Mediterranean restaurant Riviera celebrates its 15th anniversary today. Since opening on 11 August 2011, its kitchen has prepared at least two million dishes, while approximately one million guests have visited the restaurant. Over the past 15 years, Riviera has grown into one of Riga’s most recognisable restaurants and is now recommended by the Michelin Guide and highly rated by the international restaurant guide Falstaff.
Riviera opened at a time when Latvia was still recovering from the global financial crisis. From day one, the restaurant’s concept was built around Mediterranean cuisine, bringing together the culinary traditions of France, Italy, Spain and other Mediterranean countries. Approximately 200,000 Latvian lats were invested in establishing the restaurant. The concept was developed by chef Jānis Sokolovskis together with partners Eduards Jakuševskis and Marija Pavlovska, while Ruslans Razņaks was the project’s investor.
Reklāma
“We had absolutely no doubt that the restaurant would succeed. We already had experience, we knew what we wanted to create, and we did everything wholeheartedly and with love. In reality, things turned out even better than we had hoped – after just the first three days of operation, we had to close the restaurant for three days because the high demand meant we had run out of products ordered from France and Germany,” recalls Riviera brand chef and co-owner Jānis Sokolovskis.
“In the restaurant business, it is often the case that quality peaks immediately after opening and then gradually begins to decline. With Riviera, it has been the opposite – we have grown and improved throughout all 15 years, and we will continue to do so,” says Sokolovskis.
He notes that establishing an equivalent restaurant from scratch today would cost around €900,000 – approximately 4.5 times more than 15 years ago.
“Over these 15 years, we have grown together with our guests. Today, it is particularly rewarding to see that people who once came to us with their children are now visiting the restaurant together with the next generation,” says Sokolovskis.
Some of Riviera’s regular guests have been visiting the restaurant since its earliest years. Over time, the team has watched couples become families and start bringing their children to the restaurant; years later, those children now choose Riviera themselves for dinners and celebrations.
Around One Million Guests, Two Million Dishes and €8 Million in Taxes
According to the restaurant’s estimates, Riviera has served approximately one million guests over its 15 years of operation. During the same period, at least two million dishes have left the Riviera kitchen for guests’ tables. Over its 15 years in business, the restaurant has paid no less than €8 million in taxes to the state. One of Riviera’s distinguishing features from the very beginning has been the generous portion sizes characteristic of Mediterranean restaurant traditions.
The average restaurant bill has also changed significantly over the past 15 years. In 2011, it was approximately 25–30 Latvian lats (€36–43) per guest, while today the average bill is around €70 per guest. In both cases, the figures include beverages, including wine.
Some dishes have remained on Riviera’s menu virtually since the very first day. Long-standing bestsellers include layered avocado and mango salad with fried tiger prawns and mango balsamic-chilli sauce; hot-smoked salmon salad with avocado and trout roe; a rich seafood and fish soup; beef fillet steak; and Pavlova with mascarpone-vanilla cream.
The avocado and mango salad has a story of its own – its core concept has deliberately remained unchanged for 15 years.
“Sometimes, as a chef, you want to improve something, and you think to yourself: now this dish will be even better. But the guests tell us: we know how it tastes here, and that is exactly how we want it. At the same time, preserving the classics does not mean keeping the entire menu unchanged – over the past 15 years, it has featured dozens of different Mediterranean dishes, while we also regularly create seasonal menus, including asparagus, chanterelle and truffle menus,” says Sokolovskis.
From Antonijas Street to Dzirnavu Street
In 2015, as the lease on Riviera’s original premises on Antonijas Street was approaching its end, the restaurant opened a new location at 31 Dzirnavu Street, only around 50 metres from its original home. For a short period, both restaurants operated simultaneously, before Dzirnavu Street became Riviera’s permanent home.
The team turned the move into a symbolic event, carrying part of the restaurant’s furnishings and belongings in a procession along Antonijas Street to the new premises.
More Than 350,000 Oysters
Oysters have become one of Riviera’s signature offerings and have been on the menu since the restaurant’s very first day. According to the restaurant’s estimates, at least 350,000 oysters have been served to guests over the past 15 years.
In 2017, Riviera expanded by opening a separate dining area with an oyster bar. In preparation for its launch, the restaurant’s team of chefs and waitstaff travelled to France for a week-long study trip, primarily visiting Brittany, where they met oyster producers and immersed themselves in the local oyster culture.
Initially, Riviera offered 11 different varieties of oysters. Over the years, the selection has been refined to six favourites among guests. Oysters are delivered directly from France twice a week, ensuring their freshness.
From Around 300 to More Than 1,000 Wines
Wine culture has also been an integral part of Riviera’s identity since the restaurant’s earliest days. Over the past 15 years, at least 180,000 bottles of wine have been opened at the restaurant. When Riviera launched in 2011, its wine list featured around 300 selections. Over time, this grew to approximately 1,300, while today the wine list has been carefully curated to around 1,100 selections.
For many years, Riviera’s wine programme has been overseen by head sommelier Ivars Kalniņš, who has been part of the team since the restaurant’s very first day. He is also responsible for the direct import of wines from producers in Italy, France and Germany. Today, Riviera directly imports wines from approximately 27–30 wineries in these three countries and is also the Latvian representative of Champagne house Palmer & Co.
“The wine list has grown together with the restaurant over these 15 years. The goal has never been simply to have as many bottles as possible. What matters is that every wine on the list has its place and that every guest can find the right choice, whether for an everyday dinner or a special occasion,” says Ivars Kalniņš.
Over the years, Riviera’s wine list has also received a number of international accolades. At the 2024 Star Wine List of the Year awards, it received a Gold Star as well as recognition for the Best By the Glass List in the Baltics. The restaurant’s wine list has also been recognised in other international wine industry competitions.
Latvian Guests First, Followed by Global Stars
From the very beginning, Riviera’s success has been built on its loyal regular guests, including many well-known Latvian musicians, athletes, entrepreneurs and cultural figures who visit the restaurant regularly. Only later did internationally renowned celebrities join this circle of guests.
Over the past 15 years, Riviera has welcomed actors John Malkovich, Gérard Depardieu and Christoph Waltz, as well as global sports stars including NBA legend Jason Kidd, basketball players Luka Dončić and Dirk Nowitzki, and boxer Oleksandr Usyk. The restaurant has also welcomed other internationally renowned figures from the worlds of culture and sport, as well as presidents of various countries.
Sokolovskis emphasises, however, that the restaurant’s true value lies not in its list of famous visitors, but in the people who return to Riviera time and again.
“Our greatest reward is our loyal and devoted guests – the people who have been with us for years. And, of course, seeing smiling guests and a full restaurant every evening. Everything else is an added bonus,” says Sokolovskis.
Restaurant Culture and Guest Knowledge Have Both Evolved Over 15 Years
Sokolovskis notes that Latvia’s restaurant culture has changed significantly over the past 15 years. Restaurants have improved in quality, while guests have become much more knowledgeable about both food and wine. More and more people appreciate high-quality, healthy ingredients, take an interest in their origins and have a better understanding of what constitutes a high-quality restaurant experience.
Dining habits have also changed – people visit restaurants more frequently, and restaurants are no longer seen solely as places for special evening occasions. Particularly in summer, Riga residents are much more likely to choose restaurants for lunch as well, while guests often order several smaller dishes during a meal in order to try a wider variety of flavours.
The restaurant scene in Riga’s Quiet Centre itself has also changed. Sokolovskis recalls that 15 years ago there were around five or six restaurants operating in this part of Riga, whereas today there are several dozen. Mediterranean cuisine, which was still a relatively new concept in Riga in 2011, has since become one of the city’s most popular culinary directions. Sokolovskis believes that Riviera was one of the restaurants that helped popularise this style of cuisine in Riga.
The Greatest Challenge – Covid-19
Of Riviera’s 15 years in business, Sokolovskis describes the Covid-19 pandemic as the most difficult period, when the restaurant industry suddenly found itself facing a situation for which no one could have prepared.
“You know how to cook, welcome guests and run a restaurant, and suddenly you are told that the restaurant has to close. At first, no one knows how long it will last or what will happen next. That was the greatest challenge of our 15 years,” recalls Sokolovskis.
The Riviera team used the period of closure to review and improve the menu, as well as to renovate parts of the restaurant’s interior.
International Recognition and Staying True to Its Identity
Riviera is included in the Michelin Guide’s selection of restaurants in Latvia and in the Falstaff Restaurant & Bistro Guide Nordics 2026, where the restaurant received a score of 92 out of 100.
“We are, of course, greatly honoured and delighted to receive such international recognition, but our guests have always been and will remain our greatest priority. We want people to leave Riviera smiling, well fed and wanting to return. For us, that is the most important recognition of all,” says Sokolovskis.
The restaurant’s pumpkin and duck breast risotto has also previously been included among the world’s Top 100 risottos.
The team is an equally important part of Riviera’s success story. Depending on the season, the restaurant currently employs around 40–50 people, several of whom have been with Riviera since its earliest days.
“Our greatest assets are our loyal guests and a strong team. Fifteen years in the restaurant business is not the achievement of one person. I would like to sincerely thank our entire team – both those who have been with us since the very first day and those who joined us later. I would especially like to thank our chef, Yevgeny Liskin, and the entire kitchen team for the tremendous work they put into Riviera every single day,” says Riviera brand chef Jānis Sokolovskis.
Over the next two years, Riviera plans to renovate its terrace, making it more welcoming and even more reflective of the Mediterranean atmosphere. No major changes to the restaurant’s concept are planned, however.
“Riviera is like a little black cocktail dress – a classic that we deliberately do not tamper with. No dramatic changes are planned or expected,” concludes Jānis Sokolovskis.
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