Rataskaevu 16 (named after the street) is a restaurant in a historic building. I love the rustic feel of the interior, with its historical tavern brick wall, wooden floor, and furniture, yet with a modern touch.

As I was waiting for my food, a constant flow of people entered the restaurant. Many had to be turned away, but the waitress recommended similar restaurants nearby; some even made reservations for that evening when they couldn’t get a table for lunch. I highly recommend making a reservation.

The waiters are young, friendly, and bubbly, especially the guy that served me. I ordered a strawberry raspberry lemonade, elk mushroom soup, and buckwheat noodles.

The bread was warm and soft, with a slight crust on the outer edges. It was not sour like the traditional dark rye bread but mildly sweet. It was the softest dark rye bread I’ve had and the best restaurant-served rye bread in the Baltics. I could just have bread for lunch.

The strawberry raspberry lemonade was like a fruity virgin mojito.

The Elk mushroom soup was rich and packed with umami. Absolutely divine! The texture of the elk meat is grainy, and the taste of the meat is a cross between pork and beef.

The buckwheat noodles were refreshing, with fresh salad greens and a light pumpkin puree with rye shavings.

After I paid, I told the waiter that the food was delicious and that I understood why the restaurant was so popular amongst locals and tourists. I don’t usually give tips, but I was so pleased with the entire dining experience that I had to tip!

I recommend this restaurant not just for the warm and friendly service but also for the excellent quality food.

 

Rataskaevu 16

Website: http://rataskaevu16.ee/en/

Opening hours:

• Mon-Thu 12.00-23.00, Fri-Sat 12.00-24.00, Sun 12.00-23.00

Telephone: +372 642 4025

Address: Rataskaevu 16, 10123 Tallinn, Estonia