Specialty coffee in Lithuania

Specialty coffee in Lithuania is concentrated in Vilnius, a city with an unusually high number of roasters, from Caffeine (2007) to Taste Map (2011). Caffeine Roasters, established in 2007, grew into Lithuania's most popular coffee chain. Taste Map Coffee Roasters, founded in 2011 by Ieva Malijauskaitė and Domas Ivonis, built long-term relationships with green-coffee importers and runs several cafés. StrangeLove Coffee Roasters opened in 2015 with a focus on explaining specialty coffee to customers, and Backstage Café & Roasters followed in 2018. The Vilnius Coffee Festival hosts the national SCA competitions, including the Barista, Latte Art and Cup Tasters championships.

Vilnius holds almost all of the country's specialty cafés and every one of its listed roasters, from the Old Town outwards. Kaunas has a small but established scene, and Klaipėda and Panevėžys each have a café.

Roasters that shape Lithuanian taste include Taste Map Coffee Roasters, StrangeLove, Huracán Coffee, Crooked Nose & Coffee Stories, Backstage Roastery Café and CAFFEINE. Expect filter and espresso at most specialty bars, and cafés that sell a wide range of brewing equipment alongside the beans.