Vilnius International Airport

Vilnius International Airport is small enough that you can walk its entire airside stretch in under ten minutes, but don't let that fool you into skipping the food. The main departure hall, beyond passport control, houses a handful of genuinely decent options that punch above their weight for an airport of this size. Locals and savvy travelers tend to gravitate toward the Čili Kaimas outpost, a Lithuanian chain that actually delivers on its promise of rustic national cooking — think warm cepelinai, those hefty potato dumplings stuffed with minced meat and crowned with sour cream and bacon bits.

If you're after something lighter before an early flight, the coffee bars near the gate area serve decent espresso alongside open-faced sandwiches layered with smoked salmon or rye bread topped with Lithuanian cottage cheese and herbs. Rye bread — dark, dense, slightly tangy — is practically a national symbol here, and even airport vendors treat it with respect. Pick up a portion of šaltibarščiai, the cold borscht made vivid pink with beetroot and kefir, if it's on offer; it sounds unusual for airport fare but travels beautifully on a warm morning.

The food court area near the central atrium also stocks grab-and-go pastries, including šakotis — the extraordinary spit cake that looks like a spiky log and tastes like a buttery dream. It makes an excellent edible souvenir if you haven't managed to find one in the city. International options like pizza and burgers are present but honestly unremarkable; your energy is better spent leaning into what Lithuania does best. The portions are generous, the prices fair by Western European airport standards, and the staff are used to travelers in a hurry.