Foreign Destination of the Year 2023: Latvia as a Culinary Destination

For many years, Latvia has been a beloved travel destination for Finnish tourists. With its rich history, stunning architecture, breathtaking landscapes, artistic flair, and cultural offerings, Latvia has something for everyone. Additionally, Latvia can be easily reached by bus or car without necessarily having to travel by air.

In recent years, Latvia has put in a lot of effort to boost its culinary offerings and become a fascinating gourmet destination in Europe. The restaurant scene has been top-notch for quite some time now, offering gourmets from all over the world its delicious traditional treats as well as creative international cooking. Trendy restaurants and cafes have emerged in Latvia, but traditional and historical places have not been overshadowed by the new.

As part of the latest efforts, restaurateurs have been trained by organizing workshops led by top chefs, including Danish and Icelandic culinary experts.

The development work is now yielding excellent results. In 2023, Michelin Guide inspectors made their first visit to Latvia to assess the restaurant scene. One of the restaurants, Max Cekot in Riga, received a Michelin star, and a total of 26 restaurants were mentioned in the guide.

Despite international trends, Latvia values its traditional food culture, domestic products, and local food. Sustainability plays a central role in the development of their culinary culture.

Latvian tourism authorities and their information organizations, particularly Inguna Žīgure, who has extensive knowledge of Finland, have done an outstanding job in promoting the country's culinary culture. Their efforts have garnered the attention it deserves. Latvia Travel's website is also highly informative, making it easy for travelers to plan their visit to Latvia.