Latvian Food and Drink: A Traveler's Guide

Why Latvian food surprises visitors

Latvian cooking is honest, seasonal and rooted in the forest, the Baltic Sea and long winters. Expect rye bread, dairy, pork, fish, berries and mushrooms, often served in generous portions. Riga has a fast-growing modern scene, but the heart of the cuisine is still the countryside.

Signature dishes to try

• Grey peas with bacon (pelēkie zirņi ar speķi) the unofficial national dish: stewed grey peas with fried onion and pork fat, eaten with kefir.
• Skābputra a sour, fermented barley soup, very traditional and an acquired taste.
• Rupjmaize dense, dark, slightly sweet rye bread, the backbone of every meal.
• Sklandrausis a sweet carrot-and-potato pie from the Kurzeme region, protected as a traditional speciality.
• Smoked fish along the coast in Kurzeme, smokehouses sell flounder, cod and herring.

Street food and quick bites

• Pīrāgi small crescent pastries stuffed with bacon and onion, sold everywhere.
• Speķrauši similar bacon rolls, perfect with a hot drink.
• Rye bread dessert (rupjmaizes kārtojums) layered crumbled rye bread, cranberry jam and whipped cream, a beloved sweet.

For cheap, varied food, visit the Riga Central Market in the old Zeppelin hangars, or the food court at Centrāltirgus nearby.

What to drink

• Riga Black Balsam (Rīgas Melnais balzams) a dark, bitter herbal liqueur at around 45 percent, dating to the 18th century. Try it in coffee or with blackcurrant.
• Kvass (kvass) a low-alcohol fermented rye drink, refreshing in summer.
• Local craft beer Valmiermuiža and Labietis are popular Latvian breweries.
• Birch sap (bērzu sula) tapped in spring, sold fresh or fermented.

Practical dining tips and etiquette

• A main dish in a casual Riga restaurant runs roughly 9 to 15 euros; lunch deals are cheaper.
• Tipping around 10 percent is appreciated but not mandatory.
• Latvians can seem reserved; a quiet, polite manner fits well.
• Many cafes close earlier than in southern Europe, so don't leave dinner too late.
• Tap water is safe to drink.

Stay connected in Latvia

A HelloSIM eSIM keeps you online for maps, menu translation and restaurant bookings across Riga and the coast, with no roaming fees or hunting for Wi-Fi.