Latvian Food Tasting Tour
Would you like to learn about and taste a wide variety of typical Latvian foods eaten in Latvian families… and visit Europe’s largest Central market with a LOCAL FOOD EXPERT? Then RigaTrips Latvian Food Tasting Tour is the best choice for you!
WHEN AND WHERE?
Every day (subject to schedule) at 13:00, we will depart from our 
Rigatrips meeting point – Galerija centrs, Audeju Street 16 in the Old Town, Riga, with a small group of up to 20 people to enjoy a local taste experience in the largest open-air market area in Europe! N.B.
WHAT WILL WE TASTE?
This Food Tour will take you through Riga Central Market’s (UNESCO heritage) 5 Zeppelin hangars on an enjoyable local food journey. A knowledgeable local tour guide will lead you through the experience, sharing Latvian food and the origins of local food traditions. During this tour, you will also receive a wide range of local specialties with more than 20 different samples that will include the following:
- Local bread
- Several kinds of cheese
- Freshly smoked meat
- Different fish samples
- Non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks
- Delicious local sweets
The tasting portions will be enough to make you feel like you have had a light lunch. We believe it can also help you get through until dinner, so it’s best to come to the tour on an empty stomach.
Our Latvian Food Tour is a safe option for trying local delicacies, along with interesting and entertaining stories about Riga Central Market’s history, shopping traditions, and Latvian food origins.
SHOULD I GO ON THE TOUR IF I DO NOT EAT MEAT OR FISH…?
Latvian cuisine is based on meat and fish, but this food tour includes more than 20 food samples, so if you do not eat either type of food, you can still enjoy about 60% of the samples. If you just do not eat either fish or meat, you will not miss most of the tour, as 80% of the samples will be available for you. It is more restrictive if you are a vegan; then we suggest you let us know that at the beginning of the tour, and we can offer you a discounted price for the tour.
HOW TO BOOK THE TOUR?
IMPORTANT – PLEASE BOOK & PAY this TOUR IN ADVANCE – till 18.00 on the prior day to your tour day (only then we can make sure, that you will have all tasting products available for you).
WHERE DOES THE TOUR START?
When you book the Latvian Food Tasting Tour, come to the RigaTrips meeting point at Audeju Street 16, in front of the Galerija Centrs, opposite Hesburger, with your booking confirmation, and we will wait for you with a RigaTrips sign in our hands or an official Riga guide sign around our necks.
HOW TO PAY?
You pay for the tour at the meeting spot in cash in exchange for a RigaTrips Tour Ticket! Unfortunately, many customers have been booking the tour and not showing up, but we have tasting pre-reserved, so we incur costs and waste food. Therefore, we have started asking for a pre-payment by bank transfer. Please book the tour; then you will receive an invoice for the tour. Once you pre-pay, your places will be reserved.
- Destination
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Departure
Riga Trips Meeting Point | Entrance to Galeria Centrs, Audejus street 16, opposite to Hesburger
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Departure Time
Everyday at 13:00
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Return Time
After 2 hours
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Dress Code
Casual and vacational | Warm and comfortable clothing | Umbrella will be useful on a rainy day
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Included
Food samples of traditional Latvian food – cheese, meat, bread, fish, meat and more.Knowledgable and passionate local tour guide
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Not Included
Best photo spots adviceEntrance to hallway where other groups cannot accessFREE tasting of Latvian traditional dark chocolate LAIMAFREE tasting of Riga Black Balsam
From our gallery
Join our Latvian Food Tasting Tour at Riga central market and indulge in the local Latvian taste – it will be interesting and delicious! Pictures have been taken by excellent Latvian photography lovers - Maris Karklins, Ildze Magazeina and ourselves.
Location
The meeting point is Audeju street 16, Galeria Riga front
RigaTrips MEETING POINTS
Latvian Food Tasting tour, every day (subject to schedule) at 13:00, Galeria Centrs, Audeju Street 16, opposite Hesburger
Free Tour Old Town Riga Every day at 10:30, from Grecinieku Street 18
Meeting point is Museum of Mencendorfa nams, Grecinieku Street 18
ART NOUVEAU TOUR, KGB and Communist Tour at 15.00 meeting point is Laima clock.
Tour Review Scores and Score Breakdown
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Tour will be led by true locals living in the country and growing up with local food traditions. They will share stories on how they were raised about food culture and what are Latvian traditions with food during local celebrations and everyday meals in families.
Where else could you find out about local Latvian family experience with food, get inspired, and take home ideas on what to put on your family's table to refresh the food offer and provide joy to your closest people while sharing memories from your trip to Riga?
Come to the Latvian Food Tasting Tour organized by Rigatrips and get greeted with Latvian hospitality, immerse in the tastes and smells of Riga Central Market and enjoy new food tastes, that will help you to choose what food samples to bring home at the end of the tour we will also suggest what and where to buy.
Riga Central market
Riga Central Market was opened in 1930 and was recognized not only as the largest but also the best and most modern market in Europe at that time. Since then, Riga Central Market has consistently been in the heart of Riga, providing diverse shopping, personal attitudes, lively conversations, gorgeous stories, and fun bargains for market visitors.
You will not experience such a walk anywhere else in Europe!
Riga Central Market is located in the very heart of Riga, a few meters from the Old Town on the banks of the Daugava River, next to Riga International Bus Station and Central Railway Station. Not only is it one of the largest in terms of area in Eastern Europe, but also one of the most visited markets - it is visited by 80,000 to 100,000 people every day.
A striking symbol of the Central Market is the architecturally expressive pavilions built in the 1920s. It turns out that they were originally built as airship hangars for military purposes and later decided to use them as market pavilions. Thanks to the pavilions and their size, in 1998, the Riga Central Market was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Every day, Riga Central Market offers both Latvian-grown and own-farmed products and exotic fruits, spices, and industrial goods. There are five pavilions on the market - vegetables, dairy, meat, fish, and gastronomy, as well as an open market with industrial goods and crafts, Night Market and a Farmers' Day Market.
However, the bustle of the market also attracts fraudsters and pickpockets. So be careful!
Anna Jonsson
On the 7th of August we tried latvian food and drinks at the central market with Guna as our guide. We can highly recommend this tour! Guna is a very good guide with a lot of knowledge and a good sense of humor. Thank you so much/ The four swedes.