VILNIUS - In Your Pocket

42 restaurants
Sandwiches
Gimme C-5, Aušros Vartų 4, tel. (+370) 685 006 84. Now
in its third incarnation and possessing its third name in as many
years, the best thing about this place was the fact that they somehow
managed to get a bus inside. Sadly, the new management
have seen fit to not exactly throw it out but to cunningly disguise
it so it just looks a bit like a bank. Out go the pancakes and the
kebabs and in comes a small choice of sandwiches including one
vegetarian option and a handful of soups. The location is unbeatable,
although for the simple pleasure of eating meat wrapped in
bread we recommend the kebab shop at the far bottom of the
street on the right.QOpen 07:30 - 22:00, Fri 07:30 - 05:00, Sat
10:00 - 05:00, Sun 10:00 - 22:00. 9 Lt. JA
Soup
Sriubos Namai B-1, Gedimino 9, tel. (+370) 683 152
56. Conjuring comparisons with 1930s Britain, Vilnius is at the
time of writing in a bit of a soup restaurant-opening mood. This
latest attempt, far from providing bland, vitamin-rich comfort
at rock-bottom prices produces bland, vitamin-rich comfort at
a mildly alarming cost. Add to this the addition of thin slices of
stale bread and what you’ve got is a sad attempt in a street
usually better known for its good food. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00,
Sun 11:00 - 18:00. 12Lt. PTAUSW
Spanish
California Tapas & Wine C-5, Subačiaus 2, tel. (+370)
652 655 51, www.california.lt. Growing from strength to
strength, it’s a breath of fresh air to see a restaurant in Lithuania
improve over time rather than the usual opposite. Aiming to
introduce tapas to the local population among other things, this
Spanish-themed restaurant-bar on two floors provides a bit of
everything, from a first-floor café complete with open kitchen
serving dishes including Basque fish soup to grilled meat to a
labyrinth of rooms downstairs for long evenings of eating and
drinking. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 05:00.
16Lt. PTJABSW
Steak
Markus ir Ko C-3, M. Antokolskio 11, tel. (+370) 5 262 31
85, www.markusirko.lt. Serving various bits of cow to those
who can afford it for as long as many care to remember, Markus
ir Ko is an institution that fails to go away. Once famed for cooking
the best steak in the capital, this slightly casual yet definitely
upscale restaurant has long since been eclipsed by others but
still knocks out by almost everybody’s account a damn fine steak.
QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. 50Lt. PTJAESW
Meat Lovers Pub B-3, Šv. Ignoto 14, tel. (+370) 652
512 33, www.meatloverspub.lt. Cooking meat to perfection,
we had a steak that couldn’t be argued with, a soup that was
up there with soups costing five times as much and some pork
that was absolutely the best meat we’ve eaten in Vilnius for
months. The service isn’t great and there wasn’t much in the
way of heating, but don’t let these minor blips deter diners from
some of the best value meat in town. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00,
Thu 11:00 - 24:00, Fri 11:00 - 02:00, Sat 12:00 - 02:00, Sun
12:00 - 20:00. 25Lt. PTABSW
Steak House Hazienda D-3, Maironio 13 (Mabre Hotel),
tel. (+370) 5 212 13 89, www.mabre.lt. Using beef from
cattle grazed on Lithuanian grassland, Steak House Hazienda
has been through a bit of a wobbly period but is now back
on track. We recently demolished a sirloin steak which was
cooked perfectly and that came with an excellent choice of
garnishes. Beware of the complimentary appetiser of homemade
bread, as it may leave you with no space left inside to
finish the main course. A welcome return of high standards
from one of our old favourites. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. 60Lt.
PTJAEBW
Sushi
Sushi Express G-3, J. Jasinskio 16a, tel. (+370) 699 693
43, www.sushiexpress.lt. It’s a bit cheeky using the word
express in a restaurant name when waiting can easily take
40 minutes or so, but if you can put up with a long wait you’ll
probably be as impressed with Sushi Express as we are. The
local lad in their new Konstitucijos venue who makes the stuff
looks like he’s only just stopped wearing short trousers but he
certainly knows his stuff. The menu is impressive, and the last
offering of tempura yasai we gorged on was absolutely spot
on. If not the best then certainly the most consistent place for
sushi in town. Also at Konstitucijos 20. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00,
Sat, Sun 11:00 - 21:00. 16Lt. PABSW
Uzbek
Čaichana A-4, Naugarduko 14, tel. (+370) 611 411 19,
www.caichana.lt. Pay no attention to the garish décor and
the bewildered staff bumbling about with grubby orange Crocs
on their feet and what you’ve got here is a truly outstanding
restaurant, assuming you eat meat that is. The lagman (laghman)
takes an age to arrive, but the homemade noodles and
exquisite sauce are more than worth the time and effort the
chef put into them. Also on offer on the Lithuanian-only menu
are Uzbek kebabs, lots of delicious dishes made with fresh
yoghurt, a recommended mantai (manti) and hot bread made
on the premises. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Mon 11:00 - 22:00,
Thu, Fri 11:00 - 24:00, Sat 12:00 - 24:00, Sun 12:00 - 22:00.
17Lt. PTJAUSW
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