The counters in Riga worth queuing for: bread, pastry, and the morning ritual.
Bakery counters in Riga worth queuing for: levain breads, laminated pastry, regional bakes and the morning ritual.
Liepkalni's Krišjāņa Valdemāra branch is the central Riga outpost of the country's most-cited rye specialist, baking dark Dienas loaf and pīrāgi daily.
Tip: Buy a whole Dienas rye and a tray of bacon-onion pīrāgi for a picnic in Vērmanes park or by the canal.
Worth the queue: Dienas rye loaf
Big Bad Bagels on Baznīcas in Centrs bakes New York-style bagels and runs the city's most reliable bagel brunch, with smoked salmon and cream cheese builds.
Tip: Two Riga branches; Baznīcas is the original. The Audēju branch is the Old Town option for tourist circuits.
Worth the queue: Smoked salmon bagel
Big Bad Bagels' Audēju branch is the Old Town location of the Riga bagel-and-brunch counter, the morning stop between the Town Hall Square and Centrāltirgus.
Tip: Smaller than the Baznīcas flagship and quicker; counter seating only on weekends.
Worth the queue: Bacon-egg-cheese bagel
Saldā Terapija on Aleksandra Čaka is the bakery counter of Riga's main vegan brand, baking cakes, waffles and pastries that anchor the city's plant-based.
Tip: Sister to the Terapija vegan cafe; this is the take-away cake counter without table service.
Worth the queue: Vegan cakes and waffles