Baltic States Travel Tips

Baltic cuisine is shaped by the region’s seasonal ingredients and deep-rooted culinary traditions. A staple of the diet, dark rye bread is an essential part of every meal, enjoyed with butter, cheese, or cured meats. Its dense texture and hearty flavor make it a beloved food across Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

The proximity to the Baltic Sea means fish plays a key role in the local diet, with herring, salmon, and sprats being especially popular. Often smoked, pickled, or marinated, these fish are enjoyed in simple yet flavorful dishes that highlight the region’s connection to its waters.

Pork is the most common meat, frequently prepared as roasts, sausages, or stews. Slow-cooked and often accompanied by potatoes, cabbage, or root vegetables, it forms the foundation of many comforting, traditional meals.

Dairy products like sour cream, curd cheese, and kefir are widely used in both savory and sweet dishes. These ingredients bring a rich, creamy texture to soups, sauces, and pastries, enhancing the depth of Baltic flavors.

Fresh and preserved vegetables, including beets, cabbage, and carrots, add color and nutrition to everyday meals. Fermented foods like sauerkraut and pickles are also a key feature, offering a tangy contrast to heartier dishes.

Herbs such as dill and caraway are signature seasonings in Baltic cuisine, adding fragrant depth to fish, soups, and breads. Honey, widely produced in the region, serves as a natural sweetener in desserts, teas, and sauces, reflecting the Baltic appreciation for simple, natural flavors.

Grains like buckwheat and barley provide a nutritious base for porridges, side dishes, and baked goods. These grains, alongside potatoes, ensure that Baltic meals are both filling and nourishing, perfectly suited to the region’s long, cold winters.

A staple across the region, particularly in Lithuania, is cold beetroot soup (šaltibarščiai), a refreshing dish made with beets, kefir, cucumbers, and fresh herbs, often served with boiled eggs and potatoes. While most closely associated with Lithuania, variations of this soup, such as aukstā zupa in Latvia, are also enjoyed in neighboring countries, offering a vibrant and cooling meal during warm summer months.

Another beloved dish is grey peas with bacon (pelēkie zirņi ar speķi), Latvia’s national dish, featuring hearty grey peas cooked with smoked bacon and onions. This rustic comfort food is a popular choice during winter and festive gatherings. Estonia shares a similar love for simple yet satisfying fare, with mulgipuder, a traditional mashed potato and barley porridge cooked with pork, embodying the country’s rural culinary traditions.

In Lithuania, cepelinai (potato dumplings stuffed with meat or cottage cheese and served with sour cream and crispy bacon bits) are a national favorite. These hearty dumplings are named after their resemblance to Zeppelin airships and are a must-try for visitors looking for an authentic taste of Lithuanian comfort food.

Estonia’s coastal location brings a variety of fish-based dishes, including rosolje, a colorful beet and herring salad with potatoes and eggs, commonly served during celebrations. Smoked fish, particularly herring and eel, is widely enjoyed across the region, often paired with dark rye bread.

Two dishes that unite Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are potato pancakes and blood sausage. Potato pancakes (bulviniai blynai in Lithuania, kartupeļu pankūkas in Latvia, and kartulipannkoogid in Estonia) are a beloved comfort food, served with sour cream, lingonberry jam, or smoked salmon, depending on local preferences. Blood sausage, known as verivorst in Estonia, kūpināta asinsdesa in Latvia, and kraujinė dešra in Lithuania, is a common winter dish, especially around Christmas, typically served with lingonberry sauce and roasted potatoes.

One of the most iconic street foods in the region is kibinai, a flaky, hand-held pastry filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables. Originally a specialty of the Karaim community in Lithuania, these delicious pastries have become a favorite across the Baltic States. They are especially popular in Trakai, near Vilnius, but can be found in bakeries and street stalls throughout the country.

Piragi (pīrāgi in Latvia and pirukad in Estonia) are another popular grab-and-go snack. These soft, golden pastries are typically stuffed with bacon and onions, though variations with cheese or mushrooms are also common. Traditionally enjoyed during celebrations, piragi are now an everyday favorite, available at markets and bakeries across Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius.

In Estonia, kohuke is a well-loved sweet treat found in convenience stores and food stalls. This small, chocolate-coated curd snack comes in various flavors, including vanilla, caramel, and berry. It’s a quick, energy-boosting snack enjoyed by both locals and visitors.

For those craving something more savory, keel hernes, or boiled pork tongue with peas, is a common street food in Latvia, often sold at food markets. Meanwhile, žirniai su spirgučiais, a Lithuanian dish of grey peas with crispy pork bits, is sometimes served in takeaway portions as a warm and satisfying street snack.

No visit to the Baltic region would be complete without dark rye bread-based snacks. Open-faced sandwiches (võileib in Estonia and maizes kārtojums in Latvia) feature hearty rye bread topped with a variety of local ingredients, including smoked fish, pickles, or cured meats, making for a flavorful and filling bite.

For something on the sweeter side, Latvian honey cake (medus kūka) and Estonian kringel, a cinnamon-spiced braided pastry, are popular choices at bakeries and cafés. These traditional desserts are often sold by the slice, perfect for enjoying on the go.

Baltic desserts reflect a rich blend of Nordic, Slavic, and Germanic influences, with a strong emphasis on natural ingredients like honey, berries, and dairy. Each country—Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia—offers its own take on traditional sweets, making dessert an essential part of the local culinary experience.

One of the most beloved desserts across the region is honey cake (medaus tortas in Lithuania, medus kūka in Latvia, and meekook in Estonia). This multi-layered cake, made with thin layers of honey-infused dough and a creamy filling, is a staple at celebrations and family gatherings, offering a delicate balance of sweetness and richness.

In Lithuania, a striking dessert is šakotis, a spit cake cooked over an open flame, forming distinctive golden spikes. This eye-catching treat is reserved for special occasions like weddings and holidays and is loved for its slightly crispy outer layer and soft, eggy interior.

Latvia's rye bread pudding (maizes zupa) is a unique dessert made from dark rye bread, dried fruit, and whipped cream. This dish transforms a humble everyday ingredient into a flavorful, lightly spiced treat that is both comforting and surprisingly complex.

Kama is a distinctly Estonian dessert ingredient—a finely ground mixture of roasted grains like barley, rye, and oats. It is often mixed with yogurt or kefir and sweetened with honey or berries, creating a healthy and filling dessert enjoyed as a snack or breakfast treat.

For a lighter option, cottage cheese desserts (kohuke in Estonia and biezpiena sieriņš in Latvia) are a popular choice. These small, chocolate-coated curd snacks come in various flavors, including vanilla, caramel, and fruit, and are commonly found in supermarkets and cafes.

Berry-based desserts are also a highlight in Baltic cuisine, with bilberry, cranberry, and lingonberry jams frequently used in pastries, tarts, and pancakes. In Lithuania, a simple yet delicious treat is varškės apkepas, a baked curd cheese cake similar to a cheesecake but less sweet and often served warm.