Controvento is a bar-restaurant complex housed inside a restored 13th-century granary that still retains much of its original charm and character. Located along a medieval walkway between two picturesque streets in Tallinn's Old Town, it is the place to be if you're after genuine Italian dishes.
From Raekoja plats, walk east until you see the recently restored corner block which houses the Demini Shopping Gallery. This is bordered by two busy streets. Take Vene and walk northeast past numerous tiny shops and character buildings until on your right you reach the entrance to Katariina Kaik, an alleyway marked number 12. Meander along Katariina Kaik for about 50 metres and you'll find Controvento on your right.
The bar housed on the ground floor of the complex opens daily at 11am. On week days, it never closes before midnight; on Saturdays, Sundays and special days when the atmosphere is enhanced by live music, it carries on with business until 1am. The entertaining atmosphere inside is made better by the excellent service offered by each member of the staff. Don't hesitate to ask about unusual cocktails and Estonian liqueurs. Prices are cheap, so cheap that tourists are often tempted to drink too much.
The same can be said of the restaurant on the first floor where the cosy and friendly atmosphere is something you'll surely talk about at home. A stone-vaulted ceiling, a row of stained glass windows and an abundance of century-old furnishings add up to create an atmosphere of days past.
No other restaurant in Tallinn provides such a vast range of Italian fare. Specialities include homemade pasta, vegetable soup with vermicelli and cheesecakes for vegetarians. Controvento's pizza baked in a traditional wood-heated brick oven is unarguably the best pizza in town.
The sweets and the cappuccino are reminiscent of an eatery in Napoli. It can't be otherwise since both the owner and the chef are Italian. You can ask for a menu in English although menus are available in other languages as well. Don't hesitate to ask: the Estonian waiters and the Italian pizzaiolo are the friendliest I've come across in Tallinn. A full meal for two complete with Italian wine or local beer sets you back about US$30. With regard to wine, you can opt for familiar Italian wines or you can try a local variety which comes of course much cheaper. You can even try Wana Tallinna, a local alcoholic drink that you'll soon find out it's more than wine. Try Saku beer on draught, the best Estonian beer and yet so cheap, less than US$1 for a litre.
Spaghetti is always spaghetti, but Controvento's spaghetti carbonara is creamy and tasty, their penne al pesto is delicious and their pizza peperone is unquestionably the best of the range. Or if you are after something light yet tasty, why don't you try their thick pasta e fagioli? End up with a delicious slice of Controvento's tiramisu and a frothy cappuccino.