Who among us does not love to eat deliciously and inexpensively? In pre-revolutionary Penza, the most accessible place for this was the People's Tea House, located near the modern Lenin Square.

The name "People's" was chosen not by chance; the tea house was intended for ordinary people. Thanks to an agreement with the City Administration, the establishment was exempt from paying taxes, which allowed it to maintain low prices. For example, a fish pie cost only 5 kopecks, and for 20 kopecks, one could get a set lunch of cabbage soup with beef, jelly, porridge of choice, and a glass of kvass. This was truly cheap, as a ride in a cab would cost 1.5-2 times more.

The unusual People's Tea House was even written about in other cities. Journalist Nikolai Yushkov from Kazan Vedomosti noted: "The sign of the establishment depicts a group of men and women in bright shirts and sarafans around a samovar, with the inscription: We kindly invite you to have some tea and listen to music. Here, most often, there are men and merchant townsfolk. In the first month after opening, 2678 cups of tea were consumed, and the number of lunches eaten was so high that the administration could not even count them."

By the way, meals were accompanied by music. In the corner stood a gramophone playing Russian folk songs, creating a relaxed atmosphere. Nikolai Yushkov also mentioned: "The governor ordered an organ for the establishment at his own expense." This is what public catering looked like in the Russian Empire!