Riga: Central Market Latvian Food Tour with 20 taste samples
Learn about Latvian gastronomy in the largest open-air market in Europe. Sample a selection of 20 traditional local food samples as you learn about the history of this...
Small Baltic sprats, alder-smoked, often canned in oil; eaten on rye bread with onion and egg as Latvia's defining food export and street snack.
The Baltic sprat (Sprattus sprattus balticus) has been Latvia's most internationally recognised food export since the early 20th century, with smoked-sprat canneries opening across Riga in the 1920s and 1930s. The Skonto and Brivais Vilnis brands still dominate the canned market. Riga's Centrāltirgus fish pavilion remains the city's strongest counter for fresh smoked sprats, with vendors building the classic Latvian open-faced rye sandwich of šprotes, onion and hard-boiled egg.
4 editor picks for Šprotes (smoked Baltic sprats) in Riga, ranked by editorial score. All Riga signature dishes · Šprotes (smoked Baltic sprats) across every city.
Centrāltirgus Smoked Fish Pavilion ★ 4.4
centraltirgus-maskavas · Nēģu iela 7, Rīga, LV-1050
The fish pavilion at Centrāltirgus runs Riga's strongest counter of smoked Baltic sprats, with vendors building open-faced rye sandwiches to take away.
Folkklubs ALA Pagrabs ★ 4.4
vecriga · Peldu iela 19, Rīga, LV-1050
Folkklubs ALA Pagrabs sits in a historic wine cellar below Peldu in Old Town, pouring 32 taps of Latvian beer and cider with folk music five nights a week.
Pētergailis ★ 4.2
vecriga · Skārņu iela 25, Rīga, LV-1050
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.
LIDO Atpūtas Centrs ★ 4.0
centraltirgus-maskavas · Krasta iela 76, Rīga, LV-1019
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.
Learn to cook it, or eat it with a guide
Šprotes (smoked Baltic sprats) makes more sense with someone from Riga explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Book food experiences in Riga
Riga Central Market & Traditional Food tasting Tour
Discover Latvian cuisine and one of Europe’s largest markets through fascinating stories and authentic food and drink tastings. Continue to Riga Old Town for a traditi...
Riga: Soviet Bunker, Seaside Fortress + Authentic BBQ lunch
Explore a Soviet-era communication bunker and Mangalsala Fortress on a tour from Riga. Learn about the Cold War and the Soviet Union from your guide, and enjoy a tradi...