Vilnius is a European capital, a queer tourist’s hidden gem, and a foodie’s dream

Tucked into a far northern corner of Europe is the Lithuanian capital city, Vilnius. Even many Europeans aren’t quite sure what Vilnius is, let alone where to point to it on a map. Americans? Virtually no chance.

Yet when we visited in May, it presented itself to these two Americans like Portland, Ore. It is smaller, has a cool vibe balancing a nod to the old and open arms to the new, some amazing food, and a river running through it. 

Vilnius exudes the history of a proud people

Pack your bags, we’re going on an adventure

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Lithuania possesses a rich history that has been dominated by conquests from Russia and the USSR over the last hundred years. Lithuania was the first country to announce its independence from the Soviets in 1990, and the people have largely raced into the arms of the West ever since. 

Ahead of the trip, we thought that not speaking Russian or Lithuanian might get in the way a bit. Yet, as I heard multiple times, “Everyone under 50 speaks English.”

Still, the city has a rich history, which is reflected in many of the monuments and Baroque architecture dating back hundreds of years. You can get happily lost bopping from coffee house to cocktail bar amidst ornate churches and so much history.

The area to stay in is Old Town – a UNESCO World Heritage site – right along the smaller Vilnia River. Our spot was the Artagonist Art Hotel, which had a nice-sized room and staff available at the desk 24 hours a day. It’s a boutique hotel with an elementary lobby. Yet every room is uniquely designed, each its own unique art gallery. Our room featured a painting of the room… which included the painting of the room… which included… It was very meta.

While the hotel’s lobby isn’t very comfortable, it does house a great Asian restaurant, Nanto, known for its incredible (salty) ramen. 

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Vilnius is a foodie’s dream

That a meal at a seemingly strip-mall-style hole-in-the-wall could be as good as Nanto highlights food as a main feature of Vilnius’s wonder. 

Strolling through the winding cobblestone streets of Old Town, it’s hard not to stumble into a restaurant you’ll remember well past your trip. That was our experience with Ertlio Namas, a fine-dining experience featuring a Michelin-quality take on Lithuanian food. 

If you plan on one meal in Vilnius, this should be it, as a six-course tasting menu was only $75. We were able to stumble into it on a Wednesday night, and we got lucky because of a canceled reservation.

Featuring meat, beets, fresh root vegetables, and various “traditional” Lithuanian ingredients, each course comes with an oral history about the dish, walking you through the centuries of the proud Lithuanian people. 

The food, presentation, and service made our three hours at Ertlio Namas one of the five best meals of my life.

Overall, the creativity and quality of the food in Vilnius were the stars of the trip for us. Gaspar’s offers fresh new takes on Indian cuisine in a perfectly fitting modern setting. Smash By Mama Sakė Paeis griddles up delicious hamburgers in a lovely park setting—get it topped with coleslaw. Amandus featured gorgeous, innovative takes with locally sourced ingredients.

The cocktail bars will not be outdone, a continued extension of that Portland feel. Places like Nomads create new cocktails, constantly rotating their menu, and don’t be surprised if there’s a wait for a table. At Nick & Nora Cocktail Bar, we encountered one of the highlights of our trip – Martin, a straight guy, and his 15 Norwegian friends, in town for his bachelor party. That’ll be for another travelogue. 

A gay scene in the nooks, crannies, and phones of Vilnius

If you search Google for “gay bar” in Vilnius, you’ll get pointed, like so often happens in smaller cities, to places that aren’t quite “gay,” but they won’t throw you out. 

Yet there are a couple of LGBTQ+ spots to visit. For a bar scene, you’ll find a lot of locals at VOX bar, a casual place for a beer or a cocktail consisting of a few small rooms and a bar. 

On our visit, the cute guy on the stool at the bar next to us was friendly and chatty. We found smiles from everyone at the bar, even if they usually weren’t the first to say “hi.” Definitely worth a planned stop.

Soho Club is more of a club, though at midnight on a Friday, it still felt pretty casual and a bit empty—like so many European clubs, midnight was just too early. 

The DJ hadn’t gone on yet, and when I asked him what genre he liked to play—house or techno—he said he just liked to play good music. The music ended up pop-heavy with lots of lyrics, and the couple of dozen people on the dance floor seemed to be singing along. 

There is a gay sauna, but sadly, I don’t have a review. When I asked a couple of local gays, they said, “There’s a gay sauna here?” 

Not to worry. Grindr might be increasingly poo-pooed in some Western circles, but in Vilnius, it is alive and well. With only a couple of gay spots to dip into, the phone is still a very viable option.

And who knows, you might stumble across a wild gay after-party being hosted at a restaurant that’s closed for the weekend, with some of the guys you wanted to meet on Grindr anyway all looking for a great time.

Maybe.

We visited Zurich, Milan, and Florence as well on the trip. Yet for us, Vilnius was the winner, a pleasant surprise that featured some beautiful architecture, art, fantastic food, great drinks, and just enough of the gays to leave a lasting memory.

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