We hope you’re hungry! Because today we’re tasting 15 different Lithuanian foods and drinks — lots of cabbage, plenty of potatoes, and a few surprises as well (like a delicious cake)!
Come and taste Lithuanian food with us! We spent 5 days visits Vilnius and Kaunas, Lithuania to taste the top 15 Lithuanian dishes — hand picked by the Lithuanian people and the Lithuanian tourism board.
If you like European food, you won’t be disappointed by these traditional foods!
1 SALTIBARSCIAI (cold beetroot soup)
Beets: either you love ’em or they’re not your fav. This cold beetroot sup was interesting…especially when you see what’s floating inside of the bowl! Imagine fresh beets blended with cream and herbs. Toss in a hard boiled egg and some shredded beets, and ta-do.
Annnnd in case you didn’t know, there’s a small chance that beets may make your pink poop! …don’t ask us how we know that 😉
2 FRIED BREAD WITH CHEESE
Oh my goodness, both of us could have easily devoured our own plate of fried bread with cheese! It’s basically garlic croutons smothered in cheese. What’s not to like? According to the Lithuanians, this goes really well with a cold beer!
3 GIRA (kvass)
The Lithuanian people say that gira is “a superior refreshment on a hot summer day.” This drink is made from grain but has a complementary nutty and fruity balance. It’s also an excellent choice on a hot summer day or a crisp Autumn afternoon. Tip: Find a restaurant that offers homemade gira!
4 CEPELINAI (meat-filled potato dumplings)
Meat and potatoes — what’s not to love?! …Or so we thought. Cue the drama! Watch our video to see a bad breakup between Jana and cepelinai.
5 TINGINYS (uncooked cocoa cookie bar)
Tinginys, also known as Chocolate Salami (in Italian), delivers plenty of chocolate but no meat. It’s a no-bake cookie bar with cocoa and nuts. This Lithuanian dish will not disappoint even the most avid chocolate lovers!
6 PICKLED CABBAGE SOUP
What do you get when you mix cabbage, pork, potatoes, and onions together? Cabbage soup! Delicious, nutritious, and a Lithuanian food staple.
7 KASTINYS (sour cream butter)
We already like butter (who doesn’t?), but enjoying an herb butter is even more delicious! Plus, this butter is the perfect pair with boiled potatoes.
8 KUGELIS (potato pie/casserole)
Do you like potatoes? Do you like pie? Then you’re destined to enjoy this Lithuanian dish! It’s a bread-like comfort food made with delicate potatoes.
9 APPLE “CHEESE”
Looking for unique charcuterie board ideas? This is the perfect addition! Apple cheese has only two ingredients: apples and sugar — no cheese! It’s made by cooking apples and sugar until it thickens, then shaping it into a cheese-like form. Trust us, looks gross but tastes like apple fruit leather!
If you’re enjoying (or drooling!) over this food, you won’t want to miss what else we eat in Europe! Join our newsletter to stay in the loop!
10 BEER
Need we say more? The Lithuanians like their beer, and so did Brett.
11 MUSHROOM SOUP
What screams cosy more than soup in a bread bowl? This mushroom soup was laden with hearty vegetables and served in a tasty bread bowl.
12 HERRING WITH POTATOES
Herring is probably common in all of the Baltic states. Brett has tried this before in the Netherlands and said that this herring was salty and delicious. (This was also the only Lithuanian food that Jana didn’t eat. Watch our YouTube video to find out why…)
13 BALANDELIAI (stuffed cabbage)
In the words of Brett, “Who said I don’t like cabbage?!?” Hands down this is one of the best cabbage dishes we have ever tasted! The cabbage leaves are stuffed with a hearty meat and rice mixture, then topped with a slightly sweet sauce. Even if you’re unsure about cabbage, you will probably enjoy this tasty Lithuanian meal!
14 MEAD
This was the only item on our Lithuanian food and drink list that we could not find ANYWHERE! We think it’s similar to beer or kvass, but we cannot confirm this. Guess we’ll be back in Lithuanian one day to find out! (To the Lithuanian people who follow us on Instagram and YouTube, can you tell us more about this?)
15 SAKOTIS (tree cake)
Here’s a fun story: We bought sakotis in a Lithuanian bakery and then carried it to a piazza before tasting it. On the walk from the bakery to the piazza, a little boy saw our cake and his eyes lit up! “Wooooowwww!” he exclaimed. So we knew this was going to be tasty before we had our first bite! First of all, it’s cake, which means it’s delicious. Second, the cake ingredients include 100+ eggs. Third, it’s roasted over a first and shaped like a tree. The verdict: delicious!
See which Lithuanian foods you NEED to try when you visit Lithuania!
Have you had any of these Lithuanian foods and drinks before? We’d love to know! Leave us a comment below. P.S. Did we miss any famous Lithuanian dishes? Tell us in the comments what we should eat on our next trip to Lithuania!
