Cafe and restaurant in Estonian
A table, the menu, what you cannot eat, and a compliment to the kitchen. Play the ten Estonian words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Estonian phrases in this lesson
- Laud kahele, palunlaud KAH-heh-leh PAH-loon
- A table for two
- Menüü, palunmeh-NUU PAH-loon
- The menu, please
- Mida te soovitate?MEE-dah teh SOH-vee-tah-teh
- What do you recommend?
- Ma ei söö...mah ay sur
- I don't eat...
- Mul on allergia ... vastumool on al-LER-gee-ah ... VAS-too
- I'm allergic to...
- LihaLEE-hah
- Meat
- KanaKAH-nah
- Chicken
- KalaKAH-lah
- Fish
- See on maitsevsay on MAIT-sev
- It's delicious
- Terviseks!TER-vee-seks
- Cheers
Laud is table, kahele is "for two." Hold up two fingers as you say it and you will be seated without any confusion. For more people, swap kahele for kolmele (three), neljale (four), etc.
Menüü is borrowed from French/German and universally understood. Many Estonian restaurants now also have QR-code menus, but asking for a physical one with this phrase always works.
A great question that often leads to a house specialty. Estonians can be modest in their recommendations, but a question like this shows genuine curiosity and is always appreciated.
"Ma ei söö liha", I don't eat meat.
The food goes in the middle.
Smoked fish and Baltic sprats are the classics.
A simple compliment that genuinely pleases Estonian cooks and servers. Maitsev means tasty/flavorful. You can also just say Väga hea (VAE-gah HEH-ah), "very good," with a nod.
Literally "to your health." The standard toast before drinking. Make eye contact when you clink glasses; in Estonian culture, looking away while toasting is considered bad luck.