Vilnius is Lithuania’s capital city and it may be small in size but it is full of incredible cafes, bakeries, lunch spots, bars and restaurants. The city is perfect for a weekend city break, the only issue is trying to narrow down which spots you want to visit during your time there. I had far more pins on Google Maps than time I actually had in the city so it was pretty tricky to work out which ones to go to! These are all the places I’d rate for your weekend city break to Vilnius. Make sure to share with the person you’re going to visit with 😉
1. Elska
Elska is a speciality coffee cafe located on a city centre corner between PamÄ—nkalnio and Jogailos with outside seating as well as a cosy, quirky interior. I enjoyed my spot people watching in the window! Not only does Elska do great coffee, it also has an excellent breakfast / brunch menu. My mum opted for shakshuka whilst I had a fresh, delicious granola bowl. Perfect healthy options!
2. Vanagai Bar
Vanagai Bar is actually one spot that I didn’t originally have on the itinerary but we walked past it on the way to find somewhere for dinner and it looked like a pretty cool place. We came back after dinner and enjoyed the quiet, laidback cocktail vibes that Vanagai offers. There are some seats outside and inside the spacious seating options make it feel like an intimate setting to enjoy drinks with friends or for a date. The cocktails are inspired by local ingredients and you’ll find birch, cherry, pine amongst others infused into your sips. Signature cocktails are on the menu permanently but they also have seasonal options such as the Hazelnut Cake for Autumn. If cocktails aren’t your thing then you can also try local Lithuanian beer.
3. Un Mètro
Un Mètro was an Instagram find as you can probably tell from it’s very beautiful aesthetic vibe. The decor in the main room that you can sit transports you to a train station with the vaulted ceiling and painted ceilings. It’s also not hard to fall a little bit in love with the green trim around the cafe! This is such a good spot to order a coffee and a cannoli and experience a splash of Italy in Vilnius. The cafe is a self described ‘mini museum’ to the 17th century inventor Tito Livio Burattini. Next door you’ll find the Lithuanian National Museum of Art.
4. BKRY
BKRY make and sell the most beautiful (and delicious 🤤) pastries and there hardest part is going to be choose which one to go for. I visited their tiny stall at Halės Market whilst I was grabbing a coffee from Depeche Coffee Roasters (which I would also very much recommend). I just had to go for a classic cinnamon swirl because the tray was full of an incredible looking cream cheese icing and copious amounts of the stuff is a very good sign in my book. I was also very tempted
5. Bistro 18
I must admit that trying to find a dinner spot was a tricky business. Mainly because I hadn’t decided in advance and we were beginning to get a little hangry whilst trying to choose. We only had one dinner slot for Saturday night as we’d arrived late on friday evening with only enough time to go straight to bed so I felt like it really had to count! We spent a fair amount of time wondering around trying to decide, and particularly having to look for a Gluten Free option for my Mum who is a coeliac. Bistro 18 caught our eye and we were lucky enough to get the last unreserved table that evening. The staff here are friendly and helpful and the atmosphere felt cosy and intimate yet elevated. We both chose the paprika risotto which was smokey and cheesey, the presentation giving a fine dining finale to a perfectly comforting dish. I paired it with a glass of the house sauvignon blanc white wine which was crisp and zingy, a great contrast to the rich risotto.
6. Taste Map Coffee Roasters
Taste Map Coffee Roasters have been serving up speciality coffee and honing their expertise since 2015 so has become a stalwart of the Vilnius craft coffee scene. It’s a short walk out of this historic city centre but well worth the extra steps and you could combine it with a leafy stroll around Vingis Park. I grabbed a flat white to go after I’d completed Vingis Parkrun on a saturday morning and it was the perfect treat to finish with! If that’s not reason enough to go, Taste Map features on the the list of 100 Best Coffee Shop’s at number 67. Pretty good going!
7. Dionysos
Head to Dionysos if you’re craving some Greek food which we found to be a perfect spot for lunch. The restaurant is near to the University and is a relaxed place to spend an hour or so and take your time to enjoy. Dionysos is perfect for sharing and opting for a few different plates to enjoy in a meze style. The vibe feels quite rustic and does almost give the impression of a quaint Greek taverna but placed into the historic Lithuanian walls!
8. Kiras
Kiras is a slightly quirky cafe which resembles a mountain log hut from the outside and feels like stepping into your gran’s living room on the inside! It’s cosy and busy with a large range of hot & cold drinks, especially teas to choose from. But what they’re best known for is their vegan desserts. Particularly the fridge cakes which include flavours like salted caramel and chocolate banana! Kiras is a lovely little location to take a break from exploring the city, refuel with some cake, then head out ready to see more of Vilnius!
9. The Usual
One Vilnius regret is not having lunch at The Usual. I picked up an afternoon coffee from here and whist waiting for my coffee to be brewed, had some time to peruse the menu which sounded perfect for a lunchtime break. So based on the menu alone, I would recommend this as a food spot as well as a coffee spot and you can tell me how you rate the dumplings and chickpea stew because I did have my eye on both of these! The Usual is super central, along Pilies g. with a retro vibe. I enjoyed watching the trivision display board clattering around which also added to the retro vibe of The Usual.
10. Grūdas
Tucked away on a historic street in Vilnius’ city centre is the mansion house Senatorių Pasažas. The courtyard of Senatorių Pasažas is today home to a variety of different food & drink spots including the artisanal bakery GrÅ«das. The bakery creates delicious pastries and breads alongside serving coffee & tea, all of which is to take away. There is not inside seating but there are outdoor tables in the Senatorių Pasažas courtyard. They’re well known for their cruffins so of course I had to go for one. Flakey pastry is combined with seasonal ingredients and in this case, the flavour combination was rhubarb & custard which was so tasty. The tart, tangy rhubarb paired so well with the creamy custard. The perfect treat!
11. Paupio Turgus
If you’re a fan of a foodhall and the option for everyone to have options then head to Paupio Turgus which is a short walk along the Vilnia river from the centre of Vilnius. It’s a recent addition to Vilnius’ food scene, opening in 2021 and features around twenty different bars, restaurants and cafes to choose from. You can opt for burgers, classic Lithuanian fare or take your taste buds further afield to Japan or South Korea. The atmosphere of Paupio Turgus is not like any other foodhall I’ve been to with greenery everywhere you look. This means it doesn’t feel quite so crazy and heaving like other places you may have been to and there are lots of tucked away corners. Even the elevators are painted green to blend in with the garden vibe and the large glass ceiling lets the light flood in.
12. KALVE
If you couldn’t tell already, I tend to be a coffee fiend on city breaks! My post pinned locations to try are coffee shops and I have to ensure I don’t have too many 😅 KALVE has two locations in Vilnius and the one that we visited was so aesthetically satisfying. The pink wall outside, the coffee bean shop wall, the interior that felt like the barista’s bar was in a cave. And of course it helps that the coffee was excellent with a rich flavour. KALVE began in Latvia and has been B-corp certified since 2023. So if you’re visiting other Baltic cities look out for another KALVE!
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Cat x