Riga operates as the nightlife center of Latvia, concentrated in the Old Town (Vecrīga) and the Alberta iela Art Nouveau district. Clubs remain open until 0500 or 0600 on Friday and Saturday nights. The legal drinking age is 18. Alcohol sales in shops and kiosks are prohibited between 2200 and 0800 on weekdays and all day on certain public holidays, though bars and clubs are exempt from this restriction.
The Skyline Bar on the 26th floor of the Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija at Elizabetes iela 55 has operated since 2010, offering views across the Daugava River. The bar closes at 0100 on weeknights and 0300 on weekends. One Beer Later at Tērbatas iela 37/39 stocks approximately 200 beer varieties from 30 countries. Riga Black Balsam, a 45% alcohol herbal liqueur produced since 1752, is served in most bars either straight, with coffee, or mixed with blackcurrant juice.
Electronic music venues include Piens at Tērbatas iela 66, which hosts techno and house nights Thursday through Saturday. Coyote Fly at Tērbatas iela 69 operates as a cocktail bar with a dance floor playing commercial electronic and pop music until 0500. Kaņepes Kultūras centrs at Skolas iela 15 functions as a cultural center hosting punk, indie, and alternative concerts in a converted warehouse, with shows typically starting at 2100.
Liepāja, 220 kilometers west of Riga, has a smaller nightlife scene centered on Tirgoņu iela and Kungu iela. The city's rock music tradition connects to the 1980s Liepājas Dzintars recording studio, which produced albums for Soviet-era Latvian rock bands. Fontaine Palace at Bāriņu iela 4 operates as a casino and event space open until 0600. Rock Café at Kungu iela 7 hosts live rock and metal bands on Friday and Saturday nights.
Jazz clubs in Riga include Folkklubs Ala Pagrabs at Peldu iela 19, a basement venue serving Latvian traditional food alongside jazz performances Wednesday through Saturday starting at 2100. The club's interior features wooden beams and stone walls from the 13th century foundation. Melnā Piektdiena (Black Friday) at Barona iela 56a hosts jazz sessions on Thursday nights, with musicians performing from 2000 to 2300.
Gay nightlife centers on Riga's Old Town. Golden at Riharda Vāgnera iela 4 has operated as a gay nightclub since 2008, open Thursday through Saturday until 0500. The venue hosts drag shows on Friday nights starting at midnight. Kanepes Kulturas centrs hosts LGBTQ+ events during Riga Pride week, typically held in June, though the first Pride parade occurred only in 2005 and drew approximately 400 participants under police protection.
The university district along Brīvības iela contains student bars with lower prices than Old Town venues. B Bārs at Dzirnavu iela 34/36 operates as a basement pub frequented by Latvian and international students, with local beer priced at approximately 2-3 euros per 0.5 liter. Pulkvedim Neviens Neraksta at Peldu iela 26/28 serves 120 types of beer and closes at 0200 on weekends.
The Central Market (Centrāltirgus) in Riga occupies five former Zeppelin hangars constructed in 1930 at Nēģu iela 7, covering 72,300 square meters. The market received UNESCO World Heritage status in 1998 as part of Riga's historic center. Approximately 3,000 vendors sell produce, meat, fish, dairy products, and prepared foods Tuesday through Sunday from 0700 to 1800. The fish pavilion sources Baltic herring, sprats, and smoked fish from Liepāja and Ventspils coastal processors.
Latvian linen products are sold at multiple shops in Riga's Old Town. Linen Stories at Sķūņu iela 6 specializes in home textiles and clothing made from flax grown in Vidzeme and Kurzeme regions. Latvia produced approximately 7,000 tons of flax fiber in 2019. Linenum at Kalēju iela 14 sells tablecloths, napkins, and bed linens in natural and dyed linen, with prices ranging from 15 euros for small items to 200 euros for king-size bedding sets.
Art Nouveau Riga at Strēlnieku iela 9 stocks amber jewelry sourced from Baltic coastal areas. Amber deposits along Latvia's western coast in Kurzeme date to the Eocene epoch approximately 40 million years ago. The shop sells raw amber pieces weighing 5 to 500 grams, polished amber stones set in silver, and necklaces priced from 30 to 800 euros depending on amber quality and silver content.
Berga Bazārs, constructed in 1900 at Elizabetes iela 83/85, forms a renovated shopping quarter with cafes, fashion boutiques, and specialty food shops arranged around an interior courtyard. ISTABA concept store stocks clothing and homeware from Latvian designers including Mareunrol's, which produces wool knitwear, and LMBD, known for minimalist cotton and linen garments. The shops operate Monday through Saturday from 1000 to 1900.
Galerija Centrs shopping mall at Audēju iela 16 in central Riga contains 90 stores across four floors. The mall houses international brands including Zara, H&M, and Mango, alongside Latvian grocery chain Rimi. A Stockmann department store occupies the southern section, selling cosmetics, clothing, and household goods. The food court on the fourth floor includes KFC, Hesburger, and local fast food chain Lido.
Latvian knitwear appears in multiple Old Town shops. Emīlija stores at Aspazijas bulvāris 20 and Grēcinieku iela 5/7 sell mittens, socks, sweaters, and hats featuring traditional Latvian geometric patterns called "signs" (zīmes), based on motifs catalogued by folklorist Krišjānis Barons in the late 19th century. Hand-knitted wool mittens cost approximately 25-40 euros, while machine-knitted versions range from 15-25 euros.
Record shops in Riga include Mikrofona Ieraksti at Krišjāna Barona iela 31, selling new and used vinyl with a focus on jazz, electronic music, and Latvian rock from the 1980s and 1990s. The shop stocks albums by Latvian bands Pērkons, Dzeltenie Pastnieki, and Līvi. Atlantis at Dzirnavu iela 37 specializes in metal, punk, and hardcore vinyl and CDs, including releases from Latvian metal bands Skyforger and Grindmaster Dead.
Riga Black Balsam is available at supermarkets and specialty shops throughout Latvia. The 0.5 liter bottle retails for approximately 8-12 euros. Original Recipe (45% alcohol) remains the standard version, while Riga Black Balsam Currant (30% alcohol) mixes the herbal liqueur with blackcurrant juice. The product is manufactured by Latvijas Balzams at Kuģu iela 20, Riga, using a recipe containing 24 ingredients including oak bark, wormwood, and ginger.
Farmers' markets operate in neighborhoods throughout Riga on weekends. Āgenskalns market at Nometņu iela 64 runs Saturday and Sunday from 0900 to 1600, selling vegetables, berries, honey, and dairy products from farms in Vidzeme and Zemgale. Vendors sell seasonal strawberries in June, wild mushrooms in September and October, and apples from August through October. Homemade curd cheese (biezpiens) costs approximately 3-5 euros per kilogram.