Last weekend we visited Tallinn in Estonia. When it’s windy and rainy, all you'll see are grey, tall and dull buildings. However, when the sun's out, the beauty of this city awakens, bringing you right back to medieval times. You'll understand why Tallinn's Old Town is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. I really loved Tallinn. It’s not a big city, but it’s very pretty and of course I went on the hunt for the best restaurants and hotspots: it’s a hard life being a blogger.
GAME OF THRONES
Right in the heart of the Old Town you’ll find Olde Hansa. This place gives you a glimpse of how medieval times must have been, when the Danes were still ruling this city. High ceilings, brick walls, artists playing their medieval music in their gowns and costumes, lots of candles, great wine and friendly people (not an exception in Tallinn). Is it touristy? Absolutely! Is it worth to stop for a drink or a snack? Hell yes!
LUNCH
A little outside the old town, you’ll find Platz. It’s a cosy place, again with rough brick walls and lots of candles. Make yourself comfortable and don’t be afraid to make the wrong choice from the menu; the food is the perfect combination of culinary and filling. This chef has a perfect taste!
DINNER
Asian food in Tallinn?
Why not! At Chedi it will feel like a night out. Pretty Asian decor, competent staff and the guests are a nice a mixture of business (wo)men and locals. It’s safe to say that this restaurant served on of the most appealing Asian dishes I had ever had; both for the eye as the belly ;-)
Oops, I forgot to take a picture at Chedi, but you can really trust me on this one ;-)
Noa Chef's Hall
Ask a random person from Tallin what’s the best restaurant in the city and you’ll probably get the answer: “NOA”. It’s outside of the city centre, so you’ll have to take a 10 minute drive to get there and because of it’s fame, you’ll need to make a reservation.
We thought we did everything right, but I have to be honest: we were not particularly ‘WOW’ed by the interior, nor the atmosphere. For the best restaurant in town, it all just seemed a bit too informal. Nevertheless, a restaurant is about food and in that sense this restaurant ticks all the boxes. Fine cuisine and a mixture of original flavors. I would order my beetroot risotto and goat cheesecake with basil ice cream any day of the week if I had the chance.
When we left home after our nice dinner, we kept wondering why the scenery didn’t match the food, but we soon discovered. Within the restaurant there’s an informal part called NOA Restaurant, where we had been enjoying our food. However, there's also a part that's called NOA Chef's Hall and that's where we had planned to go (OOPS!). At Noa Chef's Hall guests are surprised with a 7 course high standard menu, so you’ll understand why I promised myself to pay this restaurant a re-visit ;-)
TALLINN DOUZE POINTS?
I used to know Estonia only from the Eurovision Songcontest. Estonian songs that sounded so differents to our Western pop ears, receiving 12 and 10 points from the other Baltic states Latvia and Lithuania, showing you the immense cultural differences within Europe.
However, after our visit I realized Tallinn has the perfect mix: the cultural differences make you want to discover more and the informal friendliness make you feel right at home!
I'm definitely rating this city with 'douze points' and I hope I inspired you to visit this cosy city too!
XX Mieke
Nice to meet you, my name is Mieke Geevers; Givers.
It’s my dream to make it easy for women worldwide to feel good about themselves. Fast reads and videos about sports, food, beauty and fashion. Feel free to browse through my website, comment, like or share, you're welcome!
