Where to eat in Vilnius
Vilnius eats Lithuanian: potato dumplings, cold beetroot soup, dark rye bread, smoked meats, game and a lot of dairy. The Old Town has the cellar restaurants and the Michelin-listed kitchens, and the cheaper meals are a few streets away. Book dinner at the better places, and walk in for lunch.
The short answer
- Best area to eat
- The Old Town for cellars and the best-known tables, Naujamiestis and Užupis for newer places at lower prices.
- Order this
- Cepelinai, cold beetroot soup in summer, and kepta duona, fried rye bread with garlic, with a beer.
- When to eat
- Lunch from 12, dinner from 6 or 7pm. Most kitchens are open until 10 or 11pm.
- Book or walk in
- Book Friday and Saturday dinner, and the Michelin-listed places a few weeks ahead. Lunch and the market take walk-ins.
- Tipping
- Round up, or leave about 10 per cent for good service.
What to eat in Vilnius
- CepelinaiLarge potato dumplings with a filling of pork, curd cheese or mushrooms, served with sour cream and bacon sauce. The national dish, on every traditional menu, and heavy enough for a whole meal.
- ŠaltibarščiaiA cold, bright pink soup of beetroot and kefir with cucumber and dill, served with hot boiled potatoes. A summer dish, and easier to enjoy than it looks.
- KibinaiSmall baked pastries filled with meat or vegetables, brought to Lithuania by the Karaite community and sold in cafes and in Trakai. Good for a cheap lunch.
- KugelisA baked potato pudding with bacon and onion, served with sour cream. Hearty, and found in traditional restaurants and at the market.
- Kepta duonaFried rye bread cut into sticks, rubbed with garlic and served with cheese sauce. The standard snack with beer.
- SkilandisA smoked, dry-cured sausage in a pork casing, sliced thinly and eaten with rye bread. Buy it at the market to take home.
- ŠakotisA tall, branched cake baked on a rotating spit, often at weddings, with a dry, sweet crumb. Sold in cafes and gift shops.
- GiraA fermented, low-alcohol drink made from rye bread, like a darker kvass. Sold in bottles and at some restaurants and cafes.
Where to eat in Vilnius, by neighborhood
Old Town
The cellar restaurants, the traditional Lithuanian menus and the Michelin-listed kitchens, mostly around Stiklių, Vokiečių, Dominikonų and Vilniaus streets. Pilies Street is the most touristy, so walk a block off it.
Naujamiestis
The district south and west of the Old Town, near the station and Halės market. More Indian, Georgian and Asian places, and lower prices. Quieter at night.
Užupis
The small district across the river, with cafes, a few good restaurants and a relaxed feel. Best for a long lunch, and fewer places open late.
Gediminas Avenue
The shopping avenue west of the cathedral, with cafes and restaurants aimed at office workers and shoppers. Good for lunch, and easier to get a table at the weekend than in the Old Town.
Places worth a booking or a queue
-
Džiaugsmas
€€€€Modern Lithuanian restaurant · Old Town
OrderThe tasting menu or the aged meat
A Michelin one-star restaurant in an old building on Vilniaus Street, with an industrial-style room and locally aged meat on display. Dressier and dearer than the rest of this list.
- Book
- Book 2 to 4 weeks ahead
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
-
14Horses
€€€Farm-to-table restaurant · Old Town
OrderThe seasonal menu built on its own farm's produce
A Michelin Guide restaurant in a former palace stable, cooking with produce from its own regenerative farm. Relaxed, with bold flavors, and a moderate price for what you get.
- Book
- Book ahead for dinner
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
-
Lokys
€€€Lithuanian game restaurant · Old Town
OrderGame dishes such as venison or elk, with forest mushrooms
Open since 1972 in a 15th-century merchant's building with Gothic cellars. Run by the founding family's second generation, it serves Lithuanian game and traditional dishes. Touristy, but long-established.
- Book
- Book ahead for dinner, walk in for lunch
Confirmed open: lokys.lt
-
Etno Dvaras
€€Traditional Lithuanian restaurant · Old Town
OrderCepelinai and cold beetroot soup
A long-running Lithuanian restaurant with dishes certified by the Lithuanian Culinary Heritage Foundation, built around recipes worked out with ethnologists. Good first stop for cepelinai. There are several branches, so go to the one in the Old Town, on Aušros Vartų Street.
- Book
- Walk in for lunch, book for dinner at weekends
Confirmed open: etnodvaras.lt
-
Gaspar's
€€Indian and Portuguese restaurant · Naujamiestis
OrderA house curry with naan
A neighborhood restaurant on Pylimo Street from a Goa-born chef, with subtle spicing and generous portions, listed in the Michelin Guide. A change from the Lithuanian menus, and a reasonable price.
- Book
- Book ahead at weekends
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
Food markets in Vilnius
- Halės TurgusThe oldest covered market in Vilnius, opened in 1906, with about 80 vendors selling meat, fish, vegetables, dairy and pastries, plus a few small bistros and craft beer. Buy skilandis, cheese and rye bread to take away, and eat something warm at the stalls.Usually open every day except Monday, mornings to late afternoon, with shorter hours on Sunday; check before you goSource: tablejourney.com
How Vilnius eats
- Meal timesLunch from 12 and dinner from 6 or 7pm. Many kitchens close by 10 or 11pm, a little earlier on Sundays.
- Bread and startersRye bread comes with many Lithuanian meals, and a bowl of soup is a normal first course.
- 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 and the Michelin-listed places. Weekday lunches and cafes are walk-in.
Signs of a place to walk past
A menu with photographs of every dish and no Lithuanian names for them.
A tout on Pilies Street handing out flyers or offering a free drink.
A place that sells cepelinai only as one dish on a list of forty, with no mention of how they are made.
Eating in Vilnius: questions people ask
What food is Vilnius known for?
Cepelinai, potato dumplings with a meat or curd filling, are the national dish. Also cold beetroot soup, kugelis, smoked sausage, rye bread and kibinai pastries.
Where should I eat in Vilnius?
The Old Town for Lithuanian cellars and the best-known tables, Naujamiestis and Užupis for newer places and lower prices.
Where should I eat in Vilnius Old Town?
Stiklių, Vokiečių, Dominikonų and Vilniaus streets have the best run of tables. Walk a block away from Pilies Street, which is the most touristy.
Is Vilnius cheap to eat in?
Cheaper than most Western European capitals. Lunch deals, the market and traditional restaurants are good value, and fine dining costs more.
Do I need to book in Vilnius?
For Friday and Saturday dinner and the Michelin-listed places, yes. For lunch and cafes, usually no.
What should I try at the Vilnius Christmas market?
Mulled wine, kepta duona, grilled sausages and šakotis. Dress warmly.
Do you tip in Vilnius?
A little. Round up, or leave about 10 per cent for good service.