Where to eat in Riga
Riga eats Latvian: gray peas with bacon, dark rye bread, smoked fish, dumplings and a lot of dairy and berries. The Old Town has the traditional restaurants and cellar taverns, the Centre has the newer places, and the Central Market is the best place for a cheap lunch. Book dinner on weekends, and walk in for lunch.
The short answer
- Best area to eat
- The Old Town for traditional Latvian, the Centre and Čaka street for newer restaurants and cafes.
- Order this
- Grey peas with bacon, rye bread and a plate of smoked fish. Try sklandrausis for dessert.
- When to eat
- Lunch from 12, dinner from 6pm. Most restaurants are open until 10 or 11pm.
- Book or walk in
- Book Friday and Saturday dinner. Cafes and the market take walk-ins.
- Tipping
- Round up, or leave about 10 per cent for good service.
What to eat in Riga
- Grey peas with baconBoiled gray peas with fried bacon and onion, a Latvian national dish. Served at traditional restaurants, and eaten at Christmas.
- RupjmaizeDense, dark rye bread, slightly sweet. It comes with most meals, and is the base of the fried garlic bread served with beer.
- Smoked fishSprats, eel, mackerel and salmon, smoked locally. Buy it at the Central Market's fish pavilion and eat it with rye bread.
- PelmeņiMeat dumplings, boiled or fried and served with sour cream. A cheap lunch in the cafes.
- PīrāgiSmall bacon and onion pastries. Sold at bakeries and market counters, and a cheap snack.
- Cold beetroot soupA bright pink soup of beetroot, kefir, cucumber and dill, served cold in summer. The one to try in July and August.
- SklandrausisA rye pastry filled with carrot and potato and spiced with caraway. It comes from the Kurzeme region and is sold at bakeries.
- Riga Black BalsamA bitter herbal liqueur, drunk neat, in coffee or in a cocktail. It is Riga's signature drink, and a common souvenir.
Where to eat in Riga, by neighborhood
Old Town
The traditional restaurants, the cellar taverns and the touristy places, packed into the lanes around Town Hall Square and Dome Square. Quality varies. Kungu and Peldu streets are the best runs for tables.
The Centre and the Art Nouveau streets
Newer restaurants and bistros on Valdemāra, Elizabetes and the streets around them. Calmer, and nearly always better value than the Old Town.
Čaka and Miera streets
Independent cafes, bakeries and bars beyond the station tracks. Good for brunch and for evening drinks, and mostly local.
Central Market and the south
Cheap, fast meals in the market's food counters, and the big self-service restaurants along the river. Busy at weekday lunch.
Places worth a booking or a queue
-
Milda
€€Latvian restaurant · Old Town
OrderGrey peas with bacon and the pelmeņi
A traditional Latvian restaurant on Kungu street with large portions at modest prices. It has held a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide for 2024, 2025 and 2026.
- Book
- Book ahead for dinner
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
-
SMØR Bistro
€€French and Danish bistro · The Centre
OrderWhole turbot with brown butter, or the pâté with Latvian pickles
A brasserie on Valdemāra street with French classics and Danish open sandwiches. A new Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide Latvia for 2026.
- Book
- Book ahead for dinner
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
-
Folkklubs ALA Pagrabs
€€Cellar tavern · Old Town
OrderA Latvian draught beer and a plate of gray peas or smoked fish
A folk music club in a medieval cellar on Peldu street, with a long list of Latvian beers and live music most nights. Atmospheric, and best as an evening.
- Book
- Walk in; book for weekends
Confirmed open: tablejourney.com
-
LIDO Atpūtas Centrs
€Self-service buffet · South of the center
OrderKarbonāde with gray peas and rye bread
The flagship of a Latvian buffet chain, in a wooden hall on Krasta street, with hot counters and a beer cellar. Pay by weight, and expect crowds on Sundays.
- Book
- Walk in
Confirmed open: tablejourney.com
Food markets in Riga
- Riga Central MarketA market in five former Zeppelin hangars beside the station, one of the largest in Europe. At the time of writing the gastronomy and fish pavilions are open, along with the outdoor stalls, while the vegetable, dairy and meat pavilions are closed for renovation or technical reasons. Go for smoked fish, pīrāgi, rye bread and the counters.Gastronomy and fish pavilions Monday to Saturday 7:30am to 6pm, Sunday 7:30am to 5pm; outdoor stalls daily 7am to 6pm; pavilions closed all day on the first Monday of each monthSource: centraltirgus.lv
How Riga eats
- Meal timesLunch from 12 and dinner from 6pm. Many kitchens close by 10pm outside the Old Town.
- Bread and extrasRye bread often arrives with the meal. Bread and sauces may be charged for, so check the menu.
- TippingTipping is modest. Round up or leave about 10 per cent for good service.
- PayingCards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere. You rarely need cash.
- ReservationsBook weekend dinners in the Old Town. Weekday lunches and cafes are walk-in.
Signs of a place to walk past
A tout outside the Old Town pulling people in off the street, or offering a free shot.
A menu in six languages with photographs of every dish.
A terrace on Town Hall Square with no Latvian dishes on the menu.
A bar that won't show you its drink prices before you sit.
Eating in Riga: questions people ask
What food is Riga known for?
Grey peas with bacon, rye bread, smoked fish, pelmeņi and sklandrausis. Riga Black Balsam is the local drink.
Where should I eat in Riga?
The Old Town for traditional Latvian, the Centre for newer places, and the Central Market for cheap lunches.
Where should I eat in Riga Old Town?
Kungu and Peldu streets have the best known tables. Avoid the Town Hall Square terraces and any place with a tout.
Is Riga cheap to eat in?
Cheaper than the Nordic capitals. The market, bakeries and buffets are inexpensive, and Old Town dinners cost more.
Do I need to book in Riga?
For weekend dinners in the Old Town and the Michelin listed places, yes. For lunch, cafes and the market, no.
What is Riga Central Market?
A market in five former Zeppelin hangars, one of the largest in Europe. The gastronomy and fish pavilions are open, along with the outdoor stalls.
Do you tip in Riga?
A little. Round up, or leave about 10 per cent for good service.