“LOLA SOLÉ” – a restaurant located in the impressive business center “Business Stadium Central,” designed by the world-renowned “Zaha Hadid Architects” firm. In the newly developed area, which continues to expand, not only offices but also apartment buildings are concentrated, and it’s just a few minutes’ walk from the Cathedral. Next to the restaurant stretches a leisure area full of greenery, fountains, and space for pedestrians.
Like a younger sister returning from vacation
The idea of “LOLA SOLÉ” was not born out of nowhere. For many Vilnius residents who enjoy late breakfasts outside their homes, the name “LOLA” has been well known for several years. As its owner M. Vildžiūnas says, “LOLA” has truly taken root and become an inseparable part of Vilnius’s New Town. So, as the name suggests, the new restaurant is like the younger sister of “LOLA,” who recently returned from vacation. And she vacationed in sunny lands, returning tanned, with wind- and sun-bleached and tousled hair, smelling of spices, with oily hands.
That relaxed sister, named “LOLA SOLÉ,” offers not only late breakfasts but also invites you to return in the evening – for a glass of drink and to try a different menu specially designed for the evening.
According to the speaker, as in other places he owns – “LOLA” and the popular bakery “BOKA” – the primary desire was for an environment without any tension, without squeezing guests into frames.
The desire was for an environment without any tension, without squeezing guests into frames.
“When the environment is free, there is no dress code or tablecloths, people relax, meetings become more playful and full of communication. And not necessarily in the evening – guests want to have a fun breakfast, and “LOLA SOLÉ” is also perfect for business meetings,” says Martynas, adding that the informality of the environment is also related to the culture of sharing food.
According to him, when the restaurant only offers the option to choose one main dish, it somewhat obliges. But what if you don’t get it right? Maybe suddenly you realize that what your friends next to you chose is much more tempting.
“In a restaurant, you can ask: ‘Let me taste,’ but when the menu idea itself is food meant for sharing, everyone chooses and tastes together,” he says.
The menu idea is food meant for sharing; everyone chooses and tastes together.
The opportunity to taste everything on the table
Martynas, who has long been involved in the hospitality business, notes that the culture of communication at the table, sharing food, reached Lithuania several years ago. “People have come to like when the table is laid out in front of them with various different dishes and appetizers. Then you can mix and taste various combinations. You could say that you simply taste and share everything right there at the table,” he says.
This culture of sharing food is inspired by the cuisines of Spain, Italy, southern France, Israel, Lebanon, Greece, and other sunny countries. However, “LOLA SOLÉ” does not aim to be an interpretation of one country’s cuisine – the most important thing here is warm, lively food that you want to push across the table to a friend and say: “Try this.”
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Of course, “LOLA SOLÉ” has inherited many late breakfast hits from its older sister “LOLA” – Eggs Benedict and curd cheese pancakes, avocado toast, and a grain bowl with roasted vegetables. However, some breakfast dishes remain only on the “LOLA” menu, while “LOLA SOLÉ” spoils with several novelties that the older sister does not have.
“Since we established “LOLA SOLÉ” in a place where a large community lives, which looks for places to eat in the evenings, we decided to work longer hours. However, we didn’t want to offer a breakfast menu all day or turn into just a bar with snacks in the evening. So over time, we refined the idea that we would have a special evening menu focused specifically on sharing. We decided to create a menu that would not obligate the guest but would bring the freedom to choose several dishes, appetizers, and taste everything,” says the owner of “LOLA SOLÉ.”
The inspiration came from dishes of sunny countries, and the main elements naturally chosen were the abundance of vegetables, greens, various spices, and only then – fish and meat. Based on this idea, the kitchen team later faced a not short path of adjustment, tasting, and testing.
“We wanted to include in the sharing dishes ingredients that would not be so popular as to have become banal. We wanted more interesting choices, non-standard, but at the same time food that would be fun to eat together,” says the owner of the place that opened in the summer.
Vegetables and fish reign, meat – when you want something heartier
In the evening menu of “LOLA SOLÉ,” you can find dishes such as the long-familiar but newly shining mackerel – its crudo and this fish as a hot dish. For the middle of the sharing table, vegetable dishes like roasted cauliflower, charred tomatoes, caramelized carrots – all these seemingly simple vegetables sound new. Of course, what sharing set would be without olives, hummus, various spreads, and a bread assortment! If you want something heartier, it’s worth considering a meat dish, but essentially the center here is the variety of vegetables and fish.
By the way, the bread served at “LOLA SOLÉ” is baked at the bakery “BOKA,” owned by Martynas, and is always very fresh. Buns that made Vilnius almost go crazy a few years ago also come from the bakery. Now they can be found closer to the city center, and those living nearby are very lucky because it’s just a few steps to these baked goods.
“LOLA SOLÉ” has been following the footsteps of its older sister “LOLA” for only a few weeks, but Martynas says he is happy with the start. Guests are already discovering the new place, and most importantly – they want to return here.
So if you want an evening where you don’t have to choose one dish and follow rules, LOLA SOLÉ invites you simply to order several plates, push them to the middle of the table, and share.
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