Tartu County's centuries of distinctive flavors
Foodies and everyone else interested in good food should head to South Estonia, as Tartu County is calling!
Tartu and Tartu County are home to well-known food festivals, renowned restaurants, food-related events, cozy cafés, and more.
To sample fare from local producers, look for the "Tartumaine Toit" label in stores, which indicates products made or produced in Tartu County.
Back in the days of the Hanseatic League, merchants and foodstuffs passed through what is now Tartu County.
New foods and recipes exchanged hands, and locals had the courage to embrace these new food traditions and incorporate international flavors with their regional cuisine. For example, some exotic fruits, such as pineapples and melons, have been cultivated in Tartu County for centuries.
Behind good food and exciting flavors are always skilled people, whether they be farmers or cooks at the stove. It was true in the past, and it remains true today. The availability of high-quality ingredients in Tartu has encouraged catering and hospitality establishments to hire the best chefs, offering guests exceptional culinary experiences.
Gifts from the lakes and the rivers
Tartu County's regional cuisine centers on the products that can be harvested from the surrounding fields, forests, and bodies of water, similar to Estonian food traditions around the country.
Its location between two beautiful lakes – Lake Võrtsjärv and Lake Peipsi – and its proximity to the winding Emajõgi River, have always meant fish is part of the local diet. Research confirms that Tartu County pike has been a valued food item (and even a welcome gift) for centuries.
Photo author: Näljane Nelik
Tartu has a long tradition of pastry making.
Don't forget to add a cake and coffee stop to your itinerary!
Bounty from the fields and the forests
As Tartu grew, it needed more food for its population, and grain production increased in nearby areas. Clever brewmasters took the local golden barley and started brewing beer. We don't know how good the ale was back then, but today, hundreds of years later, Tartu breweries are still bottling beer.
Kvass is a traditional drink made from fermented rye and barley malt. It has been made in Estonia as long as beer has. In the past, kvass was made at home using birch sap, bread, berries, fruits, and dried ingredients. Estonia's largest and oldest brewery, A. Le Coq, makes an authentic, naturally fermented kvass that retains the vitamins and minerals naturally present in rye and barley malts. Learn all about it at the A. Le Coq Beer Museum in Tartu!
Wonderful pastries have always been baked in Tartu, which goes hand in hand with its fine café culture. The city was already famous for its pastry shops centuries ago, and the deliciousness of Tartu County's pastries is still known to this day.
Tartu’s forests provide a bountiful harvest of mushrooms and berries, and its golden fields yield high-quality grain. After all, the best ingredients make great food, and that is exactly how it has been in Tartu and Tartu County throughout the ages.
Photo author: Kairi Tähe
Upcoming food events in and around Tartu
Putting Tartu County on the map
Tasty Tartu took first place in the prestigious 2025 European Cultural Tourism Awards, organized by the European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN) in the category “Wine and Gastronomy Tourism based on Local, Cultural and Ethno-Culinary Heritage.”
The event invites visitors to enjoy specially curated three-course menus at local restaurants throughout February, all at an accessible price.
Discover Tartu and South Estonia
Last updated
08.04.2026