Publication Date: September 27, 2025
Reluctant Canadian restaurateur Emmet Argentine is stuck in Khrushchev-era Vilnius, Lithuania, trapped under the tyranny of two equally formidable forces — the Soviet Union, and his staunchly socialist mother.
Raised in the kitchens of Toronto’s Royal York Hotel, Emmet’s talent for hospitality catches the attention of a high-ranking architect, who hires Emmet to helm a magnificent new restaurant. The Seaside Café Metropolis, though located neither by the sea nor in a major metropolitan area, aspires toward elegance without pretention, bohemianism without vulgarity. Evading the repressive communist regime through guile, wit, and charm, Emmet assembles the menu and the staff to create a sophisticated and atmospheric fine dining experience in the heart of the Soviet Union — all while KGB operatives listen in on the restaurant from the basement.
Antanas Sileika has roots in Lithuania, and although a Canadian novelist, he found himself in Vilnius, Lithuania, during the Pandemic for six weeks. During this time, he spent time in a local café with a colorful past. This set of coincidences brought him to imagine his newest novel, The Seaside Café Metropolis.
The lead character has come to live in the Soviet Socialist Republic of Lithuania because his mother is an activist. He is known for his charm and culinary skills in Vilnius and is asked to lead a new restaurant. The Seaside Café Metropolis is not located near the sea, but its goal is to allow patrons to escape the political climate. It is hoped that the vibe will be both upscale and bohemian.
In the notes that followed the main story, I can understand that the author intended to create a historical fiction based on the distressing atmosphere in this region after the new Soviet rule. The fictional café even has the KGB operating in the basement, listening in on the conversations among the café patrons. He uses inspiration from real news stories and even inspiration from La Bohème! Unfortunately, I couldn’t feel a connection to the characters or the allure of the café.
The technical writing is solid, and many characters are introduced to illustrate class and societal struggles effectively. The novel would be appreciated by someone more familiar with the relationship between Lithuania and Russia between World War II and 1990.
The Seaside Café Metropolis is a historical fiction meant to embody an actual café in the Soviet Socialist Republic of Lithuania. Various news stories also inspire the stories within the café walls in that region.
Antanas Sileika is a Canadian author of six previous books of fiction, as well as two memoirs. His collection of short stories, Buying on Time, was shortlisted for the Leacock Medal for Humour and the Toronto Book Award, and longlisted for CBC’s Canada Reads in 2016. His books have repeatedly received starred reviews from Quill & Quire and have been listed among the one hundred best books of the year in The Globe and Mail. One of his novels, Provisionally Yours, was adapted into both a feature film and a television serial in Europe. He currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.
