Savouring Estonia 2024 by Best Guides OÜ

Discover the Best Estonian Restaurants from Fine Dining to Street Food 2024

Cover Photo: Lauri Laan 180degrees.ee Staapli 4, Port Noblessner

Texts: Heidi Vihma Designer: Aleksander Karu Photos: Lauri Laan (6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 30, 31, 34, 35, 38, 39, 53), Alina Birjuk (22, 23), Harri Tiits (36), private collections.

Publisher: Best Guides OÜ www.bestguides.ee

Enjoy the Best Restaurants in Estonia! Our small country is filled with large flavours, exciting and unique eateries. Best Guides has selected the best of the best. No matter whether it is a fancy, fine dining restaurant or the vendor of simple street food, they are all places where we eat, where we invite our friends and acquaintances, and that we are always happy to recommend to foreign visitors. Estonia has always been a border country both geographically and gastronomically. Like other Nordic countries, we prefer pure and fresh flavours. However, these have been enriched by both our close neighbours the Russians, as well as the Germans, with whom we shared a cultural space for centuries. Yet today, the local flavour palette includes the entire world – we are curious and open to trying new things. The high quality of our restaurants is proven by the fact that, in 2022, several Estonian restaurants came under scrutiny by the MICHELIN Guide. In 2023 two MICHELIN Stars were awarded to one restaurant, one MICHELIN Star to one restaurant, six others received the Bib Gourmand designation. and two were awarded the MICHELIN Green Star. Wishing you flavour journeys filled with new experiences,

Katrin Weiss

Heidi Vihma

Editor Best Guides OÜ

Restaurant Critic Estonia

Content Tallinn

Tallinn

180° Experience

Pull

Fotografiska

Rudolf

Härg

Stenhus

Lee

The Able Butcher

Mantel ja Korsten

Wicca

Mekk

Allee

Moon

Koho Restoran

Tallinn

Kolm Sibulat

Kolu Inn

Mix

Rotermann

Salt

F. Burger

Uulits

Tallinn 48

Viru Food Hall

Otepää 52

GMP Pühajärve

Tartu

Joyce

Lääne County 56

Dirhami Kalakohvik

Haapsalu 58

Von Gernet

Fine Dining Fine dining hasn’t meant classical restaurants with white tablecloths for a long time now. Today, fine dining restaurants can be very unique and special. But basic truths never change and they still value the completeness of the experience, and turn their attention to all aspects thereof. These are places where the food and service are first class, and the menu represents the head chef’s unique creations that are born of commitment. In these places the beverage menu is outstanding, the design supports the whole, and attention is paid to the smallest details.

Casual Dining In some cases, the line between fine dining and casual dining may be paper-thin, but usually casual restaurants do not set goals that are comparable to fine dining. Instead they focus on the atmosphere. The casual style gives chefs the courage to try various flavour combinations and techniques, and provides the guests with a pleasant atmosphere in which to enjoy them. Under the heading of casual dining, we have collected those restaurants and cafés that provide a gastronomical experience, pleasant service and relaxing atmosphere. These are places where you can also stop by for a drink, snack or light meal.

Street Food The fact that street food can also be gourmet food is proven by the best street food vendors around the world. During the last few years, local gourmet street food has also developed in Estonia. Initially indeed based on examples from the rest of the world, since Estonian street food is still developing. A new phenomenon on the Estonian culinary landscape is the chef going and ‘mixing with the people’. Searching for new challenges, internationally experienced top chefs are establishing street food kiosks, and applying their high culinary experience in a new context and raising street food to a totally new level.

180° Experience by Matthias Diether

180 Degrees, a ﬁne dining establishment located in historic Port Noblessner, serves a four- and a six-course tasting menu. The ﬂavour experience is completed by the visual enjoyment provided by the sea view and the kitchen in the centre of the dining room, which is open on three sides. The head chef is Matthias Diether, a Michelinstarred chef from Germany, whose ambition is to raise the quality of the local cuisine to a new level. The taste experience providing culinary brilliance is perfected by the relationship between food and drink.

6 Fine Dining

180degrees.ee

Tu-Sa 18 - 23, Staapli 4, Port Noblessner, Tallinn, +372 661 0180

Fotografiska Restaurant & Rooftop Bar Sustainable and seasonal The restaurant, situated on the 6th floor, offers panoramic views of the city with its 360-degree perspective. It boasts its own rooftop garden with beehives, where a variety of herbs are grown and incorporated into the dishes. Additionally, the rooftop bar provides an exceptional vantage point for witnessing sunsets. Fotografiska’s Executive Chef Peeter Pihel, country’s zero waste food pioneer, is inspiringly managing the whole team, to offer exquisite food experience that is also prepared sustainably. The restaurant’s organic waste is taken to its own vegetable garden located outside the city, from where the vegetables are brought back into the restaurant’s menu. Fotografiska is the only restaurant that has been nominated for a MICHELIN Green Star for sustainable food preparation for the second year in a row.

8 Fine Dining

fotografiska.com

Mon closed, Tue-Sat 12 – 23, Sun 10 – 17, Telliskivi 60a/8, +372 5745 0922

Härg

Modern meat restaurant The founders of the Härg (Ox in English) Restaurant are two Estonian meat specialists and grill masters – Enn Tobreluts and Andres Tuule. The menu favourites include high-quality steaks, slow-cooked meat, and grilled dishes. The menu also features lamb, pork and duck dishes, fish, seafood, vegetarian dishes and healthy salads. The Härg’s modern interior design, which has been deemed worthy of a nomination for the annual prize awarded by the Estonian Association of Interior Architects, makes it special and festive. In the summer the restaurant expands onto the terrace, and the courtyard can accommodate larger groups of guests.

10 Fine Dining

resto.harg.ee

Mon-Thu 11.30-23, Fri 11.30-24, Sat 14-24, Sun closed, Maakri 21, Tallinn, +372 5382 5003

Lee Restaurant A restaurant with a fairytale-like garden in the Old Town

Lee refers to the ancestral hearth where life simmered and delicious meals were prepared. Located in Tallinn’s Old Town, Lee restaurant, led by Japanese-born chef Hiro Takeda, combines his international skills and playful curiosity with locally sourced ingredients from Estonian farms and forests. The best way to experience Lee’s flavors is through the Lee Experience, a surprise menu meant for sharing among the guests. The impressive drink program is curated by multiple-time awarded Best Estonian Sommelier, Kristjan Peäske, and his team. Lee’s enchanting summer courtyard is one of Tallinn’s best-kept secrets.

12 Fine Dining

leeresto.ee

Jul–Aug Mon–Sun 17.30–23; Sept–Dec Tu–Sat 17.30–23.00, Uus 31, Tallinn, +372 53 043 562

Mantel ja Korsten Flavors in a small wooden house in Kadriorg

The Mantel ja Korsten restaurant in the green wooden house with a red roof in Kadriorg combines cozy hominess with elegant cuisine. The name comes from the architectural rarity of a mantle chimney, in which a small private room is located. The restaurant offers a nuanced Mediterranean cuisine, presented in a simple Estonian style. The dishes surprise not only with their tastes, but also with the simplicity and naturalness with which domestic and foreign ingredients are melded into a harmonious whole. The exciting drinks menu is also a separate value. Trust the sommelier who offers the best!

14 Fine Dining

mantel-korsten.ee

Tu–Fri 17.00–23.00, Sat 15.00–23.00, Sun 15.00–22.00, Poska 19a, Tallinn, +372 66 59 555

MEKK Restaurant & Bar The word MEKK has two meanings It is an abbreviation for Moodne Eesti KöögiKunst, i.e. Modern Estonian Culinary Arts, but the word “mekk” also means taste. MEKK Restaurant & Bar has represented good domestic flavours and modern Estonian cuisine since 2009. For the last few years, the restaurant has been located in the newly renovated Radisson Collection Tallinn. The MEKK Restaurant & Bar menu is inspired by the Estonians’ closeness to nature, the diversity of local natural products, as well as the locally available raw materials and a love of nature. Remaining true to its own roots, MEKK Restaurant & Bar also keeps up with the rapidly developing food culture and complements national cuisine with world flavours and new trends. 16 Fine Dining

restoranmekk.ee

Rävala pst 3, Tallinn, +372 682 3020

Moon

Modern Slavic cuisine Moon was established around fifteen years ago when the top chefs in Estonian cuisine at that time, Roman Zaštšerinski and Igor Andrejev, decided to leave high cuisine, return to their roots, and open a family restaurant together with Roman’s wife Jana. As one of the few restaurants in Tallinn, Moon represents modern Slavic cuisine. Since the beginning, with minor changes, the menu includes classics such as borscht, dumplings, blinis, and stuffed pies. Moon’s chefs have the ability to conjure up flavors worthy of haute cuisine even from less expensive ingredients. Over the years, their work has been highly praised by both locals and professional food critics and guides.

18 Fine Dining

restoranmoon.ee

Tu–Th 15–23, Fr 15–24, Sa 13–24, Su 13–21, Võrgu 3, Tallinn, +372 6314 575

Restaurant Pull Outstanding meat dishes

The founders of the Pull (Bull in English) Restaurant include Enn Tobreluts, Estonia’s most authoritative meat specialist and grill master, and therefore, one can be sure that the meat dishes served here are outstanding. Most of the dishes are prepared over an open fire. And it is definitely worth trying the ‘dirty steak’, which is cooked in charcoal, and has become one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. The menu also includes fish and vegan dishes, but it is the very plentiful and high-quality meat selection that is so impressive. Fresh salads and a large selection of wines to accompany the meat are also on offer.

20 Fine Dining

resto.pull.ee

Mon-Fri 11.30-23, Sat 14-23, Sun closed, Rotermanni 2, +372 5382 5000

Rudolf

Accentuated Frenchman The restaurant named after Estonian composer Rudolf Tobias, situated in Kadriorg. The kitchen conductor Sten Märtin’s notes consist of pure French culinary culture intertwined with modern European cuisine. Unexpected harmonies add a contemporary touch. Foie gras “rubber duck”, the traditional French onion soup with our local wild garlic, and the king of desserts, mille feuille. On weekends, Rudolf treats the city with the best brunch in town. The menu is complemented by a versatile drink list created by the best bartender in the Baltics, Erik Tammeleht.

22 Fine Dining

rudolfrestoran.ee

We-Fr 12-23, Sat 10-23, Sun 10-16, R.Tobiase 11-1, Tallinn, +372 5309 0013

Stenhus

Five-star hotel standards in a medieval building The Stenhus Restaurant is situated in the Old Town of Tallinn at the five-star Schlössle Hotel, offering a unique gastronomic experience since 1998. Steeped in history the restaurant has stunning architectural features, roaring log fires, offering its guests a warm and relaxing atmosphere. The summer terrace located in the courtyard offers you a gourmet experience in a green oasis in the middle of the medieval city. Restaurant’s Cigar Lounge is an inviting spot to have a cognac and enjoy a quality cigar before or after dinner. The menu consists of enticing classic and contemporary dishes using quality seasonal ingredients.

24 Fine Dining

stenhusrestaurant.ee

Mo–Su 12–23, Pühavaimu 13/15, Tallinn, +372 699 7780

The Able Butcher A grill restaurant with an open kitchen

The Able Butcher, located on the second floor of the Hilton Tallinn Park hotel, is a luxurious yet cozy restaurant with magnificent views, dedicated to serving meat and grill dishes prepared in the open kitchen. Guest favorites include delicacies cooked over charcoal such as Wagyu beef or Black Angus entrecote, on-site dry-aged beef steaks, and fresh lobster. New Zealand lamb rack, Iberico pork, carpaccio, and burgers are also offered, providing a rich selection for seafood lovers and vegetarians alike. The delectable dishes are complemented by an extensive wine selection and a terrace for guests to enjoy during warmer weather.

26 Fine Dining

theablebutcher.ee

Mon- Sun 12:00 – 23:00, Fr. R. Kreutzwaldi 23, Tallinn, +372 6305 462

Wicca

Traditional tastes in a new way Restaurant Wicca is located just thirty kilometres from Tallinn in LaSpa, one of the most popular spa hotels near Tallinn. The menu improvises with Estonian food traditions combining the old and the new in unexpected, but always delicious, ways. Restaurant Wicca offers something unique that can seldom be found elsewhere, be it novel flavour combinations or special, yet to be widely discovered, ingredients. All of these are sourced locally from small-scale farmers and producers, as well as from the forests and meadows. Restaurant Wicca head chef Angelica Udeküll also introduces Estonian flavours in her signature TV cooking show.

28 Fine Dining

laspa.ee

Sun-Thu 17:00 – 22:00, Fri-Sat 17:00 – 23:00, Puhkekodu tee 4 Laulasmaa, +372 6870 870

Allee

Close to Nature Restaurant Allee, located on the edge of Kanut Garden, is probably one of the most beautiful and peaceful places to eat in Tallinn. The restaurant’s spacious, dining hall with several corners enables groups of all sizes to be provided with private spaces. The menu, which supplements the classics with popular embellishments, values local, seasonal and healthy ingredients. Along with fish and meat dishes, there is also a selection of vegetarian dishes. The restaurant has been awarded the title of a family-friendly eatery, and there is a special menu for babies and children. A playroom is located right next to the restaurant.

30 Casual Dining

alleerestoran.ee

Sun-Thu 12:00-22:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-23:00, Aia 18 / Kanuti 2, Tallinn

Koho

Mediterranean-inspired cuisine The restaurant Koho is located in the Telliskivi Creative City, a former industrial area that now houses numerous galleries and creative workshops. Koho is the project of head chef Jaanus Koho, who has 20 years of experience working in the kitchen. The menu is also creative, reflecting the artistic vibe of the creative city, with Mediterranean risottos, pastas and pizzas complemented by Estonianstyle fish cutlet, Latin American ceviche, and classic European dishes. Fresh bread and homemade hummus are served with the dishes. If there is no time to sit down in the restaurant, you can grab a warm pie and coffee to go. During the warm season, you can enjoy the special atmosphere of the Telliskivi quarter on the restaurant’s sunny terrace.

32 Casual Dining

facebook.com/kohorestoran

Mon-Thu 12-22, Fri-Sat 12-23, Sun 12-21, Telliskivi 60/1, Tallinn, +372 650 1020

Kolm Sibulat Borderless Onions

Like a real onion, Kolm Sibulat (Three Onions) is complex and multi-layered: the menu is inspired by both Asia and Europe, and both fast and slow food. Kimchi, lentils, slowly cooked meat dishes with Asian seasoning, cold water fish, and local vegetables are presented on plates in new and exciting compositions. Regardless of where the inspiration comes from, the components are balanced, and the flavors are on point. The balance is maintained by a rich selection of drinks, knowledgeable service, and a cozy atmosphere. It is a family restaurant created by the same people who represent Slavic cuisine at Moon. In the summer of 2023, Kolm Sibulat will move to a new location on Maakri Street.

34 Casual Dining

kolmsibulat.eu

Mo-Fr 11-22; Sa 13-23, Maakri 19 Tallinn, +372 66 44 055

Kolu Inn Traditional rural inn

The Kolu Inn at the Estonian Open Air Museum in Rocca al Mare serves traditional Estonian food in an original 19th-century building. The menu is focused on century-old traditions, but also makes some detours into the present day. As is typical of farm food, the dishes are simple, but prepared with a warm heart and skilful hands. In modern terms, the dishes at the Kolu Inn can be described as the most authentic slow food. The menu includes pork and porridge, sauerkraut, pea soup, and other simple farm dishes that fewer and fewer members of the younger generation still know how to prepare.

36 Casual Dining

evm.ee

Winter season Tu-Sun 10 - 17, Summer Mon-Sun 10 - 20, Vabaõhumuuseumi tee 12, +372 6549 118

Mix Resto

Mix mixes continents and countries Mix’s cuisine boldly blends different flavors and culinary traditions from around the world. Whether it’s global cuisine or local dishes, there is balance and harmony in the dishes. The menu focuses on local ingredients, adding color and flair with both Asian and Mediterranean flavors. The selection includes smoked fish, shrimp, Italian burrata, and local Andre farm cheeses. The restaurant’s drink selection is rich enough to support the chef’s fantasies, and the service is caring and attentive. Mix shares spaces with My City Hotel, but it is an independent restaurant whose creators share a long-standing friendship, a passion for good food, and hospitality.

38 Casual Dining

mixrestoran.ee

Mo–Su 12-23, Vana-Posti 11/13, Tallinn, +372 6220 998

Rotermann Bold Flavours

Rotermann is an active car-free urban space with outstanding architecture, created for people to enjoy. It is pleasant to take a walk here, to enjoy the buzz of the city, visit the cafes and restaurants, and shop. Numerous places to eat and drink have been established among the former industrial buildings and modern architecture, turning the quarter into a kind of gastronomic oasis. The day is ushered in by delicious baked goods. The lunch menus range from Mexican to Asian, from a vegetarian restaurant to a steakhouse, and an enjoyable evening can be spent in a cozy bar or one of the Michelin Guide restaurants – the selection is varied. This is Rotermann, the Bold Town of Tallinn.

40 Casual Dining

rotermann.ee

Salt

Trendy Delights Salt’s menu combines modern highend street food and fusion cuisine in a unique, special, and slightly crazy way. As if in a culinary laboratory, they try to catch the trend winds and mix flavors and cuisines, without testing the tolerance of their guests. The restaurant’s ambiance is just as unique as the menu. In a small basement room, there is an atmosphere more reminiscent of a cozy dining room than a restaurant.The terrace with an interior courtyard atmosphere and a view of the radio house offers a contrasting extremely urban atmosphere.

42 Casual Dining

saltrestoran.ee

Tu-Sat 12-23, Sun 12-20, Vase 14, Tallinn, +372 5188 510

F. Burger

Street Food with a Fine Dining Touch The letter “F” stands for Dmitri Fomenko, the creator and head chef of F. Burger, a place established as a family venture together with his wife Eva Unt. Fomenko’s burgers are extraordinary, as he brings his fine dining experience from Michelin-starred restaurants in Scandinavia to the world of street food. In addition to the original Dirty Juicy 100% Craft burgers, they also offer meat and gluten-free alternatives. The menu includes a small selection of salads, soups, main courses, and desserts, accompanied by wines, homemade lemonades, and herbal teas made from hand-picked botanical blends. To enhance the experience, they also serve a selection of champagnes from small producers, available by the glass.

44 Street Food

fburger.ee

Mo-Su 11 – 21, Viru Väljak 4-6 Tallinn, +372 5345 5542

Uulits

Street gourmet Uulits, the only local street food chain, which can also be considered the pioneer of street food in Estonia, offers traditional street fare with a healthy and contemporary approach. This is gourmet street food, prepared in the style of a first-class restaurants the burgers are prepared to order and everything is made on-site – beef burgers, burger wraps, salads, sauces and fries. Starting years ago with a modest kiosk, the chain has expanded to several locations in Tallinn, Viimsi, Tartu and summer season pop-up in Pärnu.

46 Street Food

uulits.ee

Tallinn - Kadaka tee 135A, Soo 1B/6, Kopli 1, Viimsi - Sõpruse tee 15, Tartu - Rüütli 7

ÄNAV UT ID

OD HALL FO TO

Viru Food Hall The largest selection in the city

Viru Keskus is an urban changemaker, not only in terms of space, but also in its radical approach to food and beverage. The Viru Keskus Food Hall, launched in 2022, houses 15 unique restaurants and bars that all embody the central ethos of authenticity. What sets this food hall apart is the combination of local heroes, international superstars, and even Michelin-starred chefs coming together under one roof to cater to the needs of the modern customer. Whether you’re looking for indulgence, world-class coffee, a pint of the finest craft beer, or a healthy lunch, you can enjoy it in a shared seating area.

48 Street Food

virukeskus.com

Viru väljak 4/6, 10111 Tallinn

ÄNAV UT ID

OD HALL FO TO

Kolm Tilli pizzas are prepared in a wood-fired oven, and the pasta is handmade on-site. Bliss combines plant-based food with a rich buffet table, while Kebaboom offers organic meat döner kebabs. The world-renowned craft beer producer Mikkeller and artisan ice cream maker KÜLM showcase their own creations. Pavlova delights with desserts, Papermill serves coffee, and F. Burger offers artisan burgers. KimiJimi represents Asian street food, PokeBowl & Meze brings the flavors of Hawaii, Stereo StreetFood offers South American cuisine, Samsa Family Bakers brings Uzbekistan flavors, MySushi and CHI showcase oriental tastes. Refreshing the food selection are pop-up restaurants that find their home in the iconic Airstream food truck.

50 Street Food

virukeskus.com

Viru väljak 4/6, 10111 Tallinn

GMP Pühajärve Restaurant Enchanting atmosphere, delicious flavours

The GMP Pühajärve Restaurant is like a hidden jewel on the shore of the picturesque Lake Pühajärv in South-Estonia. It has been among the best eateries in Estonia for years, by serving top-quality culinary arts. The menu includes many elegant dishes prepared from local ingredients, which always provide a positive surprise. Head chef Koit Uustalu’s efforts are not limited to what is prepared in the kitchen. And the entire team works hard to give the guests a warm welcome and make sure they feel comfortable. And these same values guide the entire staff at the GMP Clubhotel as a whole.

52 Fine Dining

clubhotel.ee

Tue-Thu 12 - 22, Fri-Sat 12 - 23, Sun 12 - 20, Tennisevälja 1, Otepää, +372 50 733 74

Joyce

Joy of Flavours The excellent choice of flavours at the Joyce restaurant is a delight. The proprietors have discovered that elusive something that makes a good restaurant into an excellent one. The menu creates unexpected harmonies, by passionately combining continents and lands. These result in some of the city’s most exciting flavour games, which are played with youthful fervour. Joyce is focused on two values that are understood around the world: ‘joy’, which results from time spent in good company; and the ‘choice’ of impressive flavours that will please any guest.

54 Causal Dining

joyce.ee

Sun-Thu 12 - 23, Fri-Sat 12 - 00, Riia 2, Tartu, +372 53 217 500

Dirhami Kalakohvik Fish Cafe at the End of the World

In the small Dirhami fish café, located in the far corner of Lääne County, where the bounty of the sea reaches the table, the menu is as changeable as the sea itself. Freshly caught fish from the sea or smoked at the local fishery, the harbour and fishing boats, the terrace on a sandy beach, as well as the rushes and sunset view, have all made this small eatery so popular that advance bookings are recommended. The dishes are simple, but full of surprising flavours. Dirhami’s chef has discovered new nuances for preparing the most ordinary local fish, like Baltic herrings and sprats. The wine selection is not large, but harmonises well with the dishes. The service is low-key, and homely, as is typical of the countryside.

56 Causal Dining

dirhami.ee/kalakohvik

Dirhami, Noarootsi, Lääne County, +372 5177 899

Von Gernet CaféRestaurant Boutique hotel restaurant in a noble family’s summer home

In Haapsalu, the newly restored Friedheim villa provides culinary and drink experiences in the Von Gernet café-restaurant. The restaurant has been named after the Gernets, the noble family who formerly owned the building. As is appropriate to its status, the menu caters to the food preferences of the tsarist court and is based on 19th-century cuisine. The classic style has been supplemented with modern ideas from both European and Russian cuisine. The restaurant’s flower-drenched terrace opens directly onto the seafront, providing enchanting sea views. The eye-catching interior design features spacious windows, a von Gernet family photo and display case filled with sumptuous patisserie, i.e., French-style pastries. The Villa Friedham boutique hotel and Von Gernet Restaurant are part of the GMP Group, which has garnered fame among gourmets with the highly regarded Pühajärve GMP Clubhotel restaurant and GMP Patisserie café in Tartu.

58 Causal Dining

villafriedheim.ee

Supeluse 2, Haapsalu, +372 5199 6608

Tallinn Map 6

Kalamaja

Harbour

Old Town 44 38

Kadriorg

Old Town

40 48

Airport

16 10

32 8

Tartu Map

56 58 52