Family of Sites 
Latvian culture has a long history of brewing. Cider is considered the oldest brewed Latvian drink. These days, herbal balsams (bitters) from Latvia’s lush forests are perhaps even better known as the national tipple. Beer brewing also has a long history here, with craft beer becoming more popular each year. As Latvia enjoys a revival in its national culture and food, so too are its bars and pubs reveling in the country’s culture and history, providing atmosphere, social spaces, and of course, tasty food and drink. Below are some options found by SRAS students in Riga that they would like to share with you.
This guide is part of the much larger SRAS Guide to Living in Riga.
Black Magic Bar
Kaļķu iela 10
Review by SRAS student Trisha Baillon
Black Magic Bar is a 10 minute walk from the school, though typically when my friends and I come here, we’re already in Old Town, and everything there is very close together.
Approaching the bar, you’ll immediately notice its unique exterior that sets it apart from other establishments along the street. And once you enter, the atmosphere is quite peaceful, though not intimidatingly classy. You’ll see an assortment of chocolates and bottles of Riga Balsam (an herbal liquor that has been in production for 260 years) available to purchase as well as a glass display case full of chocolates for sale. On the counter are also drink menus with specialty cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks. Their hot chocolate, for anyone looking for something non-alcoholic, is especially fantastic. The atmosphere and interior are so unique as it almost feels like you’re transported back in time with real candles flickering everywhere, and the waitstaff wearing traditional clothes. It doesn’t feel like a traditional bar, which is really nice if you’re looking to have a drink, but you’re not comfortable in rowdier bars.
My friends and I have visited this bar a few times since we’ve been here, and I’ve found that their prices are quite reasonable, especially compared to nicer bars in the United States. Every drink and chocolate I’ve ordered here has been delicious and well worth the money, especially if you’re interested in high quality and unique cocktails. A favorite of mine and my friends has been the “Black and White” drink that also doubles as a delicious dessert with ice cream and dark chocolate mixed with the Riga Balsam. Not only can you find great drinks here, but their chocolates are so fun to try and also very.
Something unique about this establishment is their specialization in Riga Balsam, which is a liquor specifically made in Riga that used to be medicinal, prescribed mostly for colds, digestive issues, and insomnia, but is now used mainly in cocktails as a bitter. They offer an opportunity to learn about the history of the balsam and how it was made through a group reservation for balsam tasting.
This reservation allows you to be taken to their basement that has been made to resemble the pharmacy the balsam was originally created in. Here, one of the waitresses walks you through the history of Riga Balsam while offering tastes of six different flavors of the balsam. It’s not only a very fun and unique way of sampling the tasty drink, but also an insight into an interesting nugget of Riga’s history. Even if you decide not to do the tasting, the bar itself is beautiful and has a lovely atmosphere where you can sit in with your friends and chat while sipping tasty drinks or sampling unique chocolates.
KiwiBar
Skarnu iela 7
Review by SRAS student Brendan McMahon
Kiwi Bar is in Old Riga, about a 10 minute walk from Liden&Denz, just outside of St. Peter’s. I was looking for a good sports bar to watch a boxing match, and went here at around 2:00pm on a Tuesday. I was greeted with a fairly typical atmosphere. Jerseys, memorabilia, and event schedules lined the walls and ceilings, with plenty of seating and a patio space. There are seven TVs in total, able to show three different channels at once. Everything looked inhabited but not dirty, and well-lit enough. It would be maybe a little cramped if you came here with a group bigger than five or so, but perfectly doable if you want to sit outside.
In my time there I had a local lager on tap, Lacplesis (3.50 euro), and two black coffees (2.50 each). Lacplesis is one of Latvia’s major breweries. Their lager is matured for four weeks – rather than the usual two, which makes the beer richer and perhaps a bit smoother than some others. The coffee was rather small for the price but it’s a bar, so you can’t expect much different, and it was fair enough quality.
The beer on tap is generally good and it’s the usual selection you’ll find in Riga (plus Guinness which is nice). Cocktails are available (6 – 8 euro each), and shots (~4 euro) each as well, but no real unique drinks like some other bars. Service was quick, and the bartender was attentive, with everyone working there fluent in English. Granted, I came at an off-hour, so I can’t speak much to service during peak hours. Still, they were able to set up the match for me to watch no problem, and they seemed to have a very impressive array of channels for other sports. It’s primarily a rugby bar, though I saw a lot of items for football, F1, and hockey too. When I came in they were actually holding a small press conference for a local team’s upcoming event, which was interesting to see. Once the conference ended, a couple more patrons started to come in and relax a bit, and the mood was very friendly overall.
It was nice to watch the match like I’d wanted, but I’d seriously recommend this place as good opportunity to experience the local sports culture of Latvia and to meet some new people. Riga’s nightlife can be very focused on clubs and discotheques, so a more familiar pub / sports bar scene can be easier for some, and it makes an easy topic of conversation with the other patrons. There is food here, and some vegetarian options like pita, but there are many other restaurants (including take-out open late) nearby. My recommendation is to eat elsewhere and just stick here for the drinks and the broadcasts. Find an upcoming event that seems interesting and come here to tune in, chat, and see what game night in Latvia is like.
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This guide is part of the much larger SRAS Guide to Living in Riga.
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