coffee guide

Where To Find Specialty Coffee in Tallinn

At the northern tip of the Baltic states is where you’ll find Tallinn, the capital and largest city of Estonia. Specialty coffee in Tallinn has been slowly developing over the last few years. With the increasing number of visitors from cruise ships and Scandinavian neighbours merely a 2-hour ferry ride away, we don’t doubt that Tallinn will see a spike in cafe openings to accommodate the caffeine-addicted.

The best cafes in Tallinn, particularly the independent ones, dominate the specialty coffee scene across the city. Many coffee shops are beginning to open as demand continues to grow. With neighbouring Finland the world leaders in coffee consumption per capita, it won’t be long before Estonia bridges the gap. Here are our five recommendations for specialty coffee in Tallinn.

T35 Bakery & Specialty Coffee

T35 Bakery & Specialty Coffee is the perfect neighbourhood cafe. It reminds us of an establishment that we would seek out on a weekend morning. Situated at Tööstuse 35 (“T35”), the basement cafe is a few blocks from Tallin’s Old Town. Step down from street level into an airy room with a grey palette. White plates with black & red artistic swirls hang on the back wall above a long, charcoal couch. Peeking through the windows out to the street, you’ll notice cityscape etchings on the glass.

T35 stocks two European coffee roasters; FriedHats and Lot Sixty One, both who hail from Amsterdam in the Netherlands. When we noticed the Lot Sixty One logo at the counter, we knew we’d be in safe hands. When we tell the barista that we previously lived in Amsterdam, he speaks enthusiastically about the Dutch roasters, informing us that the cafe rotates the beans between these two suppliers every three months to maintain freshness. All espresso coffees are served with a double shot while filter brew methods include V60 and Aeropress.

We selected an all-time favourite (flat white) and were super happy to taste the caramel undertones. If you have the time to sit for a while, the 0.6L Chemex is the perfect selection for a couple to share. Their specialty coffee is complemented by an all day breakfast menu consisting of an American fry up, freshly baked pastries or their specialty, the “Dutch Baby” pancake.

RØST Bakery

As soon as you step into RØST Bakery, you know you’ve stepped into a corner of quintessential Scandinavia. The small eatery sits in central Tallinn in the renovated Nisuveski building. Every day, bakers prepare sourdough breads, scrumptious cookies, gourmet sandwiches and the finger-licking, delightful cinnamon scrolls. The open kitchen design throws a warm light across the cafe, allowing diners to see (and smell!) all the freshly baked goodies being prepared during the early morning.

Alongside all the gluten goodness, RØST sources its coffee beans from some of the best micro-roasters including Drop Coffee from Stockholm and its very own The Brick Coffee Roastery based in Estonia. When we visited on a brisk morning, we chose to sit inside, sipping our flat whites and nibbling our cinnamon buns. You’ll find a mix of textures in the decor with one wall covered in white bathroom tiles, one wall covered in sleek wooden panels and another with exposed red brick. High bench seating allows you to peek out on the laneway.

It’s difficult to leave the warmth of the cafe so don’t feel bad if you nab a few more cinnamon scrolls for an afternoon snack later on!

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The Living Room Cafe [CLOSED]

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