Vilnius has a coffee culture that punches well above its size. After weeks spent working from cafes across the city, these are the best cafes in Vilnius that earned a repeat visit, and a couple that didn’t get the chance to.
This isn’t a list of every coffee shop in Vilnius. These are places I actually went to, ordered from, and would send a friend to without hesitation. From a gluten free bakery that quietly outperforms places without dietary restrictions, to a cafe that changes its entire shopfront display every few months, here’s where to get the best coffee in Vilnius and what to order when you do.
I’m a cappuccino person through and through, so that’s what I’m judging every cafe on here.
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Best Cafes In Vilnius
1. Habits Coffee House
Location: Vilniaus g. 37.
Habits sits a few metres from Saint Catherine’s Church in the Old Town. It may sound like a tourist trap but it isn’t.
This is a small, minimalist and quiet coffee shop down a small side street. Although spacious, there are just a handful of seats. I sat here with my laptop for 1 – 2 hours, unrushed, and most of the other customers were also on their laptop.
The cappuccino was smooth with microfoam done properly, no big bubbles here, but the pistachio cruffin had me in a chokehold. Buttery, flaky pastry filled to the brim with a rich pistachio cream filling. It’s important to fuel yourself for a day of sightseeing after all.
If you need an hour of quiet in the middle of the Old Town, this is your place.
2. mon.
Location: Šv. Mikalojaus g. 3, Vokiečių g. 18A.
Mon is a contemporary and minimalist coffee shop in Vilnius old town, with all white walls and hipster music playing just loud enough to notice. There’s an inner courtyard surrounded by Old Town houses tucked inside, which catches you off guard the first time you walk through.
I ordered an oat milk cappuccino and it was excellent, no surprise really since they roast their own beans, which in this case was nutty sweetened by the oat milk. The place was completely packed when I went, not a seat free, so I ended up taking it to go. Worth knowing before you turn up expecting to sit down for a while.
It’s apparently one of the best brunch spots in town and laptop friendly on a quieter day. I didn’t try the food myself, but the iced matcha keeps coming up as the order to get if coffee isn’t your thing.
3. Poniu Laime
Location: Stiklių g. 14.
Poniu Laime is the cafe in the Glass Quarter with the decorations everyone photographs. They refresh the outdoor display three to four times a year and it’s never subtle. When I went it was done up as the Orient Express, full carriage theme, suitcases and posters hanging from the roof. The level of detail was impressive. Past displays have included giant macarons and donuts, pink bears, buckets of flowers. It’s one of the most aesthetic cafes in Vilnius.
Inside is old style, dimly lit, traditional and self service, with a big selection of pastries and traditional Lithuanian meals. The cake displays in the window alone make it hard to walk past without going in.
I got the macarons, which were delicate on the outside and chewy inside. The black coffee was smooth and mellow, no complaints there. If you’re feeling it, the Baba Rum comes with its own little dropper of rum, which is a nice touch and slightly ridiculous in the best way.
Outside is usually packed with people taking photos, but we managed to find a seat both times. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating either way, so don’t be fooled by the large crowd.
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4. Ali Sokoladine
Location: Vilniaus g. 31.
Ali Sokoladine is a chocolate and dessert cafe with robust coffee, which isn’t always a given at places that lean this hard into pastries. The space is modern and clean, white walls, wood accents, very Scandi in feel. A funky 70s playlist was playing, which shouldn’t have worked with the minimalist look but somehow did. Big windows looking out onto the street, good for watching Vilnius go by while you eat. Gazing out the window solidified that locals have impeccable style.
Some of the pastries look like actual art. Fancy in the best sense, the kind of treat you photograph before you can help yourself. We ordered the Kouign-amann, a crispy puff pastry oozing with clotted cream, and a hazelnut tart which consisted of a butter pastry case filled with chocolate biscuit and topped with a thick cream with hazelnut sauce running through it.
Only downside is we found it on our last day. We would have gone back a few times if we’d had the chance.
5. Pleassurie (Best Gluten Free Cafe Vilnius)
Location: Šv. Stepono g. 22.
Pleassurie does something rare. Everything sold in this cafe is gluten free, and most of it is dairy and sugar free too. If you’ve ever had gluten free baked goods you’ll know the bar is usually low, dry and crumbly being the default. Not here. I was genuinely shocked at how good everything was. Not only is this the best gluten free cafe in Vilnius, it’s probably the best gluten free cafe i’ve ever visited.
The pastries let the fruit do the talking rather than burying it under sugar. A choux topped with pistachio cream and packed with juicy cranberries was a particular standout. Good if you’re after gluten free, lactose free or low sugar options, but honestly good even if none of that applies to you.
There are a few branches around Vilnius. I went to the one called Uptown in Naujamiestis, which was spacious and tucked away down a side street, so it doesn’t get the footfall it probably deserves. Coffee was good too, big portions and a smooth sip. Everything is priced by weight.
6. Coffee1
Location: Užupio g. 9.
Coffee1 sits in Uzupis, easy to miss if it wasn’t for the mural plastered outside. Two floors, both small, staff who chat to you like you’re not just another tourist passing through.
Ordered a coffee, got hit with the smell before it even landed on the table. Then there’s the chocolate. Handmade, just sitting there in a tiny display case, almost no fanfare about it. We went for the cheesecake instead though, chocolate base with a raspberry layer cutting through how rich it was.
Worth the walk out of the centre.
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FAQ
Is coffee popular in Vilnius?
Yes, very. Vilnius has a genuine third wave coffee scene, plenty of cafes roast their own beans, and you’ll find a decent flat white or cappuccino on almost every street in the Old Town and beyond.
How much does a coffee cost in Vilnius?
Expect to pay between €2.50 and €4 for a cappuccino in most cafes, with prices creeping slightly higher in the most central or design-led spots.
What’s the best cafe in Vilnius for working on a laptop?
Habits and mon. are both laptop friendly, though mon. gets packed fast, so go early or expect to take your coffee to go.
Is there a gluten free cafe in Vilnius?
Yes, Pleassurie. Everything on the menu is gluten free, most of it dairy and sugar free too, and it’s genuinely some of the best gluten free baking I’ve had anywhere, not just in Vilnius.