Restaurants A thin-crust pizza, fresh sushi, hearty pork knuckle or an Armenian shashlik are never far from your fingertips in Riga and many cafés now offer cheap lunch specials to lure diners into their establishments. A tip of 10% is expected at most places. The average cost of a main course is listed in parentheses.
ARMENIAN ARAGATS The family who runs this authentic restaurant fled earthquake-racked Armenia and then opened a little piece of their homeland in Riga. But after decades of serving mouth-watering grilled lamb, veal and pork shashliks as well a wide variety of other delicious cuisine from the Caucasus Mountains on Miera iela, they finally moved to the Art Nouveau district of the city centre at the end of 2015. The interior is much more modern and stylish than that of the previous location, but thankfully personalised service from the family is still the hallmark of Aragats. However, in keeping with 21st-century etiquette, women are now given menus that include prices! QC‑3, Jura Alunāna 2a, tel. (+371) 67 37 34 45, www.aragats.lv. Open 12:00 22:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 23:00, Sun 12:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon. (€8 - 14). AX
ASIAN NEW BALTS Clean, sleek and modern, Balts, or White, chose that name as a symbol of something pure, not unlike the ingredients in its Asian-style meals. Order chicken or salmon teriyaki or prawns in chilli sauce with your choice of rice or udon noodles, a curried soup or one of many sushi platters that are accompanied by a salad and bright green soya beans. Seating is limited in this clay-coloured space sparsely decorated with custom wood stools and copper lighting fixtures, but you can also get everything on the menu as takeaway. Imported tea drinks with dragon fruit or coconut juice are also available as well as Asian snacks. Best of all, the most expensive item on the menu costs a mere €7.QC‑4, Ģertrūdes 27, tel. (+371) 29 02 02 00, www. balts.lv. Open 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 11:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. (€4 - 7). ASW GAN BEI Located on the 7th floor a popular shopping mall, this stylish restaurant is a must see for hungry shoppers. You can order a wide range of Asian cuisine from sushi and sashimi to classic Chinese and Indian dishes that are listed on a menu that’s as long as a novel. The quality of the food is excellent, but in our opinion the serving sizes could be a bit bigger. No matter. You can console yourself with a tasty cocktail or a delicious Valmiermuiža draught. Although the trendy interior is definitely a draw, most people would give their right arm to get a seat out on the wonderful terrace.QC‑4, Dzirnavu 67 (Galleria Riga - 7th floor), tel. (+371) 67 28 84 20, www.ganbei.lv. Open 10:00 - 23:00. (€7 - 12). AVS 26 Riga In Your Pocket
SYMBOL KEY A Accepts credit cards P Air conditioning O Casino
T Child-friendly
V Home delivery
E Live music
J Old town location B Outside seating X Smoking section
S Takeaway
W Wi-fi
HIMALAJU-ĀZIJAS VIRTUVE After working for the popular Gan Bei chain of Asian restaurants in Riga for seven years Nepalese chef Bam Bhandari decided to open his own restaurant specialising in Chinese, Thai, Indian and Nepalese cuisine and we’re very happy that he did. Unlike the aforementioned restaurant that places a large emphasis on its modern interior, this family-run eatery is a much simpler affair with standard furniture and a few photos of Himalayan vistas. Here it’s all about the delicious food, which is often quite spicy, and the friendly service provided by the chef and his wife. Vegetarian dishes are also on offer as well as a cheap business lunch from 12:00 - 17:00. If you like it hot, try the crispy chilli chicken or the chicken tikka masala.QB‑5, Brīvības 102, tel. (+371) 20 37 29 38, www.npasiankitchen.com. Open 10:00 - 21:00. Closed Sun. Also at C-4, Blaumaņa 14. Open 10:30 - 22:00, Sun 12:00 - 20:00. (€4 - 8). AS W NEW LOTUS A bit sterile with very little decoration apart from some framed Chinese calligraphy on its peach-coloured walls, this Asian restaurant located on the ground floor of a modern office/residential building was a big disappointment. Although some of the best Chinese restaurants we’ve experienced often had humble interiors, this, sadly, is just not the case here. The Kung Pao chicken looked as if it never saw the inside of a wok, it lacked flavour or any semblance of what one would call sauce and, to add insult to injury, arrived on a tiny dish. Did we mention that the ‘chefs’ didn’t even bother peeling off the peanut skins? The poor little goldfish in the fishbowl on our table seemed even less enthusiastic about the food and looked as if he was about to go belly up. Luckily, there’s also a service button on each table, so you can quickly order the bill and be on your way.QB‑4, Dzirnavu 39. Open 11:00 - 22:00. Also at G/H-1, Torņa 4 (Jēkaba kazarmas). (€6 - 12). A
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