The UK's beach towns are bouncing back—here are 7 of the best
At the turn of the century, a range of micro and macro factors, from whittled-down transport links to the availability of cheap foreign holidays, combined to lay waste to Britain's seaside towns. Precious few were to escape the ruinous effects of this retreat of the economic tide.
Fast forward to 2025, however, and it's a very different picture. Just as the decline stemmed from multiple factors, the resurgence is driven by a complex web of influences. The cost-of-living crisis, flight scepticism and the lure of the great outdoors are all playing a part. So too is the staycation boom, which was accelerated by the pandemic.
Sure, only the most misty-eyed nostalgist could fail to spot boarded-up shops and buildings with peeling paintwork. But around these have sprung up galleries and cutting-edge art installations, rich cultural and culinary offerings, thriving creative quarters and a renewed sense of community.
With totemic, big-money attractions such as Tate St Ives and the imminent £100m Eden Project Morecambe only adding to the momentum, these once-glittering jewels of the UK tourism industry are beginning to reclaim their lustre. Here are seven gems to visit this summer.
Overcoming the restrictions of seasonality is top of every coastal town's wish list. Margate, on the eastern tip of Kent, is the exemplar of this. When the weather sends visitors scurrying inland from the 656ft expanse of sand, there's a near-endless array of distractions: artistic, retro, retail or just good old-fashioned seaside fun. Culture, embodied by the Turner Contemporary, helped the town turn the corner — but it's the unshakeable sense of community that's driving the resurgence.
Why go? Dreamland, a century-old amusement park and outdoor events space resuscitated in 2015, goes from strength to strength. The Libertines, Texas and Basement Jaxx are among this summer's headliners.
Where to eat: Look out for open days at The Perfect Place to Grow, a training kitchen for unprivileged youngsters adjacent to Tracey Emin's TKE Studios. Angela's, in the atmospheric Old Town, is a tiny seafood restaurant and hotel, with a big reputation among locals.
Where to stay: No 42 by GuestHouse, opened in the summer of 2023, has an enviable location fronting the beach and opening on to the High Street to the rear. It's a well-heeled crowd, who come for the 21 stylish rooms and the brand's signature Pearly Cow surf-and-turf restaurant.
The resurgence of Cornwall's wild west hub has been incremental, rather than sweeping, with dozens of projects, revivals and openings nudging the town in the right direction over the past decade. Festivals have provided a focus. The Golowan — 10 days of parades, performances and art displays— and the revived winter Montol ('solstice' in Cornish) are stirring affairs. The foodie scene has never been stronger and there's a ready supply of visitors via the Night Riviera sleeper train from London. Improved chopper and ferry links to the Isles of Scilly also bring the perfect twin-centre holiday within reach.
Why go? The spruced-up Penlee House Gallery & Museum runs workshops, film screenings and drop-in craft activities. The house is surrounded by semi-tropical gardens (that famous west Cornwall microclimate) and Cornish cream teas are served in the Orangery cafe.
Where to eat: Barbican Bistro is just an unloaded catchaway from Penzance harbour. Expect moreish tapas-style seafood dishes such as scallops with chorizo, and salt and pepper squid with harissa mayo.
Where to stay: Artist Residence Cornwall is the westernmost outpost of the chic-yet-homely bijou hotel group. It's set within a former Georgian inn with open brick work, heavy wooden beams and sea views from the highest of its 22 rooms.
In the sprint to the better-known treasures of North Wales such as Eryri (Snowdonia) or the Llŷn Peninsula, it's easy to miss little Barmouth, reclining on the edge of the Mawddach estuary. 'For mountain, sand and sea' is how the coastal town markets itself, which says it all. The generous, west-facing strand is a sunset hotspot, and the peaks provide an arresting backdrop landwards. This is the sort of town that's full of visitors-turned-residents and it's that sense of pride and community that's powering its revival.
Why go? The battle to maintain the 2,690ft-long, Grade II-listed Barmouth Viaduct is never more than temporarily won. With the latest £30m restoration recently completed, it's a good time to stroll this engineering marvel, stretching like a wooden splinter across the estuary mouth. The more energetic might enjoy the annual 10k run in June, billed as the country's most scenic, which takes in its length.
Where to eat: Lobster Pot, on the Quay, is the place for dressed crab, seafood linguine, informality — and views of the hills massing across the estuary.
Where to stay: The town is full of striking properties made from the local grey dolerite and slate stone — and few are more robust or striking than Aber House, strategically placed equidistant between harbour, beach and shops.
The North Yorkshire town has a decent claim to be Britain's first seaside resort; health-giving springs discovered here in the early 17th century started the cascade of coastal visitors. But its fall was long and sustained, and the rebound very much a work in progress. The strategy? To woo a diverse crowd with a beyond-eclectic blend of attractions and events, from poetry recitals to punk festivals, while continuing to cater to the deckchaired masses on sun-trap South Bay Beach or Blue Flag North Bay Beach.
Why go? The nostalgists will love strolling through the revamped Esplanade and Italian gardens, marvelling at the imposing silhouette of the Grand — the largest hotel in Europe when it was completed in 1867. The century-old 'OAT' (Open Air Theatre), which re-opened in 2010, now draws some of the country's biggest acts, often leaning into nostalgic revivals. A £20 million transformation of the West Pier is also on the horizon, set to breathe new life into the historic waterfront.
Where to eat: The unimproveably named BellyRub is an informal, dog-friendly craft-beer bar specialising in inventive comfort food such as black pudding, chorizo and bacon fries.
Where to stay: As the name suggests, Bike & Boot aims to court the outdoorsy crowd. It's lively and colourful with no-nonsense pizzas and burgers served in its hybrid Bareca bar/restaurant/cafe.
It's not exactly been plain sailing for the Dorset resort since hosting the sport for the 2012 Olympics, but it's certainly got wind in its sails. The sheltered, gently shelving beach has never looked better — it's raked every day in summer and there are new drinking fountains and free showers — while the town's smart Regency townhouses and elegant parks and gardens are rightly prized. Works equally well as a stand-alone holiday destination or a pit stop for hikers tackling adjacent Chesil Beach or the South West Coast Path.
Why go? The deckchairs and donkey rides reputation belies a fascinating cluster of historical attractions, led by the melancholic ruins of Henry VIII's Sandsfoot Castle and the award-winning Nothe Fort, with its newly unveiled nuclear bunker.
Where to eat: The harbourside Catch at the Old Fish Market serves inventive seafood dishes with stunningly fresh ingredients. Its Michelin Guide mention draws the crowds so book way ahead.
Where to stay: Standing a rather specific 'eight-second dash' from the beach, The Gresham is a listed townhouse stylishly converted into a four-star hotel with a dozen bedrooms and a fortifying breakfast.
'This resort is riding a wave of regenerative spirit' was The Sunday Times's alliterative assessment of this North Tyneside town in 2024, when it named it one of the best places to live in the UK. It's not bad to visit either, with a packed programme of events during the summer, two miles of golden shore and some of the North East's best indie-store shopping in the trendy Park View area.
Why go? When that bracing wind whips in off the North Sea head for the domed Spanish City, a scaled-down version of Brighton's Royal Pavilion dating from the Edwardian era which was reopened pre-pandemic after a £10m restoration. There's award-winning fish and chips, fancy afternoon teas and top-notch restaurants. Next in the town's regen sights? The crumbling, century-old Empress Ballroom, which is set to be developed into an entertainment hub with food stalls, expansive roof terrace and live entertainment space.
Where to eat: Horticulture Coastal promises a 'canny vibe and locally sourced scran'. It's the sister restaurant of the acclaimed Coastal in thrumming Newcastle – just 30 minutes away by Metro.
Where to stay: York House Hotel is a boutique property with 14 rooms at the southern tip of Whitley Park and a five-minute stroll from the beach.
Granted, there are coastal resorts that have suffered greater travails than this affluent East Lothian town. But it still had to endure a choppy few decades at the close of the 20th century as its 'Biarritz of the North' epithet slipped, hotels closed and local tensions around the courting of tourists grew. A healthy truce has since descended and visitors can enjoy a town that's lauded for everything from its long sandy beach to its nation-leading living standards.
Why go? Fringe by the Sea, founded in 2008, has become one of Britain's most sought-after cultural extravaganzas, with 10 days of comedy, live music and culinary masterclasses. Another big draw is the Scottish Seabird Centre, which is the place to learn all about puffins and the gannets that spray-paint the famous offshore Bass Rock white with their guano.
Where to eat: Berwick's foodie reputation is well deserved. Leading the charge are harbour-front Lobster Shack, serving the likes of lobster and crab rolls and smoked haddock and salmon fishcakes, and Drift, a cliff-edge medley of upcycled shipping containers with rousing Firth of Forth views and an indecently good brunch.
Where to stay: From the links course unfurling outside to the imposing baronial architecture, Marine North Berwick is a quintessential Scottish coastal hotel. The landmark building dates from 1875; the lavish refit, from 2021.
Published in the Coastal Collection 2025 by National Geographic Traveller (UK)To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
National Geographic
16 hours ago
- National Geographic
From caves to coral reefs, this is how you can discover the wild side of Turks & Caicos
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Grace Bay sand is predominantly made of parrotfish poop,' states Alizée Zimmerman, executive director of the Turks & Caicos Reef Fund (TCRF), without so much as a smirk. I blink, momentarily taken aback. I'd always assumed sandy beaches were created by the erosion of coral and shells, but here in Turks & Caicos, much of that soft, sugar-white sand has apparently passed through the digestive tract of a fish before settling on the shore. It's an unexpected introduction to this British overseas territory — a scattering of 40 low-lying coral islands and cays south east of the Bahamas. Best known for its white-sand beaches, kaleidoscopic reefs and luxury resorts, Turks & Caicos offers the sort of barefoot glamour that draws honeymooners, divers and escapists alike. But beneath the surface lies a more complex reality — one of fragile ecosystems and quiet urgency — and at the TCRF's coral restoration facility on Providenciales, I begin to see just how intricate and imperilled this underwater world really is. One parrotfish can produce hundreds of pounds of sand a year by munching on coral and excreting it. Photograph by Damocean, Getty Images The parrotfish 'poop' is just one of many surprising truths that I uncover during my guided tour of the lab, where tanks of thriving coral colonies line the walls like a living archive. Here, nursery specimens of coral types including staghorn, star and brain grow and feed, each contributing to research and repopulation efforts across the islands' damaged reefs. I watch each of them closely: one has green polyps that stretch out like tiny tentacles, grasping for food; another, flat and round, lies still, waiting for chance morsels to drift its way. 'Can you tell me — is a coral an animal, plant or mineral?' Alizée asks. My group comes up with various answers, before she reveals that it's actually all three. The more I learn, the more I marvel. We're taught that corals are carnivorous, related to jellyfish and anemones, but they also host algae in their tissues, which photosynthesises to provide food. In just a single tank, the corals range in hue from terracotta to moss green, pale yellow to rich brown. Some plain, others vibrant, but all pulsing with life. Across from the tanks, however, sits a sobering contrast: a coral graveyard. Here, skeletal remains of once-living colonies, including the antlers of a staghorn and the concentric ridges of a great star, lie stripped of colour and life, the brittle white aftermath of something that once thrived. Initially, I assume they're victims of climate change, another casualty of rising sea temperatures. But Alizée introduces another culprit: stony coral tissue loss disease, an aggressive affliction that's affected more than 60% of Turks & Caicos's reefs in recent years. First identified in the Atlantic in 2014, the disease's origin remains uncertain, though it's widely suspected to have stemmed from dredging off the coast of Miami. 'We started seeing massive tissue loss, as if someone had poured acid over the reef,' Alizée tell us bleakly. 'No coral can come back from that.' In response, the TCRF has given large amounts of time, energy and resources into treating sections of reef with antibiotics in a race to curb the disease's spread. It's painstaking, urgent work, a frontline defence against a crisis that many visitors to these islands never see. Travellers can volunteer with the TCRF by joining the dive team to help clean the ladders used to grow endangered staghorn coral. Photograph by Illeana Ravasio, TCRF There are, however, ways in which visitors can get involved in helping to preserve this delicate ecosystem. 'As a small, non-governmental organisation, we currently don't have the capacity to offer regular, scheduled volunteer programmes,' Alizée explains. 'However, travellers can reach out via email or complete the form on our website to get involved. It can vary week to week, but travellers can assist us by preparing materials for moorings, or even by joining the dive team. A visit to our coral lab is a must, and on Wednesday afternoons, we feed all the corals.' Later that evening, back at Wymara Resort and Villas on Grace Bay, I find myself reflecting on the quiet determination of those working to protect the reefs. I order the chargrilled piri-piri cauliflower steak, which, I'm told, isn't just a house favourite, but a dish with purpose. 'As part of the hotel's commitment to conservation, a percentage of the restaurant's proceeds from this dish support the TCRF,' my waitress tells me, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. It feels good to know that simply by choosing to eat here, I'm also making a small contribution to the conservation of the reefs. Island escapes The following morning, I board a ferry that slips across the glassy waters of the Bellefield Channel towards North and Middle Caicos — quieter isles that promise the ultimate luxury: escapism. As we draw closer to land, the waves begin to rise in a whisper, reflecting diamonds of sunlight back to their source. I've signed up for a guided tour of the islands with the National Trust, an organisation that plays a crucial role in conservation here, as well as preserving and promoting the area's rich cultural heritage. Starting in North Caicos, our car winds through pockets of wild greenery before crossing the causeway that links to Middle Caicos, where we're greeted by the white-sand bay of Mudjin Harbour. Curving along the northern coast, this beach marks the beginning of our hike. We climb the headland, aching legs and sweaty brows rewarded with sweeping views of the Atlantic, where white-crested waves rise and break in bursts on the sands below. From there, we walk in single file to steps carved into the cliffside, following them through layers of sun-warmed rock until they open out onto a secluded cove. Sunlight streams in from one side, casting golden rays across the sand in angular streaks. It's a moment of stillness, an encounter with nature's quiet drama. I pause, breathing in air laced with salt, grateful for these hidden corners that you only find when you seek them out. Turning away from the ocean, we press inland. Our next stop is the Conch Bar Caves, the largest above-ground cave system in the Lucayan Archipelago (which comprises the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos), and a 15-mile labyrinth of twisting tunnels and echoing chambers. The air is thick with heat, but inside, the caves offer cool relief. Stalactites reach down like icicles, meeting their counterparts rising from the ground, and in one chamber — known as the 'nine brothers' — the formations are so symmetrical they look man-made, resembling the ruins of a forgotten city. Conch Bar Caves holds significant human history, spanning from the pre-Columbian era to more recent colonial times. Photograph by Matt Anderson, Getty Images 'This limestone cavern was once submerged under the sea. These holes in the ceiling are where the water eroded the rock over time,' explains our guide, Eddie Smith, his enthusiasm evident as he shares the story of the caves.'The Lucayans were the island's original inhabitants,' he continues, 'and if you follow these passages far enough, you can still see evidence of religious ceremonies they held here more than 500 years ago. More recently, families would shelter in here during hurricanes, but today the whole area is protected by the National Trust.' A scurry of cockroaches flees the beam of Eddie's torch as we head further into the gloom. Then, high above us, I notice a cluster of small black shapes hanging by their feet. 'That would be the bats,' he grins at me. 'Four species live here and there are more than 3,000 in this cave. You should see it when they all leave to feed. The sky turns black, like a living storm cloud. It's an incredible sight.' Bats are crucial not only to the cave's environment, but in maintaining nature's delicate balance across the entire island. They play a key role in pollination, while their dung feeds the multitude of insects that call this otherworldly place home. This particular poo, I discover, doesn't end up on the island's beaches, although what's now a bug banquet was an important source of income for locals in the 19th century, before tourism reached Turks & Caicos's shores. Islanders harvested and exported it as far as Europe to be used as fertiliser, a trade that collapsed when chemicals took its place. I'm still contemplating the intricate interlacing of all these ecosystems; how everything — and everyone — has a part to play, when we leave the subterranean chamber, blinking in the harsh afternoon sunlight. Our final stop is Bambarra Beach on the north coast of Middle Caicos and recently named one of the best beaches in the Caribbean. True to the accolade, it's a fine stretch of alabaster sand with no crowds and crystalline waters. I notice a collection of coastal treasures — coral fragments, sea fans and shells — arranged on a weathered bench, like an altar to the ocean. Each piece, I realise, is a small remnant of a once-living reef, a quiet reminder of both the beauty and fragility of life. They speak to what's at stake if these habitats aren't protected. I capture them in a photograph and leave them undisturbed, allowing them to return to the sea from which they came. Perhaps, over time, they'll erode into fine sand, contributing to the beaches we walk upon — along with that parrotfish poop, of course. Three more nature hotspots 1. Flamingo Pond Overlook, North Caicos Situated just off King's Road near Whitby on the north coast of North Caicos, this National Trust site allows travellers to witness a flamboyance of West Indian flamingos wading through glistening wetlands. Admission is free, binoculars cost $2 (£1.45) to rent and the spectacle unfolds daily from 11am to 3.30pm. 2. Little Water Cay, aka Iguana Island Home to the rare Turks & Caicos rock iguana, Little Water Cay is a conservation success story. Boardwalks wind through scrubland and mangroves, where guides explain how reintroduction efforts and feral-cat eradication have helped the iguanas rebound. Entry fees are $10 (£7.50) and support preservation work. 3. Bird Rock Point Trail, Providenciales On the eastern tip of Providenciales, this mile-long trail winds through one of the island's last remaining tracts of coastal coppice woodland. Along the way, it skirts rocky headlands, mangroves and secluded sandy coves — natural habitats that offer refuge for native birds and juvenile fish. Inspiring Travel offers seven nights in Turks & Caicos from £3,159 per person, based on two sharing a Garden Studio at Wymara Resort and Villas on Providenciales. This includes breakfast, flights and internal transfers. Alternatively, Beaches Turks & Caicos is set on Grace Bay, Providenciales, and offers an all-inclusive family-friendly trip with land and watersports and 21 dining options. Prices start at £7,430 for seven nights for two adults and two children, and return flights. For more on conservation, visit TCRF or Turks & Caicos National Trust. Published in the Caribbean Collection 2025 by National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
National Geographic
2 days ago
- National Geographic
Where to find the best afternoon tea in Bath
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). The clink of spoon against china, the sound of tea being poured, perhaps the murmur of scandal — the concept of afternoon tea is representative of, for many, peak Britishness. And the practice feels like it's found a natural home in Bath, the city of Jane Austen, an author whose plot lines are often played out over a steaming cup and saucer. Its origins, however, are thought to lie with the grumbling stomach of the seventh Duchess of Bedford. To bridge the hunger gap between lunch and dinner, the Duchess requested a mid-afternoon snack of bread, butter and cake. This habit of the Duchess — a lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria — soon became royal tradition, then spread across the country. Central to the concept is a cake stand with layers holding dainty finger sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream with a flourish of petit fours at its summit. Among Bath's purveyors of afternoon tea, refills on sandwiches and bottomless hot drinks are often included in the price. For an added stipend, most offer the opportunity to fortify proceedings with a glass (or bottle) of sparkling wine. We select Bath's best venues for a spot of afternoon tea, from Regency parlours and a former Bath Spa pump room to a sun-trap Victorian garden and a heritage hotel set in a Georgian terrace. The Bird, Bath Afternoon tea at this chic boutique hotel, set in a Victorian mansion on the edge of central Bath, is served in its Plate at The Bird restaurant or on its suntrap terrace and delivers tradition and inventiveness in equal measure. In a nod to the name of the establishment, the dainty fare arrives at the table in a tiered, open-fronted bird cage. The sandwich level includes smoked salmon and zingy harissa chicken alongside focaccia fingers of whipped feta and hot honey, while the interior of the beetroot-filled choux pastry is a vivid colour match for The Bird's vivacious, avian-themed decor. Full-size scones come with deliciously dense clotted cream, while the desserts are imaginative and on trend, with a Dubai pistachio delice and mousse-textured replica fruit among them. Teas from Camellia's Tea House help lubricate the larynx and keep the gossip flowing. £40 per person, including sandwiches, scones, petit fours and tea. In a nod to the name of the establishment, the dainty fare arrives at the table in a tiered, open-fronted bird cage. The Bath Priory Exuding all the elegance of a Jane Austen film adaptation, The Bath Priory is a luxury hotel set in an ivy-clad 19th century mansion. It's possible to take tea within the sumptuous art-clad lounge, however the terrace, offering views over the croquet lawn, is so genteel that proceedings come with the anticipation of Mr Darcy striding across the turf. There are familiar fillings for the sandwiches (smoked salmon, egg salad), while the excellent kids' menu serves up crowd-pleasers like Wilshire ham, cheese, peanut butter and jam. The outstanding scones (one cheese, one plain) arrive separately. In honour of the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth this year, an additional savoury element elevates the concept with mouth-wateringly executed sausage rolls and sundried tomato quiche tarts. Meanwhile, the rather grand petit fours — including lavender shortbread biscuits with lemon curd — aim to resurrect the flavour combos of Georgian Bath. It's possible to have afternoon tea packed up in a hamper so you can remain close to your cakes while lounging in the serene four-acre garden. £50 per person, including sandwiches, scones, savoury treats, petit fours and hot drinks. In fine weather, you can take afternoon tea amid the sunlit lavender of the hotel's one-acre landscaped garden. Photograph by Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa The ambiance for afternoon tea at the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa builds while walking the flagstones of the crescent from which this landmark takes its name — the most illustrious of Bath's curved Georgian terraces. In fine weather, you can take afternoon tea amid the sunlit lavender of the hotel's one-acre landscaped garden. Attentive waiters in velvet waistcoats deliver silver pots steeping vegan Hoogly Tea. Sensitive to its heritage, the hotel keeps the sandwich fillings familiar (smoked salmon, Wiltshire ham), while the vegetarian option offers more modern flavour combinations (as well as the archetypal cucumber option). Sugar-studded Bath buns (with a sugar cube melted within, as per cooking tradition) arrive with the scones. £49 per person, including sandwiches, scones, Bath buns, petit fours and hot drinks. A stylish Japanese yakiniku charcoal grill restaurant located close to central Milsom Street, Robun offers an Eastern twist on afternoon tea. Photograph by Ed Schofield Robun A stylish Japanese yakiniku charcoal grill restaurant located close to central Milsom Street, Robun offers an Eastern twist on afternoon tea. Here, the cake stand is replaced with a beautiful wooden box of treats, crowned with the usual top layer of desserts, including a silky chocolate mousse cake that comes with a segment of desiccated blood orange arranged on top like a geisha fan, and a pair of squidgy apple gyozas. Ceramic dishes in the cubbyholes below cradle immaculate bao buns, salmon sashimi, vegetable tempura futomaki and more, while the tea selection perfumes the table with lemongrass, mint and rose blossom (English breakfast tea is also available). In place of bubbly, order a flight of sake. £28 per person including miso soup, salmon sashimi, futomaki, yellowtail aburi nigiri, bao buns, chicken karaage, tea and dessert cakes. The Pump Room Featured in two of Jane Austen's novels, the Pump Room — with its ball-room dimensions, immense chandelier and dinner-jacket-clad pianist — feels purpose-built for afternoon tea. It's possible to generate a whiff of scandal by bolting on a decadent starter of caviar. To commemorate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth this year, this former spa room, where Regency-era visitors once took curative waters, has dialled its strictly traditional tea into heritage flavours with a modern flair. Bulging cucumber, mint and labneh finger sandwiches sit alongside crisply baked pea and parmesan croustades. Teas from Gillards of Bath are delivered to the white-linen tablecloths with a sand timer to guarantee the ideal steep. The dainty homemade scones are as refined as the service, and diminutive enough to ensure there's still space left for the quartet of summery patisserie, garnished with Jane Austen chocolate cameos. For a digestif, take a free glass of mineral-rich spa water. £44.50 per person, including sandwiches, scones, petit fours and hot drinks. To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
National Geographic
3 days ago
- National Geographic
What they're eating in Tallinn
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Tallinn is fast gaining a reputation for its innovative cooking. A new generation of well-travelled chefs is adding international flavours to Estonian cuisine, which traditionally blends Russian, German and Nordic influences. The country's distinct seasons shape a deeply cyclical menu that centres on locally sourced produce. Fermentation is crucial in preserving food during long winters, while the forests, lakes and waterways fanning out from the Estonian city provide prized ingredients like pike from Lake Peipus, venison, foraged berries and mushrooms, along with trout from the Baltic Sea. 1. Kurze at The Kurze Housed in three shipping containers by the railyards, The Kurze feels like a rustic cabin, with mismatched furniture and homemade lemonade served in enamel cups. The kurze themselves — ridge-sealed dumplings from the Russian republic of Dagestan — are the stars of the menu. Founder Nuriyan Navruzova, a former journalist who fled her home there during the Second Chechen War, began selling them in 2018. Demand exploded and now her cosy restaurant offers five varieties — lamb, beef, potato, pumpkin and cheese, all coloured with vegetable dyes for a photogenic touch and served with a tomato dip. 2. Chanterelle hummus at Barbarea Chef Kenneth Karjane leads the kitchen in Barbarea, a repurposed boot factory in the up-and-coming Kopli district. Hummus is always on the menu, but made with seasonal ingredients rather than chickpeas. In warmer months, that means chanterelles from the boundless Estonian forests, blended silky smooth with tahini and spices, topped with roasted mushrooms, dill and black pepper oil. Served with sourdough pitta from the onsite bakery, 'it tastes like Estonian summer,' according to Karjane. 3. Reuben sandwich at Sai! Sai!, Tallinn's go-to spot for sandwiches, is located in a cellar overlooked by a portrait of former president Lennart Meri. Owner Daanius Aas, winner of the Michelin Young Chef Award in 2023, takes inspiration from the late-night cravings he gets after work. His take on the classic reuben respects the original but features local produce: tender Estonian brisket pastrami, sauerkraut from a local farm and marble rye bread made in a Tallinn bakery. It's best enjoyed with a side of fried pickles, and is a budget-friendly favourite with students and homesick Americans. 4. Fish soup at Lore Bistroo In summer, Estonians typically crave two things: sea views and a bowl of fish soup. At Lore Bistroo — in the Noblessner district, where submarines were built in tsarist times — both things are in abundance. It's a surprising rarity in Tallinn, a maritime city with few waterfront dining spots. Chef Janno Leppik's fish soup is a classic island-style dish, made with fresh trout from the Baltic waters around Saaremaa island, along with cod and garden vegetables, generously sprinkled with the national obsession: dill. It's light yet comforting, bringing loyal locals from all over town. 5. Cauliflower at Rado Rado has a refreshingly straightforward chalkboard menu, listing dishes in single words — picanha (beef), tuna, cauliflower — but the flavours are far from simple. Slovakian chef Radoslav Mitro honours his mother's cooking with the cauliflower offering: a boiled piece of the brasscia, generously coated in parmesan sauce with thyme, then crowned with grated parmesan. It's so beloved the patrons won't let Mitro take it off the menu, no matter how many times the rest of the chalkboard changes. 6. Kouign-amann at Sumi Estonians have always had a soft spot for pastries, and now French bakeries are popping up all over town. The latest darling for the sweet-toothed is Sumi in North Tallinn, where American pastry chef Hannah Holman creates a tempting array of hand-crafted treats. The kouign-amann is a crowd-pleaser, the idea drawn from vintage Breton cookbooks from her grandmother's generation — a golden pastry made from leftover baguette dough, laminated with butter and sugar in the last two folds. The resulting rich flavours belie the simplicity of the ingredients and it's a crisp, yet melt-in-your-mouth delight. You might want to learn the Estonian version of 'one more, please' in advance: üks veel, palun. Published in Issue 28 (summer 2025) of Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
