Buns, bread, pancakes
Better bread and better bread lab
Gluten-free baguettes, toasted brick bread, and round loaves can all be found at the tiny Better bread bakery. These products have become such a favourite among citizens that a new branch of Better bread lab—a bakery with an open kitchen—has appeared on Pulkveža Brieža Street. You can sit comfortably at a table and watch the bakers roll out the dough and watch the aromatic bread baking in the oven.
What makes this place so popular? The quality of their goods. Buckwheat, corn, quinoa flour and years of experience are used to achieve perfect texture and rich flavour. As a result, the baked goods have a crispy crust and a slightly moist and soft crumb, and can have sweet nutty notes or a salty olive touch.
Addresses: Dzirnavu iela 31, Pulkveža Brieža iela 7, Nometņu iela 64.
Neighborhood choice: apple pie with almonds and maple syrup—€3.90. And be sure to try the coffee.
Riga Crepes
Latvian hospitality reigns supreme in this pancake house, and crepes are prepared in accordance with a French recipe for a unique velvety flavour.
The menu offers classic pancakes as well as pancakes made with gluten-free flour. There are various toppings: from the usual jam to more exquisite variations with salmon and cream cheese.
Address: Pērnavas iela 60
Neighborhood Choice: gluten-free pancakes with prosciutto and cheese—€4.30
Pizza
Da Roberta
Treat yourself to your favourite gluten-free Italian dishes at Da Roberta. Any item on the menu can be made with alternative flours. Gluten-free pizza and pasta are cooked in the restaurant on a separate work surface.
The most difficult thing here, it seems, is to actually choose. Should you try the signature DA ROBERTA pizza, be transported to the Mediterranean coast with FRUTTI DI MARE or try their vegetarian pizza?
Address: Aleksandra Čaka ielā 58
Neighborhood choice: gluten-free FRUTTI DI MARE pizza with squid, mussels, octopus, prawns, onions, cherry tomatoes, garlic, parsley—€20.30
Their Facebook page
Lunch
Zeest
A place for foodies of all ages. Zeest is home-style delicious: everything here is prepared by hand. As for quality: meat from Latvian farmers and shock freezing are used. Zeest also cares about their guests’ health: the menu has dishes for vegans, vegetarians and people with a gluten intolerance. And, finally, Zeest is attentive to the preferences of young visitors: there are, for example, colourful dumplings.
There is always a wide choice of fillings for dumplings and toppings for pancakes: from classic to more complex combinations. There are also potato pancakes and soups.
Locations: TC Riga Plaza, TC Saga, TC Olimpia
Neighborhood choice: pancake with guacamole and prawns on gluten-free flour—€7.40, dumplings with potatoes and oyster mushrooms—€9.40
Kozy Eats
A restaurant that can cater for a variety of food cravings. It doesn’t matter if you’re vegan, just love quality food or live gluten-free.
On the menu are some curious gluten-free dishes. The most unusual and daring combinations of ingredients can end up on one plate, like almonds, avocado and orange pulp alongside a caramelised apple sauce.
The culmination of the gastronomic journey is dessert. Here you will find a larger selection of pastries. Many rich, tender cakes and melt-in-your-mouth biscuits are gluten-free and sugar-free. The coffee here is also worth a try.
Address: Blaumaņa iela 34
Neighborhood Choice: Gluten-free wok with soy chunks—€10.90
Mr. Fox
This small restaurant is loved by the people of Riga. During breakfast and lunch, it’s hard to find a free spot here and for good reason. Local shakshuka, a buddha bowl or pancakes with fresh berries have become staple dishes. What’s more, you can make your own lunch from your favourite ingredients.
The restaurant is attentive to allergens and has thoughtfully prepared dishes to suit different types of diets. Almost all items on the menu are suitable for vegans and people with gluten intolerance.
Address: Dzirnavu iela 34A
Neighborhood choice: 2 avocado toast with sea trout teriyaki—€7.85, Buddha bowl—€7.85.
Something Sweet
Muffins and more
This cafe is always filled with the sweet aroma of baked goods, and the windows are filled with rows of muffins, cupcakes and cake pops with a variety of fillings. More than 20 variants of fluffy, airy muffins are waiting for you every day, each bite of which opens with the taste of nuts, berries, soft caramel, or olives and blue cheese.
The shop also offers gluten-free muffins and biscuits for its guests. You can try classic muffin variants with banana, cherry, and blueberry.
Address: Ģertrūdes iela 9
Neighborhood choice: gluten-free muffin with rhubarb—2 euros (we recommend a glass of milk to go with it).
Moltto
Moltto Coffee is located in the historical centre of Riga. In this coffee shop one can come to hide from the hustle and bustle of the city, while rocking in a wicker chair or cosying up on a sofa.
In this cafe you don’t need to worry about dessert – all snacks and cakes in the coffee shop are vegan and gluten-free. We recommend grabbing a coffee cake, cheesecake or tart with white meringue domes to go with your tea. For lovers of light and nutritious desserts, there is homemade pudding with granola or chia seeds.
The summer heat will be in Latvia very soon, and gelato has already appeared in the coffee shop’s assortment.
Address: Kr. Valdemāra iela 43, branches: Miesnieku iela 14, Roberta Hirša iela 1, Moltto coffee and wine Ģertrūdes iela 20.
Neighborhood Choice: Moltto is a must-try for coffee and one of the desserts. Our choice: coffee cake—€4.50.
Mazā Terapija
Delicious and healthy food can certainly be therapeutic. It is for this effect that guests come to the vegan restaurant Mazā Terapija. The menu is conscientiously marked with all possible allergens, there are also gluten-free dishes and a whole showcase of desserts.
Here you can try gluten-free airy mousse cakes with fresh berries.
MIIT coffee
For vegans and people with gluten intolerance, this cafe is a real find. This place is known for its delicious lunches with a relaxed and lively atmosphere. And every dessert here competes for the title of the best.
Each of the delicacies on the counter are prepared by MIIT’s own pastry chefs with great attention to quality and flavour. Banana bread with walnut pieces: spongy and juicy, it leaves a sweet-tart flavour in the mouth. Pistachio tart with a crumbly basket, delicate pistachio cream, topped with fresh strawberries and a scattering of pistachio crumbs. As well as handmade snickers and bounty bars.
Address: Lāčplēša iela 10
Neighborhood Choice: Pistachio tart—€5.
Shops
Gluten-free goods can now be widely found in supermarkets, but we’d like to recommend a few speciality shops that have a great range of gluten-free products.
Livin
We recently spoke about the Livin chain, which has products that meet the latest ecological, zero-waste standards on its shelves. The shop also has a separate section of gluten-free items.
What to buy: kids’ meals, snacks and sweets, tasty breakfast cereals and porridge, various bakery products. You can find all the products you need in one of 7 shops in Riga or on the website.
Dabas stacija
Shop for organic, vegan and gluten-free products. Among the wide assortment you can find such interesting items as banana flour, maranta flour, carrot crackers, rice noodles with pumpkin and ginger and more.
Dabas stacija is located in the centre of the capital, on Lacplesa iela 17. You can also buy their goods online.
Lavandas
If you are adhering to a gluten-free diet, you can probably find everything you need for a complete meal plan in this shop. Porridge and muesli for breakfast, healthy snacks, a variety of flours, pasta, sauces, breads, drinks and desserts.
Liepkalni Maiznīca
Liepkalni Maiznīca is a bakery with 80 years of history, which helps maintain the high quality of their products. At the same time, they follow modern trends in healthy eating. Gluten-free items are prepared in a separate production facility, and there is a large inscription reading “BEZ glutēna” (gluten-free) on the packaging.
Products with this labelling are a real gastronomic treat for bakery lovers.
What to try: coconut biscuits with cinnamon, pesto breadsticks, dried meat on rye bread flavoured with sesame seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, as well as honeydew and doughnuts with strawberry jam.
Bezglutena
An online shop for gluten-free food products at affordable prices. The site offers a range of products from manufacturers from all over Europe.
You can buy bread, pasta, flour, sauces, breakfast cereals, crisps and baby products.
