It was very challenging for us to eat locally in Estonia. Our second stop in Estonia was Pärnu, where we inquired at the visitor center about the best places to eat local specialties. The woman told us, “There are no such things as Estonian restaurants.” We didn’t understand what “we don’t go out to eat Estonian food” meant, but it left us puzzled. We had no trouble finding local fare in both Lithuania and Latvia. It’s a given that you can find some in Estonia, right? What about the (admittedly limited) traditional dishes we read about online? Even though it may seem challenging at first, finding authentic Estonian cuisines is not impossible. Even though you won’t find many Estonian restaurants outside of Tallinn, that doesn’t mean they don’t serve local dishes.
You can also join a food tour to sample the best of Estonian cuisine in the company of a knowledgeable local. Try a variety of local specialties on this tour of Tallinn. We have compiled a list of all the best things to eat in Estonia so that you can easily find them on the menu. Find them if you can!
The best Estonian cuisines
A Wild Boar
It is a dish made with wild boar from Estonia. If you’re looking to try some delicious game meat, Estonia is the place to go. In Kuressaare, at a windmill restaurant, I discovered that wild boar is one of my favorite meats. This is, in my opinion, the best Estonian food out there. Estonians use the meat in a wide variety of dishes due to its robust flavor and versatility. I ate some of Daniel’s wild boar steak that he had been eating in that Kuressaare windmill. I also had some delicious boar lasagna in Tallinn. You can find wild boar just about anywhere in the United States. This is the dish to order if you’re visiting Estonia and want to try some local specialties.
Want to eat Estonian food but don’t have time to visit the country? Make an effort to cook some famous dishes from scratch. Baltic: New and Old Recipes from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania is a cookbook that includes traditional dishes from all three Baltic countries.
Kohuke
Kohuke is an Estonian snack made of curd. In a way, it does. Listen to me before you write it off so quickly. Kohuke is one of my favorite Estonian snacks and it is delicious. Miniature curd cheese pieces are coated in chocolate. The tangy curd complements the rich chocolate. Vanilla, cheesecake, and blueberry are just a few of the flavors available. There was even a seasonal flavor that smelled like strawberry and tasted like yoghurt.
Kohuke can be found in the chilled section of most grocery stores. They’re probably in the same section as the cheese and yoghurt. You should know that they are extremely filling. To satisfy my curiosity, I bought every flavor on the shelf. And, wow, I had no idea there would be so much of it! However, I thoroughly enjoyed every bite because they were so tasty.
Buckwheat
Buckwheat with a variety of vegetables was one of my first Estonian meals, and it was delicious. The buckwheat at this restaurant was cooked in a manner similar to risotto, making it both hot and creamy. Buckwheat is also incredibly nutritious.
According to my research, although this grain isn’t indigenous to Estonia, it has been successfully incorporated into the country’s cuisine. It’s on a few menus around town, so order it if you see it.
Kama
Estonian Kama served with berries. Kama is a type of flour dough. Barley, oats, rye, and peas are the most common ingredients. Further, Kama is commonly combined with buttermilk or kefir and used in a wide variety of sweets. Kama cakes can also be found in bakeries. Kama jelly was the result when we tried this concoction. The jelly was excellent, with a slightly bready aftertaste but otherwise a pleasant sweetness.
Mulgipuder
Barley sausages from Estonia served with Mulgipuder. Mulgipuder served alongside barley sausages. I haven’t seen anything like this porridge outside of Estonia. There are those who would go so far as to call it Estonia’s national dish. It’s a great side dish that combines mashed potatoes and barley. The mixture has a denser texture than simple mashed potatoes thanks to the barley, which is firmer than the potatoes. Indeed, I found it to be tremendously enjoyable.
Mulgipuder is often served as the main course at some eateries. As a result, it is frequently combined with bacon and onions. Don’t fret over not having enough to eat. You won’t go hungry after eating this.
Barley Sausages
You may have already noticed that a large percentage of Estonian cuisine is grain-based. There is no exception for barley sausage. This traditional Christmas dish is more difficult to find on restaurant menus, but we did so in Tallinn. Like a traditional white sausage, but with barley added to the meat mixture.
The barley sausage had a wonderful chewy consistency. The addition of barley also boosts the dish’s overall flavor. On occasion, you may come across a variant in which blood sausage is combined with barley. We didn’t try the blood sausages because they’re not our favorite. However, you should give it a shot if you’ve never tried anything like it before.
Vastlakukkel
A Number of Vastlakukkel from Estonia You’re in luck if you plan a trip to Estonia in the month of February because that’s when these scrumptious cream buns are traditionally served. They are typically eaten on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Catholic Lent begins. But if you can’t make it for Shrove Tuesday, you can still find them in bakeries all over the country in February and March.
Vastlakukkel is a type of cream-filled bun. Variations can be found all over the United States, especially in more high-end bakeries and cafes. Cream, and possibly jam, is all that has traditionally been offered. However, I’ve seen versions that are stuffed with pistachio or chocolate cream. The latter option was incredibly tasty, so don’t pass it up if you ever come across one. Cafe Maiasmokk, the oldest cafe in Tallinn and all of Estonia, serves delicious vastlakukkel.
Dog With a Spotted Coat
Discussing the sweet treats of Estonia. There is one more traditional Estonian dessert worth trying besides kama and vastlakukkel. This is known as Kirju Koer in Estonian. The simplicity of the dessert’s preparation ensures its widespread popularity. It’s essentially just cookies, marmalade, fruit chunks, butter, and chocolate, and it doesn’t even require baking.
I usually avoid dried fruit and marmalade, but I found that I enjoyed this sweet. The chocolate complements the other flavors perfectly. A dessert very similar to this can be found in Lithuania, though it lacks the fruit and marmalade and is instead made of chocolate and cookies.
Elk
Let’s skip the sweets and get to the savory stuff. We’ve covered boar already, but there’s another meat that deserves your attention. I’m referring to elk here. Because of its extensive forest coverage, Estonia is home to a rich variety of animal species. Elk is one such animal, and its meat is exceptionally tasty.
Further, Elk has been featured in a variety of dishes on several menus we’ve perused. You can try elk in a variety of dishes, including elk stew, elk soup, and braised elk. You need not spend an outrageous amount of money. III Draakon, on Tallinn’s Town Hall Square, is a great choice for a night out. The elk soup is delicious and reasonably priced.
Sprat Sandwich
Yes, I’m aware. Sprats don’t have the most alluring appearance, but don’t let that fool you; they’re actually quite tasty. Although sprat sandwiches are a common breakfast food in Estonia, we were only able to find them in the Kuressaare hotel’s breakfast buffet. It should come as no surprise that the Baltic Sea is teeming with sprats, as they can be found in great numbers there. Try this fish if you want to eat it like a local.
Herring
Fish that are common in the Baltic Sea are discussed. In Estonia, herring is one of the must-eat dishes. All the Baltic countries and many others that border the Baltic Sea love this fish. However, in Estonia, herring holds such significance that it was officially designated as the country’s national fish in 2007. Historically, fishermen would haul in the majority of their catch in the spring, then store it away for the colder months. For this reason, herring is typically consumed in a salted, marinated, or smoked form.
Find rosolje with herring, and you’ll be in luck. Potatoes, beets, and herring are the main ingredients in this salad. My German grandmother used to make a similar salad every year for Christmas, and I always looked forward to it. Since I already know that these three components complement one another well, I can confidently say that rosolje is tasty.
Estonian Cheese
Perhaps Estonia isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think of cheese. Did you know, though, that Estonia is home to some excellent cheeses? Many restaurants offered tasty cheese platters, which we were happy to see on the menu.
Estonian cheese goes particularly well with the country’s signature rye bread. Black bread’s sour flavor goes well with the cheese’s creamy texture. Estonian cheese is sometimes available in a baked form. It’s incredibly delicious, but eating it too often will kill you quickly. Or you could try one of Estonia’s many cheeseball specialties.
Cheeseballs
Cheeseballs are not a staple of Estonian cuisine. The fact that they are widely available on menus across the country prompted us to include them here. We’re not surprised; fried cheese balls are irresistible. We anticipate that cheeseballs will one day be seen as a staple dish in Estonia. They are a wonderful first course.
Pirukad
Estonian baked goods are called pirukad. Think of empanadas, but made in the style of the Baltics. You’ll see a few different sizes, shapes, cooking methods, and fillings, but the most common are small, baked, and meat-filled. They’re easy to carry around and can be found in most bakeries, making them perfect for a quick bite if you get hungry while touring this stunning land.
Don’t stress if you’re a vegetarian. There are also many vegetarian pirukad that are filled with mushrooms or other vegetables. Cheese, jam, and fruit fillings are also available. You can find something you like among the many available options.
Estonian beverages
Let’s recap all the fantastic (and occasionally outlandish) libations we sampled in Estonia. Valge Klaar, a lemonade made with apple juice, is the most convenient to find and tastes great. Ale Coq, whose name appears on many bottles, has been making this beer according to a recipe that dates back to the 1970s. In addition to Valge Klaar, they make a wide selection of other beverages.
Kali is the next drink you should try. Rye bread is lightly fermented to create this drink. Don’t worry if you find that rather strange. Even though it sounded strange to us, we found ourselves enjoying it. The alcohol content of kali is so low that we couldn’t even detect it. Finally, birch sap is the worst possible choice for a beverage. You did hear correctly. Birch sap is a popular beverage in Estonia. It has a similar appearance to water, but it is slightly more viscous and has a mildly sweet flavor. You can find it on Kuressaare, so give it a shot if you’re ever in the area.
Dumplings
Dumplings are available in Estonia, just like they are in many other Eastern European countries. They have a reputation for being student or bachelor food because of how fast and simple they are to eat. But they’re also pretty tasty, so order one as an appetizer if you see it on the menu.
They had the Russian name, Pelmeni, on the menu where we saw them, so we think they originated in Russia. Although they may not have originated in Estonia, we thought it was important to include them because they are so ubiquitous and lovely.
Seljanka
Solyanka, a Russian and Ukrainian soup, has an Estonian counterpart called seljanka. Although we didn’t try it, we included it to give you an idea of what to expect because of how common it is on Estonian menus. Meat and sometimes cucumbers are pickled and used in the soup. In Estonia, you can also find the fish seljanka. Cabbage, onions, and potatoes are all vegetables that can be found in soups. All of these soups share a common characteristic: a sour flavor. I’ve had soljanka many times (the German version) and have always enjoyed it, so I have no doubt that the Estonian version is delicious as well.
We hope that the above list of dishes wasn’t too daunting, and that it gave you a taste of what to expect when dining in Estonia. We previously mentioned how difficult it was to eat at a genuine Estonian eatery outside of the capital city of Tallinn. Except for a Nepalese restaurant in Pärnu, almost everywhere we ate served at least a couple of traditional Estonian dishes. Don’t hesitate to inquire. The vast majority of Estonians are fluent in English and eager to assist you. There is also the option of going on a guided food tour while in Tallinn. Here’s your chance to try authentic Estonian cuisine alongside a local who can fill you in on the details: