If you are as unlucky as me with the weather in Riga, check out this guide to the best cafes in town to warm up and escape the cold and rain. Also great if you’re just looking for a café to relax, work, or have a break from sightseeing.
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Table of contents
This guide to the best cafes in Riga was not planned, but rather born out of my bad luck during my trip there. Riga greeted me with heavy gray skies, rain, and cold. I know, traveling to Baltic countries in November bears this risk. So instead of complaining, I decided to turn this into an opportunity to explore the different cafes in the city. So my stay in Riga was basically moving from one cafe to another while trying to visit at least the old town in between a tea and a hot chocolate.
I must say, it was not a bad experience: trying every type of hot drink, eating cakes, and enjoying a chilled atmosphere. What else could someone wish for on a cold November afternoon? Or morning. Or lunchtime. Is there really a good or bad time to go to a cafe?
These very lines were written in my favorite place from the ones I got to visit, a cozy, romantic cafe in Old Town Riga. I actually went to this place twice, that’s how much I fell in love. More will follow in the dedicated section.
So without further ado, here is a guide to the best cafes in Riga, based on my very personal taste.
But before, here is a map to easily locate the cafes:
Parunasim kafe’teeka
This small hidden place in Old Town is one of the best cafes in Riga. It is for sure my favorite one so it gets the first place on this list. I have to say I did some research on the best cafes in Riga before my trip and this one surprisingly didn’t come up. I accidentally came across it while I was wandering around the old town, in the area near the famous Three Brothers.
A small blackboard invites passers-by to discover the most romantic and hidden cafe in the old town of Riga. Parunāsim kafe’teeka truly is hidden down a narrow alley, impossible to find without any indication. Even before entering the cafe, you will feel the romantic and charming vibe of the place. The exterior decor features a vintage Italian Ape with old-style suitcases, a lighted cafe sign (also vintage), a few tables and chairs, and lots of fairy lights.
The inside is just as vintage and charming, with unique pieces of furniture, velvet armchairs, unique, old mirrors, a piano, and a reproduction of one of Raphael’s famous cherubs. Dim lights and jazz or blues music contribute to creating a chill and cozy atmosphere.
Have some tea or a nice hot chocolate and try one of the homemade cakes. You will find a variety of options, all looking incredibly good so I think you can’t go wrong here. Between the atmosphere, decor, and drinks and cakes, this place is a must when visiting Riga. In winter you can take cover from the cold and in summer you can enjoy the nice weather on the terrace. There are options for every taste and season.
MiiT Coffee
I found out about this place before my trip, in a few articles about the best cafes in Riga. MiiT was described as a must when it comes to coffee places in town so I thought I would give it a try on a rainy morning (for a change).
It’s a great place if you need to study or work but make sure to go either in the morning or the afternoon. Between 12 and 16 it’s not allowed to occupy the tables for work as they need to be free for people having lunch. Other than that, feel free to spend a couple of hours enjoying your warm drink while observing the passers-by.
The hip vibe and alternative rock music combined with a quite minimalist décor make this a nice place for young people, creatives, and freelancers. As for the coffee, I had a cappuccino and it was very good. All their coffee is freshly brewed and as they mention on the website, it’s imported from small coffee-growing farms and cooperatives around the world You also have a variety of options for breakfast or lunch, with sandwiches or hot meals.
Miit is located a bit outside the Old Town, in the Central district of Riga, and not far from the Art Nouveau neighborhood. You can combine your coffee stop with a walk around some beautiful and unique buildings. In fact, Riga is quite famous for this Art Nouveau neighborhood which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Forrest Cafe
I accidentally discovered this place after the disappointing discovery that the flea market I wanted to visit consisted of a mere couple of tables covered in antiquaries from the brave people who decided to challenge the bad weather. Those and some farmer’s stalls selling fruits, vegetables, and other food. This coffee came in as a backup plan as I wanted a place where I could enjoy a warm drink.
The location of this little cafe might not be very convenient if you are staying in the old town unless you have something else to do in the area. Ideally, you can combine a coffee break at Forrest Cafe with your visit to the flea market in Agenskalns if you get luckier with the weather. It’s not easy to find the place on Google Maps and it doesn’t even have a Facebook page so if you are planning on stopping by, you can search for Mārupes iela 3, Riga. Hopefully, it’s still there.
The cafe is quite small, with just a few tables and a cozy atmosphere. You have a few options for baked goods but also some lunch dishes. Relax, listen to chill music, and enjoy a cup of hot tea while outside it’s raining.
Innocent Coffee Shop
This is said to be a favorite among Latvians so it’s a great option for a more local feel. I would mostly recommend it for the cheap brunch that offers quite a variety of food options. You can have classic eggs with bacon, a variety of salads, potatoes, pickles, and even some sweet options like cereal or bread with marmalade. It’s a buffet so you are free to choose what you want and even refill your plate. During the weekdays it’s only 7,50 euros while on weekends it’s more expensive. Add to this a good coffee and your brunch is complete.
Innocent Coffee Shop is located a bit outside of the old town, in the Central district of Riga. It’s around a 15 to 20-minute walk there and on your way, you can even stop by the beautiful Vērmane Garden. That is if the weather allows you to enjoy the walk. The light drizzle didn’t manage to convince me to take public transportation but in case of need, both trams 1 and 11 can take you there from the stop Aspazijas bulvāris, near the National Opera.
This is the place to go if you’re looking for a more authentic, Latvian feel, instead of the usual coffee chains, that you can find all over the place and are pretty much all the same. Nothing wrong with those by the way. In fact, there are a couple coming next.
Caffeine LV
Caffeine LV is an ever-present coffee chain in Riga with lots of shops around the city. There are two of them in Old Town and I personally went to the one in Kaļķu iela, not far from the Cat House. By the way, check out the story of this building and the reason why you will see so many cat souvenirs in Riga. Another Caffeine LV in Old Town is right in front of the shopping center Galerija Centrs. From the outside, this one also looked like it had a nice vibe.
If you visit on a Sunday morning chances are you will have the whole place for yourself, or almost. Get a coffee (or cappuccino, in case it was not clear that’s my usual choice) and try one of the filled croissants. The food is quite good while the coffee might not be the best in town but it’s pretty good. Also, everything is cheaper than the average so that’s definitely a plus.
With many tables and seats, you can easily enjoy a bit of peace to either just relax sipping your hot drink or take the chance to work or study. I found the atmosphere on a Sunday morning the perfect one to focus on my work.
Costa Coffee
Okay so this is a well-known international chain and you might have been to a Costa somewhere in Europe before. It’s no different in Riga but since I spent some time there, I thought it’s worth mentioning.
There are obviously several Costa Coffee in Riga, two of which are located in the old town, one here and one there. I went to the one near Riga City Hall after spending almost half a day walking around under the rain. All I needed was a place to take cover and this looked like a good option.
I have to say the coffee here is not really my taste, probably the worst one I had in Riga. Maybe other drink options can be a better choice. I did like that there was a lot of space to sit and relax, a few couches and armchairs, and most importantly some seats had a nice view of the square. I spent quite some time there undisturbed while working on my laptop, so that is another plus. The place is nice for the relaxed atmosphere and the location, not so much for the coffee.
Double Coffee
I went into this cafe out of desperation as soon as I arrived in Riga. It was raining and I still had to wait almost two hours before I could check in to my hostel. I was walking around the cobblestone streets with my suitcase, trying in vain to find a cafe that I had previously checked and that looked nice. I later discovered it was permanently closed. So I came across and decided to enter this Double Coffee near St. Peter’s Church mostly to hide from the rain.
Double Coffee is another franchise with many cafes around Riga and in other cities in Russia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan. I personally liked that they had a great variety of drinks and food choices. You can go here for just a coffee or for lunch or dinner. I had a late breakfast with a matcha latte and crepes with fruits and ice cream, which was quite good.
What I didn’t like much was the atmosphere. It felt like a really touristy spot, from the location to the menu itself with the usual fancy ice cream cups or the everpresent burger with fries. Still, it was a good option to hide from the pouring rain and enjoy a warm drink.
2024 Update: There used to be three locations in Old Town Riga. Now, the only Double Coffee still open is the one in the train station Rīga-Pasažieru.
This is obviously not an exhaustive list but it has quite a few of the best cafes in Riga. If you know any others, feel free to share in the comments.
Getting to and staying in Riga
You can easily fly to Riga from many European capitals and flights are usually very cheap. From outside of Europe, you may find it a bit hard to find affordable flights. Check out Skyscanner to find affordable flights to Riga from some of the most popular European cities.
As for accommodation, there are plenty of options for every budget. I stayed at Red Nose Hostel, in the heart of Riga’s historic center. You can find lots of accommodations on Booking.com.
Booking.comThat’s about it. Have a great time discovering Riga, hopefully with better weather than I had. If that’s not the case, this article should have you covered.
Travel Resources
One last thing. Here is a list of my favorite apps and platforms for trip planning. I use these on every trip and love them.
| Purpose | Website/App | Description | Book Here |
| Accommodation | Booking.com | My favorite website for great accommodation for different budgets. | Find a Place |
| Flights | Skyscanner | The platform I typically use for finding the most affordable flights. | Find Flights |
| Cheap Buses | Flixbus | My favorite app for cheap bus fares around most of Europe and the US. | Bus Rides |
| Transportation | Omio | You can book everything from buses and trains to ferry rides. | Transportation |
| Train Travel | Trainline | If you travel by train, this app is great for booking rides in Europe. | Train Rides |
| Travel Insurance | SafetyWing | One of the best travel medical insurances for frequent travelers. | Get Insured |
| Activities | Manawa | A great platform to book activities and adventures with local hosts. | Find Activities |
| Experiences | GetYourGuide | Another great platform for tours and experiences with lots of options. | Experiences |
| Car Rental | DiscoverCars | My go-to platform for car rental anywhere in the world. | Rent a Car |
| eSIM | Airalo | My favorite app for buying digital SIM cards when traveling abroad. | Get an eSIM |
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