TOP 30 PLACEMENT. Last year, to the surprise of many, Stebuklai Restaurant did not feature in the Top 30 ranking, despite having been recognized as the number 1 restaurant in 2016. This year, however, it is back in the rankings, thanks largely to the return of its creative raw&grill menu, which had previously been a big hit with guests.
WHY VISIT? Stebuklai’s menu (both à la carte and breakfast/lunch) has been crafted by one of the most talented Lithuanian chefs, Martynas Praškevičius. He is the head chef and his student, Juozas Visockas, oversees the kitchen’s daily operations.
Stebuklai’s monthly social dinners are also a great reason to visit. These evenings are an allusion to a Bohemian lifestyle expressed within a contemporary context. They offer a totally unique fine dining format for Lithuania - each evening immerses the diners in a different atmosphere and features different table décor. Live jazz or chamber music accompanies the degustation menu. This dazzling combination of sights, sounds and flavours means these regular evenings are growing ever more popular.
Finally, the daily breakfast (served on weekends until 14:00) also deserves a mention. Martynas was one of the first chefs in Vilnius to pioneer brunch menus (which he started at Briusly Restaurant), and he certainly knows what a good meal at the start of the day entails.
BRIEF MENU DESCRIPTION. In the past few years Stebuklai experimented with shrinking its menu, but this year it has expanded once again. Martynas has returned to his original vision of serving guests raw and grilled dishes, with the menu refreshed several times a year. Tartare, ceviche, and tataki, plus meat, fish and seafood straight from the grill served with smoked vegetables, form the basis of Stebuklai’s à la carte offering. According to Praškevičius, the key is to supply the kitchen with supremely high-quality products, and then the miracles lie in the simplicity of their serving. Indeed, the restaurant’s name means “miracles” in Lithuanian. And it is undeniable that the creativity of the chef who stands behind the concept of this place is a key part of these miracles. The way he arranges additional ingredients for dishes and the resulting new combinations are definitely worthy of both your attention and a place in the local Top 30 list.
CULINARY HITS. Tuna tartare with kimchi mayonnaise, avocado, fried seaweed and wasabi roe – EUR 14, John Dory ceviche with avocado, pomelo, spring onions, yuzu ponzu, jalapenos and olive oil – EUR 14, grilled octopus – EUR 27.
Chef. Stebuklai’s founder, Martynas Praškevičius, has recently handed over the management of the restaurant to others and is now solely preoccupied with the concept of the restaurant, and the flavours used in it, in his role as chef. He is one of the most valued and respected chefs in Lithuania. He not only believes that chefs can learn everything in the kitchen by themselves, but has indeed proved this to be true. Both his restaurants, Stebuklai and Džiaugsmas, have been recognized as number 1 restaurants in Lithuania (in 2016 and 2018 respectively).
