Riga surprised me. I came for the architecture, stayed for the calm of the Daugava River, and fell hard for the food. Latvian cuisine, especially in Riga, feels like a secret kept too long. It’s hearty, seasonal, earthy, and surprisingly diverse for such a small country. In this post, I’ll walk you through my favorite traditional dishes and desserts in Riga—and more importantly, where to eat them.
🥘 Savory Latvian Dishes You Can’t Miss
1. Grey Peas with Speck (Pelēkie zirņi ar speķi)
Where to eat: Folkklubs Ala Pagrabs
📍Peldu iela 19, Old Town
💶 Average per person: €18–25
📞 Reservation: Call +371 22 844 857
This dish might not sound glamorous, but it stole my heart. The grey peas are firm and earthy, simmered with bits of salty smoked pork belly (speck) and onions. It’s the kind of food that warms you from the inside out. I paired it with their locally brewed dark beer, which brought out even more depth in the flavors. The atmosphere in Folkklubs is rustic and cozy—it feels like a medieval tavern with live music echoing through its vaulted cellar. It’s incredibly popular with locals and tourists alike, so calling ahead is smart.
2. Latvian Cold Beet Soup (Aukstā zupa)
Where to eat: Milda
📍Stabu iela 8
💶 Average per person: €15–22
📞 Reservation: Call +371 67 284 480
I’m not usually a fan of cold soups, but this bright pink bowl made me a believer. It’s a chilled blend of kefir, boiled beets, cucumber, radish, and hard-boiled eggs, with fresh dill and spring onions topping it off. The soup is tangy, refreshing, and absolutely perfect after walking around the city for hours. Milda is a quiet, family-run spot that serves truly home-style Latvian cooking. Their focus is on local ingredients and traditional recipes with a slight modern twist. The service was warm, and the soup—absolutely unforgettable.
3. Pork Schnitzel Latvian Style (Cūkgaļas karbonāde)
Where to eat: Lido Atputas Centrs
📍Krasta iela 76
💶 Average per person: €10–18
📞 Reservation: Call +371 67 707 033
Lido is a Riga institution—massive, folksy, and full of traditional charm. The pork schnitzel here is crispy, juicy, and usually served with roasted potatoes or creamy dill sauce. I grabbed a tray, cafeteria-style, and ate on the terrace overlooking the beer garden. While it’s not fine dining, the experience is incredibly local. Lido is family-friendly, fast, and great for getting a taste of several dishes in one go.
4. Latvian Blood Sausage (Asinsdesa)
Where to eat: 3 Pavāru Restorāns (Three Chefs Restaurant)
📍Torna iela 4, Jēkaba kazarmas
💶 Average per person: €35–50
📞 Reservation: Call +371 20 373 333
This place is where I splurged—and it was worth every cent. Known for reinventing Latvian classics, the chefs here presented blood sausage with horseradish foam, pickled onions, and a beetroot glaze. It was bold, rich, and deeply rooted in local tradition, but plated with elegance and precision. The restaurant is located in a historic complex near the Swedish Gate, making the entire experience feel special. They recommend calling in advance, especially for dinner, as the space is limited.
5. Smoked Fish Plate (Cepta Zivs)
Where to eat: Rozengrāls
📍Rozena iela 1
💶 Average per person: €30–40
📞 Reservation: Call +371 72 491 071
Dining at Rozengrāls is like stepping back into the 13th century. The entire menu is medieval-inspired, and the setting—a candlelit cellar—adds an unforgettable ambiance. I ordered the smoked herring and trout platter, which came with dark rye bread, horseradish, and butter. The flavor of the fish was smoky but clean, not overpowering. And that rye bread? Probably the best I’ve had in the Baltics.
🍰 Don’t Miss These Latvian Sweets
1. Honey Cake (Medus kūka)
Where to eat: Parunāsim kafe’teeka
📍Mazā Pils iela 4
💶 Dessert + coffee: €8–12
📞 Reservation: Call +371 26 565 166
Tucked into a quiet corner of the old town, this whimsical café feels like a secret garden. Their honey cake is soft, layered, and not overly sweet. With every bite, you get honey, cream, and just a hint of caramel. I enjoyed mine under ivy-covered trellises with a rich cappuccino. It was the perfect mid-day break from sightseeing.
2. Rye Bread Pudding (Maizes zupa)
Where to eat: Valtera Restorāns
📍Miesnieku iela 8
💶 Dessert + drink: €10–15
📞 Reservation: Call +371 27 771 707
This dessert was a revelation. Rye bread, dried fruit, and spices are stewed into something that tastes like winter comfort in a bowl—served cold, with whipped cream or ice cream. Valtera Restorāns uses only locally sourced ingredients, and this dessert showcases how something so simple can be so satisfying. It’s nostalgic, a bit tangy, and wonderfully filling.
3. Layered Cranberry Dessert (Kiselis)
Where to eat: Kas dārzā
📍Skārņu iela 10
💶 Dessert: €6–8
📞 Reservation: Call +371 20 216 529
This lesser-known dessert was a pleasant surprise. Tart cranberries are turned into a thick, jelly-like compote layered with milk cream or custard. It’s vibrant in both color and flavor. The restaurant is quaint and colorful, located near the Riga Dome Cathedral. Their focus is on seasonal desserts and herbal teas, so I paired the Kiselis with a mug of wildflower tea and felt completely at peace.
4. Sweet Curd Dumplings (Biezpiena Plācenīši)
Where to eat: Ezītis miglā
📍Blaumaņa iela 34
💶 Average dessert + coffee: €8–10
📞 Reservation: Call +371 26 612 274
Imagine little golden pancakes made of curd cheese, served with sour cream and berry jam. That’s what these dumplings are. Soft on the inside, slightly crispy on the outside, and just a little tangy from the curd. It’s a classic comfort dessert, and Ezītis miglā is a funky, student-friendly café where you can linger for hours.
5. Chocolate Truffle Torte (Šokolādes Kūka)
Where to eat: MiiT Coffee
📍Lāčplēša iela 10
💶 Vegan dessert + latte: €9–12
📞 Reservation: Call +371 27 811 828
For a vegan option, MiiT Coffee delivers some of the best plant-based cakes I’ve had. Their chocolate truffle torte is rich, dense, and deeply satisfying—made without dairy or eggs, yet full of flavor. This spot is also perfect if you’re a digital nomad like me; there’s great coffee, fast Wi-Fi, and plenty of seating.
What struck me most about Riga’s culinary scene is the balance it strikes between rustic heritage and inventive modernity. It’s a city that hasn’t forgotten its roots—dishes passed down through generations still make it onto menus across town, often without frills, exactly as they’ve always been served. And yet, there’s a clear sense of culinary evolution happening too, with young chefs reimagining traditional ingredients and techniques in bold, thoughtful ways.
Take grey peas with speck, for example. At one restaurant, I ate them exactly how a Latvian grandmother might prepare them: slowly simmered, earthy, and comforting. A few nights later, I had them again—only this time, the peas had been puréed, the speck rendered into a smoky foam, and the whole dish plated like modern art. Both versions were delicious, and both were proudly Latvian. That duality is what makes Riga’s food scene so fascinating.
The same goes for dessert. One afternoon I enjoyed rye bread pudding—a dense, spiced mixture served with whipped cream that tasted like holiday nostalgia. The very next day, a café served me a deconstructed version: rye crumble dusted over tangy blackcurrant gel and sour cream mousse, presented in a glass dish shaped like a dewdrop. Again, two completely different experiences, but both paying homage to the same humble, national ingredient—rye bread.
What I love most is that nothing feels forced or trendy for trend’s sake. The chefs here don’t seem to be chasing global culinary fads. Instead, they’re reconnecting with seasonal ingredients, using what’s local, and honoring old traditions—but doing it in a way that feels personal, often playful, and genuinely creative. There’s an authenticity in that which is increasingly rare.
It’s also worth noting that Riga’s culinary landscape is incredibly welcoming and accessible. Whether you’re eating at a high-end fine dining spot or grabbing a snack from a market stall, the food is thoughtful and sincere. You don’t need to break the bank to eat well here. Even in more upscale restaurants, the prices are often half of what you’d pay in major Western European cities for a comparable experience.
And it’s not just about the food—it’s the atmosphere, too. Many of the places I visited were located in beautifully restored historic buildings or tucked away in cozy courtyards. Service was almost always warm, sometimes shy, but never pretentious. In a way, dining in Riga feels like being invited into someone’s home—even in restaurants with white tablecloths and carefully curated wine lists.
If you’re a food lover looking for a destination that hasn’t been overexposed, Riga should absolutely be on your map. It’s a place where every dish tells a story—of survival during harsh winters, of celebration in warmer months, of ingredients grown slowly and prepared with care.
Come hungry—and leave room for cake. You’ll need it.
