Tallinn: An overview - Part 10

Eating in the Old Town - continued

Leib, which means “Back Bread”, is just outside the walls at the harbour end of the Old Town. You enter up steps into a garden under the medieval ramparts and can sit indoors or out. The menu, which changes with the seasons has Estonian roots, but with international influences.

Mekk is a small, new, upmarket place whose name stands for “modern Estonian cuisine. ” Their prices are a bit higher than other places but they do offer weekday lunch specials for just €7 but not in the main tourist season of July and August. At this time it is a €35 four course fixed price meal which is only for serious foodies. Although it is available all year, during the high season, then it is the only option.

Right on Freedom Square, you will find Wabadus which faces the modern square. This is a sleek and polished café/restaurant serving coffee, cocktails, and international fare which has been the town meeting place since 1937. If you want to escape the cobbles and crowds of the Old Town then a short walk will ideally get you one of the terrace tables on the square.

Tourist places near the Town Hall Square

Tallinn’s central square is the centre of themed tourism business. This is where you will find loud restaurant touts who will approach passers-by to lure them in for a drink or meal. You will see this more clearly as some are dressed as medieval wenches or giant matryoshka dolls. This can be a bit off-putting however some of these restaurants have quite good food but it will be expensive as someone has to pay for all the people outside. If you are going to eat in the square or surrounding streets then these places are the ones that I would look at first. Before you do any of this you need to decide if you want to eat “Medieval” Estonian or Russian Cuisine.

If the choice is “Medieval” Estonian Cuisine then there are two well-run restaurants just below Town Hall Square which specialize in re-creating medieval food. That means meals from the time before the arrival of the potato and tomato from the New World. They are both over the top touristy, complete with gift shops where you can buy a souvenir goblet. Both have street seating, but you’ll get a better atmosphere inside.

Continued in part 11