Over the centuries, Lithuanians have created a unique array of dishes, influenced by the culture of various nationalities. A distinctive trait of Lithuanian cuisine is the preponderance of potato dishes. The most impressive of these are the cepelinai ("zeppelins"), large boiled potato dumplings made from grated raw potato with fillings of minced meat or cottage cheese. Other traditional potato dishes are various types of kugelis (potato loaf) and potato salad, potato pancakes made from grated raw potato or boiled potato (sometimes with meat filling), and small potato dumplings with mushroom or berry filling. Perhaps the most exotic Lithuanian dish is vėdarai or potato sausages – pork intestines stuffed with grated raw potato, baked in a wood stove or electric oven.
Soup is very popular in Lithuania. One of the most interesting Lithuanian soups is šaltibarščiai (cold beetroot soup), which is made from beets/beetroot, kefir (a fermented milk product), greens, and boiled eggs. This dish is most popular when served on a hot summer day.
Vilnius has a staggering array of outstanding places to dine, offering the best in French, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Mexican, Indian, Russian, German, and Kosher food, as well as many cutting-edge international restaurants. And of course, no visit to Vilnius could be complete without experiencing one of the city’s many welcoming Lithuanian restaurants.
