Lithuania Shines with Five Michelin Stars – with Vilnius at the Heart of a New Culinary Confidence

Deep Roots in Vilnius and Red Brick in the countryside north of the city earn new stars – Lithuania cements its leading position in Baltic gastronomy.

The MICHELIN Guide Lithuania enters its third edition, confirming Lithuania – with Vilnius as its vibrant centre – as one of Northern Europe’s most exciting culinary destinations. In total, the 2026 guide now recommends 44 restaurants, including five with a MICHELIN Star and eight with a Bib Gourmand for excellent cooking at fair prices. The Lithuanian selection thus grows markedly compared with the previous year (2025: 37 restaurants, four stars).

Two New Stars for a Confident Cuisine

Deep Roots in Vilnius pulls off what may be the most remarkable debut of the year: just around two months after opening, the restaurant earns a star straight away – an exceptionally fast success the team itself had not anticipated. Chef Andrius Kubilius, formerly at the starred Nineteen18, cooks here from childhood memories and family recipes handed down through the generations. Many ingredients come from the restaurant’s own farm, and every dish is told with a personal story.

Red Brick in Radiškis, about an hour’s drive from Vilnius, is promoted from the Main Selection to a starred restaurant. On a vast, working farm, chef Ignas Damanskas relies on estate-grown produce, weaving Lithuanian ingredients together with Asian – especially Japanese – and French influences. For his refined, vegetable-focused cuisine, the 33-year-old was additionally honoured with the Young Chef Award.

“When we opened our first restaurant more than eleven years ago, Lithuanian cuisine was still lagging behind Estonia and Latvia. Today that has changed: Lithuania leads the Baltics in Michelin stars and recommendations. It has been a long road, and many people have helped shape it – I’m simply glad to be part of this movement, which I like to call the New Baltic Cuisine. What matters most to me is what it sets in motion: it is good for food tourism, but just as important as an accelerator for our national identity and our self-esteem as a people,” says Niel Pretzmann, food entrepreneur and founder of Farmer’s Circle / Baltic Food Republic.

Established Vilnius Stars Confirmed

The three existing starred restaurants all retain their distinction: Demo, Džiaugsmas and Nineteen18 – all in Vilnius. Especially noteworthy is the change at the helm of Nineteen18: chef Vita Bartininkaitė has closed her intimate restaurant Pas mus and returned, with much of her team, to the very place where her journey began eight years ago. Together with chef Justinas Misius she now leads the kitchen as a partnership – and successfully defended the star.

“For us, it was less about expecting a Michelin star than about wanting one. At Nineteen18 we are continuing a story – that of the restaurant itself, which began in 2018 – while also bringing together our own paths: mine from Pas Mus and Justinas Misius’s from Sweet Root. We are both chefs with a deep connection to our local identity, so earning a star at the very start of our collaboration means a great deal to us. It feels like recognition of the journey that brought us together – and of what we are building now,” says Vita Bartininkaitė, chef at Nineteen18.

Bib Gourmand: Great Food at Fair Prices

New in the Bib Gourmand category is Pievos in the spa town of Birštonas, which combines florist, café and restaurant under one roof and wins over guests with colourful, seasonal dishes. Retaining their awards are Augustin, B’ARN Bistro, El Gato Negro, 14Horses, Gaspar’s, Le Travi and Nüman.

Eight further establishments join the Main Selection: Buff On, Elēno, OMAKASE by Vaidas Užgerys, Saint-Malo and Skóg in Vilnius, SIJA in Kaunas, and Monist and Palanga in the seaside resort of Palanga – a sign of the growing diversity and quality of Lithuania’s restaurant landscape.

The MICHELIN Special Awards 2026

• Young Chef Award: Ignas Damanskas (Red Brick)

• Service Award: Paulius Žekonis and the team at Nüman (Kaunas)

• Sommelier Award: Ignatij Semionov (Saint-Malo), for his selection of more than 400 French wines

• Opening of the Year Award: Rokas Vasiliauskas, chef-owner of SIJA (Kaunas)

Sustainability in Focus: “Mindful Voices” Launches in Lithuania

For the first time, MICHELIN’s editorial platform “Mindful Voices” launches in Lithuania, honouring hospitality professionals who set an example in sustainability. Three Lithuanian chefs were chosen for the inaugural community: Ignas Damanskas (Red Brick), Rokas Vasiliauskas (SIJA) and Tadas Eidukevičius (Demo) – recognised for their commitment to local sourcing, sustainability and waste reduction. It is a fitting reflection of Vilnius’ role as European Green Capital 2025.

Vilnius: A Growing Confidence on the Plate

Three years after the guide’s debut in Lithuania, the scene is entering a more mature phase. The most successful restaurants no longer seek inspiration in international trends, but in family recipes, regional producers and personal stories. Four starred restaurants in the city itself, a fifth in the countryside and a growing number of ambitious venues: Vilnius is long past being a blank spot on Europe’s culinary map – the city has become a driving force behind a new Baltic cuisine.

About the MICHELIN Guide Lithuania 2026

• 44 recommended restaurants

• 5 restaurants with one MICHELIN Star (Demo, Džiaugsmas, Nineteen18, Deep Roots, Red Brick)

• 8 MICHELIN Bib Gourmand restaurants

• 2 new entries in the star category