Latvia, although beautiful is not known to be a popular travel destination. This however makes it even more appealing to those looking to travel to a destination that is not packed with tourists and has a lot of undiscovered attractions. Home to stunning landscapes, picture perfect beaches, numerous fascinating historical and cultural sites; this hidden gem of a destination deserves to be explored! Although Islam has been present in Latvia since the 1800’s, today’s Muslim community in Latvia only amounts to a small percentage of the country’s population. With more Muslims traveling for leisure, visiting destinations that are not considered Muslim-friendly, this guide outlines how easy it is to find Muslim-friendly facilities, like Halal food in Latvia.
Finding Halal restaurants in Latvia is possible, albeit not easy. Because of the small population of Muslims scattered throughout the country, Muslim-friendly facilities such as Halal restaurants in Latvia are quite sparse. Riga is Latvia’s capital, and is also the most Muslim-friendly city in the country. There are a few Halal restaurants in Riga, as well as one mosque. The Halal restaurants in Riga include TurKebab, Pakistānas Kebabs, and Café Ahmed Food. While TurKebab is frequented by the local Muslim community, as well as Muslim tourists for its delicious Turkish-style dishes, Pakistānas Kebabs is also a popular choice amongst locals and visitors, and serves a mix of Pakistani and Western dishes, ranging from kebabs to French fries and pasta dishes. Café Ahmed Food is known to serve a fantastic selection of Indian and Pakistani dishes, such as biryani, chicken tikka, and varieties of naan, all of which are Halal.
Some of these restaurants can be found in close proximity to the mosque in Riga. Muslims visiting the country can also contact the Islamic Cultural Center in Latvia or the Riga Masjid, or Halal Latvia Ltd, located on Tallinas street in Riga, for more information regarding the availability of Halal food in Latvia. Muslim tourists will also be able to prepare their own meals, as finding Halal meat in Latvia is possible. The meat is slaughtered locally by Muslims, and is generally sold through the Riga mosque. Muslim visitors can also dine on suitable vegetarian and seafood dishes at local non-Halal restaurants. Latvian cuisine consists of a variety of seafood, as it is located on the Baltic Sea, as well as ingredients like grey peas, eggs, potatoes, cabbage, barley, wheat and onions. Some must-try dishes when in Latvia include cold soups; such as beetroot soup and bread soup, stewed pickle cabbage, pankukas, silke kazoka, and other dishes with sour cream, and potatoes. Because pork is widely used, Muslims will have to make sure that the dishes they decide to try are free of this ingredient, as well as alcohol. .
