Leib Restaurant
Where Sommelier Gold is Born
On a sunny summer’s day, Leib, in Tallinn’s Old Town, is a sight to behold. A spacious green garden with the tables set right on the lawn, along with two terraces. The dining room stands empty on those days. There is no other oasis quite like it. When the weather is less cooperative, however, guests have no other choice than to enjoy dinner indoors. The atmosphere is rather more humble than in the lush garden, but it provides a perfect setting for Leib’s dishes: modern Estonian cuisine rooted in tradition. Lately, some have suggested that Leib has run out of ideas and that their years of recreating Estonian food has left them worn out and tired. Don’t even listen to those rumours. Leib seems to be at its all-time best. The green pea-kombucha soup with smoked walnuts and aged cheese from Andre farm is a descendant of classic pea soup, age-old farmstead fare reborn here as an impressive city dish balanced to perfection. Beetroot tartar is made with cured beets that are “revived” with vinegar, then cured again and served on grilled sourdough bread with spruce sprout cream. The depth and richness of the vegetable is astounding and unique. One of the restaurant’s owners, the award-winning sommelier Kristjan Peäske, has turned his eatery into a “sommelier school”. It keeps producing new sommeliers who bring home one award after the other. The extensive beverage list is best perused for educational purposes, just trust your sommelier’s advice and you’ll be partaking of little-known tipples that match the food perfectly.