Fancy joining a food market in Riga, Latvia? If you are visiting the capital of Latvia and are interested in food, you should not miss visiting the huge food market in the centre of the city.
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Food market in Riga
The Riga food market offers everything from meat and fish to locally produced vegetables and baked goods - usually cheaper and of better quality than what you'll find in regular supermarkets. Over 50,000 people visit the market every day, and it's a real treat to come here!
Market in Riga - in former zeppelin halls
The Food Market, or Central Market as it is actually called, is also an interesting sight in itself. This particular building consists of several halls that were originally built as hangars for zeppelins.
Today, the halls are instead divided into different types of food - a hall for meat, a hall for fish, etc. In addition, the market extends outside the hangars. In the outdoor stalls you can find fruit and vegetables, as well as knitted mittens and other handicrafts.
Riga food market - Meat, fish and cheese
The halls of meat and fish are huge and you'll find everything you could possibly want in terms of meat and fish, including things you wouldn't think to look for. For example, how about whole pig heads, pig feet or large cattle tongues?
The fish hall probably impressed us the most. The hall is absolutely huge and has every kind of fresh fish we can think of, including roe, shellfish, tinned fish and a huge range of smoked fish. They also sell a lot of cheese, especially traditional cream cheese. We got to taste a piece of locally produced cream cheese flavoured with cumin - really good!
Vegetables, fruit, bread and pastries
In the other halls, as well as outdoors outside the halls, you will find fresh and pickled vegetables, fresh and dried fruit, berries, nuts, seeds, bread, pies, sweet pastries, sweets and everything else you would expect to find at a food market. The commonality of pickled vegetables becomes apparent and we get to taste the popular lightly salted cucumbers - crispy and very tasty!
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Ditte says:
How nice to come here again! I have been here, but I don't remember the market being that big. Maybe it has expanded since I was there. But certainly it will be a visit here if I come to Riga. Enticing photos! Would love to try different pickles, (different kinds of cucumbers) bread and fresh cheeses. Hope you get some goodies home.
Wishing you a pleasant stay.
30 November 2015 - 20:17
Mr Steve says:
On the move again. You are in, I must say.
I would love to visit that food market.
30 November 2015 - 19:39
stripped says:
It's a great place 🙂 We love the market halls and it certainly sounds like you are enjoying yourselves. Nice to read!
30 November 2015 - 21:35
Åsa says:
No thanks to the pig head and pig feet but otherwise it seemed nice! Markets are always fun! What did you buy? /Åsa
30 November 2015 - 21:35
BP says:
I have also visited the markets and was totally sold. The selection is huge, the quality excellent and the prices incredibly low. We bought both pickles and a few kilos of beef fillet that cost 50 SEK/kilo. Riga is a fantastic city. The Old Town is also incredibly cosy with lots of coffee shops. Wondering if you will visit the "block houses"?
30 November 2015 - 20:56
Maria says:
I have also been to the zeppelin halls, it was quite interesting! 🙂
30 November 2015 - 22:43
admin says:
Steve, haha, you could say that! This is an organised blog trip, which we chose to join. We have only been in Riga, so fun to see more!
Ditte, haha, I'm telling you that you are well travelled!!! I do not know if the food market has become larger than before, but it is in any case very large!
BP, glad you liked the market too and great to hear about your finds! Blockhouses - what are they?
Ontripdk, nice to hear that you also like the market halls! We really love places like this, and so a little extra fun when you have a guide who can tell you a little actually!
Åsa, we didn't buy anything right now even though I was tempted. Had we had the motorhome here and lived in it, we would have bought ... lots! Now it was fun to go with the guide and listen. Maybe we will buy a gift or something similar some other day.
Maria, great that you've been here too! I like to walk around in places like this, and also the halls are a bit special. 🙂
Alexandra, that's how we felt too! If we had the motorhome, we would have bought fish and stuff. Now you might be able to buy a jar of jam or something like that.
30 November 2015 - 23:15
Alexandra says:
We've been there! Love food markets! It's just a bit sad that you can't buy everything you want, much is fresh produce 🙂 We bought knitted mittens there anyway ?
30 November 2015 - 23:11
Travel Friday says:
Would have loved to see the halls when there were zeppelins there - better that than pig heads, haha! Looks lovely. I really hope for Riga in the future, the Baltics seem to have many nice places to offer.
01 December 2015 - 7:43
admin says:
Travel Friday, yes just to see a real zeppelin up close would be a bit cool! 😉 The meeting with Riga feels very good so far, and we will soon see what else the city has to offer!
01 December 2015 - 8:49
Ama de casa says:
What a wonderfully lovely market! Almost beats Hötorgshallen... 😉.
(Haha! I wonder why I'm snowed in at Hötorget today? 😉 )
01 December 2015 - 11:49
Only British /Charlotta says:
Love that market. Don't you eat tongue for Christmas? ?
01 December 2015 - 12:11
admin says:
Ama, yes definitely and haha, you might wonder! 😉
Charlotta, no we don't... Here it can apparently be eaten in many different ways, including in small pieces in salads.
01 December 2015 - 18:54