Rigas Melnais Balzams appears as a signature dish in 1 Latvia cities. See each city's local variant and where to eat it.
Rīgas Melnais Balzams (Riga Black Balsam) · Riga
A dark herbal liqueur made from 24 botanicals including wormwood, valerian and gentian, sold by Latvijas Balzams since 1752 as the city's defining drink.
Riga Black Balsam was first formulated in 1752 by Riga pharmacist Abraham Kunze as a medicinal cure for stomach ailments. The drink became Empress Catherine the Great's reputed favourite, securing its survival into the Russian Imperial era. Production passed to Latvijas Balzams during the Soviet era and continues today from the company's Riga plant. The 45 percent ABV liqueur is drunk neat at room temperature, mixed with hot blackcurrant juice in winter, or stirred into cocktails at Black Magic Bar in Old Town. The 24-herb recipe remains a guarded secret.
Where to eat in Riga:
- Black Magic Bar
- B Bārs
- Folkklubs ALA Pagrabs
- Centrāltirgus Pīrāgi Counters