From 2 to 15 November, Riga will host the autumn edition of Riga Restaurant Week – the largest to date. A record 77 restaurants are taking part, 23 of them joining Restaurant Week for the first time. Among them are eight Michelin Guide restaurants, as well as the Michelin-starred “JOHN Chef’s Hall”. This season’s theme is “Rye Bread: A New Story of Autumn Flavours”.
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Latvian rye bread (rupjmaize) is one of the symbols of Latvia’s culinary heritage, and it is far more versatile than one might think. This autumn, chefs invite guests to get to know it anew, pairing the flavours of rye bread with the best of Latvia’s autumn harvest. The menus have been created especially for the event, with rye bread featuring in starters, main courses and desserts alike. The ways in which it has been woven into the dishes will surprise, showing that even a familiar product can be seen in an entirely new light.
Rye bread has already been celebrated and savoured this autumn in a variety of chefs’ interpretations at the pop-up event “Rye Riga” (Rudzu Rīga). It is set to continue playing a central role in Riga’s major gastronomic events in the future.
The restaurants’ menus were evaluated by a professional jury: Māris Jansons, head chef and co-owner of the restaurant “KEST”; Juris Dukaļskis, head chef of the restaurant “Pavāru Māja”; and Artūrs Arnicāns, president of the association “Pavāru klubs” (Chefs’ Club).
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Māris Jansons comments on this season’s restaurant offering:
“We can be proud that restaurants are so eager to be part of Restaurant Week. It shows that the project has taken root and become a significant event in Latvia’s restaurant industry. It is very good that a specific theme has been chosen this time – rye bread. It pushes chefs to look for new ideas and step outside their usual boundaries. As I like to say: the quality of food is not only the quality of its ingredients, but also the quality of thought. This year’s menus show that Latvian chefs have no shortage of either good produce or creative ideas.”
During Restaurant Week, guests can enjoy specially created three-course menus for €35, €40 and €45, and for €50 at Michelin Guide restaurants. Many restaurants also offer vegetarian dishes, paired drinks and compliments from the chef. The record number of participants means an even wider choice – an opportunity both to discover new places and flavours and to return to old favourites.
“Rye bread is a flavour every Latvian knows, but one the world has yet to discover. That is why we have deliberately chosen it as one of the ambassadors of Riga’s gastronomy – starting with ‘Rye Riga’ and continuing with Restaurant Week. We are delighted that a record number of restaurants are taking part this autumn, making Riga’s flavours accessible to an even wider audience,”
says Fredis Bikovs, Director of the Riga Investment and Tourism Agency (RITA).
Places at the restaurants are limited, so we encourage guests to plan ahead and book their tables early. All restaurant offers are available HERE.
We invite everyone to set off on an autumn journey of flavours and discover what else rye bread has to tell!