Summer may be coming to a close, and there were certainly no backpacking-across-Europe trips this year, but it seems neither pandemic nor season can stand in the way of Lithuania’s delicious new obsession, unique ice cream. If you really can’t wait until borders reopen to Americans, you can always grab a home ice cream maker and take a spin at these wild flavors yourself; otherwise, there’s no better time than now to plot your ice cream pilgrimage to these restaurants, cafés and shops serving the 11 craziest ice cream flavors in Lithuania.
Rhubarb
Start your ice cream exploration with a flavor that’s not too far over the top and will give you a good taste of local life. Every Lithuanian kid grows up loving the taste of rhubarb and benefitting from its Vitamins C, P and K, but Ertlio Namas is now serving it in ice cream in the capital, Vilnius. Unlike the strawberry rhubarb pie you may have already tried, this dessert is additionally flavored with orange peel and ginger.
Pine Needle
Yes, it smells just like a Christmas tree, making it a magical winter dessert (especially with a gin cocktail), but it’s equally magical year-round. There may be some health benefits to this one, too, with some gurus claiming that Vitamin-C-packed pine needles improve immune functions and delay aging. You can find pine needle ice cream at the restaurant in Hotel Labanoras, where it’s flavored primarily with ground pine needles, freshly harvested from around the property, and powdered sugar.
Peony
Also from the culinary creatives at the Hotel Labanoras restaurant in eastern Lithuania, peony ice cream is as dainty as the flower itself. Tinted pink by syrup made from peony petals, this floral flavored ice cream has a sweet aroma as enchanting as its flavor.
Carrot
You shouldn’t be too surprised to find carrots in ice cream: Because they’re one of the sweeter vegetables, they’re already found in cakes and were even used as sweeteners during the sugar shortage of World War I. At Jurgis ir Drakonis, near the center of the country, carrots are soaked in maple syrup to give this ice cream flavor a subtle caramel aftertaste.
Beetroot
If you don’t have much of a sweet tooth but you’re still interested in sampling some special flavors, try a scoop of beetroot ice cream. A healthier choice than some of the super sweet offerings, beetroot ice cream has the same earthy qualities and vibrant purple appearance as the vegetable itself (which makes it a natural pairing with dark chocolate, red wine or both!). Try it at Mykolo 4 in Vilnius.
Lavender
The casually curious can make an easy entree into creative ice creams with a scoop of lavender. Widely used to flavor vegetables, drinks and desserts, it’s a no-brainer for ice cream, too. Portfolio, a café in northern Lithuania, soaks lavender petals overnight in vanilla for a richly flavored gelato perfect for a walk by the river outside.
Quark and Nettle
It’s unlikely you’ve ever had this combination before, but vitamin-rich nettle has long been used in soups, particularly in Celtic cultures, and is now breaking into the world of ice cream at MIŠKE, the health restaurant at Spa Vilnius. Together, stinging nettle and quark give this ice cream something of a green tea flavor and are well worth a try.
Linden Honey & Dill Oil
Long used to flavor a variety of dishes, and perhaps best known as a pickling herb, dill also contains an oil that the chef of Velvetti restaurant in southern Lithuania says balances the sweetness of honey in the restaurant’s linden honey and dill oil ice cream. Despite the honey, this one has more of a savory quality than more traditional ice cream flavors.
Seaweed & Caviar
Admittedly, this one is better as a snack then a dessert. Along the Lithuanian coast in Palanga, Vila Komoda embraces its seaside location with this highly unusual ice cream combo. While you might expect ice cream to taste more like candy or cake, this exotic flavor is more reminiscent of sushi than sweet treats. It’s a true must for culinary adventurers.
Spinach & Tarragon
When you’re ready to cheat on your green juice diet but don’t want to stray too far, Vila Komoda has you covered again. Tarragon adds an uplifting brightness to the veggie benefits of spinach in this dessert-take on a healthy favorite.
Smoked Mackerel
Apvalaus Stalo Klubas, a hotel and restaurant in southern Lithuania, takes its lakeside location seriously with the creation of smoked mackerel ice cream. A surprise for most, fish lovers are so enamored of this flavor that the chef has to keep the recipe a closely guarded secret. Don’t think this flavor is a gimmick, though; the property’s restaurant is rated as one of the top in the nation.
