It now seems completely normal to have to pay 7 EUR for a regular mixer in Riga, so prices around 8 – 13 EUR for a cocktail don’t shock me entirely. That’s as long as it’s a well-made cocktail in suitable surroundings. Here’s Life in Riga’s tips on where to find the best cocktails in Riga.
Buy us a cocktail online, so we can continue exploring the bars of Riga and sharing our tips with you!
Gimlet
Gimlet claims to be a Nordic cocktail bar. With ingredients including quince, dill, aquavit, seaweed and homemade gooseberry cordial, it lives up to its name. This is a wonderful basement space in an area with an increasing amount of excellent evening destinations. Worth a fancy pub crawl.
Address: Baznīcas iela 37
nosaints
Deliberately hidden, the bar embodies the speakeasy spirit. nosaints impresses with the level of detail across the interior and drinks menu, which touches on both local ingredients like quince, redcurrant and cranberry, and exotic flavours like sichuan pepper, pomelo and basil. Some of the cocktails come on tap for quicker turnarounds on busy weekend evenings. The bar team has great ideas on collaborating with Latvian farms and small scale producers to craft new recipes in future.
Address: opposite the Italian embassy in Riga’s old town (look for a marked doorbell)
Bar Six
As true a speakeasy as can be in this day and age. To enter, visitors press the buzzer, venture through the gate into a residential courtyard and wait for the barman to open the right door. Once downstairs, the decor is what you’d expect – vaulted ceilings, romantic lighting, candles, fake flower arrangements and vintage posters. I really enjoyed the Salted Caramel Rum.
Address: Ģertrūdes iela 14a
HEX
From drinks to design, everything here is the work of owners Vadims and Ēriks. Hex is a welcome alternative to the Quiet Centre’s “Insta-perfect” interiors and a statement against pretentiousness.
Address: Elizabetes iela 2a
Herbary
Cocktails with a view, but this is far from your average hotel rooftop bar. Herbary is a glasshouse perched on the roof of Galleria Riga shopping centre. Designed to resemble a glasshouse.
Address: Dzirnavu iela 67 (or enter from Blaumaņa iela)
Marmelāde
Cocktails in the vibrant setting of a neighbourhood market. By day, locals do their shopping on the ground floor. In the evenings it becomes a hotspot for dinner and drinks, so residents no longer have to travel to the centre of town to hang out.
Address: Āgenskalns market, Nometņu iela 64
Mākonis
Beautiful design space on what’s becoming one of Riga’s top streets for nightlife. If you’re wondering why there are barely any locals in the old town on a Saturday night… Mākonis is also a top choice for breakfast if you need an excuse to start the day with something stronger than coffee.
Address: Stabu iela 42
We’ve also heard great things about Daiquiri Riga, Cloud Nine, Bar XIII, COD, Minox Bar and Cynic, and hope to venture there soon. If only there were more weekends to enjoy cocktails in Riga… Buy us a drink online and we’ll share our experience!
