Best cafes and restaurants in Estonia!

krikken · Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 9

Pastries are a weird thing in Estonia, very hit and miss. Occasionally you come across a cellar bar that has a humble lihapirukas (meat pie) made by a no-name bakery that is overstuffed and delicious. I ordered a seenepirukas (mushroom pie) in the Reval Cafe on Liivalia and the filling was like salty pulverized earth and cellulose.

You have a restaurant like Pegasus that is perceived as excellent yet it turns out a breakfast croissant that weighs close to a pound. It's not bad, but I have never seen anything like it.

The Reval Cafe chain is a transfat paradise, if you care about such things like people do in New York and California. Partially-hydrogenated industrial goop in vats -- that's how a busy cafe chain can lower food cost.
Imagine how pricey it would be if it had to buy butter and keep it fresh.

For pastries and cakes, try the higher-end non-chains like Le Napoleon or places like the belle epoque style cafe by the pond in Kadriorg.

Or go lower end (cellar bars, corner grocery stores) for pirukad (some have more CIS/FSU pies like belyashes and hachapuris containing or fried in good ol' local canola oil. I like Ristikhein on the corner of Raua and Kreutzwaldi, avoid 2-3 pm when all of the Secondary School No. 21 students line up to get a pie and soda each.

Palhassou · Joined: 21 May 2008 Posts: 17 Location: Nissa

So... back from Baltic Very Happy

Here are my comments (as a tourist) concerning restaurant

in Tallinn:
Beer House:
very nice atmosphere, home made beer, friendly waiters (and beatifull waitresses Shocked

), food was good.

Old Hansa:
Medieval restaurant, good welcome, good beer, correct meal.

Just in front of Old Hansa (I dont remember the name):
another Medieval restaurant, food and meat were excellent, good welcome.

Hesburger: (they are everywhere so we had to try Smile

)
Horrible finish fast food, avoid it if possible even if pictures looks irrestitible !!! lol

Eesti Maja was too far for us Sad

and I couldnt convince my friends.

in Parnu:
Aleksandri pub:
Cheap and correct, lot of food in an original Biker atmosphere ... however take care with drunk russian bikers...

Pizza Stefania:
In your are from Southern Europe wait for your come back home before taking a pizza in Baltic area Wink

Manga 9:
changed owner and name

**Alex** · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 8:09 pm Post subject:

Palhassou -

Feel free to put up some pictures of your trip in the Estonia Photo section if you like.

Glad you had some good meals. Very Happy

_________________
"As much as I converse with sages and heroes, they have very little of my love and admiration. I long for rural and domestic scene, for the warbling of birds and the prattling of my children." ~John Adams