Tallinn Bun Fest 2026 – the best vastlakukkels in Tallinn
In the weeks leading up to Shrove Tuesday, the streets of wintry Tallinn fill with the delicious smell of cardamom, fresh pastries and whipped cream. The kitchens of cafés are hard at work. BunFest opens the doors to the kitchen side of Tallinn's café culture, where every pastry tells its own story.
Tallinn BunFest will take place from 15 January to 17 February, with over 40 cafés and bakeries across the city participating. The festival offers visitors several experiences at once. You'll have the chance to explore Tallinn's diverse café culture, discover different areas of the city and experience Shrove Tuesday traditions in a modern context.
Several cafés offer gluten-free, lactose-free and vegan buns, so there is something for everyone.
Below you will find a list of all the cafés participating in BunFest and a map with the locations of the cafés at the end of the page.
Old Town
In the historic Old Town you'll find delicious traditional Shrove Tuesday buns with jam and whipped cream, but many cafés also offer special treats such as Shrove Tuesday buns with ice cream and croissant buns.
City centre and Rotermann Quarter
The many cafés in the city centre are full of festive cheer and offer both classic and special buns. If you're looking for a plant-based treat, step into the Kringel Café, where you'll find a delicious cinnamon Shrove Tuesday bun on their fully vegan menu.
Kalamaja, Telliskivi and Põhja-Tallinn
In the northern part of Tallinn, in the Kalamaja, Pelgulinna and Telliskivi areas, local cafés offer exciting Shrove Tuesday buns. Café Nihe offers a vegan selection, while Café Fika is inspired by Scandinavian flavours. Proto Discovery Factory’s range of buns includes the super-cool "Discoverer" Shrove Tuesday bun – with a jet black bun!
Kadriorg and Pirita
In these two neighbouring districts you will find a very diverse selection of Shrove Tuesday buns. The NOP Café and Shop offers Shrove Tuesday buns with real whipped cream straight from an Estonian farmhouse. In the Kadriorg and Maarjamäe castle cafés, you can also try Shrove Tuesday buns with salmon cream in addition to the sweet buns. Both savoury and sweet options can be found in the Teletorn café's bun selection, and you can also try a Shrove Tuesday bun in Estonian flag colours.
Traditional Estonian Shrove Tuesday Food at the Estonian Open Air Museum
The traditions of Estonians are honoured by the Estonian Open Air Museum's Kolu Inn, where you can sample not only Shrove Tuesday buns but also Shrove Tuesday dishes that have been on the tables of Estonian peasants for centuries. Nowadays, many Estonians still eat pea soup on Shrove Tuesday, and you can try it at the museum's tavern. They also offer pearl-barley porridge with salted meat and pig’s trotter with vegetable stew.
