Catering

Saloons, cafes and other places in small towns and the countryside which offer tasty dishes made of local products and on the basis of traditional Latvian recipes – ones which differ from region to region.

  • Special programmes are offered to visitors, with meals, stories about holiday and everyday traditions, and songs. Sometimes visitors are involved in preparing the food.
  • Menus use local names for dishes along with explanations and a discussion of the local dialect.
  • Providers of Latvian foods also use ethnographic styles for interior design, as well as dishes, furniture, textiles, etc., from local craftspeople.
Overview Details
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Latvia

Ludza Craftsmen Centre

Here you can examine and purchase crafts by more than 40 Lettigalian craftspeople. A guide dressed in an Ancient Lettigalian folk costume will tell you about the lives of ancient Baltic tribes, the emergence of craftsmanship in the region, ancient laws related to ethics and work, and traditions. There are demonstrations of the crafts and lessons about the ancient skills. Groups can enjoy a luncheon of Lettigalian dishes, and learn how to bake bread and prepare beverages in an old-fashioned Lettigalian kitchen.

The local craftsmen's salon and home producer's store Cymuss and Latgaļu kukņa, a member of the Latgale culinary heritage network. For groups, Latgaļu kukņa offers lunches and a special skills school for learning to prepare Latgalian food, bread and drinks.

Latvian cuisine: Grey peas, dumplings in cream sauce, Lettigalian pastries and moonshine alcohol.
Special foods: Lamb testicles and cabbage soup with mutton.

For children and teenagers Seminars Agri Heritage For parties Distance from countries capital city270 Active season months1-12 Accepts tourist groups Optional meals Must register in advance Accepts individual travellers
BBQRooms for  festivitiesRooms for seminarsNo smoking Tour guide servicesBoat tourPicnick areaSouvenire shop Nearest train station2kmNearest bus stop100mNearest restaurantNearest town Hosts speak EnglishHosts speak RussianOther languages
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Latvia

Pub MEKE

Opened on June 21, 2011, at the 51st kilometre of the Tallinn-Riga highway, the MEKE KROGS pub is a typical example of the roadside pubs which used to be built along the sides of roads and near homesteads, castles, mills and windmills. This particular one is located into renovated cattle shed that is more than 100 years old – a lovely log building that is named after the former baron of the local estate, von Mecke. Alongside it is the handsome parish building which was erected in 1907 with red bricks from Tūja.

Latvian cuisine: Sorrel stew with grits, cold soup, pounded beef, mutton and vegetable stew, grits with smoked meat and mushrooms, herring with cottage cheese, bread soup.

Special foods: Porridge with bacon bits and Meke spicy sausages.

Distance from countries capital city51 Active season months1-12 Internet access Accepts tourist groups Accepts individual travellers This destination has specific opening hours which you must determine in advance
Place for tents Facilities  appropriate for children
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Latvia

Brewery VALMIERMUIZAS ALUS

Tourists can learn about the history of the estate and the brewing of beer, beginning with raw materials and ending with finished products. The visit is enriched by tastings of live beer and stories about Latvia’s traditional holiday beverage. Alongside the brewery is a store which sells live beer, homemade goodies and selected souvenirs.

The “Valmiermuižas alus virtuve” saloon popularises Latvian beers and uses beer in various dishes. A modern approach to homemade products is used to prepare foods and beer-based snacks. There is a beer garden during the summer, and the saloon merges traditional things with modern ones.

Latvian cuisine: Smoked pork, filet of pike from Lake Burtnieks, green pea mash, with loganberries, quince, pumpkin birch juice and mushroom sauce as accompaniments.

Special foods: Slice of pork marinated in unfiltered winter beer.

For parties For children and teenagers Local lifestyle Seminars Distance from countries capital city111 Active season months1-12 Accepts individual travellers Must register in advance This destination has specific opening hours which you must determine in advance Accepts tourist groups Optional meals
BBQRooms for  festivitiesRooms for seminars Horseback ridingRide in horse driven sledgeFacilities  appropriate for childrenTour guide servicesPicnick areaSouvenire shop Nearest town Hosts speak EnglishHosts speak RussianOther languages
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Latvia

House of traditions "Zvanitaji" in Rucava

The wooden building was erected in the late 19th century and features a museum which demonstrates the way in which people lived more than 100 years ago.  Exhibits include household objects, the Rucava folk costume, socks and decorated mittens.  Various events involving discussions, singing, games, dancing and weaving are organised, as are cultural and educational programmes such as “Evening Activities” and “A Rucava Banquet” with local foods from lower Kurzeme.

Latvian cuisine: Buns, sourdough porridge, homemade bread, honey, herbal teas.

Distance from countries capital city259 Active season months1-12 Must register in advance Accepts individual travellers Pre-order required Accepts tourist groups
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Latvia

The “Meza Salas” tourism and leisure facility

The venue is located in the forest, with a set of ponds that very much bring the landscape back to life. It offers Latvian dishes and culinary seminars for those who are interested. Some dishes are cooked on large pans on a campfire or smoked or grilled.

Latvian cuisine: Hot or cold tomato soup, salmon in a honey marinade, honey buns (baked on a campfire), various pancakes, country torte from biological and local ingredients.

Special foods: Whipped rye flour dessert.

Seminars Beautiful sights Distance from countries capital city86 Active season months1-12 Pre-order required This destination has specific opening hours which you must determine in advance Accepts tourist groups Accepts individual travellers Accommodation available
FishingFacilities  appropriate for childrenBerry and mushroom picking
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Latvia

The “Rozu krodzins” saloon of the Piena Estate

The saloon is in the restored mansion of the Sieksāte (Berghof) Estate, and there is a milk museum in the granary and the cheese-making building. Guests can try their hand at milking cows and at churning and tasting fresh butter.

Latvian cuisine: Rye bread, herring with cottage cheese, milk soup, boiled potatoes a la countryside with chives, sliced venison, pike-perch in cream, plaice with peas, potato pancakes with lingonberry jam.

Special foods: Piena Estate cheesecake, homemade egg liqueur.

Distance from countries capital city156 Active season months1-12 Accommodation available This destination has specific opening hours which you must determine in advance Accepts tourist groups Accepts individual travellers
Facilities  appropriate for children
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Latvia

Fisherman's farm DIENINAS

The owners are third-generation fishers, and they will be happy to sell you some smoked local fish. Tour groups can take part in active leisure related to cultural aspects of smoking tasty fish (tossing a boot into the sea, stories from fishermen’s wives, a theatrical performance, and the smoking and tasting of fish).

Latvian cuisine: Smoked and dried plaice, hot-smoked eelpout and other fish prepared on the basis of ancient local recipes.

For children and teenagers Distance from countries capital city82 Active season months6-12 Accommodation available Accepts individual travellers Accepts tourist groups Must register in advance
Facilities  appropriate for children
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Latvia

Restaurant BANGERT’S

The restaurant is located in the Old Town of Kuldīga, on the bank of the River Venta, overlooking the old bridge and the Venta Rapid. It is characterised by an antique and cosy interior and boasts three summer terraces with excellent views of the renovated City Garden and the Venta Rapid. The dishes are prepared from local products.

Distance from countries capital city146 Active season months1-12 Accepts tourist groups This destination has specific opening hours which you must determine in advance Accepts individual travellers
Facilities  appropriate for children Nearest town
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Latvia

The “Bermudas” fish restaurant

A family fish restaurant that is located in Ragaciems, 12.5 km along the Jūrmala-Talsi highway. The restaurant’s chefs specialise in both traditional coastal fish and world cuisine. Latvian cuisine on offer: herring snack platter, fried flounder fillet, fish solyanka soup, layered oat dessert with berry sauce.

Distance from countries capital city50 Active season months1-12 Accepts tourist groups Accepts individual travellers This destination has specific opening hours which you must determine in advance
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Estonia

Castle restaurant ALATSKIVI

The main building of the grand manor Alatskivi has a restaurant serving local specialities. The rich history of the manor house connects Estonian peasant culture, Baltic-German culture and Scottish culture depicted in the manor's architecture. The restaurant menu combines these three values. Favourites of the guests are Peipus pike perch and pork chop, but many guests also love the surprising Scottish dessert and local onion jam.