Hi, Greg!
At last you are coming to Riga! I am positive you will be able to spare some time from business to enjoy the town, its unique culture and history. Remember, though, the tour is incomplete without trying local food. I want to offer you the icing on the cake – a dinner in a local restaurant.
Riga may not be the culinary capital of Europe, but let me assure you it does have a few very good places. The food might be relatively simple, but it is always (repeat always) delicious. I do not know what the chefs do to their dishes, but they certainly know how to create unforgettable meals. I promise you will remember the experience.
You know how we’ve always hunted for those hidden spots that the locals swear by? Well, this is the place. Located in the heart of VecriÌ„ga, Old Town, it faces the iconic St. Peter’s Cathedral, which boasts the tallest steeple in Europe and dates back to the thirteenth century.
The restaurant is called Petergailis, or The St. Peter’s Rooster, its famous weather vane. True to its name, the restaurant uses every available surface to display countless roosters in every conceivable design.
The restaurant is located on the ground floor of a medieval building. We are going to sit outside. A motley crowd of tourists is tramping over ancient cobblestones and slowly moving past like a flowing river. The place is most atmospheric.
You can feel the breath of the past centuries, picture the Reformation turning over old Riga, and hear young German merchants, the Blackheads (a medieval version of a stag party), making noise in their club at a nearby Town Hall square. Or is it a pack of unruly Brits on their beer-drinking journey??
You know I do not take chances with my food. We’ve thoroughly researched 20+ venues in this price range, carefully collected ratings from various sources, read all the bad reviews, and come to a rock-solid conclusion: it's the optimal choice. Then we had dinner there.
And were we immensely happy with our evening and ourselves alike.
Every time we walk by, the place is packed. Unless their chef has just resigned, it is an absolutely sure bet.
But aren’t we, two old foodies, here for an unforgettable meal?
The menu is relatively short, which proves they do not use “restaurant supermarket” and cook everything themselves. Whatever you try will be great. They make it a point to use as many local ingredients as practical and focus on local fish.
As you know, the best fish is fresh fish, and you can try zander, rainbow trout, and catfish, though your mainstream salmon, tiger prawns, and scallops are here for you, too. Those are cooked in various ways. Think of fresh zander tartare or rainbow trout cooked to perfection. Divine.
There is a good selection of starters, snacks, and soups. But if you ask me, there is no dinner without dessert. The selection is rather small, but every single cake is seductively delicious (confess, I tried them all). The last sin presented itself as a cheesecake with raspberry sauce. They make it in-house, with a traditional Latvian twist of cottage cheese. You bet you’ve never tried anything quite like that before.
My special, most passionate praise goes to wine. A seriously good selection by an experienced sommelier would honour any restaurant, and you need not leave your last shirt there. My favourite is the 2022 Esk Valley Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough (4.2 by Vivino!). Still, if you are adventurous enough, you can even try semi-sweet rhubarb wine from a local winery or a whopping EUR20-a-bottle of apple cider from the same cellar (something definitely worth trying!).
The staff is most friendly, efficient, and - invisible! They bring over whatever you have ordered, always in time, and silently vanish. However, if you need them, they are always miraculously by hand. Probably the best service available.
It will be a famous annual Riga Restaurant Week, and they have an irresistible offer. “Bring your friend along and have a 50% discount”. Which means your dinner is practically on the house! Vecriga will be packed with food lovers from as far as Japan, Hong Kong, and the US, along with ubiquitous Balts and Scandinavians. The scene will be lively, the days are long (a summer luxury of a Northern place), and last but not least, the weather forecast promises “no rain.” Can you believe your luck?
There is a caveat, though: Restaurant Week lasts, well, just one week. And we are most certainly not the only ones that clever. So I have to book asap.
Trust me, Riga will have a special place in your heart after this dinner. I can’t wait to share this incredible experience with you.
Are you up to the challenge?? Text me, buddy. Cheers
Andrei