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HomeCoffeeExpertise the Better of Riga, Latvia at These 4 Cool Cafés

Expertise the Better of Riga, Latvia at These 4 Cool Cafés


A bright, airy cafe in Riga, Latvia.

Be a part of us as we tour among the metropolis’s most memorable espresso retailers.

BY TANYA NANETTI
SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT

Cowl photograph courtesy of Kalve Espresso

Riga, the capital of Latvia and essentially the most populous metropolis in all the Baltic states, is a gem of a city that welcomes guests with its gorgeous Artwork Nouveau structure and vibrant meals and occasional scene. Located on the mouth of the Daugava River, the town feels deeply related to the water—and strolling by it on a sunny day is an indescribable pleasure.

Inside Riga, many unbelievable eating places stand alongside specialty cafés and bars, able to serve vacationers and locals alike. We’ve compiled a brief listing of espresso retailers value visiting when exploring the town.

Higher Bread

Riga, Latvia cafe guide: A mug of coffee sits alongside a pastry on a bright yellow-colored table.
Higher Bread excels in each espresso and pastries. Picture courtesy of Higher Bread.

Only a brief stroll from Jugendstila eka Rig, the town’s principal Artwork Nouveau space, Higher Bread welcomes clients with house-baked items and completely brewed specialty espresso.

The store’s espresso, brewed with a traditional Linea PB from La Marzocco, comes straight from Gothenburg and is roasted by da Matteo, one among Sweden’s best-known roasters. The bread is baked in-house—and, like its title suggests, the espresso store strives to supply one thing “higher” with its scratch-made gadgets. 

“We consider in a wholesome and real way of life, which is why our model title displays our core values and keenness. Our high precedence is to supply the best-quality elements and finish merchandise,“ says the workforce at Higher Bread.

The workforce additionally explains what makes their bread so particular: using leaven, a pure leavening agent that features each yeast and lactobacilli. “Leaven has been round for over 1,000 years and is understood (for being in) merchandise resembling yogurt, bitter cream, and kefir. Initially, bread was made utilizing solely fermented flour and water, not yeast,” the Higher Bread workforce says.

“We determined to embrace (our) roots and have maintained our fashion from day one. Bread made with leaven boasts an advantageous dietary profile and longer shelf life. As well as, using natural flours additional enhances its style and dietary worth,“ the workforce shares. “We incorporate quinoa flour in our bread for its excessive protein content material, in addition to buckwheat and corn flour. As well as, we at Higher Bread set a brand new commonplace in gluten-free bread, made with a fastidiously refined recipe that accommodates no chemical components or taste enhancers.“

Come to Higher Bread for a breakfast sandwich paired with a scrumptious flat white, and don’t overlook to take a bit of bread to go. You gained’t remorse it!

Miit Espresso

Riga, Latvia cafe guide: A busy coffeehouse with wide windows, through which sunlight pours in.
Miit Espresso serves as a comfortable sanctuary for Riga’s espresso lovers. Picture courtesy of Miit Espresso.

Positioned proper alongside St. Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Church, only a 10-minute stroll from Higher Bread’s headquarters within the Artwork Nouveau district, Miit Espresso is a comfortable sanctuary for espresso lovers. Notably, the café’s menu presents tasty choices for vegans and vegetarians, with an array of satisfying dishes and desserts. 

The institution is open from breakfast to dinner, and when my associate and I visited within the late hours of the morning, we had been delighted by the tasty vegetarian breakfast omelet, which paired completely with their quinoa milk flat white.

With espresso roasted by European roasteries like 5 Elephant, Eager Espresso, and Morgon Espresso Roasters, Miit is a superb place to go for a espresso break and an appetizing (and wholesome!) chunk.

Riga, Latvia cafe guide: A table is filled with plates of food, including soup, salad, and coffee.Riga, Latvia cafe guide: A table is filled with plates of food, including soup, salad, and coffee.
Tasty lunch choices at Miit Espresso. Picture courtesy of Miit Espresso.

Kalve Espresso

Riga, Latvia cafe guide: A modern, clear-colored chair sits next to a long wooden coffee table, which is adorned with a vase of flowers. Behind the coffee table, the wall is decorated with an abstract painting with streaks of yellow, blue, and red.Riga, Latvia cafe guide: A modern, clear-colored chair sits next to a long wooden coffee table, which is adorned with a vase of flowers. Behind the coffee table, the wall is decorated with an abstract painting with streaks of yellow, blue, and red.
Clever inside design at Kalve Espresso. Picture courtesy of Kalve Espresso.

The specialty-coffee scene in Latvia started to emerge somewhat late in comparison with different European nations—and but, in lower than a decade, Riga has managed to construct a vibrant espresso neighborhood led by just a few key native roasters, together with Kalve Espresso.

Co-founders Raimonds Selga and Gatis Zemanis launched the espresso store in January of 2019, and over the previous few years, the 2 have managed to assist Kalve evolve into one among Latvia’s most acknowledged espresso roasters. Their espresso choices vary from traditional espresso blends to seasonal single-origin coffees—a various collection of coffees that creates a really distinctive café expertise.

Kalve has three “Espresso Rooms” inside Riga’s central district and surrounding neighborhoods. These fashionable areas are good for having fun with scrumptious espresso and selfmade pastries, like Portuguese pastel de nata and cardamom sandwiches.

A clear pastry case at a cafe in Riga, Latvia is filled with an assortment of baked goods: Portugese pastel de nata, cardamom loaves, and more.A clear pastry case at a cafe in Riga, Latvia is filled with an assortment of baked goods: Portugese pastel de nata, cardamom loaves, and more.
An assortment of house-made pastries at Kalve. Picture courtesy of Kalve Espresso.

Zvaigzne Café

A cozy cafe in Riga, Latvia with black coffee tables and black and white geometric tiles. A cozy cafe in Riga, Latvia with black coffee tables and black and white geometric tiles.
Our final cease of our tour of Riga: Zvaigzne Café. Picture courtesy of Zvaigzne Café.

Zvaigzne Café is barely off the overwhelmed path in Riga, however nonetheless centrally situated. The small, cozy coffeehouse is connected to a e book retailer and is only a five-minute stroll from the Nationwide Museum of Latvian Artwork. It’s good for having fun with tasty treats like pavlova, washed down with a tasty brew or creamy flat white.

And for those who want a break from strolling across the metropolis, Zvaigzne has many books you possibly can curl up with whilst you sip your espresso: the right technique to loosen up for a few hours, particularly within the colder months.

These 4 espresso retailers make up only a handful of the gems that Riga has to supply. If you happen to’re ever within the space, you’ll want to cease to get a glimpse of the town’s unbelievable espresso scene.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tanya Nanetti (she/her) is a specialty-coffee barista, a traveler, and a dreamer. When she’s not behind the espresso machine (or visiting some hidden nook of the world), she’s busy writing for Espresso Rebellion, an internet site about specialty espresso that she’s creating alongside along with her boyfriend.

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