Coffee & tea

A multitude of coffee shops have sprung up in Vilnius over the past few years and nowadays you can be sure that if you’re in the city centre, you’re never more than five minutes away from one of them. However, D’oro is an old favorite of mine which, it seems, has been open for ages and hasn’t changed much. They haven’t got their own website nor do they have a facebook page – D’oro is just a cozy place that serves coffee and snacks near Didžioji, one of the main streets of the Old Town.

On a weekday you can usually see people have meetings by the small coffee tables or working on their laptops. The clientele changes somewhat during the weekend – no people in suits, no important documents and deals being discussed, just a calm morning or afternoon sipping coffee over a book or newspaper. Framed coffee sacks are what you will see on the walls in one room and, even when crowded, I have never found D’oro to be too noisy to read or hear your own thoughts while typing on a laptop. Perfect for studying the city map and your Spotted by Locals guide!

‘There is nothing better than a good friend except a good friend with a box of chocolates’ said Linda Greyson. I think that she is right. Everyone loves chocolate, so the quality of chocolate should be high. AJ Chocolate is a manufacturer which produces hand-made chocolate according to the best and oldest Belgium chocolate traditions.

All the chocolate products are prepared in Trakai, but every morning fresh chocolate products are being transported to other cities such as Vilnius, Kaunas or Klaipėda. Chocolate is not only prepared by masters but also by the owner Algimantas Jablonskas.

AJ Chocolate shop is not only a very cozy and beautiful place, it is also looks luxurious. Everything in the shop reminds us our sweet childhood and invites us to enjoy the taste of hand-made chocolate. Also, at AJ Chocolate you can buy the world’s greatest coffee and tea or enjoy a lot of interesting sweet snacks.

I love the way that everyone can choose their favorite chocolate sweets from a variety of it and make their own chocolate box. So, it is a good idea for original present for your family or friends. I believe that everyone will be happy if someone gives him or her a unique hand-made chocolate box.

I suppose that Belmont (in Lithuanian – Belmontas) Entertainment and Recreation Center is one of the most wonderful places in Vilnius.  The centre is unique because it was established inside the old mill. I am happy because the French (Belmont) mill complex was reconstructed and all authentic buildings and their parts was preserved.

The Belmont Entertainment and Recreation Center offers a lot of different activity. First of all, Belmont is famous because of the restaurant. All food is prepared by qualified cooks. The most delicious food for me is a food which is prepared on open fire. In summer, the restaurant guests can also listen to live music, relax or enjoy the nature. If you are looking for some activity, you should know that the Belmont centre organizes various concerts, festivals, games, feasts and theatrical performances.

Belmont is like an oasis in a forest. I love this place because of a chance to be in an extraordinary nature with amazing ponds, bridges, fountains, waterfalls and the river Vilnelė.

You can reach Belmont by car, but I always choose a bicycle, because the road to the Belmont Entertainment and Recreation Center is really astonishing.

Crooked nose is a true coffee wonderland founded by true coffee artisans. It is a place where every coffee bean is roasted with love to perfection, a place where every coffee has its story to tell. Since the beginning of March, the Crooked Nose opens up the doors to their coffee house to welcome everyone to Sunday’s Coffee Club. The idea behind Sunday’s Coffee Club is to introduce various blends of coffee, to tell stories about growing, selecting, roasting and blending coffee beans. It is a nice get together of coffee lovers.

There is one more great thing about the Sunday’s Coffee Club. As we know, coffee is a great friend of cakes, cookies, chocolate, books, creative and beautiful things, fine china, art, and everything else that is pleasant and relaxing. Therefore, every Sunday Crooked Nose artisans are visited by different guests: small bakeries, bookstores, artists, offering not only to buy their goods, but also making friends with each incomer.

Take a look at their website or Facebook page to find out who is a next guest at Crooked nose Sunday’s Coffee Club.

The aroma is heavenly, the environment is home – like, the atmosphere is Sunday – like, the company is easy going. Come and you will love it.

If you are tired of constant city noises and the fast pace of life, and you are looking for piece and harmony, Užupio klasika is a perfect place for you. It is a small family run restaurant, which has been opened for many years now and to me it has become one of my favorite restaurants in Vilnius.

It has a very charming interior and atmosphere that brings you back to the retro era somewhere in France or Austria. Calm melodies create the feeling that time stood still. It is a perfect place for a romantic dinner after which you can take a stroll in the beautiful Užupis district. The menu is quite small but it offers food for meat lovers, fish cravers or even vegetarians. The deserts section is also very small. It gives you only four choices. The one I prefer on the menu is simply called a chocolate cake. Do not be deceived by the name – it is a chocolate lava cake!! It is always made upon the order so you have to wait 20 or so minutes, but it is worth every minute of waiting. It is fresh, warm and absolutely delicious.  

As I have already mentioned, the restaurant is really small (it has up to 10 tables), so it is recommended to make a reservation in advance.