Pelmeni — small, tightly folded dumplings filled with minced beef and pork, boiled and served with butter, sour cream, or vinegar — are the signature dish of Siberia, and Novosibirsk has plenty of places to eat them. Pelmennaya Sibiryak is one of the better traditional spots: a simple canteen-style room, cheap prices, and pelmeni that are actually made on the premises rather than from a frozen bag.
Order a portion (usually 10–15 dumplings), specify your preferred accompaniment, and eat. There is usually a small menu of soups and other Russian standards. The format has not changed in decades and there is something restoring about eating a bowl of Siberian dumplings in a Siberian city in a room that knows exactly what it is. Turnover is fast at lunch; arrive with a healthy appetite.