I still haven’t come up with a nice introduction, so let’s get straight to the point. Today, we’re going to explore where to eat in the center of Vitebsk. I’ll be discussing:
- Good coffee shops (with aromatic lattes and coffee tastings);
- Restaurants serving national cuisine with affordable meals;
- Beautiful bars where you can enjoy the evening;
- And inexpensive canteens with dumplings for 3 rubles and rich borscht for 2.30.
In general, today we (like Jacques Yves Cousteau) will dive into the vast depths of the world of Vitebsk gastronomy. Are you ready to start? Then let’s go!
Where to find the best coffee in Vitebsk?
Imagine that you have booked a room at the Eridan Hotel in Vitebsk (in my opinion, it is one of the best hotels in the city). It’s 8 a.m. – you wake up, open the curtains, and watch the city lazily wake up outside your window.
People are in a hurry to do their business. The morning sun is gilding the roofs of Vitebsk cathedrals. At such a time, the best idea is to go for fresh pastries and a mug of aromatic cappuccino. For example, to the neighboring coffee shop “Luna/Lyubov”. It is quite small, but it is considered one of the best in the city.
The address of the establishment is 15 Sovetskaya Street.
They make delicious coffee (author’s roasting). They bake chocolate croissants and blueberry cakes. On weekends, they even organize coffee tastings. You can find all the details on social media @lunalyubov. The cost of coffee (in the summer of 2025) ranges from 6 to 8 BYN.
Where can I find delicious pastries?
Just a 3-minute walk from the hotel (and the Luna Lyubov coffee shop), there is another interesting place: Mama’s Bread Bakery. There are relatively few tables, but there are fresh meat pies (19.80 BYN/kg), ham boats (2.10 BYN), chicken samosa, cabbage pies (1.15 BYN), village bread, and a whole arsenal of sweet pastries. All products are straight from the oven. The prices are low (like Andrey Gubin). And after 19:00, there is a 30% discount on everything.
The address of the establishment is 74 Lenin Street. The address on social media is @maminhleb_vitebsk.
If your heart craves something truly extraordinary, head to Yanka Kupala Street. Here, in a historic building (at number 11), you’ll find one of the city’s most renowned pastry shops, «Anna Berries». Its specialty lies in its unique sweets, which can be enjoyed on the spot or purchased as a souvenir.
There are Lego chocolate men, and chocolate bouquets (for March 8), and chocolate Christmas trees (in honor of the New Year), and a lot more. There are also more classic sweets in the assortment, such as Japanese mochi, Dubai chocolate, soft kozinaks, pistachio truffles, and chocolate-covered fruits (from mangoes and oranges to dates and pineapples).
Price: 14-15 BYN per 100 grams. You can find all the details on social media @anna_berriesvtb.
Where can I feel like an artist in a cafe?
I have already written about this place in my large article about Vitebsk. Therefore, I will briefly describe it now. The fact is that in Vitebsk, at the address of Suvorova 8, there is a creative cafe “Mon Mark” where you can color your dessert before solemnly biting into it.
Dessert “Canvas and paints”…
In the summer, there are also wine evenings (65 BYN) with tastings and lectures. On weekends, the cafe hosts art breakfasts (80 BYN), where you can not only eat but also feel like an artist. The price includes food, drinks, a master class on using palette knives, and all the necessary materials for creativity.
For more information, please visit the account @monmark_vitebsk. The cafe also offers affordable brunch options throughout the day. Prices are the same as in Minsk three years ago. Shakshuka for 15 BYN. Benedict with bacon on a potato pancake for 23 BYN.
Where can I eat cheaply in the center of Vitebsk?
There are at least two canteens near the historic center of the city where food is as cheap as possible.It’s cheap. These are the places:
- The dumpling shop near the zoo (at 12 Yanka Kupala Street);
- And the cafe “There’s time” (59 Lenin Street).
The food is as simple as possible. But the prices are lower than ever. Salads cost a ruble. Dumplings cost 3.50. And meatballs with sauce for 4.20.
On average, you will have to pay 7-8 BYN for lunch. The only downside is that there are noticeable queues during lunch hours at both establishments.
Additionally, there is a small restaurant called “Garlic” where they prepare good shawarma (which has even been featured in Koko.by’s travel guides). Prices start at 6 BYN. In addition to shawarma, the menu also includes gyros, pita bread, French fries, and even a cold drink with potato pancakes.
Address: 11 Sovetskaya Street. For a detailed menu, please visit @chesnokvtb on social media.
Where can I try Belarusian cuisine?
To be honest, the selection of places in Vitebsk is quite limited in this regard. I have found only two establishments that focus on traditional dishes (and both of them are part of a chain).
- The first is “Cornflowers” (on Moskovsky Prospekt);
- Another is the restaurant Batkova Khat. It can be found at 61 Lenina Street, as well as in some other parts of the city.
Both establishments have delivery and official websites where you can view the detailed menu. Here they are:
- vasilki.by;
- batkova-hata.by.
The prices are quite average. Set meals cost 15-16 BYN. You will have to pay about 20 BYN for draniki with a machanka.
Gastronomic tour in Vitebsk
Perhaps I missed something, and in fact, Marc Chagall’s city hides real gastronomic treasures. Therefore, (as an apology) I will tell you about one popular excursion that will allow you to get to know the world of Belarusian dishes a little better. She is being conducted by a girl named Anastasia. And the route itself combines stories about the history of Vitebsk with stories about the history of local cuisine.
Tourists are promised dishes from the oven and freshly brewed beer, as well as homemade sausages, pickles, “bulba pizza” and berry tinctures. The walk is designed for groups of up to 10 people.
You can book a tour here.
Where to look for something unusual?
In a separate line, I will tell you about an institution called Salsa Bistro (at 5 Suvorov Street). There are no Draniki and farm sausages here, but in a sense this cafe reflects the spirit of modern Vitebsk cuisine. The thing is that local chefs are constantly experimenting with flavors. There is pizza with caviar and sweet pizza with mango, mushroom tortillas from the oven and apple charlotte with ice cream, potato waffles with prosciutto and much more.
If you like unusual flavors, you should like it here.
Where to go in the evening?
One of my friends from Vitebsk recommended bar “Apotheka” (at the address Suvorova, 6). But in addition to the good tinctures, I did not see anything unusual at all.
Therefore, from myself personally, I will recommend restaurant Manao. During the day, they serve burgers and Asian cuisine. In the evening, they host DJ sets and make custom cocktails.
All details can be found on social media @manao_vitebsk. I’m going to wrap this up.
Afterword
As a final touch, I’ll share a few more tips for those planning to visit Vitebsk.
- As a place to stay, you can choose this apartment. It’s affordable and offers a beautiful view of the old town.
- For navigation, I recommend using the free app Maps.me (which works without the Internet);
- And for inspiration – read my great article about Vitebsk. (It consists almost entirely of brazen and blatant advertising of this city as a tourist destination).
Also, do not forget that many interesting places can be found in the nearest Vitebsk suburbs. These include Du Island (the largest in Belarus), Repin’s Estate in Zdravnevo, and the mystical Elnya Swamp, filled with the trilling of black storks and adorned with vibrant bursts of berries.
Photo from social media. Author — @colors_mars.
You can read more about them in the links above. I will say goodbye now. Thank you for reading the article to the end. I hope you found it useful (and I didn’t waste my time typing on my laptop keyboard).
