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Privacy policyChampagne city guide
Kaunas may be Lithuania’s second city, but it has a food and drink scene that is more interesting than you might expect. The city has a mix of restaurants, bars, cafés and newer food spots, with plenty happening around the Old Town and Laisvės Avenue.
For Champagne, the choice is naturally smaller than in Vilnius, but there are still places worth checking if you’re after a glass during the day, an aperitif or a bottle with dinner. And Kaunas has a nice advantage for food lovers: its restaurant scene combines Lithuanian ingredients with modern European and international cooking.
Kaunas has its own personality. It was Lithuania’s temporary capital between 1919 and 1940 and is particularly known for its interwar Modernist architecture, much of which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023. The city also has a compact Old Town, street art and a lively café and restaurant culture.
For a Champagne day, you could easily combine a walk through the Old Town with stops for food and drinks, then continue along Laisvės Avenue, the city’s main pedestrian boulevard.
If you want something less polished and more local, Brastos Skveras sits beside the Neris River near Kaunas Castle, with food trucks, drinks and views towards the Old Town. It’s a completely different setting from sitting down for a bottle of Champagne at dinner, but that’s part of what makes exploring the city fun.
Lithuanian food is worth exploring alongside Champagne. You’ll find familiar local dishes such as cepelinai and šaltibarščiai, but Kaunas also has restaurants working with seasonal Baltic ingredients in much more contemporary ways. Some of the city’s restaurants have been recognised by the Michelin Guide since Lithuania entered the guide in 2024.
For a local drink, look for gira, a fermented drink traditionally made from rye bread and yeast. It’s usually low or non-alcoholic and is widely available, including on tap.
And if you have a sweet tooth, šakotis is one of the Lithuanian specialties worth trying. The unusual tree-shaped cake is made from eggs, butter, flour, sugar and cream and cooked on a rotating spit.
Kaunas is a good addition to a Lithuania trip if you want to see something beyond Vilnius. It’s not a city I’d choose specifically for a Champagne-focused holiday, but if you’re already travelling through Lithuania, there are enough interesting restaurants and bars to make a Champagne stop worthwhile.
Check the Champagne Hunters map before heading out, and if you visit a place already listed, leave a comment with what you found. And if you discover somewhere that isn’t there yet, add it to the map – especially if you come across a good Champagne-by-the-glass option.
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Add a spotKaunas has a smaller Champagne selection than Vilnius, but the city’s restaurant and bar scene gives you some good options to explore. It’s particularly worth checking if you’re already visiting Kaunas rather than making a special trip solely for Champagne.
Start around the Old Town and Laisvės Avenue, where you’ll find a concentration of restaurants, cafés and bars. The Champagne Hunters map is the easiest way to see what’s currently listed nearby.
If you visit one of the places on the map, share your experience in the comments – even a quick note about the Champagne selection or whether they pour by the glass can be useful.
Some venues may offer it by the glass, while others focus on bottles. Since availability changes, check the individual listings before heading out.
Try cepelinai if you want something hearty and traditional, or šaltibarščiai if you’re visiting in warmer weather and want something much lighter. Kaunas also has plenty of restaurants putting local Baltic ingredients into contemporary dishes.
Gira is a traditional Lithuanian fermented drink made from rye bread and yeast. It is generally low or non-alcoholic and is often served as a refreshing alternative to beer or other drinks.
Šakotis is a traditional Lithuanian tree-shaped cake made with butter, eggs, flour, sugar and cream. It is cooked on a rotating spit, which creates its distinctive layered shape.
Yes. The city has a surprisingly varied restaurant scene, from traditional Lithuanian food to Mediterranean, seafood, plant-based and contemporary cuisine. Kaunas is also part of Lithuania’s growing Michelin-recognised food scene.
Give yourself time to explore the Old Town, Kaunas Castle and the city’s interwar Modernist architecture. Laisvės Avenue is an easy place to wander between cafés and restaurants, while the Aleksotas observation deck gives you a different view over the city.
