Best Cafes in Vilnius for Coffee and Brunch

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Vilnius somehow both feels like a major national capital and a small provincial town. While keeping a step forward as one of the innovative, modern Baltic tigers, Vilnius is grounded in the long and often difficult history of Lithuania.

As can be expected from any modern European capital, Vilnius is home to some excellent cafes. Many of the best cafes in Vilnius pay homage to the complexity of modern Lithuania identity. On this curated list of the best cafes in Vilnius, you’ll find cafes specializing in traditional Lithuanian cuisine and desserts, while others draw from the city’s long and harrowingly tragic Jewish history.

Much like the best restaurants in Vilnius, some cafes are completely forward facing, combining the best of contemporary Lithuania, Western brunch culture and Baltic design.

Whether you’re in Vilnius for a weekend in summer, and seeking a cup of coffee in the sun – or here for the Vilnius Christmas market, you’ll want to make sure you’ve mapped out the best cafes in Vilnius.

Best Coffee in Vilnius

Depeche Coffee

Vilnius’s Hall Market is definitely one of the best places to visit in Vilnius. In many ways, this space encapsulates modern Lithuania. Some vendors personify the Lithuania of yesteryear with handwritten signs, traditional Lithuanian foods and fresh honeycomb. Other vendors are aggressively forward-looking, showcasing the best of Baltic chic.

On the right-hand side of the market, you’ll find Depeche Coffee. You know these guys are talking business when it comes to Vilnius coffee, with a huge coffee grinder and bags of beans. Depeche roasts their beans on site and has the best cup of coffee in Vilnius.  

Coffee Spells

Coffee Spells is another of the best cafes in Vilnius. Set directly across from the Choral Synagogue (the last remaining synagogue out of 100+ in Vilnius), Coffee Spells is housed in the former Jewish Hospital of Vilnius. After visiting many of Vilnius’s must-visit Jewish heritage sites, this is the perfect café to take a window-side seat and mull over the dark history of this country.

Within the café itself, sections of exposed bricks and paint are spotlighted, highlighting the café’s past life. Beyond an excellent cup of coffee, Coffee Spells is also one of the best places to try traditional Lithuanian desserts, including my favorite, tinginys. Coffee Spells even does a more contemporary-style, caramel tinginys – who doesn’t love a bit of caramel innovation?

Oldskūl

Also set in the iconic Hall Market, Oldskūl offers a more cozy coffee experience. While Depeche is for coffee connoisseurs on the go, Oldskūl is for those looking to lounge with a good friend (or book) for a leisurely hour on the couch.

Oldskūl is really a local hidden gem, located at the very end of the market. The baristas make excellent coffee using a coffee machine from the 1970s. I absolutely love the eclectic vintage layout of Oldskūl, with stereos and retro furniture. You can even play old-school video games while sipping an espresso at the bar.

Mint Vinetu

Every now and then you stumble upon a magical café which you’ll always remember. Set in the gorgeous alleyways of Vilnius’s Old Town, Mint Vinetu is actually a second-hand bookstore. Within the bookstore, you’ll find a café of sorts. It’s a cozy, library-style interior, innovate arts and prints for sale and a quirky decoration of black and white postcards and rusty old street signs.

While Mint Vinetu does have some of the best coffee in Vilnius, the real reason Mint Vinetu is one of the best cafes in Vilnius is for something a little sweeter. As the locals know, this spot offers one of the best cups of hot chocolate in the Baltics. For a few euros, you’ll get a large cup of foaming hot chocolate, the perfect soothing drink for a cold winter’s day in Vilnius.

Best Brunch in Vilnius

Elska Coffee

Any conversation of the best brunch in Vilnius must include Elska Coffee. Set on a busy street corner (almost across the road from the next café), Elska is one of the trendiest, and best cafes in Vilnius.

Beyond expertly roasted coffee, you’ll find a brunch menu featuring the classics of Western brunch culture. From avocado toast with goats cheese to Turkish eggs with sourdough, some of my favorite brunch options are here at Elska.

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Elska’s menu also caters directly to local and visiting vegans. With clear markings on the menu, you’ll enjoy world-class chia pudding and Elska’s star oat porridge with turmeric and cinnamon.

Beigelių krautuvėlė

Vilnius was once known as the ‘Jerusalem of the North,’ a vibrant Jewish population center, with Jewish people making up nearly half the city’s population at countless points in history. Today, much of that history has been removed from the public space following the mass murder of 95% of Lithuania’s Jews.

Beyond Vilnius’s excellent museums, one of the best avenues to learn about Jewish culture in Lithuania is through food. Beigelių krautuvėlė offers one of the best brunch menus in Vilnius. Here, you’ll find a menu complete with bagels, shakshuka and even Jewish traditional challah bread (on Fridays). I’ve eaten many bagels in my day, and Beigelių krautuvėlė’s bagels are truly standouts.

Beigelių krautuvėlė is ideally located just a few steps from the new Museum of Culture and Identity of Lithuanian Jews. A fresh bagel and short museum tour makes for an interesting Jewish-themed half day tour of Vilnius.  

Kavos Era

Kavos Era is literally made for brunch. This family-run business offers breakfast all day long. This is ideal for those of us who often end up eating brunch at 2 pm.

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Kavos Era prides themselves on offering brunch, with high-end standards of food preparation and delivery. As Western brunch culture becomes more universal, Kavos Era remains firmly rooted in the fresh flavors of Lithuanian cuisine.

The menu here is organised neatly according to the relevant brunch category: eggs Benedict, omelettes, bagels and more. If you prefer starting your day a little sweeter, the traditional Lithuanian cottage cheese pancakes are a dream.

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