings?
Kompot, uzvar, and kissel are the traditional Eastern European choices — all fruit-based, mildly sweet, and refreshing enough to balance the richness of the filling. We serve all three. At home, cold sparkling water or a light herbal tea work well.
What sauce is best for pelmeni?
Sour cream is the definitive answer. It’s the most traditional, the most complementary, and the one that works with every filling — lamb and beef, pork, chicken, or pork and beef. Fresh herbs and fried onions added on top complete the picture.
What’s a good side dish?
Keep it light. A cucumber and dill salad dressed with vinegar and sour cream is the most natural pairing. Pickles — sour gherkins or fermented cabbage — also work well, adding acidity that cuts through the richness of the meat filling. Dense rye bread is good for cleaning the bowl.