Where to Eat in Lithuania: A Food Guide to Vilnius and Kaunas
We didn’t spend enough time in Lithuania to explore its food scene as deeply as we would have liked. Still, we managed to try a handful of restaurants in Vilnius and Kaunas, from traditional Lithuanian dishes to more modern takes on local cuisine. Here are the places we visited, what we ordered, and whether they are worth adding to your own Lithuania itinerary.
What Does Lithuanian Food Actually Taste Like
Lithuanian food is hearty, rustic, and built around ingredients that have long been easy to grow, forage, or preserve in the Baltic climate. Potatoes are a staple, often appearing alongside pork, beef, dairy, mushrooms, cabbage, beets, rye bread, and seasonal vegetables. At the same time, berries and other forest produce bring a sweeter note to the table. Lithuania’s Baltic coastline also means fish and other seafood have a place in the cuisine, although they are not as dominant as the country’s potato- and meat-based dishes. Expect filling portions, earthy flavors, and recipes that feel closely connected to the country’s rural traditions.
What Food Is Lithuania Known For
If you want to get a quick taste of traditional Lithuanian cuisine, these are three of the dishes you are most likely to encounter:
- Cepelinai. Large potato dumplings filled with minced meat or other fillings, usually served with sour cream and a rich bacon or pork sauce. They are one of Lithuania’s most iconic dishes and definitely a hearty meal.
- Šaltibarščiai. A bright pink cold beetroot soup made with kefir, beetroot, cucumber, dill, and often served with boiled potatoes. It is particularly popular in warmer months.
- Kibinai. Crescent-shaped pastries filled traditionally with seasoned meat and onions. Originally associated with Lithuania’s Karaim community, they are especially famous in Trakai.
Eating Our Way Through Lithuania: Every Stop We Tried
We didn’t spend enough time in Lithuania to fully explore its food scene. Plenty more restaurants, traditional dishes, and local specialties were on our list, but our time in the country was limited. Still, a few food stops made the cut, from traditional Lithuanian dishes to casual meals and places we stumbled upon while exploring Vilnius and Kaunas.
Rather than pretending this is a definitive guide to the best restaurants in Lithuania, we are sharing the places we actually visited and our honest experience at each one. We will tell you what we ordered, what we paid, what stood out, and whether we would return. Some were memorable, some did the job when we were hungry, and others left us wishing we had ordered something else. Here is how we ate our way through Lithuania.
Restaurants at a Glance
Our Lithuanian Food Map: Where We Ate and Saved for Next Time
Motiko Luxury Japanese Desserts, Vilnius
📍 Location: G9 Shopping Center, Vilnius, Lithuania
💶 Price: €€
🌐 Social Media: Motiko
Our first official food stop in Lithuania was not Lithuanian food at all. We found Motiko Luxury Japanese Desserts while hiding from the cold inside G9 Shopping Center in Vilnius, and a small snack seemed like exactly what we needed. We headed up to the food court and spotted the colorful display of freshly made mochi. Naturally, we went for the Miško One, a combination we couldn’t resist. We also ordered a matcha latte to go with it, and honestly, this turned out to be one of the best fresh mochis we have had.
The mochi was soft, fresh, and packed with flavor, while the matcha latte made the perfect companion for a cold day in Vilnius. It was one of those completely unplanned food stops that ends up being much better than expected. For a quick sweet treat while exploring the city, this one gets a 10/10 from us.
Although we only stopped for mochi, the food court upstairs at G9 Shopping Center looked like a great place to grab a proper meal. There was a good mix of places and plenty of options, so if you have more time than we did or want somewhere convenient to eat while warming up from the Vilnius cold, it is definitely worth a look. We only tried Motiko, so we cannot comment on the other spots, but the selection certainly caught our attention.
Avilys Restaurant & Brewery in Kaunas
📍 Location: Vilniaus g. 34, Kaunas Old Town, Lithuania
💶 Price: €€€
🌐 Website: Avilys
Our stop at Avilys was a little different from the casual food stops on this trip. We came for a romantic dinner and settled into the atmospheric old brick cellars, with vaulted ceilings, exposed brick, and low lighting creating an intimate setting. The whole evening felt polished without being overly formal, with attentive service and plenty of time to enjoy the experience.
The food matched the setting. Everything we tried was beautifully presented, carefully prepared, and genuinely tasty, with the kind of attention to detail that made the dinner feel like an occasion rather than simply another meal. At around €91 for two, it was certainly on the more expensive side for Kaunas, but for a romantic evening, the setting, service, and quality made it feel worthwhile.
We enjoyed Avilys enough to write a separate, more detailed review, where we cover the restaurant, atmosphere, food, and our experience in much more detail. If you are planning a special dinner in Kaunas, that review is worth reading before you go.
Grill London, Kaunas
📍 Location: Akropolis Kaunas, Karaliaus Mindaugo pr. 49, Kaunas, Lithuania
💶 Price: €€
🌐 Website: Grill London
We somehow ended up in another shopping-center food court, this time at Akropolis Kaunas, and decided to try Grill London. It is a Lithuanian grill restaurant chain that started in Kaunas more than a decade ago and has since expanded to several Lithuanian cities. The concept centers around grilled meat, burgers, sides, and sauces, with a fairly extensive menu that also includes seafood and plant-based options.
We weren’t particularly hungry, so we kept things simple. We ordered burgers with potato fries, along with a Lithuanian-style potato dish topped with cheese. It was exactly the kind of easy meal that worked when we wanted something filling without making dinner a whole occasion. The food was pretty much what we expected from a chain restaurant: good, reliable and perfectly satisfying, but nothing particularly memorable. This was our first time trying Grill London, and while it did not leave us dreaming about the meal afterward, everything was tasty and well prepared. If you are already at Akropolis and looking for a straightforward meal with plenty of choice, it is an easy option.
With only two days in Lithuania, we unfortunately managed to try just three places, which barely scratches the surface of the country’s food scene. Lithuania has developed a surprisingly strong gastronomic reputation in recent years. The 2026 MICHELIN Guide Lithuania recommends 44 restaurants, including five restaurants awarded one MICHELIN Star and eight Bib Gourmands, with restaurants ranging from modern Lithuanian cooking to contemporary international cuisine.
So while our little food tour was short, there is clearly much more to explore. If we return to Lithuania, trying more of its restaurants, particularly some of the MICHELIN Guide selections, will definitely be high on our list.
How Much Does Eating Out in Lithuania Cost
Eating out in Lithuania is still relatively affordable by European capital standards, although prices naturally depend on where you eat. In Vilnius, expect to pay around €13 for a meal at an inexpensive restaurant, while a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant averages around €65, excluding drinks. Kaunas is slightly cheaper, with an inexpensive restaurant meal averaging around €11 and a mid-range meal for two around €62.
For something more casual, weekday lunch specials can cost around €6–€9, while a traditional dish such as cepelinai can start at around €6–€13 depending on the restaurant and portion. A coffee is generally around €3–€4, and a local beer around €4–€6.
So, while Lithuania is no longer the ultra-cheap destination it once was, you can still eat very well without spending a fortune. Budget around €15–€25 per person for a casual meal, and €30–€50 or more for a nicer dinner; higher-end and Michelin-starred restaurants naturally cost considerably more.
Food Tips We Wish We Knew
A few things would have made our short food adventure in Lithuania easier if we had known them before arriving:
- Make reservations for popular restaurants. Especially in Vilnius, some popular, higher-end restaurants can fill up, particularly at dinner.
- Try traditional dishes early. Cepelinai, šaltibarščiai, kibinai, and other Lithuanian specialties are worth seeking out rather than assuming you will find them everywhere.
- Look beyond the Old Town. Some of the more interesting restaurants and modern food spots are outside the most touristy streets.
- Check lunch specials. Many restaurants offer affordable lunch menus during the week, which can be a good way to try a proper meal without spending as much.
- Shopping-center food courts are surprisingly useful. We ended up eating in food courts in both Vilnius and Kaunas, and they offered plenty of choice when we wanted something quick and casual.
- Expect hearty portions. Lithuanian cuisine is traditionally filling, with plenty of potatoes, meat, dairy, and rich sauces, so you may not need as many dishes as you initially think.
- Try something beyond traditional food. Lithuania’s restaurant scene has become much more diverse, with modern Lithuanian cooking and international cuisines alongside the traditional dishes.
- Don’t judge the food scene by a short visit. We only had two days and managed to visit three places, so our experience is just a small taste of what Lithuania has to offer.
Buy Us a Ko-fi
Two days were nowhere near enough to explore Lithuania’s food scene properly, but even with our limited time, we got a small taste of what the country has to offer. From freshly made mochi in a Vilnius shopping center to a romantic dinner in the heart of Kaunas and a casual meal at a local chain, our food stops were varied, even if our sample size was small.
What stands out is how much more there is waiting to be discovered. Traditional Lithuanian dishes offer plenty of hearty, comforting flavors, while the country’s growing modern restaurant scene brings a completely different side to the table. We left Lithuania knowing we had only scratched the surface, and perhaps that is the best excuse to come back hungry.
Travel Bold. Eat Well. Waddle Wild.
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