Eat & Drink

Karčma 1863

A cosy, family-run restaurant on Bokšto gatvė in the Old Town serving modern Belarusian, Lithuanian, Polish and Ukrainian cooking — and doubling as a cultural hub themed around the 1863 Uprising.

Updated Jun 20262 min read·1 sections
Karčma 1863 — food
Photo: Instagram @karcma_1863 · Instagram @karcma_1863
The short version
  • Authentic Belarusian cooking, with regional Lithuanian, Polish and Ukrainian dishes
  • Signature draniki (potato pancakes) you can customise into 'the draniki of your dreams'
  • House-made nalewka infusions, sbiten, mead and kvass to drink
  • A cosy room themed around the 1863 Uprising, with friendly, multilingual staff
  • A cultural hub for the Belarusian diaspora, hosting concerts, meetings and master classes

What to expect

Karčma 1863 is a cosy, family-run restaurant on Bokšto gatvė, in the historical heart of the Old Town, that feels a little lost in time. Themed around the 1863 Uprising — a shared chapter of Lithuanian and Belarusian history — it pairs warm, welcoming hospitality with a kitchen that turns out modern interpretations of traditional Belarusian, Lithuanian, Polish and Ukrainian dishes. The signature is draniki, customisable potato pancakes you can build to your own recipe, alongside hearty mains like duck and ribs and both hot and cold borscht.

The drinks list leans into tradition too, with house-made nalewka (tinctures) — the horseradish infusion is a favourite — plus sbiten, mead and kvass. Beyond the food, the venue serves as a cultural hub for the Belarusian diaspora, hosting concerts, meetings and master classes, and there's even a charitable salad you can pay for at a price of your choosing. Staff are friendly and multilingual, the space is pet-friendly, and individual dishes run roughly €6–€16.

Cuisine
Belarusian, with Lithuanian, Polish and Ukrainian dishes
Standout dishes
customisable dranikiduckribshot and cold borschthouse-made nalewka
Good to know
pet-friendly; multilingual staff; hosts concerts and master classes; mains roughly €6–€16
Best for
hearty regional cooking with a side of history
Guide notes· Last reviewed

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