Restaurants in Vilnius have come a long way in recent years. For a capital full of people who love bland spice-less food, Vilnius has an incredible range of ethnic restaurants: Chinese, Greek, Indian, Japanese, Thai, Lebanese. Be warned that many Lithuanian restaurants tend to serve extra-large portions fit for a small army. In addition to standard restaurants, Vilnius also abounds with cheap cafeterias, or valgy klas. These sometimes suspect meat and potato places are frequented by students, pensioners and others in financial straits.
American-style
Fortas: Algirdo 17, tel. 265-2526. Open:08-24; Sat., Sun. 12-24. Also at Konstitucijos 7a, tel. 273-0283. Brightly-colored walls, pub-like furnishings and peppy staff make The Fort a good place for an evening beer. Their pizzas are respectable, though small, and the music—from Louis Armstrong to Aerosmith— should win awards in what is otherwise a techno-happy Vilnius. It’s never bustling, but an after-work crowd assembles here for dinner and drinks. The rosemary pork is delicious; the lasagna is straight outta the microwave but tasty. They now have two more locations: Fortas Avenue: Gedimino 37, tel. 249-6030. Open:07-24; Sat. 10-01; Sun. 12-24. Forto Klubas: Ukmerges 282, tel. 238-8539. Open:09-24, Fri., Sat. 11-03 with dancing at night. Forto Pica: Gedimino 37, tel. 249-6358. Open:11-24; Sun. 12-24. Pilies 26, tel. 262-9754. www.fortopica.lt
Chinese
Auksinis Feniksas: Gedimino 64, tel. 249-6909. Open:11:30-24; Sun. 12-23. It’s a good idea to reserve one of the four upper tables for some privacy; the lower tables running along the wall are tiny. Hot favorites here are the spicy white mushroom soup, the Chinese salad and the pork, bamboo and Xianggu mushrooms.
Cili Kinija: Þirmunu 68a, tel. 277-4111. Open:11-24. They also deliver; tel. 277-8899. www.cili.lt
Pekinas: Algirdo 26, tel. 215-1620. Open:11-22; Sat., Sun. 12-22. A wide array of Chinese dishes. Also, a good range of vegetarian foods.
Rytu Perlas: (G-1) Labdariu 8, tel. 212-1473. Open:11-22; Sat., Sun. 12-22. Delicious, genuine Chinese food at reasonable prices. The tables are large enough to accommodate a crowd, and if there is a crowd it can get smoky. But the soft music, the red velvet walls and the warm atmosphere make up for that.
Rytai: Naugarduko 22, tel. 215-1403. Open:11-23; Sat., Sun. 12-23. Some of the best Chinese in town if you can choose from the staggeringly long menu. However, you will have to listen to real Chinese pop music as you dine which can be something of an acquired taste.
Stebuklingas Paukstis: Pylimo 38, tel. 212-4712. Open:11-23. This small, classy place is tops in quality. The cold and hot salads are massive and delicious, especially the spicy beef. Avoid the bland soup. The quiet atmosphere makes it a good place to dine your date. They also run a busy take-away service.
Fast Food
Aqua: (J-4) Didzioji 28, tel. 260-8870. Open:07:30-24, Sat., Sun. 10-24. A healthy alternative to McDonalds. Suited for quick breakfast, lunch or supper. Child-friendly.
Cili: This is the one and only pizza chain in Lithuania. The place is always packed. Outlets at Gedimino 23, tel. 261-9071; Mindaugo 11, tel. 213-3388; (A-6) Þirmunu 64, tel. 278-828; Fabijoniskiu 2a, tel. 230-2999; Ozo 25, tel. 238-7927; F. Sopeno 1/17, tel. 210-5237; (C-3) Jasinskio 16, tel. 278-6228; Didýioji 5, tel. 231-2462. Most of them open 08-24. They also have bistros at Metalo 9, tel. 213-5003; Verkiû 36, tel. 273-7106; and Sodu 22, the bus station; tel. 233-1923. Delivery: tel. 233-3555. www.cili.lt
McDonald’s: at Seiniu 3, tel. 233-4553, by the train station; at Gedimino 15, tel. 262-2931, on the edge of the old city, and at Kareivu 13, in a northeastern suburb, off the Vilnius-Riga road, tel. 277-5853; and Ukmerges 177, tel. 237-5028.
Pomodoro: Ozo 25, Akropolis center, tel. 238-7700. Open:08-24. Pizza that looks, smells and tastes like the real thing. Very good! Located with the Akropolis center.
Uzsuk: Vienuolio 4, tel. 261-7737. Open:07:30-22; Sat., Sun. 10-22. This is a well designed and commodious café. Food is cooked in front of you in enormous cast iron pans and the salad bar has excellent variety, however, the hot food can be a tad too greasy. Excellent for families and they even have special attractions to keep little people amused.
Georgian
Achtamar: (D-3) Konarskio 1, tel. 233-1344. Open:11-23. This place serves some of the most authentic Georgian fare in town. The shabby interior could do with a little renovation. Never mind, the food’s very good. Be warned: helpings are enormous!
Tamada: Jogailos 11, tel. 262-3802.
International
Brasserie Astorija: Didzioji 35/2, tel. 236-0840. Open:12-24. This restaurant, inside the lovely Radisson SAS Astorija Hotel, tends to get rave reviews by anyone who comes here; many longer term residents put it on their list of one of the top five restaurants in Vilnius. They serve some of the best haute cuisine in town, though it is pricey. They sometimes have innovative specials, like ostrich. The lunch menu is much more reasonable, and you can have a good meal for a little more than 5 dollars. Astorija’s Sunday brunch is a veritable food fest; you’re liable to hang out here all afternoon. Outstanding live music accompanies brunch.
Dvaras (Manor): (F-2) Tilto 3, tel. 210-7370. Open:08-23. An elegant restaurant in the basement of an elegant hotel, Dvaras Hotel.
El Gaucho Sano: Pilies 10, tel. 210-7773. Open:12-02. Lithuania’s first Argentinean restaurant. Here you’ll find traditional Argentinean sausage, cajun rice, gazpacho and your choice of chicken, beef or fish with various sauces including chimichurri. Residents are grateful someone brought these exotic tastes to Lithuania, but the beef from Lithuania and local sauces are hardly the real deal. And the animal skins on the walls carry a funny odor. The bad elevator music doesn’t help either. Expensive but still fun.
Evaturas: Ozo 41, tel. 240-0953. Open:09-22; Sat., Sun. 10-21. This restaurant at Olympic Gym offers an extensive menu from spiced chicken to veal parmesan. The salads are exciting and unique. The place is casual and often empty, but only because of its suburban location. If you have a car, it’s worth a visit.
Freskos: Didzioji 31, in the old town; entrance in the back of City Hall; tel. 261-8133. Open:11-24. A huge hit with the local diplomatic community. With this place, the restaurateurs who created the excellent Prie Parlamento and the Pub have brought upscale and affordable dining to Vilnius. At this fine, theater-theme restaurant, you savor painstakingly-prepared dishes in a delightful interior: something of a cross between a Hungarian beer hall and backstage at a small Parisian theater. A cobalt-blue fresco in the middle room has been carefully restored and ornate, bejeweled costumes and colorful sketches donated by the National Opera grace the walls; antique mirrors also afford diners views of the entire candle-lit restaurant. The chicken-breast salad is a wonder on leafy greenery softened with flavorful dressing. The veal is also very good. Main dishes ride out of the kitchen on a pair of Brobdingnagian plates, with meat and veggies separated. www.freskos.lt
Hazienda: Maironio 13, tel. 212-2087, at the lovely Mabre Residence Hotel on the edge of the old city. Open:12-24. This German-run steakhouse is set in a simple but cozy vaulted room. Good atmosphere and tasty food, though a little pricey.
Ida Basar: Subaciaus 3, tel. 262-8484. Open:11-23. In the old city, not far from the Gates of Dawn. This pricey restaurant dishes up excellent, very filling meals. There’s a vaulted, red-bricked basement for more informal occasions. The fancier upstairs, replete with chandeliers and antique chairs, is good for formal nights out. www.idabasar.lt
Kukabara: (F-1) Gedimino 2/1, tel. 262-0385. Open:11-24. An Australian-themed bar-restaurant. Lively, fun-loving.
La Pergola: Ligonines 7, at the Grotthuss hotel; tel. 266-0322. Open:07-23. In the winter-garden. Small and cozy. European cuisine. www.grotthusshotel.com
La Provence: Vokieciu 24, 261-6573. Open:11-24. Exquisite Mediterranean cuisine served in an atmosphere that combines elegance and rusticity to resemble the French countryside. Start with delicately seasoned salads, Gazpacho, or escargot. The sophisticated meat and fish entrees include rabbit balls in a mustard sauce, venison with spinach ravioli, Roebuck filet with cherry sauce and game pate, or Monkfish with ratatouille. The lime sorbet, served in a frozen lemon shell, might be the best desert in town. The downstairs is large and cozy. Be sure to notice the tables that cleverly rest on old-fashioned sewing machines, and the most creative restrooms in the Baltics (no lights). Live piano or guitar Tue.-Sat.
Le Paysage: 20 km from Vilnius on the A2, tel. 273-9600. Open:07-24. Off the Vilnius-Riga highway in the Le Meridien Villon hotel, a 20-minute drive from the city. Even if you are not staying at the hotel, this fine restaurant is worth a trip. French cuisine, a beautiful view of a lake and a birch forest, and waiters and waitresses who know how to take care of you. Classy but pricey.
Literatai: (F-2) Gedimino 1, tel. 261-1889. Open:11-24. Excellent location, next to Cathedral Square, one of the city’s most famous landmarks. This popular restaurant has a drawing-room atmosphere with dark wood-paneled walls. Scandinavian-style menu and Swedish chefs, featuring the likes of salmon with red onion marmalade, crayfish au gratin and cheesecake with blackcurrant. Excellent food, good service. Good for a quick lunch or classy dinner.
Mambo Pizza: Upes 6, tel. 232-6831. Open:10-24. On the bank of river, close to Reval Hotel Lietuva. The house looks like a landed UFO. In the evenings, nightclub opens downstairs.
Markus ir Ko: Antokolskio 11, in the old city, just off Stikliu street; tel. 262-3185. Open:12-24. Has the feel of an upmarket college pub. The food here tends to get very good reviews; try the T-bone steak. Good wine selection. Live music at night, jazz on weekends.
Meksika: Algirdo 2, tel. 265-0147. Open:11-23. Lithuania’s only Mexican restaurant just opened its doors and in a most festive style. The two level, trendy interior includes pastel colored walls and Aztec statues. You can select from spicy salads, burritos and enchalladas (or, as the menu calls them, tortillas). Every dish is tasty but they all have the same tomato-heavy flavor that resembles ketchup more than salsa.
Naujasis Vilnius: Ukmerges 14, tel. 273-9429. Open:12-24. In the hotel of the same name, just across the river, north of the city center. Quality food and fast, friendly service. Light piano music some evenings. Moderately priced.
Prie Parlamento: Gedimino 46, tel. 249-6606. Open:08-03; Fri., Sat. 10-05, Sun. 10-24. As the name implies, it’s just down the street from the parliament building. This comfortable restaurant/bar has been a fixture in Vilnius for years, though its popularity has faded somewhat as scores of other fine nightspots have opened up to compete. The menu is impressive, with burgers, salmon and shepherd’s pie. Service is sometimes lacking. Despite a sizeable English breakfast and fantastic spicy ginger soup this once-vibrant expat joint is finding it harder and harder to distinguish itself from the crowd.
Skonis ir Kvapas: Traku 8, tel. 212-2803. Open:08-23; Sat., Sun. 09:30-23. Outstanding! What could be the dubiously named Taste and Smell café is actually a gorgeous place in the old city; it’s dimly lit and atmospheric. Head under the arch and enter the threshold marked with Roman numerals. Inside, there are lovely tapestries, faded wall paintings and dainty Elizabethan furniture. The extravagantly framed classical paintings, while hardly Caravaggio, do add to the scene. The music here is easy listening. The choice of tasty coffee is extensive, and there are also 30 types of tea. Portions of food are small but good; the beef with plums is just as good as every irresistible dessert here.
Stikliai Hotel Restaurant: Gaono 7, tel. 264-9580. Open:12-24. In the old city. Regarded by many as the highest-class restaurant in the capital. The dining room is set in a vast, breezy room, scattered with real trees and flowers. It feels like you’re sitting in an open courtyard. Upscale! Extremely pricey.
Tabera: Pylimo 23, tel. 262-1205. Open:09:30-23. The lunch menu from 12-15 is just okay but quick, and the place attracts diplomats from the nearby EU center. The lengthy dinner menu is impressively varied, from chicken with mango sauce to chicken wings, plus heaps of beef, seafood and solid soups; and it’s all good. You will find lots of vegetables too, which is rare for Vilnius. Here is the problem: it tries to be a bit formal, but fails miserably with a 1980s atmosphere that’s a bit too Soviet. Can someone please turn off those rotating disco-lights?!
Tores: Uzupio 40, tel. 262-9309. Open:11-24. It’s a wine cellar, gallery and restaurant. This is the place to take a break if you are touring around Vilnius’ Bohemian neighborhood, Uýupis. It’s also one of hottest places to convene for afterwork drinks and new-styled Lithuanian food. The underground cellar feels like a mazey cave but is brightened with tropical fish tanks and surreal, Dali-like art. Reservations are helpful, at least until the trendiness fades.
Vandens Malunas: Verkiu 100, tel. 271-1666; at Verkiai, alongside the River Neris, by a country lane that winds away from the northern suburbs of Vilnius. Open:10-24. At the foot of a hill, where the stream tumbles into the river, stands a lonely, old watermill, which has been transformed into this unique, out-of-town restaurant. Perfect for families and couples looking for a break from hustle and bustle of the city. Inside, photos on the wooden walls depict the history of the mill, which burned down 20 years ago and remained a ruin until it was rented from the state. The food deserves the high marks reviewers have tended to give it. Someone has tried hard to think up a menu you can’t really find anywhere else in Vilnius. Try the herring and apple salad, or the tuna-stuffed tomato. The veal in white-wine sauce or salmon in green butter is also great.
Zaltvyksle: (C-3) Pilies 11, tel. 268-7173. Open:11-23. This place in the old town serves up goulash and other central European treats in a flash. An ancient, informal interior and friendly service add to the appeal.
Italian
Da Antonio I: Vilniaus 23, tel. 262-0109. Open:11-23. There are over thirty varieties of pizza to choose from here. Service here is quick and friendly, but it’s the overall ambience of the place that should keep Da Antonio in the money. Two artistically decapitated Corinthian columns mark the doorway, and the high, off-white walls are modestly decorated with Roman trimmings. The plush booths are also cozy without seeming conspiratorial.
Da Antonio Trattoria: Pilies 20, tel. 261-8341. Open:09-24. A proletariat- friendly bistro with an earthy atmosphere complete with the prerequisite checkered table cloths and Chianti bottles. It works well, even though the menu is limited.
Rossini: L. Stuokos-Guceviciaus 3, tel. 210-7466. Open:11-24. Italian restaurant at Citypark hotel. Perfect location with a view at the Cathedral. www.citypark.lt
San Marco: Kalvarijû 1, tel. 275-6414; sanmarko@takas.lt. Open:12-24.
Savas Kampas: (J-2) Vokieciu 4, tel. 212-3203. Open:09-01; Fri., Sat. 10-03; Sun. 10-01. The menu of the day is popular for those in a rush. Otherwise they have a selection of mediocre meat and pasta dishes, most of which are overpriced per the quality and informal pub atmosphere. Popular meeting place for beer before the night gets wild.
Sorrento: Pylimo 21, tel. 264-4737. Open:07-23; Sun. 12-23.
St. Valentino: (I-1) Traku 18, on the corner of Vilniaus Street; tel. 231-4198. Open:07:30-23. Relaxed atmosphere, with a TV over the bar and further seating down a corridor. Pizza and some other Italian dishes. Banquet rooms.
Japanese
Kabuki: Didýioji 28, tel. 260-9020. Open:12-24. A new Japanese restaurant with a view on the Town Hall square. Good sushi, maki, nigri, temaki and more.
Tobira: Ðv. Mykolo 4, tel.260-9592. Open:12-23. The decor is minimalist and serene, the menu’s much better too after renovations. While some bemoan the loss of the Karaoke machine, most agree the place has a new degree of refinement. The waiters and waitresses are some of the best in the city, so if you like Japanese, this is the place for you. Good sushi and soups. Book ahead as they are often full.
Tokyo: Vienuolio 4, tel. (700) 55-599. Open:12-24. Japanese and also Thai food. www.grandcasino.lt
Lithuanian
Avilys: Gedimino 5, tel. 212-1900. Open:11-01. A pleasant, red-brick cellar atmosphere. The main distinguishing feature of Avilys is its beer, which is cooked up on the premises and made from honey. This is one of the few micro-breweries in the area. www.avilys.lt
Cili kaimas: at Zirmunû 2 (IKI center), tel. 273-5473; and Ukmerges 282 (Maxima center), tel. 238-8384. Open:10-24. Kaimas means countryside. Lithuanian food from it’s own home-grown chain. www.cili.lt
Keisti Zenklai (Strange Signs): (I-1) Traku 13, tel. 261-0779. Open:11-24. No one can decode its cryptic name, but this casual place smack in the old town is a good bet for quality, cheap Lithuanian grub. The fish has won rave reviews while the meat entrees are massive, delicious and decorated with various vegetables. The wonderful soups are much better than the smallish salads. And the bread is fresh, which is more than most places can say. Packed during business lunch hour. Go upstairs for some privacy.
Kolonos (Columns): S. Daukanto Square 2, tel. 231-4313. Open:10-24. Hidden away underground right across the street from the columns at the president’s palace, this place is only recognizable by it’s near ground level yellow awning. A great rest stop for tourists. Some entrees come with spicy sauces that add some flare to Lithuanian cuisine. If you like fried food that is so tasty it squirts juices in your eyes when you cut it, you must get the house special at Kolonos. The service is stellar and the atmosphere is pleasantly casual. They play good rock tunes here, too.
Lokys: Stikliu 8, in the old city, tel. 262-9046. Open:12-24. Set in a Gothic cellar, it was made for romantic encounters. They’ve got a stuffed bear on display. Specialties are wild boar, elk and even beaver! www.lokys.lt
Marceliukes Kletis: (A-5) Tuskulenu 35, tel. 272-5087. Open:11-24. A bit of countryside in the big city. Filling local dishes served in a village-like cabin. Folk bands whip up a storm after 19:00. A bit out of the way, but worth a visit.
Molinis Asotis: Naugarduko 32, tel. 233-3073. Open:11-23. To call The Clay Jug Inn simply a Lithuanian restaurant would be a grave injustice—they do things with basic national dishes that would send most country cooks heading for the hills. Fortunately for cepelinai-bloated foreigners this means unique and tasty food in a no-techno environment. Not as expensive as other Lithuanian restaurants, and very filling.
Stikliai Alude: Gaono 7, tel. 262-4501. Open:11-24. In the old city, attached to the high-class Stikliai hotel. The food is expensive but very tasty, from jacket potatoes to a great goulash. There is frequently live Lithuanian folk music in the beer hall, and, be warned, the performers sometimes ask customers to join in. The wine cellar downstairs is quaint and quieter.
Ýemaiciu Smukle: (J-2) Vokieciu 24, tel. 261-6573. Open:11-24. A superb selection of Samogitian and other Lithuanian specialties. People in the know say it is the place to try cepelinai for the first time. A half portion will probably do though. Diners can choose from one of the myriad of traditionally decorated cellar rooms or sit upstairs in the bar. Local beer is served in clay jugs and there is an extensive and well considered wine list. The game menu is excellent.
Middle Eastern
Ephesus: (I-1) Traku 15, tel. 260-8866. Open:08-06.
Finjan: (J-2) Vokieciu 18, tel. 261-2104. Open:11-24. Until just a few years ago, this was an odd corner café catering mostly to drunks and bottle collectors. But it’s now been magically transformed into a small but very enchanting den of exotic scents and tastes. Finjan serves remarkably aromatic Middle Eastern cuisine in a light, refreshing environment just off a quaint cobblestoned street in the old city. This unexpected restaurant, with what cooks say is a mix of Lebanese, Israeli and Egyptian cuisine is, ironically, located in the heart of the city’s pre-war Jewish quarter. The moderately priced food here is a heavy mix of pita bread stuffed with fragrant chunks of shoarma or falafel. Vilnius, at least, has never seen anything like it. For an appetizer or a side-dish, the garlic-driven aubergine salad and the delicious hummus are perfect. Try the vanilla mousse for dessert, or the honey and nut cake, homemade by an Azeri family in Vilnius. Finjan has an open, friendly atmosphere. As the spice begins to bite, the luscious Saharan wall paintings seem to stir. The tall, bearded Iranian chef swinging his sabre at the serving hatch says he got his start at the the Hilton in Antwerp. All that’s missing is the snake charmer.
Russian
Cagino: (C-3 ) Basanaviciaus 11, tel. 261-5555. Open:12-24. Authentic Russian cuisine amidst photos of historic Vilnius. The old-world cellar atmosphere clashes nicely with the posh decor. Named after a 19th century Russian architect who moved to Vilnius and built various city monuments.
Lukomorje: (B-6) Antakalnio 24, tel. 234-1609. Open:11-24; Sat., Sun. 11-02. Done up like a fairytale.
St. Peterburgas: (A-6) Antakalnio 39, tel. 234-6650. Open:11-24. Vilnius’ first decent Russian restaurant. Pictures of sail boats, model ships and a bust of Peter the Great add to the St. Petersburg theme. This could be Eugene Onegin’s favorite salon were it not for the mammoth TV perching on the bar. The music is exclusively Russian, ranging from pre-glasnost classics to irritating contemporary popsa. Dishes with mushrooms, pickles, pancakes, caviar, borsch and cow’s tongue were well represented on the menu. Iffy service.
Ukrainian
Ukrainos Vakarai: Algirdo 5, tel. 265-0302. Open: Mon.-Fri. 11-22; Sat.-Sun. 12-24. Ukrainian food that consists of various stews, roasts and other combinations of heavy meats and potatoes. This traditional restaurant offers Ukrainian borsh (with garlic and cabbage, tasty dumplings and a delicious Ukrainian vodka called Nemiroff, which is made from peppers and honey). They play Ukrainian music.
Vegetarian
Balti Drambliai: Vilniaus 41, tel. 262-0875, old city edge. Open:11-22; Sat., Sun. 12-22. White Elephants, as you’d expect, is decorated with elephant parts; a trunk and tusks hang above the bar. This place is endeavoring to be fashionable but not quite hitting the nail on the head; it has a bit of a musty, cellar feel to it. But the food is above average though, and it’s also relatively cheap, hence its popularity with area students. Fill up on potato pancakes with your choice of curd, cranberry and horseradish sauces; all for under a dollar.
Deliveries
Compared to Tallinn anyway, Vilnius has a thriving delivery scene. Its ethnic restaurants have also caught on and compete with inevitable pizza and cepelinai delivery services:
Baffo: tel. 212-5431. Big crust pizzas.
Canas: tel. 263-3333. Fast Asian food. Almost fusion. Wonderful.
Cili: tel. 233-3555; GSM 1315. A good pizza delivery service.
Cili Kinija: tel. 277-8899.Chinese food.
Fortas: tel. 212-2000. Good pizza.
Rytu Perlas: tel. 212-1473. Excellent and reasonably priced Chinese food.
Cafes
In the Baltic states there seems to be a dearth of fine cafes. This, for some reason, is especially true in Vilnius. The best coffee and pastries are often found in restaurants and even bars. There's hope that the cafe scene will improve. It can't get much worse. Cafe is kavine in Lithuanian.
Bar Italia: Gedimino 3a, tel. 268-5824. Open:07:30-23; Sat.-Sun. 10-23. A compact little eatery with flavored teas, desserts and Italian salads and sandwiches. Cigars too.
Café de Paris: Didzioji 1, in the old city, tel. 261-1021. Open:10-22; Wed., Thu. 10-02; Fri., Sat. 10-24. A stylish French-owned café that comes complete with the quick-footed, harried waitresses trying desperately to keep a lid on things as Café de Paris becomes more popular and crowded. On a recent afternoon, a Miriam Makeba CD was playing for background music. They serve lovely salads, crepes and sandwiches; the food isn’t absolutely earth-shattering—but it’s probably not meant to be. This is an easy-going venue ideal for long, heartfelt talks with a friend or lover.
Choco Lux: Gedimino 12, tel. 261-8018, next to the Ambassador Hotel. Open:08-22. Decorated with different chocolates. Suited for quick lunches.
Drama Theater Café: Gedimino 4, tel. 261-5829. Open:10-18; Sat., Sun. closed. A forgotten hideaway for cultural visionaries and/or fashion victims. It’s in the city center, though still tough to find: enter beside the three flying muses, follow the kaviné signs and past the theater proper.
G-lounge: Didýioji 11, tel. 260-9430. Open:11:30-24. A trendy if expensive lounge. Fusion cuisine and sushi. High ceilings and airy. www.glounge.lt
Intro Cafe: Maironio 3, tel. 279-1580. Open:10-24. Cafe, gallery, nightclub. Live music every night. www.intro.lt
Konditerija: Odminiu 3, tel. 262-9484. Open:08-19; Sat., Sun. 09-17. Excellent cookies and cakes at an otherwise quite ordinary café in a side street near the Cathedral. Clean and uncomplicated, with rather oblique service.
Kukarieku: Vilniaus 21, tel. 261-5015. Open:08-19; Sat. 10-19; Sun. closed. If you can stand the sweet, doll-house decor, you’ll like the cheap salads and candies. Perfect for a coffee and danish. Another outlet is across from the fine Stikliai Hotel—which owns this good café.
Magde: J. Basanaviciaus 3, tel. 262-2456. Open:09-23. Just outside the old city, this rustic, wooden-bench café serves great garlic bread. Quirky ensembles play country to Frank Sinatra on the weekend.
Mano Kavine: Boksto 7, tel. 215-3000. Open:11-23. A lovely café and one of the only places where you can get big pots of tea instead of the standard anemic tea-bag on a string. Serves a full menu with daily specials and is usually frequented by artsy student types. Perfect atmosphere for whiling away a Sunday afternoon. Lots of students. Also a night-club attached to the place. www.manoklubas.com
Pauze: Auøros Vartu 5/1, tel. 212-2113. Open:08-22; Sat. 10-22; Sun. 10-20. Nice café dome by the Stikliai people.
Pilies Mene: Pilies 8, tel. 261-2552. Open:10-24. In the old town. Popular. Live jazz music some nights.
Pilies Kepykele: Pilies 19, tel. 260-8992. Open:09-23. Located in the tourist center. Staff are draped in traditional Lithuanian attire and they serve pancakes, salads and desserts.
Poniu laime: Stikliu 14/1, tel. 264-9581. Open:08-22; Sat. 10-22; Sun. 10-20.
Post Skriptum: (F-1) Gedimino 7, tel. 212-5271. Open:07-24; Sat., Sun. 09-24. Around the corner of the main post office. Big glass windows that look out at the newly renovated Gedimino street.
Presto Kavos ir Arbatos Namai (Presto coffee and tea house): Gedimino 32, tel. 262-1967. Open:07-22; Sat., Sun. 10-22. A real coffee joint and you don’t have to walk through a myriad of tiny streets to find it. Right in the center of Gedimino, this is the place for coffee lovers with a dazzling assortment of roasts ground on the spot. They serve a fine selection of teas and light snacks. Great hot chocolate, too.
Skanaus: Ausros Vartu 9, tel. 231-3705. Open:08-21; Sat, Sun. 10-21. Fresh, flaky pastries and warm buns abound in a bright and busy boulangerie beside the Basilian Gates. Perfectly located, this friendly new café run by the Vilnius Bread Company is a winner for visitors and locals alike.
Soprano: Pilies 3, tel. 212-6042. Open:11-23; Fri., Sat. 09:30-01. An ice-cream café that also serves fine hot Italian wine, sandwiches and pastries. Nice surroundings, less nice euro-beat music.
Taskas: A. Smetonos 2, tel. 212-1282. Open:09-22, Sat., Sun. closed. In the basement of Lithuania’s number two daily newspaper Respublika. Taskas is Lithuanian for full-stop, but it’s not only tired hacks who drape themselves over the horseshoe bar. Suits from smart offices nearby make short work of the excellent coffee and cakes. There is a daily lunch menu, and delicious Italian cuisine is served with jazz in the evenings. The decor turns heads: there’s the wallpaper made of unsold copies of Respublika, a dragon-shaped fireplace and a clock that runs backwards.
Tiffany: Gedimino 46, tel. 249-6606. Open:07-03; Sat., Sun. 08-05.
University Café: Sv. Jono 10, tel. 268-7171. Open:08-17; Sat., Sun. closed. Caffeine-fuelled, alcohol-free environment at budget prices. Frequented by students and academics. Used to be the morgue and still retains a dark, menacing atmosphere particularly in the secluded booths overshadowed by Baconesque paintings by Lithuanian artist Sigitas Mickevicius.
Uzupio Kavine: Uzupio 2, tel. 212-2138. Open:10-23. A cozy neighborhood place on the edge of the crumbling arty area of Uýupis. It is the place in the warmer months, when its twin outdoor decks overlooking the winding, wooded Vilnia river are full the whole day. Sitting outside in the sun, you won’t really give a hoot whether the food’s any good.
