With nearly 800 years of domination by a variety of foreign powers you’d think that Latvia would have an interesting and diverse culinary tradition. Today, Latvia still has that same mindset when it comes to their food. When it’s stewed, caraway seeds, grated carrots, softened onions, and, occasionally, cubed pork belly are added. The pinnacle of Latvian cuisine, gray peas with speck has been around for centuries. Her passion and interest in other cultures started at a young age, when traveling with her parents. Caraway seeds give the cheese its recognisable taste, while its round shape conjures up the image of a glowing sun. Lots of potatoes. Enter blood sausage. Best Dining in Riga, Riga Region: See 99,222 Tripadvisor traveler reviews of 1,149 Riga restaurants and search by cuisine, price, location, and more. Your waiter will be able to advise on which brew best matches your chosen dish. Piragi is, neither more nor less, the foundation of traditional Latvian food. If you’ve got a day to spare, definitely venture just under two hours out of Riga, to Valmiermuiža. Riga Lido Restaurant is a popular chain that serves traditional Latvian food. Real traditional Latvian meals Folkklubs Ala Pagrabs. (C) COPYRIGHT EAT YOUR WORLD, LLC 2020- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Happy Lunar New Year to all who celebrate! Lido Alus Seta: Traditional Latvian food - See 1,468 traveler reviews, 527 candid photos, and great deals for Riga, Latvia, at Tripadvisor. If you aren't familiar with Latvian food, you aren't alone! Each building sells something different. Traditional Latvian food is quite heavy, closely linked to the cuisine of close neighbours Germany, Russia and Sweden. Any Latvian will tell you that they’ve forged a special connection with nature, and it is reflected in their cuisine. Meat is common in main dishes, but fish is also common due to the location next to the Baltic Sea. Love made homemade freshly baked Indian bread served with Turkish peas in masala sauce and traditional Indian salad. Where to get it: Riga Black Magic Bar boasts a large selection of balsam-based drinks and sweet treats, like plums in balsam and black balsam ice cream, while B-Bar serves up mouthwatering balsam cocktails (as well as delicious food). One of my biggest shocks in Riga was how good the food was. Universally good! Where to get it: You’d best head to a roadside cafe or a home-style eatery—beware, though, the portion size is enormous! smoked fish © Liga Eglite / Flickr. Made from pork blood and various fillers like barley, oatmeal, and speck, this hearty sausage is usually eaten in winter with lingonberry jam, potatoes, or rye bread. Balsam can be enjoyed on the rocks or, ideally, with a glug of blackcurrant juice. ), vegetable soup and Frikadelle (type of meatball) soup are common varieties. Great traditional Latvian dinner and beer will keep you going during all night long. Must-Try Latvian Foods . The adjacent beer kitchen is a great way to sample different beers, as it offers an affordable beer and food pairing menu. 1. It’s no surprise, then, that smoked fish is a must-eat food in Latvia, and Riga is no exception. Traditional Latvian food is quite heavy, closely linked to the cuisine of close neighbors in Germany, Russia and Sweden. If you’re looking for a more sophisticated take on the humble grain, book a table at one of Riga’s contemporary restaurant. Traditional Latvian, Russian and Jewish dishes neighbor with delicacies from Italy or France, for those who know where to look. Out of a wide range of options to choose from, Latvia is quite a common pick for its food, waterfalls, and architecture in the entire Europe. However, Latvia’s love for this vegetarian dish remains strong throughout the year. Traditional Latvian food is quite heavy, closely linked to the cuisine of close neighbours Germany, Russia and Sweden. FERMA has great buckwheat risotto, and Kolonāde. Additionally, Riga’s top fine-dining establishment, Vincents, serves a sophisticated yet delicious take on this simple dessert. Love it. Vegetarians can find it tough going, read up on our vegetarian and vegan section,  although you can always find potato pancakes on the menu. In Liepāja, cod gets the nod whether fresh, dried or smoked, but most famously in signature dish Liepajas menciņš (smoked cod, potato and onion hotpot). Save to list: My Riga Favourites; Save. 0. It’s not every day that I get an email inviting me to travel to a foreign country as a judge for their 30 Best Restaurants awards. We have you covered. Latvian cuisine typically consists of agricultural products, with meat featuring in most main meal dishes. But that’s exactly what happened one day in January, and a month later I found myself flying AirBaltic to Riga with a packed agenda of restaurants to try. By Ance. Eat Your World guides you to the best local foods + drinks around the globe via curated destination guides by our writers, user contributions, and this EYW blog. It’s made from curd and fresh milk, but eggs and butter are often mixed in for extra creaminess. The diverse spread of tribes, cuisines, climates, architectural display, and an impeccable natural view is good enough to make your heart skip a beat. All topped with whipped cream. They grow, hunt, fish, forage, pickle, smoke, and preserve anything they can get their hands on. Long, cold winters mean foods like pork, cabbage, potatoes and other root vegetables feature prominently. Latvia, the tiny Baltic country sandwiched between Scandinavia and Central Europe, is a fusion of beautiful architecture, a buzzing arts scene, and food like no other. Where to get it: In Riga, Valmiermuiža Embassy shop sells more than 15 craft beers on tap as well as a selection of artisan Latvian produce. You must definitely try it to fully understand the magic of Latvian food. Villages along the Baltic coast have been smoking their fish in one of two ways—hot smoke or cold smoke—for centuries. Much of the Latvian food in Riga descends from its German influence so expect a lot of warming and hearty ingredients such as sausage, potatoes and sauerkraut. Particular attention is paid to the wood that is used to create the smoke, as it has a big impact on the flavor. With the Baltic Sea, the many rivers snaking through the country, and lakes peppered across the land, there’s an abundance of fresh fish in Latvia. No decent Latvian Christmas table is imaginable without hot stewed sauerkraut. [eat-load-this]/info/riga-traditional-food.html[/eat-load-this]. A distinctly Latvian soup is Maizes zupa, or Latvian bread soup which is actually served as a dessert and consists of black bread, fruits and cream. About the author: Latvian-born Karlina Valeiko lived in Scotland and the Netherlands before moving to London to obtain a master’s degree and pursue a career in journalism. In 2013, the sklandrausis became the first Latvian food to be listed in the EU’s Traditional Specialties Guaranteed (TSG) registry meaning that only a pie created according to a specific recipe can be called a sklandrausis. If your time is limited, however, try any of the food markets in Riga (including Central Market), or a beloved fish restaurant like Dome. Unlike with German sauerkraut, Latvians have several types of pickle: sweet, salty, or sour. Riga is home to Europe's biggest food market, housed in five former Zeppelin hangars. When in the city center, try LIDO, a bistro-style canteen that serves traditional Latvian dishes to a soundtrack of Latvian folk songs. Grown and eaten in the Baltic region for centuries, buckwheat is a staple ingredient of Latvian food, and no kitchen pantry is imaginable without it. What to pair with Latvian food? As in many other cultures, Latvian farmers had to learn to use all of the animal, head to tail, out of necessity due to poverty and the cold, harsh winters. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Forget the stereotypes. Rye Bread Pudding – This traditional dessert is made from sweetened and dried rye bread, dried apples, cinnamon and raisins along with apricots, plums, cranberries or seasonal berries. The food tour across Riga starts in one of the oldest European food markets based in former zeppelin hangars, and finishes in a cozy restaurant or bar on the Daugava river shore or in the old town. The Old Town location can be crowded, so it’s probably best to visit the location at Elizabetes iela 65. There is a lot of deliciousness in traditional Latvian cuisine, and over the past 20 years the fine dining options have grown more sophisticated. Come @[1130413357090968:274:Wolt] and order or call + 371 28234468, order 15 % off and get locally on Hansas Street 16. You can book a visit to the brewery, sample up-and-coming beers, and satisfy your hunger in the exceptional restaurant. This pink concoction made of beet, dill, small cucumber cubes, and slices of boiled egg is as light and refreshing as it gets. Here is a list of the traditional food in Latvia. Regardless of the season, intrepid … Alus, or beer, of course! I mean, it’s cooked in cauldrons… If you’re looking for somewhere quick to eat in Riga, look no further than the many street food stands. In addition to the traditional foods, you'll also find a growing number of contemporary restaurants. Bacon Rolls (Pirāgi): Best straight from the oven, pirāgi is half-moon shaped rolls stuffed with bacon, onions and eggs, and served with a cup of chicken broth. During 2018 Latvia will commemorate a … Liepajas menciņš is a signature dish of Liepaja, which is made from smoked cod, potatoes, and onions. Reservation in the restaurant private area. #vegstop #foodtruck #veganfood #veggies #vegan #food #yummy #tasty #delicious #riga #latvia #burger #wrap #green #govegan #gogrean #happy #healthy … Where to get it: Key to Riga restaurant serves an array of classical Latvian cuisine, including gray peas with speck. Where to get it: The freshest smoked fish can be found north of Riga, in the coastal towns of Saulkrasti and Zvejniekciems, where fishermen sell their own smoked catch in local markets. The Central Food Market of Riga, Latvia. A traditional Latvian speciality, this sour-milk cheese is the culinary highlight of the midsummer solstice celebration in Riga. Now she’s explored most of Europe. What Traditional Latvian Foods to eat in Riga. Key to Riga: A traditional restaurant set to the medieval backdrop of Old Riga, it serves big, hearty meals that have been eaten in this region for centuries. There are many jokes to be had about former Soviet countries’ lack of cuisine. In order to promote Latvian cuisine and gourmet setting of the country, Riga has come up with an initiative of organising Latvia food festivals that allows visitors and tourists to indulge in some exceptional Baltic food. Although the well know expression is when in Rome, it can be equally relevant when in Riga. At other times of the year, head to the Riga Central Market, where you can sample different pickles before choosing your favorite. Traditionally, it can be enjoyed with just a spoonful of butter stirred through or with a big dollop of sour cream. You can read about traditional Latvian food or take our Latvian Food Tasting Tour to find out more about local cuisine and food culture. The abundance of grains grown around here means that almost every midsize town has its own brewery. Riviera. There is a bigger food selection and it will be easier to find a table. Where to get it: In Old Town, try Salve or Milda; both of these popular spots usually offer traditional-style blood sausages. The people of Latvia usually eat three meals a day. Last spring I put, Drink this South African Liqueur, Save Elephants, Where to Get Takeout + Delivery in Queens Right Now, Quintessential Dakar: What to Eat in Senegal, Gift Guide: 10 Ways to Support NYC Restaurants This Holiday Season, Thrive Market Review: Why We’ve Been Members for 2 Years. Street Food for a Midday Snack. Latvian cuisine is one of the top reasons to visit this city, so you won't want to leave without trying the … Here are eight Latvian foods not to miss, and where to eat them in Riga.