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Food tours in Riga: what to eat and which tour to book
Latvian food is northern and seasonal: dark rye bread, smoked fish from the Baltic, grey peas with bacon, potatoes, dill, sour cream, mushrooms and berries picked in the forests in late summer. Riga's Central Market, spread across five former Zeppelin hangars next to the railway station, is one of the largest markets in Europe and the best single place to see it all, from smoked eel and sprats to sauerkraut, honey and rye bread. Around it, the city has cheap self-service canteens serving Latvian home cooking, Old Town restaurants aimed at visitors, and a newer group of chefs cooking modern Baltic food.
Use this page to decide what to eat and where. The dishes and areas below say what each place does well and when markets are open. The tours are real listings on GetYourGuide, with prices as seen when we checked; prices and group sizes change, so confirm on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Riga
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grey peas with bacon pelēkie zirņi ar speķi | Large grey peas boiled and fried with diced bacon and onion, usually with a glass of kefir or beer. A national dish, especially around Christmas. | Latvian restaurants and self-service canteens. | roughly €4–8 a portion |
| Rye bread rupjmaize | Dense, dark, slightly sweet-sour rye bread, often with caraway; the base of Latvian eating. | Bakeries and the bread pavilion at the Central Market. | about €2–4 a loaf |
| Rye bread dessert rupjmaizes kārtojums | Layered dessert of crumbled rye bread, whipped cream and cranberry or lingonberry jam. | Latvian restaurants and canteens. | about €3–6 |
| Smoked fish kūpinātas zivis (brētliņas, zutis, bute) | Hot- and cold-smoked Baltic fish: sprats, eel, flounder, bream and salmon. | Fish pavilion at the Central Market and smoked-fish stalls; restaurants serve smoked fish platters. | about €3–8 per piece at the market; sprats roughly €8–15 per kg |
| Bacon buns pīrāgi / speķa pīrāgi | Soft crescent-shaped buns filled with diced bacon and onion, eaten as a snack or with soup. | Bakeries, cafes and the Central Market. | about €0.70–1.50 each |
| Cold beet soup aukstā zupa | Bright pink chilled soup of kefir, beetroot, cucumber, dill and boiled egg, served with hot potatoes. A summer dish. | Restaurants and canteens from about June to August. | about €4–7 |
| Herring with potatoes siļķe ar kartupeļiem un biezpienu | Salted herring with boiled potatoes and quark (soft curd cheese) mixed with sour cream and dill. | Latvian restaurants and canteens. | roughly €6–10 |
| Riga Black Balsam Rīgas Melnais balzams | Black herbal liqueur made in Riga since the 18th century, drunk as a shot, in coffee or mixed with blackcurrant juice. | Bars throughout the Old Town and shops everywhere. | about €4–7 a shot in a bar |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Riga Central Market
Five Zeppelin-hangar pavilions for meat, fish, dairy, vegetables and bread, plus outdoor stalls; the best place to taste smoked fish, rye bread, sauerkraut and honey.
Āgenskalns Market
Restored historic market hall across the river with local producers, cafes and street-food counters; smaller and calmer than the Central Market.
Kalnciema Quarter
Restored wooden houses across the river that host a Saturday farmers' and craft market with local food producers.
Old Town (Vecrīga)
Medieval centre with medieval-themed restaurants, beer halls, cafes and Black Balsam bars; touristy, with higher prices, but a few good restaurants in the side streets.
Centre and Miera iela
The Art Nouveau centre and Miera Street area, where locals eat at cafes, bakeries and newer Baltic restaurants.
Food tours in Riga compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riga: Latvian Cooking Class in a Local Home | 3 hours | from €99 per person | — | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Riga: Old town pub & bar crawl, hidden gems, and local party | 3 hours | from €25 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Riga Central Market Walking Tour with Guide | 1.5 hours | from €25 per person | — | Morning people who want to see where locals shop and taste produce at the source. | Check dates |
| Flavours of Riga: Food, History & Hidden Gems Tour | 2.5 hours | from €99 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
Riga: Latvian Cooking Class in a Local Home
On GetYourGuide · run by MammaAmma
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €99 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 18 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
Riga: Old town pub & bar crawl, hidden gems, and local party
On GetYourGuide · run by MyEventRiga
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €25 per person
- Rating
- 4.6 ★ from 196 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- 2 x complimentary shots Entry to the local bars and pubs Local guide Hidden sports, karaoke bars, and local places Additional Drinks Food
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- The guide will meet you at the entrance of St. Peter's Church in Riga Old Town. Please make sure you have provided the correct phone number, including the country code, when making your booking. Please bring a valid ID or passport with you, and avoid wearing sportswear.
Riga Central Market Walking Tour with Guide
On GetYourGuide · run by VisitRiga Travel
- Length
- 1.5 hours
- Price
- from €25 per person
- Rating
- 3.9 ★ from 28 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Tasting of local products (hemp products, cheese, and craft beer) Guided tour of Riga Central Market (certified guide) Opportunity to purchase products at a special price Free time at the Central Market Introduction t…
- Suits
- Morning people who want to see where locals shop and taste produce at the source.
- Starts
- Torņa iela 4, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1050, Latvia
Flavours of Riga: Food, History & Hidden Gems Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by MyEventRiga
- Length
- 2.5 hours
- Price
- from €99 per person
- Rating
- 3.8 ★ from 3 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Expert local guide Tasting of traditional Latvian snacks Two traditional Latvian shots paired with a sweet treat Visit to hidden medieval spots in Riga’s Old Town A unique blend of food, culture, and historical insigh…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- St. Peter's Church
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Riga has little street food. The cheap meal is the self-service canteen, where you point at dishes like grey peas, potato pancakes and cutlets and pay by item; a full meal costs well under €10. Bakeries selling pīrāgi and market stalls fill the gap.
Sit-down meals
Sit-down choices run from medieval-themed taverns in the Old Town to modern restaurants using foraged and Baltic produce. Weekday business lunches (pusdienas) are much cheaper than dinner. Book ahead at the better-known modern restaurants on Fridays and Saturdays.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes are not common. Food experiences in Riga are more often guided market walks, Black Balsam and craft beer tastings, or chef-led dinners. Check what is actually included before booking.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | €20–30 (bakery breakfast, canteen lunch, market snacks) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | €45–70 (business lunch and a restaurant dinner with a drink) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | €120+ (modern Baltic tasting menu with wine) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Workable: potato pancakes, mushroom dishes, cold beet soup, cheese, rye bread desserts and many vegetarian-friendly cafes in the centre. Traditional dishes often include bacon or meat stock, so ask.
Halal: Limited to a handful of Middle Eastern, Turkish and Uzbek restaurants and kebab shops. Pork is central to Latvian cooking, including bacon in grey peas and pīrāgi.
Gluten-free: Rye and wheat are central to Latvian food, so care is needed. Potatoes, smoked fish, grey peas and many salads are naturally gluten-free. Supermarkets stock 'bez glutēna' products, and many central restaurants can adapt dishes.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Bar and club scams in the Old Town, where friendly strangers invite visitors (usually men) to a bar and the drink bill runs into hundreds of euros; foreign embassies have warned about it for years. Choose your own bar, check prices before ordering and don't follow people you have just met to another venue.
- Old Town restaurants with touts and English-only menus charging high prices for mediocre 'traditional' food. Eat at canteens, the markets or restaurants in the centre outside the Old Town; check recent reviews.
- Short-weighting or high 'tourist' prices at a few market stalls. Check the price per kg on the label, watch the scale and compare with neighbouring stalls.
Top tours & activities in Riga
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Do I need to tip in Riga?
A tip of about 10% is normal in sit-down restaurants if service was good; check first whether a service charge is already included, which is common in some Old Town places. In canteens and cafes, tipping is not expected. Guides on food tours appreciate a few euros per person if you enjoyed it.
When is Riga Central Market open?
The market pavilions are open daily, roughly from 7:00 to 18:00, with shorter hours in some pavilions on Sunday and Monday. Outdoor stalls start early and wind down in the afternoon. Hours can change by pavilion and season, so check the current times. Mornings are best for fish and fresh produce.
What are Latvian canteens?
Self-service restaurants where you take a tray, choose from soups, salads, hot dishes and desserts, and pay at the till by item. They serve home-style Latvian food such as grey peas, potato pancakes and cutlets, and a full meal usually costs well under €10. They are popular with locals at lunch.
How much should I budget for food per day?
On a budget, about €20–30 covers a bakery breakfast, a canteen lunch and market snacks. A mid-range day with a business lunch and a restaurant dinner with a drink is about €45–70. Modern Baltic tasting menus with wine pairings start at around €120 per person.
What is the best season for food in Riga?
Late summer and early autumn, roughly August to October, when forest mushrooms, berries and new-season vegetables fill the markets. Midsummer (Jāņi, around 23–24 June) brings caraway cheese and beer. In winter, menus turn to grey peas, sauerkraut and heavier dishes, and the Christmas market opens in the Old Town.
What should I take home?
Rye bread from the Central Market, Riga Black Balsam, local honey, smoked sprats in tins, Laima chocolates and caraway cheese (Jāņu siers) in season. Check your home country's rules on bringing cheese, meat and fish, especially when flying outside the EU.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.