Riga, the capital of Latvia , is a city appreciated both for its artistic and cultural beauties, and for its culinary tradition made up of strong and spicy flavors, the result of Nordic influences (especially Swedish, German and Russian).
Although the Latvian cuisine is based on vegetables and ingredients such as cabbage, herring and potatoes, the protagonist of many dishes is also meat, especially pork and game. Especially popular are soups such as vegetable or chicken soups and dairy products, such as creamy cheeses.
Being on the sea, Riga also offers fish delicacies, mainly salmon, sardine, herring and eel cooked in different ways (smoked, fried and marinated) and served as an appetizer or main course. The drink par excellence is beer : you will almost never find foreign brands, but local beers (in particular the Aldaris brand) and, therefore, your tasting will always be a surprise!
Let’s see together, therefore, what are the 10 things to eat absolutely in Riga .
1 – Fried Herring Fried
herring is a very tasty appetizer and is served with sour cream, a particularly popular sauce, and onions. They are simply mixed with a mixture of egg, flour and salt and then fried in oil.
- Recommended for : lunch and dinner
- Average cost : €6.00
- Main ingredients : herring, flour, egg
2 – Speka Piradzini
Photo by Evilmonkey0013. Speka Piradzini looks a lot like our calzones, with a tasty filling encased in a golden bread. They are made with Latvian bread usually filled with bacon and onion , although each family has their own recipe. They are prepared for the holidays or eaten as a snack, when the size is smaller, but they also lend themselves to being a main meal when, on the other hand, they are larger. As well as in restaurants, they are readily available in stands as street food.
- Recommended for : snack and lunch
- Average cost : €5.00
- Main ingredients : flour, bacon, onions
3 – Skaba Putra
Photo of Benreis. Soups are very popular in Latvia and Skaba putra is one of them. It is a fresh and velvety soup made with sour cream and barley. It is said to be very refreshing and rejuvenating: to try!
- Recommended for : lunch and dinner
- Average cost : €6.00
- Main ingredients : barley, sour cream
4 – Borshch
Photo by Kulinar1952. We are still talking about soups which, as mentioned, are very popular and consequently there are several variants. Borsch, made from beets, is the mother of all soups: with its unmistakable red color, it can be made only with vegetables or integrated with chicken meat. This soup is a real panacea for our body, with its many properties, and allows you to stay in line low in fat … but rich in taste!
- Recommended for : lunch and dinner
- Average cost : €6.00
- Main ingredients : beets, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, meat (optional)
5 – Rupjmaize
Photo of Bearas. Rupjmaize is a typical Riga black bread made of rye flour. It will not be difficult to taste it, because you will find it almost everywhere, ready to accompany lunches and dinners. It is a sweet and sour bread rich in nutritional properties and of which Latvians are very proud: for them it is a symbol of family tradition and hard work.
You can find Rupjmaize in almost any restaurant, bakery, and it will probably be part of your hotel’s breakfast buffet as well.
- Recommended for : always
- Average cost : €3.00
- Main ingredients : rye flour, water, sugar
6 – Rasols
Photo of Viethavvh. Rasols is a particular Latvian salad served as an appetizer or side dish. It is made from potatoes, carrots and peas mixed with mayonnaise and, sometimes, diced sausage or wurstel are added. We can say that it looks a lot like Russian salad!
- Recommended for : lunch and dinner
- Average cost : €9.00
- Main ingredients : potatoes, carrots, pieselli, mayonnaise
7 – Debessmanna
Photo of Xil. There are many Latvian desserts that delight the palate and, most of them, are based on honey, prunes and berries. One of the sweetest is Debessmanna: a soft milk mousse with blueberries, currants, strawberries, raspberries and other berries. It is often served in restaurants and bars, but Latvians like to make it at home too.
- Recommended for : dessert at the end of a meal or snack
- Average cost : €5.00
- Main ingredients : milk, berries, sugar
8 – Klingeris
Photo of NobbiP. With the Klingeris we are still in the field of sweets: they are biscuits prepared with raisins, almonds and saffron with a delicious scent of cardamom. With the same ingredients, Klingeris can also take different forms from biscuits: it can have the appearance of a braid or a German pretzel.
- Recommended for : snack
- Average cost : €5.00
- Main ingredients : flour, raisins, saffron, cardamom, eggs
9 – Smoked Salmon
Salmon is one of the main ingredients in Latvian cuisine and is truly cooked in every way, but smoked is one of the most popular ways. It is a hearty and very tasty dish, often accompanied by potatoes, sauces or vegetables as a side dish.
- Recommended for : lunch and dinner
- Average cost : €20.00
- Main ingredients : salmon, potatoes, vegetables
10 – Beef stew
Another dish to try is the beef stew: a meat stew usually served with vegetables (especially cabbage). In Riga, meat in a “stewed” and braised version, it must be said, is present almost everywhere. The meat of the stew is very tender and the dish overall and substantial: it certainly won’t disappoint you!
- Recommended for : lunch and dinner
- Average cost : €18.00
- Main ingredients : meat, broth, vegetables, onion
Where to eat in Riga: best restaurants, typical bars and street food
Riga’s gastronomic tradition is based on seasonal raw materials , such as vegetables, which are often found on Latvian tables in the form of very hot soups.
The combinations are sometimes risky, but they create dishes with unmissable flavors .
Potatoes and cabbage are omnipresent in preparations, along with sauerkraut and beans.
Latvian cuisine loves strong tastes , but is easily appreciated by visitors, who are fascinated by its refined ability to mix flavors. Here’s where to make the palate happy in the city.
1 – Folkklubs ALA pagrabs
- Description : a brewery with high ceilings, fast food, wooden tables, fireplace and live music
- Specialties : cold cuts and cheeses
- Average price : from € 10.00 per person
- Address : Get directions – Facebook page
2 – Black Magic
- Description : Riga’s historic café
- Specialty : delicious chocolates, black balzam
- Average price : from € 5.00 per person
- Address : Get Directions – Official Site
3 – Fat Pumpkin
- Description : vegan restaurant in the central area of ​​Riga
- Specialties : vegetarian and vegan specialties, smoothies
- Average price : from € 8.00 per person
- Address : Get directions
4 – Rigas Centraltirgus
- Description : it is the central market where it is possible to taste traditional dishes and street food
- Specialty : local soups
- Average price : from € 6.00 per person
- Address : Get directions – Facebook page
5 – Salve
- Description : restaurant specializing in local cuisine, especially soups
- Specialties : Latvian soups, sweets
- Average price : from € 15.00 per person
- Address : Get directions – Facebook page
