The Best Restaurants in Tallinn City Guide & Map

Tallinn is one of the most exciting food destinations in Northern Europe and a must-visit city for food lovers. The Estonian capital has a thriving restaurant scene led by a new generation of chefs who combine local ingredients and traditional Estonian flavors with global inspiration. You’ll find everything from Michelin-starred fine dining restaurants and modern bistros to cozy cafés, natural wine bars, and specialty coffee roasters. Tallinn’s mix of innovation, sustainability, and heritage makes it one of the best (and most underrated!) cities in Europe for food.

In this Tallinn food map, we’ve gathered all our favorite restaurants, cafés, bakeries, and bars – from the best fine dining spots to casual restaurants and coffee shops. If you’re wondering where to eat in Tallinn, this guide highlights the very best places to eat and drink across the city. Explore the map by scrolling through the list on the right or clicking the pins to plan your ultimate Tallinn food adventure. All locations are listed in geographical order.

Great news for all pastry lovers – one of the world’s best bakeries is located in Tallinn! Kenneth Karjane first started baking bread out of a racing car garage before opening his own bakery in the Põhjala Tehas neighborhood. Karjase Sai also has a second café at Balti Jaama Turg. The savory pastries especially impressed us – one inspired by lasagna was filled with a rich bolognese sauce and topped with a cheesy crisp, a cacio e pepe croissant was filled with a truffle and black pepper cream, and a bear claw was stuffed with caramelized onions and cheese. Our absolute favorite was a sweet and spicy croissant swirl with prosciutto and a drizzle of hot honey. Of course, there are also pastries for those with a sweet tooth, including apple and cardamom chaussons, chocolate and almond croissants, and cinnamon buns. This is a must-visit in Tallinn.

If we lived in Tallinn, we would eat here every week! Barbarea serves seasonal small plates featuring ingredients from local Estonian farms. The dishes rotate frequently, but regardless of what’s on the menu, there’s always a strong focus on flavor. Our minds were recently blown by the sweet-and-salty onion soup croquettes with Comté and the creamy hummus topped with cumin-spiced lamb. This dip was served with some of the best malawach we’ve ever had – a flaky, layered bread made from croissant dough from their bakery. Get a sourdough pizza for the table; we love the pepperoni pizza with spicy honey and the mushroom pizza with stracciatella and truffles. Barbarea is a destination restaurant worth planning a trip to Tallinn for.

Kokomo first began brewing coffee in 2013 at a small café on Muhu, an island a few hours outside Tallinn, and opened a small coffee shop in Põhjala Tehas in 2019. Today, Kokomo still roasts on site (with a focus on single-origin beans) but has expanded into a larger café with more seating. For pour-overs, you can pick from a selection of their beans roasted in-house. Our favorite was a natural Ethiopian coffee brewed with a V60 – lightly roasted just the way we like it, juicy with notes of papaya, strawberry, and dried mango.

If you’re looking for a restaurant experience that feels like dining in a friend’s house, grab a seat at the communal counter at Vesta. We instantly felt at home in this funky yellow house, partly because every dish felt like a brown butter blanket of comfort. The dish that stole our hearts was the onion pie – deep-fried dough filled with sweet caramelized onions and topped with creamy stracciatella, shaved truffles, and a drizzle of balsamic. The beef tartare is one of the best we’ve had, served with smoky-sweet café de Paris mayo and fluffy focaccia. Vesta is a bread-staurant! We also loved the mushroom agnolotti served in a pool of brown butter with hazelnuts, chives, and grated cheese. Finish the meal with a house-made grapefruit-cello or cherry snaps based on their grandma’s recipe.

If you love craft beer and barbecue, check out the taproom at Põhjala Brewery in the Port Noblessner waterfront area. The space is super cute, with sunny outdoor seating on the balcony when the weather’s nice, and a sauna for rent inside when it’s chilly. We tried two sour beers (raspberry and orange) that were light, juicy, and refreshing. On the food side, Põhjala serves mostly simple bar snacks (onion rings, beef jerky, burgers, fries, and toasts), but they have surprisingly authentic American barbecue. We ordered a few slabs of brisket – extremely moist, perfectly marbled, melt-in-your-mouth meat – served with classic sauces on the side (Alabama white, Carolina mustard, and tangy Texas BBQ). The barbecue plates come with a Parker House roll, coleslaw, and pickles.

Calling all carb and cheese lovers – The Kurze is the restaurant for you! This Dagestani gem is named after its signature dish: rainbow-colored dumplings in a variety of flavors. Order them individually, or do like us and get a mix of all the options – lamb, beef, cheese, potato, and spiced butternut squash. Of course, an order of hachapuri needs to be on your table. If you’ve had Georgian food, you know this iconic dish – a bread boat filled with cheese, topped with butter and an egg yolk. We also loved the chuttu flatbread filled with cheese and herbs, and the hinkali dumplings filled with lamb and beef.

After exploring Fotografiska’s rotating photography exhibits, head upstairs to the rooftop restaurant for dinner. Just like at their Stockholm outpost, the philosophy at Fotografiska Tallinn is zero waste – they use every part of every ingredient and compost any leftovers. The menu changes seasonally, and many of the ingredients come from their own garden. We loved the dishes we tried here, and the wine list features many of our favorite producers – we even spotted a bottle of Gut Oggau. Fotografiska’s rooftop has one of the best views of Tallinn’s Old Town and the urban Telliskivi neighborhood, so even if you don’t go for the full meal, a drink at the bar is highly recommended.

The Brick is a specialty coffee shop in Telliskivi and one of the top roasters in Tallinn. Guests literally sit inside the roastery, allowing them firsthand insight into the roasting process. Espresso drinks and pour-overs are available – our favorite was an Ethiopian with key lime freshness and jasmine notes. The Brick serves pastries from Papermill as well as simple sandos like egg salad or tuna that they make in-house.

Former fine dining chefs Roman Zaštšerinski and Igor Andrejev left high-end gastronomy behind to open a restaurant that feels like home. Moon serves modern Slavic food in a cozy setting. The must-order dishes are the meat-filled Siberian dumplings, the pike perch dumplings, and the butter-soaked buckwheat blinis served with sour cream, onions, and whitefish roe. We also loved the Chicken à la Kiev – a breaded cutlet stuffed with herb butter.

Turbo is a spin-off from the VLND Burger team, serving takeaway smash burgers from a kiosk in the hip Telliskivi ‘hood. The menu here is more succinct and more fast food–style compared to the creative options at VLND, but these simple smash burgers pack a punch. Our favorite is the Turbo Original, with two thin, compact organic beef patties with a great smash on them, topped with spicy chili mayo, cheese, and pickles.

From the team behind our favorite restaurant in Tallinn, Barbarea, comes an encore: Café Tempo. This Telliskivi hotspot serves a Middle Eastern-inspired menu featuring lots of breads and spreads. Start your meal with fluffy challah, sesame-sprinkled barbari, or flaky malawach (the must-order), and swipe them through creamy labneh with pesto, sweet hummus, or a punchy paprika and feta dip. Your meal should heavily focus on the items from the grill, like the lamb kebab with confit garlic sauce and spicy pepper oil, the chicken thigh with brown butter pepper sauce, and the slow-roasted grilled cabbage with rich cheese sauce. Save room for the cinnamon bun soft serve with salted caramel!

You’ll find our favorite burger in Tallinn at VLND, Estonia’s foremost high-quality burger chain. The name is short for Viljandi, where the concept first began as a pop-up burger party in the south of Estonia. Since then, VLND has opened a stall at Balti Jaama Turg and also operates the menu at Mikkeller in the Old Town. Our favorite is the Butter Boy, featuring a semi-smashed beef patty, slivered white onions, mayo, cheese, and crispy bacon bits in a butter-toasted potato bun. This is a burger that hits the spot!

Balti Jaama Turg is a food market located next to the Balti Jaama train station. You’ll find everything here – from fruit and vegetable purveyors to bakeries selling the iconic Estonian black bread to fast-food stalls. Our favorite Tallinn burger chain, VLND, and the SAI! sandwich shop both have locations here, and we love the Taiwanese-inspired gua bao (soft steamed buns filled with meat and vegetables) at Baojaam. Don’t leave without trying the coconut macaroons at Surf Cafe – our favorite flavor was lemongrass, but we also liked the plain coconut and gingerbread varieties.

Pinkies up! Botaanik is our favorite cocktail bar in Tallinn. Like the name implies, the drinks are quite floral in nature, made from organic ingredients and fresh syrups handmade by the botanist himself, Andres Siem. We were swept off our feet by the vintage furniture and charming interior design – and then we took a sip of our first drink. The rosemary-strawberry vodka sour tasted like summer, with fresh berries bursting in your mouth – foamy strawberries and cream, but tart and refreshing instead of cloyingly sweet. We also loved the Mediterranean vodka gimlet with bergamot, makrut lime, vodka, and lemon. For negroni lovers, you’re in good hands – Siem has a whole page of creative variations on the Italian classic, including one made with plum liqueur.

Veino is Tallinn’s coziest wine bar – a colorful, eclectic space that makes you feel at home, complete with rainbow-painted walls, wooden beams, and even giant stuffed ducks to keep you company. There are over 400 wines available by the glass, including around 70 different Champagnes, so whether you’re after a crisp, classic bubble or some funky, fermented juice, there’s something for everyone. For the best experience, chat with one of the friendly owners and let them guide you to a new discovery.

Estonia’s oldest hotel, dating back almost two centuries, was recently renovated and is now the crown jewel of Tallinn. This luxury boutique property is a hub for foodies, with a bakery, cocktail bar, European fine dining restaurant, Japanese omakase restaurant, and Cantonese restaurant all on-site. A decadent à la carte breakfast is included for all guests, and afternoon tea at the hotel is a multi-tiered affair featuring teas from the Rare Tea Company, Champagne, and caviar-topped snacks. Spacious suites overlook the cobbled streets of the Old Town, and turndown service includes a menu of different pillows to choose from, as well as daily treats like madeleines, chocolates, and high-quality amenities. In the basement, you’ll find a spa with a Japanese bath, jacuzzi, and steam room, and massages are also available.

Japanese restaurant Koyo made history as the first omakase in the Baltics. The intimate chef’s counter seats only eleven guests, who get to watch as Japanese chef Kazuto Hokari prepares a seasonal menu. Dishes rotate, but seafood is always in the spotlight, with steamed and yakitori-grilled fish alongside sashimi, nigiri, and even hand rolls topped with caviar. We also loved the charcoal-grilled A5 wagyu from Kagoshima – melt-in-the-mouth, marbled meat cooked to perfection and served simply with salt, wasabi, and shichimi togarashi.

Maison François, named after its third-generation baker, is a French- and Belgian-inspired artisanal bakery. On the shelves, you’ll find loaves of bread and a selection of viennoiserie, from pistachio-filled croissants to saffron palmiers. The sourdough breads are long-fermented, kneaded by hand, and baked in a traditional wood-fired oven. The café also has a full breakfast and lunch menu featuring classics like French onion soup, a fluffy omelette, cheese croquettes, and a croque monsieur loaded with béchamel on butter-toasted bread.

VLND Burger, our favorite burger shop in Tallinn, has taken over the kitchen at Mikkeller Old Town. On the menu here are burger specials you won’t find at any of their other locations, including our favorite: the Oklahoma Onion Smash. It’s a meaty miracle with griddled white onions, beer pickles, American cheddar, special sauce, and two semi-smashed organic beef patties with a juicy center and crispy edge, all served on a fluffy potato bun. Alongside the vast beer list, they also have an excellent selection of natural wines and gløgg in the winter.

Bruto is a small cookie café in Tallinn’s Old Town serving chunky, American-style cookies. The counter is choco-chip-full of creative cookie flavors, from well-loved classics like triple chocolate chip to seasonal specials like pumpkin spice chai and gingerbread. We tried them all! Our favorite? The Christmas “stollen” cookie, delicately flavored with orange blossom, stuffed with a nutty frangipane filling, and dusted with powdered sugar.

Whisper Sister is a speakeasy in the true sense, with a completely anonymous entrance. (Hint: call the telephone number on the door.) If you can find your way in, you'll be rewarded with creative and well balanced drinks. Favorites on a recent visit included the “Hidden Current,” a tropical rum sour with guava and falernum, garnished with a melon sphere rolled in pop rock candy, and the “Confession,” made with thyme-infused tequila, limoncino, and vanilla ice cream, served in a glass shaped like a popsicle. Whisper Sister is one of our favorite cocktail bars in Tallinn.

SAI! is a fast-food sandwich shop with a big menu ranging from simple grilled cheese on white bread to Italian-style focaccia sandwiches and more decadent creations like a croque monsieur or chicken parm. Sides include fried favorites such as onion rings, fried pickles, French fries, and mozzarella sticks. SAI! has a location in Tallinn’s Old Town and at the Balti Jaama Turg food market.

Chef Orm Oja was one of Estonia’s top fine dining chefs (running the kitchen at Noa Chef’s Hall) before switching directions to open more casual eateries. Now, he has two Italian restaurants in the heart of the Old Town. At his pizzeria, he serves incredible Neapolitan-style pizza that’s light and fluffy, with squishy dough and a wonderful chew. The menu features luxury toppings like fresh truffles, porchetta, and caramelized onion jam.

With red-checkered tables and Italian music playing, a meal at La Cucina di Orm Oja will transport you straight to Italy. This cozy restaurant in the Old Town is run by former fine dining chef Orm Oja – but don’t expect anything fancy. This is classic Italian food at its best. Go heavy on the pasta – we loved the thin, slippery taglioni topped with fresh truffles, the rigatoni carbonara with an egg yolk sauce and crispy guanciale, and the ravioli with brown butter, crispy sage, and black trumpet mushrooms. Don’t miss the signature crispy artichoke starter or the gooey, golden, double-fried French fries, both topped with a generous amount of fresh truffle shavings, Parmesan cheese strings, and an addictively delicious truffle hollandaise with a citrusy brightness.

While Tallinn’s Old Town is full of tourist traps, the cozy, casual restaurant Rado, run by chef Radoslav Mitro, is a safe bet. The menu changes constantly, sometimes daily, with only a few staple dishes such as the cauliflower with Parmesan cream and crispy onions. Rado often features funky ingredients – on our visit they were serving an udder schnitzel; they’ve previously offered a bear schnitzel and frequently serve offal. We weren’t quite that adventurous, but we enjoyed the beef tartare, the burrata with tomatoes and peaches, and the chanterelle risotto.

Gambetta is a newer cocktail bar on Tallinn’s drink scene, located in the Old Town. Their goal is simple: to make smashable cocktails for the community. With us, they succeeded! We loved the fresh and easy-drinking “Sir Buckthorn” sour and the clarified piña colada packed with toasted coconut. The friendly bartenders encouraged us to go off-menu, so we got creative and ordered a three-rum daiquiri with notes of pineapple, ginger, and spices, and a gingerbread sour made with spiced rum, mandarin liqueur, crème de cacao, and Angostura bitters.

Sanga is a sandwich shop with a menu of six classics, plus rotating seasonal specials. The space is hip – like a modern cafeteria – with metal tables, employees in blue work jackets, and Kendrick Lamar playing over the speakers. The fried chicken Caesar sando is the most popular: incredibly juicy fried chicken thighs sandwiched inside fluffy milk bread with bacon, romaine, and Caesar dressing. We also loved the chopped cheese – their take on the classic New York bodega sandwich – with grass-fed beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and special sauce. On the side of your sando, get an order of the crispy, caramelized gochujang chicken nuggets, the truffle mac and cheese balls, or the Moroccan fries with roasted garlic mayo. To drink, try a house-made lemonade, a matcha latte, or a glass of natural wine, and finish with a chocolate chip and Biscoff cookie. This is our top recommendation for lunch in Tallinn.

Mnemonic is a modern cocktail bar in the Rotermann district of Tallinn. The sleek space is illuminated by neon lights, with concrete surfaces, loud music, and a popping late-night vibe that charges the atmosphere with electricity. The playful menu looks like a school workbook and is full of creative cocktails. We loved the dangerously drinkable passionfruit daiquiri slushie and the “Mamacita,” a play on a Pisco Sour with yuzu, pineapple, and lemongrass. For the more adventurous imbibers, try one of their unique creations, like a blue cheese and melon milk punch or a BBQ bacon Bloody Mary with cheddar foam.

Fume is the latest restaurant from the team behind Noa Chef’s Hall – a buzzy, vibey hotspot in the Rotermann district that’s absolutely the place to see and be seen in Tallinn right now. As the name implies, the concept centers around an open-fire grill. The expansive menu has something for everyone, whether it’s grilled leeks with elderflower hollandaise, wild prawns with chili butter and saffron aioli, or entrecôte with pepper sauce. Wash it all down with a glass of Champagne or a signature cocktail served in an over-the-top glass.

Latvian coffee roaster Kalve has expanded into Estonia and now has a few locations in Tallinn. Choose from their large selection of beans if you’d like an Origami Dripper or AeroPress coffee – we sampled coffees from Peru, Brazil, and Guatemala on our visits, but our favorite was the Kenyan, with herbal, grassy notes. Kalve serves pastries from Karjase Sai, as well as takeaway sandos from SAI!

Røst is one of the top coffee shops in Tallinn, sourcing beans from some of the best roasteries in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, such as La Cabra in Aarhus and Drop in Stockholm. Røst is also a sourdough bakery making traditional Swedish pastries like cardamom and cinnamon buns. Be sure to try the lemon poppyseed bun!

Mart Klaas was formerly a fine dining chef before he opened his burger joint. Viru started as a food truck before opening a location near Port Noblessner – now there are two shops in Tallinn as well as one in Tartu. We tried the truffle burger with caramelized onions, truffle mayo, and cheddar cheese on a brioche bun. It was juicy with lots of onions and a rich, umami flavor.

Paper Mill only opened in 2020, but owner Margus Varvas is no rookie to the coffee scene. He first started brewing coffee from a mobile van in London, then opened the Mousetail specialty coffee chain before moving back to Estonia to launch a roastery. The location is one of a kind – a former firehouse in the old paper factory. Paper Mill is, without a doubt, the best roaster in Tallinn and a must-stop coffee shop in Estonia. They now have a second location in the city center inside Viru Food Hall and a third in Volta, where they bake fresh pastries such as a cross between a cardamom bun and a tarte Tatin, a brunsviger swirl, and a savory croissant filled with pork and caramelized onions.

Tuljak is one of the oldest restaurants in Tallinn, dating back to 1965. It was completely refurbished and renewed a few years ago by the restaurant group that also owns OKO, NOA, and NOA Chef's Hall, and has been transformed into a modern Estonian restaurant. From the à la carte menu at Tuljak, you’ll want the tartare and the Bird’s Nest dessert. Their black bread serving is one of the best, served with roasted pork belly, mustard, and crispy onions.

NOA Chef’s Hall has a long-standing reputation as Tallinn’s top restaurant, and earned a Michelin star in 2022. Now, with chef Roman Sidorov at the helm, the menu is more French-inspired, with ingredients like caviar, vin jaune, beurre blanc, and truffle playing starring roles. To match, the wine menu is also more classical in style, with lots of top French producers. Of course, the signature ember-fired leek topped with hollandaise and cured elk remains on the menu – this one can never leave!

Restaurant OKO is located on the outskirts of Tallinn, about a 30-minute drive by car. Situated right on the beach with a stunning view of the Baltic Sea, it’s well worth the trip – not least because OKO is home to some of the best pizza in the area. Don’t miss the “Dirty Truffle” – Parmesan-drizzled fries with aioli.