The Michelin Guide has published its first Estonian edition. A total of two restaurants were awarded stars, making it the first in the Baltic countries to be included in the prestigious guide.
On Wednesday, May 25, the first Michelin Guide for Estonia was presented. In total, two restaurants, NOA Chef's Hall and 180° by Matthias Diether, were awarded one Michelin star each, and the guide includes a total of five restaurants awarded the Bib Gourmand, for well-prepared food and an experience at a reasonable price, as well as two green stars that stand for a sustainability initiative.
Both restaurants that have been awarded one star each are located in the Estonian capital Tallinn. One of the restaurants is NOA Chef's Hall, where chefs Roman Sidorov and Tõnis Siigur, set the creative 7-course menu. Here, luxurious ingredients, be it Norwegian scallops, lobster from Canada or local products of the highest quality, are in focus. The restaurant, which opened its doors in Tallinn in 2014, has now finally received its recognition from the Michelin inspectors, who have been following Estonia's culinary scene for the past few years.
Estonia, our neighbor to the east and the heart of the Baltic region, not only connects the cultural dots between Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe – the country also offers charm, a long history and a very interesting culinary scene. The taste for diversity, artisanal products and local ingredients has a clear influence on Estonian cuisine and its ambitious young chefs.
When it became clear that Estonia would be included in the prestigious guide, the EstonianMinister of Business and Information Technology, Andres Sutt, expressed his views on the recognition:
”Estonia has won a victory that will bring our food culture closer to Europe. In the food scene, the impact will surely be as great as an Oscar in the film world. Joining the MICHELIN family will make us better known, better understood and more comparable internationally, and it will also highlight our values and character. A world-class food culture is one of the most important reasons to travel. It is also one of the most common reasons to return again and again. I would like to thank the Visit Estonia team for fostering this partnership – the MICHELIN Guide will have a long-lasting impact on Estonia’s tourism, exports and reputation.”
Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guide says:
”Estonia is one of the countries that our inspectors have been curiously examining for several years. After many months of monitoring the country, from Tallinn to Tartu, from Mäeküla to Kloogaranna, we have discovered a bustling culinary scene, full of quality restaurants and a diverse cuisine. The first selection of restaurants, highlighting talented chefs and professionals who play both a classic Estonian and international repertoire, is a wonderful invitation to this fascinating gastronomic destination.”
The Estonian restaurant selection has been compiled by the MICHELIN Guide's professional, independent and open-minded inspectors, who make their recommendations based on anonymous lunches and dinners. This first selection of restaurants in Estonia reflects the quality of the local food scene and includes restaurants with MICHELIN stars, Bib Gourmand or MICHELIN Green Star.
