Well-known for its Outdated City and putting Baroque structure, Vilnius is a vibrant group with a energetic meals scene, craft beer, and specialty cafés.
BY TANYA NANETTI
SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT
Featured picture by Dan-Marian-Stefan Doroghi
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania and the second most populous metropolis within the Baltic states. It’s world well-known for its Outdated City—declared a UNESCO World Heritage Website three a long time in the past—which is taken into account to be one of many best-preserved and largest previous city facilities in all of Europe. Vilnius’ structure is solely spectacular and utterly distinctive in Jap Europe. Strolling by its compact Baroque middle nearly appears like strolling by a metropolis in southern Italy.
After you have completed exploring town—after a hike to the attractive tower of Gediminas Citadel, a go to to the cathedral and the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, and a stroll by the bohemian neighborhood of Užupis, it’s time to immerse your self in metropolis life by having fun with Vilnius’ foods and drinks scene.
Along with its vibrant craft beer scene, Vilnius has additionally turn into identified within the final decade for its great specialty-coffee group. Some 30 cafés and roasters are able to welcome those that resolve to spend a weekend having fun with not solely town’s putting structure, but additionally its extra caffeinated aspect.
Style Map Espresso Roasters
One of many oldest specialty-coffee companies within the metropolis, Style Map was created in 2012 by Domas Ivonis and his spouse, Ieva Malijauskaite. The pair labored as baristas in native espresso retailers earlier than turning into espresso opponents: Domas represented Lithuania on the 2011 World Barista Championship, whereas Ieva competed on the 2013 World Latte Artwork Championship additionally representing Lithuania. The couple determined to open their very own enterprise, Style Map, starting as a wholesale roastery. As soon as they established the foundations of the corporate precisely as they needed, they opened their first café in downtown Vilnius in 2105, adopted by 4 extra areas all through town.
Of Style Map’s 5 areas within the metropolis, the latest one, Sensory Room (proper subsequent to the primary café, at M.Ok.Ciurlionio g.8), is unquestionably probably the most particular, with its cave-like inside and funky brick bar counter. The comfortable house has a menu centered on providing one thing distinctive, day by day, for all who want to discover.
“We needed to deliver the concept of specialty-coffee retailers to its greatest, providing solely one of the best beans, produced with one of the best gear, served in a spot with one of the best inside we might think about,“ Domas explains. “We needed to construct an area centered solely on providing superb coffees, and that’s what the Style Map Sensory Room is: our place of experimentation the place we put together for championships, creating new drinks and sharing concepts.“
Crooked Nostril & Espresso Tales
I had identified about Crooked Nostril & Espresso Tales for some time, due to certainly one of their scrumptious brews I had a while in the past in Berlin. I used to be fairly excited to go to them throughout my keep in Vilnius, particularly since I had heard nice issues about their pourover-only house within the metropolis. However—right here’s the exhausting fact—I arrived a couple of years late and didn’t get an opportunity to go to the house earlier than it closed.
Nonetheless, Crooked Nostril & Espresso Tales has a particular new house on the town. I used to be in a position to spend a while taking part in a scrumptious espresso tasting and chatting with Emanuelis Ryklys, the founding father of the corporate. He nonetheless runs CNCS as a small household enterprise, aided by his spouse, Inga, and generally his little daughter, Henrieta.
“We used to have a gradual espresso bar, however for the previous three years we now have a brand new espresso house, a faculty, a roastery, and a retailer. However it’s not a café,“ Emanuelis factors out. “We’re open to the general public, and guests are invited to purchase our beans/merchandise and study throughout our tastings/workshops, however to not drink espresso.“
The idea absolutely reveals who Crooked Nostril & Espresso Tales is: a playful group of espresso roasters and product creators who take espresso tradition and training severely by operating this native espresso college of their hometown of Vilnius.
Elska Espresso
Only a quick stroll from Vilnius Outdated City, Elska Espresso is one other native espresso store to not be missed. What’s putting at first look is the gorgeous inside: excessive ceilings, distinctive furnishings, artwork magazines, and huge home windows from which it’s straightforward to catch a glimpse of Vilnius’ energetic streets. Outdoors, nonetheless, the ambiance is kind of totally different, with the massive terrace excellent for sunbathing when the climate is sweet, and folks watching when the temper is correct.
Come right here for the scrumptious espresso, the well-known each day brunch, and the decadent desserts, and keep for the distinctive ambiance. Elska is greater than only a espresso store; it’s a cultural middle that shows works by native artists and promotes a group spirit. In any case, Elska, which implies “love“ in Icelandic, completely captures the essence of this café: a spot the place the love of high quality espresso, artwork, and group come collectively, making it a must-visit espresso spot within the metropolis.
Brew Specialty Espresso
Simply exterior the MO Museum—the place a unprecedented assortment of Lithuanian fashionable and up to date artwork is ready to be visited—Brew Specialty Espresso has certainly one of its two areas on the town. With its scrumptious espresso roasted in-house since 2015, freshly made sandwiches, pastries from one of the best bakeries across the nook, superfood smoothies, and extra, Brew is ideal for spending a few hours having fun with a hearty lunch and a few well-deserved relaxation.
And in case your journey to Lithuania takes you out of the capital, look no additional than Brew’s location within the seaside city of Palanga. Certain, the Baltic Sea isn’t precisely the Indian Ocean. However with Brew’s newly opened location on the town, a Bali-inspired café the place waves and sunshine meet specialty espresso, you may simply faux you’re there for a few hours.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tanya Nanetti (she/her) is a specialty-coffee barista, a traveler, and a dreamer. When she’s not behind the espresso machine (or visiting some hidden nook of the world), she’s busy writing for Espresso Revolt, a web site about specialty espresso that she’s creating alongside along with her boyfriend.
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