Vilnius has a better restaurant scene than most visitors expect, and it has improved dramatically since the early 2000s. The old town and Užupis have the highest concentration of options, ranging from traditional Lithuanian cooking to modern Baltic cuisine using local ingredients with contemporary techniques.
The dishes worth seeking out: cepelinai (large potato dumplings stuffed with meat or curd cheese, served with sour cream and bacon), šaltibarščiai (cold pink beet soup with kefir and hard-boiled egg — a summer staple), skilandis (smoked pork sausage), and kibinai (flaky pastries stuffed with meat, from the Karaite minority of Trakai). Lithuanian rye bread is excellent.
Etno Dvaras on Pilies Street is the best introduction to traditional Lithuanian cooking without tourist-trap compromises. Lokys in a Gothic cellar on Stiklių Street specialises in game dishes and has been serving them since 1972. Sweet Root is the fine-dining option — modern Baltic cuisine built around foraged and fermented ingredients, with a tasting menu worth the commitment.