Pētergailis is a traditional latvian restaurant in Vecriga, Riga.
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.
Signature dishes: Pelēkie zirņi (grey peas), Roasted Latvian pork, Karbonāde
Must order: The grey peas with bacon, the kitchen's anchor dish since opening.
Tip: Named for the golden rooster atop St. Peter's; the dining room is filled with a long-collected display of ceramic roosters and hens.
Address: Skārņu iela 25, Rīga, LV-1050, Riga
Domini Canes in Old Town between St. Peter's and St. John's churches cooks contemporary Latvian dishes with farm vegetables and wild mushrooms.
Signature: Seasonal Latvian dishes, Forest mushrooms and berries
Order: The seasonal mushroom plate when foraging season hits in late summer and autumn.
Tip: The summer terrace looks straight at St. Peter's spire; book it for a long lunch.
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.
Signature: Pelēkie zirņi ar speķi (grey peas with bacon), Pelmeni (Latvian meat dumplings), Cepelinai (Lithuanian potato dumplings)
Order: Grey peas with bacon and sour cream, the national dish, served generously.
Tip: Booked solid for Sunday lunch; weekday lunches are an easier sit. The wine list is short but well-chosen for Baltic food.
Riviera on Dzirnavu in Centrs cooks refined Mediterranean fine dining and earned the Michelin Sommelier Award through sommelier Ivars Kalniņš.
Signature: Mediterranean seafood, Pasta by the chef, Sommelier wine pairings
Order: The chef's tasting paired with the sommelier's flight; the wine list is the room's loudest argument.
Tip: Order off-menu and ask Ivars to pour; the cellar reaches deep into Italy, Spain and France.
Domini Canes in Old Town between St. Peter's and St. John's churches cooks contemporary Latvian dishes with farm vegetables and wild mushrooms.
Signature: Seasonal Latvian dishes, Forest mushrooms and berries
Order: The seasonal mushroom plate when foraging season hits in late summer and autumn.
Tip: The summer terrace looks straight at St. Peter's spire; book it for a long lunch.
Kolonāde. Mūsu Stāsti sits between the Freedom Monument and the National Opera, telling Latvian stories through modern cooking with seasonal local produce.
Signature: Modern Latvian seasonal menu, Latvian wine and cordials
Order: The seasonal tasting menu and a glass of Latvian birch wine from the cordials list.
Tip: The terrace overlooks the Vērmanes park colonnade; book for sunset in summer.
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.
Signature: Pelēkie zirņi ar speķi (grey peas with bacon), Pelmeni (Latvian meat dumplings), Cepelinai (Lithuanian potato dumplings)
Order: Grey peas with bacon and sour cream, the national dish, served generously.
Tip: Booked solid for Sunday lunch; weekday lunches are an easier sit. The wine list is short but well-chosen for Baltic food.
Snatch on Elizabetes in Centrs holds a Bib Gourmand three years running (2024-2026) for modern Italian pasta and small plates in a concrete-and-glass room.
Signature: Homemade pasta, Regional Italian small plates
Order: The homemade pasta of the day, usually paired with one of the bespoke cocktails.
Tip: Book a window seat for the people-watching on Elizabetes; the kitchen closes at midnight on weekends.
SMØR Bistro on Krišjāņa Valdemāra in Centrs won a Bib Gourmand in the 2026 Guide for modern Nordic-French cooking under chef Kaspars Barsukovs.
Signature: Seasonal Nordic-French plates, Champagne by the glass
Order: The chef's set lunch, the Bib Gourmand value lever; pair with the by-the-glass Champagne.
Tip: New on the Michelin radar in 2026 so book ahead; the dining room is small and the bistro lunch is popular.
