Why Every Foodie Needs to Visit Estonia

Wedged up in the corner of Eastern Europe, bordered by the Baltic Sea to the north and Latvia to the south, sits Estonia. It's a quiet little country that's spent most of its life as a Russian-German pull toy and has a population of only 1.3 million. But if there's one thing that these 1.3 million people can do, it's cook.

Estonia is throwing around some legit food and drink game at the moment, and now is the perfect time to get on board. Tallinn might be one of the trickiest places to get to from Australia, but it's certainly one of the most worthwhile if you have a palate for affordable, fine dining. Think fresh local produce, age-perfected cooking techniques and more craft beer than you can poke a stick at. Good meals won't cost you more than $15, and most come with a view worth more than the plate itself. Pack a knife, fork and your best appetite and head to the new culinary crux of Europe.

GETTING THERE

First and foremost, you're going to have to get to Tallinn, Estonia's capital. Unfortunately there's no speedy, one stopover flight from Australia to Tallinn, so if you're going to visit, we suggest tagging it onto a European adventure. Flights out of most major European airports won't break the bank.

Another option, depending on where you're coming form, is by boat — there are direct sea routes from Helsinki, St Petersburg and Stockholm. While this sounds like a city in the middle of nowhere (and it kind of is), don't think you're signing up for some Bear Grylls-inspired brush with danger. Most Estonians in Tallinn speak very good English, and they have Vapiano if homesickness kicks in.

STAY

Estonian Airbnb is a dream. While the Australian dollar doesn't fair so well against the Euro, the cost of living, eating, drinking and dancing in Estonia is a cheap as cheese (cheese in Tallinn is very cheap). You can get a good Airbnb for about $20-40 a night, and some spacious ones for about $100. Of course, there are fancy, Old Town penthouses with six plus bedrooms you can splash out on for about $1000 a night too (pictured).

Don't be afraid to suss out the suburbs when it comes to accommodation. Unlike London or Paris you can reside just about anywhere in Tallinn and be able to get into the Old Town (the epicentre of Tallinn) without a hassle, because a) Tallinn is a fortieth of the size of Brisbane, b) the tram system is a breeze, and c) Uber is dirt cheap (we're talking $5 from the airport to city centre here). There are some great, tinea-free hostels near and in Old Town that cost anywhere between $10-30 a night.

EAT

Now this is what we're talking about. Estonian cuisine is influenced by its Scandinavian and Russian neighbours, with a strong emphasis on fresh, homegrown or locally produced elements. Estonians really care where their food comes from, so most dishes contain a lamb or fish base, and are paired with local veggies, homemade sauces and yeasty, dark bread.

Old Town has some great restaurants but, like any tourist hotspot, you're always at risk of being overcharged for a stew that was cooked last week, frozen, and stuck in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Head there first to do the touristy thing, take some snaps, have a look at the architecture, trip over a jaded stone on the old footpaths and work up a hunger. Then get out.

Mere Puiestee street runs parallel to Old Town's eastern side, and the huge brick buildings and line of trees hide some of the city's best and trendiest restaurants. SfääR (pictured above) is an award winning, quaint little restaurant and clothing store that has a menu and cocktail list worth crossing a few major oceans for — definitely try the homemade zucchini and sun-dried ravioli with a buttery sage sauce. If you're after something a little heavier and/or hangover friendly skip next door to Scotland Yard Pub. The street behind homes Alter Ego, a classy, upper-class restaurant that showcases the best Mediterranean in the city.

Down by the water, you'll find the abandoned Linnahall, an old sports and concert venue, which is haunting and definitely worth an explore. But before it you'll find the Eesti Kaasaegse Kunsti Muuseum (Museum of Contemporary Art), an adjoining art book shop and Klaus. Klaus really brings home the term 'modern Estonian food'. Think mussels with green curry and lime, Estonian lamb casserole with jasmine rice, duck breast with plum puree, wild mushroom tartare, and desserts that deserve Nobel Prizes. On Friday and Saturday evenings you'll find a lot of very important and trendy looking people dining and getting drunk there. This is the insider's Estonian restaurant.

The one place in Old Town we will push you towards is Vegan Restoran V. The meals are huge, cheap, inventive and tasty beyond expectation. It's in pretty high demand since it racked up a number of global vegan eating awards. It's currently ranked the 16th best vegan restaurant in the world — and the prices are cheaper than McDonalds.

Carrot cake in Estonia makes the stuff over here look like grated carrot chucked in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Gustav's variation consists of about five thin layers of velvety, nutty carrot cake and citrus sour cream mousse. This was our equivalent of falling in love abroad and being faced with the decision of whether to stay or leave and risk never loving again. Gustav has two locations in Tallinn, with their Vabriku street venue adjoined to Fabrik Restoran — which features an award-winning, Asian influenced menu and possibly the best duck fried rice and pork bao you'll find in a 1000km radius.

DRINK

Like most of Eastern Europe, drinks aren't too pricey in Estonia, and you can get a wine from one of those fancy glass bottles with a cork for only a couple of bucks. Estonia has a number of emerging, microbreweries — and if you're looking to scour, then head to Uba Ja Humal or Drink Shop. They're both craft beer Meccas. Make sure to try Siidrikoda — an Estonian craft cider — and anything by Käbliku or Põhjala Breweries.

There's a lot of clubs targeted towards backpackers, so if you're chasing a bit more of a local, relaxed drinking vibe, try any one of Estonia's underground theatre bars. Von Kraahl is one of the most popular, showcasing homegrown productions and local beer. Protest is a pretty 'in' kind of place, so don't worry if you feel like everyone here is already best friends and you've just crashed a party. Just drink up, sing some Aerosmith on the man-built karaoke set up and you'll eventually make your way in.

Top image: Mike Beales. Second image: Mark Litwintschik.