Day-by-day eating plans for Riga. weekend classics, family routes, vegan plans, on-a-budget editions.

Day-by-day plans

Riga weekend: rye, sprats, Black Balsam and one Michelin ★ 4.6

First-time visitor, two days2 days

A weekend built around Riga's defining table: a market morning at Centrāltirgus, a Latvian lunch in Old Town, a cellar beer evening, and one starred dinner.

  1. Day 1: Friday: Centrāltirgus zeppelin hangars, Old Town lunch, cellar evening

    Morning
    Rocket Bean Cafe Miera at 09:00 for a filter coffee and a pastry, then walk to Centrāltirgus by 11:00. Spend an hour through the five zeppelin hangars; buy pīrāgi, smoked sprats and rye bread to take home.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Milda on Grēcinieku at 13:00: grey peas with bacon, pelmeni and a glass of cold kefir. The Bib Gourmand value is the room's argument. Walk Old Town in the afternoon, stopping at Black Magic Bar on Kaļķu for a Black Balsam tasting.
    Evening
    Dinner at Folkklubs ALA Pagrabs from 19:00: a Latvian craft beer flight, pelēkie zirņi and the cellar's live folk music. Stay through the 22:00 set.

  2. Day 2: Saturday: brunch, Pārdaugava market, one-star dinner

    Morning
    Brunch at LOWINE on Dzirnavu at 10:30: farm eggs on sourdough with a glass of natural wine. The wine-led morning sets the tone for the day. Walk down Dzirnavu after.
    Afternoon
    Cross the Daugava by tram to Kalnciema Quarter Market for the Saturday-only farmer's market. Walk through Āgenskalns wooden houses; lunch at the market stalls or at a Pārdaugava bistro.
    Evening
    Dinner at JOHN Chef's Hall on Ausekļa at 18:00 for the €210 tasting menu, the city's strongest one-Michelin-star experience. Book three weeks ahead. Stay for the full menu.

Riga three days: the full Latvian table ★ 4.6

Food-led visitor, three days3 days

Three days deeper into Riga's food culture: both Michelin stars, the craft-beer district, a Pārdaugava market, and a Gauja Valley day-trip.

  1. Day 1: Day 1: Centrāltirgus zeppelin hangars, Old Town classics

    Morning
    Rocket Bean Cafe Miera at 09:00 for filter coffee. Then to Centrāltirgus by 11:00 for the full market walk: fish pavilion, dairy pavilion, pīrāgi counters and the gastronomy pavilion's Labietis taproom.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Pētergailis on Skārņu at 13:00 for the canonical 1978 Latvian room: karbonāde, grey peas and a maizes zupa dessert. Afternoon walking Old Town to Black Magic Bar for a Riga Black Balsam tasting.
    Evening
    Dinner at 3 Pavāru Restorāns on Torņa at 18:30: the six-course modern Latvian set in the 18th-century Jacob's Barracks. Walk the canal afterwards.

  2. Day 2: Day 2: Pārdaugava market, craft beer district, one-Michelin-star dinner

    Morning
    Brunch at Innocent Café on Blaumaņa at 10:00: eggs Benedict on rye and a flat white. Walk to Big Bad Bagels on Baznīcas if you want a second snack.
    Afternoon
    Cross to Pārdaugava on tram 5 for Kalnciema Quarter Market (Saturday only) or LIDO Atpūtas Centrs (any day) for the wooden-castle Latvian buffet. Walk Āgenskalns wooden quarter.
    Evening
    Riga Beer District on Aristīda Briāna: a flight at Labietis Culture Taproom then a second pour at Valmiermuiža Beer Embassy. Dinner at SMØR Bistro on Krišjāņa Valdemāra at 20:00 for the new Bib Gourmand room.

  3. Day 3: Day 3: Sigulda day-trip and one-star Michelin dinner

    Morning
    Coffee at Rocket Bean Cafe Dzirnavu at 08:30, then take the 09:30 train to Sigulda (50 minutes) for the Gauja Valley castle and forest walks. Optional cable-car across the gorge.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at a Sigulda castle tavern with sklandrausis pies and Latvian beer. Return train to Riga by 17:00. Quick rest at the hotel.
    Evening
    Dinner at Max Cekot Kitchen in Pārdaugava at 19:00 for the 15-course tasting menu, Latvia's first-ever Michelin star. Book three weeks ahead. The room runs Thursday to Saturday only.

Riga coffee and bakery crawl

Coffee lover, one day1 day

A single-day Riga walk threading Rocket Bean Roastery, MiiT Coffee and Kalve Coffee with the Latvian bakery anchors at Liepkalni and Big Bad Bagels.

  1. Day 1: Day 1: Miera coffee, bakery loop, dinner

    Morning
    Open at Rocket Bean Cafe Miera at 09:00 for a pour-over and a Latvian rye breakfast.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Big Bad Bagels on Audeju with a beetroot-and-cheese bagel. Coffee at MiiT Coffee in the Latvian Academy of Art quarter.
    Evening
    Aperitif at Lowine in Berga Bazars. Dinner at Milda on Kungu with the Latvian tasting and a glass of Latvian craft cider.

Riga on a budget: Centraltirgus and LIDO under 30 EUR a day

Budget traveller, two days2 days

Two days of Latvian classics held under 30 EUR a day across Centraltirgus pirosaki counters, LIDO Atputas Centrs buffet and Folkklubs Ala Pagrabs cellar.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: market breakfast, cellar lunch, brewery dinner

    Morning
    Breakfast at Centraltirgus market with pirosaki and coffee under 8 EUR.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Folkklubs Ala Pagrabs in the cellar with grey peas and Latvian beer under 15 EUR.
    Evening
    Dinner at Labietis brewery in the Riga Beer District with a flight and pretzel under 18 EUR.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: bagel breakfast, LIDO lunch, dive bar dinner

    Morning
    Breakfast at Big Bad Bagels on Baznicas under 8 EUR.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at LIDO Atputas Centrs across the river for the wooden-castle Latvian buffet under 15 EUR.
    Evening
    Dinner at B Bars Restorans for the modern Latvian small-plates menu under 20 EUR. Late drinks at Kanepes Kulturas centrs.

Riga Michelin and fine dining weekend

Fine dining lover, two days2 days

A weekend threading Riga's Michelin and fine-dining anchors: Max Cekot Kitchen (Latvia's first Michelin star), 3 Pavaru Restorans, Domini Canes and Snatch.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: brunch, market lunch, Max Cekot tasting

    Morning
    Brunch at Innocent Cafe with eggs Benedict on rye.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Centraltirgus market with the gastronomy pavilion plates and a Labietis pour. Coffee at Kalve Coffee.
    Evening
    Dinner at Max Cekot Kitchen in Pardaugava with the 15-course tasting menu and Latvian wine pairing.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: 3 Pavaru tasting, Domini Canes Italian, SMOR finish

    Morning
    Coffee at MiiT Coffee Roastery.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at 3 Pavaru Restorans on Tornu with the six-course modern Latvian set in the 18th-century Jacob's Barracks.
    Evening
    Aperitif at Garage in Berga Bazars. Dinner at Domini Canes on Skarnu with the Italian tasting, or SMOR Bistro for the Bib Gourmand menu.
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