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Source: Rasmus Jurkatam, Visit Tallinn

Time traveling in Tallinn's restaurants

Tallinn's historic medieval taverns, elegant cafés, and retro restaurants offer diners a chance to step back in time while enjoying a delicious meal.

A trip to Tallinn is the closest you may ever come to time travel.

Thanks to the cobblestone streets and red-topped roofs, the medieval vibe is a given, but your time travel experience doesn't have to stop in the Middle Ages. These historic Tallinn eateries can transport you back to any point in the last two hundred years.

Dine like a medieval merchant

Olde Hansa is Tallinn's most famous medieval restaurant. Great care has been taken to transport you back to the Middle Ages as soon as you step inside — a rustic interior, strolling musicians, and long tables with wooden benches. The food is prepared according to 15th-century recipes. You won't find potatoes on the menu as they didn't arrive in Europe until much later, but you can have your fill of bear stew, barley, and mead.

Peppersack, Tallinn's second largest medieval restaurant, is right across from Olde Hansa. A sack hangs over the door, typical signage used centuries ago. The food here tends to be more contemporary, but they do brew their own beer according to an old traditional recipe.

A more intimate medieval experience can be had on the Town Hall Square at III Draakon, named for the three dragons adorning the Town Hall's exterior wall. Reminiscent of a humble medieval tavern, this quaint locale offers rich elk soup and flaky pastries. And don't forget to grab a pickle from the big wooden barrel before you dig in!

Olde Hansa specializes in food made with medieval recipes

Source: Karl Markus Antson

Olde Hansa

Source: Olde Hansa

Restaurant Peppersack is located at the heart of Tallinn's Old Town in a building with an interesting history. Peppersack or 'a sack of pepper' has en

Restoran Peppersack

Source: Restoran Peppersack

III Draakon

Source: III Draakon

Olde Hansa

Restaurants

The medieval restaurant Olde Hansa is the home of a rich merchant, whose guests enjoy delicious, authentic Hansa-era meals and drinks, authentic...

Source: Toomas Tuul

Medieval Estonia and the Hanseatic League

Estonia was a key location for the merchants of the Hanseatic League. Here's where to go and what to see if you're interested in medieval history.

Elegant eateries untouched by time

Café Maiasmokk is Estonia's oldest continuously operating café. The café opened in 1864 on Pikk Street in Old Town, and the interior has remained unchanged for over a century. Visitors can find a marzipan room at the front of the building where they can learn more about the history of marzipan.

Restaurant Gloria opened in 1937 and has always been a haven for the Tallinn elite. Plush carpets, mirrors, chandeliers — dinner here is a memorable Art Deco experience featuring local dishes with a French flair.

Source: Renee Altrov, Visit Tallinn

The story of one of the oldest cafés in Tallinn, which has continuously been operating ever since, began in 1864. Café Maiasmokk is unique due to its

Kohvik Maiasmokk

Source: Kohvik Maiasmokk

Gloria veinikelder

Source: Gloria veinikelder

Café Maiasmokk

Cafes

The story of one of the oldest cafés in Tallinn, which has continuously been operating ever since, began in 1864. Café Maiasmokk is unique due to its...

The best of Tallinn's retro restaurants

Tuljak is a classic Tallinn restaurant that first opened in 1964. The restaurant has been completely renovated, earning it a spot in the Estonian MICHELIN Guide. Diners will enjoy delicious Estonian dishes with a modern touch in a beautiful glass building recognized as a masterpiece of Estonian modernist architecture.

Pegasus opened its doors in 1962 and has become a Tallinn institution. The Estonian Writer's House is across the street, making it a meeting place for poets and writers. Seating at Pegasus is spread over several floors, and the restaurant features an unobtrusive retro style. The high windows on the upper floors offer a beautiful view of Old Town.

Most Tallinners have probably been to Narva Kohvik at some point, as this café has been around for over 70 years. The real star of the menu at Narva Kohvik is the kringel — take your pick from a list of dozens of sweet or savory options. The clientele skews towards older folk who like to swap stories over a cup of coffee and a slice of cake.

Orange chairs and retro vibes at Tuljak in Tallinn

Source: Näljane Nelik, Tuljak

Café Narva has been operating for over 70 years. The café still looks like it did in the early days, but over the years, we have won the hearts of our

Kohvik Narva Facebook

Source: Kohvik Narva Facebook

tuljak.ee

Source: tuljak.ee

Pegasus Facebook

Source: Pegasus Facebook

Café Narva

Cafes

Café Narva has been operating for over 70 years. The café still looks like it did in the early days, but over the years, we have won the hearts of...

Source: Kadi-Liis Koppel, Visit Tallinn

Renovation and ruins: Soviet-era buildings around Estonia

Some have been given new life, others have fallen into ruin. Either way, they tell the tale of Estonia's Soviet occupation in the twentieth century.

Classic confections to take home

Kalev sweets and chocolates have been beloved by Estonians for over 200 years. The company dates back to 1806 when a sweet shop began in the building that would later house Café Maiasmokk. While Kalev sweets can be found at any grocery store, you'll find a larger selection at the Kalev store in Rotermann Quarter. Choose from the entire range of the factory's traditional sweets, exclusive hand-made chocolates, and hand-painted marzipan figures.

Vana Tallinn liqueur is another classic Estonian treat you can pack home as a souvenir. The recipe was invented in 1960 and combines rum and exotic spices with citrus accents. Vana Tallinn liqueur can also be found in all local grocery stores or visit the Liviko Distillery's interactive museum. Take some home and enjoy neat or splashed into a cup of coffee or hot cocoa. Insider tip: Kalev makes Vana Tallinn cream chocolates — the best of both worlds together in one box!

Hand-painted marzipan figures in Tallinn at Maiasmokk Cafe

Source: Renee Altrov, Visit Tallinn

Kalev Chocolate Shop, located in the historical Rotermann Quarter, prepares gift boxes of different sizes and shapes put together from your favourite

Orkla Eesti AS

Source: Orkla Eesti AS

Orkla Eesti AS

Source: Orkla Eesti AS

Liviko AS

Source: Liviko AS

Liviko AS

Source: Liviko AS

Kalev Chocolate Shop in the Rotermann Quarter

Local convenience stores

Kalev Chocolate Shop, located in the historical Rotermann Quarter, prepares gift boxes of different sizes and shapes put together from your favourite...