We live in a world where cultures are not limited by borders. Cultures are now connected beyond geography through globalization. Although Tallinn has a small population from the outside, when someone spends significant time here, they can see the area’s true richness and diversity. One way people can experience the deterritorialization of cultures in Tallinn is through its rich and diverse food scene. Having spent time in Tallinn through both the NSLI-Y Summer Program in 2023 and RLASP in the summer of 2026, I have been exposed to Tallinn’s emerging, diverse food scene. The food scene in Tallinn offers people a way to explore new cultures through its diverse culinary options.
Food is often a window into different cultures and how they come together over time. This is shown directly by the fact that there are Indian, Thai, Argentinian, Italian, Georgian, and Ukrainian restaurants throughout the city. Throughout this summer, and with the help of my friends, of course, I have been able to explore many of the different cuisines Tallinn has to offer. The first example I would like to show is the Indian cuisine in Tallinn. There are a few different Indian restaurants where people can be exposed to Indian cuisine and spices. Here is a photo of some of the food I was able to eat at a local Indian restaurant with my friends before we went to an event at a museum. In addition to being able to eat Indian food with my friends, we have also been able to eat Georgian food several times. There are a few Georgian restaurants around Tallinn where people can try foods such as khachapuri and khinkali. Here is a photo of a truffle cheese khachapuri I was able to split with my friend.
There are also many sushi restaurants all throughout the city. After a long day of working on our quest assignment for our culture class and exploring a local park, my friend and I decided to relax with some sushi. With my language partner, I was also able to learn about and try many new foods. He introduced me to and explained the cultural and historical importance of items such as borscht and shokoladnaya kolbasa. We also went to a blini restaurant where we were able to try not only sweet blini but also savory ones. Going to the blini restaurant with him was one of my favorite meals during my time in Tallinn. I loved the stuffed chicken and cheese blini the most, but of course, enjoyed the blini with hazelnut spread and ice cream Something that very much surprised me and I discussed greatly in depth with my host mother was the amount of Italian restaurants throughout the city.
My host mother shared with me that during the Soviet Union, food was often rationed, which led to food being used for survival and not for enjoyment. Following Estonia’s independence, citizens of Estonia were greatly interested in trying and enjoying global food culture, which led to the opening of many Italian restaurants. Italian food was seen as a symbol of freedom and is still greatly enjoyed in Estonia to this day. Over the years, as people move to Estonia, they have a desire to open a restaurant to share their own culture with the people of Estonia. This is the case with the local Greek restaurant owner in Tallinn. Being able to speak to him in not only Russian but also his native Greek language allowed me to hear his story of moving from Greece to Estonia and his drive to share his culture with others.
Of course, in Estonia, there is also a large fast food scene. A fast food restaurant my friends and I often frequented after class or excursions was Hesburger, a Finnish burger fast food chain. In addition to eating it in Tallinn, we were also able to enjoy it on our weekend trip to Helsinki. Of course, we also had to try the unique items offered at KFC and McDonald’s in order to fully compare it to the US menu. There are a few popular Ukrainian restaurants in Tallinn that we explored on the weekends or after class. Lastly, there are many Thai restaurants throughout Tallinn. We only went to one, but it was very nice to see the community that the restaurant brought to Tallinn. My friends and I went one day after exploring Kadriorg Park and Kadriorg Palace.
Overall, Tallinn is a city where cultures combine. Not only do I hear both Russian and Estonian every day while here and am exposed to both cultures, but I am and have been exposed to so many other cultures as well. My favorite way to be exposed to these cultures has been through meals with friends. I am so thankful for this opportunity to explore this region once again and to grow both academically and personally.
