Food in Latvia is relatively inexpensive (food prices in local cafes and restaurants are lower than in Moscow and Western Europe). Many tourists will be pleased with the fact that local food is not only healthy, but also tasty, satisfying and varied.
Food in Latvia
The diet of Latvians consists of meat, flour and dairy products, fish (cod, perch, mackerel, pike, flounder), soups, vegetables, legumes.
Latvians love to start their day with the Peasant's Breakfast, which is an assortment of boiled potatoes cut into cubes, homemade sausage and smoked loin, poured with milk and egg melange and baked in the oven.
Latvia is famous for its excellent bread, which has many varieties: in the country you can find various types of bread - from light carrot to rye with nuts and dried fruits. This product is so popular among Latvians that it often becomes the basis for the preparation of such culinary masterpieces as yoghurt and ice cream.
Arriving in Latvia, you can taste such unusual food combinations as semolina porridge with the addition of whipped proteins, nuts and cranberry jam; beer or bread soup with dried fruits; brown bread jelly …
In Latvia, you should definitely try baked pies with various fillings (potatoes, corned beef, ham, cabbage, carrots, cottage cheese); fried herring with onion sauce; minced fish and bread casserole with cheese and onions; lamb in caraway sauce; grilled pork ribs; pickled eel; pork jellied meat.
Where to eat in Latvia? At your service:
- restaurants of various national cuisines (here you can order dishes of European, Caucasian, Latvian, Asian, Latin American cuisines);
- cafes, pastry shops, snack bars;
- fast food establishments (they are represented by pizzerias, dumplings, pancakes, fast food chain "Lido").
Drinks in Latvia
Popular Latvian drinks are tea, coffee, kvass, beer, wine, vodka (caraway and tomato vodka), liqueur.
From alcoholic drinks in Latvia it is worth trying the famous “Riga Black Balsam” and numerous herbal liqueurs.
Lovers of light beers should pay attention to “Aldaris Luxus”, “Bauskas Gaisais”, “Aldaris Zelt”, and lovers of dark beers - to “Porteris” and “Bauskas Tumsais”.
Gastronomic tour to Latvia
If you go on a gastronomic tour, for example, “The Modern Taste of the Baltics”, you can visit the Riga Market (here you will be offered to taste natural products and will tell you about each of them), taste “Riga Black Balsam” with chocolate at the “Laima” factory, taste national food and drinks in the old town tavern.
A trip to Latvia will appeal to gourmets - here they can enjoy both traditional and modern Latvian cuisine.
