Riga has a genuinely good craft beer scene, with several local breweries producing beers worth seeking out. Labietis is the most respected — a small brewery on Aristīda Briāna iela with a taproom that doubles as one of the best bars in the city. The range changes constantly and skews experimental: wild ferments, Baltic herbs, unconventional grains. Mikkeller Bar Riga on Dzirnavu iela pours a rotating selection of international craft beers in a well-designed space.
The coffee culture is strong. Double Coffee is ubiquitous but reliable; the independent places tend to cluster around Miera iela and the Berga bazārs courtyard near the Elizabetes iela Art Nouveau strip.
Black Balsam deserves a mention: a dark, bitter herbal liqueur that has been made in Riga since the 18th century and is drunk neat, with coffee, or mixed with blackcurrant juice. Every Latvian has an opinion on the correct way to drink it.