Latvian cuisine reflects Baltic, Nordic and Eastern European influences, with rye, potatoes, fish, pork, dairy, mushrooms and berries appearing frequently.

20 Foods and Drinks to Know

1. Rye bread
2. Grey peas with bacon
3. Sklandrausis
4. Smoked sprats
5. Cold beet soup
6. Potato pancakes
7. Potato dumplings
8. Jāņu cheese
9. Smoked fish
10. Pork cutlets
11. Speķa pīrāgi
12. Barley dishes
13. Forest mushroom dishes
14. Lingonberries
15. Cranberries
16. Birch sap
17. Rhubarb desserts
18. Rye desserts
19. Curd cheese desserts
20. Latvian herbal drinks and beer

Regional Flavours

Coastal regions have strong fish traditions, while Latgale and other inland areas have distinctive potato, grain and dairy dishes.

Markets and Restaurants

Riga Central Market, local bakeries and regional restaurants are good places to discover Latvian food.

Pair this with our culture guide, regions guide and travel guide.

Official resource: Latvia Travel.

Imran Siddiqui

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