Standard travel advice for Europe is to get off the beaten path if you’re hoping for more than mediocre, over-priced food. Yet many of the best restaurants in Tallinn, Estonia are located within the picture-perfect Old Town. As you linger over your meal, you can watch the sun slowly set behind the medieval Town Hall and surrounding pastel-colored buildings. Waiters turn on heat lamps when the temperature begins to drop and hand out blankets as needed. The scenery is just too pretty to consider dining elsewhere in the city!
Vaike Rataskaevu 16
The top rated restaurant in Tallinn is rather unassuming. It doesn’t even have a proper name! Vaike Rataskaevu 16 is simply the old town address where the restaurant can be found. But don’t let that deter you. The food is surpassed only by the outstanding service. I showed up without a reservation, but a kindly server found space for me anyway. He then attentively explained all the specials and made recommendations based on my tastes. I settled on creamy pumpkin soup and an artfully plated salmon fillet. Tempted as I was to end with a warm chocolate cake for dessert, I followed the waiter’s advice to try the bread pudding and am sure glad I did.
Ill Draakon
For those who want to fully indulge in Tallinn’s medieval atmosphere, Ill Draakon pub is the perfect choice. The fragrance of cinnamon and spices were enticing as I ascended the Town Hall spire, so I rewarded myself with a hearty bowl of elk soup and mug of cider upon return to ground level. The pub’s costumed barmaids also serve meat and vegetable hand pies, elk jerky, and homemade pickles you spear with a pitchfork from an old beer barrel. Go early to avoid the lunchtime rush.
Restoran Kaerajaan
For a menu of more modern Estonian cuisine, head to Restoran Kaerajaan. Selections change seasonally, but you can count on farm-fresh local ingredients prepared with contemporary flair. At the time of my visit, the star was a succulent wild boar stew that had been elevated with red wine and organic vegetables. A selection of Estonian cheeses and a warm chocolate fondant cake are the perfect choices to round out any meal.
Balthasar
Billed as Estonia’s first “garlic restaurant,” Balthasar opened in 1999 in a 15th-century apothecary. Garlic, as you may have guessed, is the star of the show, though not all dishes feature the pungent ingredient. I started with creamy parsnip soup and followed it up with a stuffed chicken breast served with brandy mushroom sauce and a scrumptious garlic risotto. My companion ordered a steak that came on a sizzling pan with a whole head of roasted garlic and scalloped potatoes so garlicky they could have knocked out a vampire. As curious as I was about the garlic-infused desserts, a bowl of refreshing fruit sorbet was the smart choice after such a feast.
Rae Restoran
I’ve eaten plenty of delicious food around the world. There was all the pho in Ho Chi Minh City and paprika everything in Budapest. But it’s not often that I’m still dreaming about a particular dish long after enjoying it. The smoked Saaremaa cheese soup with crispy bacon at Rae Restoran is one of those memorable meals. Luscious and smooth, each cheesy spoonful left me craving more. The soup pairs well with a light Estonian beer and freshly baked bread. I’ve since learned that Saaremaa is a large island off the coast of Estonia, and dairy farmers have been producing cheese there since the 16th century. The island apparently has a long history of beer production as well. I will be planning a visit.
Maiasmokk Cafe
Estonian for “sweet tooth,” Maiasmokk has cases filled with impossible-to-resist treats. I recommend the fruit tarts and any pastries featuring marzipan. The charming cafe, which claims to be the oldest one in Estonia, is located a short distance from Town Hall Square, making it the perfect spot to take an afternoon tea or coffee break.
Chocolaterie Pierre
This cozy cafe serves up the best chocolate confections, from an array of truffles to elaborate cakes that look like works of art. Of those I sampled, the Marc de Champagne was my favorite and happens to be the specialty of the house. Chocolaterie Pierre is tucked away in the master craftsmen’s courtyard, where local artisans sell handicrafts and souvenirs.
Have you ever tried Estonian food? What do you think are the best restaurants in Tallinn?
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The salmon and mussels dish look amazing! I love to eat (especially dessert) so your pictures are making me so jealous.
Food is a really important part of my travels 🙂
Ack, I shouldn’t have read this before lunch. Everything at my work cafeteria will, of course, pale in comparison. If I lived in Tallinn, I’d hang out in that courtyard and cafe all the time!! And I definitely want to try the cheese soup. 🙂
We’ve decided we’re going to take all of our visiting friends and family to Tallinn so I foresee a lot of cheese soup and time spent in that courtyard 🙂
And I *just* noticed the ‘gluten free’ sign! Hmm, time to start planning my next Baltic vacation I think. This year it was Latvia with a few days in Lithuania…next time it will need to be Latvia with several days in Estonia!
My first choice would be smoked Saaremaa cheese soup with crispy bacon. It looks and sounds incredibly yummy!! :D!
It’s my first choice, too! More cheese please 🙂
Oooer, some very fancy looking dishes! How yummy 🙂 The desserts look divine..
The desserts were so good! I wish I’d figured out a way to work in a few more 😉
Oh my. I do hope you take me there at some point.
Except for the seafood, everything sounded and looked
wonderful. The cheese soup – yum, and all those yummy
desserts. It’s a good thing we don’t have places like that
around here or I’d weigh 300 pounds. Great Blog. Glad
you had a good trip to Tallin.
Don’t worry, I’ll definitely be taking you to Tallinn 🙂
That cheese and bacon soup sounds amazing, I’ll have to go out of my way to try when I get to the Baltic States…
The cheese soup is definitely worth traveling for. I hope to eat buckets of the stuff when I go to the island where it’s from! 🙂
Obviously I cannot comment on how any of these meals tasted (I’ll leave that to you!), but they sure were pretty! I was especially intrigued by the meals at the Garlic restaurant… I’m a huge fan of the stuff (and they don’t seem to really use it much in Asia) so I’d love to try that place!
I’ve been very impressed with the food presentation in this part of the world. Even in Riga, every dish I’ve ordered has been artfully arranged on the plate. Riga also has a garlic restaurant, though I haven’t tried it yet. Hopefully it will be as good!
I have NEVER tried Estonian food, but this all looks and sounds incredible…I’ll have to Google to find an Estonian restaurant here in NYC!
I think I would be partial to the “garlic restaurant”, as long as I brought my toothbrush along;-) Thanks for sharing these, Heather, I do love foodie adventures!:-)
Estonian food was new to me, too! Let me know if you find a restaurant in NYC. I looked for places serving Baltic cuisine on my last trip but didn’t have any luck.
I remember Ill Draakon! And the decor. And the lovely lady behind the counter. Was she talking in attempted medieval speak? Like, when we were there, instead of saying “2 Euros”, she’d say something like “2 money”.
I have to go back for all these other restaurants and dishes you mentioned, though. I was a broke student at the time I went there, so I pretty much stuck to street food.
YES! The Ill Draakon lady did ask for “2 money!” I totally forgot about that fun detail until you mentioned it. What street food did you try? The only stands I saw sold roasted nuts. (The cinnamon orange pecans were amazing!)
Oh my, what lovely food. I am craving for desserts right now! That is what caught my attention! Luckily I have a chocolate tart in the fridge! Pretty envious of all the food you have been eating!
Lucky you to have a chocolate tart in the fridge! 🙂
There are so many great restaurants in Tallinn. Your photos make me want to go back so badly!
Me too! Maybe next time I’ll even venture off Town Hall Square! 😉
I should have read this before passing through Tallinn on my way to Helsinki. I definitely need to try that cheese soup next time I’m there. Sounds awesome with a side of fantastic!
And if you want another garlic restaurant – Ķiploku krogs right here in Old Town RÄ«ga, if you haven’t been already. I’ve been there a number of times, I especially love their soups and starters. Though I wasn’t a huge fan of the honey garlic sauce on the ice cream… good call sticking to a traditional dessert!
I could eat buckets of that soup! I’m already planning my next trip to Tallinn and that restaurant will be my first stop 🙂
I’ve heard about Riga’s garlic restaurant but haven’t been yet. We should go for lunch sometime!
Just tell me when 🙂
Wow! How did I miss this post? At least, I noticed it in time before we leave for our Baltic trip in 2 weeks. 🙂 That cheesy-bacon soup sounds divine!
Hope to meet up in Riga soon!
I’ve just planned my second trip to Tallinn and that soup will be the first thing I eat! 🙂
I’ve never had Estonian food before, it looks very fancy and considering I have a very sweet tooth I wouldn’t resist too much at the look of these incredibly well presented desserts. I’m wondering how they do with vegan dishes though, do you know by any chance?
That’s a good question, Franca, I’m not sure. But I’m going back next week so I’ll keep an eye out!