Latvia - high-quality food culture with ancient traditions and a unique range of flavours.
Latvia offers a diverse, high-quality gastronomic culture that delights both locals and visitors. Restaurants of various styles and cuisines meet the highest standards, ensuring a delightful gastronomic experience for the most demanding of visitors.
The development of the tourism has placed special emphasis on cuisine, which has become an important part of Latvia's image. In this article, we explore the culinary traditions of Latvia, restaurants that offer a quality meal at a friendly price, excellent regional restaurants where you can enjoy quality and atmosphere, and a special treat for every sophisticated gourmet – restaurants included in the MICHELIN guide.
With this article, we hope to help business people more easily find suitable and high-quality restaurants where they can enjoy a meal near their conference and business event venues. It mainly describes restaurants in cities that are traditionally popular with business people – Riga, Jūrmala, Valmiera, Cēsis and Liepāja.
Latvian culinary traditions
Latvian culinary traditions are rich and diverse. Having developed over centuries, they reflect the unique characteristics of each region. Latvian cuisine is based primarily on local agricultural products, including rye, potatoes, wheat, barley, cabbage, onions, eggs, pork and dairy products, as well as fish and other local products. One example of an old Latvian dish is boiled peas with fried bacon and onions. Latvian national dishes use local herbs, such as dill, or other spices, but in small quantities, so they are rarely spicy or peppery, except when garlic is used. It is added to sour cream sauces, and you get a popular snack – a piece of rye bread fried in oil and rubbed with garlic, or garlic toast. Soups are also popular in Latvian cuisine, usually made from various vegetables and meat. Milk soups are also popular. In the spring – sorrel soup, served with a boiled egg. In the summer – cold beetroot soup. Various vegetables, salads, green onions, cucumbers, dill, parsley, and various vegetables, such as beets, carrots, kohlrabi, zucchini, radishes and pumpkins, are widely used throughout the year. Boiled or grilled fava beans, eaten with their skins, is a special delicacy, which is drunk with a fermented milk drink. Latvia has a long coastline, as well as many lakes and rivers inland, so various fish dishes have been historically popular. Even today, fish is an integral part of Latvian cuisine. Smoked fish is a popular and tasty delicacy. Smoked foods in general are characteristic of Latvian cuisine.
A quality meal in Riga at an affordable price
There are many budget restaurants in Riga and throughout Latvia that offer great meals and drinks at affordable prices. In these places, you can enjoy both traditional Latvian dishes and the delights of international cuisine. In Riga, with so much culinary competition, catering companies have to adjust their prices, so some companies offer quality meals at a friendly price, and this, of course, attracts visitors.
Lido (Riga and other cities). A popular restaurant that offers a wide selection of dishes at affordable prices, while maintaining high quality. The menu mainly includes traditional Latvian dishes.
Lidojošā varde (Riga). A cute and cozy restaurant located in one of the most beautiful neighbourhoods of Riga – the Quiet Centre. The menu here offers both traditional Latvian dishes and international cuisine. The restaurant is especially popular at lunchtime, when you can enjoy a classic lunch here for a more affordable price.
Karbonādes (Riga). This restaurant, located in the Grīziņkalns area, is a great place to enjoy not only chops, but also mussels and other delicious dishes. Chops come in various types here, from pork or chicken to zucchini, so every food lover can find something suitable for themselves.
ALA Pagrabs (Riga). If you want to enjoy authentic Latvian cuisine, this is the place to go. From garlic toast and ancient Latvian grain stew to specific meat dishes – the choice of dishes is wide and delicious. There is always a lively and fun atmosphere here, and there are often live music and dance evenings.
Restaurants outside Riga
Akustika (Valmiera). The restaurant is located in the old Valmiera Post and Telegraph Building, on Diakonāta Street, which is one of the grandest buildings in Valmiera. The “Akustika” team, combining their experience and professional knowledge gained over the years, has created a warm place where you can leisurely enjoy a historical atmosphere, world flavours, exhibitions and musical performances.
Valmiermuiža beer kitchen and beer garden (Valmiera region). In the old barn building, located near the brewery, a modern Latvian cuisine has been created, where you can leisurely enjoy the well-known Valmiermuiža beer and feel the hospitality of the hosts.
The grill bar House of Light (Jūrmala) is located on Jomas Street in Majori and offers an extensive, sophisticated Latvian and European menu that will please every gourmet. Every Sunday throughout the year, everyone can enjoy a delicious breakfast in the restaurant's leisurely atmosphere. Latvian taste, modern and comfortable atmosphere, high quality and simple sophistication – this is House of Light.
36. Line Grill Restaurant (Jūrmala). Surrounded by sand dunes and magnificent pine forests, a few meters from the sea lies 36.line Grill Restaurant. One of the basic elements of the restaurant's cuisine is fire – a charcoal grill, on which the fish and meat dishes are prepared by the chefs, imparting a rich bouquet of flavours. With the first warm rays of spring sunshine, you can comfortably settle on the summer terrace, indulge in the sea air and the scent of pine trees and enjoy delicious food and drinks.
Latvian restaurants included in the MICHELIN guide
While in Latvia, you should definitely enjoy the culinary masterpieces of Latvia recommended by the MICHELIN expert team. The prestigious MICHELIN guide offers 31 gourmet destinations in Latvia – 2 restaurants with one MICHELIN star, 3 MICHELIN “Bib Gourmand” restaurants, 1 restaurant with a MICHELIN Green Star and 26 other MICHELIN recommended restaurants.
1 MICHELIN star for Latvian cuisine:
Max Cekot (Riga). This restaurant is a surprisingly sophisticated place, with a carefully thought-out interior. The restaurant is open only three days a week and only offers a set menu. The restaurant’s menu changes according to the seasons, using the highest quality products available in each season. The meal can be complemented with a carefully selected selection of wines and non-alcoholic beverages.
JOHN chef's hall (Riga). This restaurant offers visitors a unique Latvian culinary experience, and each selected product is highlighted during the tasting, turning it into a unique and one-of-a-kind taste experience. The number of seats is limited – only four tables and 10 seats, and there is a view of the kitchen area, which gives an exclusive opportunity to watch how the meals are prepared.
Bib Gourmand Award for Latvian cuisine
Milda (Riga). Traditional recipes are the order of the day at this restaurant, and the service is warm and welcoming. Here you can enjoy the classics of Latvian gastronomy – traditional grey peas with smoked bacon and sour cream, herring with potatoes, sour cream and onion vinaigrette, creamy boletus soup served in a bread crust and other dishes.
Bib Gourmand Award for International Cuisine
Riga has become a distinctly international city in recent years, so it is no surprise that the flavours of local cuisine are also complemented by traditional Asian and Italian cuisines, which have also deservedly received a MICHELIN rating.
Shōyu (Riga). The word shōyu in Japanese means soy sauce, which is considered an integral ingredient in almost every Asian dish. Every week the restaurant prepares new offers to delight guests.
Snatch (Riga). A modern Italian restaurant offering dishes from different regions of Italy. The menu is based on the Italian culinary philosophy: only the highest quality ingredients, simple recipes and pure, excellent taste. If you want to enjoy meals in a friendly atmosphere, this restaurant will be a great choice.
MICHELIN Green Star for Latvian cuisine
Pavāru māja (Līgatne). The dishes offered in this restaurant are seasonal and modern, made from the highest quality local and wild produce, prepared with special love.
Some more MICHELIN-recommended restaurants
Kest (Cēsis). The restaurant’s motto is that food is not just about the quality of ingredients, but also about the quality of thought. A meal at Kest is a pleasant experience that will delight your taste buds, whether you’re enjoying something classic or something completely new.
H.E. Vanadziņš (Cēsis). The restaurant has a hospitable and friendly atmosphere. The extensive menu offers dishes ranging from tasty soups and salads to delicious flatbreads and hearty dishes, the preparation of which is inspired by the nature of Northern Latvia. Meat, fish and vegetables come from local farmers, but non-alcoholic drinks and cocktails use homemade ingredients.
MO Liepāja (Liepāja). In the relaxed atmosphere of MO Liepāja, you can enjoy food for different tastes, from foie gras and truffle starters to pork ribs and venison burgers. Excellent cocktails, light and delicious desserts, a thoughtful interior and professional service. MO Liepāja also offers delicious lunches on weekdays.
