A New Edition of the “30 Best Restaurants” Ranking Launches – List of 50 Nominees Announced

Often referred to as the most representative restaurant guide in the country, the ranking introduces several changes this year: a shorter list of nominees, updated voting procedures, a new member added to the “Good Food Academy” Expert Council, and a new list of recommended regional restaurants to accompany the main Top 30.

All restaurants that made it into last year’s Top 30 are automatically included on the candidate list. As with previous years, the organizers also considered public input, inviting diners to suggest which restaurants deserve to be ranked and taking suggestions from comments into account. However, this year’s list includes 50 candidates, down from 60 in previous years.

According to the organizers, the change aims to improve the accuracy of the evaluation and give more balanced attention to each candidate.

“Based on our experience over the years, we’ve noticed that top-ranking restaurants receive a disproportionately high number of votes, resulting in the lower-ranked ones being separated by just a few points. We want the ranking to reflect a more precise vote distribution and for placements to be decided by a clearer margin,”

explains Linas Petrukaitis, founder of the Good Food Academy.

Another key update: Good Food Academy members will now vote for 15 restaurants instead of 10, using established evaluation criteria. This aims to form a more solid and consistent Top 30 list.

Also new this year: judges can consider restaurants visited over the past year, instead of just within the last six months.

Approximately 100 evaluators will participate in the voting process – members of the Good Food Academy, including all candidate restaurants and well-known professionals from the HORECA industry.

For the First Time – A Regional Restaurant Recommendation List

A new initiative this year includes the announcement of a recommended regional restaurants list, published alongside the main Top 30, with the goal of promoting culinary exploration beyond the major cities.

“This year we began collaborating with the Ministry of Economy and Innovation and Lithuania Travel. This strategic step will help spread the word about high-quality gastronomy in the regions. We want people to travel around Lithuania and discover places that may be far from big cities but offer exceptional dining experiences,”

says Evalda Šiškauskienė, President of the Lithuanian Hotel and Restaurant Association and member of the Good Food Academy Council.

Expert Council Welcomes a New Member

The core of the Good Food Academy – the Expert Council – has added a new member this year: food photographer Robertas Daskevičius.

With over 16 years of experience in food photography, Robertas works with top Lithuanian chefs, has illustrated dozens of cookbooks, and is considered a visual gastronomy ambassador.

“Working with restaurants and chefs, I constantly observe their creativity, precision, dedication, and ambition. I not only photograph restaurants but also enjoy exploring new tastes and discovering unexpected food pairings. I’m excited to contribute not only to evaluating taste but also the atmosphere and aesthetics of restaurants,”

says Robertas Daskevičius.

Voting Runs Through Summer – Results in Autumn

Voting for the best restaurants will take place throughout the summer, and the final Top 30 and regional recommendations will be announced in the fall.

“We’re continuing the tradition and the project, which has become an essential part of Lithuania’s culinary culture. It serves two purposes – as recognition for restaurant teams and as a gastronomic map for visitors. It’s gratifying to see the map becoming more diverse and colorful each year,”

says Rasa Ščeponienė-Gurevičė, Editor-in-Chief of Geras Skonis magazine, Chancellor of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Lithuania, and Council member of the Good Food Academy.

Restaurants will be evaluated based on food and drinks, ambience, service quality, and hospitality culture – with the highest scores awarded for flavor.

Similar restaurant rankings are organized worldwide, and many countries have their own national restaurant guides. Lithuania’s “30 Best Restaurants” is now in its seventh edition, organized by the Good Food Academy in collaboration with the Lithuanian Hotel and Restaurant Association, the Association of Lithuanian Head Chefs and Confectioners, and Geras Skonis magazine.

Who Made This Year’s Shortlist?

While 33 of the 50 restaurants on the list are based in Vilnius, the overall shortlist includes restaurants from nine different cities and towns across Lithuania – from the seaside to Plungė, Birštonas, Trakai, and Radiškis in the Ukmergė district.

All restaurants from the 2024 Top 30 are included. An additional three restaurants were nominated based on public voting through social media.

The 50 selected candidates will now be assessed by the Good Food Academy.

2025 Shortlist of Candidates for Lithuania’s Best Restaurants:

Vilnius:

14Horses, Amandus, Augustin, Bizarre Vilnius, B’ARN Bistro, Bon Chop, Da Antonio, Demo Restoranas, Dine, Džiaugsmas, Elven, Ertlio Namas, Fabrikėlis, Farmer & the Ocean, Firenze, Gaspar’s, HeJi, Kristoforas, La Capital, Le Travi, MEAT, MOTÍF, Momo Grill Vilnius, Nineteen18, Pacai, Pachamama Dinner Club, Pas Mus Restoranas, Protėviai, Saint Germain, Somm, St. Valentino, Stikliai, Telegrafas.

Kaunas:

Arrivée, DIA, Monte Pacis, Nüman, Uoksas.

Klaipėda:

ALBA Bistro, Monai, Mudu.

Palanga:

Monist, Restaurant Palanga, Todá, Vila Komoda.

Other Cities/Towns:

Apvalaus Stalo Klubas (Trakai), Flow (Plungė), Pievos (Birštonas), Red Brick (Radiškis, Ukmergė district), Šturmų Švyturys (Ventės Ragas).

Main Sponsor: “Alain Milliat” Juices from France

Alain Milliat is a premium French juice brand, known for its rich and natural flavors without additives, since 1997. Though relatively new to Lithuania, these juices are well-known across more than 20 countries, found in high-end restaurants, hotels, and even luxury fashion boutiques.

“We’re thrilled that such a prestigious French brand like Alain Milliat entrusted us with its distribution in Lithuania. We’re also happy to be a partner of the ‘30 Best Restaurants’ project. We’re confident these juices will be very popular in Lithuanian restaurants and hotels. People say that once you try them, you can’t stop,”

say the brand’s Lithuanian representatives.

Alain Milliat juices are already available in some Lithuanian restaurants and can also be purchased online at www.unumbox.lt.