Riga’s Haute Cuisine

Keen to try out the best French restaurants in and around Riga? The Baltic Times gives you a quick entree to the city’s top 5.

1st place: Vincents
Elizabetes iela 19

This is truly a restaurant of emperors and kings, even world famous chefs come to eat at Martins Ritin’s table. And with good reason: some dishes on the menu will simply make you rediscover your palate’s full potential to taste great food.
Pro: Quality of the food and the service.
Con: The price. But the food is worth its weight in gold.
TBT recommends: The meltingly soft Ravioli de foie gras.

2nd place : Philippe
Bulduru prospekts 17, Jurmala

A newcomer on the Latvian gastronomic scene, Philippe restaurant sets an excellent standard. There’s swift and skilful service; and with his imaginative menu influenced by Mediterranean French cooking, chef Zvirbulis has proved he is dangerously inventive in the kitchen.
Pro: The service and the wine list.
Con: The tables are too close to each other.
TBT recommends: The lightness of the chef’s unique desserts.

3rd place: La Boheme
Jura Alunana iela 2

 For a business dinner or a romantic meal, La Boheme will seduce you with its simple, tasteful class. Without flashiness or excess, the restaurant succeeds in reaching a sophisticated level of catering.
Pro: The intimacy of the place.
Con: The heaviness of some of the dishes.
TBT recommends: Le boeuf Bourguignon with chestnuts.

4th place: Pinot
Grecinieku iela 26

Located in the heart of the city, the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Pinot is as chic a place as any to have dinner. Aside from the restaurant, the establishment offers an excellent wine cellar and smoking lounge.

Pro: The flexibility of the chef,  who does not hesitate to veer off the menu on request.
Con: Some food combinations can produce some curious flavours.
TBT recommends: To take advantage of the chef’s rare flexibility and order something off the menu!

5th place: Ratatui
Upesciema iela 66, Bergi

From the other side of Juglas Lake, Ratatui offers rustic, traditional dishes from French cuisine by Fryench chef Bouhessi Kounchef, the restaurant cannot compete with the other top five restaurants in terms of offering haute cuisine, rather it offers more down-to-earth and authentic food.

Pros: The traditional qualities of the food.
Cons: The charming location and the charming service.
TBT recommends: The tomato a la provencale