Where to dine in Riga. Where to eat in Riga: a gastronomic guide from a "non-food blogger"

It is possible to eat in Riga for 10 euros. Another question is what you prefer to eat in principle. If a large piece of fried meat or, say, grilled seafood is important to you, this is one thing, but if the main thing for you is to eat cheaply and go further to admire the ancient city, it’s a completely different story.

For me, food is a very important part of the trip. Because food is the same history of the place, tradition and culture, after all. Therefore, I always write about where to eat on trips. In the case of Riga, everything turned out not quite usual. I was not looking for authentic national food, but rather, budget, but tasty. And it just so happened that the average check for a normal meal and a meal, for two, came out in the region of 15-18 euros, which is quite a budget in all European times. The fact that we have such a terrible course now is another story.

Restaurant Lasite

The first place is when you want hot. Quite by chance, already freezing, we went to the first cafe in the old town that came across. We just turned to a sign in the hope of warming up with a cup of tea, but decided to eat. At the exit, we were given a coupon for the next visits for a 10% discount. The menu has everything, but most importantly, soups and bread! Soups for 4.5 euros and freshly baked bread for 2.2. A check for two with hot mulled wine and homemade apple wine came out at 18 euros. The bill includes 10% service charge, please note. The menu also includes game dishes, for those who are interested in trying venison, for example.

Restaurant Lasite is located at Miesnieku iela 11, Riga. Environment of the Middle Ages. Knightly armor, masonry, flags and wooden tables. But there is a restaurant in the basement and it is very cool there in winter. Couldn't keep my feet warm.

I learned about it back in Barcelona and even then it saved me from ruin). The principle of choice and order in the form of a constructor, you yourself collect and combine. There are several types of noodles to choose from, rice or vegetables as a base.

The noodle sauce is free. In total, if you take noodles without additional additives, then it will cost you only 3.7 euros. And the portion is good. Noodles can be ordered with home delivery.

Inside is quite cozy and warm.

This is what the cafe looks like from the outside. But, I think, in the summer it will change its appearance. Now there are New Year's pictures on the windows.

Wok to walk cafe in Riga is located at Aspazijas bulvaris 30, Riga. And due to the fact that the Old Town in Riga is quite small, you can walk here in 10 minutes from any of its points.

LIDO

The third place where everyone who comes to Riga is generally advised to go and go is Lido Restaurant at Ķengaraga iela 3. This restaurant is also called the Mill, as there really is a large mill. There is also a bistro in the vicinity of the Old Town and a bar in the heart of the Lido.

In short, the Lido restaurant is such a Mu-Mu or Elki-Palki. That is, there is a huge selection of all kinds of food by the type of dining room. Everything is very pleasant at prices, and if you have a large family and you come to Riga and want to save money, you are definitely here. You can take food to go.

You either pay for a dish in portions, which the chef sets for you, or you pay for a plate and set as much as you like. This applies to cold appetizers and salads.

There is a lot of space, there are two whole floors and plus there is a beer garden in the basement. But maybe on New Year's holidays we were so unlucky, or maybe it's always so crowded there - you still need to look for a free table!

But the savings seem to be significant. A lot of Rigans themselves come here to eat. Everything in the photo cost 18 euros. But with the same money there could be meat, shish kebab and much more. The average price tag per person of 10 euros is absolutely real.

Coffee house Parunasim

Well, drinking coffee with a cake somewhere in the center will also cost 10-12 euros. If you add another soup of the day or a sandwich here, then here you have the same 18-20 euros.

We found a nice and very romantic spot in a dead-end alley in the Old Town. Parunasim coffee shop is located at Maza Pils Iela 4, Riga.

Great selection of homemade cakes!

The interior of the cafe is so inviting to linger. Although it was also difficult to warm up there. Just to warm up a little while walking through winter snowy Riga.
Cakes and tarts for 3.5 euros.

Lido- a network of wonderful freeflo with homemade food. It's as if in the Moscow cafe "Mu-Mu" the portions have become three times larger, the prices are lower, and the dishes are ten times tastier. But, in general, of course, a blasphemous comparison. It is likely that here you will taste the most delicious fried potatoes and the most perfect mushroom sauce in your life. We have been there five times and in three restaurants, one of the largest is on Dzirnavu Street, there are smaller ones in the Old Town.

Pelmeni XL-- mono-table with a large selection of dumplings and accompanying dishes (for example, pickles, squash caviar and quite decent Russian salad for Europe). The institution is located under a suspicious sign at the exit from the historical center. The interiors are reminiscent of dumplings, for six euros you can overeat together. The best thing is that they are open until 4 am.

Cocoloco-- a Jamaican bar at the foot of the cathedral. It's easy to miss, but if you visit once, you'll almost certainly come back. In addition to comfy sofas and French "Radio Reggae" speakers, you'll find plenty of ginger dishes and a lengthy cocktail menu here. And the portions are huge. And there is also a cool toilet door: wooden, with a heart, and moves apart like a wardrobe.

Chomsky-- an atmospheric bar with cranberry beer, sofas from the garbage dump and local youths of heavenly beauty. The best location to say "Stop, a moment" - and never wake up again. Indeed, a very cool place. If you, like me, "Wash 40" seems like a womb, do not pass by.

unnamed pub on Ernesta Birznieka street, somewhere near Central Hostel. A two-story hut with a battered interior and a colorful audience. Yard cats look in the window, Euronews is played on the plasma, the bartender holds a New Year's drawing of the second beer in dice.

Crazy Donuts on Kr street. Barona - cute neat donuts in all colors and flavors. This is in case you get tired of trying Latvian-Soviet specialties in cafes (which should be done first). They play cheerful novelties of foreign stage, just like in Tartu McDonald's.

Index Cafe "Sakta"-- a European coffee house with high ceilings and chandeliers in the style of Soviet luxury. Chain establishments like Costa Coffee and Double Coffee flourish in Riga, but you should go to them out of sheer laziness - there are many interesting single places.

Istaba- a trendy cafe at the gallery. They didn’t get into the cafe itself, but they looked at designer earrings, notebooks and toys for a long time in the store. Prices are higher than in the late O.G.I. Haberdashery, but there is something interesting. Ezītis Migla-- a little basement bar with hedgehogs and other cute trappings. Latvian youths, again. It should probably be noted here that the wifi password written on the board did not work for us, and it was scary to ask the not-too-friendly bartender again.

Christmas market-- tasty blood sausages, sauerkraut and egg punch. There seem to be three bazaars in the Old City - the best one is under the Dome Cathedral, with lambs, a carousel and musicians. Instead of mulled wine, here you can drink a hot drink from Riga balsam, with the addition of blackcurrant juice. Of the interesting inedible specialties: the swastika in all sorts of materials and variations (to frighten Western European friends), intricate knitted patterns, attractive forged pieces of iron.

was formed under the influence of the cuisines of the countries surrounding Latvia - Estonian, German, Belarusian, Lithuanian. Typical Latvian dishes include sour porridges (skabputry) with bacon or meat and homemade cheeses. If modern Latvians hardly eat skabputras, and even can’t stand it “in the spirit”, then cheeses, in particular yanov cheese, is a frequent guest at local tables. Especially on Ligo.

You have already packed your bags and found free dates in your busy schedule. Just make sure you have an open Schengen visa, save this article and go ahead, go towards the Baltic winds.

How to get there?

Riga is located 12 hours from Moscow, and this is its undoubted charm. No need to buy plane tickets at exorbitant prices, go to the airport with heavy suitcases and sit there for two hours, waiting for boarding. Although, if you really want to, the most budget option would be a flight on the Latvian low-cost airline AirBaltic, at a price of about 13 thousand round trip. There, on board, you will be offered something to buy, including a standard lunch sandwich for 6 euros, which is usually given free of charge. Baggage and check-in will also be an additional option, but what can you do in order to save money. If funds allow, it is better to fly with the good old Aeroflot.

You can also get there by train, but after one such trip, I decided that it was not worth it. The train costs the same as the plane, only you travel 12 hours and all this time you are in a closed room with no way out. I don’t know about you, dear readers, but it depresses me.

Here are two ideal options for getting to Riga: car and bus. Only not an ordinary bus, but Luxexpress.

The advantage of a car is that you are completely on your own. Stop whenever you want, sleep wherever you want, take pictures wherever you want (and after the Russia-Latvia border, the scenery is insanely beautiful, by the way). The track was repaired a couple of years ago from Moscow to the border with Latvia, and now the trip is a real pleasure. After the border, however, the road is not very smooth, but I hope that repairs will happen there soon.

I was once told about a special Luxexpress bus by Latvian friends who often travel to Moscow for work. Its peculiarity is that you got on the bus at 21 pm on Tushinskaya, turned on the film on the tablet, which is installed in the back of the seat in front of you, poured something hot from the local coffee machine and rested for 8 hours. Then quickly pass the border, where you are checked much less than by car, and again rest. What's special? There is Wi-Fi, a toilet, a coffee machine, freestanding seats that fold out almost to the stop and, of course, individual sockets.

Where to stay?

Depends on which mode of transport you prefer. If you went on a trip by bus / plane / train, then living in Riga is as close as possible to the Old Town. Firstly, because all the sights are located there, and secondly, the hottest places and restaurants are also located there, and you do not have to scour the city in search of a good cafe. And thirdly, the central station is also located there, and you can go, for example, to Jurmala from there.

If you went to Riga by car, then the first thing to do is to choose a hotel based on the availability of parking. City parking in Riga is free only from 20 pm to 8 am and on weekends. On other days, the cost per hour varies from 0.80 euros to 2.50 euros. And besides, if you have a car at your side, you can get to the center from other areas at any time, so a hotel in the Old Town is generally unimportant for you.

It should be noted that Riga can be divided into the Old Town (conditionally, the center), the Quiet Center and other areas. As soon as you leave these areas, the city changes completely. The streets are empty, somewhere there are private houses, somewhere there are Soviet five-story buildings, the roads are broken. All this is due to the colossal flow of people who leave Latvia for Europe to work.

What to see?

Old city

The Old City is the main attraction to visit. Narrow streets, old houses, cafes, souvenir shops, with no standard attractions for tourists, a complete lack of advertising (it is prohibited here) and limited car traffic - the walk will turn out to be really atmospheric. Explore the entire Old City up and down in 2-3 hours, be sure to find time for this.

The Dome Cathedral

On the main square of the Old Town stands the Dome Cathedral - the symbol of Riga and the main attraction. It is interesting both from the outside, because it combines different architectural styles that have been layered over the past 800 years, and inside - there is an organ, which is considered one of the most valuable musical instruments in the world. It was installed in 1603 and at that time was the largest ever built. Anyone can buy a ticket for 7 euros and listen to an organ music concert.

Yauniela

To the left of the Dome Cathedral goes Jauniela or New Street. This is my favorite place in Riga. Colorful houses, reminiscent of a patchwork quilt, look like in a fairy tale. It was here that the famous "Seventeen Moments of Spring" and "Sherlock Holmes" were filmed.

Courtyard of the Convention

Another place in the Old Town area, not far from the Dome Cathedral. Nicholas Roerich painted one of his paintings from it, so I think you can imagine how atmospheric and picturesque it is. The Courtyard of the Convent is located next to the Church of St. Peter, whose high spire you can see from anywhere in the city.

St. Peter's Church

This building is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is not so much the decoration of the Church that is noteworthy here, but rather the observation deck on the tower, which is located 72 meters above the ground, which offers a view of the Daugava, the port and the Gulf of Riga. The entrance ticket costs €9 (adult), €7 (students) and €3 (pupils).

House of the Blackheads

This strange name is not associated with any horror stories. Such a strange name for the house on the Town Hall Square is not without reason, but do not be alarmed: there are no horror stories associated with it. Just in the 17th century, an association of foreign merchants gathered here, whose symbol was a black head (in honor of their patron Saint Mauritius). Since then, this name has been attached to the house.

Unfortunately, it will no longer be possible to get inside now: since 2012, the office of the President of Latvia has been moved here. But still, the building attracts with its unusual architecture and decorations, and looking at it in the evening lighting will be magical at all.

Jugendstil district

About 15 minutes walk from the Old Town is the so-called Jugendstil district - a couple of streets that helped Riga enter the UNESCO World Heritage List. Jugendstil (aka Art Nouveau) was so popular in Riga that it is considered the European capital of this architectural trend. Almost every second building in the city is made in the Art Nouveau style, and there are more than 800 of them. Even a person who is far from architecture can easily recognize them by the abundance of decorations on the facade. Riga Art Nouveau has even surpassed itself in this sense: statues, masks, chimeras and dragons, floral ornaments and bas-reliefs give each house a unique and unforgettable look. As a landmark: Elizabetes iela and Alberta iela streets.

Jurmala

It is not for nothing that the Baltic coast and sandy beaches have become a place of attraction for our stars. The virgin pines of the Jurmala forest, the sea surf and the cottages of the Russian elite are a sight worthy of aesthetes. In autumn, in summer - rarely anyone swims in Jurmala, it is cool and shallow here. But it seems that tourists go to Jurmala not for a beach holiday, but to take a break from the hustle and bustle. In the cold season, it is completely deserted here, occasionally you can meet tourists either on the main Jomas street or at the Dzintari concert hall, where all Russian artists come.

It is important to remember that from April 1 to September 30, entry to Jurmala by car is paid - 2 euros per day. Machine guns are located at the entrance to the city, and it is important not to miss them, as there are cameras further on, fixing the “hares”.

Where to eat?

Believe it or not, Riga is a city of gastronomic orgasm. No, I'm not talking about Riga sprats! The fact is that if you want to try gourmet cuisine in Moscow, you need to dress up, find a good restaurant, choose a company, book a table and leave a decent amount, in a word, you are already going not to have a tasty meal, but to a social event.

Riga restaurants are of the same level as Moscow ones, however, everything is more humane here. And people go to a restaurant here to have a tasty meal, and not to show off.

Therefore, if you want to go crazy with happiness just by tasting a spoon (or a fork) of something special - listen!

Piazza Italiana Riga, a restaurant with traditional Italian cuisine, affordable prices and a modern interior that does not leave only pictures of Rome on the walls, has been launched in the Old Town on Miesnieku Street.

The restaurant is located in a warehouse building, which was built at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries - here you will find bright rooms for family gatherings, rooms hidden from prying eyes for business negotiations, a banquet hall and even a solid wine cellar, from the variety of wines in which eyes run up - there are more than two hundred of them.

As the creators say, the restaurant relies on homemade recipes, and the dishes are really noticeably different from what is usually served in cafes with Italian cuisine in Moscow. I don't know how the chef manages to do this, but the Italian cuisine here is tastier than in Italy. And as a fan of Italian cuisine, having tried all the top TripAdvisor establishments in Rome and Milan, I know what I'm talking about.

The menu of Piazza Italiana Riga has a large selection of salads and appetizers (be sure to try sea bass and salmon tartare), seafood, thirteen types of pasta, risotto (it was so perfect that at the time of writing this offer I began to simultaneously look at tickets to Riga for the next dates) , soups, meat and poultry dishes, and pizza (the one that is branded, Piazza Italiana, cannot be compared with any pizza in Italy). But the most important thing is the dessert. Girls, if you don't eat after 6:00 pm, you will cry, but you will still eat, because violet panna cotta is the best thing that can happen to you this evening.

From drinks - freshly squeezed juices, homemade tea, non-alcoholic cocktails, strong drinks, and, of course, the cherry on the cake, of course, wines from our own cellar. The sommelier will select the necessary red or white for dinner, so that you are sure to be satisfied.

Latvia is famous for its sweets. Laima sweets and chocolates are what tourists bring with them as souvenirs, just like us - Alenka chocolates and Rot-Front bars. But there is something so sweet that you won't be able to take it home with you just because you'll eat it all along the way.

On Audeju Street 11, just three minutes from all the attractions that I mentioned above, there is an ordinary-looking coffee shop, with a small sign. Ordinary, until you open the door and fix your eyes on the cakes in the window ...

It’s hard to focus on just one thing: there are both blackcurrant and pistachio eclairs (pistachio, by the way, turned out to be tastier than in France), as well as sweet pastries with chocolate, French croissants, pies for vegetarians, blueberry baskets, macaroons and even cakes for those who do not like sugary sweetness: the chic “Pavlova” here has a lemon taste, and the “Dark Chocolate Velvet” cake (as I famously translated the name from Latvian) is such a thoughtful dessert, for those who kind of want to sweet, but it seems not, which is amazing. Everyone will find here sweets to their taste. I immediately want to sit idly for an hour or two inside at the window, thinking about life, or with a laptop, or just looking at people passing by.

The contingent of the coffee shop is appropriate - couples in love, cute chirping young girls and students who come to work with a laptop. There are several halls here, so there are never crowds and queues here.

How to leave Latvia without tasting traditional dishes made from Latvian products? Now someone will laugh that he has already eaten sprats. But, friends, in Latvia there really are chic dishes and drinks that can surprise you. Surely you have not drunk wine from dandelions, gooseberries, mountain ash or lilacs? Didn't eat the Latvian ostrich or venison? Meanwhile, you can try it in the Melnā Bite restaurant.

The restaurant has relied on products grown in Latvia, and the atmosphere is reminiscent of a good farm. Local cheeses and vegetables, Baltic seafood and even an exotic ostrich, our own, local.

What to choose from a variety of menus? Here is a small list of what you should definitely try: Mozzarella cheese, classic Baltic herring fillet, bull cheeks in red wine sauce and ostrich meat tartare. That's enough to leave the restaurant like Winnie the Pooh from the Rabbit's house. But you simply cannot afford to leave here without tasting the venison fillet in Calvados sauce. After tasting this dish, we tearfully begged the waitress to tell us the sauce recipe - it was incredible, tender meat in a thin sauce ...

You can finally go crazy with happiness by ordering a rye bread sponge cake with fresh cottage cheese cream and sea buckthorn jelly for dessert. Only after such a set should you go further on excursions.

For a tourist, it will be very useful to have a full buffet breakfast, which is served here both for guests of a neighboring hotel and for everyone. This opportunity can be used every morning from 7:00 to 11:00.

Important nuances of travel

Parking in Riga is paid on weekdays from 8:00 to 20:00 and on Saturdays from 9:00 to 17:00. The rest of the time it is free. The entire parking space of the city is divided into zones, on average, the cost is from 1 to 8 euros per hour, depending on the proximity to the center. .

Near each parking lot there is a parking machine. Some of them accept coins, but they are few. Make sure you have a bank card with you to pay for parking. Russian cards are also read by automatic machines, I didn’t have any problems. How does this happen? You pay - the machine gives out a ticket, which must be put under the glass. The voucher indicates until what time the payment is valid. If you delay this time by more than 15 minutes, you will be fined.

Cars in Riga are not evacuated (unless they really interfere with the movement of other cars). But fines are handed out very actively. First, the inspectors take pictures of the car, and then leave a receipt under the glass of the car in a bag, which must be paid within 30 days.

It is important that if you still paid for parking and there is a ticket under the glass, but it is overdue, the fine will be less. For example, in zone A parking without payment will cost you 20.50 euros, and if you still paid, but overdue, the fine will be only 14 euros. In zone B, the penalty for parking without payment is 17 euros, and for late parking - 12 euros.

If you have acquaintances in Latvia and they suddenly make an appointment for you at a gas station and offer you a bite to eat there, don’t worry, everything is in order, they don’t want to poison you and then take you to a dark forest. Circle Latvian gas stations are very popular among Latvians. They really go there to chat, drink coffee, have a bite to eat. Well, at the same time, fill the car!

As in many cities of the world, in Riga the most expensive places to eat are surrounded by the main squares and the most popular sights. But do not despair, here you can find reasonable offers - from fast food restaurants to relatively expensive restaurants with promotions and discounts - you just have to choose. Even though it is not a very cosmopolitan city, Riga can offer a good variety of national cuisines. And now, a list of the most inexpensive cafes and restaurants in the city.

Fontaine Deli Snack(Aristida Briāna street 9)

This is a club, a bar and a restaurant. Here you can order excellent hamburgers, pizza, woks, sandwiches and more. This is not an ordinary restaurant. For example, here you can follow the preparation of your dishes, which is rare in the city. No mass production, food is not reheated in the microwave. There are over 30 items on the menu.

FoodBox Silent Center(Antonijas 6a-20)

Rumor has it that this is one of the oldest and most famous fast food restaurants. The place is famous for its Turkish cuisine - kebabs, meat dishes, soups. The restaurant is located in the center, so while dining there, you can also enjoy the view of the beautiful buildings nearby. The place is run by Turks, and the chefs are also Turkish, so they definitely know a lot about delicious food.

Schedule: Sat: 13:00-18:00, Mon-Fri: 11:30-20:00

MiiT(Lāčplēša iela 10)

This is a great place to have a delicious cup of good coffee and try vegetarian dishes. The vegetarian lunch special is 2.90 for the week. Interesting design - the walls are decorated with… bicycles. The cafe owners even have their own workshop and bicycle design studio! Located in an area with a number of good cafes and restaurants, this café is a real favorite with the locals. It's great to come here for breakfast on weekends. And at the same time fix great! And if it's not big, then rent it.

Index Cafe(Brīvības 32)

Excellent service is a great addition to the extensive and varied menu of this restaurant. Healthy food, great coffee and low prices. Meals can be tasted on the spot, ordered home or take away.

Ala(Peldu 19)

With 16 local beers on tap, traditional food and live music five nights a week, this place is perfect for everyone. Everything is excellent - the club, the pub, the dinners - and it's all very reasonably priced. "Ala" is very popular among both locals and foreigners. There are absolutely great traditional dance nights every Wednesday, folk music on Fridays and jam sessions on Sundays. This is one of the most interesting places in Riga! Try Latvian meatballs here for 3.50.

Dada(Kalēju iela 30)

Restaurant with great food and great location, really very popular with the locals. You can choose the ingredients for the dishes yourself - and this is a great success! You can go to this restaurant if you want a quick bite, but by the way, this cafe can hardly be called fast food. This is a great place to relax and unwind. It is also one of the best options for vegetarians.

Rama(Krišjāņa Barona iela 56)

Locals love this restaurant for cheap and big meals. At lunchtime, queues can even form near the restaurant. Once again, remember that the portions are already large, and not finishing these delicacies is simply a sin! Here you can try Indian cuisine, strictly vegetarian. Don't miss happy hour at 6:30 pm when the portions are even bigger than usual.

Sašliks(Mores street 22)

One of the most popular "meat" places in the city. This is a Soviet-style eatery on the outskirts of the Mezaparks park, which is also famous for its good selection of unfiltered beer. The main dish here, as you might guess, is barbecue. They are served with pickles, bread, onions, tomato sauce, vodka or beer. Kebabs are made from pork, lamb and chicken.

Kaļķu Varti Bistro(Kalķu iela 11a)

This restaurant is located in the Līvu Laukums area. Here you can taste traditional Latvian dishes. The food is homemade and the prices are more than reasonable, which is especially surprising because the cafe is located in the middle of the city's most touristy area. Do not confuse this cafe with a restaurant that is nearby and has the same name.

Šefpavārs Vilhelms(Šķūņu 6)

This restaurant offers delicious pancakes. You will find something to your taste, whether it's empanadas or strawberry jam. Or even a banana wrapped in a pancake!

Passedet(Stabu street 10/2)

The name of this cafe is translated as "sit down", and the name speaks for itself. This is a cozy corner to taste delicious home-cooked dishes. On weekends there are small parties. It is best to come here for lunch, which includes soup + main course + drink.

Tvaiks(Tallinas 71)

Cafe inside the spa and sauna building "Baltā Pirts". This is one of the best hidden places in Riga serving traditional food at a reasonable price.

street burgers(Brīvības 40)

This is one of the best places to try real burgers in Riga! Even non-fast food fans will love these dishes. For example, where else can you try a chicken burger with pineapple? As usual, hamburgers are accompanied by fries and Coca-Cola (which can then be refilled for free). Try fresh yoghurts and macaroons for dessert.

Tims Mints(Jana seta 5)

The cafe often hosts great parties and after-parties. The family restaurant is known for the fact that almost everything inside is made by the hands of family members, and the recipes according to which the dishes are prepared are family. You can also play foosball at the café and choose your favorite song from the jukebox. Try beer ice cream here - well, when else will you get something like that?

Bufete Gauja(Tērbatas 56)

The bar-restaurant resembles a typical Soviet apartment. Everything inside looks like it's from the 60s and 70s, including board games and magazines. It's like a history lesson for those who haven't seen those days, and a great place to grab a bite to eat. Taste the locals' favorite Brenguļu beer here.