The Medieval restaurant of Rozengrāls (Vinarium civitatis) Rozengrāls, Restorāns is located in Riga Old Town, at the end of Riga’s narrowest street. Just a short walk from the Christmas Market at Doma Laukums (Dome Square).
Visiting the Medieval themed restaurant was a last minute thing, on our Northern Europe Tour whilst in the Baltic States. Within the old city of Riga, the restaurant is easily identifiable from the outside, with many ancient artefacts and a doorman in costume outside.
The Wow entrance experience
The whole restaurant is a very well-executed experience, where not only the walls and structure of the vaulted underground restaurant making you feel that you are in the medieval ages. They have also carefully curated a series of artefacts that evoke the era. Some as simple as old barrels and simple pots, but also paintings and ornately decorated antiques.
As we descended the curved staircase from what looked like a peasant’s store room, we entered the underground vaults. The curved ceilings and solid pillars housed a large room with wooden tables and chairs. The staff are dressed in medieval period clothes, and the floor creaks as you walk.
As we entered, we spoke to a man dressed as a serf, and he looked up our reservation and then took us down a small passageway that looked like it led to the toilets. The passageway did, in fact, lead to the toilets, but also there was another passage beyond it. We followed the man down the dark and damp underground passageway, until it led to another chamber.
The chamber we were led to had a bar and housed the kitchen. We were taken to some wooden tables, with chairs that looked like thrones, so we could order from the menu.
The room was filled with medieval themed music, and the chatter of other excited guests. The staff were attentive and looked after us, explaining the menu. Unlike the other medieval restaurant in Tallinn, they were not in character, and drinks were served in glasses instead of clay tankards.
Even though it was freezing outside, the room was warm and comfortable.
The food
The menu was available in English, and we started with a French Onion soup to share. This was served in a pot suspended over a charcoal fire, capped with a pastry lid, and was delicious.
Bianca ordered a rabbit stew with apricots and plums, on a bed of pearl barley with pickled cabbage. Christian ordered a pork shank, suspended over saurkraut and with home made horseradish. Both were full of flavour, and went down a treat.
With the meal, we were given a roll of herb bread, wrapped in a cloth. The beers were medieval themed, and Bianca had a mead flavoured with beer, and I had a cinnamon flavoured beer.
Although this was probably the most expensive meal we had on the entire trip, the experience made it worth it!
