What I Ate in Tallinn (and What I'd Skip)
It's easy to get Tallinn wrong. I learned that the hard way on my first morning, when I wandered into a touristy cafe on Town Hall Square, ordered a "traditional Estonian dish" (a sad, overpriced meatball platter), and realized I'd just paid €12 for something that tasted like it was made from a can. The real magic of Estonian cuisine isn't in the tourist traps—it's in the hidden corners where locals eat, and where the food actually tastes like home. My first proper meal came at a tiny spot called Kõrve Kõrval, tucked away on a narrow cobblestone street near the old town's northern edge. It's not on any map, but the locals know it well. The owner, a woman named Liis, greets you with a nod and a "Tere!" before handing you a menu written in Estonian and English. The menu changes daily, but I got the pork cheek stew with roasted root vegetables for €8.50. It arrived steaming, with a side of rye bread that was so dense and chewy it felt like eat...