A taste journey through markets, home cafes and traditions
When you want to understand the essence of a country, one of the most exciting ways is to taste its cuisine. Latvia offers not only diversity and contrasts in its landscapes, but also in its rich world of flavours, where ancient traditions meet a modern approach. Latvian traditional dishes are simple and hearty, made from local products, such as potatoes, cabbage, rye bread and fish, which reflect both the natural bounty of Latvia and the way of life of our ancestors.
The journey of Latvian flavours leads to home-made markets, family restaurants and summer Home Cafe Days, where traditional recipes live in heartfelt stories, and every bite is a small part of Latvia.
Local food markets
Local farmers' markets are like time capsules – they bring ancient traditions and modern craftsmanship to life. Riga Central Market, Kalnciema Quarter Market, Āgenskalns Market, Cēsis Rural Goods Market, Straupe Rural Goods Market, Doma Square, where seasonal markets are held, and other small Sunday markets, both on a daily basis and at city events, offer not only food, but also conversations with producers who are happy to share their experiences of how their products are made.
At the markets you can taste:
- dried fish – especially herring and flounder from the Kurzeme coast
- meat products – dried and smoked according to the best traditional recipes
- various pickles, including pickled beets or chanterelles, pickled cucumbers, tomatoes, vegetable lecho and onion jams
- jams and syrups from quinces, cranberries, sea buckthorn and various garden berries
- rye bread and sourdough bread, often baked according to recipes passed down through generations
- Latvian bee honey – both soft and light from linden flowers and strong and fragrant heather honey
- hemp products – oil, butter, flour and even tea
- pastries, including a real country cake
City festivals and events in 2025, which will also include home-made food markets:
- Sigulda Festival on May 24
- Jelgava City Festival from May 24 to 26
- Daugavpils City Festival from May 29 to June 1
- Jurmala Resort Festival on May 31
- Saldus County Days from May 30 to 31
- Salacgrīva Fisherman's Festival on July 12
- Tukums Rose Festival from July 17 to 20
- Cēsis City Festival from July 18 to 20
- Bauska County Festival on July 19
- Gulbene City Festival from July 24 to 26
- Valmiera City Festival from July 25 to 27
- Kuldīga Old Town Festival from July 26 to 27
- Alūksne City Festival from July 31 to August 3
- Ventspils City Festival from August 1 to 2
- Ludza City Festival from August 8 to 10
- Riga City Festival on August 16
- Carnikava Nēģi Festival on August 23
Home Cafe Days
Every year, for one weekend between July and September, the Latvian countryside turns into a culinary epicentre, as “Home Cafe Days” take place. Farms and country houses transform into restaurants for a day or two, where guests are warmly welcomed and treated to carefully prepared dishes. During these days, local people who do not normally host guests or prepare food, open their homes to celebrate the flavours of their family and region with warmth and pride, serving home-made dishes that hold stories and traditions, become chefs and waiters. During “Home Cafe Days” you can taste:
- home-made cheeses with cumin and honey
- sourdough, buckwheat and other favourite porridges
- sklandrauši – carrot and potato pies typical in Kurzeme
- fish soups caught in local Latgale lakes and the Baltic Sea coast
- cakes and rolls made from free-range chicken eggs and berries grown in local gardens
- freshly baked rye bread
- special courgette and tomato dishes
- pancakes – both thin and stuffed, as well as the ever-popular potato ones
- pastries and stews
- birch sap, garden berry lemonades and even some stronger drinks
When visiting “Home Cafe Days”, please remember:
- Guests of home cafes can also expect musical performances, games, excursions to the farm or craft workshop and other activities.
- When planning the route, register your visit so that the hosts can plan the flow of guests and avoid unplanned queues.
- These are not “real” cafes, and the hosts may not have previous experience in serving guests. The essence of home cafes is visiting and enjoying home-cooked food.
- All participants of “Home Cafe Days” have attended a lecture by the Food and Veterinary Service on hygiene standards in the food chain.
- Pay attention to the date and time of the home cafe offer. The standard event time is from 10:00-18:00 or as indicated in the offer of each participant.
- Payments in home cafes are only possible in cash.
“Home Cafe Days” is more than a meal – it’s a meeting with people who live in harmony with the land, the seasons, and family traditions.
Favourite family restaurants – places where cosiness connects with taste
Many of Latvia's culinary treasures are hidden outside the capital – in small family restaurants, where the menu is created with both respect for the locale and bringing in the flavours of the world.
The menu of “Jaunpils pils krogs” is carefully thought out, combining classic values with modern ingredients and a special way of serving. The sizzling blood sausages are tasted by people from far and wide, and they are recognised as the best in the immediate area.
“Vīnkalni Pils Māja” is a family pizzeria in the old town of Valmiera, run by the Žentiņi family and their team. The heart of the pizzeria is a wood-fired oven, where pizzas are made according to Italian recipes from excellent local products. This is a place to spend time with family and friends in a special atmosphere, enjoying the cosy environment and expressive flavours of both pizzas, salads, desserts and drinks.
In the pearl of Alsunga, “Spēlmaņu krogā”, tourist groups are served dishes typical of Alsunga. All you must do is choose. The food is served in clay bowls – just like at the family table in the old days. And here you can participate in an exciting master class on cooking sklandrauši.
In Daugavpils region, gourmets are invited to the restaurant “Sventes muiža”. The rich menu includes Baltic sprats with rye bread and pickled apples, slow-cooked Latgalian pork neck chops, and catfish fillet with green pea puree.
The “Dzirnavu krogs” beloved by locals and tourists, is in a beautiful location within the Igate Castle grounds. The Igate Castle Tavern menu offers authentic dishes combined with modern and sophisticated dishes for all tastes. The sauerkraut soup, barley porridge and rye bread arrangement are especially delicious.
When heading towards Kurzeme, it is worth stopping in Roja and visiting the local restaurant “Otra puse”, which is popular with both locals and foreign guests. The food, prepared with responsibility and care, is a testament to their respect for the place, culture and people. They are famous for their delicious, imaginative and regional gastronomic offer – herring tartare, fish solyanka, and oven-baked strimalas.
Masterclasses – flavours you learn to take with you
If you want to not only taste but also learn how classic Latvian flavours are made, culinary masterclasses are the perfect experience. They are often held at local farms or guesthouses. These classes use local produce, and the masters are happy to share tips on how to make each dish an unforgettable taste experience.
Bread is the foundation of Latvian cuisine. Moreover, baking sourdough bread for a family meal is a common activity these days. Since Latvia has many small bakeries, there are ample opportunities not only to learn about the history of bread baking, but also to try making your own fragrant loaf of bread. The bakery “Tērvetes maize”, “Alejas maize ceptuve”, the creative bread laboratory “Ramala”, the “Maizes Muzejs” in Aglona and the bakery “Lāči” are just a few of the places where you can touch, feel and taste the magical world of bread.
Latvia has always been a land of livestock farming (by the way, the famous Latvian Blue cows can be seen at the Riga Zoo affiliate “Cīruļi”), so cheese-making recipes are passed down from generation to generation. Modern cheese producers, such as “Siera ražotne” in Rauna, the cheese workshop “Kundziņsiers”, the farm “Lapsu Mājas Siers” and others are happy to invite you to their place and share ideas on how to make the most delicious cheese.
Fish is another product that is unthinkable on the Latvian menu. The Rojas Sea Fisheries Museum branch “Kaltenes klubs” will teach you the most delicious fish soup recipe. Camping “Melnsils” offers fish smoking master classes led by a local fisherman, while the fishermen's farm “Dieniņas” will delight guests with a whole presentation about the life of fishermen, which will be concluded with delicious fish dishes.
During the summer season, every Latvian garden can feast on local fruits and berries – apples, pears, strawberries, cherries, blackcurrants, raspberries, blueberries, as well as sea buckthorn and quinces. Since these delicacies disappear come wintertime, when the gardens are covered in snow, local Latvian producers offer a wide assortment of various products – juices, syrups and candied fruits – to savour their taste across the year. When visiting producers, it is possible not only to purchase high-quality products, but also to get acquainted with the production process and participate in the preparation of delicacies. Producers such as the recreation area “Rāmkalni”, the farm “Jāņkalni”, the brands “Pikolo”, “Granberry” and others invite you to an exciting adventure.
How to plan a trip?
It is recommended to combine a Latvian Taste tour with a visit to other great sights and places. An excellent and useful assistant in choosing and planning a trip is the trip planner from the website "Latvia Travel". This is an indispensable virtual guide for individual travellers, which can help plan Latvian tourist destinations across multiple days. We offer free maps of Latvia and informative materials for download. Interested parties who need printed materials in smaller quantities are invited to contact the nearest tourist information centre.
