What to Eat in Riga

Riga sits where the Daugava River meets the Baltic Sea, shaping a cuisine built for cool, damp winters and bright but brief summers. Latvians rely on rye, potatoes, root vegetables, cabbage, and hardy herbs, while smoking, fermenting, pickling, and curing preserve abundance. Germanic, Baltic, and Slavic influences meet here without overshadowing local traditions.

Daily meals often include dark rye bread, sour cream, and dill, with lunch historically the heartiest meal in workplaces and canteens. Markets supply seasonal fish, forest mushrooms, and berries, while dairy like kefir and fresh cheeses anchor soups and snacks. The result is food that is grounded, seasonal, and quietly satisfying.

Pelēkie zirņi ar speķi pairs heritage Latvian grey peas with smoked bacon and onions, showcasing a winter staple adapted to northern soil and climate. Dried peas are soaked overnight, simmered until tender but intact, then combined with crisp lardons and softened onions, seasoned with black pepper and sometimes a spoon of sour cream on the side. The dish is earthy and nutty from the peas, with a smoky, savory edge from speķis, producing a firm yet creamy texture that stands up well to cold weather. Long associated with Ziemassvētki and year-end gatherings in Riga homes, it symbolizes thrift and satiety, and today appears in family kitchens and market counters whenever temperatures dip.

Pīrāgi are crescent-shaped buns made from enriched yeast dough—flour, milk, butter, eggs, sugar, and yeast—and filled with diced smoked bacon and onions. The dough is rolled and folded over the filling, crimped, brushed with egg wash, and baked until the exterior is glossy and lightly sweet while the interior releases smoky, peppery aromas. Texturally, the contrast is the draw: a tender, slightly sweet crumb surrounding a salty, juicy center, with the onions lending faint sweetness and the bacon delivering chew. Closely tied to family celebrations, name days, and the midsummer festival Jāņi, pīrāgi are eaten warm as a snack, slipped into lunchboxes, or served alongside soup; in Riga, they’re a common sight at home gatherings and seasonal markets.

Aukstā zupa is Riga’s go-to warm-weather soup, built on kefir’s gentle tang and the freshness of beets, cucumbers, dill, and scallions. Beets are boiled or pickled and shredded, then stirred into cold kefir with chopped cucumbers, radishes, herbs, and sliced boiled eggs; vinegar or lemon balances sweetness, while black pepper sharpens the finish. The soup is vivid pink, cool, and lightly sour, with crisp vegetable bite and a creamy, drinkable consistency that refreshes during humid Baltic summers. Common in workplace canteens and home kitchens from late spring through August, it reflects a broader Baltic tradition of chilled dairy soups yet keeps a distinctly Latvian profile, often served with boiled potatoes on the side for a more filling meal.

Sklandrausis is a small open-face tart rooted in western Latvia’s Kurzeme region and found across Riga bakeries and homes during festivals. A simple rye flour dough—just rye, water, and salt—is rolled thin, pinched to form a rim, then filled in two layers: a savory base of mashed potato with butter and salt, and a sweet top of mashed carrot with sugar or honey and a touch of caraway. Baking sets the layers and lightly caramelizes the orange surface, yielding a tender crust with earthy rye aromas and a delicate sweet-salty balance. Historically linked to farm kitchens and seasonal harvests, sklandrausis carries the visual symbolism of the sun and is enjoyed with tea or milk as a snack or dessert, especially during cultural fairs and autumn celebrations.

Rupjmaize, Latvia’s dark sourdough rye, underpins daily eating in Riga with its dense crumb, subtle malt sweetness, and occasional caraway. Baked from coarse rye flour and a lively starter, it’s hearty enough for open-faced sandwiches and soups, but it also transforms into maizes zupa, a traditional dessert. For maizes zupa, rye crumbs are simmered with water or light syrup, sugar, dried fruits such as raisins or prunes, and spices like cinnamon, then cooled to a thick, spoonable pudding. Served chilled with whipped cream or a dollop of sour cream, it is malty, gently tart from sourdough, and warmly spiced; popular at family gatherings and school cafeterias alike, it illustrates Latvia’s frugal habit of turning everyday staples into celebratory dishes.

Riga’s cuisine stands out for its rye-based breads, dairy-forward soups, and preservation methods that suit a cool maritime climate. From hearty grey peas and bacon to kefir-brightened aukstā zupa, dishes follow the seasons and make full use of local fields, forests, and waters. Explore more food traditions and plan weather-smart travel with Sunheron’s guides and filters.