For gourmets
The modern MEKK restaurant, located on the outskirts of the Old Town, is today one of the most popular establishments in Tallinn. The main concept of the establishment is a tribute to national traditions in cooking, plus environmentally friendly local products.
The menu corresponds to a certain time of the year. In winter, it serves dishes with pickles, pickled and soaked vegetables and berries. In spring, greens, spinach, asparagus, nettle predominate. In summer, salads from fresh vegetables, desserts from fruits and berries, fish are offered in abundance. In autumn — gifts of the forest and garden, all kinds of dishes from mushrooms, game, with touches of fragrant blackberries and sea buckthorn. To all this — the skill of the chef, exquisite decoration and serving each dish as a small culinary masterpiece.
In continuation of the topic of haute cuisine, let’s take a look at the Senso restaurant, located in the city center at the Radisson Blu Olumpia Hotel. Dishes with a slight Italian touch are prepared here. The taste and gaze of gourmets will be pleased with lasagna with saffron, Mascarpone cheese and smoked salmon, stewed lamb leg with apricot chutney, Buffalo salad with mozzarella, beet gazpacho, fried Parma ham and orange sauce and pumpkin gnocchi in herb broth.
With a national flavor
The cuisine with a national flavor can be fully explored in the restaurant “Non-existent Knight” (Olematu Ruutel). This is a fairly democratic institution located in one of the hostels of the city. Here you can taste wild deer fillet with juniper sauce, liver pate flavored with cognac and wine, or traditional soup with pearl barley and smoked sausages. For dinner, you will be offered fruit or berry liqueurs from your own wine cellar.
Bread and circuses
Peppersack Restaurant is located just 30 m from the Town Hall Square in one of the oldest buildings in Tallinn. In 1370, merchant Hans Pepersak lived here. His surname, which translates as “A bag of pepper”, is the name of the restaurant. The medieval menu and the interior of the establishment are complemented by interesting actions: sword fights, opera arias and even belly dancing. The menu will intrigue with its fantastical thematic names of dishes, among which are “Spearman’s Festive Dish”, “Artisan’s Dream” or “Mother Margaret’s Weakness”.
For a beer
Hell Hunt Restaurant. Actually, this is a pub, and the interior and atmosphere are evidence of this. The dishes are simple, there is obviously a rather tangible curtsey towards German or Czech cuisine. But they will cook them so conscientiously and serve them so sincerely that even a connoisseur of delicacies and refined cooking will leave here, falling in love with this place. It is difficult to recommend any of the dishes, try any. The neck carbonate with baked potatoes and onion sauce, and spicy sausages of chopped meat with sauerkraut and cumin will be equally impressive. And, of course, excellent beer is served here! In addition to well-known brands, they brew their own foam drink Hell Hunt, dark and light.
Another such exquisite pub on the Town Hall Square, with the telling name Beer House, again pulls on the title of a restaurant, no other way. Firstly, its scale. The indoor hall can accommodate up to 300 people, 125 on the inner terrace, and in summer the veranda is still open. Secondly, the restaurant has its own small plant for the production of 7 varieties of beer.
The cuisine is delicious and original: game sausages with mustard sauce, fresh cranberry puree, potato pocket with bitter mushrooms and beetroot and horseradish roll. And this is the name of just one dish! Impressive? You can also taste baked rutabaga with rosemary and beer soup with smoked ribs. By the way, you can buy Beer House branded beer in a beautiful ceramic bottle as a gift in the restaurant.
For laconics
For more than 100 years, the cafe-confectionery Maiasmokk (“Delicatessen”) has been famous for its pastries and desserts. Located on the old Pikk Street, with an exquisite interior and maddening smells of cinnamon, vanilla and chocolate, this place is worthy to visit it at least once. Here you can buy chocolate, Kalev candies, famous Estonian liqueurs, creamy Vana Tallinn Cream or raspberry Kannu Kukk.