Tabula Rasa (permanently closed)

I came to this restaurant by chance. My initial plan was to have pancakes at Kompressor, just down the street from Tabula Rasa. The place was packed, and as I was tired, I did not want to wait. I just wanted to rest and have dessert. I walked up the street, scanning at all the restaurants available, and Tabula Rasa caught my attention.

Tabula Rasa is located in the heart of Old Town Tallinn, tucked away in the St.Petersburg hotel. The restaurant has an exclusive vintage bar feel with a chic setting. There are interesting art pieces on the wall. It was around 4:40 p.m. when I arrived at the restaurant. There were only two customers, so it was quiet. There is a big window at one corner of the room, overlooking Rataskaevu street (one of the oldest streets in Tallinn) and cat’s well (a historical landmark).

I ordered orange juice and the traditional Estonian “Kama” Pavlova (€5). For those who are not familiar with kama, kama is one of Estonia’s national food. It is a flour mixture of roasted barley, rye, oat, and pea flour. It is usually added to yogurt or milk.

The waitress informed me that the kama Pavlova is not the traditional meringue pavlova but a kama-based pavlova. She went on to describe what the dessert consists of. It was nice of her to tell me, or I would be expecting a meringue pavlova.

I like the presentation of the dish, especially the colors. The red stood out and was stimulating. The kama pavlova was sweet and nutty; it reminded me of graham crackers. I love the different layers of texture and flavors of the dish. You have the nuttiness from the kama, acidity from the berry sauce, sweetness from the fresh fruits, and the occasional crunch from the meringue cookies.

I was only here for dessert, but it may be worth visiting for lunch or dinner.

Tabula Rasa

Website: http://tabularasa.ee/en/

Opening hours: Opened daily from 12:00p.m. till 00:00 a.m.

Telephone: +372 628 6560

Address: Rataskaevu 7, Tallinn Old Town

RØST Bakery & Café

RØST is a bakery and cafe tucked away in an alleyway in Rottermann city. The interior design and decor are different from many cafes in Tallinn. The muted color brick and tile walls, open kitchen, and wooden furniture resemble a Scandinavian-style cafe.

The cafe makes its own sourdough bread along with sandwiches and pastries.

The whole cafe is enveloped with the aroma of cinnamon and coffee. You could smell it from a mile away.

The cinnamon and cardamom buns were amazing! They were soft with sweet cinnamon and cardamom sticky filling. The Cappuccino was the best I have had in Tallinn. The coffee had a good depth of flavor with bitter and sweet notes. The milk foam was creamy and dense, unlike the cappuccino from other cafes where the milk foam was light, airy with bubbles, and the coffee flavor was mild.

I would say that this is my favorite cafe in Tallinn. If you want good coffee and pastries, then this is the place to be.

RØST Bakery

Website: https://rost.ee/

Opening hours:

Monday to Friday (8:30a.m. – 18:00 p.m.)

Saturday (9:30 a.m. – 17:00 p.m.)

Sunday (closed)

Telephone: +372 5622 3239

Address: Rotermanni 14, Tallinn

Italian food at Gianni’s Cafe

Gianni is in the Sadama neighborhood, not too far from Rotermann City. It has a cafe and restaurant. I initially planned to dine at the restaurant. However, I was unaware that the cafe was attached to the restaurant, so I ended up in the cafe. The cafe has a simple menu, while the restaurant offers a more extensive upscale menu consisting of seafood and meat dishes. The cafe’s decor was elegant and airy. However, I thought the chairs were a bit gaudy.

Insalata Con Petto Di Pollo

Spaghetti Aglio E Olio

The salad was delicious, with a beautiful Balsamic vinaigrette. The greens were fresh, and the chicken was perfectly seasoned and cooked. The shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano encapsulated each bite with a lovely nutty, sharp, and savory taste. The overall flavor was all-rounded, coating your whole mouth.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the pasta. It was oily and bland. The taste of the oil overpowered the whole dish. In addition, the pasta was a little firm for my taste. I requested that the pasta be cooked a little softer, and the chef was kind to make a new plate.

Gianni Cafe was announced as the best cafe in Tallinn in 2018. I was expecting better service and food; perhaps the restaurant’s food and service would be more promising.

Gianni

Website: http://www.gianni.ee/en/cafe/

Opening hours:

Cafe

Monday – Friday	8:00 — 20:00
Saturday	9:00 — 21:00
Sunday	10:00 — 20:00

Restaurant

Monday – Sunday

12:00 — 23:00

Telephone: +372 626 3684

Address: Jõe 4a, 10151 Tallinn

Legendary pancake house

Kompressor serves the best pancakes in Tallinn and is located in the old town. The huge portions and reasonable prices make this place very popular amongst locals and tourists. I highly recommend making a reservation. You can call or make a reservation online through their website. The outside of the restaurant does not look like a restaurant at all (I actually walked past it); with barred windows, dark entrance, and dull facade, it reminded me more of a prison. When you enter, the whole room is filled with the aroma of pancakes and has a pub feel, with the low lighting and wooden furniture. The menu offers a wide range of sweet and savory pancakes along with salads, soups, and snacks. Gluten-free pancakes are available but need to be preorder. Orders are done at the bar, and they only accept cash.

I ordered the pancake with chocolate sauce and ice cream for 5.30 euros. The portion was big. I was not expecting such a big portion of just 5.30 euros. I was quite stuffed after.

The pancake was much thicker than the French crepe. Nevertheless, the pancake was delicious with savory, buttery notes. The milk ice cream was delicious, and the chocolate sauce was not overly sweet.

This is definitely a place to visit when you are in Tallinn.

Kompressor

Website: http://kompressorpub.ee/en/

Opening hours: Everyday 11:00 a.m to 23:00 p.m (Take note that kitchen closes at 21:45p.m.)

Telephone: +372 646 4210

Address: Rataskaevu 3, 10123, Tallinn