I’ve always loved a little city break. The cheaper the deal, the better! Over the years, I’ve travelled to a number of destinations across Europe, but sadly, I often missed out on exploring the incredible world of cigar shops and lounges simply because I was too bleeding nervous about stepping inside on my jack. Fast forward a few years, and I’m more than making up for lost time! Since starting this blog, I’ve visited over 50 different cigar shops, sampling lounges and terraces (throughout the UK, across Europe, and beyond) —something I never would have imagined 🤯😄.

Nowadays, every time I visit a new city, my first priority is finding the nearest cigar shop or sampling lounge.

I, of course, want to visit Cuba, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic eventually, but for now, European city breaks suit me to a tee.

So, what inspired me to visit Riga, Latvia 🇱🇻? I blame you lot! Well the cigar community online 😁. A few posts caught my eye, especially photos from The Oak Lounge and the cigar lounge at the Grand Kempinski Hotel. I was intrigued and wanted to experience them myself.

My experience

I booked the trip, and I couldn’t have been happier. Riga is a super cool city — with a rich architectural mix, from the elegant Art Nouveau buildings on Albert Street to the medieval charm of the Old Town. The city is also home to some unique wooden buildings, especially in the quieter districts, showcasing traditional Latvian craftsmanship.

With additional influences from German, Swedish, and Russian rulers, landmarks like the House of the Blackheads and St. Peter’s Church reflect Riga’s diverse history.

Plus, it’s just a short two and half hour flight from London.

I would recommend avoiding a winter visit, as I heard the temperature drops to minus 25 degrees 🥶. I visited at the end of February / early March, and the weather was much more manageable – just, ranging from 5 to 10 degrees. Additionally, flights and hotels are quite cheap during that time.

The Oak Lounge

Upon landing and checking into my hotel, I took a Bolt taxi and went straight to The Oak Lounge cigar shop and lounge bar.

This establishment is situated on Jeruzalemes Street. As I entered, I quickly noticed a walk-in humidor to my left, primarily filled with cigars from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. The cigars are much cheaper than the UK.

I had heard that this place was once a La Casa del Habano, but it has since shifted from selling Cuban cigars to offering New World cigars. I assume it is now under different ownership.

The shop features a bar showcasing an impressive selection of drinks to sample with a cigar.

At the back of the shop, behind glass double doors, lay a medium-to-large cigar sampling lounge.

I ended up visiting this lounge three times during my trip to Riga. Its by far the best cigar venue to visit in this city. Over the course of my visits, I sampled several cigars, which I’ll get into later. But first, let’s talk more about the sampling lounge…

During my first visit, the lounge was dimly lit, with plush chairs arranged around the space. Soft jazz music played in the background, creating a sophisticated American jazz club vibe. The lounge had a modern design and a cozy, fireplace-like atmosphere.

It was an incredibly relaxing place. It was quite popular, with groups of friends coming and going. In a UK lounge, people often strike up conversations, but here, folk tended to keep to themselves. I recommend making a reservation, which I did several times, with each reservation lasting about two hours. The lounge offered a selection of teas, coffee, water, and clean restroom facilities.

I noticed a lot of cedar sticks and cigar matches available, but there was a clear shortage of cigar lighters. It was frustrating to light each cigar using matches, as I often end up ruining them this way. Unfortunately, I had left my own cigar lighter in London, knowing it wouldn’t pass through airport security.

I sampled some great cigars. I took the opportunity to try an EP Carillo Inch Maduro cigar with a 70 inch ring gauge – not the most memorable taste but I do like a bigger cigar now and again.

Then I thought I would try something a little more special: the Meerapfel Ernest Robusto cigar, which was quite expensive even by European standards.

I have a great deal of respect and admiration for the Meerapfel family. The packaging of their cigars, particularly the cigar bands, displays impressive attention to detail – the cigar band is one of the best I’ve seen – and is of high quality.

However, I felt that this particular cigar had an element of style over substance. I would still be interested in trying some of the other cigars in their portfolio though and I want to learn more about their history.

Interested in visiting?

Address: The Oak Lounge, 10 Jeruzalemes Street, Riga (entrance opposite 41 Dzirnavu Street)

View on Google Maps

Website: http://www.theoaklounge.lv

Email: info@theoaklounge.lv

The Grand Kempinski Hotel – Cigar Lounge

The next stop was the Grand Kempinski Hotel, a five-star luxury establishment located in the heart of the city. With views of the Latvian National Opera House and a prime location near Old Town, this hotel features 141 rooms and suites, a rooftop restaurant, an exquisite spa, meeting facilities, and, of course, a cigar lounge offering cigars from Cuba, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic.

At first, the hotel’s grand appearance, reminiscent of The Ritz, felt a bit intimidating to walk into. However, I was glad I stepped inside.

Although I had made a reservation, the lounge was surprisingly quiet, which was unexpected given how wonderful the spot is.

I was taken to my seat and handed a menu of cigars. The atmosphere was calm and relaxing.

The bar manager stopped by for a chat and mentioned plans for a refurbishment, which would include a larger humidor. This seems like a wise decision, as their current humidor felt rather small with a limited selection of cigars for such an impressive place. (Yikes, what kind of cigar lounge snob have I turned into?).

I chose two classics: a Montecristo No 2 and a Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchill cigar. Pure perfection!

Although the prices of Cuban cigars were slightly higher than the European average, they were still cheaper than in the UK.

During my visit, I had the pleasure of meeting an older American couple with Latvian (and Swedish) roots. The husband, who was celebrating his birthday, decided to sample a cigar for the first time in years. Although his wife didn’t smoke cigars, she enjoyed the aroma. They came and sat with me for the rest of the evening and we had some great chat. I even encouraged them to come visit London’s cigar scene!

Interested in visiting?

Address: Grand Hotel Kempinski, Aspazijas bulvāris 22, Centra rajons, Rīga, LV-1050, Latvia

View on Google Maps

Phone: +371 67670109

Website: kempinski.com/en/grand-hotel-kempinski-riga

Email: fb.riga@kempinski.com

The Grand Palace Hotel – Pils Bar

Next, I visited the Pils Bar at The Grand Palace Hotel, a popular meeting spot for cigar enthusiasts, hotel guests, and people on business, located in Riga’s Old Town.

This five-star boutique hotel offers a modern and stylish bar area, perfect for enjoying a drink and a cigar. It’s an ideal spot to relax with a morning paper or spend a leisurely afternoon in comfort.

The service is excellent, perfectly complementing the venue’s refined yet relaxed vibe. From the moment I entered, the waiter made me feel welcome, promptly offering both a cigar menu and a drinks menu.

The Cuban cigar selection in the Habanos cigar tower humidor is limited, but it’s nice to find them in the city. While the prices of Cuban cigars may seem higher than the European average, they are still more affordable than similar options in the UK. Similar to the Kempinski.

I went for a Partagas D4 cigar, which is well-regarded among cigar enthusiasts.

Although I recognise its popularity, I still prefer the Partagas E2, but that’s just my personal taste. This was still a delightful cigar to smoke.

This place is impressive and whilst a little quiet it’s well worth a visit!

Interested in visiting?

Address: Grand Place Hotel, Pils street 12, LV-1050 Riga, Latvia

View on Google Maps

Phone: +371 6704 4000

Email: info@grandpalaceriga.com

Website: grandpalaceriga.com

Tabacalera

Another day, another cigar lounge! This time, I visited the unique Tabacalera, which is tucked away in the basement of a building on Terbatas Str 68. The venue gave off an alternative vibe. Unlike the more formal settings of the previous establishments I came across in Riga, Tabacalera offered a relaxed atmosphere—there was no fancy decor—just a back to basics place where both cigar newbies and enthusiasts could comfortably stroll in wearing jeans, t-shirts, and trainers to enjoy a cigar. They also host rum and whiskey nights, which further adds to the laid-back ambiance.

The cigar selection was impressively eclectic, reminiscent of what I imagine Mike Choi’s Boutique Cigars would be like if he had a physical shop. They featured rare and hard-to-find brands of New World cigars.

I stumbled across Fratello cigars, which I’d been reading up a lot about alongside its owner, Omar De Frias (ex-Nasa employee), who got his cigar branding attached to the side of a space shuttle and released a lunar cigar – I hear they’re out of this world – boom! 💥

Additionally, they had some cigars from Haiti that I had never encountered before. Exploring these lesser-known options from countries I didn’t even know made cigars was exciting, and I was eager to sample them. This was the Haiti Bohekio cigar – a decent cigar!

During my visit, I engaged in a conversation with the owner of the lounge, who was both knowledgeable and passionate about cigars. It’s incredible to think that you can travel the world and connect with random people you’ve never met, united by a single cigar!

Overall, Tabacalera is a great spot for a more casual laid back cigar experience, perhaps with a couple of mates. However, if you are specifically searching for Cuban cigars, this is not the right place for you, as they primarily focus on New World cigars.

Address: Tabacalera, Terbatas str 68

View on Google Maps

Website: https://www.tabacalera.lv/

Email: cigars@tabacalera.lv

Phone: +371 29 151 112

Cigari

I also visited a small cigar shop called Cigari, which I found on Google Maps, but unfortunately, there wasn’t a designated area for sampling cigars.

It felt a bit odd because the person working in the store at the time didn’t seem to have much knowledge about cigars. I suspect they might have been covering for someone else.

The selection of cigars was limited, featuring some cigars from J.C. Newman, Drew Estate, and Gurkha. Despite this, I’m glad I made the trip; however, I would probably skip this place if I were to return to Riga.

Address: Cigari, Gertrudes Street 22, Riga

View on Google Maps

Website: https://tabakeria.lv/en

Phone: +371 67 313 753

Overall

I had a great trip at great value. The city did feel quiet compared to say London which is always crazy busy. I think they have a population of 600, 00 compared to 9.5 million 🤯. If I was to go again I’d prob do it as part of stop visiting also Tallinn in Estonia and Vilnius in Lithania. Cigar wise there were plenty of places to check out – The Oak Lounge is the best outta the bunch because of the casualness, atmosphere of regular customers in the store and their selection of cigars – i went there 3 times, although the Grand Kempinski and Grand Palace Hotel felt like they had the better interior. Overall a great trip!

If you enjoyed reading this blog post check out my other reviews at Cigar shops, sampling lounges and terraces – across Europe.