There are plenty of choices for eating and drinking in Riga at affordable prices and it is a great place for carnivores. There are a lot of interesting Latvian beers to discover, in addition to the infamous Black Balsam.
Akis Pub
We grabbed a quick Shashlik here before heading to Riga Arena to see Placebo. It was quiet when we were there and we had a pleasant meal.
Grey peas and bacon.
We stopped in this bar/restaurant for lunch before visiting the KGB museum which was a few minutes walk away. The food was great, the atmosphere was relaxing and it was excellent value.
We ate far too much in this brick cellar restaurant that specialised in typical Latvian fare. It was yummy.
You will probably need to book in advance for this one! Set in a large medieval basement with vaulted ceilings and with a stage for live entertainment, it is a loud, popular and vibrant place.
There are several Lido restaurants in Riga [and beyond]. They are all self service and buffet style where you help yourself to beer! The selection is huge and cheap and we had an enjoyable lunch here.
We had a wonderful evening in this Russian restaurant and drank and ate soooo much! The owner was lovely and chatted to us and explained what food was on offer. It was here that I tried a glass of Riga Black Balsam in an attempt to cure my cold which was making me feel wretched.
The drink did actually give me a lift for a few hours. The pictures and the video clearly shows the beneficial effect the drink had on us.
A typical sports bar where the food was fine but it’s really a place to drink and be merry. We were glad to have a rest away from the rain. The toilet had a helpful vomitorium feature which was I thought was a nice touch!
This quirky small bar had a great selection of whiskeys and beers [and small arms].
The Central Market
The huge market is near central station and is housed in several old Zeppelin hangers, although there are also stalls outside. It is one of the oldest and largest markets in Europe. There is meat, fish, clothes, flowers and more on offer as well as cafe’s and bars, so we had a pleasant and cheap lunch here on our last day in the city.
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