Best restaurants on Saaremaa – Falstaff Nordic Restaurant Guide recommends of 2023
What is Falstaff Nordic Restaurant Guide? The Falstaff Nordic Restaurant Guide is a trailblazer in the Nordic dining scene. Established in Sweden in 2005, the guide has since expanded to include Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Estonia.
Each year, the Falstaff Nordic Restaurant Guide team conducts anonymous visits to hundreds of restaurants and ranks them at the end of the year based on food quality, service, innovation and overall atmosphere. Restaurants are then categorised according to their score.
We are thrilled that twelve restaurants from Saaremaa and Muhu have made it onto this list this year.
Alexander Restaurant
Alexander Restaurant at Pädaste Manor has been among the top restaurants for years. For several years, it has even outshone the most luxurious dining spots in Tallinn, claiming the top spot. It is, without a doubt, a must-visit for every gourmand. The restaurant expertly blends traditional Muhu cooking techniques with cutting-edge technology. In 2023, it was also awarded a Michelin Guide recommendation.
Arensburg
Housed in a 300-year-old building, the Arensburg Hotel restaurant, lounge, wine cellar and sun terrace can accommodate more guests than the boutique hotel itself can sleep. The dining experience is twofold. Exotic dishes are experimented with boldly: for example, Chinese chicken with mango is combined with rice to create a Japanese sushi roll. And local dishes are also cleverly prepared, such as Pähkla smoked trout served alongside Nasva sprat cream. The restaurant hosts a local wine club. If you cannot find a suitable wine in the short drinks menu, you are sure to find it in the cellar.
Bottengarn
Located in the harbour of Koguva village on the island of Muhu, Bottengarn offers dishes made from locally caught fish and meat from cattle and sheep raised on the island. The restaurant, with its dining tables among piles of fishing nets in the seine shed or outdoors with breathtaking views of the harbour and sea, remains the same Bottengarn year after year. However, it is always exciting to return and discover what new flavours and dishes await each season.
Castello
Probably the world’s oldest piece of advice for finding a good restaurant in an unfamiliar place is: go where the locals are eating. If you follow this advice in Kuressaare, the capital of Saaremaa, you will end up at Castello. The name of the restaurant gives you a clear idea of what to expect: Italian ciabattas and bruchettas, pastas and pizzas alongside Saaremaa beef liver, pork ribs, roast potatoes and onion jam. Castello is a cornerstone of local cuisine.
Grand Rose Spa Restaurant
The catering manager and sommeliers at Grand Rose Spa have drawn inspiration from the snug cellar with a spectacular vaulted ceiling that is home to the restaurant, to create an impressive drinks menu. The chef prepares simple dishes in the cellar restaurant, using ingredients primarily sourced from the island. One such dish, named Saarlase Eine, includes a whole smoked perch served with pickles, butter-fried mini potatoes and tartar sauce.
Grand Rose Spa restoran
Grand Rose Spa toitlustusjuhti ja sommeljeed on restorani koduks olev sopiline ja efektsete võlvkaartega kelder inspireerinud kokku panema muljetavaldavat joogikaarti. Peakokk pakub keldrirestos lihtsaid toitusid, mida valmistab peamiselt saarel kasvavatest toorainetest. Terve suitsuahven hapukurgi, võis praetud minikartulite ja tartarkastmega kannab nime Saarlase Eine.
Hafen
Hafen is a bright and cheerful harbour restaurant. The harbour is a place for those who have seen the world and Hafen gives them no reason to complain. They expertly prepare both local herring and exotic falafels with equal finesse. The renowned local juniper gin, Lahhentagge, inspired the idea to gather a table full of similar drinks from around the world. Here, you will find the flavours Estonians simply cannot live without.
Ku-Kuu
The Ku-Kuu Fish Restaurant, located in the Kuressaare Town Park, has also earned a high score from the evaluators. Kuressaare Kuursaal is undoubtedly a must-visit for every fish lover during the summer. The restaurant is made even more special by Chef Toomas Leedu, a dedicated fisherman himself. At Ku-Kuu, you can enjoy the freshest fish on the island – directly from the fishermen’s nets that very morning.
Ku-Kuu
Arvestatava punktisumma on hindajatelt saanud ka Kuressaare lossipargis asuv kalarestoran Ku-Kuu. Vaieldamatult on Kuressaare Kuursaal just see koht, kuhu iga kalaroogasid armastav sööja peaks suvel minema. Restoranile annab kindlasti kaalu juurde peakokk Toomas Leedu, kes on ka ise kirglik kalamees. KuKuust leiab saare kõige värskema kala. Just täpselt need kalad, mis sama päeva hommikul kalameeste võrkudesse on jäänud.
Pilguse Manor Restaurant
Pilguse Manor offers its guests a quintessential country idyll. Main courses are served in the authentic country style on large platters to be shared by the whole group. The menu may not be extensive, but every ingredient is sourced from the island itself. Highlights include half or whole smoked Pähkla trout, whole smoked farm chicken or pork cooked so slow it requires ordering three days in advance.
Prelude
Vinotheque Prelude is a hidden gem tucked away on the main street of Kuressaare that even many locals have yet to discover. However, there are plenty of reasons to check it out. True to its name, Prelude offers an outstanding wine selection. The menu features eel soup and wild boar roast and even oysters. It is one of the few places – if not the only place – on Saaremaa where you can try this luxurious seafood.
Windmill Restaurant Saaremaa Veski
mong the Saaremaa restaurants featured on the list, Windmill Restaurant Saaremaa Veski stands out as one with the longest tradition The Windmill, which has served a variety of dishes over the years, is now the only restaurant in Kuressaare dedicated to Estonian national cuisine. Their menu includes the legendary cheese balls of the Windmill from 1974 and wild boar fillet served with juniper berry sauce. In the summer, smoked fish is prepared in the garden, which pairs well with local beer.
Särg
Särg is a cosy restaurant with a large terrace right on the banks of the Nasva River, in the village of the same name. Just a bit further downstream, the river meets the sea, and the menu reflects this connection, featuring fish from both waters. Since the nearby sea often yields modest catches, with herring being a staple, dishes made from this fish are often on the menu. Local fish dishes are prepared with a deep respect for the island’s culinary traditions and expert skill. That said, exotic flavours are not out of place here either: their coconut milk fish soup has gained fame across the island.
