There are many ways to eat in Palanga, from smoked fish bought at the market and eaten on the beach to a fish restaurant where a table is worth booking. The trouble is that in July everything on J. Basanavičius Street looks the same, and the price does not necessarily tell you where the food will be good.
Below are the addresses worth knowing, and a few notes on seasonality that will save you time. Opening hours in the resort change all the time, so check before you set off.
J. Basanavičius Street
The main pedestrian street runs for about a kilometre from the town centre to the pier. It is certainly touristy, but it has a few places that have been open for years:
- Žuvinė (J. Basanavičiaus g. 37A), a fish and seafood restaurant, open in Palanga since 2003.
- 1925 (J. Basanavičiaus g. 4), a bar and restaurant at the start of the street.
- De Cuba (J. Basanavičiaus g. 28), open since 2006.
- Monika (J. Basanavičiaus g. 12), a family restaurant.
At the end of the street, at the junction with Love Avenue (J. Basanavičiaus g. 45), stands Šachmatinė, a modernist pavilion that has long been a Palanga landmark. Today it houses a pizzeria with a terrace; even if you do not eat there, the building itself is worth seeing.
Near the park and elsewhere in town
Closest to the hotel (straight-line distance from the building): Kablys 76 m, Pelikanas 147 m, Pušų paunksnėje 284 m, Žuvėdra 312 m, grás 363 m.
In the building next door, at S. Dariaus ir S. Girėno g. 13, is RestoBaras Kupeta, a restaurant and café that serves food and also hosts concerts and stand-up nights. Check its opening hours and programme before you go.
A little further on, at Birutės al. 47, is Vandenis, a restaurant with a music club that is also open in the evenings.
Vytautas Street, which runs parallel to the seafront, is another place to look for lunch or dinner.
If you want more options, you will find more restaurants and cafés on the Palanga Tourism Information Centre website, visit-palanga.lt.
The market and smoked fish
Palanga market (Senojo Turgaus g. 12) is a place many holidaymakers never reach, although it is only a few minutes from Vytautas Street. The food hall sells fresh and smoked fish.
The market is open Tuesday to Friday 8.00–17.00 and Saturday 7.00–16.00. The choice is wider in the morning, and fewer traders remain after lunch.
Near Palanga, in Kunigiškiai (Žilvyčio g. 1), is the Pas Berniuką smokehouse, one of the addresses where fish is bought straight from the smokehouse rather than from a stall.
To take away
The best summer dinner in Palanga is often the one nobody cooks: smoked fish, bread from the bakery, something from the market and the beach beyond Love Avenue. From the hotel to the sea is about four minutes, so the food does not even have time to cool.
Two things are worth knowing. First, reach the beach by the marked paths and protect the dunes: have your picnic on the beach, not on the slope of a dune. Second, bring a bag for your rubbish so you can take everything away with you.
In September and October the same plan works even better: the beach is empty, and smoked fish eaten in warm clothes is perhaps at its tastiest.
Pancakes, coffee and breakfast
- Bebro blyninė (Vytauto g. 37), pancakes near the centre.
- EMA blyninė (Jūratės g. 32), seasonal, open in the warmer months.
- BREW. Specialty Coffee (Vytauto g. 48), specialty coffee and pastries.
One more note that will save you a kilometre's walk: the Kurhaus (Grafų Tiškevičių al. 1) is not a restaurant, although the name sounds like one. Today it is the Palanga Culture and Youth Centre, a venue for concerts and plays.
What to know about the season
From June to August you are unlikely to get an evening table in the more popular restaurants without a booking, especially at weekends. It is worth calling at least on the morning of the same day.
Off-season the picture is the opposite: seasonal kiosks and outdoor terraces close, and it is mostly the restaurants and bakeries in the centre, by the pier and in hotels that stay open. In autumn and winter opening hours get shorter, so it is best to call before heading to a specific address.
One more summer detail: the choice does not end on J. Basanavičius Street. Walk a block or two to the side, to Vytautas Street or towards the park, and compare menus and opening hours.
