Ulyanovsk's restaurant scene is typical of a mid-size Russian provincial city: solid Russian and Soviet-style cooking, a scattering of Georgian and Central Asian places, and a few more ambitious modern establishments in the centre. The city's Tatar and Chuvash minorities mean that you can find genuinely good Central Volga regional food if you look for it.
Pelmen (dumplings), borscht, and grilled meats are the staples everywhere. Georgian restaurants — popular across Russia — tend to be reliable choices for khachapuri and khinkali. For local colour, look for places that serve chak-chak (the Tatar honey-pastry dessert) and echpochmak (a triangular meat-and-potato pastry).