The café "Saigon" existed during the 1960s-1980s at the corner of Nevsky and Vladimir Prospects – in the building of a hotel (at that time – the "Moscow" hotel). This formally unnamed eatery attached to the "Moscow" restaurant at the corner of Nevsky and Vladimir Prospects opened in early September 1964. In its early years, it was called "Podmoskovye." It was a gathering place for nonconformists and underground heroes, representatives of contemporary art unrecognized and persecuted in their own country during the "stagnation" period.

At different times, "Saigon" was frequented by rock musicians such as Viktor Tsoi, Boris Grebenshchikov ("Aquarium"), Konstantin Kinchev ("Alisa"), Yuri Shevchuk ("DDT"), Alexander Vasilyev ("Splean"), Mikhail Naumenko ("Zoo"), poet and writer Yevgeny Rein, theater and film actor Innokenty Smoktunovsky, photographer and artist Boris Smelov (Pti-Boris), artists Mikhail Shemyakin and Yevgeny Mikhnov, writer and journalist Sergey Dovlatov, and many others.

The establishment began to be called "Saigon" later. According to literary critic Viktor Toporov, the café got its name like this: "Smoking was sometimes allowed, sometimes forbidden inside… During a period when smoking was banned, two girls took out cigarettes, a policeman approached them and said: 'What are you doing here? This is disgraceful! You’ve turned this place into some kind of 'Saigon'.' That was the reputation the capital of South Vietnam had in the USSR."

Next to "Saigon" was its branch — the café "Elf" (9 Stremyannaya Street). The square near "Elf" (at the intersection of Stremyannaya Street and Dmitrovsky Lane), called the "Elven Garden," also served as a meeting place for the "Saigon" crowd.

The Soviet authorities did not favor the inhabitants of "Saigon." As the head of the Leningrad criminal investigation department said in an interview: "'Saigon' has now become a magnet for our homegrown 'hippies,' punks, and other scum." As rock musician Oleg Garkusha (leader of the rock band "Auction") recalled, the police "were always around 'Saigon' to take away those who didn’t fit in."

Dmitry Shagin, artist, member of the art group "Mitki": "Right at the entrance, there was a small bar with brandy and tables with chairs. The place was elite and resembled an underground bookstore. That’s where the respectable crowd gathered — poets. I would immediately go further, where the youth were, with gray round counters, wide windowsills, and 'under-the-counter' records. People carried hayratniks, canvas bags with Demis Roussos, and almost all had flutes. They stood in line for Stella; she brewed coffee better than anyone. In the 1980s, a rock club settled nearby — and punks appeared in 'Saigon' in their amusing outfits. Occasionally, there were fights — punks against hooligans. In one of the 'Saigon' renovations, a full-wall mirror appeared at the end of the hall. Everyone said that behind this mirror sat KGB agents: they filmed and recorded everyone."

Boris Grebenshchikov, rock musician, leader of the band "Aquarium": "'Saigon' was different at different times of day. A clear morning — either random visitors or people like me — with a wild hangover, but never hungover, just coming in for coffee. That was one 'Saigon,' it was still tidy, a quiet place where you could meet an acquaintance."

At "Saigon." 1980s. Photo: Sergey Podgorkov.

In a recording of a house concert, Tsoi jokingly paraphrased: "...and I’ll drop by 'Saigon' and have a cup of coffee..." This song was written in 1983. That is, Viktor Tsoi visited this already iconic place as a twenty-year-old youth. Yes, and earlier, of course. And once again, in the song "Night" from the album of the same name, Tsoi mentions this café again: "...and coffee in the famous café will warm me."

It is reliably known that director Sergey Lysenko, during his visit to Leningrad, met Viktor Tsoi precisely in "Saigon." There, standing by a table, Tsoi read the script of the future film "End of Vacation." In other words, the decision for Tsoi and the band "Kino" to participate in this film was made right there. Tsoi liked the script.

Scenes from Rashid Nugmanov’s film "Ya-Kha" were shot in "Saigon." This includes friends meeting at a café table and a street gathering on Vladimir Prospect led by Garkusha. By the way, Oleg recalls that he was often stopped near "Saigon," apparently because of his extravagant appearance. It’s no surprise that the police singled out the showman of "Auction" from the crowd. In the 1980s, Garkusha worked as a projectionist at the "Titan" cinema, located right opposite "Saigon." This fact is recorded in the film "Rock." Naturally, before, after, and sometimes probably instead of work, Garkusha would drop by this café. Once a policeman stopped him and asked for documents, which showed his registration as Vesyoly Settlement — clearly not a central district of Leningrad. When asked what he was doing there, Garkusha replied: drinking coffee. To which the policeman sternly said: can't you drink coffee in Vesyoly Settlement?"

According to Rashid Nugmanov’s recollections, the scenes of "Ya-Kha" were shot simply with a camera without prior agreement with the café administration, without lighting equipment, etc. The "sudden" camera was a principle the director followed, inspired by Dziga Vertov. The entire film turned out in such a pseudo-documentary style, as if filmed by a spying camera.

Another director, Alexey Uchitel, also captured "Saigon." More precisely, Boris Grebenshchikov with his little son Gleb in his arms.

Boris Grebenshchikov with son Gleb at "Saigon." Frame from the film "Rock."

By the way, "Saigon" is mentioned in songs by many other rock musicians: Boris Grebenshchikov, Mike, Yuri Shevchuk, Fyodor Chistyakov, Umka Gerasimova… Indirectly by writer Sergey Dovlatov.

Since the mid-1970s, it was filled with book speculators who modestly had breakfast, by my count, for three rubles, eating two sandwiches with red caviar, something else, adding a pastry, washing it down with a cup of coffee or even taking a glass of juice. They took a break between 12 and 1, then went back to stand near the Old Book.

Then "Saigon" filled with passersby who genuinely drank coffee there until about four o’clock. Then came a sanitary break. The biggest chaos started after five, when, against the background of ordinary and random visitors, the so-called regulars appeared. In fact, there were two crowds — outsiders and locals. Moreover, the locals believed that by drinking coffee here every day, they had the right to get it without waiting in line, and they wanted to exercise this right, which naturally caused outrage among the public. Small quarrels arose, which ended in nothing."

A well-known fact — among the café visitors were KGB informers. Not on the payroll, of course, but sometimes slipping into conversations or just keeping an ear open. It’s no secret that the KGB paid special attention to "Saigon." And rightly so. Such a juicy morsel! So many potential enemies of the country in one room. Yes, and they talk. This gave rise to many legends. For example, that microphones were attached under the standing tables. Or… One wall of the café was decorated with a huge mirror. It was rumored that behind this mirror KGB agents watched and photographed visitors. This myth was debunked in the most direct way in March 1989, when the café was closing. One visitor threw a glass at this mirror — shattering it. Behind the mirror, there was not a single KGB agent. Only a solid concrete wall.

"Saigon" was finally closed in March 1989. That same year, after renovation, an Italian plumbing store opened in the former café premises, then an audio products store. Today, historical continuity has triumphed in an ugly form, as sometimes happens. Within the walls of the legendary café — there is also a café. Also from a hotel, as in Leningrad times. Only now it’s the Radisson hotel, and the cost of coffee is mind-boggling. Yes, and the times are different. One of the café walls is decorated with a memorial plaque reminding of the former times of this place. The only thing that hasn’t changed is the view from the window. The same Nevsky and Vladimir Prospects. But with different cars and people outside. With a different time.

In 1990, M. Shemyakin and E. Rein attempted to create a memorial center in the former "Saigon," but this endeavor was unsuccessful.

Sources

https://antennadaily.ru/2018/04/07/saigon/

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saigon_(cafe)

https://www.sobaka.ru/bars/trends/39276

Maxim Ivanov. With Tsoi around Petersburg.