Vilnius Nightlife
Traditional Lithuanian food includes many varieties of smoked meat, with eel especially popular. Potatoes are a staple food and appear in many forms, including bulviniai blynai (potato pancakes) and cepelinai, which is grated potato with mince meat. Vilnius has a good variety of restaurants, from those offering traditional meals to Indian, African and Azerbaijani eateries.
Those after a good meal on the go can do worse then heading to one of the many Cili Kaimas establishments in town. These serve up good, traditional fare, all for a very decent price. The chain also has a number of similarly priced pizza and pasta outlets, known as Cili Pica.
For an independent restaurant that serves up hearty local dishes, head to Amatininku Uzeiga. This place has no pretensions but is hugely popular with the locals and crams everyone in. The steak is particularly good and decently priced. Open late.
The pick of the vegetarian restaurants is Balti Drambliai on Vilniaus. Vegan options are available and there is often live music taking place in the evenings. Farly priced.
The most popular make of local beer is Svyturys, which comes in various forms. Lithuanian Vodka is popular with locals and visitors looking for a quick way to oblivion.
Around the university area there are a number of cheap hostelries in which to enjoy a few drinks. Savas Kampas on Vokieciu is a top place to try and is fun in the summer when the terrace opens for parties long in to the night.
Nearby, in the heart of the university, you will find Cozy, which is a small, warm and relaxing affair: cosy in a word.
The old town is home to more expensive and slightly more sophisticated bars and a good weekend-long bar crawl could be enjoyed without returning to a single establishment.
If it's nightclubs you're after, the old town again comes up trumps. Try Helios or Gravity for a frenetic dancing session in to the early hours, although there are many places to choose from.
There a number of live music establishments in town. One of the best is Etmonu, so long as you like heavy rock music on a Friday night. The rest of the week there is a mixture of canned rock and karaoke.
Those of a more sophisticated bent may wish to check out the hugely popular Oskaras Korsunovas Theatre, which is famed for its modern productions, which both local and international works getting an airing.
Another option is the city's National Opera House, although productions are not guaranteed. When something is on, it is usually of the highest quality.
Basketball fans will find their passion for the game more than matched by the locals and a big match featuring one of the city's top teams is a must.
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Nightlife and Eating & Drinking
