Gongu Restaurant Bar

At Gongu, it’s all about rhythm – where Japanese finesse meets Latin heat and everything just clicks. Chef Evgeny Pesin calls it Izakaya Nikkei; we call it deliciously addictive. The vibe? Think polished but playful – a mix of industrial cool, glowing textures and the kind of buzz that makes you stay for ‘just one more’.

Behind the glass (and the bar), Pēteris Vaskis and Inguna Majore keep the wine list sharp and curious – small but full of personality, with a soft spot for Latvian wines and modern producers who like to colour outside the lines. Deniss Smirnovs, Latvia’s own cocktail mastermind, makes sure the drinks keep up – creative, balanced, and sometimes just a little mischievous.

Gongu recommends: Kuzums Winery Rosé Marquette – local, lively, and perfectly pink; plus Pepper Melon Bee’s Knees, Creamy Punch Star, and Gongu Punch – proof that good things come in unexpected flavours.

Our choice: Riga’s new talk-of-the-town venue offers plenty of great choices from original cocktails (we’d go for Samurai Sip from the bar list) to wine world classics (how about Collardot’s Puligny-Montrachet?) and yet undiscovered array of Latvian (yes, you heard that right!) wine gems. Ready for some discoveries?