Tallinn

Head up the iron spiral staircase and then settle into a wicker chair to enjoy Elevant’s peaceful, sophisticated ambiance. Here you'll find a selection of tasty Indian standards, along with daring dishes like wild boar kebab and moose curry, all served up by friendly staff. For a dessert with a difference, try the fritter banana in crunchy chickpea dough.

Just as the name promises, this sharp, Old Town restaurant focuses on all sorts of fish dishes – from herring fillet salad and tiger prawn pasta to oven-baked baby trout – and offers a decent selection of wines. Some non-fish dishes, such as a risotto and a beef burger, are also available, and it opens early to serve decidedly fish-free omelettes and porridge.

The ultra-elegant Telegraaf Hotel has created this superb restaurant where the traditions of Russian and French cuisine are combined to create a symbiosis of rich flavors. Chef de Cuisine Vladislav Djatšuk, a 2009 finalist in the world's top gastronomy contest, the Bocuse d'Or, has reproduced the recipes of forgotten masters, infusing them with his own experience and vision.

This restaurant in the old town has become a favorite of Tallinners as well as visitors, with its tasty foods and friendly service showing that every customer is a welcome guest here. A terrace is open in the summer where you can have dinner and spend time, protected from wind and noise. The bread baked on location is definitely worth a try. As this is a popular place, it would be a good idea to make a reservation.

A cozy restaurant in the boutique hotel St Petersbourg in the heart of the Old Town, the oldest hotel in Estonia, opened in 1850. The restaurant's menu follows the traditions of Russian cuisine, but the dishes are served with a modern twist. Examples of the menu of Hermitage include a selection of handmade pelmeni or slow-roasted duck hearts. The legendary chicken Kiev and boeuf a la tartar are also available. There is just one selection that you can never know what it will contain - a six-course surprise menu created for the customer by the chef personally.

Hungry diners flock to Peppersack, a medieval-themed restaurant in the Old Town, to enjoy hearty meals, sample fine drinks and witness the sword fight that takes place every evening in the lively, historic ambiance of this 14th-century venue. Order Alderman Johan's Special or Master Hansu's Feast and follow it with some house beer, made according to historical recipes.

The menu of this centrally located restaurant is rich in grilled delicacies in its entrees as well as main dishes selection. You can sit back and watch the city bustle from the terrace in the summer, or if you prefer peace and quiet, the arched medieval interior of the restaurant with its niches spreading on three floors is the place for you.

Next to the Von Krahl theatre, V serves nothing but vegan food. The restaurant is located in a small and cozy room in the middle of the sturdy limestone walls of the Old Town, and to date, it has received nothing but praise from critics and visitors alike. An indicator of the level of the restaurant is the fact that you can seldom find a seat without making a reservation. The chick pea burger is one of the favourite main dishes. The delicious foods on offer in this restaurant will make short work of the myth that vegan food is boring.

Right in the heart of Old Town you’ll find a fine restaurant known for serving exceptional food in distinctive surroundings. Maikrahv, built in a 15th-century town house, offers an inviting, medieval atmosphere and a selective array of international cuisine. For a unique drink experience, try the house shot or the kir royal.

Restaurant Mix Fusion is a place, where European dishes are served with an Oriental flourish. Fusion cuisine is a surprising and harmonious mix of tastes, styles, with ingredients taken from the culinary traditions of Japan, France, Italy and Russia.

Meat and seafood grilled Latin-American style are the specialty at this long-time Tallinn favourite, which makes its home in a warmly-decorated locale just a little ways from Old Town. Guests can watch as the chef prepares their cuts over the flaming coals, and on Friday and Saturday evenings be dazzled by a hot dance revue.