Gastronomy

Southeast Estonia's first Michelin (Green) Star. A small yellow wooden house in the heart of Karula parish, in Lüllemäe, is home to a truly exceptional fine-dining restaurant by Estonian standards, run by three Seto/Võro sisters. The focus is on pure, local ingredients — especially dishes made from Karula lamb — complemented by refined style and warm, attentive hospitality.

Simple, honest food set on the purest flavours, using ingredients as sustainably and fully as possible, and sourced largely from Estonian forests, waters, and fields. Dishes at Korilase Kitchen are made entirely in-house, based on whatever the land and water have to offer at that moment.

Ilmaveere brings an urban, luxurious à la carte dining experience deep into Setomaa, to the edge of the village of Obinitsa, embraced by nature. The aim is to honour local ingredients — right down to the last detail — while creating as little waste as possible.

Steding’s House is a restaurant in the heart of Võru, located in a dignified former 19th-century pharmacy building. In an interior that reflects the spirit of the era, the restaurant serves a chef’s tasting menu in the evenings, along with weekday lunches and weekend brunch. The seasonally changing menu is paired with a strong and thoughtful wine selection.

In the heart of Karula National Park, among rolling hills, forests, and villages, lies Veetka Farm. Its host, Kaspar, is a top chef who trains and feeds demanding audiences at events and festivals across Estonia. By advance booking, he also offers intimate, special dinners for small groups in his home farm’s forest restaurant, focusing on fresh, local ingredients, including wild and medicinal herbs.

An extraordinary one-man restaurant set in a cosy old farm granary, where farmer and head chef Erki offers a four-course culinary journey. Each visit brings a different menu, marked by the use of game meat and an extensive wine selection chosen to highlight every flavour. Greens are grown or foraged by Erki himself, preserved for winter, while meat and fish come from local hunters and fishermen.

Alongside six exceptional dining spots stands one that is truly different — and entirely its own. Tillu Café serves good, simple, home-style Estonian food every day, along with an outstanding selection of baked goods. Tillu’s cinnamon buns are famous across Estonia and are bought by the kilo rather than by the piece. Exceptionally warm service and irresistibly good pastries have made Tillu perhaps even more famous than any other restaurant in Southeast Estonia.