Restaurants, bars, museums and other things to do in Vilnius

Visiting Vilnius for the first time? Or maybe coming back? Check out our cherry picked places and activities that will make you fall in love with our wonderful city. 

First of all let’s get you fed. You can’t enjoy Vilnius free walking tour with an empty stomach!

TOP 3 TRADITIONAL LITHUANIAN CUISINE RESTAURANTS IN VILNIUS

• Žemaičių ąsotis €€ ( Naugarduko g. 32-1, 03225 Vilnius) - local dishes almost as good as our grandmothers make. Convenient if you want to visit Naujamiestis district and Open Gallery. 

• Gabi €€ ( Šv. Mykolo g. 6, 01124 Vilnius) - authentic interior, lovely summer garden and a mix of Lithuanian and European cuisine. Close to all the main sightseeing places, yet somewhat hidden from the bustle of the streets. . 

• Lokys €€€ (Stiklių g. 8, 01131 Vilnius) -  a medieval restaurant located in a 15th century cellar at the heart of Vilnius old town. Among other treats, you can order  dishes with game meat.

Wondering what Lithuanian cuisine dishes to try? Check out our suggestions on what to eat in Lithuania: https://www.vilniuswithlocals.com/activities/post/what-to-eat-in-lithuania-traditional-lithuanian 

BUDGET FRIENDLY RESTAURANTS LOVED BY LOCALS IN VILNIUS

• Beigelių krautuvėlė € ( Pylimo g. 4, 01401 Vilnius) - serves a variety of authentic Jewish dishes and deserts. Great place for breakfast/brunch/lunch. Come earlier as it is popular among locals working in the area. 

• 7 fridays € ( 2 locations: Pilies g. 11 and Pylimo g. 9a.) - loved by students and professors since it has a reasonably priced lunch menu (on weekdays from 11:30AM to around 2PM).

• Šnekutis € (Šv. Mikalojaus g. 15, 01133 Vilnius) - big portions, affordable prices and a good beer selection. Pub vibes.

VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN VILNIUS

• RoseHip Vegan bistro €€  ( Pylimo g. 22D, 01118 Vilnius) - features as many as 7 types of burgers, also known for its’ Budda bowls.

• Vieta € (Šv. Ignoto g. 12-1, 01144 Vilnius) - very small but very popular lunch place. Not open on weekends! Serves generous portions so come hungry.

• Vegafe €€ ( Totorių g. 3, 01121 Vilnius) - the kitchen is run according to Ayurvedic cooking principles. 

• Radharanė €€ (Gedimino pr. 32, 01104 Vilnius) - inspired by Indian cuisine. Good location if you are exploring historical sights in Gediminas avenue. 

• Chaika €€ (Totorių g. 7, 01121 Vilnius) - known for its vegan desserts and delicious hot sandwiches and above all for its’ vibes. 

BEST COFFEE IN VILNIUS OLD TOWN 

• Coffee1 ( Užupio g. 9, 01201 Vilnius ) - loved by our tour guides. Small family business with their own chocolate and ice cream brand. 

• Eskedar Coffee Bar (Pilies g. 26, 01123 Vilnius) - somewhat bohemian place in the heart of Vilnius old town. You come for the coffee and stay for the company. 

• Italala cafe ( Vokiečių g. 1, 01130 Vilnius) - coffee brewed by Lithuanian barista champions. Also known for Italian desserts and interesting seating arrangemen

VILNIUS PUBS YOU MUST VISIT

• Alaus biblioteka (Trakų g. 4, 01132 Vilnius) - a true library of tastes! Perfect for people who understand and appreciate beer. And very knowable staff will keep you informed of all the latest beer trends. 

• Girta bitė ( Gedimino pr. 5, 01103 Vilnius) - the name means Drunk Bee. This place specializes in mead - alcoholic beverages made by fermenting honey mixed with water. Some love it, some hate it. But you have to try it while visiting Vilnius.  

• Špunka ( 3 locations around the old-town: Etmonų Špunka , Savičiaus Špunka, Užupio Špunka) - these bars are a must  if you’re looking for local vibe and local beers. It's a place built on its regulars and has a strong community atmosphere.

Looking for things to do in Vilnius after our walking tour? Here are suggestions for some MUST to visit places and couple “off the beaten track” ideas. 

PLACES TO SOCIALIZE / VILNIUS NIGHTLIFE

• OPERA social house (J. Lelevelio g. 4, 01102 Vilnius) - '90s themed club/bar with an amazing roof terrace. Organizes lots of concerts and dance parties. A must during summer months!

• Naktinė Halė ( Pylimo g. 58, 01136 Vilnius) - dance the night away in one of the oldest markets in Vilnius! A different variety of food (like pastrami sandwiches or mexican cuisine) and drinks are available all night long. If you stay long enough, you can already buy breakfast from a local farmer. It's very convenient. 

• The Nightlife Triangle of Vilnius (Vilnius & Islandijos str.) - the main nightlife area of Vilnius. Filled with a variety of different clubs and cocktail bars, this street becomes one big party. 

• Kablys + Club (Kauno g. 5, 03214 Vilnius) - an important space for music lovers looking for unusual sounds in Vilnius. We dare say It's more than a nightclub. It’s a phenomenon with a fascinating history. A space hosting a hostel, a restaurant, a brewery and open for all kinds of alternative events and so much more.  

• Loftas (Švitrigailos g. 29, 03229 Vilnius) - the most active cultural venue in Lithuania. The best live gigs, events, performances, conferences, parties till dawn. No surprise their motto is “One place - lots of action”.

TOP MUSEUMS IN VILNIUS

• Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights (Aukų g. 2A, 01400 Vilnius) - located in a former KGB headquarters and internal prison, exhibitions explain a few important topics of the Sovietisation of the region: from the freedom fights of 1944-1953 to KGB activities and the deportations of local people. IMPORTANT: it’s closed on Mondays & Tuesdays

• The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania (Katedros a. 4, 01143 Vilnius) - covers different topics of the history of the Granduchy of Lithuania. However, the building itself was completely rebuilt  and officially finished in 2013. Still with your time. 

• The Holocaust exhibition of Jewish History museum (Pamėnkalnio g. 12, 01114 Vilnius) - the exhibition recounts the culture and history of Lithuanian Jews, from their arrival in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to their tragic deaths during the Holocaust.

• MO museum (Pylimo g. 17, Vilnius 01141) - exhibits the works by modern and contemporary Lithuanian artists. The exhibitions change regularly to reflect different artists and themes, so you can come back there every time you visit Vilnius. 

• National Art Gallery (Konstitucijos pr. 22, Vilnius 08105) - or NDG for short, exhibits the most important items in the collection of the Lithuanian Art Museum. The display progresses chronologically from the beginning of the late 19th and early 20th century to the present day. There’s also temporary expositions changing regularly. 

• The Crypts of Vilnius Cathedral (Katedros varpinė, a. 2, 01143 Vilnius) - an invisible part of the building, it presents the history of one of the oldest churches in Lithuania and the stories of the most famous people buried there. The crypts can be visited only with guided tours (english language) every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 4 PM.

NOTE: all museums in Lithuania have discounts for students, teachers, elderly people and small children. Ask about them before purchasing the tickets. Moreover,  on the last Sunday of each month entrance to museums and galleries in Vilnius managed by the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture is free of charge!

ALTERNATIVE PLACES TO VISIT IN VILNIUS

• Paupys market (Aukštaičių g. 7, Vilnius 11341) - loved by locals, but definitely off the beaten track for the travelers. The space houses many different cuisine restaurants, so it’s a good place to visit if you have friends with very different tastes. Also convenient, if you want to explore some hiking paths close to this area. 

• Open Gallery (Vytenio g. 50, 03202 Vilnius) - the first and so far the only international street art gallery in Vilnius. Open 24/7 all year round. New pieces are added annually around the time of Loftas fest (second weekend of September). 

• Sodas 2123 (Vitebsko g. 23, 11350 Vilnius) - self-governing, community-based space that brings together creators and researchers from different fields. Check it out if you are interested in the latest cultural, social, geopolitical and ecological issues. 

• Lukiškės prison 2.0 (Lukiškių skg. 6, 01108 Vilnius) -  after 115 year of being an actual prison the complex now serves as an alternative venue for musical, cultural, and artistic events. The interior and the exterior of the prison have been carefully preserved and used as the backdrop for Stranger Things season 4.

• Cold war bunker (Panerių g. 45C-52, 03202 Vilnius) - take a guided tour of one of the last surviving soviet civil defense shelters and experience the conditions locals would have had to live in following a nuclear war.

• Vilnius TV tower (Sausio 13-osios g. 10, Vilnius 04347) - the tallest building in the country and among the tallest television towers in the world. A unique restaurant is located on the Television Tower's circular section at 165 meters height. And if you like something more extreme, there’s also the possibility to visit an open air terrace and sit on the edge of a 170 meters platform!

Interested to discover more of soviet era architecture in Vilnius? Check our suggestions on top 5 must see Soviet era buildings in Vilnius: https://www.vilniuswithlocals.com/activities/post/top-5-must-see-late-soviet-era-buildings-in-vilnius or join our Soviet Vilnius walking tour!

EXPLORE VILNIUS NATURE

• Vilnius University’s Botanical Garden (Kairėnų g. 43, 10239 Vilnius) - located on the grounds of an old manor the garden has a vast collection of approximately 10,000 plants and is considered one of the richest in the Baltics. Quite easy to reach by public transport.

• Pūčkorių Educational Trail (Belmonto g. 17, 01206 Vilnius) - explore the valley of a winding Vilnia River and the highest exposure in Lithuania (65 meters and its width is 260 meters). The trail with wide stairs, wooden walkways, terraces, tables and gazebos is accessible all year round.

• Žalieji ežerai (Žaliųjų Ežerų g. 148, 08425 Vilnius) - or the Green Lakes, actually consist of 6 different lakes, but the most loved one is definitely lake Balsys. Its beach offers a sandy shore, free sunbeds and a sports area. It’s easily reachable with public transport. 

If you are interested to follow more hiking paths around Vilnius, check our suggestions on hiking trails in Vilnius and how to get there: https://www.vilniuswithlocals.com/activities/post/hiking-trails-in-vilnius-and-how-to-get-there 

And we also have a list of all the beaches in Vilnius : https://www.vilniuswithlocals.com/activities/post/where-to-take-a-swim-in-vilnius

Wondering how to reach all these places? Here are our suggestions for transportation in Vilnius. 

GETTING AROUND VILNIUS

• Trafi ( https://www.trafi.com/vilnius/) - one app for all the means of transportation in Vilnius city. Check it for real-time public transport information, as well as transit tickets. It’s also possible to get Uber, Spark or CityBee rental cars and CycloCity bikes within one app. 

• Bolt ( https://bolt.eu/en-lt/cities/vilnius/ ) - get a ride, rent a car or a scooter. 

• City bee (https://citybee.lt/en/ ) - car rental available in all Baltic states. 

• CycloCity (https://www.cyclocity.lt/en/home) - city bike rental available all over the city center. Easy to rent and drop off. 

Wondering where to go for a short day trip outside Vilnius? Check out our suggestions on how to get to Trakai or The Hill of Crosses. 

What do you think? Did we miss something? Let us know and we will update our recommendations on bars, restaurants, museums and other things to do in Vilnius.