But also unique and very tasty Lithuanian cuisine. So, what should a tourist try when traveling to this authentic and distinctive country?
If you have visited Lithuania and have not tried the local cuisine, then your trip was in vain. Comparing Lithuanian cuisine with Estonian and Latvian, one should note its richness and simplicity. While the rest of the Baltic countries mainly use seafood, in Lithuania they prefer:
Potatoes can be called the real queen of Lithuanian cooking - this vegetable is boiled, fried, baked, and a wide variety of very tasty dishes are prepared from it.
The country can be roughly divided into four regions with their own culinary characteristics:
Zeppelins are a real calling card of Lithuanian cuisine. They are something like large potato dumplings with different fillings: cottage cheese, meat, mushrooms, etc. The name of this dish comes from the German Zeppelin (airship), since in shape it really resembles this aircraft.
The classic Zeppelin recipe always includes raw and boiled potatoes - precisely thanks to a large number starch, the dish does not boil soft. In addition to boiled zeppelins, you can also find other variants: fried, with open filling, etc.
This hearty and quite high-calorie dish can be tried in any restaurant in the country, but the chefs of restaurants in the historical part of Vilnius are considered real experts in its preparation. A portion of zeppelins costs about 11-12 litas (about 4 dollars).
Vedarai is the second most popular dish of national Lithuanian cuisine. In essence, it is a potato sausage: when cooked, pork intestines are stuffed with grated potatoes and lard (sometimes barley is added to the recipe) and fried until golden brown.
You can try vedarai in almost any restaurant throughout the country or even buy this sausage in the supermarket. The cost is about 10 litas (more than 3 dollars).
This is a light and tasty first dish that is perfect for healthy food lovers. It is a cold beet soup with a kefir base and the addition of cucumbers, hard-boiled eggs and other ingredients. The highlight of the soup is the boiled potatoes with dill, which are served separately.
The dish is prepared in most restaurants in Vilnius, approximate price servings – 6-8 litas (2-2.5 dollars).
Fried pancakes from mashed potatoes with minced pate originating from Samogitia, a western region of Lithuania.
To try this tasty and very filling dish, you don’t have to go to the capital of the region, Telšiai, because it is served in many establishments in other cities, in particular in Vilnius and Kaunas. The approximate cost is 15 litas (15.5 dollars).
In fact, kibinai are a dish of the Karaite Tatars, but due to the fact that these people have long and firmly settled in the area of the town of Trakai, these pies have turned into a Lithuanian national dish. They are prepared from unleavened dough with a variety of fillings:
The best kibinai in Lithuania can be tasted in Trakai, where there are several Karaite restaurants.
In addition, this dish is served in Vilnius - for example, in a confectionery called PinavijaCafé & Bakery. The cost of one pie is 6 litas (a little more than 2 dollars).
Skilandis is not just a dish, but a part of Lithuanian culture. This is something like a cold smoked sausage made from a pork stomach, which is stuffed with chopped or ground pork.
In Lithuania, this product is consumed on its own or added to borscht, soups, salads, etc. Skilandis can be tried in many restaurants, or bought in any supermarket, the price per kilogram is 35 litas (about 12 dollars).
As you can already understand, potatoes are the real queen of Lithuanian cuisine. Kugelis is a casserole, which is also prepared on the basis of this vegetable with the addition of lard (in classic recipe- pig ears), sometimes - cottage cheese, chicken and other ingredients, and served with a sauce of cracklings and sour cream.
A serving of kugelis in Lithuanian restaurants costs about 11 litas ($4).
Morka Apkess is worth a try for those who find Lithuanian cuisine a little greasy and heavy. This is a casserole made from boiled carrots, which are ground with yolks, cinnamon and sugar until pureed, and then baked in the oven.
Price per serving – 6-8 litas (2-3 dollars).
Pig ears also play a very important role in the cuisine of this country. They are boiled, fried, smoked and served both as an independent dish with various side dishes (most often with peas), and as a snack with beer.
For example, one of the most famous snacks in Lithuanian restaurants is Klausuču – boiled-smoked pig ears with peas and garlic sauce.
The cost of a serving is 16 litas (almost 6 dollars).
Šakotis is no less famous Lithuanian dish than zeppelins. This is very a delicious cake, which is cooked from eggs, sugar and flour over an open fire using a small spit. Thanks to this method, shakotis looks like a hedgehog or a Christmas tree.
Most often, this dessert is prepared for a wedding, but tourists consider it something of a souvenir - by the way, it can be stored for about six months, and does not contain any preservatives! You can buy shakotis in any confectionery shop, the price is 32 litas (11.5 dollars).
The most popular drink in Lithuania is beer, which is said to be absolutely not inferior in taste and quality to Czech or German beer.
The most famous Lithuanian beer is Švituris, which has been brewed in Klaipeda since 1784.
Half a liter of drink will cost a tourist about 6 litas ($2).
You should also definitely taste the ancient Lithuanian tincture called Suktinis, which is prepared with honey and the addition of various berries, including juniper, poplar buds, etc. However, be careful - the strength of this drink is approximately 50 degrees.
Well, those who do not drink alcoholic beverages will certainly like rye kvass and various herbal teas, of which Lithuanians are also considered great masters.
If you come to Lithuania to relax and gain new pleasant impressions, you need to try and appreciate the delicious and, at the same time, inexpensive Lithuanian dishes national cuisine. In their national cuisine, Lithuanians mainly use potatoes, pork, raw milk products and seasonal vegetables. The dishes are distinguished by their simple recipes, satiety and affordable prices.
In Lithuania there are specialized restaurants and cafes called “Lituviškai patekalai” (Lithuanian dishes), where you can try traditional Lithuanian dishes. However, you can find these dishes not only there, but also on the menu of almost every restaurant or cafe. And we will help you figure out what and how they are made, so that you can choose the recipe you like based on the name of the dish in Russian and Lithuanian.
Where to stay if you plan to relax and enjoy Lithuanian cuisine:
Šaltibarščiai
Don't forget to try this Lithuanian "pink miracle" - famous cold borscht. This is beetroot soup with cucumbers and herbs, made with full-fat kefir, served separately with hot boiled potatoes and eggs. Sometimes smoked meats are added. This is a favorite light and refreshing soup. It is especially pleasant on a hot summer day.
Soup in bread (Sriuba duonos kubilėlyje)
There is another delicious culinary miracle - this is soup in a rye “pot” with forest mushrooms (usually with porcini). The top of a small loaf of homemade rye bread is cut off and all the pulp is removed. Cream soup with mushrooms is poured into the resulting “pot” and covered with a rye lid on top. Bread pot soup is just as delicious as mushroom soup.
In Lithuanian dishes, meat, side dish and salad are never served separately, as in Russian restaurants. If you order meat (fish), you will automatically receive a side dish, salad, fresh vegetables and sauce (you can choose any side dish or sauce yourself, but the price will not change).
For sauces traditionally used Forest mushrooms(white and chanterelles), as well as spinach, cheeses (and its derivatives), herbal spices.
Stuffed cabbage rolls in Lithuania it is served with potatoes and sour cream. Therefore, this is a fairly satisfying and inexpensive dish.
Zeppelins (Didžkukuliai)
The main culinary “attraction” of Lithuania, which every tourist should try and appreciate, is the famous zeppelins, or they are also called Didžkukuliai - these are large, aromatic potato “airships” with juicy ground meat inside (they are available with cottage cheese and mushrooms, it’s also delicious ).
They are boiled and served with sour cream sauce with crispy cracklings, onions or mushroom sauce (your choice).
There are also fried zeppelins, but whoever has a good stomach! For those who cannot boast about it, zeppelins are made from boiled potatoes (this is not an acquired taste). Please note that these zeppelins are not served everywhere!
Each serving contains two fairly large zeppelins. However, if you wish, you can order half a portion (we advise you to order everything in half a portion to try), since they are not small, and the dishes of Lithuanian cuisine are hearty.
Vedarai
Vedarai is another Lithuanian hearty dish. Fried onions, cracklings, brisket, herbs and spices are added to grated raw potatoes. This mixture is stuffed into pork intestines and baked in the oven or on the grill until crispy. Served with bacon and sour cream.
Kėdainių blynai
Kedainiu pancakes are fried pancakes made from grated raw potatoes with minced meat inside. Pancakes are served with sour cream sauce or sour cream.
Kugelis (Bulvių plokštainis)
Kugelis (potato babka) - fried onions, cracklings, brisket and spices are added to grated raw potatoes. Form, place on a roasting pan and bake in the oven. Served with white sauce, bacon and mushrooms.
Žemaičių blynai
Zhemaichu blinai are made from boiled hot potatoes in their jackets, minced through a meat grinder, stuffed with boiled ground meat with the addition of spices and sautéed onions. Then flat pies are formed and fried in a frying pan. Served with sour cream sauce or sour cream. When ordering, you can always choose the sauce and serving size.
Stuffed potatoes
These are boiled potatoes in their jackets, stuffed with mushrooms and fried onions or salted salmon. Served with castinis or sour cream sauce.
The dish is light and not greasy - for those who do not want to gain weight.
Kastinys
Be sure to try kastinis - this is an ancient Samogitian fermented milk product of special consistency, made from whipped homemade sour cream and butter, with garlic and spices. The secret of the special delicate consistency of castinis is the beating technique. The tender and aromatic mass is served in a cafe with potatoes boiled in their jackets.
Kastinis can be bought in the dairy section of any supermarket.
Lithuanian sausages (Lietuviškai dešreliai)
Onion, garlic, spices are added to the pork minced through a meat grinder, and the small pork intestines are stuffed with minced meat. The sausages are boiled, then grilled and served with stewed sauerkraut or mashed potatoes.
Kibinai
Kibinai is the national dish of the indigenous Karaite Tatars, who have long lived in Lithuania (mainly in Trakai). These are very tasty and satisfying hot pies made from delicate shortcrust pastry with minced meat or minced meat (pork, lamb, veal or poultry). Bake them in the oven and serve hot.
Kibinai are sold not only in cafes, but also in supermarkets, which have their own confectionery bakery. But the most delicious kibinas can only be tasted in Trakai, the homeland of the Lithuanian Karaites.
One of the best in the world! There is a lot of beer in Lithuania - tasty and different! There is light beer, which has less alcohol, and dark beer, which is thicker and more alcoholic; there is filtered and unfiltered, the so-called “live” beer.
In several Vilnius breweries you can taste this ancient traditional drink, in the production of which only natural malt, hop cones and brewer's yeast are used.
To accompany your beer, be sure to take very tasty croutons with garlic and cheese, peas with cracklings, and boiled smoked pork ears with garlic sauce. It's all very tasty!
Peas with cracklings (Žirniai su spirgučiais)
Peas with cracklings are a beer snack that consists of boiled peas and well-fried cracklings placed on top (everything is mixed before eating).
Pig ears (Rūkytų ausų)
Boiled-smoked pork ears are an excellent snack for beer. Lightly smoked, they have a pleasant aroma and taste. They are served garlic Sause with seasonings.
In addition to beer, all kinds of cold and hot non-alcoholic drinks made from sea buckthorn, quince, cranberry and forest berries.
You will probably like the signature homemade rye kvass with raisins (not bottled), which Lithuanians make in a special way old recipe, and natural teas with the addition of wild berries are very tasty and healthy!
Šakotis
Šakotis is a very tasty and popular Lithuanian cake, shaped like a Christmas tree. It is made from egg dough and baked by rotating it on a spit, over a fire, or in a special oven.
Traditionally it is served at weddings and can be stored for up to six months. You can buy “Shakotis” at the market or supermarkets in Lithuania, but you will find the freshest and most delicious ones in branded stores that produce these particular cakes.
Such a gift from Lithuania will be pleasant for your loved ones and will delight everyone as a delicious Lithuanian souvenir.
Lithuania is famous for its bread (especially dark rye varieties, usually with the addition of caraway seeds, and different varieties grains), eat rye bread with dried fruits. This bread retains its aroma for a long time and does not go stale.
The most famous and popular varieties- “Vilnius” (lit. Vilniaus), Bočių (lit. Bočių) with cumin and gray “Palanga” (lit. Palanga).
Among national meat products, dried and smoked meat and sausages are deservedly popular. Skilandis - minced dried pork meat in a pig's stomach - you can buy with you.
Very popular are fried brushwood cookies (Žagarėlis) and a delicious brushwood cake doused in honey - Skruzdelinas.
Among dairy products, preference is given to cheeses (hard, curd, smoked or traditional), cottage cheese, yogurt and sour cream.
Be sure to try specially whipped sour cream with garlic and seasonings with homemade butter - this is kastinis. The tender and aromatic mass is served with jacket potatoes. Kastinis can be bought in the dairy section of any supermarket.
Buy the famous hard cheese “Džiugas” and smoked curd cheeses with you. Try special apple or plum cheese with a refined taste (you can buy it at fairs and local farmers' markets).
The gift version of honey tinctures from the company “Lietuviškas midus” is very good for a souvenir, which contains 6 types of tinctures from 14 to 75 degrees.
The famous strong drink "Suktinis" is named after a popular Lithuanian folk dance. It contains bee honey, carnation flowers, poplar buds, oak acorns, juniper berries and many other valuable plants. The strength of the drink is 50%.
Having tasted the products and dishes of Lithuanian national cuisine, you will appreciate how filling, tasty and affordable they are!
Lithuanian cuisine uses products available in the cool and humid Lithuanian climate: potatoes, barley, rye, beets, greens, mushrooms, dairy products, meat. Many dishes of Lithuanian national cuisine are very similar to traditional dishes others Eastern European peoples, however, it also has its own distinctive features, which highlight Lithuanian cuisine and make it one of the most distinctive cuisines in this region.Without a doubt, the most popular Lithuanian dish is zeppelin - potato dumplings. huge size with meat filling (less often with cottage cheese), which is usually served with cracklings. Many Lithuanians consider this dish to be their original dish, but this opinion is wrong - very similar dishes can be found in other national cuisines, in particular, Polish and Czech.
Actually, Lithuanian traditional cuisine is very closely related to Polish, many dishes are equally popular in both countries - dumplings, dumplings, pancakes, donuts. The German influence is also noticeable: the Germans taught the Lithuanians to cook numerous dishes from pork and potatoes. Lithuanian cuisine, recipes with photos of which are presented in this section, has many common dishes with Belarusian cuisine - potato pancakes and pancakes, potato pancakes, potato sausages. Jews and even Karaite Tatars also influenced the characteristics of Lithuanian cuisine.
Like other Baltic countries, Lithuania has a very varied cold appetizer menu. The ancestors of modern Lithuanians worked a lot in the fields, and therefore it was cold snacks that could be taken with them from home that formed the basis of their diet. Today these are all kinds of cheeses, dairy products, smoked meat and fish products, and sausages.
An incredibly wide range of hot dishes. Today, the most popular dishes of Lithuanian national cuisine are the aforementioned zeppelins, all kinds of potato pancakes and casseroles (in particular, Samogitian pancakes and Jewish kugel), boiled potatoes with curdled milk, dumplings, dumplings, cabbage rolls, cutlets, zrazy. Obviously, many of these dishes are not native to Lithuania, but they have taken root very well in Lithuania and acquired local flavors. It is also worth noting that Lithuanian cuisine consists mainly of fatty and hearty dishes, however, this does not prevent Lithuanians from being the slimmest nation in Europe - Lithuania has the lowest percentage of obese people. It's a paradox, but it's true.
Another incredibly popular Lithuanian dish, which can compete even with zeppelins in its popularity, is the Lithuanian cold borscht Šaltibarščai. Again, many Lithuanians tend to attribute the authorship of this dish to their people, although in reality this cold beetroot soup is well known in Poland, Latvia, and Belarus. One way or another, this cold beetroot soup with kefir, which is always served along with separately boiled hot potatoes, is the most popular dish on the table of every Lithuanian in warm time of the year. During the cold season, hot soups are very popular, which are not much different from the soups common in the surrounding countries - borscht, rassolnik, cabbage soup, pea soup, etc.
An integral part of any meal is Lithuanian black bread. If you ask any Lithuanian living outside their homeland what they miss most in a foreign country, they will immediately answer – Lithuanian black bread.
When it comes to Lithuanian drinks, the undoubted leader is beer. Lithuanians are a beer nation. Lithuanians initially adopted the brewing traditions from the Germans, but subsequently developed them to such an extent that today Lithuanian beer is considered by experts to be one of the best in the world. Regular bottled beer produced by the largest brewing companies in Lithuania and sold in supermarkets can give a head start to many of its Czech and German colleagues, but despite this, Lithuanians prefer to buy draft beer, which is brewed by dozens of small breweries throughout Lithuania. In addition to beer, strong alcoholic drinks are also popular - especially various herbal tinctures. Popular non-alcoholic drinks are unoriginal - tea, coffee, kvass and compotes.
Traditional Lithuanian desserts are not much different from Polish ones - these are donuts, pies with apples and other sweet fillings, brushwood, chocolate. A cake called Šakotis deserves special mention - a large festive cake in the shape of a branchy tree, also popular in Poland and Germany.
Traditional Lithuanian cuisine represents a wide range of distinctive dishes, many of which come from other cultures. Main feature National Lithuanian cuisine includes a huge variety of dishes made from potatoes. The most famous Lithuanian dish is considered to be zeppelins - potato zrazy in the shape of an airship filled with minced meat or cottage cheese.
Hearty potato salads, pancakes made from raw or boiled potatoes, kugel and vedarai, which is baked pork intestines filled with mashed potatoes. These traditional Lithuanian dishes are the hallmark of Lithuanian culinary art.
The abundance of berries and mushrooms in the vastness of this state allows Lithuanian housewives to diversify their daily diet. Dumplings with mushrooms, berries and cottage cheese are simple, nutritious dishes that Lithuanians love. Lazy dumplings with blueberry puree, prepared in the shape of a crescent, are very popular. Favorite flour products also include a variety of yeast pancakes with berry, curd and meat fillings.
Traditional Lithuanian cold appetizers include dishes made from pickled or salted herring, cottage cheese with seasonings and herbs (cumin and marjoram), homemade pickled cheese, hot or cold smoked meat and sausages. Lithuanian cooks and housewives pickle, salt and dry mushrooms. Then they are used to prepare various cold appetizers and thick sauces.
The first dishes of traditional Lithuanian cuisine are soups made from poultry broths, various types meat, game and beer. IN summer season Cold soup based on kefir with an abundance of herbs, young beets and eggs is popular.
Second Lithuanian dishes are often prepared from pork or poultry. Lamb and beef are rarely used. Meat zrazy, rolls, roasts, roast geese and ducks - an incomplete list culinary preferences Lithuanians Fish in Lithuania is steamed, boiled and stewed. The most famous Lithuanian fish dish is smoked eel.
Lithuanians prefer kvass, beer, natural herbal teas and strong natural coffee among drinks. Cake with kernels walnuts(shvituris) is very popular outside the country, as delicious dessert. The traditional Lithuanian wedding cake is Šakotis. It has an unusual shape and requires special equipment for preparation. Egg dough is poured onto a heated rotating shaft. It is fried not only from the inside, but also from the outside. Traditionally, this cake is cooked over an open fire. The technology of its preparation allows this confectionery product to be stored for six months.
Lithuanian cuisine has peculiar differences according to the regions of the country. Sausage in the shape of a ball (skilandis) is prepared by the Suwalki people, famous for their meat dishes. Mushroom dishes are the pride of the Dzuks. The people of Aukštaiti make delicious flour products. The kings of Lithuanian cuisine – potato dishes – are well-produced by the Samogitians.
Many Lithuanian dishes are similar in essence to European dishes. The cuisine of this country has been greatly influenced by Slavic cuisine and German cuisine. Forest products predominate in Lithuanian cuisine. This differs from the cooking of Latvia and Estonia, where great place occupied by seafood.
Let's start with the most famous national dish of Lithuania - zeppelins. These are potato zrazy made from a mixture of raw and boiled potato dough filled with minced pork. Traditionally, zeppelins are served with a sauce made from sour cream and pieces of fried bacon. Initially, the dish was called didzkukuliai, but at the beginning of the 20th century it was changed to zeppelins due to its external resemblance to zeppelin airships.
Zeppelins appeared in Lithuania at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, most likely in Samogitia, where they came from the territory of the modern Kaliningrad region.
Fried bread is dark rye Lithuanian bread fried in sunflower oil, grated with garlic and salt. Usually served with cheese sauce. Most often, this dish is eaten as a snack with beer.
Beet soup is a warm soup made from beets, onions, carrots, celery and pork, seasoned with salt, pepper and dill. Lithuanian beet soup is very similar to Ukrainian borscht.
Cold borscht is usually eaten in the summer season. It is made from kefir, with beets, boiled eggs and boiled potatoes. Cold borscht has a bright pink color and is an indicator that warm weather has arrived in Lithuania.
Don't let the name fool you. Mushrooms aren't made from mushrooms, they're just cookies shaped like mushrooms. Mushrooms are delicious little cookies with flavors of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom. They are coated with glaze to create a white “stem” and a black “cap”.
Fresh cottage cheese is a popular product in Lithuanian cuisine and is used in many dishes. One of the most popular cottage cheese dishes is Cheesecake. When preparing it, cottage cheese is mixed with a small amount of flour, eggs and sugar, and then all this is fried in oil. Typically, the pie is served with fresh berries and jam.
Potatoes are the real king in Lithuanian cuisine, and potato dishes are consumed by Lithuanians almost every day. Potato pancakes are a simple dish made from grated potatoes, onions and eggs mixed together and fried in oil. Pancakes are served with dill, onions and sour cream.
Kibinai - delicious hand pies, which are the national dish of the Karaites, ethnic Turkic group, which has lived in Lithuania for centuries. Soft pies filled with meat, vegetables, cottage cheese or berries are a favorite snack or addition to soups.
Kugel is a pudding or lasagne made from baked potatoes, sometimes with meat. Served with lingonberry sauce, bacon or sour cream. As with most Lithuanian dishes, the recipe for kugel varies from person to person, so the dish can vary greatly in different places, which makes it even more interesting.
Raguolis or Šakotis is a traditional Lithuanian pie served in special cases such as wedding, Christmas or Easter. The pie is a large hollow ring with horn-like or thorn-like branches. They are created from dripping batter when the cake is turned on a spit in front of the oven.
You can see how shakotis are created in this video:
We have prepared this article specifically for those who are planning to visit Lithuania and do not know what is so tasty and unusual to try in this wonderful country.
Every traveler, in addition to eating in Lithuania, is undoubtedly interested in the issue of money. So, even though Lithuania switched to the euro in 2015, prices in the country remained quite affordable, in any case, eating in Lithuania is much cheaper than in other euro zone countries. For example, a full lunch or dinner for two with drinks will cost 20-25 euros.
So, in our opinion, when you come to Lithuania, first of all you should try the national cuisine, and then whatever you like by sight. After all, it is not at all necessary for all of us in every country we visit to eat exactly what is a national dish in a given area, since many things will simply be unusual for us, which will remain unappreciated and misunderstood.
The first dish you should definitely try in Lithuania is the national dish of Lithuanian cuisine, consisting of potatoes - zeppelins. Lithuanians, like Belarusians, love potatoes and they are present in many different variations in their cuisine.
The second name of this dish is Didzkukuliai.
Externally, zeppelins (Lithuanian name Cepelinai) look like large dumplings of a unique shape with all kinds of fillings. The classic filling is meat, but it can also be filled with vegetables or cottage cheese.
The zeppelins taste quite tasty, with boiled grated potatoes on top and a filling of minced meat. I liked them, but Vladimir not so much. Try it and draw your own conclusion.
Zeppelins are served with sour cream and sauces of your choice. The classic sauce for zeppelins is a sauce made from cracklings (fried lard) and sour cream. You can also choose just sour cream, mustard sauce or vegetable sauce.
Each serving contains two zeppelins. Each of the Zeppelins is pretty big size, I never finished eating my two. So one zeppelin dish and one salad is enough for two people. Salad portions in Lithuania are also large. Salads in Lithuanian cuisine are varied, mainly consisting of vegetables and various dressings.
We don’t know what attracted us so much to zeppelins and all Lithuanian cuisine, it’s even strange, but we constantly remember them with nostalgia. Sometimes we make a special trip to the nearest towns in Lithuania, or stay a few days longer to taste these amazing dishes.
There are soups in bread in Lithuania different types, basically it's cream of mushroom soup. The funny thing is that this soup is served in bread, black or white.
The soup tastes like soup, but instead of a bowl, it's poured into bread. A small loaf of bread, shaped like our glass, only larger in size, has the top cut off and all the pulp removed so that only the crusts remain. The prepared soup is poured into this formed bowl. The bread bowl from the soup can also be eaten.
Small hot pies come in various shapes and with all kinds of fillings - meat, vegetable, cheese, curd, mixes. They are served hot. It tastes like a song and goes especially well with hot coffee or tea.
Meat and fish dishes in Lithuania also deserve special attention. They are all delicious, fresh and always of high quality.
Main courses are prepared from meat, mainly pork, chicken or beef in various variations, from a simply fried piece of meat - chop, steak or beefsteak to a variety of sausages and sausages. There’s certainly nothing specific you can recommend here; choose what you like.
The Lithuanian menu will never have separate meat or fish and side dishes like in our restaurants. If you order meat (fish) in Lithuania, you will automatically receive a side dish, fresh or salted vegetables and sauce. The portions are quite large.
Lithuanian borscht is not what we are used to hot soup with beets and cabbage, although Lithuanians also have beets in their borscht. Lithuanian borscht is a cold soup consisting of beets, vegetables and several meat products - smoked lard, ham or beef. In appearance and taste it resembles our beetroot soup.
The taste is so-so, we didn’t like it, although if you eat it on a hot July day it might be just right. Our okroshka tastes better. We didn’t even take pictures of this soup, probably in vain, but it didn’t evoke any desire.
According to the Lithuanians themselves, the recipe for cold borscht is of Starolithian origin. I came to them from those distant times when Old Lithuanian cuisine existed.
Pig ears are quite common in Lithuanian cuisine. They are prepared in different variations - smoked, boiled, boiled-smoked, fried, salted, dried.
Pig ears are served both as snacks and as an independent dish with various side dishes and sauces, often garlic.
These ears go especially well with beer. In our opinion, this is all you can eat them with. It’s definitely not tasty as an independent dish, at least you can’t eat a lot of them, and we weren’t used to it.
Beer Lithuania has many different types and varieties, from light to black. It’s all delicious and not at all expensive, cheaper than German.
As for us, we would put Lithuanian beer on a par with German beer and somewhere close to Czech beer.
Our favorite was the unfiltered wheat one.
In addition to beer, all kinds of cold and hot non-alcoholic drinks are common in Lithuanian cuisine.
We once tried sea buckthorn-strawberry tea . It was so delicious that we ordered it every night. And most importantly, this tea is completely natural, it is prepared from sea buckthorn berries and strawberries. I drank some tea and then ate some berries with a spoon.
Tea is served in tall glasses.
Pictured is beer and berry tea
Tourists of all ages love sweets, from children to adults.
There are no problems with this in Lithuania. On every corner you can find a bakery or coffee shop, where you can always find a variety of buns, cakes, cookies and jellies. They just don't taste good. Or rather, you can eat, but you don’t get pleasure from it.
You can only highlight different cookies. They are sold in confectionery shops, of which there are many in any Lithuanian city. They are not cheap, but they are tastier than the buns in coffee shops.
Two sweet dishes can be particularly highlighted in Lithuanian cuisine - shakotis and donuts..
Shakotis (Lithuanian name sakotis, Polish - sekacz), traditional Lithuanian or Polish cake unusual shape, consisting of egg dough, baked over an open fire. Translated from Lithuanian it means “branchy” and is listed in the Lithuanian National Culinary Heritage Foundation. It is also called bankukhen or rogach. This cake is traditionally served at weddings and celebrations in Lithuania.
To prepare shakotis, flour, eggs and sugar are mixed and cooked using a stick, rotating it over an open fire and pouring the resulting mixture onto it. Shakotis can be stored in this form for up to six months.
You can find shakotis in confectionery shops or supermarkets in Lithuania.
Before our trip to Lithuania, we, of course, prepared and read on the Internet that shakotis is prepared in cafes and restaurants right on the streets, fried over an open fire on a spit. But we have not seen this dish in restaurants in any Lithuanian city. It was sold only in supermarkets, already prepared and packed in cellophane, and very large sizes. Of course, we would have tried it fresh and straight from the fire, but we didn’t want to buy it in the supermarket, so we never tried this Lithuanian sweet.
Donuts are donuts with a variety of coatings - berry, fruit, lemon, mint, chocolate and, of course, classic.
In general, donuts are an American dish. Dunkin Donuts is an American (now international) chain of coffee shops with donuts, one of the Dunkin Brands chains. It is represented by more than 10 thousand points in 32 countries, approximately 6.7 thousand points are located in the United States and more than 3 thousand in other countries of the world. Lithuania is no exception.
