Bon Appetit

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• Food Box read more ›
  (31 Dzirnavu Iela. Tel. 29 113 393)
  This casual cafeteria run by a Turkish entrepreneur serves delicious kebabs and falafel for surprisingly low prices and it even bakes its own pitta bread.
• Trattoria del Popolo read more ›
  (6-8 Jana Iela. Tel. 67 350 559)
  Dark wooden furniture and white walls serve as the backdrop for an incredibly cheap meal of authentic Italian cuisine in an historic medieval building.
• KID read more ›
  (2 Pulkveza Brieza Iela. Tel. 2022 2424)
  It's like dining in an art gallery with a large salad bar. Wait for table service or order cheap breakfasts from the open-plan kitchen.
• John Lemon read more ›
  (21 Peldu Iela. Tel. 6722 6647)
  As the funky name suggests, John Lemon is a hip han-gout for local bohemians in the mood for pasta, pizza or vegetarian wraps.
• Tikai Karotes read more ›
  (31 Barona Iela. Tel. 6732 6615)
  A great venue that only serves soup. Order summer borscht, hearty goulash or Latvian meatball soup. For dessert, try sweet concoctions such as strawberry soup.
• LIDO Recreation Centre read more ›
  (76 Krasta Iela. Tel. 6750 4420)
  This enormous log cabin offers a rustically decorated cellar pub that brews beer on the premises and a huge buffet of cheap Latvian food on the ground floor.

• Nostalgija read more ›
  (22 Kalku Iela. Tel. 67 222 338)
  Elegant retro Soviet restaurantwith crystal chandeliers, gilded ceilings and massive communist propaganda murals. Slavic and decadent Western cuisine are both available.
• Deja Vu read more ›
  (151 Brivibas Iela. Tel. 67 852 994)
  Because it's located on the outskirts of the city centre, its delicious pizzas, mains and inventive varieties of sushi are quite affordable. At night, Deja Vu becomes a popular cocktail bar.
• Red Fred read more ›
  (14 Audeju Iela. Tel. 6735 9662)
  The nation's only fire-fighting theme bar offers anything from pastas and salads to steaks, and also boasts a great beer selection and a smoking section.
• Gan Bei read more ›
  (2 Stacijas Laukums. Tel. 6707 3012)
  The train station may sound like a strange place to enjoy authentic Japanese and Chinese cuisine, but Riga is full of surprises. Try the excellent sushi.
• Charlestons read more ›
  (38-40 Blaumana Iela. Tel. 6777 0572)
  Owned by a Canadian-Latvian celebrity chef who hosts a televised cooking show, Charlestons has an elegant interior of dark, hardwood floors, a fantastic summer terrace and great international cuisine.
• Pie Kristapa Kunga read more ›
  (27-29 Baznicas Iela. Tel. 6729 4899)
  Enter a labyrinth of medieval-style rooms and order Latvian, Russian or Armenian cuisine, with affordable local brews. You can also pick your dinner from the cellar fishpond.

• Hospitalis read more ›
  (14 Stabu Iela. Tel. 67 313 530)
  This bizarre, up-market restaurant owned by local doctors is designed to look like the inside of a hospital. Bedpans, medicine cabinets, surgery lamps and waitresses in nurses' outfits create a surreal setting for an evening of top-notch international cuisine.
• Gastronome read more ›
  (31 Brivibas Iela. Tel. 67 772 391)
  Located in the sleek new addition to the Hotel Latvija skyscraper, Gastronome offers a modern beige interior and fresh seafood, including oysters, scallops and mussels, and a good wine selection.
• C.U.T. read more ›
  (73 Elizabetes Iela. Tel. 6778 5577)
  This trendy restaurant on the ground floor of a new design hotel specialises in grilled meat and fish dishes, including salmon, tuna and beef imported from Argentina. Take advantage of its huge courtyard on sunny days.
• Gutenbergs read more ›
  (1 Doma Laukums. Tel. 6781 4090)
  If you'd like a sublime view of Riga's Dome Cathedral combined with a delicious steak and a glass of wine, then take the lift to the Hotel Gutenbergs' rooftop terrace.
• Monterosso read more ›
  (9 Valnu Iela. Tel. 6750 7170)
  Dark-wood panelling and gilt ceilings set the tone at this up-market Italian restaurant that offers authentic northern and southern dishes as well as delicious pizza. Monterosso also provides an incredible selection of vintage wine and aged spirits.
• Casanova read more ›
  (4 Tirgonu Iela. Tel. 6722 7792)
  Take the stairs to the first floor and admire the romantic scene of Venetian glass chandeliers and large windows with views of Dome Square below. Dine on anything from steaks to lobsters.

• Vincents read more ›
  (19 Elizabetes Iela. Tel. 67 332 634)
  When royalty and rock stars visit Riga, they invariably choose Vincents for an evening of fine dining. Chef Martins Ritins subscribes to the increasingly popular Slow Food movement and his gourmet meals are often created using local eco-friendly produce.
• Benjamins read more ›
  (12 Barona Iela. Tel. 67 079 444)
  Named after the wealthy family of 19th-century publishing tycoons that once owned this magnificent mansion now converted into an exclusive hotel. Original parquet floors, crystal chandeliers and tile fireplaces accompany each gourmet meal.
• Kalku Varti read more ›
  (11A Kalku Iela. Tel. 6722 4576)
  This up-market restaurant specialising in international and fusion cuisine would be a good choice at any time of the year, but in the summer you can also dine on its rooftop terrace, which provides excellent views of busy square below.
• Fabrikas Restorans read more ›
  (70 Balasta Dambis. Tel. 6787 3804)
  One of Riga's best restaurants is located in a renovated factory on the left bank of the Daugava River. Enjoy haute cuisine and excellent views from inside the restaurant or from a floating pier on the river during the summer months.
• Desiderata read more ›
  (3A Kalku Iela. Tel. 6721 4555)
  Located in the ancient cellar of this luxury hotel in Old Riga, Desiderata, or 'Things to be Desired' in Latin, has a unique interior that includes a medieval well under a glass floor. Order anything from oysters to steaks.
• Gourmand read more ›
  (2 Dzirnavu Iela. Tel. 6782 1906)
  Don't be discouraged if at first you can't find it. Hotel Elizabete's top-floor restaurant is well worth the effort. You can expect unusual glass lighting fixtures, unique views and an elevated summer terrace, not to mention superb gourmet cuisine.

After Dark

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• Free Hawks Club read more ›
  (33 Baznicas Iela. Tel. 29 489 898)
  Large men with tattoos and leather pants frequent this cellar pub, which boasts inexpensive food and beer and a loaded Second World War machine-gun above the bar.
• Kapteina Enriko Pulkstenis read more ›
  (13 Antonijas Iela. Tel. 67 338 973)
  This casual bar offers a great selection of local beers, comfy wooden furniture handmade by the owner and a much-coveted smoking room out back.
• Leningrad read more ›
  (54 Kaleju Iela. Tel. 2991 5049)
  This retro Soviet bar serves cheap beer and snacks, and offers an interior that includes Latvian furniture, posters and literature from the 1970s.
• Star Lounge read more ›
  (33 Dzirnavu Iela. Tel. 6733 1717)
  Where else can you sip cocktails on a wooden terrace suspended 11 floors above the ground? The faint-hearted can also drink at the bar.
• Lidojosa Varde read more ›
  (31A Elizabetes Iela. Tel. 6732 1184)
  Enjoy a meal in the 'Flying Frog's' cellar, a glass of wine by the fireplace or a local beer on its popular summer terrace.
• Gauja read more ›
  (56 Terbatas Iela. Tel. 6727 5662)
  This tiny bar is designed to make you feel like you're drinking cheap Latvian beer and vodka in a Soviet apartment circa 1970.

• 16. Korpuss read more ›
  (214M Brivibas Gatve. Tel. 67 077 728)
  Housed in the 16th building of what was once an electronics factory, this club and restaurant hosts concerts by local acts at the weekend.
• City Jazz Club read more ›
  (34 Gertrudes Iela. Tel. 26 129 191)
  Designed with London's legendary Ronnie Scott's in mind, this cellar restaurant and club offers a refined menu and, of course, live jazz music.
• Depo read more ›
  (32 Valnu Iela. Tel. 6722 0114)
  For live ska, reggae, punk and industrial music in Riga there's no better place to go than this bohemian club in the Old Town.
• Bites Blues Club read more ›
  (34A Dzirnavu Iela. Tel. 6733 3125)
  The long list of American blues stars that have performed at this little club is staggering. Good food and drink are also available.
• Cetri Balti Krekli read more ›
  (12 Vecpilsetas Iela. Tel. 6721 3885)
  The best venue in Riga for Latvian bands, but at 'Four White Shirts' you should forget wearing casual clothing or the bouncer may not let you in.
• Kabata read more ›
  (19 Peldu Iela. Tel. 6722 3334)
  When this cavernous brick cellar isn't hosting concerts by popular local rock and pop bands, it's a raging Top 40 disco frequented by twentysomethings.

• Mad House read more ›
  (11 Kalku Iela. Tel. 67 220 554)
  Even its high prices for cocktails haven't prevented revellers from admiring Mad House's stylish interior of niches designed to look like 1970s apartments.
• Shot Café read more ›
  (4 Torna Iela. Tel. 67 224 165)
  This tiny cellar bar might not look like much from the outside, but in the evening it's often packed with an alternative crowd of shot-takers.
• Melnais Kakis read more ›
  (10-12 Meistaru Iela. Tel. 6721 1021)
  Join the rest of Riga's revellers and insomniacs for a meal, a cocktail or maybe a game of billiards, every day until 7am.
• Cuba Café read more ›
  (15 Jauniela. Tel. 6722 4362)
  A never-ending supply of expertly poured mojitos, a young crowd and pictures of icons like Fidel Castro and Che Guevara make this bar a must-see.
• Lounge 8 read more ›
  (19 Valnu Iela. Tel. 6735 9595)
  Offers an enormous smoking lounge, amazing cocktail list and trendy interior that includes a live palm tree.
• Stella Pub read more ›
  (11A Grecinieku Iela. Tel. 2935 9779)
  Enjoy good pub food, a great selection of beer and flat-screen TVs showing live sporting events at this large, two-storey Old Riga bar.

On the Ground

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Tips

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