Coffee lovers, you will adore Riga’s coffee culture. There are quaint little spots to simply enthuse over the aromatics of the freshly roasted beans. And, of course, there are restaurants and cafes bolstering their coffee options with a full menu of gastro delights. The city’s top roasterys travel the world in search of the best crops. And, Riga’s top notch destinations benefit. We’ve clued you in to the cosy nooks to look out for as you explore Riga. But we’ve also noted down the brands you’ll want to look out for if you’re far from any of our top picks.
Rocket Bean Roastery
One of the best coffee shops in Riga seems to have its sights set on global domination. Already branching out from Latvia to the US and UAE, the people behind Rocket Bean Roastery are passionate about their beans. Travelling the world to meet the growers, they then ship a bunch of beans back to their Riga roastery. Does all this matter? Well, yes. Latvia’s restaurants, hotels, offices, petrol stations and more all agree, Rocket Bean are really onto something. It also makes it easy for you to grab a decent brew across the city. For the best coffee, drop into either of Rocket Bean’s cafes on Miera iela or Dzirnavu iela.
La Kanna
Not all Riga restaurants put the necessary love in to the beans they brew up after a three course meal – or even pair with a slice of cake. Happily, La Kanna’s attention to detail covers their coffee menu. Most people drop in here for their take on French cuisine, but a select few in the city use La Kanna as their favourite coffee house. The menu’s simple enough – there’s no cold brewing, pour over or macchiatos here. But if you want one of the best flat white’s in Riga, this is the place. Coffee lovers might recoil in horror at the chicory coffee on the menu, but the nod to our caffeine-intolerant friends is a nice touch.
Andrito Coffee
The third wave coffee scene took its sweet time to land in Latvia. But patience and progress lead to Andrito Coffee. A roastery first and foremost, their beans can be found in some of the best coffee shops in Riga. Pitch up to their premises and you can bag yourself some beans, brewing equipment – a.k.a fancy coffee cups, pour over drip pots and such. You can also book yourself onto a coffee masterclass or down a cold brew or two. Any of the above comes highly recommended. Andrito has been spotted brewing up some magic at the Latvian Barista Championships so you’re in good hands here.
All Cappuccino
It’s easily to amble past the unassuming frontages of the trio of All Cappuccino cafes. But, for a cute, cosy and dimly lit space to warm your hands after a wander of Riga’s Christmas markets, nip in. Not all the drinks are topped with a mountain of frothy milk, but those that are? They deserve a chef’s kiss – and perhaps a repeat order or two for good measure. Cookies and perky little iced coffees nicely balance out the moody monochrome art on the walls. And, for the cafes that do have terraces, there’s a chic Parisian pavement vibe in the air.
Miit Coffee
Coffee lovers of a certain vintage will love the science lab-style stools at Miit. Whether you’ll go so far as to momentarily check the bench tops for a bunsen burner is another matter. They aren’t quite performing coffee experiments here, but everything is VERY on trend. A vegan and veggie menu stacks up nicely against the Chemex, French Press and Aeropress brewing methods. There’s even the option to go V60, if you’re tempted to get really technical with your beverages. At this point it seems almost foolish to mention their milk alternatives – because you’d almost be shocked if quinoa and oat milks weren’t neatly arranged in their fridge. The fact they get their beans from the experts at Andrito only adds to Miit’s appeal.
Katkevich
The coffee at Katkevich barely gets a look-in. Not because it’s in any way inferior, but it’s simply down to everyone focussing on their sourdough and brunches instead. Before you’ve even scanned the menu, the exposed brick and generous use of tactile timbers clues you in to the artisan delights you’ll be tucking in to. Easily one of the best coffee shops in Riga for that all-round experience that’s so hard to find, Katkevich absolutely nails the Sunday brunch experience. Everything’s Instagramable and you’ll happily knock an hour or two off your Riga browsing time to really lean into everything this place has to offer.
Orbzii tip: Brush up on your Latvian – or have your best translation app at the ready. This is one of the few coffee spots on our list that doesn’t have an English menu.
Cadets de Gascogne
This little bakery has a handful of locations across the city. Don’t let that put you off. You’re here, of course, for coffee tips. But we can’t let you visit Riga without experiencing the magic Cadets de Gascogne conjures up with their pastries. Light, moreish, buttery and almost indecently tempting, their creations are nothing short of compulsory. So much so that the coffee almost… almost takes second place. Though, all the sweet treats in the world are nigh on useless if the coffee’s not up to scratch. So thank the coffee bean gods that Cadets knows how to rustle up a cracking cuppa. Do drop in, just be prepared to be overwhelmed by food FOMO.