Food in Old Town Riga: A Delectable Foodie Safari

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Discover the best food in Old Town Riga on a culinary adventure filled with traditional dishes and international delights.

Caution: After reading this article, you might find yourself irresistibly drawn to book a flight to Riga, the mesmerizing capital city of Latvia. In Old Town Riga, you will immerse yourself in a delectable foodie safari, exploring the culinary offerings of one of Europe’s oldest and best-preserved medieval towns. Old Town Riga eateries offer traditional Latvian dishes and international cuisine in restaurants and sidewalk cafes on pedestrian-only cobblestone streets.

Come along with us on our foodie safari as we meander along in pursuit of a gastronomic adventure. We explore traditional Latvian cuisine, dine at Michelin-starred restaurants and eateries with a view, enjoy romantic courtyard dining, discover meals in nearby landmarks, and uncover a few hidden gems in Old Town Riga.

Latvian Food 101

Traditional Latvian food blends comfort and heartiness, reflecting the country’s rich agricultural heritage. The cuisine is focused on meat, grains, and root vegetables, resulting in hearty and satisfying dishes.

Traditional Latvian food is known for its robust flavors and simple yet satisfying preparation methods. It includes savory meat stews and roasts as well as wholesome grain-based meals. Latvian cuisine incorporates an array of locally sourced dairy products, fresh bread, pickled vegetables, and fish, showcasing the diversity of ingredients available in the region.

Traditional Latvian food emphasizes wholesome, locally sourced ingredients, offering a nutritious culinary experience that captures the essence of Latvia’s cultural and agricultural traditions.

Our Foodie Safari in Old Town Riga

Our food safari allowed us to experience the best food in Old Town Riga. We sampled traditional Latvian cuisine, dined at Michelin-starred restaurants and eateries with a view, enjoyed romantic courtyard dining, ate at nearby landmarks, and discovered a few hidden gems.

Traditional Latvian Food

We began our food safari by seeking traditional Latvian food and were not disappointed.

Riga Central Market

Don’t miss a visit to the Riga Central Market—the largest market in Europe. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has five huge pavilions. Each building houses a specific type of food, such as fish, meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables, and baked goods. Each structure was a former Zepplin hanger used during WWII.

Riga Central Market offers a wide array of traditional Latvian food and international fare. Its extensive selection includes fresh fruits and vegetables, locally produced cheeses and dairy products, and a mixture of animal proteins, including smoked sausages and cured meats.

You can indulge in freshly baked bread, pastries, pickled vegetables, fresh fish, and seafood. The market also has vendors selling homemade jams, preserves, honey, spices, and herbs.

Lido Beer Garden

If you can only go to one restaurant, make it Lido! You can indulge in traditional Latvian dishes and hearty comfort food at Lido. The buffet-style restaurant offers extensive meat dishes, including pork, beef, and poultry. You can savor traditional Latvian sausages, fresh seafood, and an assortment of stews and roasts.

Lido’s menu celebrates the country’s agricultural heritage with abundant root vegetables, fresh salads, and dairy products. Lido offers local beverages, including Latvian beer and wine, to complement your meal.

Standout – There are locations all over Riga for Lido Beer Garden.

Michelin Stars

We were also delighted to discover Michelin-starred restaurants in the city. Each offered some of the best food in Riga.

Ferma Restaurant

Ferma Restaurant is minutes from Old Town in a quiet residential area across the street from Viesturdārzs Park.

Ferma restaurant lives up to its Michelin status by creatively and innovatively bringing out the full flavors of Latvian-produced food. Chef Maris uses locally sourced meat, produce, seafood, and fish to create masterpieces for your eyes and palette.

The chef sent an amuse-bouche of Cod Carpaccio. What a treat! Next, we had the Latvian Cheese appetizer with the Spicy Grilled Tomato soup. It was an excellent way to start our culinary journey.

We chose beef fillet from a local ranch and catfish from a nearby river for our main courses. Vegetable pearls, asparagus, and baby fern fronds accompanied both. Their dessert menu completed this extraordinary meal. We loved the roasted almond ice cream with caramelized apricots, almond crumble, and an almond cookie.

Ferma’s menu includes appetizers, salads, soups, and snacks to prepare your taste buds for your main course. Entrees include a selection of red meat, fish, poultry, and pasta. The international wine list is complimented by a full bar. Indoor and covered patio seating is available. The service is impeccable.

Standout – Try the fresh oysters from Ferma Restaurant.

3 Chefs Restaurant

3 Chefs Restaurant has created a new world of Latvian cuisine in the 18th-century Jacobs Barracks, a repurposed historic military building.

In 2011, Chefs Martins Sirmais, Eriks Dreibants, and later Arturs Trinkus joined to form 3 Chefs. They received help from friends and family who donated equipment, furniture, art, and anything else they could muster to get the restaurant off the ground. They haven’t looked back.

The menu is intriguing and filled with tempting dishes. Mary decided on the juicy beef filet with wild broccoli, shitake mushroom, and mashed potatoes. Kevin chose succulent spring lamb with leeks, potato cream, a bear’s muzzle (a local forest mushroom), and a delicious red wine glaze.

3 Chefs has superb service, an innovative menu, an eclectic atmosphere, and a Michelin Star. The full-service bar and international wine list add to your dinner for all courses.

Standout – Order the Tasting Menu at 3 Chefs Restaurant.

Snatch

The Catch family owns Snatch. The Michelin Guide eatery is not a typical Italian restaurant. Chef Sergejs Siporovs’s menu was planned after spending six months in Italy absorbing the culinary influences before creating his menu.

Snatch offers both indoor and outdoor dining. The interior design is industrial with a casual feel. The extraordinary international wine list is evidenced by one wall dedicated entirely to wine.

Kevin had Chantrelle soup and tender and moist veal piccata. Mary described her pulled rabbit as sweet, with a tangy sauce, on a bed of housemade pappardelle noodles. Side dishes included ceps and flageolet beans. Our companions had broiled Sea Bass and Tournedos with potato rösti, spinach, foie gras, and black truffles.

We enjoyed this magnificent feast with a bottle of Italian sparkling wine, which perfectly complemented our fantastic luncheon experience.

Standout – The extensive wine list at Snatch accompanies delicious food.

Restaurants With a View

While in Riga, we also enjoyed several restaurants that offered incredible views.

Kolonāde Restaurant

Situated in Bastejkalna Park between Freedom Monument and the Latvian National Opera House, the award-winning Kolonāde Restaurant is superior in service, food, and location. The modern Latvian interior of Kolonāde has glass walls and floor-to-ceiling windows, giving the feeling of being outside in the park. We enjoyed a relaxing lunch of fresh, grilled shrimp salads and housemade lemon sorbet for dessert.

The lunch menu of local and international favorites offers light appetizers and salads. The dinner menu has locally sourced fish. There is a lamb steak, a ribeye, and flank beef steaks. The international wine list makes your choice difficult, but Kolonāde’s sommelier will be there with the perfect selection.

Standout – Appetizer with wine for two is an ideal way to experience Kolonāde Restaurant.

Gutenbergs Terase (Rooftop) Restaurant

Gutenbergs Terase Restaurant has served fine cuisine in Old Town Riga for over 15 years. Its rooftop perch on Gutenbergs Hotel offers panoramic views of Old Town Riga, the Daugava River, and beyond. The restaurant offers outdoor and indoor seating, both with incredible views.

Gutenbergs’ menu includes traditional Latvian and international dishes. We chose from the river and sea. Kevin had Perch Pike, which was cooked to perfection. The flaky, moist white meat melted in his mouth. Mary had the grilled octopus, which was sweet with a slight hint of the sea while tender and succulent.

The accompanying vegetables of asparagus and salad were fresh complements to our meal. We completed our sunset dinner with a bottle of Prosecco from their extensive wine cellar.

Standout – The incredible view is a wow moment when enjoying Gutenbergs Terase Restaurant.

Romantic Courtyard Dining

While the expansive views were amazing, we also enjoyed romantic courtyard dining.

Kalku Vārti

Kalku Vārti is located in Old Town Riga, away from the hustle and bustle of the Old Town Square. The restaurant is in a three-story building that looks like a private home. A romantic and private courtyard awaits guests. We loved the small menu. Kalku Vārti is small but complete with appetizers, soups, salads, mains, and desserts.

Sitting in the courtyard while sipping our wine made for a tranquil dining experience. Mary chose the grilled chicken breast with a generous portion of bok choy and mixed vegetables. The sauce added a tangy flavor to the chicken breast, and the vegetables were perfectly paired. Kevin decided on the beef cheeks with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables. All were tender and juicy. The Green Tea Lava Cake was the perfect dessert.

Kalku Vārti has efficient service, a lovely simple menu complemented by an international wine list, and a full bar.

Standout – The intimate courtyard is the wow moment awaiting diners at Kalku Vārti.

Neighboring Landmarks

Experiencing landmarks is essential to exploring Riga; many famous landmarks are ideal dining locations.

B Bar Restaurant

B Bar Restaurant is snuggled behind the Riga Cathedral in Old Town Riga. The location is quieter than many Old Town restaurants because there is less foot traffic and no auto traffic.

Whether you sit inside or out, B Bar offers a superb selection of European and Latvian cuisine. The restaurant is a favorite watering hole for locals and visitors. It has a happy hour with drink specials, a sharing menu, and a DJ playing dance music.

Latvian potato pancakes are an ideal start to your meal. A must-try soup is B Bar Buyabeze soup, a traditional Latvian cold beetroot soup. Do not let the pink color turn you off; it’s delicious in summer or winter.

We started with a cocktail made with Riga Black Balsam, a potent Latvian liqueur. Kevin had a generous portion of Baltic Sea Squid for the main course, and Mary chose the juicy beef steak. Both came with potato cakes and a medley of local vegetables. We were both delighted with our choices.

Standout – Riga Black Balsam Cocktail is a great start to a meal at B Bar Restaurant.

Restaurant Pētergailis

Restaurant Pētergailis is a neighbor of St. Peter’s Church. The historic church is adorned with a gold rooster weathervane. Perhaps that was the owner’s inspiration for the interior, which is filled with roosters of all kinds—no, not live ones. Glass, porcelain, ceramic, pottery, stuffed, you name it—they are everywhere. You will see a new rooster no matter how often you eat there.

Pētergailis offers perfectly prepared food and attentive service. The menu features chef-inspired seasonal specials, starters, pasta, soups, mains, and desserts. Beef is one of their specialties. As a starter, we had a tasty grilled shrimp and avocado plate. We also had the special-of-the-day risotto with forest-foraged Chanterelle mushrooms. Pētergailis has indoor and outdoor seating, a full-service bar, and an international wine list.

Standout – Venison is a must-have at Restaurant Pētergailis.

Hidden Gems in Old Town Riga

Every town has hidden gems and local favorites, and Old Town Riga is no exception. Here are a couple of our favorite hidden gems in Old Town Riga.

Andaluzijas Suns

Andaluzijas Suns restaurant is in the center of Riga. The area was once part of a wealthy family’s sprawling home and farm. Today, it is a beautiful, upscale neighborhood with apartments, shops, and restaurants. Few vehicles are allowed, making it a quiet environment for dining.

The European menu offers pasta, steaks, burgers, and fish and chips. We tried two of the chef’s creative dishes. Although you rarely see tacos on a Latvian menu, Mary went for the pulled pork tacos with sun-dried tomato salsa and mixed vegetables.

Kevin had pork fillets stuffed with bacon and flavorful local vegetables. According to Kevin, “The buttery sauce added lushness to the pork and bacon.”

Andaluzijas Suns has an international wine list. This relaxing restaurant also serves cocktails, specialty spritzers, and local beer. We suggest you eat outside in the beautiful courtyard by the fountain.

Standout – Waffles, both sweet and savory, are worth trying at Andaluzijas Suns.

Cydonia Gastropub

Cydonia Gastropub is in the historic Berga Bazārs complex in the heart of Riga. Tucked away on one of the winding walkways in the arcade, it offers a quiet dinner experience.

The menu offers a variety of dishes for all tastes, including entrees of beef, pork, lamb, and chicken. Kevin chose a venison burger with fries. The savory meat was melt-in-your-mouth tender. Mary chose beef goulash, a hearty stew of beef and root vegetables in a thick burgundy gravy. Our dessert selection was Coconut Cheesecake with salted caramel chocolate and fresh berries drizzled with Baileys. It was a sweet ending to a lovely meal.

Cydonia Gastropub has indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is ideal for people-watching and socializing with friends. The indoor area is a haven for quiet conversations and ideal if the weather isn’t cooperating.

Standout – Take time to try the breakfast at Cydonia Gastropub.

Things To Do in Old Town Riga

In Old Town Riga, there are plenty of things to do that will immerse you in the city’s rich history and culture. Stroll through the narrow cobblestone streets lined with medieval buildings. Be astonished by the architecture, including Riga Cathedral and the House of the Blackheads.

Visit the breathtaking Latvian National Opera, a world-class architectural gem, and catch a stunning performance. Then, explore the local markets to sample traditional Latvian delicacies and handmade crafts.

For a panoramic view of the city, head to the top of St. Peter’s Church Tower. Finally, delve into Riga’s artistic side by visiting the many art galleries and museums showcasing traditional and contemporary Latvian art.

Why Take a Foodie Safari in Old Town Riga?

In the heart of Old Town Riga, you’ll discover an array of restaurants serving authentic Latvian dishes and global flavors. Whether nestled on quaint cobblestone lanes or possessing striking vistas of historic sites, these dining establishments promise a rich tapestry for your foodie safari. We invite you to explore Wander With Wonder for more ideas on what to do when you visit Latvia. We also have recommendations for more of our favorite culinary destinations.

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