Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
A bright pink summer soup of grated beetroot, kefir, cucumber and dill, served cold with halved hard-boiled eggs and a side of boiled potatoes.
Aukstā zupa is the Latvian sibling of Lithuanian šaltibarščiai and Polish chłodnik, all derived from a shared Eastern European peasant tradition of cold dairy-and-beet soups served through the short Baltic summer. The dish appears on Latvian tables from late May through August. Every grandmother has her own ratio of kefir to buttermilk to sour cream; the canonical Latvian version leans hard on kefir for tang. Lido and similar counters serve it alongside boiled potatoes in summer.
4 editor picks for Aukstā zupa (Latvian cold beet soup) in Riga, ranked by editorial score. All Riga signature dishes · Aukstā zupa (Latvian cold beet soup) across every city.
Milda on Grēcinieku in Old Town holds a Bib Gourmand for great-value traditional Latvian and Lithuanian cooking, named for the figure atop the Freedom.
OrderGrey peas with bacon and sour cream, the national dish, served generously.
TipBooked solid for Sunday lunch; weekday lunches are an easier sit. The wine list is short but well-chosen for Baltic food.
Pētergailis has worked the Old Town corner between St. John's and St. Peter's churches since 1978, cooking traditional Latvian dishes with mostly Latvian.
OrderThe grey peas with bacon, the kitchen's anchor dish since opening.
TipNamed for the golden rooster atop St. Peter's; the dining room is filled with a long-collected display of ceramic roosters and hens.
LIDO Atpūtas Centrs on Krasta is the flagship of the Latvian buffet chain, a wooden-castle complex serving freshly cooked Latvian classics from open counters.
OrderKarbonāde with grey peas and rye bread, a Latvian counter classic for €10 to €15.
TipThe complex has a beer cellar, a summer fountain garden and a kids' play area; expect crowds at Sunday lunch.
LIDO Vērmanītis on Elizabetes is the central Riga branch of the Latvian buffet chain, plating classics from a hot counter beside the Vērmanes park.
OrderBuild a plate from the rotating hot dishes; the rye-bread soup and karbonāde are the steady picks.
TipThe faster, less-touristed alternative to the Atpūtas Centrs flagship; pay-by-weight at the till.
Aukstā zupa (Latvian cold beet soup) makes more sense with someone from Riga explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
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