Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants in Riga

from Venere Travel blog - click for complete article


If there was ever a compilation listing of the top 10 restaurants in the Baltic region of Europe, no doubt the list would have to include many of the establishments that you would experience while visiting Riga, Latvia’s capital city as well as the largest city in the country.  Riga is also the second largest city overall in the Eastern Baltic region.  By far, it is the most cosmopolitan and vibrant city of the area so you will find a number of opportunities to experience international cuisine as well as the local foods.


Although somewhat limited in number, there are restaurants that feature or at least offer some Vegan and Vegetarian dishes in the city of Riga.  The following are the ones that we feel are worth visiting while vacationing in the city:

Oga – one of Riga’s most popular restaurants.  They do have a small assortment of Vegan and/or Vegetarian dishes, but they feature an array of cuisine that ranges from Afghan to Yugoslavian. However, despite the lack of choices, we have recommended Oga because the restaurant is an excellent venue for families, larger groups, and romantic couples.

Rama – most of the Vegan or Vegetarian dishes are comprised of rice and vegetables, but there is a nice assortment of pastries as well.  The food is either Hari Krishna or Indian in nature, but truly a tasty experience to behold.

Ekovirtuve – probably the #1 recommended Vegan/Vegetarian restaurant in Riga even though it is not 100% as the restaurant serves meat as well.  It is situated in the Old Town sector of the city.  You will find organic dishes that are Ayurvedic and/or Latvian, and they also have a take-out menu.

Kamala – a popular dining spot for Vegan/Vegetarian as well as non-Vegan/Vegetarian.  The menu is rotated daily, so you should call ahead to see if they are featuring these types of dishes for the day or not.  The primary focus is on Ayurvedic recipes and some Latvian.  The key plus about Kamala is the fact that most of the staff is fluent in English and menus are printed in English as well as Latvian.

from Venere Travel blog - click for complete article

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FREE Shuttle Bus Riga Old City to/from LIDO Krasta Restaurant Center

FREE Shuttle BUS

Riga Town Hall Square

to LIDO KRASTA Center < - click for photos

Food Poisoning in Riga Latvia - It's That Time of the Year Again - Summer Heat

Food Poisioning in Latvia - It happens every year

BEWARE

small Cafes, Big Restaurants - Guest Houses

Careful of cream & mayonnaise based salads, chicken wings, legs, etc, and ground meat maijas cutlets, stuffed peppers, etc - especially

RIGA, July 21 (LETA) - Today, 15 persons are convalescing at the Center for Infectious Diseases with suspected food poisoning, Jazeps Keiss, acting director of the Infectious Diseases Center, informed LETA.

Keiss explained that stricken persons had spent the weekend at a guest house in Riga District Kekava. They are all employees at the same firm and/or their family members. They were on a retreat on Sunday, July 19, and were contaminated either at the guest house or afterwards, as many say that they had brought home leftover meat/potato salad.

At the moment, specialists are still determining the exact cause of the food poisoning.

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Surprise - Restaurant Cafe on West Bank close to Hotel Maritim - PAPAGAILIS

Living on the West Bank (par daugava) Riga Latvia, for the past five years, I thought we had found all the cafes & restaurants in the area of Hotel Maritim Park. But to my SURPRISE, tonight my wife and I had a wonderful treat at the Parrot's Cafe or PAPAGAILIS KAFEJNICA in Latvian language.

The menu looked pretty much like a standard Latvian cafe with chicken fillet and all.

BUT, and its a very big but, is the quality of the food arriving at the table. Some of the tastiest food I have had in Latvia and for certain the best in the city limits of Riga!

Wonderful food, simply delicious cakes, quick service and reasonable prices - a real value for sure. Riga Rooster Rating "5"

A little hard (but not impossible) to find on a side street off Slokas & Normantu streets, it is definately worth the time looking for it.

Situated at Meza Street (iela) 4a directly across from the Riga Technical University building and sort of diaginally across the street from a large Russian Church which can't be missed with its blue colored dome on top.

See link for map location: 4a Meza iela

View Larger Map

By Public Transport, take Tram 4 or 5 to Nometņu Street stop (1 tram stop North of Hotel Maritim). Walk East one long block to Meza Street, turn righ and walk one block to the end of the street. The Cafe is the last door on the right. The church is straight ahead and the technical University is on the left side of the street.

It is also walking distance close to OK Hotel on Slokas iela and Hotel Maritim.

Telephone: +371-6-761-5288 (Latvian & Russian - no English on Phone)

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Trouble in Riga Latvia

This Rooster has an old saying that his mother told him many flights ago.

Son, if you go "looking for trouble"...

... trouble might find you...

News story, from the local Latvian newspaper...

English version by www.Standbynews.info

Storm over credit card fraud in Latvia
Guilty bars, clubs and restaurants in Riga named


Finnish tourists in Latvia are still falling victim to credit card fraud. Most commonly, this seems to involve requests to provide a PIN code repeatedly as if the transaction doesn’t initially go through but in fact large amounts of money are being deducted from the tourist’s bank account. Last year, 51 such cases were reported out of a total number of 87 criminal offences against tourists, Diena writes. Finnish tourists have complained to the Latvian State Tourism Development Agency (tourist board) and to their local police force, which has demanded that the Latvian police immediately initiate criminal proceedings against the suspected parties. Yet the Latvian police say there is no one to be accused. In an attempt to resolve the problem, Latvia’s tourist board has written letters to several state institutions and in April the President of Latvia himself demanded an action plan to eliminate such violations.

Foxy Lounge, Roxy Club, Lord’s Pub, Puzzie, Mary, DD bar, Saxon, Doll House, Bar Fly, Zephry Bar, Mademoiselle Cigar Club and Nabu Sushi are mentioned as venues where credit card fraud has allegedly occurred.

Diena, 2009-05-09

Rooster's personal note...
This rooster has been flying these skys for some years now and he has not experienced such fraud. Yes, he continues to hear about folks mostly who have had far too many beers or more wandering around and going into places that ... may even look like trouble..

... for those folks, trouble normally finds them in any city in the world ..

These kind words from this rooster is... to not go looking and to make sure your thinking machine is working before putting feet and hands in motion to go places where trouble may hide. --- again this applies to any city in the world.


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Enjoy the Experience! LIDO Center Riga

There is fun for everyone at the Riga Latvia LIDO Center on Krasta Avenue. Wonderful Christmas displays; plenty of food and drink and ice skating for the brave.

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Latvian food has too much salt

Study Finds What Doctors Already Knew:
Salt Leads to Hypertension - High Blood Pressure

- click for details -

We all know how salty food served in Latvian cafes and restaurants can be.

SOMETIMES IT IS ALMOST UNEATABLE

For years now this Rooster has complained and complained to deaf ears. This most recent study makes what many of us have heard and known for yers now as well.

Tell the waitress when you order NO SALT -

just say: bez salz

If enough of us do this maybe we will get some lowering of the salt level in the local food being served.

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Riga SCAMS being exposed - finally - BEWARE !

This week, there have been numerous reports of various scams that have been occuring mostly in Riga's Old Citys bars for a few years now.

The latest is a special Report in the 13 August edition of the Baltic Times Newspaper entitled "Night club scams on the rise "

Also apparently the American Embassy has published a list of bars, clubs to avoid at all costs. We have not see this list but the names attributed to be on it are familar.

We believe the following to be accurate:

The American Embassy has become increasingly concerned about the number of reported instances of crimes perpetrated against foreign clientele at local bars, clubs and lounges in Riga. Some have then been assaulted, threatened or forced to withdraw money from an ATM to pay for the bill. Local police have been unwilling and/or unable to provide assistance and victims have reported that they believe police have been involved in some of these schemes.

On 25 July 2008, the Regional Security Officer at the American Embassy placed the following establishments off-limits for American staff, their family members and TDY official visitors:

Foxy Lounge - located below the Fashion Café in the basement of the Vegas casino.

Roxy Klub - Kaļķu 24.

Groks Pub - Kaļķu 22 (currently closed).

Pink Panther - also located next door to Groks Pub.

Mary - Audēju 13.

DD Bars

Saxon - Laipu 7.

Doll House a.k.a Zig Zag - Mārstaļu 12.

Bar Fly - Vāgnera 8.

To this list we add the club named:

Flames - Kalku Street (close to TGI Fridays)

If you have any type of problem while visiting Riga, contact the special Tourist Hotline number:

2 - 203 - 3000 +371-2-203-3000


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Restaurants Riga Latvia

for more information, we recommend The Baltic City paper - Restaurants & Cafes

OLD RIGA

Dome Steak House: Smilsu 2, tel. 6-732-0037. Open:11:30-23. This place offers some of the best-prepared steaks in Riga prepared by a Swedish chef.


Kiploku Krogs: Jekaba 3/5, tel. 6-721-1451. Open:11-23. Garlic in, on and around everything-including your breath.


Melnie Muki (Black Monks): Jana 1, in a former medieval cloister in the old city; tel. 6-721-5006. Open:12-02. This old city restaurant feels more like a family’s living room—in the very best sense of the word. There is a warmer, more intimate feel to the place than at many other Riga restaurants.


Sue’s Indian Raja: Vecpilsetas 3, tel. 6-722-1617. Open:12-23. Raj Chaudhary, is responsible for this excellent Indian restaurant. Nestled in a quiet corner of Riga’s gorgeous Hanseatic old city, this basement-level restaurant is a maze of hideaway rooms and cavernous halls, with several private dining areas tucked discreetly into cozy, candle-lit corners. Gentle crooning Indian music, the faint smell of incense and assorted artifacts from the subcontinent make the atmosphere just right. The food, cooked by chefs brought in straight from India, is showstopping: the extensive menu includes spicy Indian soups, garlic Naan, plus a whole variety of curry and fish entreés. The spicy Vindaloo chicken is particularly good; for an appetizer, try the chicken tikka, a kebab-like meat cooked in a tandoor oven. For dessert, sample the wonderful Kulfi Indian ice cream. Sue’s Indian Raja also features attentive, friendly service.


Otto Schwarz: Kaïíu 28, on the top floor of the Ho­tel de Rome; tel. 6-708-7623. Open:07-23. Otto Schwarz offers a seasonal menu using fresh, local ingredients. The background music, service, decor, not to mention the food, are very good. Maybe has the finest wine list in the Baltics. Otto Schwarz is expensive by regional standards, but it’s worth it.


Monterosso: Valnu 9, in the old city; tel. 6-722-2071. Open:10-24. Monterosso, by most accounts, serves some of the finest Italian food in Riga.


Arbat: Vagnera 3, tel. 6-721-4056. Open:12-24. This richly-decorated restaurant has an upscale, bojar house feel. A long menu of high-class Russian dishes.


DA – DA Galerija Centrs: First Floor, Tel. 7-710-4433, Open 10:00 to 24:00, DA - DA restaurant is a challenge to try unhear – off emotions and papies colle cousine of Mongolia. Our conception is build on culture of Dadaism. Here You can see extraordinary interior and cousine features which we offer to You. World of false mirror – it’s not what we used to see in real life – it’s something different. “DADAism in the bowl depence of Your mood. In “DA – DA” restaurant there is no concrete dish, but there are concrete ingredient which You can combane in a different variation. It’s depend on Your own taste. There are 7 sauces, Your chosen one is the united element. The restaurant “DA – DA’’ is giving You a chance to create Your own eatable master piece. Top level customer service



City Center - North

Vincents: Elizabetes 19, tel. 6-733-2830. Open:11-24. Vincents, remains one of the standards for upscale restaurants in the whole of the Baltics. The service is spectacularly attentive and inventive; top opera singers are a fixture in the evening and break into song when least expected. The food is shockingly good and one has to search far and wide for other Baltic restaurants that can even come close. The likes of Prince Charles, Elton John, Montserrat Caballé and B.B. King have all discovered this for themselves, having been among the clients. Vincents uses organic products when possible and has a wonderfully eclectic menu that changes regularly.


City Center - Berga Bagars - Central

No recommendation from us here !!


City Center - Central

Dzirnavas (Lido Group): Dzirnavu 76, tel. 6-728-6204. Open:08-23. A wonderfully vast kingdom of a restaurant, something between an old Latvia theme park and a Swedish smorgasbord. The food, mostly Latvian country specialties, is all pre-prepared and you go through a cafeteria-style line. The food is hardly high class, but that’s obviously not the main point of this fun-loving place. It all feels like the inside of an old Latvian farmhouse; there’s a stream running through the middle of the restaurant, and Latvian folk music um-pah-pahs in the background. The place is very popular and always bustling.


Osiris: Barona 31, about a 10-minute walk from the old city; tel. 6-724-3002. Open:08-24; Sat., Sun. 10-24. How many ways can you say class? However you say it, this place has it. Everything from the food to the general atmosphere to the background music meets a very high standard. Osiris, which is a favorite hangout of artistically-inclined locals, isn’t located in the flashiest-looking building in Riga. But the whole place breathes class, and the wonderfully eclectic menu makes Osiris perfect for any time of the day.


Akhtamar: - 9 Merkeļa, across from the Riga Circus, Tel. 6-721-5032 , This wonderful Armenian restaurant in the heart of historic Riga's city center will delight you and your friends. Most entries prepared at table side on an open flame. Ethnic Armenian food presented in a fantastic relaxing atmosphere. photos - take a look at the great food and environment Private rooms for small parties to large private banquets (from 6 to 60 persons)


Par Daugava West bank Daugava River

Bellevue: Slokas 1, across the river, in the excellent Maritim Park Hotel; tel .6- 706-9000. Open:18-23. A very good, high-end restaurant with spectacular views of Riga from its 11th floor perch. Some mark this down as one of the finest restaurants of them all in the Latvian capital. http://www.maritim.lv/


Fabrikas Restorans: Balasta dambis 70, tel. 6-787-3804. On the vanguard of the gentrification of Kipsala Island in the Daugava is this restaurant. Great views of Riga’s old city. Block them with your car, though, and the staff will very diplomatically ask you to park elsewhere. Excellent service and food. Prices reasonable for Riga—which means higher than the other Baltic cities.


Greater Riga - South

Lido Recreation Center: Krasta 76, a 10-minute drive southeast of the old city; tel. 6-750-4420. Open:10-23. A cross between Disneyland and a Latvian country inn. Everything, from the cottage knick-knacks to the beams seem to be two or three times real scale, giving the place the feel of a roadside inn on steroids. Traditional Latvian food is served here cafeteria-style; you take a tray and wander around wanting to grab almost everything. There’s a wide variety of pork, chicken, pancake dishes and desserts, including wonderful waffles smothered in honey. Outside the massive stone building is a park with huge glass displays with animated animals and toys, clearly targeting the kids. Also rides and assorted outdoor fairs and concerts in the summer, and skating rink in winter which in summer is used for in-line skating.


Russian LIDO - Russkij Dvor: Kengaraga 3, off Maskavas street; tel. 6-713-4930. Open:10-23; Sun. 11-23. A Russian place with the feel of a theme park imagined by Walt Disney; it’s actually a homegrown establishment, done by the same savvy entrepreneurs who do the similarly fun-filled Latvian-food restaurant Lido. All and all, Russkij Dvor is excellent, highly distinctive and probably a must visit for tourists. It’s built as a vast, idealized version of a Russian village, with bright-red paintings of fairy-tale figures along the inside walls. The traditional Russian food, from blini to pancakes to pork and solyanka soup, is served cafeteria style, so, if you need to, you can get in and out fast. There’s a playground for the kids and frequent live Russian music. Perfect for family outings.


for more information, we recommend The Baltic City paper - Restaurants & Cafes

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Warning - as warm days arrive watch out for potential bad food

Warning!

As the warmer summer days arrive, it has been experience from past years to watch out for potentially bad food at small cafes, shops and even larger places like LIDO.

Chicken wings traditionally have been a problem and so are those small meatloaf style Mijas Home cutlet patties.

The food is cooked OK; but, sits around for some time and --  it is a stomach ache waiting to happen.

This writer was quite ill half the night and still now in the morning from some pastries bought at a up level cafe yesterday afternoon.

Also cold salads like Chicken Caesar salad from delis like Stockmanns have been a problem in the past.

Just be careful and when in doubt - don't take a risk !

Day trips - adventure outside of Riga City

Be delighted - adventure outside of Riga City

Take a train or bus or rent a car and visit the Sigulda area just one hour East of Riga.

We especially recommend:

Krimulda church

Krimulda village

Ragana Witch Cafe (wonderful for all ages)

Turaida Castle grounds

Cat House Cafe half block North of Hotel Sigulda

Riga restaurants

Sorry, I am not excited about restaurants in Riga

One possible is Black Monk close to Hotel Konventa seta and Galera Centers in Old Riga

Armenian restaurant Akhtamar

Iguana - Elizabetes 87 (Bergs Bazaar)

Dome Steak House - Smilsu 2

Vincents on north Elizabetes

Use Tram when visiting LIDO Center Krasta Blvd

Don't use the Number 17 bus when visiting the LIDO Center on Krasta Boulevard. Instead, take number 7 or 9 Tram going South from the Opera House (11 stops) or Central Market (10 stops) then walk one block to the right (West) and enter through the back parking lot.

We found the number 17E bus to be overcrowded, hot, and with a grouchy driver on our recent trip.

Beware of taxis on the street in front of the LIDO center. They are famous for overcharging even locals. If possible take a red colored Renault taxi stopped inside the LIDO property near the security gate.

If no taxis available, dial 800-0-1313 (payphone inside main building next to ATM) and tell the dispatcher you are at LIDO Krasta.

click more information on LIDO