VESTA — Restaurant in Tallinn

I heard a bunch about this place which raised it quite high on the list of places to try out in Tallinn.

In short, the experience was definitely positive, and it's a place I'll keep an eye on for future, however I'd personally probably like some other main dishes more. The drinks menu also had some standout hits. The service was very friendly and the location is quite nice and different from usual locations.

A bit at length on the food: I did some prior research when I kept hearing good things about the place, but when I finally got to visit, it seems some of the menu had since changed. This is not a bad thing, I do love a rotating or changing menu, as it keeps it fresh and interesting, but sometimes some flavours are not a hit for everyone. I loved all the "entrees" I tried, and they were decently sized/valued too! The stratciatella with tomato was lovely and it's something I'd crave again and try to make at home. The polenta was nicely textured (though I'd love to see more places use it in a porridge/unfried style too) and the flavours brought back vague positive memories of past experiences, however I wish it was a bit stronger with the honey and chillies while perhaps having a tad more salt in the polenta itself. Lastly the ceviche was a classic, and was quite nice as well, especially with the pistachios, which I haven't seen used like that myself before. I'd definitely see myself coming back for some of those entrees, especially if had something new to try at the same time as well.

However, while they have multiple more appetiser style dishes, they have juat two mains style dishes. This does limit the options, but isn't necessarily a bad thing, though I'd personally love to see more vegetable based options. When I visited, they had steak or octopus. Both of these were quite expensive for what you got, especially the octopus which didn't really have any sides or carbs to accompany the protein, which made the octopus feel like the smallest dish in the menu. The flavours were quite good, especially as it was in a green curry inspired sauce, though while I would've liked more spice in it, I do know mamy here might not tolerate spice too well. The steak was the most disappointing in my opinion. Being the highest cost dish on the menu, I expected something more special. It was very nicely cooked but the sauce was a bit too overpowering alone. I think it would've been better with a different sauce or with something else on the side other than the fries. The fries were decent, they were crispy, not mushy, but I personally do like them more salty, and I think they could pick a more flavourful potato or style of preparation.

Lastly, the desserts. Due to eating multiple dishes already, we felt quite full but the descriptions sounded too nice to pass by. Unfortunately we only had enough space to try one, but it was very very nice indeed. It again was a bit small, but the value was still there and it was a great finish to the dinner. I'd love to try the other one some day in the future.

The drinks menu was also nice, especially the soft drinks, which had some pleasant surprises which I didn't even know about and will be something I seek for having at home in the future.

To finish the review, I'll quickly go over the service and location. The location has some retro/old school vibes, while still being well maintained. It felt welcoming and cozy. Sort of modern in its own way. The service was really friendly and helpful, only good things...

Cool place with great vibe and decent food.

We ended up at Vesta on a busy Friday evening. Booked a table few days before and managed to get a slot for 2130. So prebooking is highly recommended.

When we got there the place was packed and buzzing. Our seats were at the counter. That's probably the best if you are going alone or with 1-2 friends. As it has an open kitchen you can see the chefs working etc. Plus as the waiters always pass by you can get their attention if needed.

I think if we would have booked a table further from the counter the experience would not have been as great.

If you come as a bigger group, book a table, make your own party.

Our waitress was super friendly, not the first day at the job and explained the menu and wine list really well.

We ended up sharing two starters, steak and dessert. And a bottle of wine :) . Cheviche is from local fish and tasted good. We asked for extra bread to sponge up all leche de tigre. Our second starter was stracciatella. I liked that even more than cheviche. Didn't have too high hopes for steak and fries but was pleasently surprised. Meat was cooked to perfection, fries nice and crispy and the sauce worked really well.Almond cake was a nice finale.

As we had quite late booking the place got a bit quieter so the staff was not too busy at the end and we had nice chat with our waitress. Don't think they will have time for that during the peak hr. Also had a taste of a nice rosé that they plan to add to their wine list for summer.

Prices are not the cheapest, but I would say well aligned with the quality of the ingredients and the size of the portions.

If the place is busy it can get quite loud so maybe not the first choice for romantic candlelight dinner :D

Aah....and as mentioned in some other reviews the towel for drying your hands by the sink was soaking wet. Paper towels were available but still..

Can't wait for the summer and chilling at...

The true gem of a our little journey. From the outside, the place looks very calm and unassuming - just a pleasant yellow house. Inside, it’s stylish, with dim lighting, candles on the tables, and an open kitchen with a small counter by it.

We reserved a table in advance, and it was absolutely the right call - the place was nearly full the entire time.

The menu is small - just 10 items: 6 starters, 2 main courses, and 2 sweats. We ordered all the starters to share and try everything, and that turned out to be the best decision. Every dish, from tomatoes with stracciatella to white fish ceviche, was simply breathtaking. In each dish, the ingredients complemented one another perfectly, highlighting only their best qualities - the sweetness of the tomatoes, the freshness of the fish, the creaminess of the stracciatella... I especially want to point out the tartare - the meat was so tender it melted in the mouth. Every bite left us wanting more. It was magical.

Soon the mains arrived. There are only two options here — octopus or steak. I went with the steak, and it absolutely floored me. A wonderful cut of beef, covered in a demi-glace sauce and served with fries - the perfect way to end this feast.

The staff were lovely and quick - we were greeted right away and promptly seated. The restaurant may not be large, but there are enough tables, and they’re arranged in a way that doesn’t disturb one another.

I highly recommend this place. Try it and discover...