The food in Vilnius is one of the things I love about this city. From traditional Lithuanian dishes to good vegan food or great fine dining options, you can find it here.
So, I want to share with you what I think are some of the best cafes and best restaurants in Vilnius.
These are by no means the only good options – Vilnius has a surprisingly high number of great restaurants, but I hope it helps you choose where to eat in Vilnius.
Where to Eat in Vilnius? 11 Cafes and Restaurants in Vilnius
1. Vegafe
If you are looking for healthy food in Vilnius this restaurant should be on your list.
Vegafé is a fully vegetarian restaurant in Vilnius with a good selection of vegan options too. They promote themselves as following Ayurvedic cooking traditions and use only natural, non-processed and cruelty-free ingredients.
It’s a nice, modern, restaurant with a great selection of healthy dishes and drinks. Their service is friendly and their prices reasonable.
I would especially recommend them as one of the best places to eat in Vilnius for lunch.
Note: to fit with their healthy concept, Vegafé does not serve alcohol.
2. Kiras
This cute little coffee shop and vegan bakery in the old town of Vilnius is the perfect spot for a break from shopping or exploring the city.
I would recommend dropping by for a cup of coffee and a slice of cake, but they also have a good selection of teas and sandwiches.
Note: Kiras has three locations in Vilnius. I have only visited and can therefore only recommend the one at Totorių gatvé 7.
3. Mano Guru
I love the story behind this restaurant.
Mano Guru was one of the first social enterprises in Lithuania. The staff here consists largely of ex-inmates and former addicts, with the restaurant being used as a tool for social reintegration. They receive both vocational skills training and psychological counseling.
So, by eating here you contribute to a great project, and the food is good too! They offer a wide range of dishes, including breakfast and brunch options.
It’s not the coziest restaurant in Vilnius, but with large windows and seats right by the window, it’s great for people-watching!
I’d recommend Mano Guru for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. They also have plenty of options for vegetarians and a number of vegan dishes.
Note: no alcohol is served here.
4. Etno Dvaras
If you are looking for traditional Lithuanian food in Vilnius, this is a great option.
Etno Dvaras was recommended to me by several locals, and I am happy they did! If not, since two of their restaurants are right in the touristy center of Vilnius, I would have probably avoided them, assuming they offered overpriced food to tourists.
But, quite the contrary is true actually. Their traditional dishes are the first dishes to have been certified by the Lithuanian Culinary Heritage Fund!
Meat, herring, and potatoes seem to be the favorite ingredients here and they offer different regional specialties. I enjoyed their traditional decor and both of their locations in the center of Vilnius (they have other locations in Lithuania as well) are worth visiting.
Especially if this is your first time visiting Lithuania, this is one of the restaurants in Vilnius I would recommend, simply to learn more about traditional Lithuanian food.
And a nice bonus: this is definitely one of the cheaper places to eat in Vilnius too. It is not the greatest for vegetarians and vegans, however.
5. In Vino
If you love wine bars, check out In Vino.
They offer a good selection of wines by the bottle and by the glass plus a nice tapas menu. And not just Spanish tapas. The menu covers a wide range of bite-size and shareable options, which will either make a perfect snack to go with your wine or a full meal.
The place is nicely decorated to create that wine bar feel and it has a lovely, courtyard-style terrace.
I would say the wine isn’t cheap, but maybe that’s just me being spoiled by living in Spain for too long! 😉
6. Šnekutis
Are you looking for a place that serves local beers and Lithuanian bar food? Then I would recommend Šnekutis in Užupis (Vilnius’ bohemian and artistic district).
Lithuanian peas, fried bread, and pig ears are just a few of the Lithuanian snacks on offer here.
Šnekutis is also a great place to eat in Vilnius if you are looking for a hearty dinner at a very budget-friendly price. The menu is quite meat-heavy however, but there are some vegetarian options.
Note: Šnekutis has two other locations in the center of Vilnius, but the Užupis one has the nicest setting.
7. Bistro 18
If you’d ask me where to eat in Vilnius and I could only name one place, I would probably say Bistro 18.
It’s one of the nicer, more upmarket restaurants in Vilnius without being too exclusive or expensive.
It’s a French-style bistro offering a more intimate dining option with several small dining rooms and a lovely interior.
Their food is delicious, with changing daily specials, and their service is great.
8. Skybar
There is just something about rooftop bars. Being able to enjoy a drink or a bite to eat while admiring a great city view… I love it!
Skybar is located on the top floor of the Radisson Blu Hotel. It does have a bit of a (higher-end) hotel bar feel to it, but the view more than makes up for that!
They have a good selection of cocktails, ranging from the classics to very original ones, but they are pricey! You can combine your cocktail with a selection of higher-end appetizers or a dessert.
If you enjoy drinks with a view in a more upscale setting, Skybar is worth a visit.
On weekends they have a DJ playing.
9. Vilnius TV Tower
The Vilnius TV Tower is the tallest building in Lithuania, and one of the things that’s high on most people’s list of places to visit when coming to Vilnius.
The building itself is 326 meters (1070 feet) high and has a rotating restaurant and observation deck at 165 meters (541 feet).
It rotates 360 degrees in about 50 minutes and gives you a spectacular view of the area.
I was told by a couple of people in Vilnius that the food here isn’t great, but I enjoyed the food I had here and found the prices very reasonable, compared to other restaurants in Vilnius.
The menu is more of a dinner than a lunch menu, so I would recommend going here for dinner – just try to arrive before sunset so that you can enjoy the view before it gets dark.
The restaurant does lack atmosphere so you do go here more for the view and the experience of dining on a rotating platform than for the great restaurant itself.
And, if you want to be sure you’ll get a table, it’s probably best to book ahead, especially on weekends. Alternatively, you can just come to the observation deck to admire the view and choose to eat in one of the other restaurants in Vilnius.
Note: they charge an entrance fee no matter whether you dine here or only visit the observation deck. It’s €11 – €14 for adults (depending on the day of the week).
11. Cat Cafe
Ok, I just had to finally try one of these cat cafes!
And although I’m not even that much of a cat person, the cafe is fun and it actually isn’t a bad place to stop for a coffee or something to eat in Vilnius.
They offer good lunch options at reasonable prices, nice snacks, and a good range of alcoholic drinks.
It’s a great option if you have kids who love cats. This will definitely keep them entertained for a while!
The Cat Cafe doesn’t charge an entrance fee but you do have to spend a minimum of €5 per person (this can include merchandise).
Extra Tips For Where to Eat in Vilnius
1. Halle Market
Halle Market is Vilnius’ central food market.
And apart from browsing the food stalls for regional fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and snacks, Halle Market also has a few cafes that are worth stopping at for a drink or a snack.
2. Cheese Ice Cream at Džiugas House
Cheese ice cream anyone?
Sorry, I couldn’t get myself to try it, but I’ve been told cheese ice cream is quite tasty. And Džiugas House should be the best place to try it.
Anyway, if you are looking for a special snack, and are braver than I am, do give it a try and tell me how it was!
3. A Food Tour
One of the best things I did in Vilnius was going on a food tour.
This tour taught me so much about Lithuanian food and about food in Vilnius. We spent several hours going from restaurant to restaurant sampling local food and drinks.
Especially if you are only in the city for a short time and want to try a good number of the better restaurants in Vilnius, this is a great option!
Plus, if you, like myself, love learning from locals what they eat and where they like to go in the city, you will love talking to the tour guide about food and life in Vilnius.
What is Lithuanian Food
The traditional Lithuanian cuisine features products suited to the cool and moist northern climate of Lithuania. Potatoes, rye, barley, beets, greens, berries, and mushrooms are all locally grown, and dairy products are one of the country’s specialties.
Soups are extremely popular and are widely regarded as the key to good health.
Potatoes and rye bread are the staple foods, pork is the favorite meat and herring is the fish you will find on most traditional menus. Most Lithuanian food is mild in flavor.
The dish most strongly associated with Lithuania is Cepelinai, which are potato dumplings, generally stuffed with meat.
Another popular Lithuanian food is bulviniai blynai (potato pancakes) which can be stuffed with meat but can also be vegetarian.
Lithuanians like to eat soup (usually served with traditional black rye bread or potatoes) before the main dish. Rose-colored šaltibarščiai cold soup, made from beetroots, is a popular soup in summer.
Silkė (salted herring) is another popular appetizer, most commonly served with potatoes, vegetables, and bread.
If you love cakes and desserts, do try Šakotis, which is a Polish-Lithuanian traditional spit cake.
But, as you can see from the list above, food in Vilnius is about much more than just traditional Lithuanian food.
I enjoyed all the healthy, creative food options and the wide range of restaurants in Vilnius.
And as most capital cities these days, Vilnius boasts restaurants catering to pretty much anyone’s taste. Plus countless coffee shops and a diverse range of bars.
If, like myself, part of the reason you travel is to try different food, you will enjoy the food in Vilnius!
Also Read:
- 6 Places Not to Miss When Visiting Lithuania for the First Time
- Interview With an Expat About Living in Vilnius
- A Practical Guide for Visiting Kaunas, Lithuania
Map of Where to Eat in Vilnius
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Disclaimer: my trip to Vilnius was sponsored by Tinggly (a cool company – if you are looking for unique gift ideas, check them out!). However, none of these restaurants in Vilnius were sponsored. Most places were recommended to me by several locals and the selection I share here are my favorites.
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