Where to Eat in Riga, Latvia City Guide & Map of the Best Restaurants

Riga, the capital of Latvia and the largest city in the Baltics, is a cultural hub known for its striking medieval old town and art nouveau architecture. In recent years the culinary landscape of the city has shifted, with many young chefs stepping up and opening exciting new concepts. Chefs are dreaming big and aiming high, searching for high-quality ingredients, putting an emphasis on sustainability, and working together to promote Riga’s exciting and diverse culinary scene. But there’s also exciting concepts outside of the capital, from the beaches of Jūrmala to the medieval town of Cēsis. Food is what drew us to visit Latvia, and we were impressed with what we discovered.

In this foodie map, we have gathered all our Latvia favorites. You’ll find everything from fine dining restaurants to bakeries to natural wine bars to specialty coffee shops, in Riga, Kuldīga, Jūrmala, Cēsis, Līgatne, and Valmiera. Navigate the map easily either by scrolling through the list on the right or by clicking the points on the map. Places are listed in a geographical order.

Max Cekot and his wife, Natalia, sold everything they owned in order to create their dream restaurant, Max Cekot Kitchen. They converted an old factory on the outskirts of Riga into a breathtaking restaurant space, where they designed every detail by hand – from the tables, to the chef's counter, to the light fixtures, to the ceramics. The concept is garden-to-table, as 80% of their ingredients are grown themselves in the garden right outside the restaurant. Cekot takes the use of edible flowers to the next level, not just using them as decoration or flavor enhancers, but often as replacements of other ingredients like salt, pepper, sugar, or lemon. This is a fine dining restaurant worth traveling for – it’s in a league of its own in Latvia. Max Cekot Kitchen was the first restaurant to receive a Michelin star in the country.

Who would have guessed that we’d have one of the best pizzas of our life in Latvia? Peppo’s opened in the old town in 2022, and instantly made quite the name for themselves in Riga’s food scene. An Italian chef taught them the style of “contemporanea” (contemporary) pizza, where the crust is bigger than the traditional Neapolitan style, really thick and fluffy. The dough is absolutely amazing here – on another level! We loved the carbonara pizza, with fior di latte, egg yolk, pecorino, guanciale, and crushed black pepper, and the truffle pizza, with fior di latte, speck, black truffle, and white truffle olive oil.

Our top recommendation for a casual dinner in Riga is to visit 3 Pavāru, the “Three Chef Restaurant.” You guessed it, there are three chefs in the kitchen here, and modern Latvian food is what’s on the menu. The dishes highlight the region’s top local ingredients, so we went à la carte to try as much as possible. Highlights included the fjord trout with zucchini and elderberry sauce, the whipped goat cheese and beetroots, the ostrich tartare, and the Latvian sirloin steak with truffle potatoes. Even the bread course is a work of art!

Barents has only been open since 2019, but it has already made quite a splash in Riga’s food scene, earning itself the title of one of the city’s best restaurants. Located in the heart of the old town, Barents has a cocktail bar, an outdoor patio for sunny days, and a stunning dining room. In the main restaurant, you can order à la carte dishes or a creative tasting menu. We opted for the latter, and enjoyed a seasonal meal that emphasized the importance of sustainability and reducing waste.

We’re always on the hunt for the best ice cream, and in Riga we found it at Molberts. The name means “easel” in Latvian, because, in their words, “it's not just ice cream, it's a work of art.” Their ice cream creations are made from the best local and all-natural ingredients, resulting in fun flavors like banana peanut butter, lemon poppyseed, pecan cinnamon, rhubarb and oat, and vanilla honey cake with passion fruit. Their cookie dough ice cream is the best we've had! Molberts has a few locations in Riga, including one at the Agenskalns Market.

A stop at Kūkotava is a must for any pastry lovers in Riga. The charming café is split into two sections, one for French-inspired viennoiserie (croissants and baked goods) and another which focuses more on patisserie (cakes and sweets). We spent our time primarily on the bakery side, where we indulged in a cinnamon croissant, a classic canelé, a Pain Suisse, and, our favorite, a laminated pastry sandwich filled with ham and Gruyère, served warm. Wow! We’ve never had a pastry like that before – it was almost like a croque monsieur, but with pastry instead of bread!

For the most authentic Georgian food in Riga, look no further than Hačapuri Meitene. It’s here that we had the best khachapuri of our life, to date. We tried both the Imeruli hačapuri (the closed khachapuri filled with homemade Georgian cheese) and the Adjaruli hačapuri (the open-faced cheese boat filled with homemade Georgian cheese, and topped with an egg yolk and butter). Tearing the bread from the sides of the bowl and dipping it into the gooey cheese is our idea of heaven! But don’t stop there – fill your table with khinkali (juicy dumplings filled with beef and Georgian herbs), eggplant rolls, and salads with walnut sauce.

This wonton shop has a small but mighty menu, with just three types of dumplings served with or without chicken broth. Our favorite variety was the shrimp and pork, simply drizzled with chili crunch, though we also loved dipping the plain shrimp wontons in the spicy mayo. Riis’ chili oil might be the best we’ve ever had, with hints of candied nuts and cinnamon blending perfectly with the spicy chilis – an incredible sweetness that balances out the heat so well! Finish with cream-filled mochi for dessert; colorful choices include lemon curd, mango cream, and miso chocolate.

Kūre Ceptuve is a bakery specializing in pastéis de nata with two locations in Riga. Of course, you’ll find the classic Portuguese egg tart on the shelves, alongside fun flavors like pistachio, peanut butter, and apple custard, and even a savory pastel de nata filled with ham and cheese. Kūre also serves Latvian specialties like cottage cheese and apple tarts, as well as Scandinavian-inspired pastries like cardamom and cinnamon buns, plum tarts, and sausage rolls. To go with your sweet treats, enjoy a specialty latte made with Kalve coffee. The pumpkin spice latte is the best we’ve ever had, with a spicy homemade syrup, and the cardamom mocha is deliciously rich and salty.

A perfect day in Riga for us would always start at Kalve, a roaster with a few cafés in Riga. Kalve serves the best coffee in town, as well as delicious Nordic-inspired pastries, which they bake themselves. Our favorites were the Comte cheese twist, the lemon cardamom bun, and the coconut coffee swirl, which reminded us of a Danish “drømmekage” (dream cake). Choose from their large selection of beans if you’d like an Origami Dripper or AeroPress coffee – we sampled coffees from Kenya, Peru, Brazil, and Guatemala on our visits. And be sure to try their vanilla nitro latte – it’s addicting!

Riga has no shortage of Georgian restaurants, but Babo puts a modern twist on traditional cuisine. While the extensive menu includes classics like khachapuri and khinkali, our favorite items here are from the grill. Skewers of meat are served with pita bread, vegetables, and a variety of sauces, such as satsebeli (tomato sauce) and herb matsoni (a yogurt sauce similar to tzatziki). We especially loved the juicy pork shashlik and the Angus beef and Iberico pork lula (meatballs). Wash it all down with a Tarragon Sour, a cocktail inspired by the classic Georgian lemonade.

Mikla, another of Riga's top bakeries, now has two locations, including one in the Grand Hotel Kempinski. The cinnamon swirl pastry is our favorite here – it’s so moist and buttery! We also love the Danish filled with pistachio cream and topped with strawberries. In addition to sweet and savory seasonal pastries and sourdough bread, they also serve coffee from local roaster Kalve.

Lowine is an all-day restaurant, bar, and natural wine shop – and it just might be the only purely natural wine-focused bar in Riga. Their list features some of our favorite producers, including Milan Nestarec, Testalonga, and Christian Tschida. Sit in the charming back courtyard which is illuminated by string lights, and enjoy smaller snacks or maybe a “burger dog,” where a hot dog bun is filled with minced meat and caramelized onions.

Rocket Bean is a coffee shop and roastery with five locations in Riga. Choose from a large selection of filter coffees for a v60 or Chemex. We tried the washed Ethiopia Sidama with notes of lime, gingerbread, milk oolong tea, jasmine, and the natural Ethiopia Guji with notes of Earl Grey, apricot, lychee, cream, and toffee. They also serve espresso-based drinks, sandwiches, and pastries, and they have both indoor and outdoor seating as well as WiFi.

Snatch is a modern Italian restaurant from The Catch Family restaurant group with a trendy interior design. Pasta is a must here (it’s all made in house!) – our favorites were the pasta caramelle with fresh black truffle, and the spaghetti with red Sicilian prawns and stracciatella. They also serve Italian-inspired classics like vitello tonnato, as well as rotating seasonal specials highlighting local ingredients.

Like the name implies, Tails is a seafood-focused restaurant that specializes in dry-aged fish. Some are aged for just a few days, while others are hung for weeks in their dry-aging chamber to maximize intensity of flavor. We tried the dry-aged tuna ceviche, which had deep, rich notes. If we tasted it blind we could have guessed it was beef tartare instead of tuna! We also loved the sea scallop and prawn tartare, as well as the fish kebab, where skewers made of catfish and salmon are served alongside pita and other condiments so you can assemble your own sandwich. If you don’t want a full meal, you can also sit at the raw bar for oysters and other fresh seafood dishes. Save room for the honey cake!

Bottle shop and bar Noble Wine is a must-visit for wine lovers in Riga. The bar offers rotating options on its glass list, but you can also select any bottle from the shop to enjoy at the bar with a small corkage fee. Their collection is extensive, with hundreds of bottles (classic and natural) catering to all preferences and price points, from affordable options to rare, legendary bottles from Burgundy and beyond. Noble Wine has a large Champagne selection, featuring both growers and prominent Champagne houses. The sommeliers provided excellent recommendations; we described our taste, and they guided us to a bottle that perfectly matched our preference. It’s easy to see why this spot has become a Riga institution over the past decade.

Truff Le Pig is a newer addition to Riga, a super hip wine bar with a focus on natural wine and Champagne. (Gasp! Was it designed just for us?!) Sitting on the street sipping wine in the sun, it felt like we were back in Copenhagen… or perhaps in Paris. Their by-the-glass wines are presented in a charming wire basket, and their menu is full of tasty, decadent bar snacks like the beef tartare sando and the truffle dog.

If you’re in the mood for mezze, blast off to Space Falafel, where the natural wine and cocktails are flowing, and there are many small plates for sharing. You’re gonna need lots of the fluffy pita on your table, and many a dip for dunking! Both the falafel and the chicken shawarma come served on top of hummus, with a variety of sides, from green salad to eggplant to cabbage. Add on the baba ghanoush for a little smokiness, and the amba sauce for a sweet and spicy kick.

For the best sushi in Riga, visit The Catch, where the chefs source high-quality, fresh fish to craft their dishes. Start with some sashimi and nigiri (the fatty tuna is the must-order here!), continue with a crudo and a sushi roll or two, and finish with tempura. (There are also bigger bowls and dishes from the robata grill if you’re looking for something heartier.) Don’t miss the bluefin tuna crudo with truffle ponzu and shiso or the hamachi crudo with yuzu ponzu – these were our favorites!

The team from the trendy, gluten-free bakery Better Bread is behind one of Riga’s best new eateries. Māsa’s à la carte menu highlights seasonal ingredients from Latvia – the restaurant works with local farmers and fishermen to source the highest quality produce. Our favorite starters were the creamy white bean hummus with harissa and the chicken liver pâté with walnut jam. Mains are hearty and satisfying – rich dishes like veal cheeks with polenta, chicken thigh with potato mash, and generous bowls of handmade pasta topped with burrata. But whatever you do, don’t leave without ordering dessert – these are the most creative in Riga! We loved the poached pear swimming in vanilla sauce, but the star of the show was the sweet corn pavlova with apricot coulis.

When the burger cravings hit, head to Boo the Burger for a quick fix. But this is not your typical fast food restaurant – here, you can have a glass of Champagne alongside your smash burger! All the burgers are made from freshly ground, wet-aged Latvian beef. We tried the Double Smash with cheese, onions, pickles, and secret sauce, and the Mac Daddy, with cheese, caramelized onions, bacon, and mustard. Both burgers were delicious! Don’t skip the truffle fries – they’re covered in a pile of parmesan and served with a creamy truffle mayo.

We had one of the best brunches of our lives at Café Mimosa! This Riga hotspot is worth the hype, open daily serving all-day breakfast and lunch. We spooned creamy coconut milk porridge, sliced open a French omelette oozing stracciatella and shaved truffles, and even indulged in crispy, bite-sized hash browns topped with sour cream and caviar. Ending on a sweet note, we savored honeycomb butter and blueberry jam-slathered pancakes, along with pistachio-crusted French toast drizzled with salted caramel.

The tiny but charming café, The Ned, serves bean-to-bar chocolate and specialty coffee. The intimate space has a modern yet cozy feel, perfect for sipping a cup of coffee while reading a book. We tried two pour-overs from Rocket Bean Roastery, brewed on a state-of-the-art La Marzocco Modbar machine – a washed Peruvian with notes of cranberry, fudge, and vanilla, and a natural Brazilian with notes of chocolate, hazelnut, plum, and blood orange.

A22 is Riga’s sleekest hotel, a boutique property with a chic design and a stunning location by the Viesturdārzs park. The spacious rooms are outfitted with big closets, bath tubs and rain showers, and, most importantly, very comfortable beds. The hotel also has a gym, sauna, as well as a cocktail bar that served us some of our favorite drinks in Riga. Even if you’re not a hotel guest, swing by Jackie Bar to try one of their signature cocktails. We love the Tropical Passion (with pineapple-infused rum, apricot liqueur, lime, and passion fruit) and the Jasmine Bergamot Sour.

Riga’s top ramen shop is Shōyu, which serves authentic Japanese ramen. Their menu includes a variety of different ramens, from shio to shoyu to miso to tonkotsu. (If you’re looking to splurge, Shōyu even serves a ramen with A5 wagyu for €40!) We enjoyed the Premium Shōyu, a rich ramen with a truffle-infused chicken and dashi broth, a marinated egg, pumpkin, bamboo, scallions, and duck breast. We also liked the Karai Miso, with a chicken and dashi broth, sous vide chicken, pork belly, and spicy chili oil with crisps. They also have small dishes such as yakitori and karaage.

B7 is a bistro-style restaurant with a modern, seasonal menu. The focaccia is a must-order – a bouncy, spongy cloud of bread that pairs perfectly with the small plates. The gochujang beef tartare with crispy onions was our favorite starter, though we also really enjoyed the rich chicken liver pâté with port wine, lingonberry marmalade, and toast. For mains, we tried a juicy chicken served with a Mexican-inspired pibil sauce and autumn vegetables, and a striploin steak accompanied by caramelized onions and beef jus.

Another high-quality pizza spot in Riga is Street Pizza, which makes artisan Neapolitan-style pies. They import high-quality Italian ingredients and use a wood-fired oven to bake their pizza, which results in a crust with lots of leoparding (black spots). They have almost twenty varieties of pizza on their menu – we tried the pesto pizza topped with mortadella, burrata, and pistachios. Street Pizza also has a second location on Elizabetes iela.

Old train station turned pizzeria, Stacija Vaivari, is your one-stop shop for great pizza in Jūrmala. The menu reads like a train schedule, as all the pizzas are named after local train stations. There are a dozen menu staples, as well as a rotating weekly special – on our visit, a pumpkin sauce pizza with smoked mozzarella, parmesan, pancetta, chili flakes, and toasted hazelnuts. Autumnal perfection! We also loved the Bulduri pizza with tomato sauce, garlic, pesto, roasted cherry tomatoes, and burrata. All aboard!

Sustainability is the name of the game at Kopa Taste, where everything is homemade with ingredients from local farmers and produce from the Latvian countryside, forests, and waters. The owners even have an organic farm where they raise Highlander beef and venison, which they dry-age in-house. Yes, there’s plenty of meat on the menu (and the smoker outside allows them to experiment with barbecue dishes in the summer!), but there’s fish and vegetables too – local trout, foraged mushrooms, potatoes topped with local cheese foam, and Jerusalem artichokes. Food waste is also a focus here—beer bread is made using leftover beer from Duna Brewery, served with whipped beef fat. There’s no waste at Kopa Taste!

Duna Brewery was the first spot to open in the Kaļķu ielas kvartāls (Kaļķu Street Quarter), an industrial zone in the Soviet era that has been transformed into an artsy, creative hub. This Kuldīga microbrewery produces craft beers, lemonades, and bottled cocktails made with top-quality ingredients. They experiment a lot – for example, one cocktail is made with Champagne yeast, while some sour beers are aged in Burgundy wine barrels. Swing by the taproom for a tasting, or come during the summer when they have outdoor concerts and festivals.

Celms is a tiny hole-in-the-wall bakery and café in the town of Kuldīga. Step through the wooden door and enter a gluten paradise, with shelves upon shelves filled with bread loaves, baguettes, and pastries. We nibbled on classic Latvian cookies, an almond cake, and Celms’ take on a Snickers bar. If you’re craving something more substantial, there are various grilled cheese sandwiches and a breakfast plate with an egg, cheese, ham, bread, and salad. There’s great coffee, too – espresso-based drinks, filter coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

A bit off the beaten path in Latvia is Pavāru Māja (“The Chefs' House”), a fine dining restaurant hidden in the woods in Līgatne. Pavāru Māja has been awarded for its sustainability efforts, using local Latvian produce when possible, including vegetables from their greenhouses, foraged mushrooms, local trout, and wild game. However, they’re not afraid to import luxury ingredients like Japanese wagyu or North Sea cod when higher quality is available abroad. Pavāru Māja offers a four-course tasting menu for lunch and an extended eight-course menu for dinner.

The best restaurant in Cēsis is Kest, a fine dining restaurant from chef Māris Jansons featuring a five-course tasting menu. The experience begins with bite-sized finger foods, continues with dishes showcasing local Latvian fish and venison, and finishes with a dramatic, honey-themed dessert presentation. But the night doesn’t end there – after the meal, guests are invited into a dark, moody lounge for after-dinner drinks and sweets.

Kēkss is a gem of a bakery in Valmiera. The shop serves a variety of filled croissants, including black currant and vanilla cream, sea buckthorn, chocolate hazelnut, almond, and a savory ham and cheese pastry. We also loved the tonka bean cream-filled cruffin, and the moist orange cake. With Kalve coffee beans in the espresso bar, this is the best coffee you’ll find outside of Riga!

Inside an old post office in Valmiera is Akustika, a music-inspired restaurant with a small concert hall upstairs. This is easily the city’s top eatery, with lots of local Latvian produce on offer. The restaurant is family-friendly, yet the food is refined, with à la carte options like creamy fish soup, beef tartare, venison carpaccio, and Arctic char filet served with sauce beurre blanc. After your meal, stay for a music event and perhaps enjoy an evening cocktail at the bar.