The Best Restaurants in Tallinn, Estonia City Guide & Map

The capital of Estonia has a booming food scene dominated by young chefs focused on local produce and modern cooking techniques. They honor Estonian traditions while also drawing inspiration from abroad. The result is an eclectic mix of mostly Russian and Nordic cuisine, but also with French and Japanese influences.

In this city map, we have gathered all our favorite spots to create the best restaurant guide to Tallinn. You will find coffee shops, wine and cocktail bars, bakeries, and casual restaurants. Navigate the map easily either by scrolling through the list on the right or by clicking the points on the map. Places are listed in geographical order.

Great news for all pastry lovers – one of the world’s best bakeries is located in Tallinn! Kenneth Karjane has opened Karjase Sai (translated: Shepherd’s Bread) in the new Põhjala Tehas neighborhood. Karjane started baking bread out of a racing car garage a few years ago, and opened his own place in January 2020. He's taken inspiration from some of his favorite bakeries around the world, and, in our opinion, he's refined some of their signature items and made them even better than the original. The savory pastries especially blew us away – one had caramelized onions and cheese, one had bacon and 'nduja, and one had tomato and goat cheese. The cardamom and cinnamon buns were soft and fluffy, and definitely on par with what you find in Sweden. The almond croissant was a multi-layered miracle, filled with a juicy almond paste. The pastel de nata was also really impressive, with a great vanilla flavor. This is a MUST visit in Tallinn.

If we lived in Tallinn, we would eat here every week! Barbarea is the evening concept of Karjase Sai, which operates as a bakery during the day (serving pastries, coffee and bread), and at night switches to Barbarea, serving small seasonal dishes, pizza, dessert, natural wine, and Mikkeller beer. (It's a slice of Copenhagen in Tallinn!) We loved the pepperoni pizza with fennel seeds and spicy honey (which reminded us of Roberta's pizza in NYC!) and we were intrigued by the mapo tofu pizza. Barbarea's pizza is sourdough-based, with a higher hydration than most pizzas. The dough is a mix of Estonian and Italian flours. Other must-order dishes include the hummus served with warm and fluffy pita bread, and the malawach (a flaky, layered bread made from croissant dough) served with a dip of labneh, alliums, and whitefish roe. Most ingredients come from the community garden, their greenhouse, and local Estonian farms.

KOKOMO first began brewing coffee in 2013 at a small café on Muhu, an island a few hours outside of Tallinn. They opened their first coffee shop in 2018 in the Rotermann Quarter, before moving to Põhjala Tehas in 2019. Now, KOKOMO mostly operates as a micro roastery (one of the few in Tallinn) with a focus on single-origin beans, but you can drop by their shop for a coffee during their limited opening hours, Wednesday through Friday. We tried an Ethopian hand brew with a V60 – it was lightly roasted just the way we like it, with notes of floral, rose, honey, bergamot. They also offer espresso-based drinks.

While in the Põhjala Tehas neighborhood, grab a beer or a drink at Botik. The setting is truly one-of-a-kind (like stepping into a Balinese jungle or an enchanted forest), with a ping pong table, a swing set, a greenhouse, a treehouse rooftop bar, and benches in the woods illuminated by string lights. In Estonian, “botik” is a funny nickname for “rubber boot,” which is appropriate since the space was formerly a rubber boot factory.

Viru Burger is where you want to go if you’re craving a burger in Tallinn! The owner Mart Klaas was a former sous chef at Art Priori (together with Orm Oja) before opening his burger joint, which he started as a food truck before opening a permanent location near Port Noblessner. 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 – it hit the spot!

If you love craft beer and barbecue, you’re going to want to check out the tap room of Põhjala Brewery in the Port Noblessner waterfront area. The space is super cute, with sunny outdoor seating on a balcony if the weather is nice, and a sauna for rent inside if it's chilly. We tried two sour beers (raspberry and orange), which 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 that were extremely moist, perfectly marbled, melt-in-your-mouth meat, served with tasty classic sauces on the side (Alabama white, Carolina mustard, and a tangy Texas BBQ sauce). The barbecue plates come with a Parker House roll, coleslaw, and pickles.

After exploring Fotografiska’s frequently rotating photography exhibit, head upstairs to their rooftop restaurant for dinner. Just like at their Stockholm outpost, the philosophy of the kitchen at Fotografiska in Tallinn is zero waste – they use every part of every ingredient and compost any leftovers in their garden. Chef Peeter Pihel is head of the kitchen; he was formerly the sous chef at Faviken under Magnus Nilsson. The menu changes seasonally and lots of the ingredients come from their own garden. We loved the dishes we tried here (the potatoes and chanterelles served with hollandaise was a stand out!), and they have a great wine list with lots of our favorite producers – we even found a bottle of Gut Oggau on the menu. Fotografiska’s rooftop has one of the best views of the Tallinn 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.

F-Hoone (Building F) is an institution and community gathering spot in Telliskivi – the artsy, creative area of Tallinn. Owned and operated by the hipster couple Priit Juurmann (aka DJ P.Julm) and Yoko Alender, who also run Frank Bistro and its cocktail bar, Frank Underground. F-Hoone is located in a former military factory compound that has been renovated – but only minimally, in order to preserve the original look. The restaurant is open from morning to late evening, offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Telliskivi’s newest cocktail bar, Fono, is run by talented bartender Henri Jürgenstein (formerly of Frank Underground). When you see the blue and white striped building, drop in for a cocktail. Skip the specials, and go for the classics here – the expertly prepared daiquiri was a stand out for us!

Balti Jaama Turg is the modern food market in Tallinn (there's also a more traditional one called Tallinn Central Market). Baojaam is our favorite food stall here, serving Taiwanese-inspired gua bao – soft steamed buns filled with meat and vegetables. The buns are made from scratch in the tiny kitchen, but with wheat flour instead of rice. Head chef Mihkel Rand worked at NOA Chef's Hall and got inspired to start experimenting with baos by a colleague who made them for staff meal there. Baojaam also has opened a location in the Tallinn old town.

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, Andres Siem, himself. 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 tastes of summer, of fresh berries bursting in your mouth; it's tart and refreshing with a wonderful savory note from the rosemary. We also loved the Mediterranean vodka gimlet, with bergamot, kaffir lime, vodka, and lemon. For the negroni lovers – you’re in good hands. Siem has a whole page of creative variations on the Italian classic, including one made with Japanese umeshu (plum liqueur).

Tallinn’s most luxurious hotel, the Telegraaf Hotel, is located in the heart of the old town. The historic building was constructed in 1878 and was formerly a post office. During World War II, the site served as the main hub for telegraph communications, so when it became a hotel, they named it the Telegraaf Hotel to commemorate its rich history. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in the spacious Alexander Graham Bell suite; the modern interior design is juxtaposed by historical touches (a four-poster bed and vintage rotary phones), and the sleek master bathroom has a deep, soaking bathtub as well as a rain shower. All hotel guests have access to the swimming pool and saunas in the relaxing spa area, where massages and other treatments are available. Breakfast is served daily in the atrium – both a buffet and à la carte options are provided.

Your best option for dinner in the touristy Tallinn old town is the cozy, casual restaurant Rado, run by chef Radoslav Mitro. The menu is changing constantly, sometimes daily, with only a few staple dishes, such as the cauliflower with parmesan cream and crispy onions. Rado has a lot of funky ingredients on the menu – on our visit they were serving an udder schnitzel, they’ve previously offered a bear schnitzel, and they often serve offals. We weren’t so adventurous in our choices, but we enjoyed the beef tartare, the burrata with tomatoes and peaches, and the chanterelle risotto. Rado also has a few natural wines on their list.

Frank Underground is the cellar cocktail bar of restaurant Frank (American-style bistro). Owner Priit Juurmann (aka DJ P. Julm) has ambitions of a place on the World's 50 Best Bars-list with this classic drinks concept. Try the Grumpy Old Man and the Munich Mule.

Parrot Minibar is a restaurant with a focus on cocktail pairings, with an extravagant parrot-themed interior design. On the main floor, you can order food and drinks, but if you open the wardrobe and walk through it, you'll find that the stairs bring you down one floor to a speakeasy bar. Ask for the secret Gin Sour cocktail.

Whisper Sister is one of our long-time favorite cocktail bars in Tallinn. It's a speakeasy in the true sense, with a completely anonymous entrance area. (Hint: call the telephone number on the door.) Whisper Sister has many rooms with various interior design which allow for different atmospheres. Their drinks are well-balanced, with clean, minimalist presentations. Our favorites were the Hopes and Dreams (with chacha, pisco, rhubarb, and verjus), the Banana Lollipop (a fizzy banana soda with rum and lime), and the Seven Lucky Gods (with gin, citrus ponzu vinegar, yuzu, pandan leaf, and lime).

Røst is one of the top coffee shops in Tallinn, sourcing coffee from some of the top roasteries in Scandinavia and Northern-Europe, such as La Cabra in Aarhus. Røst is also a sourdough bakery that makes traditional Swedish pastries like cardamom and cinnamon buns. Don't miss their delicious lemon poppyseed buns.

The sourdough bakery Kotzebue has changed locations and expanded from a simple bakery into a full restaurant. The bakery was originally founded by Peeter Pihel and Maido Maiste, but Pihel is no longer involved (now that he is in charge of the kitchen at Fotografiska). Tsunft serves breakfast every day – lots of egg dishes, sourdough toasts, and other things highlighting their housemade bread. We tried the caramelized onion and cheese toast with gouda, ramson, and rosemary, the crayfish smørrebrød, scrambled eggs on toast, and an amazing side dish of confit garlic, tomatoes, and mozzarella. Tsunft is also partly owned by a wine importer who imports lots of wine bottles, as well as Italian products like pasta and olive oil.

Although Paper Mill Coffee only opened in September 2020, owner Margus Varvas is no rookie to the coffee scene. He first started brewing coffee in a mobile van outside of London tube stations, before opening the Mousetail specialty coffee chain. After the pandemic, he moved back to Estonia to open his own roastery in Tallinn. The location is one-of-a-kind: inside the firehouse of an old paper factory (hence the name). Paper Mill is, without a doubt, the best roaster in Tallinn, and is a must-stop coffee shop for any bean geeks visiting Estonia. Recently, they added a second location in the city center, inside the Viru Food Hall.

Restaurant Mon Repos is situated in a lovely, blue-painted, wooden villa dating back to 1870, which overlooks the Kadriorg Park. The casual eatery is led by chef Vladislav Djatsuk (formerly of the fine dining restaurant Tchaikovsky) and the style is an internationally influenced kitchen that relies on modern cooking techniques. Don't miss the seasonal bird liver dish with brioche.

Tuljak is one of the oldest restaurants in Tallin, dating back to 1965. It was completely refurbished and renewed some years ago by the restaurant group that also owns OKO, NOA, and NOA Chef's Hall, into a modern Estonian restaurant. From the à la carte menu at Tuljak, you want the tartare and the bird's nest dessert. Their black bread serving is one of the best, and comes complete with roasted pork belly, mustard, and crispy onions.

Restaurant OKO is located on the outskirts of Tallinn, a good 30 minutes drive by car, and technically belongs to Haabneeme in Viimsi. Located right on the beach with a stunning view of the Baltic Sea, it is well worth the trip; also because OKO is home to some of the best pizza in the capital area. Don't miss the dirty truffle, parmesan-drizzled fries with aioli.