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You could write a book full of all the rubbish you hear about the food on the Trans-Siberian Express! Here's the reality:
Restaurant Car Franchise
Like all countries of the world, the franchise to serve
food in the Restaurant Car is automatically
owned by the country you are in at the moment.
So no matter whether you are on the Chinese Train, the Russian Train or the Mongolian Train, if you are in Mongolia, it will be Mongolian Railways providing the food. If you hear anyone saying "the food is better on the Chinese train", you know they have not actually been on the trip.
Restaurant Car Prices
All payments on board the train are in local currency - but in China & Mongolia US$'s are often accepted. To give you an idea, we give equiv prices in US$ here - few people immediately know the value of the Mongolian Tugrik ! You can expect to pay approximately US$2-3 for breakfast, and US$5-6 for a main meal.
Restaurant Car Service and Choice
Expect Cafeteria-style food and service, and you will not be disappointed. Normally there is a choice of at least 4-5 main courses. The outlook is not promising for strict vegetarians, and abysmal for vegans - bring your own supplies (the Director of The Russia Experience is a vegetarian). The Russian Restaurant Car is cheerful and has piped video entertainment (mostly American action-movies - although recently they have been showing videos about Lake Baikal too) - service is friendly if sluggish. The Mongolian Restaurant Car service has recently been hugely upgraded, and is probably the best of the three now. Service is charming if chaotic - often the dessert arrives before the main course, but the choice is wide and the quality is really quite good. The Chinese Restaurant Car has a good reputation which isn't wholly deserved - the last time we tried it, there was no printed menu, a fixed-price Set Meal ($6) and table-cloths last laundered during the Cultural Revolution. Other people say it's better. However, after a spell in mutton-mad Mongolia, the crispy stir-fried vegetables are a treat.
Snacks & Drinks On Board
The Russian Restaurant Car also offers a Trolley-Service of hot and cold snacks and drinks, including "pizza" (not very Italian, but only $1). There is a small table in the Dining Car offering all-day sales of drinks and snacks.
Food Along the Way
At "major" halts you will find vendors selling hot pies <"pEEEroshkee!!! goryAAAchi, goryAAchi!!!">, perhaps also fruit, beer, hard-boiled eggs etc at very low prices. At daytime halts there are also Kiosks selling low-cost drinks, packeted snacks etc. Take your own Instant Coffee - 24-hr boiling water is free on board.
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