Are you looking for great places to eat during a weekend trip to the capital? Perhaps you are planning a romantic date for your significant other, searching for the perfect place to celebrate your mother’s birthday, or want to discover new flavours with a friend?
Whatever the occasion, it is always worth keeping an eye on Tallinn’s restaurant scene—you never know when the mood for a delicious restaurant meal might strike. Here is our selection of restaurants worth visiting in Tallinn.
When You Are Craving Butter Chicken: Goa Restaurant
If you are strolling around Linnahall or Kalarand, or have just visited the Estonian Museum of Contemporary Art or the Energy Discovery Centre, make sure to seek out Goa Restaurant, which serves delicious Indian and Thai cuisine.
At Goa, you can expect flavourful dishes, generous portions, a cosy atmosphere and attentive, courteous service.
Come and try their melt-in-your-mouth royal butter chicken—and be sure to bring your vegetarian friends along, as the menu also offers plenty of choices for them.
Mediterranean Flavours: Cafe Tempo
If you are exploring Kalamaja’s wooden-house district or visiting the galleries and exhibitions in Telliskivi, Cafe Tempo is an excellent place to stop for a meal.
Located near Balti Jaam, the restaurant first catches the eye with its striking interior. Operating as a bakery and café during the day, it is housed in a former warehouse, allowing guests to enjoy the flavours of the Eastern Mediterranean in an intriguing industrial setting.
The restaurant occupies a former car workshop—think galvanised ventilation pipes, a black-and-white chequered floor and an open kitchen. Many of the dishes are prepared on an authentic charcoal grill.
The menu is designed for sharing and offers a selection of distinctive Mediterranean dips and sauces. The perfect finishing touch is the soft-serve ice cream, which guests cannot praise highly enough.
The Best Brunch Spot: Grenka
Grenka is a delightful brunch restaurant on Pärnu Road. Visitors to Tallinn will need to take a short walk to reach it, as the restaurant is located approximately 20 minutes from the Old Town—but it is well worth the journey.
The menu features all the mouth-watering breakfast classics you could wish for, including pancakes, syrniki, various omelettes, avocado toast with scrambled eggs and much more.
Naturally, you will also find grenkas—open-faced sandwiches—on the menu. Before ordering several, however, keep in mind that these are not small snacks but substantial main courses. The bread is often completely hidden beneath generous portions of meat, fish or vegetables. Enjoy!
A Little Piece of Italy in Viimsi: Cannella Pizza
If you have come to splash around at Atlantis H2O Aquapark, visit the Estonian War Museum or simply enjoy a walk by the sea in Viimsi, make sure to stop for a meal at Cannella Pizza.
Located near the sea, Cannella Pizza serves classic Neapolitan-style pizzas that some guests claim are even better than those in Italy. In addition to the excellent pizzas, the restaurant offers a cosy atmosphere, enhanced by Italian music playing in the background.
Two-Metre-Long Noodles: Xinhai 1911 Restaurant & Bar
Located at Balti Jaam, this restaurant is sure to delight every lover of Asian cuisine. Xinhai 1911 is the perfect choice if you are looking for authentic Chinese food rather than its Europeanised counterpart.
The restaurant is worth visiting for its signature dish alone: Biang Biang noodles. These handmade noodles are five centimetres wide and two metres long, and are seasoned with a variety of herbs and oils.
Sour, salty and spicy flavours come together beautifully in every bite. Add friendly service, strong cocktails and generous portions, and there is a good chance this will become your new favourite restaurant in Tallinn.
For Oyster Lovers: Nautilus
If you are strolling through Rotermann Quarter or have visited the Estonian Museum of Architecture, head towards the harbour, where Nautilus Oyster Bar awaits.
As its name suggests, this restaurant is an excellent choice for seafood lovers. Alongside its extensive selection of oysters, Nautilus serves lavish seafood platters. Local fish is rarely found on the menu, but the restaurant makes up for it with an exceptionally varied wine selection.