In 2022, the Michelin Guide announced that it would start annual reviews of Estonia's restaurants. By 2024, 36 restaurants had been reviewed and some Michelin Stars awarded.
No Baltic country restaurants were on the radar screen of the Michelin Guide. The Estonian Government controlled EAS/Enterprise Estonia decided to change all of that in 2019, when three EAS employees (Kadri Gröön, Heili Klandorf-Järsoo, and Liina Maria Lepik) did the necessary homework to prepare Estonia to join the Michelin Guide and have its restaurants reviewed. But then COVID-19 struck in 2020 and everything was put on hold. Looking back, perhaps this is not a bad thing, as many restaurants did not survive the restaurant closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sutt added that when tourists to Estonia are interviewed and asked why they came to Estonia, no one mentions the food. But when they leave and are asked what they liked about their trip, many mention the food.
When COVID-19 was still testing the resilience of our societies and it was unclear when and how the pandemic was going to end, in spring 2021, the three EAS employees approached Andres Sutt, Estonia's Minister of Entrepreneurship and IT and asked if he would support Estonia signing an agreement with Michelin Guide. Sutt, having lived and worked in Washington D.C. and Luxembourg, said it was a no brainer and threw his political weight behind the decision that was so important for the entire Estonian hospitality industry. And so, in April 2022, Estonia and Michelin Guide announced that Michelin would begin reviewing Estonia's restaurants. Sutt pointed out that a precondition to Michelin agreeing to come to Estonia was that the quality of gastronomy or restaurants be very high. Sutt added that when tourists to Estonia are interviewed and asked why they came to Estonia, no one mentions the food. But when they leave and are asked what they liked about their trip, many mention the food.
It's a little known fact that a state entity, like a federal government or local government or tourist board needs to sign an agreement with Michelin Guide, and pay an undisclosed amount, for Michelin Guide to send its restaurant reviewers to that country's restaurants for an agreed number of years. Neither the sum paid nor the length of the agreement between Estonia and Michelin has been disclosed.
Estonia was again the forerunner in the Baltic states, as Latvia only signed an agreement with Michelin Guide in 2023 and Lithuania signed such an agreement in 2024. Also, 180 degrees by Matthias Diether is the only restaurant in the three Baltic countries that has been awarded two Michelin stars. But such gastronomy does not come cheap — the degustation menu costs 200 EUR. Plus, the regular wine pairing menu sets you back an additional 155 EUR (there is of course a premium wine pairing menu as well so that guests are not forced to drink the regular plonk!). For a total of about 530 CAD per person. Do arrive with an empty stomach.
Our Canadian readers may be surprised to hear that Michelin Guide only signed such agreements in Canada in 2022. Destination Canada's Toronto branch and Vancouver branch signed such agreements, but Montréal declined to do so.
Andres Sutt said that it was a very wise decision of Estonia's that the contracting entity in Estonia was an Estonian state entity and not, for example, the City of Tallinn. Some of the most interesting restaurants listed in the Michelin Guide are located outside of Tallinn (Fellin in Viljandi, two restaurants in Tartu, and Kolm Sõsarat in Lüllemäe, Valga (a three hour drive from Tallinn — expanded on below).
Here is a list of the 36 Estonian restaurants mentioned in the 2024 Michelin Guide.
Beyond Michelin stars, the Bib Gourmand designation is awarded to a restaurant that offers good quality food at a reasonable price. There are six of these restaurants in Estonia. Oddly, the author has rarely seen this category mentioned in Estonia or highlighted in gastronomic writing in Estonia.
The Michelin Green Star is an annually awarded distinction for sustainable practices (sourcing local produce, disposal of waste in an environmentally friendly manner, etc.), combining culinary excellence with eco-friendliness. There are three restaurants with this award in Estonia, with the only such restaurant in Tallinn being Fotografiska (also featuring amazing views from the top floor) in Telliskivi, and the other two restaurants being located outside of Tallinn: restaurant SOO in Maidla and Kolm Sõsarat deep in southern Estonia (see below).
Perhaps the most unique of the three Michelin Green Star winners is the Kolm Sõsarat. It's run by three sisters (the middle sister is the chef), is a three hour drive south of Tallinn, and is located beside a nature reserve in a 100 year old house. One must make a reservation — no walk-ins allowed. Among their many beautiful dishes, the tour de force is green butter that looks like a frog.
It’s interesting to note that when they were growing up, their mother told them they all needed to go to university (which they all did) so they could move to the city and find a good job. Now they run a Michelin Guide mentioned restaurant deep in the countryside. Life did not turn out as expected.
All in all, Michelin has put Estonia on the world's culinary map, raised the quality of restaurants in Estonia, brought attention to excellent local chefs, and has helped bring high quality foreign chefs to work in Estonia. Come visit and see for yourself.
