Business Garden Rīga celebrates the opening of the long-awaited new restaurant

This month, Hercogs Garden Taste Lab opened its luscious green spaces at Business Garden Rīga, combining healthy delicious food with a new concept aiming to make food a genuine communal experience.

“We had cherished this idea for a long time,“ says Iveta Tālberga, one of the co-owners of the new restaurant, “wanting to introduce a new concept to the Riga food scene. And we finally found a space where we can bring our idea to life — here in vibrant business quarter of Business Garden Rīga.”

Iveta adds that they are also open to new ideas: “Of course, it’s the space itself, its people and tenants that directly or indirectly create a need for adjustments and new directions or confirm that the chosen direction is working well.”

New Experience in a Familiar Setting

Hercogs Garden Taste Lab is the brainchild of two Latvian families — the famous chef Andris Rūmītis and his wife Kitija Rūmīte, and entrepreneurs Iveta and Alvis Tālbergs.

The “Lab” in the name of the restaurant tells about its intention to become a real laboratory of taste. A constantly evolving creative space where new recipes and experiences are invented, tested and brought to perfection by a team of professionals — and, of course, with the guests’ participation.

“We want to make food a truly communal experience”, says Iveta Tālberga, ”Right now we serve business lunches, serve pre-booked events and a banqueting service, but we are planning to develop our Hercogs Garden Taste Lab into a place where brunches and suppers will be prepared for you to enjoy with your family and friends.”

These meals will be different from the brunches and suppers that were so popular in Riga before the pandemic. Instead of a self-service buffet, the Taste Lab will welcome its guests to fully set tables with meals, snacks and drinks already served.

“All you have to do is pay a fixed price for your meal”, adds Tālberga, “These days we are all paying attention to controlling our budgets — and not knowing the amount of your bill at the end of the evening may just spoil the whole event for you. With this concept at Hercogs Garden Taste Lab nothing will distract you from enjoying dinner or brunch in the company of your loved ones.”

From now on, the restaurant invites everyone to supper on Saturdays, from 18:30. It is a regular Saturday evening event, providing tasty healthy food not only to Business Garden Rīga tenants but also families from neighbouring communities, who are making plans for this delicious weekend experience. It is essential to book a table early, as the first Saturday Supper on May 28th was completely sold out.

Health and Family Come First

Among the concepts already successfully implemented by the Taste Lab professionals are the thoughtfully assembled “Weekend Boxes”. Together with the fitness influencer Paula Freimane the Hercogs Garden Taste Lab team are designing sets of healthy meals to sustain your household through the weekend. The beauty of the Weekend Box is not just in treating your family to healthy and tasty food — cooking or assembling these meals will require minimal effort, so you will have more quality time for yourself and your family.

There are six versions planned for the Weekend Box, vegetarian options included.  A themed box will also be offered for the forthcoming Līgo festival — additional information about it will follow soon on the social network accounts and website of Hercogs Garden Taste Lab.

Banquets with a View

A balanced and delicious takeaway meal is an experience everyone should try — but so is dinner in a welcoming and beautiful setting.

“I always believed that a restaurant should not only create excellent taste experiences for its guests”, says Andris Rūmītis, chef and co-owner of the Hercogs Garden Taste Lab, “Its job is also to create an aesthetically pleasing environment for everyone to enjoy.”

With its 45 m2 large lush green wall inside and the serene view of trees and flowers blooming at the moment in Business Garden Rīga’s courtyard, Hercogs Garden Taste Lab is an ideal place for a banquet with colleagues or for a family dinner party. The space was designed to accommodate up to 150 people, and considering Hercogs’ enormous experience in catering you can be sure that no one will be disappointed by the food and service.

Catering to a Greener Future

Like everyone on the Business Garden Rīga premises, the owners of Hercogs Garden Taste Lab care deeply about the environment and sustainability ethos.

“Sustainability is crucial for us,” explains Iveta Tālberga, “We are planning to abstain from using plastic packaging at our restaurant and switch to cardboard in the near future.”

She proceeds with explaining that a takeaway option at the banquets and communal meals is also a must, allowing to minimize food waste.

As Hercogs Garden Taste Lab is aimed at constant evolving, we can be sure that the restaurant will come up with more sustainable solutions in the months and years to come.

Cooperation And Support Always Pay Off

Needing all the help starting their new restaurant and growing into a sustainable and successful business, Hercogs Garden Taste Lab’s owners expressed a deep satisfaction with how the cooperation has been going with the Vastint team.

“We are so happy that we chose this place for our restaurant — such an opportunity truly come once in a lifetime,” shares Ieva Tālberga, “Not only because of its beautiful location and interior, but because Vastint people are so professional. They know that cooperation and support always pay off, and they are ready to share their knowledge and experience with us on all the technical details and beyond.”

Iveta explains how important it is for a restaurant owner to form an understanding partnership with the property managers.

“There are so many issues to consider when you run a restaurant, from food storage to illumination adjustment. When the managing company is willing to listen to your side of the story, it makes our job just so much easier”, she says with relief and then concludes, “We are truly in luck to rent a Vastint property.”

Hercogs Garden Taste Lab is open from 9:00 to 18:00 on working days. Time from 11:00 to 15:00 is dedicated to lunch. Other times are reserved for the pickups of online orders or pre-booked events. Opening hours will be updated in the near future, as the new services are announced.